Godfrey of Bouillon, First Crusader

Godfrey of Bouillon, First Crusader Godfrey of Bouillon was also known as Godefroi de Bouillon, and he was best known for leading an army in the First Crusade, and becoming the first European ruler in the Holy Land. Godfrey of Bouillon was born in about 1060 C.E. to Count Eustace II of Boulogne and his wife Ida, who was the daughter of Duke Godfrey II of Lower Lorraine. His elder brother, Eustace III, inherited Boulogne and the familys estate in England. In 1076 his maternal uncle named Godfrey heir to the duchy of Lower Lorraine, the county of Verdun, the Marquisate of Antwerp and the territories of Stenay and Bouillon. But Emperor Henry IV delayed confirming the grant of Lower Lorraine, and Godfrey only won the duchy back in 1089, as a reward for fighting for Henry. Godfrey the Crusader In 1096, Godfrey joined the First Crusade with Eustace and his younger brother, Baldwin. His motivations are unclear; he had never shown any notable devotion to the Church, and in the investiture controversy he had supported the German ruler against the pope. The terms of the mortgage agreements he drew up in preparation for going to the Holy Land suggest that Godfrey had no intention of staying there. But he raised considerable funds and a formidable army, and he would become one of the most important leaders of the First Crusade. Upon his arrival at Constantinople, Godfrey immediately clashed with Alexius Comnenus over the oath the emperor wanted the crusaders to take, which included the provision that any recovered lands that had once been part of the empire be restored to the emperor. Though Godfrey clearly had not planned to settle in the Holy Land, he balked at this. Tensions grew so strained that they came to violence; but ultimately Godfrey took the oath, though he harbored serious reservations and not a little resentment. That resentment probably grew stronger when Alexius surprised the Crusaders by taking possession of Nicea after they had besieged it, robbing them of the opportunity to plunder the city for spoil. In their progress through the Holy Land, some of the Crusaders took a detour to find allies and supplies, and they ended up establishing a settlement in Edessa. Godfrey acquired Tilbesar, a prosperous region that would make it possible for him to supply his troops more readily and help him increase his number of followers. Tilbesar, like the other areas acquired by the Crusaders at this time, had once been Byzantine; but neither Godfrey nor any of his associates offered to turn any of these lands over to the emperor. Ruler of Jerusalem After the Crusaders captured Jerusalem when fellow crusade leader Raymond of Toulouse refused to become king of the city, Godfrey agreed to rule; but he wouldnt take the title of king. He was instead called Advocatus Sancti Sepulchri (Protector of the Holy Sepulchre). Shortly thereafter, Godfrey and his fellow crusaders beat back a force of encroaching Egyptians. With Jerusalem thus secured - at least for the time being - most of the crusaders decided to return home. Godfrey now lacked support and guidance in governing the city, and the arrival of papal legate Daimbert, archbishop of Pisa, complicated matters. Daimbert, who shortly became the patriarch of Jerusalem, believed the city and, indeed, the entire Holy Land should be governed by the church. Against his better judgment, but without any alternative, Godfrey became Daimberts vassal. This would make Jerusalem the subject of an ongoing power struggle for years to come. However, Godfrey would play no further part in this matter; he died unexpectedly on July 18, 1100. After his death, Godfrey became the subject of legends and songs, thanks in large part to his height, his fair hair and his good looks. Sources: Brà ©hier at the Cathoic Encycopedia. Godfrey of BouillonBrundage, James at Paul Halsalls Medieval Sourcebook. William of Tyre: Godfrey Of Bouillon Becomes Defender Of The Holy Sepulcher.

The Truth About Online Plagiarism Checkers

The Truth About Online Plagiarism Checkers The Goal We decided to study three important questions: Are online tools safe? Are user privacy, data protection, intellectual property, and licensing of the content concerned? Does the free option hide any unexpected features? Is such software as reliable and helpful as advertised? How the Websites Have Been Selected First of all, we googled such keywords as plagiarism detection, plagiarism test, free plagiarism tools, plagiarism checkers, duplicate text search, plagiarism software, plagiarism scanner, etc. After that, we checked available reviews of online plagiarism services and added them to the list. We tested selected tools using free option, without registration, and removed services that didnt work. Finally, we had a list of 32 websites. How We Tested the Websites For each of the websites, we checked such sections as Disclaimers, Terms of Service, FAQ, Support Forums, Privacy Policy, and Warnings. We searched for information on licensing, use of submitted content, data protection, service location and governing laws, and liability limitations. We also compared the information on country location available on the website and information from the WHOIS database. We even visited professional forums and social media to confirm some data on the location of the service. Results According to results of our research, 25% of online plagiarism checkers save submitted content. 28% of such websites claim that they dont save the content, and for 44% its impossible to determine whether or not they save the content. 13% of websites admit that they use the submitted content for their own purposes (either commercial or non-commercial). For 54%, its impossible to determine whether they use the content or not. 31% of websites claim that they dont use the saved content. 34% of the websites are located in countries with proper laws regarding intellectual theft and copyright (USA, Germany, Australia, Hong-Kong, UK, Cyprus). 25% of the services are located in countries with weak legal protection (Ukraine, Pakistan, Russia). For 41% of the websites, we were unable to determine the location. Final Thoughts Many students, bloggers, teachers, and writers use online plagiarism services every day. According to the results of our research, the use of such services sometimes is very risky, because the submitted content can be unprotected against copyright violations. Most of the free online services dont provide users with clear information on what they do with the submitted content, and how they use it. Some services publish the submitted content as their own and use it in any way they want. However, such services want a stream of fresh content for a reason. They dont have many sources to determine whether or not a certain text is original. Thus, some complicated services use the submitted content to improve the effectiveness of their work. At the same time, such a use of the content creates an opportunity to steal the content. The Privacy Policies and the Terms of Use may be changed anytime, so users cannot rely on claims of such websites. The submitted content may be used for so-called content spinning software, which uses the original content to create many paraphrased copies of texts on the same topic. We can conclude that writers and students who use online plagiarism checkers risk giving their content to the content spinning software. We suggest not using online plagiarism checking websites. You can copy and paste sentences from your text into a search box of any search engine, and it will work just like plagiarism checkers, or even better. Do Online Plagiarism Detectors Work Honestly? You may have heard that there is nothing new under the sun. However, almost all colleges, universities, and MBA schools want their students to write an original content that will have nothing in common with works written before. Plagiarism isnt a new thing – even Shakespeare borrowed almost all his ideas from other sources, but the internet has raised plagiarism to a completely new level. Professors dont like when students steal their works from the internet. Given the large class sizes and fast pace of work, teachers dont have much time to consider each student individually, trying to figure out whether he or she have plagiarized the work or not. Plagiarism checkers are a perfect solution in such conditions; they allow teachers to check many papers fast and easily. Most plagiarism checkers compare texts to the available web pages, and already-uploaded texts (most teachers require all their students to use such online services). After that, plagiarism checkers provide users with an analysis of the content, taking into account the percentage of text that has been found in other sources. Such a method includes many drawbacks. For example, students may use quotes from various sources. Even if all the citations are written according to necessary standards, plagiarism checkers will flag these elements as plagiarized. Thus, if students have analytical papers assigned, and their works include many quotes from Shakespeare or Dickens, they can be accused of plagiarizing the content, even if they followed all the quotation rules. Another common problem related to the use of online plagiarism detectors is that many students use some common, trivial phrases, such as its easier said than done, in the heat of the moment, and so on. Of course, good academic writing implies avoiding such constructions, but the use of common phrases itself isnt plagiarizing. At the same time, some students just change the wording without changing the content, and their texts may pass plagiarism check because such algorithms are unable to detect paraphrasing. Computers are able to consider words and phrases, but not the meaning of the text. Plagiarism software also has its ethical side. Professors rely on online checkers instead of doing their job and checking all papers manually. Some students may not understand the concept of plagiarism. For example, why citing their textbook is considered plagiarism, while quotes from Shakespeare are not. Students from some foreign countries may even consider citing their professor as a form of respect. Thats why telling students what exactly is considered plagiarism, and providing them with examples is necessary. Professors have to create an environment that will motivate students to avoid plagiarism. They have to spend more time with students, helping them with assignments and learning each students writing style. Understanding capabilities of each student, teachers will be able to easily understand whether or not their content was plagiarized. Professors also have to figure out why certain texts are flagged as plagiarism and check if citations are written properly. Usually, common assignments produce more positive results, because students use citations from reliable sources and familiar ideas. Unique assignments are much more difficult for students because they are not sure where to find the information. Their citations may be formatted incorrect, which in turn, will cause a bad originality percentage for such a work. Finally, another problem with plagiarism checkers is that they add certain tension between students and professors, minimizing the trust. When students hear long speeches about how their papers will be checked for plagiarism, it doesnt motivate them to follow the honor code. In our opinion, professors must remember that policing their students isnt their main goal. Plagiarism checkers do their job, but they cannot solve such real problems as weak students skills and drawbacks of the educational system.

Why Is It Difficult to Create a Psychological Portrait of a Typical Te Coursework

Why Is It Difficult to Create a Psychological Portrait of a Typical Terrorist - Coursework Example In history, terrorism has always been an effective tactic of the weaker side in a conflict. It is especially true when the conflict is asymmetrical in term of the balance of power. Probably this characteristic of terrorism explains the recent resurgence of terrorism. It is argued that terrorism is one of the results of globalization, as it escalates ethnic conflicts in an attempt to secure one’s identity.   Hence it will be present in some form or other in our lifetime and in the lives of our children. This paper aims at studying the nature, characteristics, and causes of terrorism. What makes a person become a terrorist? Does psychopathology provide any help in understanding and preventing terrorism? It will also identify the vulnerabilities of the terrorist groups. The nature and causes of terrorism are varied and diversified. People become terrorists in different ways in different roles and for different reasons. Although it can be helpful to identify the reason for joining, staying with a terrorist organization and leaving it no generic formula can be developed. The most common causes of terrorism are perceived injustices and the need for identity and belonging. Nature of terrorism has changed over the years. If we compare the terrorist groups and terrorists of the 1970s with the terrorists of the early 1990s an emerging new trend can be observed. Religious fundamentalism is growing and these new religious groups use weapons of mass destruction. Earlier it was presumed that terrorists do not use weapons of mass destruction because it will alienate them from the public and they will have to face harsh retaliation. The key extremist religious groups are Hizballah, Al –Qaida and Aum Shinrikyo. According to Post, the most dangerous terrori sts are religious terrorists. Political and social terrorist have a defined mission that can be measured in terms of their objective and government reaction, media reaction etc. whereas the religious terrorist can justify the most heinous crime.

LLB Law, Media Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

LLB Law, Media Law - Essay Example ge of its duties, is guilty of contempt†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 1 The test as to what constitutes contempt of court was enunciated by Lord Russell in the English case of R v Gray: ‘Any act done or writing published calculated to bring a court or a judge of the court into contempt, or to lower his authority, is a contempt of court.’2 In every court proceeding, what every litigant is in search of is a good judgment and in most court proceedings involving trial by jury, having a good, reasonable and unbiased jury is the key to that. Taking a view from the Attorney General’s speech, it is true that the law of contempt was meant to arrive at a middle ground between competing interests. There are so many opposing interests to every trial. The law of contempt has at least three fundamental objects – providing a fair trial, ensuring compliance with the court’s orders and generally protecting the administration of justice. If these competing interests are balanced, it is the only way which requires the court process to be fair and that the community accepts the court’s decisions and obeys their orders. It is the duty of the trial judge always to warn the jury of the likely consequences of which any pre-trial publicity may have on the trial. The jury must always and constantly be cautioned to try the case on the basis of the evidence it hears and not on the basis of anything it reads in the newspapers or heard on radio or television. A question that should be asked at this point is that is this a reasonable position? If this is reasonable, how will the law be successful is protecting the rights of those concerned with a trial from intrusion by the media? How does the law attempt to balance the conflicting interest of all parties to the trial, and in particular, in relation to freedom of speech/freedom of the press and the right to a fair trial? Are the any dangers of a miscarriage of justice with regards to pre-trial publicity? It should be noted that a lot of jurors have become

Female Authors and the Novel Essay Example for Free

Female Authors and the Novel Essay The contribution of female authors towards the development of the novel is significant. Indeed it can be argued that feminine sensibility plays a key role here. G K Chesterton describes the novel as a feminine art form, and he explains that it is the female eye for homely detail, as well as the talent to depict the intricacies of relationships, that make it so (39). These qualities are important because they serve to counteract the male tendency towards philosophy and idealism. Such tendencies must be overcome because the novel is aiming for an individualistic and democratic voice which is beyond all factionalism. The search for an individual voice had been the aim of literature since the Protestant Reformation. It was the aim too of the Enlightenment; but the practical effect was only to introduce the rigid formality of classicism. So the constraints of the Church had been replaced by just another form of constraint. Such constraints were overcome in the end by the female prose writers, and gradually over a long period. In this respect we will examine the two writers Aphra Behn and Mary Shelley, separated by a century and a half. The former presages the advent of the novel, while the latter perfects the form and paves the way for the great Victorian age of the novel. Classicism was the key barrier to the development of the novel. All efforts towards informality were frowned upon by the stalwarts of Augustan literature, led by Dryden and Pope, so the novel was perforce directed underground. Here it flowered in the hands of the women writers, who were mostly ignored because they concentrated on sentimental romance, and appealing to woman readers alone. Daniel Defoe is now regarded as the first proper novelist, but it is plain to see that he has adopted a form established by the female writers, who produced mostly trifling and salacious romances. Such a description may be applied to Aphra Behn’s Love Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister, but it is also notable for being the first epistolary novel. Her reputation, however, rests on Oroonoko, a love story involving an African prince captured by slave traders. Though not yet a proper novel, it contains many innovations that point in that direction. Behn assumes a conversational tone with the readers in places, inspiring familiarity. It also contains an omniscient voice of narration, which was to become the most distinctive characteristic of the novel proper. However, she feels obliged to explain her omniscience, and so the narrator is tangentially involved in the story itself. She knows all the incidents in Africa because she has lived the slave plantation and has conversed with the African prince. By the time Mary Shelley writes Frankenstein, the novel form has almost come into its own element, and its history boasts such great novelists as Defoe, Fielding, Richardson, Sterne, Smollet and Austen. Nevertheless, Shelley’s original contribution in not insignificant. The voice of the novel reflects ‘individual expression’, and this has been largely perfected by this point. Shelley goes on to tackle the theme of individualism itself. It is the story of a mad scientist who cuts himself off from the world in order to create a being from assembles and inanimate organs. We discover similarities between the project of the mad scientist and the project of the novelist giving life to his fictional creations. The novelist functions as an individual, and his is probably the loneliest occupation of all. At the same time it is his task to create individuals, purely from the imagination. Shelley’s theme is at heart the mutual dependency of creator and creature. Though she is outwardly concerned with the misuse of science, and of the terrible consequences of mechanization, the underlying theme remains that of individualism. In this sense we may interpret her novel as an exploration of the limits of the novel. In conclusion, female writers can be said to be largely responsible for the development of the novel from the Restoration onwards. The evolution of the novel has avoided the limelight, yet the novel has been the primary vehicle for the advance of individualism. Only with the Industrial revolution and the rise of democracy does the novel burst forth as the principal mode of literature. Aphra Behn and Mary Shelley were key proponents in novel’s development. Works Cited Behn, Aphra. Oroonoko. Ed. Janet M. Todd. New York: Penguin Classics, 2003. Chesterton, Gilbert Keith. The Victorian Age in Literature. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1966. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Collectors Library, 2004.

Have We Overcome Segregation? Essay -- Segregation, history, USA,

1950. America was in the midst of a racial battle. African Americans used separate bathrooms, went to separate schools and were treated with the least amount of respect. The world was a much different place where segregation was the norm. Today though, the majority of Americans believe we have overcome this inequality. But have we really? When looking at the educational system in today’s society, you can easily find flaws in almost every aspect of it. Although I agree that we have came a long way in overcoming a lot of these issues there is still one that remains very prominent in almost every school in America: segregation. While segregation may no longer be taught or enforced nationwide, you still see it across schools within cliques, gangs, and social settings. Even though it may be human nature to â€Å"hang out† with people you can identify with the most, it is the negative acts against everyone else of different ethnicity that causes problems. Today these problems are widespread but because we live in a country that pretends we have overcome racism, it goes unpublicized. However, within doing some research you can find some of these stories of segregation in today’s society everywhere from the news to Hollywood videos. In a 2006 NBC News story, a school in Omaha, Nebraska was debating on splitting the school up into three different districts. The first district would be white, the second black and the third Latino. In defense for this proposal the state senator is saying, â€Å"Segregation exists right now. Our children are failing and our schools are failing. The gap between the achievements of white children and black children in their respective schools is not narrowing (Tibbles).† He proposes that each school would be able to ... ... are acting out the way they are. A change is going to have to occur within the educational system and parenting, in order to see a change in society. Children learn a good majority of their social skills, including how to segregate from one another in school. When we have our children growing up with these ideas being instilled at home and at school, how can we expect any change in the future? If we are still having segregated proms and noose’s hanging from trees in the year 2009, where equality obviously doesn’t exist, when is the â€Å"real† change going to occur? Are we soon going to be going back to a time where African Americans used separate bathrooms, attend separate schools and are no longer treated with the respect they deserve? I believe if we continue allowing segregation the way we have been, that yes, we will eventually find ourselves reliving the 1950’s. Have We Overcome Segregation? Essay -- Segregation, history, USA, 1950. America was in the midst of a racial battle. African Americans used separate bathrooms, went to separate schools and were treated with the least amount of respect. The world was a much different place where segregation was the norm. Today though, the majority of Americans believe we have overcome this inequality. But have we really? When looking at the educational system in today’s society, you can easily find flaws in almost every aspect of it. Although I agree that we have came a long way in overcoming a lot of these issues there is still one that remains very prominent in almost every school in America: segregation. While segregation may no longer be taught or enforced nationwide, you still see it across schools within cliques, gangs, and social settings. Even though it may be human nature to â€Å"hang out† with people you can identify with the most, it is the negative acts against everyone else of different ethnicity that causes problems. Today these problems are widespread but because we live in a country that pretends we have overcome racism, it goes unpublicized. However, within doing some research you can find some of these stories of segregation in today’s society everywhere from the news to Hollywood videos. In a 2006 NBC News story, a school in Omaha, Nebraska was debating on splitting the school up into three different districts. The first district would be white, the second black and the third Latino. In defense for this proposal the state senator is saying, â€Å"Segregation exists right now. Our children are failing and our schools are failing. The gap between the achievements of white children and black children in their respective schools is not narrowing (Tibbles).† He proposes that each school would be able to ... ... are acting out the way they are. A change is going to have to occur within the educational system and parenting, in order to see a change in society. Children learn a good majority of their social skills, including how to segregate from one another in school. When we have our children growing up with these ideas being instilled at home and at school, how can we expect any change in the future? If we are still having segregated proms and noose’s hanging from trees in the year 2009, where equality obviously doesn’t exist, when is the â€Å"real† change going to occur? Are we soon going to be going back to a time where African Americans used separate bathrooms, attend separate schools and are no longer treated with the respect they deserve? I believe if we continue allowing segregation the way we have been, that yes, we will eventually find ourselves reliving the 1950’s.

E Commerce

E-commerce advantages and disadvantages E-commerce provides many new ways for businesses and consumers to communicate and conduct business. There are a number of advantages and disadvantages of conducting business in this manner. E-commerce advantages Some advantages that can be achieved from e-commerce include: †¢Being able to conduct business 24 x 7 x 365 . E-commerce systems can operate all day every day. Your physical storefront does not need to be open in order for customers and suppliers to be doing business with you electronically. Access the global marketplace . The Internet spans the world, and it is possible to do business with any business or person who is connected to the Internet. Simple local businesses such as specialist record stores are able to market and sell their offerings internationally using e-commerce. This global opportunity is assisted by the fact that, unlike traditional communications methods, users are not charged according to the distance over which they are communicating. Speed. Electronic communications allow messages to traverse the world almost instantaneously. There is no need to wait weeks for a catalogue to arrive by post: that communications delay is not a part of the Internet / e-commerce world. †¢Marketspace. The market in which web-based businesses operate is the global market. It may not be evident to them, but many businesses are already facing international competition from web-enabled businesses. †¢Opportunity to reduce costs. The Internet makes it very easy to ‘shop around' for products and services that may be cheaper or more effective than we might otherwise settle for. It is sometimes possible to, through some online research, identify original manufacturers for some goods – thereby bypassing wholesalers and achieving a cheaper price. †¢Computer platform-independent . ‘Many, if not most, computers have the ability to communicate via the Internet independent of operating systems and hardware. Customers are not limited by existing hardware systems' (Gascoyne & Ozcubukcu, 1997:87). †¢Efficient applications development environment – ‘In many respects, applications can be more efficiently developed and distributed because the can be built without regard to the customer's or the business partner's technology platform. Application updates do not have to be manually installed on computers. Rather, Internet-related technologies provide this capability inherently through automatic deployment of software updates' (Gascoyne & Ozcubukcu, 1997:87). Allowing customer self service and ‘customer outsourcing'. People can interact with businesses at any hour of the day that it is convenient to them, and because these interactions are initiated by customers, the customers also provide a lot of the data for the transaction that may otherwise need to be entered by business staff. This means that some of the work and costs are effectively shifted to customers; this is r eferred to as ‘customer outsourcing'. †¢Stepping beyond borders to a global view. Using aspects of e-commerce technology can mean your business can source and use products and services provided by other businesses in other countries. This seems obvious enough to say, but people do not always consider the implications of e-commerce. For example, in many ways it can be easier and cheaper to host and operate some e-commerce activities outside Australia. Further, because many e-commerce transactions involve credit cards, many businesses in Australia need to make arrangements for accepting online payments. However a number of major Australian banks have tended to be unhelpful laggards on this front, charging a lot of money and making it difficult to establish these arrangements – particularly for smaller businesses and/or businesses that don't fit into a traditional-economy understanding of business. In some cases, therefore, it can be easier and cheaper to set up arrangements which bypass this aspect of the Australian banking system. Admittedly, this can create some grey areas for legal and taxation purposes, but these can be dealt with. And yes these circumstances do have implications for Australia's national competitiveness and the competitiveness of our industries and businesses. As a further thought, many businesses find it easier to buy and sell in U. S. dollars: it is effectively the major currency of the Internet. In this context, global online customers can find the concept of peculiar and unfamiliar currencies disconcerting. Some businesses find they can achieve higher prices online and in US dollars than they would achieve selling locally or nationally. Given that banks often charge fees for converting currencies, this is another reason to investigate all of your (national and international) options for accepting and making online payments. In brief, it is useful to take a global view with regard the potential and organisation of your e-commerce activities, especially if you are targeting global customers. †¢A new marketing channel. The Internet provides an important new channel to sell to consumers. Peterson et al. 1999) suggest that, as a marketing channel, the Internet has the following characteristics: †¢the ability to inexpensively store vast amounts of information at different virtual locations †¢the availability of powerful and inexpensive means of searching, organising, and disseminating such information †¢interactivity and the ability to provide information on demand †¢the ability to provide perceptual experiences that are far superior to a printed catalogue, although not as rich as personal inspect ion †¢the capability to serve as a transaction medium the ability to serve as a physical distribution medium for certain goods (e. g. , software) †¢relatively low entry and establishment costs for sellers †¢no other existing marketing channel possesses all of these characteristics. Some of these advantages and their surrounding issues are discussed below in further detail. E-commerce disadvantages and constraints Some disadvantages and constraints of e-commerce include the following. †¢Time for delivery of physical products . It is possible to visit a local music store and walk out with a compact disc, or a bookstore and leave with a book. E-commerce is often used to buy goods that are not available locally from businesses all over the world, meaning that physical goods need to be delivered, which takes time and costs money. In some cases there are ways around this, for example, with electronic files of the music or books being accessed across the Internet, but then these are not physical goods. †¢Physical product, supplier & delivery uncertainty . When you walk out of a shop with an item, it's yours. You have it; you know what it is, where it is and how it looks. In some respects e-commerce purchases are made on trust. This is because, firstly, not having had physical access to the product, a purchase is made on an expectation of what that product is and its condition. Secondly, because supplying businesses can be conducted across the world, it can be uncertain whether or not they are legitimate businesses and are not just going to take your money. It's pretty hard to knock on their door to complain or seek legal recourse! Thirdly, even if the item is sent, it is easy to start wondering whether or not it will ever arrive. †¢Perishable goods . Forget about ordering a single gelato ice cream from a shop in Rome! Though specialised or refrigerated transport can be used, goods bought and sold via the Internet tend to be durable and non-perishable: they need to survive the trip from the supplier to the purchasing business or consumer. This shifts the bias for perishable and/or non-durable goods back towards traditional supply chain arrangements, or towards relatively more local e-commerce-based purchases, sales and distribution. In contrast, durable goods can be traded from almost anyone to almost anyone else, sparking competition for lower prices. In some cases this leads to disintermediation in which intermediary people and businesses are bypassed by consumers and by other businesses that are seeking to purchase more directly from manufacturers. †¢Limited and selected sensory information. The Internet is an effective conduit for visual and auditory information: seeing pictures, hearing sounds and reading text. However it does not allow full scope for our senses: we can see pictures of the flowers, but not smell their fragrance; we can see pictures of a hammer, but not feel its weight or balance. Further, when we pick up and inspect something, we choose what we look at and how we look at it. This is not the case on the Internet. If we were looking at buying a car on the Internet, we would see the pictures the seller had chosen for us to see but not the things we might look for if we were able to see it in person. And, taking into account our other senses, we can't test the car to hear the sound of the engine as it changes gears or sense the smell and feel of the leather seats. There are many ways in which the Internet does not convey the richness of experiences of the world. This lack of sensory information means that people are often much more comfortable buying via the Internet generic goods – things that they have seen or experienced before and about which there is little ambiguity, rather than unique or complex things. †¢Returning goods. Returning goods online can be an area of difficulty. The uncertainties surrounding the initial payment and delivery of goods can be exacerbated in this process. Will the goods get back to their source? Who pays for the return postage? Will the refund be paid? Will I be left with nothing? How long will it take? Contrast this with the offline experience of returning goods to a shop. †¢Privacy, security, payment, identity, contract. Many issues arise – privacy of information, security of that information and payment details, whether or not payment details (eg credit card details) will be misused, identity theft, contract, and, whether we have one or not, what laws and legal jurisdiction apply. †¢Defined services & the unexpected . E-commerce is an effective means for managing the transaction of known and established services, that is, things that are everyday. It is not suitable for dealing with the new or unexpected. For example, a transport company used to dealing with simple packages being asked if it can transport a hippopotamus, or a customer asking for a book order to be wrapped in blue and white polka dot paper with a bow. Such requests need human intervention to investigate and resolve. †¢Personal service . Although some human interaction can be facilitated via the web, e-commerce can not provide the richness of interaction provided by personal service. For most businesses, e-commerce methods provide the equivalent of an information-rich counter attendant rather than a salesperson. This also means that feedback about how people react to product and service offerings also tends to be more granular or perhaps lost using e-commerce approaches. If your only feedback is that people are (or are not) buying your products or services online, this is inadequate for evaluating how to change or improve your e-commerce strategies and/or product and service offerings. Successful business use of e-commerce typically involves strategies for gaining and applying customer feedback. This helps businesses to understand, anticipate and meet changing online customer needs and preferences, which is critical because of the comparatively rapid rate of ongoing Internet-based change. †¢Size and number of transactions. E-commerce is most often conducted using credit card facilities for payments, and as a result very small and very large transactions tend not to be conducted online. The size of transactions is also impacted by the economics of transporting physical goods. For example, any benefits or conveniences of buying a box of pens online from a US-based business tend to be eclipsed by the cost of having to pay for them to be delivered to you in Australia. The delivery costs also mean that buying individual items from a range of different overseas businesses is significantly more expensive than buying all of the goods from one overseas business because the goods can be packaged and shipped together. E Commerce Electronic commerce, commonly known as e-commerce or ecommerce, is a type of industry where the buying and selling of products or services is conducted over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks. Electronic commerce draws on technologies such as mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, supply chain management, Internet marketing, online transaction processing, electronic data interchange (EDILinventory management systems, and automated data collection systems.Modern electronic commerce typically uses he World Wide Web at least at one point in the transaction's life-cycle, although it may encompass a wider range of technologies such as e-mail, mobile devices, social media, and telephones as well. Electronic commerce is generally considered to be the sales aspect of e-business. It also consists of the exchange of data to facilitate the financing and payment aspects of business transactions. This is an effective and efficient way of communicating within an organization and one of the most effective and useful ways of conducting business. E-commerce can be divided into:E-tailing or â€Å"virtual storefronts† on websites with online catalogs, sometimes gathered into a â€Å"virtual mall† Buying or Selling on various websites and/or online marketplaces The gathering and use of demographic data through Web contacts and social media Electronic Data Interchange (ED'), the business-to-business exchange of data E-mail and fax and their use as media for reaching prospective and established customers (for example, with newsletters) Business-to-business buying and selling The security of business transactions Types of e-commerce[edit] The major different types of e-commerce are:Business-to-Business (82B): 82B e-commerce is simply defined as e-commerce between companies. This is the type of e-commerce that deals with relationships between and among businesses. About 80% of e-commerce is of this type, and most experts predict that 82B e- commerce will continue to grow faster than the B2C segment. The 82B market has two primary components: e-frastructure and e-markets. Business-to-consumer (B2C): Business-to-consumer e-commerce, or commerce between companies and consumers, involves customers gathering information; purchasing physical goods i. . , tangibles such as books or consumer products) or information goods (or goods of electronic material or digitized content, such as software, or e-books); and, for information goods, receiving products over an electronic network. It is the second largest and the earliest form of e-commerce. Business-to-Government (826): Business-to-government e-commerce or B2G is generally defined as commerce between companies and the public sector. It refers to the use of the Internet for public procurement, licensing procedures, and other government-related operations.This kind of e-commerce has two features: first, the public sector assumes a pilot/ leading role in establishing e-co mmerce; and second, it is assumed that the public sector nas the greatest need tor making its procurement system more ettective. Web- based purchasing policies increase the transparency of the procurement process (and reduces the risk of irregularities). To date, however, the size of the B2G e- commerce market as a component of total e-commerce is insignificant, as government e-procurement systems remain undeveloped. Consumer-to-consumer (C2C):Consumer-to-consumer e-commerce or C2C is simply commerce between private individuals or consumers. This type of e-commerce is characterized by the growth of electronic marketplaces and online auctions, particularly in vertical industries where firms/businesses can bid for what they want from among multiple suppliers. It perhaps has the greatest potential for developing new markets. Mobile Commerce (m-commerce): M-commerce (mobile commerce) is the buying and selling of goods and services through wireless technology-i. e. , handheld devices suc h as cellular telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAs).Japan is seen as a global leader in m-commerce. As content delivery over wireless devices becomes faster, more secure, and scalable, some believe that m-commerce will surpass wireline e-commerce as the method of choice for digital commerce transactions. This may well be true for the Asia-Pacific where there are more mobile phone users than there are Internet users. Governmental regulation[edit] In the United States, some electronic commerce activities are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). These activities include the use of commercial e- mails, online advertising and consumer privacy.The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 establishes national standards for direct marketing over e-mail. The Federal Trade Commission Act regulates all forms of advertising, including online advertising, and states that advertising must be truthful and non-deceptive. [24] Using its authority under Section 5 of the FTC Act, which prohibits u nfair or deceptive practices, the FTC has brought a number of cases to enforce the promises in corporate privacy statements, including promises about the security of consumers' personal information. [25] As result, any corporate privacy policy related to e- ommerce activity may be subject to enforcement by the FTC.The Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008, which came into law in 2008, amends the Controlled Substances Act to address online pharmacies. [26] Internationally there is the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN), which was formed in 1991 from an informal network of government customer fair trade organisations. The purpose was stated as being to find ways of co-operating on tackling consumer problems connected with cross-border transactions in both goods and services, and to help ensure exchanges of nformation among the participants for mutual benefit and understanding.From this came Econsumer. gov, an ICPEN initiative since April 2001. It is a portal to report complaints about online and related transactions with foreign companies. There is also Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) was established in 1989 with the vision of achieving stability, security and prosperity for the region through free and open trade and investment. APEC has an Electronic Commerce Stearing Group as well as working on common privacy regulations throughout the APEC region. In Australia,Trade is covered under Australian Treasury Guidelines tor electronic commerce, [27] and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission[28] regulates and offers advice on how to deal with businesses online,[29] and offers specific advice on what happens if things go wrong. [30] Also Australian government e-commerce website[31] provides information on e-commerce in Australia. In the United Kingdom, The FSA (Financial Services Authority)[32] is the competent authority for most aspects of the Payment Services Directive (PSD).The UK implemente d the PSD through the Payment Services Regulations 2009 (PSRs), which came into effect on 1 November 2009. The PSR affects firms providing payment services and their customers. These firms include banks, non-bank credit card issuers and non-bank merchant acquirers, e-money issuers, etc. The PSRs created a new class of regulated firms known as payment institutions (Pls), who are subject to prudential requirements. Article 87 of the PSD requires the European Commission to report on the implementation and impact of the PSD by 1 November 2012. 33] Forms[edit] Contemporary electronic commerce involves everything from ordering â€Å"digital† ontent for immediate online consumption, to ordering conventional goods and services, to â€Å"meta† services to facilitate other types of electronic commerce. On the institutional level, big corporations and financial institutions use the internet to exchange financial data to facilitate domestic and international business. Data integri ty and security are very hot and pressing issues for electronic commerce.Aside from traditional e-commerce, m-Commerce as well as the nascent t- Commerce[34] channels are often seen as the current 2013 poster children of electronic I-Commerce. Global trends[edit] In 2010, the United Kingdom had the biggest e-commerce market in the world when measured by the amount spent per capita. [35] The Czech Republic is the European country where ecommerce delivers the biggest contribution to the enterprises' total revenue. Almost a quarter (24%) of the countrys total turnover is generated via the online channel. 36] Among emerging economies, China's e-commerce presence continues[when? ] to expand. With 384 million internet users, China's online shopping sales rose to $36. 6 billion in 2009 and one of the reasons behind the huge growth has been the improved trust level for shoppers. The Chinese retailers have been able to help consumers feel more comfortable shopping online. [37] China's cross- border e-commerce is also growing rapidly. E-commerce transactions between China and other countries increased 32% to 2. 3 trillion yuan ($375. 8 billion) in 2012 and accounted for 9. % of China's total international trade [38] Other BRIC countries are witnessing the accelerated growth of ecommerce as well. In Russia, the total ecommerce market is projected to total somewhere between 690 billion rubles ($23 billion) and 900 billion rubles ($30 billion) in 201 5, at 2010 values. This will equal 5% of total retail volume in Russia. Longer-term, the market size of Russian e-commerce could reach $50 billion by 2020. Brazil's ecommerce is growing quickly with retail ecommerce sales expected to grow at a healthy double-digit pace through 2014.By 2016, eMarketer expects retail ecommerce sales in Brazil to reach $17. 3 billion. [39] India's ecommerce growth, on the other hand, has been slower although the country's potential remains solid considering its surging economy, the rapid growth of internet penetration, English language proficiency and a vast market of 1. billion consumers (although perhaps only 50 million access the internet throug n PCs and some estimate the most active group of e-commerce customers numbers only 2-3 million). E-commerce traffic grew about 50% from 2011 to 2012, from 26. 1 million to 37. million, according to a report released by Com Score. Still much of the estimated 14 billion dollars in 2012 ecommerce was generated from travel sites. ecommerce is also expanding across the Middle East. Having recorded the world's fastest growth in internet usage between 2000 and 2009, the region is now[when? ] home to more than 0 million internet users. Retail, travel and gaming are the region's top ecommerce segments, in spite of difficulties such as the lack of region-wide legal frameworks and logistical problems in cross-border transportation[citation needed].E-commerce has become an important tool for small and large businesses worldwide, not only to s ell to customers, but also to engage them. [40][41] In 2012, ecommerce sales topped $1 trillion for the first time in history. [42] Impact on markets and retailers[edit] Economists have theorized that e-commerce ought to lead to intensified rice competition, as it increases consumers' ability to gather information about products and prices.Research by four economists at the University of Chicago has found that the growth of online shopping has also affected industry structure in two areas that have seen significant growth in e-commerce, bookshopsand travel agencies. Generally, larger firms are able to use economies of scale and offer lower prices. The lone exception to this pattern has been the very smallest category of bookseller, shops with between one and four employees, which appear to have withstood the trend. [43] E Commerce Electronic commerce, commonly known as e-commerce or ecommerce, is a type of industry where the buying and selling of products or services is conducted over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks. Electronic commerce draws on technologies such as mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, supply chain management, Internet marketing, online transaction processing, electronic data interchange (EDILinventory management systems, and automated data collection systems.Modern electronic commerce typically uses he World Wide Web at least at one point in the transaction's life-cycle, although it may encompass a wider range of technologies such as e-mail, mobile devices, social media, and telephones as well. Electronic commerce is generally considered to be the sales aspect of e-business. It also consists of the exchange of data to facilitate the financing and payment aspects of business transactions. This is an effective and efficient way of communicating within an organization and one of the most effective and useful ways of conducting business. E-commerce can be divided into:E-tailing or â€Å"virtual storefronts† on websites with online catalogs, sometimes gathered into a â€Å"virtual mall† Buying or Selling on various websites and/or online marketplaces The gathering and use of demographic data through Web contacts and social media Electronic Data Interchange (ED'), the business-to-business exchange of data E-mail and fax and their use as media for reaching prospective and established customers (for example, with newsletters) Business-to-business buying and selling The security of business transactions Types of e-commerce[edit] The major different types of e-commerce are:Business-to-Business (82B): 82B e-commerce is simply defined as e-commerce between companies. This is the type of e-commerce that deals with relationships between and among businesses. About 80% of e-commerce is of this type, and most experts predict that 82B e- commerce will continue to grow faster than the B2C segment. The 82B market has two primary components: e-frastructure and e-markets. Business-to-consumer (B2C): Business-to-consumer e-commerce, or commerce between companies and consumers, involves customers gathering information; purchasing physical goods i. . , tangibles such as books or consumer products) or information goods (or goods of electronic material or digitized content, such as software, or e-books); and, for information goods, receiving products over an electronic network. It is the second largest and the earliest form of e-commerce. Business-to-Government (826): Business-to-government e-commerce or B2G is generally defined as commerce between companies and the public sector. It refers to the use of the Internet for public procurement, licensing procedures, and other government-related operations.This kind of e-commerce has two features: first, the public sector assumes a pilot/ leading role in establishing e-co mmerce; and second, it is assumed that the public sector nas the greatest need tor making its procurement system more ettective. Web- based purchasing policies increase the transparency of the procurement process (and reduces the risk of irregularities). To date, however, the size of the B2G e- commerce market as a component of total e-commerce is insignificant, as government e-procurement systems remain undeveloped. Consumer-to-consumer (C2C):Consumer-to-consumer e-commerce or C2C is simply commerce between private individuals or consumers. This type of e-commerce is characterized by the growth of electronic marketplaces and online auctions, particularly in vertical industries where firms/businesses can bid for what they want from among multiple suppliers. It perhaps has the greatest potential for developing new markets. Mobile Commerce (m-commerce): M-commerce (mobile commerce) is the buying and selling of goods and services through wireless technology-i. e. , handheld devices suc h as cellular telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAs).Japan is seen as a global leader in m-commerce. As content delivery over wireless devices becomes faster, more secure, and scalable, some believe that m-commerce will surpass wireline e-commerce as the method of choice for digital commerce transactions. This may well be true for the Asia-Pacific where there are more mobile phone users than there are Internet users. Governmental regulation[edit] In the United States, some electronic commerce activities are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). These activities include the use of commercial e- mails, online advertising and consumer privacy.The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 establishes national standards for direct marketing over e-mail. The Federal Trade Commission Act regulates all forms of advertising, including online advertising, and states that advertising must be truthful and non-deceptive. [24] Using its authority under Section 5 of the FTC Act, which prohibits u nfair or deceptive practices, the FTC has brought a number of cases to enforce the promises in corporate privacy statements, including promises about the security of consumers' personal information. [25] As result, any corporate privacy policy related to e- ommerce activity may be subject to enforcement by the FTC.The Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008, which came into law in 2008, amends the Controlled Substances Act to address online pharmacies. [26] Internationally there is the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN), which was formed in 1991 from an informal network of government customer fair trade organisations. The purpose was stated as being to find ways of co-operating on tackling consumer problems connected with cross-border transactions in both goods and services, and to help ensure exchanges of nformation among the participants for mutual benefit and understanding.From this came Econsumer. gov, an ICPEN initiative since April 2001. It is a portal to report complaints about online and related transactions with foreign companies. There is also Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) was established in 1989 with the vision of achieving stability, security and prosperity for the region through free and open trade and investment. APEC has an Electronic Commerce Stearing Group as well as working on common privacy regulations throughout the APEC region. In Australia,Trade is covered under Australian Treasury Guidelines tor electronic commerce, [27] and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission[28] regulates and offers advice on how to deal with businesses online,[29] and offers specific advice on what happens if things go wrong. [30] Also Australian government e-commerce website[31] provides information on e-commerce in Australia. In the United Kingdom, The FSA (Financial Services Authority)[32] is the competent authority for most aspects of the Payment Services Directive (PSD).The UK implemente d the PSD through the Payment Services Regulations 2009 (PSRs), which came into effect on 1 November 2009. The PSR affects firms providing payment services and their customers. These firms include banks, non-bank credit card issuers and non-bank merchant acquirers, e-money issuers, etc. The PSRs created a new class of regulated firms known as payment institutions (Pls), who are subject to prudential requirements. Article 87 of the PSD requires the European Commission to report on the implementation and impact of the PSD by 1 November 2012. 33] Forms[edit] Contemporary electronic commerce involves everything from ordering â€Å"digital† ontent for immediate online consumption, to ordering conventional goods and services, to â€Å"meta† services to facilitate other types of electronic commerce. On the institutional level, big corporations and financial institutions use the internet to exchange financial data to facilitate domestic and international business. Data integri ty and security are very hot and pressing issues for electronic commerce.Aside from traditional e-commerce, m-Commerce as well as the nascent t- Commerce[34] channels are often seen as the current 2013 poster children of electronic I-Commerce. Global trends[edit] In 2010, the United Kingdom had the biggest e-commerce market in the world when measured by the amount spent per capita. [35] The Czech Republic is the European country where ecommerce delivers the biggest contribution to the enterprises' total revenue. Almost a quarter (24%) of the countrys total turnover is generated via the online channel. 36] Among emerging economies, China's e-commerce presence continues[when? ] to expand. With 384 million internet users, China's online shopping sales rose to $36. 6 billion in 2009 and one of the reasons behind the huge growth has been the improved trust level for shoppers. The Chinese retailers have been able to help consumers feel more comfortable shopping online. [37] China's cross- border e-commerce is also growing rapidly. E-commerce transactions between China and other countries increased 32% to 2. 3 trillion yuan ($375. 8 billion) in 2012 and accounted for 9. % of China's total international trade [38] Other BRIC countries are witnessing the accelerated growth of ecommerce as well. In Russia, the total ecommerce market is projected to total somewhere between 690 billion rubles ($23 billion) and 900 billion rubles ($30 billion) in 201 5, at 2010 values. This will equal 5% of total retail volume in Russia. Longer-term, the market size of Russian e-commerce could reach $50 billion by 2020. Brazil's ecommerce is growing quickly with retail ecommerce sales expected to grow at a healthy double-digit pace through 2014.By 2016, eMarketer expects retail ecommerce sales in Brazil to reach $17. 3 billion. [39] India's ecommerce growth, on the other hand, has been slower although the country's potential remains solid considering its surging economy, the rapid growth of internet penetration, English language proficiency and a vast market of 1. billion consumers (although perhaps only 50 million access the internet throug n PCs and some estimate the most active group of e-commerce customers numbers only 2-3 million). E-commerce traffic grew about 50% from 2011 to 2012, from 26. 1 million to 37. million, according to a report released by Com Score. Still much of the estimated 14 billion dollars in 2012 ecommerce was generated from travel sites. ecommerce is also expanding across the Middle East. Having recorded the world's fastest growth in internet usage between 2000 and 2009, the region is now[when? ] home to more than 0 million internet users. Retail, travel and gaming are the region's top ecommerce segments, in spite of difficulties such as the lack of region-wide legal frameworks and logistical problems in cross-border transportation[citation needed].E-commerce has become an important tool for small and large businesses worldwide, not only to s ell to customers, but also to engage them. [40][41] In 2012, ecommerce sales topped $1 trillion for the first time in history. [42] Impact on markets and retailers[edit] Economists have theorized that e-commerce ought to lead to intensified rice competition, as it increases consumers' ability to gather information about products and prices.Research by four economists at the University of Chicago has found that the growth of online shopping has also affected industry structure in two areas that have seen significant growth in e-commerce, bookshopsand travel agencies. Generally, larger firms are able to use economies of scale and offer lower prices. The lone exception to this pattern has been the very smallest category of bookseller, shops with between one and four employees, which appear to have withstood the trend. [43] E Commerce Electronic commerce, commonly known as e-commerce or ecommerce, is a type of industry where the buying and selling of products or services is conducted over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks. Electronic commerce draws on technologies such as mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, supply chain management, Internet marketing, online transaction processing, electronic data interchange (EDILinventory management systems, and automated data collection systems.Modern electronic commerce typically uses he World Wide Web at least at one point in the transaction's life-cycle, although it may encompass a wider range of technologies such as e-mail, mobile devices, social media, and telephones as well. Electronic commerce is generally considered to be the sales aspect of e-business. It also consists of the exchange of data to facilitate the financing and payment aspects of business transactions. This is an effective and efficient way of communicating within an organization and one of the most effective and useful ways of conducting business. E-commerce can be divided into:E-tailing or â€Å"virtual storefronts† on websites with online catalogs, sometimes gathered into a â€Å"virtual mall† Buying or Selling on various websites and/or online marketplaces The gathering and use of demographic data through Web contacts and social media Electronic Data Interchange (ED'), the business-to-business exchange of data E-mail and fax and their use as media for reaching prospective and established customers (for example, with newsletters) Business-to-business buying and selling The security of business transactions Types of e-commerce[edit] The major different types of e-commerce are:Business-to-Business (82B): 82B e-commerce is simply defined as e-commerce between companies. This is the type of e-commerce that deals with relationships between and among businesses. About 80% of e-commerce is of this type, and most experts predict that 82B e- commerce will continue to grow faster than the B2C segment. The 82B market has two primary components: e-frastructure and e-markets. Business-to-consumer (B2C): Business-to-consumer e-commerce, or commerce between companies and consumers, involves customers gathering information; purchasing physical goods i. . , tangibles such as books or consumer products) or information goods (or goods of electronic material or digitized content, such as software, or e-books); and, for information goods, receiving products over an electronic network. It is the second largest and the earliest form of e-commerce. Business-to-Government (826): Business-to-government e-commerce or B2G is generally defined as commerce between companies and the public sector. It refers to the use of the Internet for public procurement, licensing procedures, and other government-related operations.This kind of e-commerce has two features: first, the public sector assumes a pilot/ leading role in establishing e-co mmerce; and second, it is assumed that the public sector nas the greatest need tor making its procurement system more ettective. Web- based purchasing policies increase the transparency of the procurement process (and reduces the risk of irregularities). To date, however, the size of the B2G e- commerce market as a component of total e-commerce is insignificant, as government e-procurement systems remain undeveloped. Consumer-to-consumer (C2C):Consumer-to-consumer e-commerce or C2C is simply commerce between private individuals or consumers. This type of e-commerce is characterized by the growth of electronic marketplaces and online auctions, particularly in vertical industries where firms/businesses can bid for what they want from among multiple suppliers. It perhaps has the greatest potential for developing new markets. Mobile Commerce (m-commerce): M-commerce (mobile commerce) is the buying and selling of goods and services through wireless technology-i. e. , handheld devices suc h as cellular telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAs).Japan is seen as a global leader in m-commerce. As content delivery over wireless devices becomes faster, more secure, and scalable, some believe that m-commerce will surpass wireline e-commerce as the method of choice for digital commerce transactions. This may well be true for the Asia-Pacific where there are more mobile phone users than there are Internet users. Governmental regulation[edit] In the United States, some electronic commerce activities are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). These activities include the use of commercial e- mails, online advertising and consumer privacy.The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 establishes national standards for direct marketing over e-mail. The Federal Trade Commission Act regulates all forms of advertising, including online advertising, and states that advertising must be truthful and non-deceptive. [24] Using its authority under Section 5 of the FTC Act, which prohibits u nfair or deceptive practices, the FTC has brought a number of cases to enforce the promises in corporate privacy statements, including promises about the security of consumers' personal information. [25] As result, any corporate privacy policy related to e- ommerce activity may be subject to enforcement by the FTC.The Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008, which came into law in 2008, amends the Controlled Substances Act to address online pharmacies. [26] Internationally there is the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN), which was formed in 1991 from an informal network of government customer fair trade organisations. The purpose was stated as being to find ways of co-operating on tackling consumer problems connected with cross-border transactions in both goods and services, and to help ensure exchanges of nformation among the participants for mutual benefit and understanding.From this came Econsumer. gov, an ICPEN initiative since April 2001. It is a portal to report complaints about online and related transactions with foreign companies. There is also Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) was established in 1989 with the vision of achieving stability, security and prosperity for the region through free and open trade and investment. APEC has an Electronic Commerce Stearing Group as well as working on common privacy regulations throughout the APEC region. In Australia,Trade is covered under Australian Treasury Guidelines tor electronic commerce, [27] and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission[28] regulates and offers advice on how to deal with businesses online,[29] and offers specific advice on what happens if things go wrong. [30] Also Australian government e-commerce website[31] provides information on e-commerce in Australia. In the United Kingdom, The FSA (Financial Services Authority)[32] is the competent authority for most aspects of the Payment Services Directive (PSD).The UK implemente d the PSD through the Payment Services Regulations 2009 (PSRs), which came into effect on 1 November 2009. The PSR affects firms providing payment services and their customers. These firms include banks, non-bank credit card issuers and non-bank merchant acquirers, e-money issuers, etc. The PSRs created a new class of regulated firms known as payment institutions (Pls), who are subject to prudential requirements. Article 87 of the PSD requires the European Commission to report on the implementation and impact of the PSD by 1 November 2012. 33] Forms[edit] Contemporary electronic commerce involves everything from ordering â€Å"digital† ontent for immediate online consumption, to ordering conventional goods and services, to â€Å"meta† services to facilitate other types of electronic commerce. On the institutional level, big corporations and financial institutions use the internet to exchange financial data to facilitate domestic and international business. Data integri ty and security are very hot and pressing issues for electronic commerce.Aside from traditional e-commerce, m-Commerce as well as the nascent t- Commerce[34] channels are often seen as the current 2013 poster children of electronic I-Commerce. Global trends[edit] In 2010, the United Kingdom had the biggest e-commerce market in the world when measured by the amount spent per capita. [35] The Czech Republic is the European country where ecommerce delivers the biggest contribution to the enterprises' total revenue. Almost a quarter (24%) of the countrys total turnover is generated via the online channel. 36] Among emerging economies, China's e-commerce presence continues[when? ] to expand. With 384 million internet users, China's online shopping sales rose to $36. 6 billion in 2009 and one of the reasons behind the huge growth has been the improved trust level for shoppers. The Chinese retailers have been able to help consumers feel more comfortable shopping online. [37] China's cross- border e-commerce is also growing rapidly. E-commerce transactions between China and other countries increased 32% to 2. 3 trillion yuan ($375. 8 billion) in 2012 and accounted for 9. % of China's total international trade [38] Other BRIC countries are witnessing the accelerated growth of ecommerce as well. In Russia, the total ecommerce market is projected to total somewhere between 690 billion rubles ($23 billion) and 900 billion rubles ($30 billion) in 201 5, at 2010 values. This will equal 5% of total retail volume in Russia. Longer-term, the market size of Russian e-commerce could reach $50 billion by 2020. Brazil's ecommerce is growing quickly with retail ecommerce sales expected to grow at a healthy double-digit pace through 2014.By 2016, eMarketer expects retail ecommerce sales in Brazil to reach $17. 3 billion. [39] India's ecommerce growth, on the other hand, has been slower although the country's potential remains solid considering its surging economy, the rapid growth of internet penetration, English language proficiency and a vast market of 1. billion consumers (although perhaps only 50 million access the internet throug n PCs and some estimate the most active group of e-commerce customers numbers only 2-3 million). E-commerce traffic grew about 50% from 2011 to 2012, from 26. 1 million to 37. million, according to a report released by Com Score. Still much of the estimated 14 billion dollars in 2012 ecommerce was generated from travel sites. ecommerce is also expanding across the Middle East. Having recorded the world's fastest growth in internet usage between 2000 and 2009, the region is now[when? ] home to more than 0 million internet users. Retail, travel and gaming are the region's top ecommerce segments, in spite of difficulties such as the lack of region-wide legal frameworks and logistical problems in cross-border transportation[citation needed].E-commerce has become an important tool for small and large businesses worldwide, not only to s ell to customers, but also to engage them. [40][41] In 2012, ecommerce sales topped $1 trillion for the first time in history. [42] Impact on markets and retailers[edit] Economists have theorized that e-commerce ought to lead to intensified rice competition, as it increases consumers' ability to gather information about products and prices.Research by four economists at the University of Chicago has found that the growth of online shopping has also affected industry structure in two areas that have seen significant growth in e-commerce, bookshopsand travel agencies. Generally, larger firms are able to use economies of scale and offer lower prices. The lone exception to this pattern has been the very smallest category of bookseller, shops with between one and four employees, which appear to have withstood the trend. [43]

Investigation of Failed States & Democratic Intervention Essay

Failed states have been an issue in human society for many years. Today there are a total of 177 failed states, which is an all-time high. (Haken) Failed states are not only a terrible situation for the country itself, but for its neighboring countries as well. Some situations are worse than others, but for the most part they all share several factors that classify them as failed states. These factors include a severe economic decline, lack of formal government, deterioration of public services, social disorder, and more. (Haken) Once a country becomes classified as a failed state it is quite difficult for them to fully recover. For this to happen, assistance from allies and neighboring countries is usually necessary. Obviously nobody wants to see a country’s government overrun and its citizens forced into turmoil, but that is unfortunately the way our society operates with radical militant groups such as Al-Qaeda in existence. It has become a global problem and the day may never come when there are no failed states. However, if groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) can be eliminated then these failed states can begin to rebuild themselves and give their citizens the chance to live free, happy lives. An example of a failed state that is making headlines these days is the country of Mali, which is located in Northern Africa. The situation in Mali began over a year ago and has developed into a very serious matter. Much like Libya in 2011, Mali’s government has been overthrown by Islamic militant groups that will do whatever it takes to spread their influence and power. (Larison) The major group behind this invasion is known as Al-Qaeda. As Al-Qaeda forces moved in on Bamako, Mali’s capital, a French military invasion halted them in their tracks. French and Malian forces have now teamed up against â€Å"Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb† (AQIM), which is Al-Qaeda’s militant organization based in Mali. (Larison) The two sides are both ready to battle one another and the situation looks to be headed towards a full-on war. AQIM forces are invading towns and villages while torturing and killing citizens in their path. They are a strong force to be reckoned with and outside help will be needed if Mali is to rid itself of these radicals. This is where neighboring countries become involved. Countries close to Mali, such as Niger, Mauritania, and Algeria, are all looked upon to intervene and to offer aid and/or assistance to the Malians. On top of that, they are forced to live under constant fear and uncertainty of AQIM’s next move(s). Although the United States has no vital economic ties to Mali, some Americans feel obligated to intervene and offer assistance to the French, much like we did in Libya. (Larison) However, the majority of American politicians are against issuing an invasion because all signs point towards an ongoing war similar to those in Iraq and Afghanistan. These two countries experienced this type of situation during the 2000s and Libya did as well in 2011. Libya’s situation was very similar to that of Mali’s current one. Islamic forces invaded and took control and outside help was needed from either neighboring countries or Western forces. Whatever the case may be, many parties were/are involved and too many unnecessary deaths have been recorded already. Going forward we can only hope that the situation in Mali ends up like the ones in Iraq and Libya. The only way this can happen is if the Islamic militant forces are driven out and the country has the opportunity to once again govern itself and eventually prosper. Western intervention has been a major component of global warfare for the last 100 years. From World War I all the way through the Cold War, the United States has always been looked upon to give military assistance to its allies and anyone who holds great importance to our economy. Most recently we’ve gone to war to protect Israel in the Middle East and to aid France in Libya. (Traub) The United States has been involved economically in the Middle East since the late 1980s but became active militarily in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks. We were involved in warfare with Iraq for over a decade and are still at war with Afghanistan. (Traub) Other notable instances of Western military intervention include our involvement in World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and many other smaller wars. The United States has clearly played a crucial role in global warfare for a very long time. One major reason for this amount of military activity is the fact that the U.S. is a democracy. Non-democracy governments typically have less involvement in warfare than democratic governments do. This is because autocracies operate under the discretion of less than 20 people and often times only 1 person. Also, under a democracy a presidential order can be overturned by either the citizens or another branch of the government. A democratic leader would most likely order a military invasion if there is an immediate threat to his/her country’s national security or if there is a very significant amount of economic importance involved in the situation. Giving assistance to allies is also a common reason for entering into a war. These have been the main reasons for American involvement in global warfare over the years. America is undoubtedly a military superpower in the eyes of the world and will most likely remain that way for many more years to come. Works Cited Haken, Nate. â€Å"Interpreting the Arab Spring and Its Effects.† Fundforpeace.org. The Fund for Peace, 28 June 2012. Web. 22 Jan. 2013. . Larison, Daniel. â€Å"In Mali the Domino Theory Is Real.† Theamericanconservative.com. The American Conservative, 23 Jan. 2013. Web. 24 Jan. 2013. . Traub, James. â€Å"Think Again: Failed States.† Foreign Policy Magazine, Aug. 2011. Web. 22 Jan. 2013. .

Betha Mason (Character from Jane Eyre) essays

Betha Mason (Character from Jane Eyre) essays Bertha Mason, though a minor character in Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre, played a pivotal role in the love story between Jane and Rochester. Bertha remains mysterious throughout the first half of the novel and, the times that she appears, the cryptic actions reveal her state of mind. She is the impediment to Jane and Rochesters impending marriage and her actions later lead the two to reconcile. Bertha was a mentally impaired woman. Her motives and the causes for her behavior are unclear, besides the obvious jealousy towards Jane and the betrayal she must have felt by Rochester. Without the nuisance of her character, Jane Eyre would have been a flawless love story, but in life everything is not always perfect and neither is Bertha Mason. Berthas character only appears once Jane moves to Thornfield. She is never seen, only heard. One night, as Jane lay awake, she heard a demoniac laugh(168) and as she rose to investigate she found Rochesters bedroom on fire. Jane thinks it is Grace Poole, the woman that appears to be crazy, who is the culprit of such an insane act; but in reality it is the woman whom is under her secret care, Bertha Mason to blame. What motivates a person to do such a terrible act? Betrayal. Bertha Mason felt betrayed by Rochester. Rochester was her husband from an arranged marriage. Upon discovering her mental condition, he took her out of Jamaica where she was born and forced her to live in England at Thornfield under the care of Grace Poole so that no one would know of their marriage. She felt unloved and was angered that Rochester was able to just leave her at Thornfield and just move on with his life as if she had never existed. Bertha wasnt going to go quietly, she made sure she was heard . That Bertha was violent is evident when she attacked her brother Richard Mason who had come to visit her late one night. He recalled to Doctor Carter, She bit me,...

Create a Mouseover Color Highlight Using Delphi

Create a Mouseover Color Highlight Using Delphi Have you ever seen a menu or table column or row highlight to a different color when your mouse hovers over it? Thats what our goal is here: to have a row become highlighted when the mouse pointer is within range. The TDBGrid Delphi component is one of the jewels of the VCL. Designed to enable a user to view and edit data in a tabular grid, the DBGrid provides various ways of customizing the way it represents its own data. For example, adding color to your database grids will enhance the appearance and differentiate the importance of certain rows or columns within the database. However, dont be fooled by over-simplistic tutorials on this topic. It might seem easy enough to just set the dgRowSelect property, but remember that when dgRowSelect is included in Options, the dgEditing flag is ignored, meaning that editing the data using the grid is disabled. What youll find below is an explanation on how to enable the OnMouseOver type of event for a DBGrid row, so that the mouse is recorded and located, making the record active so as to highlight the corresponding row in a DBGrid. How to Work With OnMouseOver and Delphi Components The first order of business is writing code for the OnMouseMove event in a TDBGrid component so that it can locate the DBGrids row and column (cell) that the mouse is hovering over. If the mouse is over the grid (handled in the OnMouseMove event handler), you can use the MoveBy method of a DataSet component to set the current record to the one displayed below the mouse cursor. type THackDBGrid class(TDBGrid);...procedure TForm1.DBGrid1MouseMove (Sender: TObject; Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);var gc: TGridCoord;begin gc: DBGrid1.MouseCoord(x, y); if (gc.X 0) AND (gc.Y 0) thenbegin DBGrid1.DataSource.DataSet.MoveBy (gc.Y - THackDBGrid(DBGrid1).Row); end;end; Similar code can be used to show which cell the mouse hovers over and to change the cursor when its over the title bar. In order to correctly set the active record, you need to hack a DBGrid and get your hands on the protected Row property. The Row property of a TCustomDBGrid component holds the reference to the currently active row. Many Delphi components have useful properties and methods that are marked invisible, or protected, to a Delphi developer. Hopefully, to access such protected members of a component, a simple technique called the protected hack can be used. With the code above, when you move the mouse over the grid, the selected record is the one displayed in the grid below the mouse cursor. Theres no need to click the grid to change the current record. Have the active row highlighted to enhance the users experience: procedure TForm1.DBGrid1DrawColumnCell (Sender: TObject; const Rect: TRect; DataCol: Integer; Column: TColumn; State: TGridDrawState);beginif (THackDBGrid(DBGrid1).DataLink.ActiveRecord 1 THackDBGrid(DBGrid1).Row) or (gdFocused in State) or (gdSelected in State) thenbegin DBGrid1.Canvas.Brush.Color : clSkyBlue; DBGrid1.Canvas.Font.Style : DBGrid1.Canvas.Font.Style [fsBold]; DBGrid1.Canvas.Font.Color : clRed; end;end; The OnDrawColumnCell event is used to handle the need for a customized drawing for the data in the cells of the grid. You can use a little trick to differentiate the selected row from all the other rows. Consider that the Row property (integer) is equal to the ActiveRecord (1) property of the DataLink object that the selected row is about to be painted. Youll probably want to disable this behavior (the MoveBy method in OnMouseMove event handler) when DataSet connected to a DBGrid is in Edit or Insert mode.​

EC Employment Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

EC Employment Law - Essay Example Under the preamble of the World Health organization to which all Member States belong, â€Å"health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being that does not consist only in the absence of illness or infirmity.† Although the intent of the law is good, there have been many debates regarding the effectiveness of its implementation. Most of these arguments and debates hinges on the fact that there is no rules or uniform application and interpretations of the law and that each State is given the right to set their own standards as to the number of hours work. Note that under Working Time Directive, there are only two provisions, which are mandated to be adopted uniformly throughout the union. These provisions are the Article 4 which provides for a rest break period after six consecutive hours’ of work, and 11 hours daily with a maximum 14 days reference period and Article 7 which provides for a minimum of four weeks paid annual leave with no option of foregoing thereof, nor carrying over of pay in exchange for the leave. Even so, Article 7 is often a subject of controversies in some States as there are sectors or class of employees, which are not covered by this provision. The question no w lies on whether or not the Working Time Directive is capable of fulfilling the Community’s social policy objective and whether or not there is a need for a more intensive harmonization of the implementation thereof.

Alan Greenspan - Biography Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Alan Greenspan - Biography - Term Paper Example Alan Greenspan’s father was employed as a market analyst and stockbroker in New York City. Greenspan was brought up by his mother (Miller, 2011). In 1944, after graduating from Juilliard School, Alan Greenspan was rejected for military service by a draft board in downtown Manhattan. This is because he had a mark on his lung that seemed like tuberculosis. Alan Greenspan had no plans for the future. From an early period, Alan Greenspan had a lot of interest in music. He is also presumed to be well acquitted with mathematical knowledge early in his existence. Alan Greenspan pursued his interest in music by joining the Juilliard School of dance, drama and music. It was at this point that he auditioned to play the clarinet for Henry Jerome’s band. During this time, Alan Greenspan further advanced his talent in music and later on traveled around with Henry Jerome and his music group (Martin, 2000). He got the opportunity to become a member of Henry Jerome’s band, but h e did not become a celebrity. During the tour with Henry Jerome and his music group, Alan Greenspan played the clarinet and saxophone. Nevertheless, his talents with numbers made him handle the band member’s taxes and the band’s financial records. ... Alan Greenspan went to George Washington High School from 1940 to 1943 when he graduated. He was classmates with John Kemeny. Alongside with classmate Stan Getz, Greenspan played the saxophone and clarinet. He continued studying clarinet from 1943 to 1944 at the Juilliard School. After the end of the war, Alan Greenspan enrolled at New York University for economics. A number of his classmates found it difficult to comprehend concerns relating to economics, but Alan Greenspan was highly interested in equations and numbers. While he was there, Greenspan got two degrees, one in 1948, and a Masters degree in economics in 1950. Later on, at Columbia University, he pursued advanced economics under the guidance of Arthur Burns but dropped out. He failed to complete his PhD at Columbia University because he was not able to afford tuition (Miller, 2011). In the early part of 1950s, Alan Greenspan established an association with the philosopher and famed novelist, Ayn Rand. His wife, Joan Mitc hell, introduced him to Rand. Moreover, Rand gave Greenspan the name, Undertaker, because of his reserved demeanor and liking for dark clothing. Although Greenspan was at the outset a logical positivist, he was moved to Objectivism, Rand’s philosophy, by Nathaniel Branden. In the period of 1950s and 1960s, Alan Greenspan became a supporter of Objectivism. He wrote articles for Objective newsletters and contributed a number of essays for Rand’s book. Among the essays he wrote was an essay that supported the gold standard. Rand and Greenspan stood side by side during the Council of Economic Advisers swearing-in, and they remained friends till 1982 when Rand died (Miller, 2011). In 1951, Alan Greenspan met Joan Mitchell; they