...uncover and document different ways for stopping these illegal activities. The top three organized crime and terrorist operations begin with counterfeiting cigarettes, money laundering, and gun smuggling undermines every country’s economic system. The huge profits gained from illegal cigarette sales with low penalties for getting caught makes these imitation products rival drugs in illegal sales. History shows money laundering and gun smuggling as a way organized crime families and terrorist organization work to hide the large sums of money made through illegal alcohol, cigarettes, and other black market items. Counterfeiting Cigarettes The United States and other countries raise taxes on cigarettes, and alcohol to offset the budget deficits widening the difference between the wholesale, and retail prices (Billingslea, 2004). The difference creates opportunities for the shadowy world of black marketers bringing in the terrorist organization looking for new ways to move money. The huge profits gained from illegal cigarette sales with low penalties for getting caught makes these imitation products rival drugs in illegal sales. The method of choice for filling terrorist organization’s bank accounts or providing money for local schemes. The top choice for trafficking illegal cigarette is buying in a low-tax state, and selling on the street in a higher-tax causing monetary tax loss in both states. The advances in electronic devices and social networking has provided another source...
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...Over the last three decades drug trafficking has been a way for criminals to make large amounts of money at a rapid pace. Some of the wealthiest men in the world have been drug traffickers throughout history, such as Pablo Escobar and El Chapo Guzman (Bjerk & Mason, 2014). Their actions involving illegal activity have shown to affect the United States economy in a negative way. The federal government has spent upwards of $180 billion dollars every year in efforts to combat drug abuse in the United States (Pietschmann & Walker, 2011). It is an unnecessary expense for the government to have and the money could be used in other areas that are beneficial to society. These criminals move narcotics across the border because of the money that can...
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...Name: C.T.B. Assignment: “Our Stolen Future” Date: 12/03/2012 The Book “Our Stolen Future” is considered to be a sequel of “Silent Spring“, a Rachel’s Carson classic work, a clarion call to protect the American public from manmade synthetic pesticides that cause genetic mutations and cancer. Carson not only described how persistent chemicals were contaminating the natural world, she documented how those chemicals where accumulated into our bodies. Since then, studies of human breast milk and body fat have confirmed the extent of our exposure. Human beings in such remote locations as Canada’s far northern Baffin Island now carry traces of persistent chemicals in their bodies, including notorious compounds as PCBs, DDT and dioxin. Even worse, in the womb and through breast milk, mothers pass this chemical legacy on to the next generation. “Our Stolen Future”, the scientific discovery of Theo Colborn, Dianne Dumanoski and John Peterson Myers, takes up where Carson left off and reviews a large and growing body of scientific evidence, linking synthetic chemicals to aberrant sexual development and behavioral and reproductive problems, such as low sperm counts, infertility, genital deformities, hormonally triggered human cancers, like those of breast and prostate gland, neurological disorders in children such as hyperactivity and deficits in attention. The quality of men's sperm declined steadily in the early years of the 21st century until hardly anyone could reproduce in...
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...Petrochemicals and their byproducts, such as dioxin, are known to cause an array of serious health problems, including cancers and endocrine disruption. Of the more than 75,000 chemicals registered with the Environmental Protection Agency, only a fraction have gone through complete testing to find out whether they might cause problems for human health. Many that are produced in enormous quantities have never been tested at all. Usually, it takes dramatic episodes of workplace injuries or wildlife poisonings, combined with rigorous scientific proof of harm and public outcry, before the government will act to restrict or ban any chemical. And that is no accident. The current regulatory system allows synthetic chemicals into our lives unless proven beyond doubt to be dangerous. Terms Dioxins are not intentionally manufactured. They are unintentionally formed as byproducts of chemical processes involving chlorine, such as the manufacture of pesticides and the bleaching of paper. The manufacture and incineration of plastics such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC, commonly used in consumer product packaging and medical devices) is another major source of dioxin. Two of the most serious health effects of dioxin exposure are cancer and endocrine disruption. The endocrine system is a complex network of glands and hormones that regulate many of the body's functions including growth, development, and maturation, and the way various organs operate. The endocrine glands –- including the pituitary...
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...War on Terror and its impact on Development in Pakistan Over the years Pakistan has fallen victim to the affects of war on terrorism. Slowly but surely Pakistan’s social structure, economic development and political systems are being eroded. Due to its geo-strategic position, Pakistan has faced adverse affects because of the invasions in Afghanistan by the USSR and U.S. The country also faces internal threats by religious and linguistic groups that help increase terrorism in Pakistan. Terrorism is destroying Pakistan infrastructure by reducing human capital, diverting foreign direct investments and redirecting public investment funds to national security. Terrorism can be defined as “the use of violent acts to frighten the people in an area as a way of trying to achieve a political or social goal” (). Terrorism has now become a global problem and Pakistan is among one of the countries that has been highly affected by it. After the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, the Taliban surfaced as a resistance movement aspiring to eject the Soviet troops from Afghanistan. The United States and Pakistan provided considerable financial and military support to the Afghan Mujahedeen who were able to impose heavy losses on the Soviet troops. Following the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. declared a war against Afghanistan. at this point the U.S. recognized the seeds they had sown. Taliban was a creation of the Pakistani intelligence agency (the ISI) but was funded by the U.S. The U.S. provided...
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...Introduction The scale of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) epidemic has exceeded all expectations since its identification over 20 years ago. The worst of the epidemic is centred on sub-Saharan Africa. But just as the spread of HIV has been greater than predicted, so too has been its impact on social capital, population structure and economic growth. Responding to AIDS on a scale commensurate with the epidemic is a global imperative, and the tools for an effective response are known. Nothing less than a sustained social mobilization is necessary to combat one of the most serious crises facing human development. Most recent findings show that HIV prevalence in the population is currently slightly on the down side in the case of Kenya . This not withstanding, given the massive scale of the problem and the concentration of effects on adults of prime working age, the pandemic has sharply influenced a host of economic and non-economic variables. In this paper I will review some of the available literature on the impact of HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS has impacted several areas of society: 1. The family or the household 2. The Health sector 3. The work place 4. The economy 5. Stigma 1. The Impact on the Family/Household In almost all cases the first victim of HIV/AIDS is the immediate family. More often than not it is the poorest sector of the society that is most vulnerable to this epidemic. There will be an upsurge of medical bills...
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...United States Drug Policy on Mexico and Colombia Drugs are not new to this Earth. Mankind has grown and consumed drugs for millennia. Marijuana, or more appropriately Cannabis, is indigenous to Central and South Asia, and has been consumed widely since 3000 B.C.E. (ElSohly 8). In more recent times (1938), Albert Hoffman synthesized Lysergic acid diethylamide, more commonly known as LSD, while searching for treatments for psychiatric diseases (Hoffman). Initially, many drugs were used in religious/spiritual functions. In several instances, the strong fibers of the Cannabis plant were used for building, much like jute, and the narcotic aspects of the plants were not even explored (ElSohly 8). However, today, drugs are frequently used recreationally, and as a result are highly profitable commodities. It is common knowledge that across the world, the vast majority of drugs are illegal or are restricted in some way. Almost nightly, proponents for the legalization of drugs, decriminalization of certain drugs, and the continued ban on drugs debate their positions through the media. This debate is a hot button issue that is almost entirely centered upon the views and policies of the world’s largest drug consumer, the United States of America (CIA Factbook). Governments and the media very often focus on drug consumption trends and drug flow into the United States, while largely ignoring Latin American perspectives and impacts on Latin America. Though drug production and drug use are major...
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...attack it at the source, by trying to eliminate, or at the very least disrupt, the supply of illicit drugs available for purchase and consumption. The attempt to make this case is done by pointing out the mixed results of previous substance abuse treatment programs and by using systems theory to explain why the complexity of treatment options makes it difficult to accurately evaluate such programs. The Economic Impact on Substance Abuse The effect of substance abuse on the United States economy is astronomical. Consider that in 2004, almost a tenth of the nation’s population ages 12 and older were classified with substance abuse or dependence disorders (Morgan & Crane, 2010). The issue is so complex, in fact, it is nearly impossible to put an accurate price tag on the impact. If one focuses solely on the economic impact of this epidemic, one would have to calculate numerous costs. People who abuse and are addicted to illicit drugs spend hundreds and thousands of dollars to feed their habit, which is money that could be spent in more productive ways. Substance abusers often steal to fund their habit, which has a negative economic impact. Furthermore, here is a negative impact on the health care sector from substance abuse. Government entities spend millions on everything from law enforcement to treatment programs because of rampant drug use. And those who seriously abuse drugs essentially remove themselves from society, where they would...
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...Iran and the Western World Sanctions on Nuclear Enrichment and Weapons development. The challenges between Iran and Western World started after the Iranian Revolution of 1979, and the United States imposed sanctions against Iran and expanded them in 1995 to include firms dealing with the Iranian government. In 2006, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1696 and imposed sanctions after Iran refused to suspend its uranium enrichment program. U.S. sanctions initially targeted investments in oil, gas and petrochemicals, exports of refined petroleum products, and business dealings with the Iranian revolutionary guard corps. UN sanctions against Iran The UN Security Council passed a number of resolutions imposing sanctions on Iran, following the report by the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors regarding Iran's non-compliance with its safeguards agreement. These are the sanctions below that were passed on Iran United Nations Security Council Resolution 1696 – was passed on 31 July 2006. Demanded that Iran suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities and threatened sanctions. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1737 – was passed on 23 December 2006 in response to the proliferation risks presented by the Iranian nuclear program and, in this context, by Iran's continuing failure to meet the requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors and to comply with the provisions of Security Council resolution 1696 in...
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...Robert S. Kaplan (rkaplan@hbs.edu) is the Baker Foundation Professor at Harvard Business School. David P. Norton (dnorton@ thepalladiumgroup.com) is the founder and president of the Balanced Scorecard Collaborative, Palladium Group, in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Bjarne Rugelsjoen (bjarne@rugelsjoen.no) is a director at GoalFocus, a performance-coaching consultancy based in London. Managing Alliances with the Balanced Scorecard Fifty percent of corporate alliances fail. But you can increase your partnership’s odds of success by applying these techniques. by Robert S. Kaplan, David P. Norton, and Bjarne Rugelsjoen 114 Harvard Business Review January–February 2010 HBR.ORG C ILLUSTRATION: BRETT RYDER orporate alliances are a 50/50 bet—at least according to a recent study by McKinsey & Company, which found that only half of all joint ventures yield returns to each partner above the cost of capital. That’s worrying, given that partnerships and alliances are central to many companies’ business models. Originally used to outsource noncore parts of supply chains, alliances today are expected to generate a competitive advantage. So it is necessary to dramatically improve their odds of success. Why do alliances fail so often? The prime culprit is the way they are traditionally organized and managed. Most alliances are defined by service level agreements (SLAs) that identify what each side commits to delivering rather than what each hopes to gain from the partnership...
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...Employee Relations in a Changing Environment Name: University: Course: Tutor: Date: Employee Relations in a Changing Environment The case study clearly enlightens those others companies of Alum-Titan’s size have established a reliable and effective human resource functions. In Alum-Titan’s, the management has to perform duties designed for the function; this tends to load more obligations to the management. As a result, there has been wastage of time that could have used to attend to other duties. Moreover, though the management has tried to somehow perform the tasks, lack of human resource function is a great barrier to the company. Therefore, I can urge the company to hire part time/temporary human resource function if it cannot afford permanent, to assist the controller on undertaking the human resource responsibilities. Otherwise, the organization can train its management personnel to attain enough expertise on human resource concepts and principles to avoid incurring much expense. To eliminate and control unethical relationships, the organization should have established human resource function to effectively enforce ethical codes and standards. In addition, the company should also establish a potential mechanism to deal with individuals who engage in such mal-practices. It is an obligation of human resource function to update such policies to clarify the organizational expectations to both the managers and employees (Mathis, & Jackson, 2010). However, according...
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...THE ROLE OF THE INTERPOL ON ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES By: Fangon, Arvee E. Enriquez, David Jay Esguerra,Bon Josef Jaravata, Sherela Calcita, Ranilo What is Environmental Crime? An environmental crime is a violation of environmental laws that are put into place to protect the environment. When broadly defined, the crime includes all illegal acts that directly cause environmental harm. Such crimes are also referred to as ‘crime against the environment.’ What Is The Role Of The Interpol In This Environmental Crimes? Environmental crime is a serious and growing international problem, and one which takes many different forms Broadly speaking, wildlife crime is the illegal exploitation of the world’s wild flora and fauna, while pollution crime is the trade and disposal of waste and hazardous substances in contravention of national and international laws. INTERPOL's response In today’s global economy there is a need for an international strategy to deal with this type of crime. As the only organization with a mandate to share and process criminal information globally, INTERPOL is uniquely qualified to lead these efforts. The INTERPOL Environmental Crime Programme: Leads global and regional...
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...Drugs, Narcotics, and Options for Treatment Westwood College Chet J. Willer CJ321 – Drugs and Narcotics J. L. Gonzalez, M.A. - Faculty 16 JUL 2012_MP There is no doubt that America is one of the most sophisticated and advanced countries in the world. Evan as complex and civilized that we are, many of our citizens have succumbed to the evils that are associated with drugs. Drugs have been a part of the American story since Christopher Columbus first landed in the New World and the Natives offered him a gift. It was the gift of tobacco, which would go on to become one of the most commonly used drugs throughout our history. (Shmoop Editorial Team, 2008) Drugs are a major problem in American life; however this is not necessarily a new problem. What constitutes a new problem in relation to drugs is the advancements in technologies which chemically create new drugs and modify existing ones. Drugs and the elements which surround them engulf and suffocate millions throughout the world in financial greed, criminal behavior, and uncontrollable addictions. These elements all too often lead to unrecoverable financial debts, instabilities in relationships, incarceration, and death. Many laws have been enacted as a result of the adverse actions and incidents related to drugs. These laws highly regulate the manufacturing of, use, possession, and distribution of drugs. Additionally, there have been strong efforts in attempting to treat those who have been victimized by the...
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...SACHS.DOCX (DO NOT DELETE) 8/1/2011 2:07 PM RESCUING THE STRONG PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE FROM ITS CRITICS Noah M. Sachs* The Strong Precautionary Principle, an approach to risk regulation that shifts the burden of proof on safety, can provide a valuable framework for preventing harm to human health and the environment. Cass Sunstein and other scholars, however, have consistently criticized the Principle, rejecting it as paralyzing, inflexible, and extreme. In this reassessment of the Strong Precautionary Principle, I highlight the significant benefits of the Principle for risk decision making, with the aim of rescuing the Principle from its dismissive critics. The Principle sends a clear message that firms must research the health and environmental risks of their products, before harm occurs. It does not call for the elimination of all risk, nor does it ignore tradeoffs, as Sunstein has alleged. Rather, through burden shifting, the Principle legitimately requires risk creators to research and justify the risks they impose on society. By exploring where the Principle already operates successfully in U.S. law—examples often overlooked by the critics—I highlight the Principle’s flexibility and utility in regulatory law. This Article uses chemical regulation as a case study in how the Principle can guide Congress in an ongoing controversy. Congress is considering a major overhaul of the flawed Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 (TSCA), and this change could be one of the most significant...
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...Innovation in Emerging Markets: Strategies Used in India and China Ruan Y., Hang C.C., Subramanian A.M. No. 01/12 Division of Engineering & Technology Management (D-ETM) Institute of Engineering Leadership (IEL) Faculty of Engineering 1 Disruptive Innovation in Emerging Markets: Strategies Used in India and China Ruan Y., Hang C.C., Annapoornima M.S. Abstract The appropriate type of innovation which can meet the needs of the mass population in the bottom of pyramid (BOP) has not been studied much in the literature. Based on the theory of disruptive innovation, we offer 11 cases from India and China – the two biggest emerging markets to show that disruptive innovation could be an appropriate, feasible, and powerful innovation force to the companies and the economies involved. We also examined the R&D strategies used in these cases based on the framework proposed by Yu & Hang (2011) and found that 3 out of the 4 strategies commonly used in the cases from developed markets were also applied in the cases from emerging markets. In addition, we have identified 3 unique strategies which emerged from the cases from India and China, namely frugal engineering, modularization, and drastic manufacturing cost reduction. Based on the frequency of the usage of these strategies, we drew practical implications for local companies and multinational companies. Our study also provides critical insights to policy makers in emerging markets on the appropriate direction...
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