Cloud Computing Essay Example for Free

Cloud Computing Essay How did Ericsson benefit from Amazon Web Services (AWS)? According to Amazon’s Web Service website, it gives users the option to run just about everything using their service applications. By incorporating cloud computing, users are able to cut variable costs to a more attractive scale for the business by eliminating costly administrative and hardware fees. Due to remote access, Ericsson was able to immediately take advantage of AWS’s benefits since the infrastructure was already up and running. Demands change quickly and it’s important for a company to be able to adjust accordingly. By using the cloud system, Ericsson was able to employ software updates and new applications quickly and more effectively. AWS services hundreds of thousands of customers in more than 190 countries, making their global infrastructure far more expansive than competitors; this allowed Ericsson to have data centers in various parts of the world. According to information provided in the case study, Ericsson chose AWS because they felt it was â€Å"the most integrated public cloud provider in the Rightscale Cloud Management Platform (Rightscale)†. Amazon EC2, Amazon S3, and RightScale Amazon EC2 The AWS website describes Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) as a web service that provides resizable compute capacity in the cloud, making web-scale computing easier for developers. It also allows you to quickly scale capacity up and down if and when your computing requirements change. Because this system works on a â€Å"pay-as-you-go† method, you only pay for the capacity you use which is a great option from an economic stand point. Amazon S3 Amazon S3 is described quite simply on the AWS website—storage for the Internet. It makes a developer’s job easier by providing for more convenient Web-scale computing. It gives them access to the same high quality infrastructure that Amazon uses to run its global network. With Amazon S3, one can store any amount data, anywhere, and have total access to it at any time via the web. The main purpose of this service is to â€Å"maximize benefits of scale and pass them on to developers† (AWS Website, 2012). RightScale RightScale is your bridge between applications and your cloud infrastructure. It allows for easy deployment and management of apps across not only   public clouds, but private and hybrid ones as well. RightScale configures efficiently and also provides organizations with better overall command of the cloud computing infrastructure and applications. Server management is an important aspect of using the cloud, and with this service, the company can scale and monitor more effectively, enhancing control. Organizations view the portability of RightScale as a huge incentive because it provides for greater flexibility and less restriction in a sense of provider options. Security Concerns How to Cope With Them Naturally, with any cloud-based service, there are lots of security concerns, including but not limited to, recovery issues, who has access to sensitive information, and data location. Recovery Issues In the event that the organization loses information or experiences a tragic situation, the vendor who is sponsoring the cloud-based service should have a detailed and easily executable plan in place to resolve the issue and make the process of recovery as painless as possible. It’s also important that both parties agree to the terms beforehand to avoid any unnecessary disagreements and issues. User Access When an organization opts to use cloud-based computing, they release a level of control, to a certain degree. The vendor controls the cloud and their employees may have access to the client’s information. It’s vital that the client organization seek clarity on exactly who has that access and their credentials—level of expertise, exact job title and company responsibility, etc. Data Location The client organization wants to make sure they at least know what country the cloud system they are using is located in. There are some cases where the organization has no clue where the cloud they are utilizing is based and that could potentially be a problem. One way to ease concern would be for the client to suggest specific locations and ensure that company privacy will not be breached. One suggestion to cope with the afore mentioned security concerns would be a method called the â€Å"layered approach†. The good thing about this option is it not only offers protection for not only the organization, but the vendor as well. The multi-level technique makes for a layered defense model that keeps the company from totally relying on one option. Level one—physical security—would focus on monitoring the actual facility that houses servers and other sensitive equipment. Level two—network security—would ensure around-the-clock monitoring of the network by well trained personnel. Level three—intrusion detection—would control the traffic that enters and leaves the network, making sure that any possible intrusion would be detected immediately and handled accordingly. Level four—firewall management—these should be custom fitted for the organization. These are commonly used with organizations and provide that added cushion in the level of security. And finally, Level five—data encryption—should be maintained inside and outside the cloud. Because the information that is transmitted over the cloud is so sensitive, maintain a high level of security is extremely important. This is mainly the vendor’s responsibility; however, the client organization can absolutely make suggestions and requirements that personally cater to their needs. Scalability, Reliability, and Cost Issues Associated with Cloud Computing Organizations can easily capitalize on economies of scale and majorly cut costs because virtualization is the main vehicle for cloud-based computing. The need to purchase and maintain hardware and spend funds on administrative costs is basically eliminated. The mobility of the cloud network allows for total access of large amounts of data anywhere, anytime and companies find that to be a very attractive incentive. The only issue that may arise is network reliability—yes, the problem with data storage is limited and inexpensive; however, the probability of outages is unavoidable with this option. Cloud computing can become very expensive to install and get running; however, the fact that companies only pay for services they use is great! Eliminating the need to maintain subscriptions and licenses saves the company tons of money and makes running the infrastructure considerably more convenient. It is clear that the benefits outweigh the possible issues that may arise. Bibliography Ericsson Case Study. 2011. http://aws.amazon.com/solutions/case-studies/ericsson/ Security Techniques for Protecting Data in Cloud Computing. 2012. http://www.kaspersky.com/images/european_cup_2012_march5_Venkata%20Sravan%20Kumar%20Maddineni-10-141650.pdf Understanding Layered Security and Defense in Depth. 2008. http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/security/understanding-layered-security-and-defense-in-depth/703

Economic effects of globalisation in singapore

Economic effects of globalisation in singapore Globalization is defined as the free movements of goods, services and capital across borders. It is a contentious process by which the western market economies have effectively spread across the globe. Although it does not constitute a new phenomenon, it is viewed as an inexorable integration of markets, nations and technologies to a degree never witnessed before in a way that is enabling individuals, and corporations to reach around the world further, faster, deeper and more economically than ever before (Heshmati, 2003). Today, globalisation is evident in every aspect of our life and society. Globalisation has impacted us in many ways, most evidently in communication and interaction between different people. Globalisation has brought about the Internet and advanced technology. This has allowed for ease in facilitation of which many aspects of the world are run and work. People are able to use the Internet to communicate with people from the other side of the world and interact and discuss about issues in the market etc. Through globalisation, people are able to communicate and interact easily, in doing so causing the ease of disseminating information and even in the way that facilitated trade. Especially with regards to trade, globalisation has enabled many countries around the world to take advantage of the aspect of globalisation which improves communication and interaction between people. Many countries used this aspect to help expand and advance their economies and trade markets. The year 2007 to 2008 witnessed a movement of goods and services worth $132 trillion from the Peoples Republic of China across the globe. This led to a 5.4% increase or rise in the Chinese economy as compared from the previous economic growth of a rate of 3.4% (Moore Lewis, 2009). Economic globalization is defined as the rise in economic interdependence of different nations economies of the world and it entails a dramatic rise in movement of goods, technology, capital and service across nations borders (Justin, 2001). Economic globalization has also provided opportunities for developing countries in that it expands the size of their markets for export and attracts foreign capital, which aids development. Foreign investment is conducive to a transfer of technologies and knowhow, which increases productivity (Bertucci and Alberti, 2010). In the same way, Singapore has also used the aspect of globalisation which increases communication in her own advantage to improve the economy and trade. One of the industries affected positively from globalisation in Singapore is the tourism industry. With globalisation, people are able to move from one place to another easily and quickly, through the use of aeroplanes etc. This allows people to travel regularly to Singapore, from places as far as Africa and United States of America. With easier traveling, more people can come to Singapore to tour and enjoy the attractions such as the Marina Bay Sands, Sentosa, etc. With more people in Singapore, the tourism industry is able to earn more money through the expenditure of these tourists, from food and beverages to entrance fees of attractions. Thus, through globalisation, Singapores tourist industry is able to expand and advance. This table of statistics shows the number of visitor arrivals by region/country of residence from the year 1999 and 2004 to 2009. Through this table, it can be seen that a large amount of people from the United States of America come to visit Singapore every year, in 2009 totalling to 370.7 thousand. This shows how globalisation has affected the tourism industry. People from countries like the United States of America which is in the other side of the world is able to come over to Singapore in such large numbers. This can also be seen in Europe, where 1,307.4 thousand people arrived to Singapore in 2009. It can be seen that globalisation has improved the tourism industry through the increase of tourist arrivals over the years. Take the Commonwealth of Independent States and Eastern Europe for example. The number of people who have visited Singapore have risen from 42.8 thousand in 1999 to 114.3 thousand in 2008. This shows the influence of globalisation has on the tourism industry in Singapore. With a greater influence, globalisation makes the tourist industry to have more and more tourists every year due to the easier transportation and movement from one country to another. With globalisation helping the countrys economy to become wealthier, this in turn would affect the people positively, allowing them to have a better standard of living. There are many benefits that citizens will have through a booming economy. One positive effect is that globalization causes rapid changes in trade relations, financial flows, and mobility of labour across the world. The development has brought the economies of developed countries closer together and more strongly interrelated. Trade is more common across countries and people are able to move from one place to another more conveniently and frequently than before. With globalization, companies have forayed into the developing countries and hence generated employment for them. But it is one of the positive and negative effects of globalization, depending on the point of view you wish to see it from. It has given an opportunity to invest in the emerging markets and tap up the talent which is available there. In developing countries, there is often a lack of capital which hinders the growth of domestic companies and hence, employment. In such cases, due to global nature of the businesses, people of developing countries too can obtain gainful employment opportunities. But the developed countries have lost jobs on account of this movement of jobs to the developing world and hence it is a pinch felt by people in the First World. One of the most visible positive effects of globalization in India is the flow of foreign capital. A lot of companies have directly invested in India, by starting production units in India, but what we also need to see is the amount of FII that flows into the developing countries. Indian companies which have been performing well, both in India and off the shores, will attract a lot of foreign investment, and thus pushes up the reserve of foreign exchange available in India. This is also one of the positive effects of globalization in US and other developed countries as developing countries give them a good investment proposition. The last effect is the impact of foreign trade on an economy. Comparative advantage has always been a factor even in the old times. While trade originated in the times of early kingdoms, it has been institutionalized due to globalization. Previously, people had to resort to unfair means and destruction of kingdoms and countries to get what they wanted. Today, it is done in a more humane way, with mutual cooperation. People who operate in uncivilized ways, now have to face the WTO and other world organizations that have been established with a view to control and regulate the trade activities of the countries. With all these benefits, the incomes of Singaporeans have increased over the last few years. In Singapore, the household income from work in 2010 increased due to strong economic growth. Median monthly household income from work in 2010 recovered to above the level before the economic downturn in 2009. Among resident households, median monthly income from work increased by 3.1 per cent from $4,850 in 2009 to $5,000 in 2010 (Table 1); in real terms, the increase was 0.3 per cent (Department of Statistics Singapore, 2010). Table 1 Monthly Household Income from Work Among Resident Households Year Median Household Income Average Household Income Dollar Nominal Change (%) Real Change (%) Dollar Nominal Change (%) 2000 3,638 3.9 2.6 4,988 5.7 2001 3,860 6.1 5.0 5,338 7.0 2002 3,628 -6.0 -5.6 5,069 -5.0 2003 3,601 -0.7 -1.2 5,075 0.1 2004 3,689 2.4 0.8 5,194 2.3 2005 3,860 4.6 4.1 5,447 4.9 2006 4,000 3.6 2.6 5,715 4.9 2007 4,375 9.4 7.1 6,295 10.1 2008 4,946 13.1 6.0 7,086 12.6 2009 4,850 -1.9 -2.5 6,826 -3.7 2010 5,000 3.1 0.3 7,214 5.7 Source: Department of Statistics Singapore (2011) Key Household Income Trends, 2010 Among employed household, with at least one working person, median monthly income from work increased by 5.7 per cent in nominal terms (from $5,400 in 2009 to $5,700 in 2010) and 2.8 per cent in real terms (Table 2). Table 2 Monthly Household Income from Work Among Employed Households Year Median Household Income Average Household Income Dollar Nominal Change (%) Real Change (%) Dollar Nominal Change (%) 2000 4,000 5.3 3.9 5,456 7.0 2001 4,141 3.5 2.5 5,736 5.1 2002 4,038 -2.5 -2.1 5,572 -2.9 2003 4,050 0.3 -0.2 5,618 0.8 2004 4,106 1.4 -0.3 5,761 2.5 2005 4,345 5.8 5.3 6,052 5.1 2006 4,495 3.5 2.5 6,280 3.8 2007 4,883 8.6 6.4 6,889 9.7 2008 5,475 12.1 5.2 7,752 12.5 2009 5,398 -1.4 -2.0 7,549 -2.6 2010 5,704 5.7 2.8 8,058 6.7 Source: Department of Statistics Singapore (2011) Key Household Income Trends, 2010 Even though the income levels have risen among employed Singaporeans, we have found through our research that not every Singaporean enjoys these perks of having higher income through globalisation. This is the one effect of globalisation in Singapore that we would like to discuss in this paper. The phenomenon of widening income gap in Singapore, between the period of 2000 2010. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Sources of Information In this research paper, we used mainly secondary sources of information. The sources of information that we used are: Newspaper Articles The newspaper articles we used were from The Straits Times. We decided to use articles from our local newspaper as it leans more towards our country and hence, the articles would be more apt especially since our research is about the effects of globalisation in Singapore. The Straits Times is also a acclaimed worldwide as one of the best newspapers, hence, it would be more reliable. Research papers The research papers that we used, such as the article Reducing Singapores Income Disparity: Looking Forward is by professors from Singapore. Hence, it is more reliable as they have lived in Singapore and studied the trends over the years. It would also be more appropriate for them to comment on the findings that they have collated Magazines We used The Economist because our topic focused mainly on the economy, hence, since The Economist looks at the global market, it would be a good judge of the economy in the various parts of the world. One issue that we looked at was Volume 398, Number 8717 of The Economist, which had a special report called The rich and the rest. This was relevant because it talks about the issue of widening income gap and the income discrepancies in the world today, which is one of our main focuses in our research paper. Statistics Our statistics were taken from research papers (results were collected by the author of the research paper) and studies conducted by the government. Since the statistics were taken from reliable sources, it would be more accurate in showing trends over the years. Rationale of using the sources of Information In our research paper, we only used secondary sources. This is because our topic is mainly on the effects of globalisation, hence it would be more appropriate to analyse the trends and research instead of conducting an interview. It was also quite hard to find an interviewee because globalisation is a wide topic and many people might have their different opinions on it. Through conducting extensive research using newspaper articles, research papers, et cetera, we could generally find the trends and information that we needed for our paper. Hence, we found that it was not necessary to conduct interviews or surveys as information that we needed could be found. Limitations of Research The limitation of using solely secondary sources is that we are unable to get first-hand opinions of the globalisation trends that we see in Singapore. Even though the opinions might be subjective, it would be a helpful source in knowing more about globalisation through the interviewees. Limitation of Newspaper Articles: The newspaper articles had only touched lightly on either the topic of widening income gap or globalisation, hence we had to conduct more research in order to find more information about the topic. Limitation of Research Papers: Research papers were useful in providing us with extensive information, however, each research paper was very focused on the particular topic that the professor was working on, and hence, we had to combine various research papers in order to find the trends and information that we required for our own research paper. Limitation of Magazines: The Economist was mainly on general statistics in the world, and hence, many of the information were not pertaining to Singapore and we could not use it for our information. The magazines were only a good guide in showing us the effects of globalisation to the world in general. Limitation of Statistics: The statistics given were mainly not interpreted; hence, even though we had the statistics by the government and research papers, we had to interpret and tweak the information in the way that it suits our topic and supports our points in our research paper. FINDINGS: HOW GLOBALIZATION LED TO THE WIDENING INCOME GAP IN SINGAPORE Globalisation has caused many changes in the world that we live in today. There are many effects of globalisation in our society, both good and bad. Globalisation is the continuous tendency towards the free flow of business and monetary infusions across nations which help in the formation of international financial system (mapsofindia, 2011). Higher living standards Through globalisation, the standard of living around the world has improved considerably. This is due to the want for financial independence and thus, people are triggered to become competitive, elevating the living standard of people in the nations that offer themselves to the world trade (mapsofindia, 2011). With increased economic stability, countries are able to have faster economic growth, which will also improve the standard of living in the country and reduce poverty. India has cut its poverty rate in half in the past two decades. China has reduced the number of rural poor from 250 million in 1978 to 34 million in 1999. Cheaper imports also make a wider range of products accessible to more people and, through competition, can help promote efficiency and productivity (global education, 2011). The rich are also able to splurge on their extravagant lifestyle, hence heightening the income discrepancies, as while people on the higher end of the income ladder are living a luxurious lifestyle, the lower-skilled workers are worried about keeping their jobs. This increased standard of living is thus clearly unbeneficial to some pockets of the population, especially the lower-skilled and lower-income people. Development of technology Over the years, technology has advanced in many ways that were thought impossible. The development of technology is rapid, persistent and ever-changing. With the introduction of technology to global markets, the demand for commodities has increased. Products and services are also increasing constantly. This has led to increase in usage around the world. Through the introduction of technology, technological gadgets are more easily available and affordable, allowing people to use technology to look into the investment and financial sector. With the help of computers, more and more people can be connected to the events happening in the financial sector. As per statistics, everyday more than $1.5 trillion is now swapped in the worlds currency markets and around one-fifth of products and services are generated per year are bought and sold. Technological advancement and productivity expansion are the other benefits of globalization because since 1970s growing international rivalry has trig gered the industries to improvise increasingly (mapsofindia, 2011). Increased inter-communication With globalisation, it is now easier for people all around the world to move from place to place. People have the ability to move from country to country in a short amount of time as compared to before when there was no globalisation. For the purpose of commerce and pleasure, more and more people are crossing national borders. Globally, on average nations in 1950 witnessed just one overseas visitor for every 100 citizens. By the mid-1980s it increased to six and ever since the number has doubled to 12. Commerce as a percentage of gross world product has increased in 1986 from 15% to nearly 27% in recent years. Worldwide telephone traffic has tripled since 1991. The number of mobile subscribers has elevated from almost zero to 1.8 billion indicating around 30% of the world population. Internet users will quickly touch 1 billion. With improved telecommunications, information and goods are available easily across countries. Costs are lowered and information is more reliable and accurate than ever. With such changes to the global market, workers are not just dependant on their own countrys economy anymore. Old jobs and skills are outsourced to meet the increasing demands of the global economy, thus many lower-skilled workers get lower income or get laid-off. Effects of Globalisation Influx of immigrants Globalization has made the world very close and small because of the ease of transport and lower cost of travel, and thus also increases the immigration in Singapore. Based on the study of Singapore Population Overview (Table 1), it can be seen that the number of immigrants and PRs in Singapore was 31.7% in 2007 whereas in 2008, the number has risen to 34.6%. This means that the number of immigrants and PRs is growing at a faster rate than the citizen population. The foreign workforce in Singapore is 30% (in 2010) not counting those who are newly converted citizens and PRs.( Diary of A Singaporean Mind, Monday, August 30, 2010) The government has offered scholarships, jobs and assistance for people in many other countries to settle in Singapore. Table 1. Singapore Population Overview (source: SingStat) Singapore Population Statistics Currently, there are 4.8 million people residing in Singapore, and about 478,000 are PRs. (On April 1, 2009, in Life in Singapore) Among them, the students, professionals entrepreneurs want to stay in Singapore after finishing their studies or own businesses , and establishing their careers. Table 2. Persons Granted PR (source: SingStat) Persons Granted PR post Singapore Immigration Table 3. Persons Granted Citizenship (source: SingStat)Persons Granted Citizenship post Singapore Immigration The tables show that each year, there are about 60,000 foreigners granted as PR. In contrast, only 15-17,000 citizenship status was approved yearly. Despise Singapores economic advantages; foreigners main motivators are citing tax incentives as well as health and education benefits which come from being a citizen or PR. Singapore is a very small island and has limited land and housing. Singaporeans have always welcomed immigrants in the past from Malaysia or Indonesia but nowadays the influx immigrants in the recent waves strains our infrastructure and leads to income inequality. Singapores economy now depends heavily on foreign labour which took up 58,300 new jobs, and over half of the 112,500 new jobs which are created in the year. Assuming one third or half of the locals are PRs, the proportion of new jobs which belong to foreigners is likely to be as high as two thirds or three quarters. (Tan Jee Say, Creating Jobs and Enterprisein a New Singapore Economy) These immigrants are taking jobs away from the locals and hence living some jobless. The Unemployment Rate (SA) in Singapore was 1.9% in Mar 2011. (Statistics Singapore)On top of that, they are driving down the income levels for the low-skilled jobs and hence even if locals were to work in it, they will be paid only a small amount. This would not be sufficient for the citizens especially since the standard of living in Singapore is high  ¼Ã‹â€ refer to the Higher Living Standard ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °and thus they might not be able to afford to pay for some needs. Ultimately, income gap will grow wider. In the past, the workers economic fate was only relevant to the national economic fate. However, globalization and improvements in communication, as well as influx immigrants changed the case. Now workers have to compete in a global market, and their wages are not so dependent on the individual economies success or failure of. The mind workers such as engineers, scientists, executives can compete successfully in the global market and receive high wages. However, the production and service works industrialized countries are not able to compete with those from third world countries. The workflow changes, thus poor countries get the low-value-added element of work which is formerly done in rich countries; however, higher-value work is maintained. (Economics focus: Cash machines. 2011-04-16.) This is a main effect on widening income gap. The population has increased to 5.5 million; a big part of it is made up of immigrants. Seventy-eight percent of Channel News Asia/Gallup polled felt that Singapore should limit the number of foreign workers when the population increases. (Journal of Alternative Perspectives in the Social Sciences ( 2009) Vol 1, No 3, 982-1002982)The management of the consequences of attracting more talented immigrants has become a challenge both in political and economic aspect. Globalization results in more acute income inequalities and meanwhile places a high premium on talent. Those people who stand at both ends of the skills spectrum are worried about their future.((Journal of Alternative Perspectives in the Social Sciences ( 2009) Vol 1, No 3, 982-1002982)) The cheaper labour from neighboring countries has forced the lower end to improve skills more efficiently. At the other end, Singapores industries has also storm skills deficit which has been pushed into higher value-added. Those Singaporean s who are better educated now have become being placed at a disadvantage in a more and more competitive job market. There is growing concern on the influence of fairly large immigration on the establishment of Singapores cultural and national identity, and on the states management of racial diversity as well. (Koh, 2003: 230-256). Effect of Globalization: Opening of New Economy and its effect on the unskilled, leading to widening income gap Globalization has become crucial for economic growth and prosperity in Singapore in recent decades, though the gains main spread unequally. Its magnitude and speed increase the free mobility of the products, services, as well as the factors of production across national borders. Globalization has made it possible for the transition form heavy industry or manufacturing-based economy to a new technology based one, thus leads to the opening of new economies. However, like most by-products of globalization, it has been a double-edged sword. The high growth, low inflation and high employment of this period led to overly optimistic predictions and many flawed business plans. (Newsweek article (January 2001) on the false claims of the new economy) Business in developed countries process outsourcing enables cheaper labour and services, however, meanwhile, displaces some of the service-sector jobs. One the one hand, accessing to the global market by attracting Direct Foreign Investment (FDI) and foreign investments has promoted Singapores economic development. On the other hand, the blue-collars jobs in the city-state were forced to run away to low-costs countries such as China and India. Thus it has a main effect on the widening income gap. Figure 1 QQà ¦Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ªÃƒ ¥Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¾Ãƒ ¦Ã…“ ªÃƒ ¥Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ‚ ½Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚  Figure 2. Wage inequality between Skilled Professionals and Unskilled ones. Source: Ministry of Manpower Singapore (2007). Report on Wages in Singapore 2006 Figure 1 indicates about 52.0% of Singaporeans are skilled workers in 2010. Figure2 shows the ratio of the skilled occupations wages to the unskilled ones wages. Regarding the income inequality between occupations, the collectively defined skilled workers continue to earn more than unskilled workers such as the cleaners, labourers and related workers. And the income gap has widened further since 1996.Therefore, the wage growths relative stagnation among the unskilled workers would unquestionably have influence on the widening income gap between the two ends of the occupational spectrum as indicated in Figure 2. Due to globalization, with the internet and airplanes, the distance between countries is getting shorter. The international communication on technologies and science has been more interactive and immediate. Therefore, companies nowadays set different parts of their plants in different countries and locations, saving the delivery time but not sacrificing the quality of the products and. The outsourcing of old jobs makes the companies greater profit due to low exchange rates of the countries and lower costs. However, meanwhile, the new technologies will make the old skills obsolete and increase the rate of unemployment in Singapore. The new economy is not only the high technology and the Internet, but also the work is now being supported by technology and evolving with technology. The new economy consists of new organizational models as well, emphasizing teamwork which means the decision making is no longer dominated by a single boss. The old economy just focused on local, state or national markets, but the new economy focused towards global market. The new economy showed a change in how the nation tried to draw business and industry. In the old economy, the industry was attracted to the nation because of low priced labor, cheap land, low tax, convenient transportation and other physical infrastructures. In the new economy, outsourcing is becoming more and more popular. Such phenomenon is due to a period of transition to the new economies which is knowledge or idea-based from the old ones. The key of the new economy is the utilized technology and high quality of production, as well as new ideas and innovation which can be embedded in all aspects of the economy. In 1950, 60% of the jobs needed unskilled workers; however, today only about 15% of jobs require them. The need for professionals has been around 20%. (Dr. Jacquelyn P. Robinson, A L A B A M A C O O P E R A T I V E E X T E N S I O N S Y S T EM, Volume 1, Issue 4 September 22, 2000)The requirement of skilled jobs which needs education and training has grown. Real wages for high school graduated without technical training decreased 18% over the last 18 years and those without high school diploma dropped 40%.((Dr. Jacquelyn P. Robinson). Therefore, the well-off march towards the global market and make more profit while the poor and uneducated become obsolete and unemployment, leading to the widening income diversity. CONCLUSION In this paper, we have discussed more about globalization: its role and the effects it has on Singapore, more specifically, the widening income gap. As can be seen, globalization has affected the way things work and old skills and jobs are gradually being outsourced. Although we cannot do anything to prevent it, it is important than we are aware of the consequences and try to improve Singapores current situation. Hence, Singaporeans should jump at the chance to improve their skills, so as to have a better future in exchange. Indeed, the Singapore government faces a tough challenge in trying to achieve this trinity of social goals income equality, economic growth and fiscal discipline (Yeoh 2007/2008). Even though this is hard to put into practice, the Singapore government has to adopt specific actions and measures to address the spiraling income inequality. This will help to prevent social discontentment and continue the wealth and prosperity that Singapore has been achieving over the years. However, the Singapore government has the responsibility to pay close attention to the needs of the people, especially those falling through the cracks with the rising cost of living. It is important that the government continues to care for the needs of the people and ensure that effective measures are carried out to ease their burdens. Unhappiness among the people leading to widespread discontentment can cause policies to fail; hence, political leaders must be capable of directing these emotions towards productive uses that benefit the economy, rather than allowing these emotions to develop into civil strife. Besides the economic policies to reverse income disparity, most importantly, the government needs to demonstrate empathetic leadership and win the hearts of Singaporeans so that the future will continue with a better Singapore.

The Meaninglessness Of External Causes :: essays research papers

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/vaksam/">Sam Vaknin's Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign Affairs Web Sites Some philosophers say that our life is meaningless because it has a prescribed end. This is a strange assertion: is a movie rendered meaningless because of its finiteness? Some things acquire a meaning precisely because they are finite: consider academic studies, for instance. It would seem that meaningfulness does not depend upon matters temporary. We all share the belief that we derive meaning from external sources. Something bigger than us – and outside us – bestows meaning upon our lives: God, the State, a social institution, an historical cause. Yet, this belief is misplaced and mistaken. If such an external source of meaning were to depend upon us for its definition (hence, for its meaning) – how could we derive meaning from it? A cyclical argument ensues. We can never derive meaning from that whose very meaning (or definition) is dependent on us. The defined cannot define the definer. To use the defined as part of its own definition (by the vice of its inclusion in the definer) is the very definition of a tautology, the gravest of logical fallacies. On the other hand: if such an external source of meaning were NOT dependent on us for its definition or meaning – again it would have been of no use in our quest for meaning and definition. That which is absolutely independent of us – is absolutely free of any interaction with us because such an interaction would inevitably have constituted a part of its definition or meaning. And that, which is devoid of any interaction with us – cannot be known to us. We know about something by interacting with it. The very exchange of information – through the senses - is an interaction. Thus, either we serve as part of the definition or the meaning of an external source – or we do not. In the first case, it cannot constitute a part of our own definition or meaning. In the second case, it cannot be known to us and, therefore, cannot be discussed at all. Put differently: no meaning can be derived from an external source. Despite the above said, people derive meaning almost exclusively from external sources. If a sufficient number of questions is asked, we will always reach an external source of meaning. People believe in God and in a divine plan, an order inspired by Him and manifest in both the inanimate and the animate universe.

The Aral Sea Disaster Essay example -- Policies Environment Essays

The Aral Sea Disaster Abstract The Aral Sea and the entire Aral Sea basin area have achieved worldwide notoriety due to the environmental disaster. The example of the Aral Sea disaster has sent a signal to the entire international community demonstrating how fast and irrevocable the environmental system can be ruined if there is no long-term thinking and planning in place. This paper gives a broad overview of the policies that have resulted in dying of the forth-largest inland body of water. It concentrates on the policies and approaches of the international organizations towards the problem, describes examples of the projects and presents a conclusion on effectiveness of such policies. Introduction The Aral sea used to be the forth largest inland body of water. It had a fishing industry that employed 60,000 people and it attracted thousands of tourists. Today the Aral Sea is biologically dead and has shrunk by approximately 75-80% in volume and 50-60% in area. (See Attachment 1. The chronology of the desiccation of the Aral Sea). Fishing towns such as Muinak are now 60 kilometers inland. Approximately 75 million tons per year of toxic salt from the exposed seabed are blown over thousands of kilometers of inhabited land increasing the already high level of salinity and worsening the environmental situation. Where is the Aral Sea located? The Aral Sea is in the very heart of the Central Asia. Central Asia, an area of 1.7 millions km2 in total, lies in the middle of the Eurasian continent. It is at the crossroads of the old caravan routes that ran from Europe to Asia and the Middle East to the Far East. The whole region consists of vast deserts and semi-arid lands (See Attachment 2. Geographical ... .../aralsea/asa_dis.htm Operational Research http://www.msf.org/aralsea/op_res.htm Tuberculosis Pilot Program http://msf.org/aralsea/tb_pilot.htm 3. UNOPS web site http://unops.org/5 proin/5pi2001.html 4. International Aral Sea Rehabilitation Fund web site http://ifas-almaty.kz/ENG/Consequesnces.html 5. Soros Foundation ¡Ã‚ ¦s Office in Tashkent web site www.soros.org 6. German Remote Data Center Geographical location of the Aral Sea http://www.dfd.dlr.de/app/land/aralsee/aralregion.html Chronology of the desiccation of the Aral Sea http://www.dfd.dlf.de/app/land/aralsee/chronology.html Picture 1. Chronology of the dessication of the Aral Sea The series of images were derived by satellite remote sensing data and conventional data (WDB II for the mask of 1960, bathymetry for the year of 2010).

Injection Molding :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Plastics Engineering   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Injection Molding Most people have never heard of injection molding, however the products that are produced through this process are as common as a toothbrush, a compact disk, or even drinking glasses. Injection Molding is one of the principal processes used in converting plastics into useful products. An injection molding machine can be large or small but work through the same general process. The machine heats a thermoplastic material that in its pre-processing state is pelletized or granular, to a liquid-like â€Å"flowable† state. It then injects the melted plastic into a mold that is used to create the desired shape of the product. The plastic in the mold is then allowed to cool and removed form the mold by an ejector system. Different raw plastics materials can be used in the injection molding process. Most commonly injection molding machines provide processing for phenolics, melamine, silicone, elastomers and polyester. These materials can be numerous colors and can be used for making the various products depending on what characteristics like elasticity. flexibility and hardness are needed. The injection molding machine has two main components the injection unit and the clamp unit. The injection unit melts and injects the materials. There are usually about eight main parts that make up the injection unit, and they are the barrel, the nozzle, the screw and non return valve, heater bands, a motor to rotate the screw, and a hydraulic cylinder to move the screw forward and backward. Control systems are used for temperature regulation, and the timing of the screw rotation and injection strokes. The screw consits of three main sections the metering zone, the transition zone and the feed zone. The feed zone makes up about 1/2 the total length of the screw. It has deep flights and is where the pellets first enter the screw. The transition zone is about 1/4 the length of the screw and has flights that are closer together to compress the pellets and aid in the melting process. The metering zone makes up the last portion of the screw mechanism and is where any final melting of the pellets occurs before the pellets pass through the non return valve and nozzle into the mold. The Clamping unit opens and closes the mold and ejects the parts. The two most common methods to generate clamping forces are direct hydraulic clamps and toggle clamps that are both actuated by hydraulic cylinders. In addition to those parts most injection molding machines also have a hydraulic pump and resivoir. Safety is a very important aspect of injection molding so most injection molding machines are equipped with safety devices. Injection Molding :: essays research papers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Plastics Engineering   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Injection Molding Most people have never heard of injection molding, however the products that are produced through this process are as common as a toothbrush, a compact disk, or even drinking glasses. Injection Molding is one of the principal processes used in converting plastics into useful products. An injection molding machine can be large or small but work through the same general process. The machine heats a thermoplastic material that in its pre-processing state is pelletized or granular, to a liquid-like â€Å"flowable† state. It then injects the melted plastic into a mold that is used to create the desired shape of the product. The plastic in the mold is then allowed to cool and removed form the mold by an ejector system. Different raw plastics materials can be used in the injection molding process. Most commonly injection molding machines provide processing for phenolics, melamine, silicone, elastomers and polyester. These materials can be numerous colors and can be used for making the various products depending on what characteristics like elasticity. flexibility and hardness are needed. The injection molding machine has two main components the injection unit and the clamp unit. The injection unit melts and injects the materials. There are usually about eight main parts that make up the injection unit, and they are the barrel, the nozzle, the screw and non return valve, heater bands, a motor to rotate the screw, and a hydraulic cylinder to move the screw forward and backward. Control systems are used for temperature regulation, and the timing of the screw rotation and injection strokes. The screw consits of three main sections the metering zone, the transition zone and the feed zone. The feed zone makes up about 1/2 the total length of the screw. It has deep flights and is where the pellets first enter the screw. The transition zone is about 1/4 the length of the screw and has flights that are closer together to compress the pellets and aid in the melting process. The metering zone makes up the last portion of the screw mechanism and is where any final melting of the pellets occurs before the pellets pass through the non return valve and nozzle into the mold. The Clamping unit opens and closes the mold and ejects the parts. The two most common methods to generate clamping forces are direct hydraulic clamps and toggle clamps that are both actuated by hydraulic cylinders. In addition to those parts most injection molding machines also have a hydraulic pump and resivoir. Safety is a very important aspect of injection molding so most injection molding machines are equipped with safety devices.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 24 VOTE

HE WAS NOT PLEASED, THAT MUCH WAS EASY TO READ in his face. But, without further argument, he took me in his arms and sprang lithely from my window, landing without the slightest jolt, like a cat. It was a little bit farther down than I'd imagined. â€Å"All right then,† he said, his voice seething with disapproval. â€Å"Up you go.† He helped me onto his back, and took off running. Even after all this time, it felt routine. Easy. Evidently this was something you never forgot, like riding a bicycle. It was so very quiet and dark as he ran through the forest, his breathing slow and evendark enough that the trees flying past us were nearly invisible, and only the rush of air in my face truly gave away our speed. The air was damp; it didn't burn my eyes the way the wind in the big plaza had, and that was comforting. As was the night, too, after that terrifying brightness. Like the thick quilt I'd played under as a child, the dark felt familiar and protecting. I remembered that running through the forest like this used to frighten me, that I used to have to close my eyes. It seemed a silly reaction to me now. I kept my eyes wide, my chin resting on his shoulder, my cheek against his neck. The speed was exhilarating. A hundred times better than the motorcycle. I turned my face toward him and pressed my lips into the cold stone skin of his neck. â€Å"Thank you,† he said, as the vague, black shapes of trees raced past us. â€Å"Does that mean you've decided you're awake?† I laughed. The sound was easy, natural, effortless. It sounded right. â€Å"Not really. More that, either way, I'm not trying to wake up. Not tonight.† â€Å"I'll earn your trust back somehow,† he murmured, mostly to himself. â€Å"If it's my final act.† â€Å"I trust you,† I assured him. â€Å"It's me I don't trust.† â€Å"Explain that, please.† He'd slowed to a walkI could only tell because the wind ceasedand I guessed that we weren't far from the house. In fact, I thought I could make out the sound of the river rushing somewhere close by in the darkness. â€Å"Well† I struggled to find the right way to phrase it. â€Å"I don't trust myself to be enough. To deserve you. There's nothing about me that could hold you.† He stopped and reached around to pull me from his back. His gentle hands did not release me; after he'd set me on my feet again, he wrapped his arms tightly around me, hugging me to his chest. â€Å"Your hold is permanent and unbreakable,† he whispered. â€Å"Never doubt that.† But how could I not? â€Å"You never did tell me† he murmured. â€Å"What?† â€Å"What your greatest problem is.† â€Å"I'll give you one guess.† I sighed, and reached up to touch the tip of his nose with my index finger. He nodded. â€Å"I'm worse than the Volturi,† he said grimly. â€Å"I guess I've earned that.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"The worst the Volturi can do is kill me.† He waited with tense eyes. â€Å"You can leave me,† I explained. â€Å"The Volturi, Victoria they're nothing compared to that.† Even in the darkness, I could see the anguish twist his faceit reminded me of his expression under Jane's torturing gaze; I felt sick, and regretted speaking the truth. â€Å"Don't,† I whispered, touching his face. â€Å"Don't be sad.† He pulled one corner of his mouth up halfheartedly, but the expression didn't touch his eyes. â€Å"If there was only some way to make you see that I can't leave you,† he whispered. â€Å"Time, I suppose, will be the way to convince you.† I liked the idea of time. â€Å"Okay,† I agreed. His face was still tormented. I tried to distract him with inconsequentials. â€Å"Sosince you're staying. Can I have my stuff back?† I asked, making my tone as light as I could manage. My attempt worked, to an extent: he laughed. But his eyes retained the misery. â€Å"Your things were never gone,† he told me. â€Å"I knew it was wrong, since I promised you peace without reminders. It was stupid and childish, but I wanted to leave something of myself with you. The CD, the pictures, the ticketsthey're all under your floorboards.† â€Å"Really?† He nodded, seeming slightly cheered by my obvious pleasure in this trivial fact. It wasn't enough to heal the pain in his face completely. â€Å"I think,† I said slowly, â€Å"I'm not sure, but I wonder I think maybe I knew it the whole time.† â€Å"What did you know?† I only wanted to take away the agony in his eyes, but as I spoke the words, they sounded truer than I expected they would. â€Å"Some part of me, my subconscious maybe, never stopped believing that you still cared whether I lived or died. That's probably why I was hearing the voices.† There was a very deep silence for a moment. â€Å"Voices?† he asked flatly. â€Å"Well, just one voice. Yours. It's a long story.† The wary look on his face made me wish that I hadn't brought that up. Would he think I was crazy, like everyone else? Was everyone else right about that? But at least that expressionthe one that made him look like something was burning himfaded. â€Å"I've got time.† His voice was unnaturally even. â€Å"It's pretty pathetic.† He waited. I wasn't sure how to explain. â€Å"Do you remember what Alice said about extreme sports?† He spoke the words without inflection or emphasis. â€Å"You jumped off a cliff for fun.† â€Å"Er, right. And before that, with the motorcycle† â€Å"Motorcycle?† he asked. I knew his voice well enough to hear something brewing behind the calm. â€Å"I guess I didn't tell Alice about that part.† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Well, about that See, I found that when I was doing something dangerous or stupid I could remember you more clearly,† I confessed, feeling completely mental. â€Å"I could remember how your voice sounded when you were angry. I could hear it, like you were standing right there next to me. Mostly I tried not to think about you, but this didn't hurt so muchit was like you were protecting me again. Like you didn't want me to be hurt. â€Å"And, well, I wonder if the reason I could hear you so clearly was because, underneath it all. I always knew that you hadn't stopped loving me.† Again, as I spoke, the words brought with them a sense of conviction. Of rightness. Some deep place inside me recognized truth. His words came out half-strangled. â€Å"You were risking your life to hear† â€Å"Shh,† I interrupted him. â€Å"Hold on a second. I think I'm having an epiphany here.† I thought of that night in Port Angeles when I'd had my first delusion. I'd come up with two options. Insanity or wish fulfillment. I'd seen no third option. But what if What if you sincerely believed something was true, but you were dead wrong? What if you were so stubbornly sure that you were right, that you wouldn't even consider the truth? Would the truth be silenced, or would it try to break through? Option three: Edward loved me. The bond forged between us was not one that could be broken by absence, distance, or time. And no matter how much more special or beautiful or brilliant or perfect than me he might be, he was as irreversibly altered as I was. As I would always belong to him, so would he always be mine. Was that what I'd been trying to tell myself? â€Å"Oh!† â€Å"Bella?† â€Å"Oh. Okay. I see.† â€Å"Your epiphany?† he asked, his voice uneven and strained. â€Å"You love me,† I marveled. The sense of conviction and Tightness washed through me again. Though his eyes were still anxious, the crooked smile I loved best flashed across his face. â€Å"Truly, I do.† My heart inflated like it was going to crack right through my ribs. It filled my chest and blocked my throat so that I could not speak. He really did want me the way I wanted himforever. It was only fear for my soul, for the human things he didn't want to take from me, that made him so desperate to leave me mortal. Compared to the fear that he didn't want me, this hurdlemy soulseemed almost insignificant. He took my face tightly between his cool hands and kissed me until I was so dizzy the forest was spinning. Then he leaned his forehead against mine, and I was not the only one breathing harder than usual. â€Å"You were better at it than I was, you know,† he told me. â€Å"Better at what?† â€Å"Surviving. You, at least, made an effort. You got up in the morning, tried to be normal for Charlie, followed the pattern of your life. When I wasn't actively tracking, I was totally useless. I couldn't be around my familyI couldn't be around anyone. I'm embarrassed to admit that I more or less curled up into a ball and let the misery have me.† He grinned, sheepish. â€Å"It was much more pathetic than hearing voices. And, of course, you know I do that, too.† I was deeply relieved that he really seemed to understandcomforted that this all made sense to him. At any rate, he wasn't looking at me like I was crazy. He was looking at me like he loved me. â€Å"I only heard one voice,† I corrected him. He laughed and then pulled me tight against his right side and started to lead me forward. â€Å"I'm just humoring you with this.† He motioned broadly with his hand toward the darkness in front of us as we walked. There was something pale and immense therethe house, I realized. â€Å"It doesn't matter in the slightest what they say.† â€Å"This affects them now, too.† He shrugged indifferently. He led me through the open front door into the dark house and flipped the lights on. The room was just as I'd remembered itthe piano and the white couches and the pale, massive staircase. No dust, no white sheets. Edward called out the names with no more volume than I'd use in regular conversation. â€Å"Carlisle? Esme? Rosalie? Emmett? Jasper? Alice?† They would hear. Carlisle was suddenly standing beside me, as if he'd been there all along. â€Å"Welcome back, Bella.† He smiled. â€Å"What can we do for you this morning? I imagine, due to the hour, that this is not a purely social visit?† I nodded. â€Å"I'd like to talk to everyone at once, if that's okay. About something important.† I couldn't help glancing up at Edward's face as I spoke. His expression was critical, but resigned. When I looked back to Carlisle, he was looking at Edward, too. â€Å"Of course,† Carlisle said. â€Å"Why don't we talk in the other room?† Carlisle led the way through the bright living room, around the corner to the dining room, turning on lights as he went. The walls were white, the ceilings high, like the living room. In the center of the room, under the low-hanging chandelier, was a large, polished oval table surrounded by eight chairs. Carlisle held out a chair for me at the head. I'd never seen the Cullens use the dining room table beforeit was just a prop. They didn't eat in the house. As soon as I turned to sit in the chair, I saw that we were not alone. Esme had followed Edward, and behind her the rest of the family filed in. Carlisle sat down on my right, and Edward on my left. Everyone else took their seats in silence. Alice was grinning at me, already in on the plot. Emmett and Jasper looked curious, and Rosalie smiled at me tentatively. My answering smile was just as timid. That was going to take some getting used to. Carlisle nodded toward me. â€Å"The floor is yours.† I swallowed. Their gazing eyes made me nervous. Edward took my hand under the table. I peeked at him, but he was watching the others, his fate suddenly fierce. â€Å"Well,† I paused. â€Å"I'm hoping Alice has already told you everything that happened in Volterra?† â€Å"Everything,† Alice assured me. I threw her a meaningful look. â€Å"And on the way?† â€Å"That, too,† she nodded. â€Å"Good,† I sighed with relief. â€Å"Then we're all on the same page.† They waited patiently while I tried to order my thoughts. â€Å"So, I have a problem,† I began. â€Å"Alice promised the Volturi that I would become one of you. They're going to send someone to check, and I'm sure that's a bad thingsomething to avoid. â€Å"And so, now, this involves you all. I'm sorry about that.† I looked at each one of their beautiful faces, saving the most beautiful for last. Edward's mouth was turned down into a grimace. â€Å"But, if you don't want me, then I'm not going to force myself on you, whether Alice is willing or not.† Esme opened her mouth to speak, but I held up one finger to stop her. â€Å"Please, let me finish. You all know what I want. And I'm sure you know what Edward thinks, too. I think the only fair way to decide is for everyone to have a vote. If you decide you don't want me, then I guess I'll go back to Italy alone. I can't have them coming here.† My forehead creased as I considered that. There was the faint rumble of a growl in Edward's chest. I ignored him. â€Å"Taking into account, then, that I won't put any of you in danger either way, I want you to vote yes or no on the issue of me becoming a vampire.† I half-smiled on the last word, and gestured toward Carlisle to begin. â€Å"Just a minute,† Edward interrupted. I glared at him through narrowed eyes. He raised his eyebrows at me, squeezing my hand. â€Å"I have something to add before we vote.† I sighed. â€Å"About the danger Bella's referring to,† he continued. â€Å"I don't think we need to be overly anxious.† His expression became more animated. He put his free hand on the shining table and leaned forward. â€Å"You see,† he explained, looking around the table while he spoke, â€Å"there was more than one reason why I didn't want to shake Aro's hand there at the end. There's something they didn't think of, and I didn't want to cine them in.† He grinned. â€Å"Which was?† Alice prodded. I was sure my expression was just as skeptical as hers. â€Å"The Volturi are overconfident, and with good reason. When they decide to find someone, it's not really a problem. Do you remember Demetri?† He glanced down at me. I shuddered. He took that as a yes. â€Å"He finds peoplethat's his talent, why they keep him. â€Å"Now, the whole time we were with any of them, I was picking their brains for anything that might save us, getting as much information as possible. So I saw how Demetri's talent works. He's a trackera tracker a thousand times more gifted than Jarres was. His ability is loosely related to what I do, or what Aro does. He catches the flavor? I don't know how to describe it the tenor of someone's mind, and then he follows that. It works over immense distances. â€Å"But after Aro's little experiments, well† Edward shrugged. â€Å"You think he won't be able to find me,† I said flatly. He was smug. â€Å"I'm sure of it. He relies totally on that other sense. When it doesn't work with you, they'll all be blind.† â€Å"And how does that solve anything?† â€Å"Quite obviously, Alice will be able to tell when they're planning a visit, and I'll hide you. They'll be helpless,† he said with fierce enjoyment. â€Å"It will be like looking for a piece of straw in a haystack!† He and Emmett exchanged a glance and a smirk. This made no sense. â€Å"But they can find you,† I reminded him. â€Å"And I can take care of myself.† Emmett laughed, and reached across the table toward his brother, extending a fist. â€Å"Excellent plan, my brother,† he said with enthusiasm. Edward stretched out his arm to smack Emmett's fist with his own. â€Å"No,† Rosalie hissed. â€Å"Absolutely not,† I agreed. â€Å"Nice.† Jasper's voice was appreciative. â€Å"Idiots,† Alice muttered. Esme just glared at Edward. I straightened up in my chair, focusing. This was my meeting. â€Å"All right, then. Edward has offered an alternative for you to consider,† I said coolly. â€Å"Let's vote.† I looked toward Edward this time; it would be better to get his opinion out of the way. â€Å"Do you want me to join your family?† His eyes were hard and black as flint. â€Å"Not that way. You're staying human.† I nodded once, keeping my face businesslike, and then moved on. â€Å"Alice?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Jasper?† â€Å"Yes,† he said, voice grave. I was a little surprisedI hadn't been at all sure of his votebut I suppressed my reaction and moved on. â€Å"Rosalie?† She hesitated, biting down on her full, perfect bottom lip. â€Å"No.† I kept my face blank and turned my head slightly to move on, but she held up both her hands, palms forward. â€Å"Let me explain,† she pleaded. â€Å"I don't mean that I have any aversion to you as a sister. It's just that this is not the life I would have chosen for myself. I wish there had been someone there to vote no for me.† I nodded slowly, and then turned to Emmett. â€Å"Hell, yes!† He grinned. â€Å"We can find some other way to pick a fight with this Demetri.† I was still grimacing at that when I looked at Esme. â€Å"Yes, of course, Bella. I already think of you as part of my family.† â€Å"Thank you, Esme,† I murmured as I turned toward Carlisle. I was suddenly nervous, wishing I had asked for his vote first. I was sure that this was the vote that mattered most, the vote that counted more than any majority. Carlisle wasn't looking at me. â€Å"Edward,† he said. â€Å"No,† Edward growled. His jaw was strained tight, his lips curled back from his teeth. â€Å"It's the only way that makes sense,† Carlisle insisted. â€Å"You've chosen not to live without her, and that doesn't leave me a choice.† Edward dropped my hand, shoving away from the table. He stalked out of the room, snarling under his breath. â€Å"I guess you know my vote.† Carlisle sighed. I was still staring after Edward. â€Å"Thanks,† I mumbled. An earsplitting crash echoed from the other room. I flinched, and spoke quickly. â€Å"That's all I needed. Thank you. For wanting to keep me. I feel exactly the same way about all of you, too.† My voice was jagged with emotion by the end. Esme was at my side in a flash, her cold arms around me. â€Å"Dearest Bella,† she breathed. I hugged her back. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Rosalie looking down at the table, and I realized that my words could be construed in two ways. â€Å"Well, Alice,† I said when Esme released me. â€Å"Where do you want to do this?† Alice stared at me, her eyes widening with terror. â€Å"No! No! NO!† Edward roared, charging back into the room. He was in my face before I had time to blink, bending over me, his expression twisted in rage. â€Å"Are you insane?† he shouted. â€Å"Have you utterly lost your mind?† I cringed away, my hands over my ears. â€Å"Um, Bella,† Alice interjected in an anxious voice. â€Å"I don't think I'm ready for that. I'll need to prepare† â€Å"You promised,† I reminded her, glaring under Edward's arm. â€Å"I know, but Seriously, Bella! I don't have any idea how to not killyou.† â€Å"You can do it,† I encouraged. â€Å"I trust you.† Edward snarled in fury. Alice shook her head quickly, looking panicked. â€Å"Carlisle?† I turned to look at him. Edward grabbed my face in his hand, forcing me to look at him. His other hand was out, palm toward Carlisle. Carlisle ignored that. â€Å"I'm able to do it,† he answered my question. I wished I could see his expression. â€Å"You would be in no danger of me losing control.† â€Å"Sounds good.† I hoped he could understand; it was hard to talk clearly the way Edward held my jaw. â€Å"Hold on,† Edward said between his teeth. â€Å"It doesn't have to be now.† â€Å"There's no reason for it not to be now,† I said, the words coming out distorted. â€Å"I can think of a few.† â€Å"Of course you can,† I said sourly. â€Å"Now let go of me.† He freed my face, and folded his arms across his chest. â€Å"In about two hours, Charlie will be here looking for you. I wouldn't put it past him to involve the police.† â€Å"All three of them.† But I frowned. This was always the hardest part. Charlie, Renee. Now Jacob, too. The people I would lose, the people I would hurt. I wished there was some way that I could be the only one to suffer, but I knew that was impossible. At the same time, I was hurting them more by staying human. Putting Charlie in constant danger through my proximity. Putting Jake in worse danger still by drawing his enemies across the land he felt bound to protect. And ReneeI couldn't even risk a visit to see my own mother for fear of bringing my deadly problems along with me! I was a danger magnet; I'd accepted that about myself. Accepting this, I knew I needed to be able to take care of myself and protect the ones I loved, even if that meant that I couldn't be with them. I needed to be strong. â€Å"In the interest of remaining inconspicuous,† Edward said, still talking through his gritted teeth, but looking at Carlisle now, â€Å"I suggest that we put this conversation off, at the very least until Bella finishes high school, and moves out of Charlie's house.† â€Å"That's a reasonable request, Bella,† Carlisle pointed out. I thought about Charlie's reaction when he woke up this morning, ifafter all that life had put him through in the last week with Harry's loss, and then I had put him through with my unexplained disappearancehe were to find my bed empty. Charlie deserved better than that. It was just a little more time; graduation wasn't so far away I pursed my lips. â€Å"I'll consider it.† Edward relaxed. His jaw unclenched. â€Å"I should probably take you home,† he said, more calm now, but clearly in a hurry to get me out of here. â€Å"Just in case Charlie wakes up early.† I looked at Carlisle. â€Å"After graduation?† â€Å"You have my word.† I took a deep breath, smiled, and turned back to Edward. â€Å"Okay. You can take me home.† Edward rushed me out of the house before Carlisle could promise me anything else. He took me out the back, so I didn't get to see what was broken in the living room. It was a quiet trip home. I was feeling triumphant, and a little smug. Scared stiff, too, of course, but I tried not to think about that part. It did me no good to worry about the painthe physical or the emotionalso I wouldn't. Not until I absolutely had to. When we got to my house, Edward didn't pause. He dashed up the wall and through my window in half a second. Then he pulled my arms frcm around his neck and set me on the bed. I thought I had a pretty good idea of what he was thinking, but his expression surprised me. Instead of furious, it was calculating. He paced silently back and forth across my dark room while I watched with growing suspicion. â€Å"Whatever you're planning, it's not going to work,† I told him. â€Å"Shh. I'm thinking.† â€Å"Ugh,† I groaned, throwing myself back on the bed and pulling the quilt over my head. There was no sound, but suddenly he was there. He flipped the cover back so he could see me. He was lying next to me. His hand reached up to brush my hair from my cheek. â€Å"If you don't mind, I'd much rather you didn't hide your face. I've lived without it for as long as I can stand. Now tell me something.† â€Å"What?† I asked, unwilling. â€Å"If you could have anything in the world, anything at all, what would it be?† I could feel the skepticism in my eyes. â€Å"You.† He shook his head impatiently. â€Å"Something you don't already have.† I wasn't sure where he was trying to lead me, so I thought carefully before I answered. I came up with something that was both true, and also probably impossible. â€Å"I would want Carlisle not to have to do it. I would want you to change me.† I watched his reaction warily, expecting more of the fury I'd seen at his house. I was surprised that his expression didn't change. It was still calculating, thoughtful. â€Å"What would you be willing to trade for that?† I couldn't believe my ears. I gawked at his composed face and blurted out the answer before I could think about it. â€Å"Anything.† He smiled faintly, and then pursed his lips. â€Å"Five years?† My face twisted into an expression somewhere between chagrin and horror. â€Å"You said anything,† he reminded me. â€Å"Yes, but you'll use the time to find a way out of it. I have to strike while the iron is hot. Besides, it's just too dangerous to be humanfor me, at least. So, anything but that.† He frowned. â€Å"Three years?† â€Å"No!† â€Å"Isn't it worth anyrhing to you at all? â€Å" I thought about how much I wanted this. Better to keep a poker face, I decided, and not let him know how very much that was. It would give me more leverage. â€Å"Six months?† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"Not good enough.† â€Å"One year, then,† I said. â€Å"That's my limit.† â€Å"At least give me two.† â€Å"No way. Nineteen I'll do. But I'm not going anywhere near twenty. If you're staying in your teens forever, then so am I.† He thought for a minute. â€Å"All right. Forget time limits. If you want me to be the onethen you'll just have to meet one condition.† â€Å"Condition?† My voice went flat. â€Å"What condition?† His eyes were cautioushe spoke slowly. â€Å"Marry me first.† I stared at him, waiting â€Å"Okay. What's the punch line?† He sighed. â€Å"You're wounding my ego, Bella. I just proposed to you, and you think it's a joke.† â€Å"Edward, please be serious.† â€Å"I am one hundred percent serious.† He gazed at me with no hint of humor in his face. â€Å"Oh, c'mon,† I said, an edge of hysteria in my voice. â€Å"I'm only eighteen.† â€Å"Well, I'm nearly a hundred and ten. It's time I settled down.† I looked away, out the dark window, trying to control the panic before it gave me away. â€Å"Look, marriage isn't exactly that high on my list of priorities, you know? It was sort of the kiss of death for Renee and Charlie.† â€Å"Interesting choice of words.† â€Å"You know what I mean.† He inhaled deeply. â€Å"Please don't tell me that you're afraid of the commitment,† his voice was disbelieving, and I understood what he meant. â€Å"That's not it exactly,† I hedged. â€Å"I'm afraid of Renee. She has some really intense opinions on getting married before you're thirty.† â€Å"Because she'd rather you became one of the eternal damned than get married.† He laughed darkly. â€Å"You think you're joking.† â€Å"Bella, if you compare the level of commitment between a marital union as opposed to bartering your soul in exchange for an eternity as a vampire† He shook his head. â€Å"If you're not brave enough to marry me, then† â€Å"Well,† I interrupted. â€Å"What if I did? What if I told you to take me to Vegas now? Would I be a vampire in three days?† He smiled, his teeth flashing in the dark. â€Å"Sure,† he said, calling my bluff. â€Å"I'll get my car.† â€Å"Dammit.† I muttered. â€Å"I'll give you eighteen months.† â€Å"No deal,† he said, grinning. â€Å"I like this condition.† â€Å"Fine. I'll have Carlisle do it when I graduate.† â€Å"If that's what you really want.† He shrugged, and his smile became absolutely angelic. â€Å"You're impossible,† I groaned. â€Å"A monster.† He chuckled. â€Å"Is that why you won't marry me?† I groaned again. He leaned toward me; his night-dark eyes melted and smoldered and shattered my concentration. † Please, Bella?† he breathed. I forgot how to breathe for a moment. When I recovered, I shook my head quickly, trying to clear my suddenly clouded mind. â€Å"Would this have gone better if I d had time to get a ring.'† â€Å"No! No rings!† I very nearly snouted. â€Å"Now you've done it,† he whispered. â€Å"Oops.† â€Å"Charlie's getting up; I'd better leave,† Edward said with resignation. My heart stopped beating. He gauged my expression for a second. â€Å"Would it be childish of me to hide in your closet, then?† â€Å"No,† I whispered eagerly. â€Å"Stay. Please.† Edward smiled and disappeared. I seethed in the darkness as I waited for Charlie to check on me. Edward knew exactly what he was doing, and I was willing to bet that all the injured surprise was part of the ploy. Of course, I still had the Carlisle option, but now that I knew there was a chance that Edward would change me himself, I wanted it bad. He was such a cheater. My door cracked open. â€Å"Morning, Dad.† â€Å"Oh, hey, Bella.† He sounded embarrassed at getting caught. â€Å"I didn't know you were awake.† â€Å"Yeah. I've just been waiting ior you to wake up so I could take a shower.† I started to get up. â€Å"Hold on,† Charlie said, flipping the light on. I blinked in the sudden brightness, and carefully kept my eyes away from the closet. â€Å"Let's talk for a minute first.† I couldn't control my grimace. I'd forgotten to ask Alice for a good excuse. â€Å"You know you're in trouble.† â€Å"Yeah, I know.† â€Å"I just about went crazy these last three days. I come home from Harry's funeral, and you're gone. Jacob could only tell me that you'd run off with Alice Cullen, and that he thought you were in trouble. You didn't leave me a number, and you didn't call. I didn't know where you were or whenor ifyou were coming back. Do you have any idea how how† He couldn't finish the sentence. He sucked in a sharp breath and moved on. â€Å"Can you give me one reason why I shouldn't ship you off to Jacksonville this second?† My eyes narrowed. So it was going to be threats, was it? Two could play at that game. I sat up, pulling the quilt around me. â€Å"Because I won't go.† â€Å"Now just one minute, young lady† â€Å"Look, Dad, I accept complete responsibility for my actions, and you have the right to ground me for as long as you want. I will also do all the chores and laundry and dishes until you think I've learned my lesson. And I guess you're within your rights if you want to kick me out, toobut that won't make me to go to Florida.† His face turned bright red. He took a few deep breaths before he answered. â€Å"Would you like to explain where you've been?† Oh, crap. â€Å"There was an emergency.† He raised his eyebrows in expectation of my brilliant explanation. I filled my cheeks with air and then blew it out noisily. â€Å"I don't know what to tell you, Dad. It was mostly a misunderstanding. He said, she said. It got out of hand.† He waited with a distrustful expression. â€Å"See, Alice told Rosalie about me jumping off the cliff† I was scrambling frantically to make this work, to keep it as close to the truth as possible so that my inability to lie convincingly would not undermine the excuse, but before I could go on, Charlie's expression reminded me that he didn't know arything about thecliff. Major oops. As if I wasn't already toast. â€Å"I guess I didn't tell you about that,† I choked out. â€Å"It was nothing. Just messing around, swimming with Jake. Anyway, Rosalie told Edward, and he was upset. She sort of accidentally made it sound like I wa? trying to kill myself or something. He wouldn't answer his phone, so Alice dragged me to L.A., to explain in person.† I shrugged, desperately hoping that he would not be so distracted by my slip that he'd miss the brilliant explanation I'd provided. Charlie's face was frozen. â€Å"Were you trying to kill yourself, Bella?† â€Å"No, of course not. Just having fun with Jake. Cliff diving. The La Push kids do it all the time. Like I said, nothing.† Charlie's face heated upfrom frozen to hot with fury. â€Å"What's it to Edward Cullen anyway?† he barked. â€Å"All this time, he's just left you dangling without a word† I interrupted him. â€Å"Another misunderstanding.† His face flushed again. â€Å"So is he back then?† â€Å"I'm not sure what the exact plan is. I think they all are.† He shook his head, the vein in his forehead pulsing. â€Å"I want you to stay away from him, Bella. I don't trust him. He's rotten for you. I won't let him mess you up like that again.† â€Å"Fine,† I said curtly. Charlie rocked back onto his heels. â€Å"Oh.† He scrambled for a second, exhaling loudly in surprise. â€Å"I thought you were going to be difficult.† â€Å"I am.† I stared straight into his eyes. â€Å"I meant, ‘Fine, I'll move out.'† His eyes bulged; his face turned puce. My resolve wavered as I started to worry about his health. He was no younger than Harry â€Å"Dad, I don't want to move out,† I said in a softer tone. â€Å"I love you. I know you're worried, but you need to trust me on this. And you're going to have to ease up on Edward if you want me to stay. Do you want me to live here or not?† â€Å"That's not fair, Bella. You know I want you to stay.† â€Å"Then be nice to Edward, because he's going to be where I am.† I said it with confidence. The conviction of my epiphany was still strong. â€Å"Not under my roof,† Charlie stormed. I sighed a heavy sigh. â€Å"Look, I'm not going to give you any more ultimatums tonightor I guess it's this morning. Just think about it for a few days, okay? But keep in mind that Edward and I are sort of a package deal.† â€Å"Bella† â€Å"Think it over,† I insisted. â€Å"And while you're doing that, could you give me some privacy? I really need a shower.† Charlie's face was a strange shade of purple, but he left, slamming the door behind him. I heard him stomp furiously down the stairs. I threw off my quilt, and Edward was already there, sitting in the rocking chair as if he d been present through the whole conversation. â€Å"Sorry about that,† I whispered. â€Å"It's not as if I don't deserve far worse,† he murmured. â€Å"Don't start anything with Charlie over me, please. â€Å" â€Å"Don't worry about it,† I breathed as I gathered up my bathroom things and a set of clean clothes. â€Å"I will start exactly as much as is necessary, and no more than that. Or are you trying to tell me I have nowhere to go?† I widened my eyes with false alarm. â€Å"You'd move in with a house full of vampires?† â€Å"That's probably the safest place for someone like me. Besides† I grinned. â€Å"If Charlie kicks me out, then there's no need for a graduation deadline, is there?† His jaw tightened. â€Å"So eager for eternal damnation,† he muttered. â€Å"You know you don't really believe that.† â€Å"Oh, don't I?† he fumed. â€Å"No. You don't.† He glowered at me and started to speak, but I cut him off. â€Å"If you really believed that you'd lost your soul, then when I found you in Volterra, you would have realized immediately what was happening, instead of thinking we were both dead together. But you didn'tyou said ‘Amazing. Carlisle was right,'† I reminded him, triumphant. â€Å"There's hope in you, after all.† For once, Edward was speechless. â€Å"So let's both just be hopeful, all right?† I suggested. â€Å"Not that it matters. If you stay, I don't need heaven.† He got up slowly, and came to put his hands on either side of my face as he stared into my eyes. â€Å"Forever,† he vowed, still a little staggered. â€Å"That's all I'm asking for,† I said, and stretched up on my toes so that I could press my lips to his.

Apple iPhones – Not “Made in America”

What is meant by the globalization of human capital? Is this inevitable as firms increase their global operations? The globalization of human capital refers to the fact that employees are now spread out across the world by their employers. This including, the companies, employed, unemployed, stockholders, consumers, contractors, supply chain, firms and economies. Companies branch out because labor costs are cheaper and productivity is faster.It is inevitable if firms increase their global operations because every country has something different to offer, something new, and without the current innovation being promoted to the market, the company will start to lose its edge on competition. How does this case illustrate the threats and opportunities facing global companies in developing their strategies? Cost and Human Capital is the most important consideration for Global Companies. When President Obama’s inquired about Apple brining the job back to US, it was practically not po ssible for Apple.The break down in the case study was that it cost a total of $179 to produce an IPhone and it retailed at $500 leaving a profit of $321. This would mean more profit for the global company. For Global company price and profit is the most important consideration to stay competitive. They can use the cheap labor in other countries to be price competitive This gave the perception that Apple did not care about its country. It also gives the perception of greed which a global company can face. 3. Comment on the Apple executive's assertion that the company's only obligation is making the best product possible.â€Å"We don't have an obligation to solve America's problems. † All though it is a harsh comment but I think it makes sense. Apple is a Global company with its offices around the world. It is in business to make money. It is not possible for Apple to solve America’s problem. Apple is just trying to be the best company out there in order to be on top wit h innovation and success. It is not Apple’s responsibility to solve America’s problems with employment; their responsibility is to form the best product. 4. Who are the stakeholders in this situation and what, if any, obligations do they have?There are two stakeholders in this situation and they are: the companies Apple and Foxconn as well as the Chinese government. Apple has obligations to their employees both domestic and global. They need to be mindful that a corporation is only as good as its products as well as, its image. They need to be mindful that since its headquarters are in the United States, it should do all that it can to maintain a positive image. It is also important to make sure that the products they sell are quality products while keeping the price as low as possible. Foxconn has a stake in its people and the products they export.The unfair and inhumane working conditions forced the government to step in. Foxconn also needs to be mindful of the issue s presented previously for Apple (the difference they are headquartered in China). The fact that labor violations were taking place, China’s government had an obligations to its people. They need to protect their citizens from hazardous work conditions and hold Foxconn accountable for their actions. 5. How much extra are you prepared to pay for an IPhone if assembled in the United States? Personally I feel that the IPhone is already over price as is. The fact that they make $321 of profit off each phone is ridiculous.If the phone is fully assembled in the United State I do not feel the price of the phone should increase at all. There are many products that are specifically made in America that cost the same amount as their global counterparts. Clothes are an example, all things being equal, a t-shirt made overseas cost relatively the same as a t-shirt made in the US. Why should an IPhone be any different? I feel that although the profit from each phone would be decreased, the y would sell the same amount of phones if not more. 6. How much extra are you prepared to pay for an IPhone assembled in China but under better labor conditions or pay?What kind of trade-off would you make? This also deals with the question previously asked. I have not changed my stance on IPhone; however, if they were to charge more to have it assembled in China, why couldn’t or wouldn’t they just produce it in America. It would not make sense if they had to increase cost to better working conditions in another country. I believe it would be cheaper to bring some of the laborers here to the US and open a plant here. 7. To what extent do you think the negative media coverage has affected Apple’s recent decision to ask the FLA to do an assessment and the subsequent decision by Foxconn to raise some salaries?What do you think will happen now? I believe that the negative media coverage has inspired Apple to be more cautious about their corporate image. Subsequently , it affected their way of thinking so that they had to ask for an FLA assessment. They could ill-afford to continue to be seen in a negative light and heartless. They already stated that â€Å"They don’t have an obligation to solve America’s problems, only to make the best product possible†, after the unfair working conditions and labor violations were discovered it only added to the idea that the company was greedy and didn’t care about their employees.Foxconn took pride in being one of the country’s most effective and efficient manufacturers. It could not allow the perception that they were running a â€Å"sweat shop† in which their employees were working 60 hours a week for little pay. The employee suicides did not help company’s image. They had to raise some salaries in order to save face in the public eye. Also, both companies had to show that although mistakes happened, once they were discovered they were fixed quickly. I belie ve now that the story is out they will have many follow up inspections to insure that both companies never come under scrutiny again.