In Prison

In Prison At 12:20pm, on December 4, 2013, Wednesday,   I had absolutely no idea where I was. A group of women trudged past me. I looked around wonderingly, walking past a Dunkin Donuts stand and a row of subway fare machines. I stared at signs reading “Ashmont”, “Braintree”, “Red Line”. Are they here? I wondered to myself. I don’t know. Doesn’t seem like it. Of course, I went against my instincts and proceeded toward the signs. I would later find out I had headed in the wrong direction. An hour later, I would be in prison. At 12:25pm, Madison ’17 called me. “Where are you?” she asked. I mumbled something probably nonsensical about underground trains and missing signs. I was at the Alewife T-Station, which comprised a towering building, stacks of parking lots, and an extensive underground subway system, translating to a rife chance to get lost. And lost I was. It took a few extra minutes of talking to Madison on the phone, and backtracking out of the vicinity of the trains toward the parking lots, for salvation to arrive in form of Tally ’17, who spotted me from two floors above and waved. “I just saw Tally!” I told Madison excitedly. “I’m saved.” I ran up to Tally, and a short while later, I was standing by a timeworn car with my Ancient Greek Philosophy professor, Lee Perlman, and two of my classmates from concourse, Tally and Madison. “Well, that was traumatizing,” I said in relief. “Just glad we found you,” Lee replied as we all got into his car. He set his GPS for Framingham, MA, slightly over thirty minutes away from Alewife, and the little journey began. All four of us began talking, and as you’d imagine with MIT students sitting alongside their professor, a good deal of the discussion revolved around things we’d recently talked about in classâ€"Descartes’ ontological argument for the existence of God, the evolution of ideas as time bypassed the era of the Ancient Greeks and approached that of “the Moderns”. When we got to Framingham, we noticed a sign reading, “Beaver Street”. “This is where MIT should have been!” said Tally, amused. I agreed. A short while later, Lee parked his car in between two others. We all got out; the cold air lashed out, biting. We stared at barbed-wire fences and grim-looking towers. We headed towards the visitors entrance of the Massachusetts Correctional Institution (MCI) Framingham, an all-female prison. One extensive security check later, Lee, Tally, Madison and I trailed after two women, past the first building we’d entered, into a courtyard of sorts. More barbed-wire fences spread around grassy slopes and brick structures. One of the women pointed at different buildings, explaining what they were. We passed through one that had originally been a female reformatory in the 1800s, usually punishing minor “offenses”, ranging from husband disrespect to scandalous dressing. We walked past a room in which several large and incredibly beautiful American Flags were being sown by inmates. Finally, we ended up in a small classroom, a rectangle of tables and chairs framing an expansive space. One of the walls, deeply red, bore the letters: Boston University. Turns out BU funds an educational program at MCI in which inmates get to take classes and ultimately earn a Boston University Bachelor of Arts degree for free. However, the purpose of the visit today wasn’t for a classâ€"although I ended up learning a lot, a valuable lot. It was for interaction, a chance for us to talk to some of the inmates, and for them to talk to us. We eventually got seated and about six inmates joined us. They were varied, in age, height, race and length of prison sentences. They were incredibly friendly. They were very willing to talk. Lee spoke for a little bit about the Greek Philosophy class, about tracing ideas through time, about how long he’d been teaching it. He also shared some amazing details about his high-school days, which I won’t mention for obvious reasons, except to say, MIT Professors absolutely rock! Then Tally, Madison and I also shared rather intimate details of our lives. By itself, that was a great bonding experience. Finally, we got the chance to hear the inmates speak. One of them spoke about how the BU program had helped her adapt to MCI. Paraphrasing her, “I got in here and everything was focused on me. There was absolutely no privacy, and it was a shock, moving from having a relatively quiet life, where my business was my business, to MCI, where the scrutiny is intense, 24-7. I was glad at the opportunity to take classes. I’d just pile on knowledge from the lectures; they’d keep me busy. They’d let me focus on other things. They’d help me move on. I completed the BU program two years ago, so I actually have a college degree. When I get out of here, I actually have a chance to restructure my life. It’s something I’m grateful for, something I try to pass on to the other inmates. I try to get them interested in the program.” The others had similar stories. The BU program was optional, but the alternative was an endless stretch of months filled in with nothing but the assigned institutional jobs and some interaction with others. One of them spoke about a woman who had expected to be in MCI for life. She’d taken about four BU classes through the program, but had ultimately decided to stop. Suddenly, something in her case had changed, a successful appeal perhaps, a granted parole. Either way, she was free, but regretted having not seized the chance to have obtained the degree. It would have made a world of difference for her upon release if she had. The prospect of education filled them up; it was dignifying and personally rewarding. That chance also gave them a strength to go on every day. From one of them: “I was a mess when I got here; I remember just bawling my eyes out during the trial. And then I got into this program and I felt more confident. Now, I just live in the moment. I don’t try to count down on anything; I just push through every day, knowing that when the next day comes, I’ll have the strength to do push through again.” Some of them spoke more extensively about their lives prior to incarceration, painting a very strong picture of the chances one got in life. Dealt cards that were rotten. An ideal line of path that was suddenly upturned by a mistake. They had taken responsibility for their actions, but they hadn’t let the fact that they were in a medium/maximum security facility bring them down. They had taken to learning, excitedly, progressively. They had taken to staying optimistic, thinking of the mistakes that had gotten them in, and of the ways they could make the best out of a difficult situation. “You can either let this place break you, or you can make a good life out of it.” We left a few hours later, after getting the chance to see an extensive collection of paintings by one of the inmates. I remember staring at those pictures, the intense blends of varying colors, their shades and shadows forming potent images that remained etched in my mind. The artistic talent was amazing. It was just amazing. “This is really powerful,” said Madison. We all agreed. As we headed out, towards Lee’s car, we talked about what we’d seen. Tally was struck by their positive will, their optimism. “Despite everything, something keeps them going,” she said. If there was ever any reflection of the adage that human spirits can stay strong in the face of darkness, that people can make personally uplifting opportunities out of absolutely anywhere and anything, it was reflected in those inspiring women. “But one thing…” Tally observed. “According to the women, there are about twenty inmates in the BU program, but the prison has about six hundred and fifty inmates.” Lee started his car. “Yeah, we actually met the most strong-willed, most positive ones,” he said. I wondered aloud what made the difference between them and the others. And of course, it was in the difference of the choices they had made. Choices. “This was amazing,” said Madison. I looked back at the buildings as we left, inspired. “Wow,” was all I could say. By the time I arrived at MIT, the sun had long set. I was still thinking of them.

Gene Therapy Essay - 4691 Words

Gene Therapy Gene therapy is a powerful new technology that has the ability to change the way medicine is practiced in the future. The potential of gene therapy offers great hope for cure and alleviation of suffering from genetic disorders that now plague numerous people. Within this past decade, much research has been conducted to learn about the aspects of gene therapy, but there is still much to learn before it is an effective medical treatment. Despite failures to prove any clinical efficacy, many experts of gene therapy predict that the first clinical success will occur in the near future. Gene therapy is a highly controversial topic that entails numerous ethical issues that need to be thoroughly analyzed before it is widely†¦show more content†¦One type is called somatic gene therapy, which involves the manipulation of gene expression in cells that will be corrective to the patient but not inherited to the next generation. This is the type of gene therapy that is currently being in tensely studied in laboratories throughout the world. The other form of gene therapy is called germline gene therapy, which involves the genetic modification of germ cells that will pass the change on to the next generation. Little, if any, research is currently being conducted in germline intervention largely for technical and ethical reasons. However, many advocates of this type predict this will be a realistic option of gene therapy in the future. How does gene therapy work? When research on gene therapy began, the basic challenge was to develop a technique for delivering genetic material to the cells of the patient. Researchers first learned that gene delivery would not be effective unless the corrective genes were inserted into the nuclei of thousands or millions of diseases cells (Licking 96). When researchers simply injected the genes into the specific tissue where they were needed, no treatment occurred because the genes did reach the cells nuclei (Licking 96). Researchers learned that a therapeutic gene must be delivered by a gene-delivery system or vector in order to be inserted into the target cells of the patients body. Many of the vectorsShow MoreRelatedGene Therapy And Germline Therapy1612 Words   |  7 PagesGood afternoon Mr David and class. Today the topic of gene therapy will be discussed, so to begin, what is gene therapy? Basically, gene therapy is the modification of genes to alter a certain characteristic that ultimately can cure a genetic disease. There are two types of gene therapy: somatic gene therapy and germline gene therapy. Somatic gene therapy is when blood cells are extracted from a person and a normal gene is then inserted into the defective cell. This does not prevent the disease fromRead MoreHuman Gene Therapy771 Words   |  3 PagesHuman gene therapy is essentially using DNA as a treatment for various genetic diseases. Most commonly, new and functional DNA is put within a vector which is then inserted into the patient. Gene therapy not only treats the problem but treats the genetic issues with a person’s DNA. The genes help to correct or replace the genes that were functioning incorrectly. Gene therapy helps by stopping a protein from functioning incorrectly, giving a protein a different function, giving the protein its normalRead MoreThe Discovery Of Gene Therapy1694 Words   |  7 Pagesnew information about genes and protein synthesis quickly followed (NLM, 2014). This new knowledge about genes made scientists look at the biological processes in new ways (Nobel Prize.org, 2014). One of the biggest breakthroughs was the development Gene Therapy. This paper will demonstrate how Gene Therapy is an important step in revolutionizing medicine and treating disease. It is believed that Gene Therapy holds the key to permanently curing disease. Gene Therapy Researchers haveRead MoreThe Controversies Of Gene Therapy1729 Words   |  7 PagesThe Controversies of Gene Therapy Demolishing genetic diseases from the human race has been and always will be a key role in science. However, there comes a point in time when moral standards have interjected the betterment of cleansing genetic diseases. One of the many branches of science that has the complete capability to exterminate our destiny of any genetic diseases, gene therapy, is being silenced due to the curse of society’s moral standards. There is a very narrow line in what is not morallyRead MoreA Study On Gene Therapy Essay1852 Words   |  8 PagesGene Therapy I first learned about gene therapy while watching an episode of Grey’s Anatomy. 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Abedi and Joanne Wixon dive into some of the 1843 gene therapy trialsRead MoreEssay on A Look at Gene Therapy1264 Words   |  6 PagesWould you consider altering your DNA if it could save your life? Scientist have been working on gene therapy since the 1970s, this biotechnological form of medicine is the attempt to medically modify cells to help eliminate or prevent diseases by correcting defective genes. Imagine the possibilities of having your DNA tested for heritable diseases and being able to eliminate such diseases from your future. From 1990-2003 the Department of Energy coordinated a project called the Human Genome ProjectRead MoreThe History Of Sytech And Gene Therapy1130 Words   |  5 PagesAll you need to know about Gene therapy Sytech- Curing the future The history of SyTech and Gene therapy Gene therapy was introduced in 1985 by SyTech and has been the main priority of the company ever since due to its promising future in science. One of the first human gene therapy procedures involved injecting the correct ADA gene to a four year old girl with the ADA deficiency. Due to the success of the procedure, the patient is now living a healthy life. The success marked an important landmarkRead MoreThe Therapeutic Potential of Gene Therapy1334 Words   |  6 PagesA novel therapeutic modality, gene therapy is the transfer of nucleic acids – DNA or RNA – into select somatic (body) cells to correct genetic defects or produce therapeutic proteins. It can be performed ex vivo (â€Å"out of the living†) or in vivo (â€Å"within the living†). In the ex vivo method, the target cells are removed from the patient, genetically modified, and reintroduced into the patients body. This approach is efficient but limited to easily accessible cells such as epithelia l cells (cells coveringRead MoreTechnology of Heart Gene Therapy657 Words   |  3 PagesAlthough the technology of heart gene therapy is at its initial stages and only medical trials have begun, some ethical questions and arguments are arising on its acceptability to be used for treating people. Heart gene therapy involves insertion of a foreign gene and this is argued to be against nature because our natural genetic makeup is altered from this treatment (Kelly, 2007). This has erupted discussions for and against this treatment. Some people argue that altering our genetic makeup, even

Messages of George Orwells Animal Farm Essay - 1412 Words

Messages of George Orwells Animal Farm Though Animal Farm can be considered nothing more than a charming animal fable depicting a doomed rebellion, its origin is actually of a more serious and political nature. It is not only the tale of Napoleon and Animal Farm, but a satire and commentary on that of the Russian Revolution, Stalin and Communism. For a person to gain a true understanding of Orwells meaning in Animal Farm, it is best that he or she has an understanding of the political parties and history surrounding Communism, Stalin, and the upheaval and fear that followed Stalins rise to power. Orwell did not write Animal Farm simply as a bed time story for children, or for a work to be studied by students in their classes. As†¦show more content†¦Orwell uses all of this in Animal Farm. The different characters represent different people in his novel. Major, the old boar, represents Lenin and the Marxist ideals, whereas Napoleon and Snowball are the Stalin and Trotsky of the book. The other groups of non-Communists found their way into Orwells story by way of Pilkington and Frederick, the human neighbors to Animal Farm, whereas the paranoia that Stalin felt is shown in Napoleon by his use of the adult dogs he had raised from pups (a parallel to Stalins Secret Police) to kill any rebels after the putting on of animal show trials. This is shown in Animal Farm: The four pigs waited, trembling, with guilt written on every line of their countenances. Napoleon now called upon them to confess their crimes. They were the same four pigs as had protested when Napoleon abolished the Sunday Meetings. Without any further prompting they confessed that they had been secretly in touch with Snowball ever since his expulsion †¦ When they had finished their confession, the dogs promptly tore their throats out, and in a terrible voice Napoleon demanded whether any other animal had anything to confess. 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In George Orwell’s story, Animal Farm, Orwell demonstrates that education is a powerful weapon and is a device that can be used to at least one’s benefit. Living in a world where strength is a straightforward to benefit, the pigs quick use education to govern the relaxation of the animals on the farm to serve themselves worked to their advantage. This story in shows the underlying message that   first, training is important to all tiers of societyRead MoreTheme of Fear in George Orwells Novels Essay1560 Words   |  7 PagesFear within the ignorant animals of Animal Farm and defeated humans of 1984 exist to uphold each novel’s totalitarian government. Each of these George Orwell novels delve into the power and manipulation of an absolute dictatorship. Napoleon in Ani mal Farm and Big Brother in 1984 both claim the newly established system of authority is of superior quality than the preceding regime. 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Critique and Analysis of Baumann’s Article Free Essays

Within this evaluation, a critical reflection will be made based on the causes of libations and to what extent the social effects of globalization provoke ‘moral outcry, based on Bandsman’s 2001 â€Å"Ann-Globs† article. From which, Bandsman’s key points will be analyses and critiqued. The term globalization applies to a set of processes that appear to transform our present social condition of conventional nationality into one of globosity and reliability (Stager, 2013). We will write a custom essay sample on Critique and Analysis of Baumann’s Article or any similar topic only for you Order Now Within the idea of reliability, the revolution in â€Å"consumer tastes and unabated construction of global electronic highways, all Increase the inter-dependence and Inter-connections of action economies across the globe† (Dole Lowe, 2005, p. 4). Guldens 1 990 agrees and goes on to state that globalization is the â€Å"Intensification of world wide social relations, which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa† (p. 64). These links can relate to the ideas of increased mobility (Robins, 2000) or flows (Beck, 2000) across national borders, of products, services, Information, communication, people and ideas (Parsons and Macmillan, 2009). Whilst Levity (1983) adds to this by claiming that due to these links. globalization Is characterized by the standardization of product or services across all markets, leaving some regions developing this standardization more rapidly than others, whilst also being the most cost effective mode of competing in these global markets. As these markets become more standardized, an increase in competitive pressure and the need to survive in the economy becomes much more apparent. Therefore it could be said that globalization is about shifting forms of unman contact, this affirmation thus implies three assertions: first, that we are slowly leaving behind the condition of modern nationality that gradually unfolded from the 18th century onwards; second, that we are moving towards the new condition of postmodern globosity; and, third, that we have not yet reached it. Globalization therefore suggests a notion of ‘development’ and ‘unfolding (Stager, 2013). Such unfolding may occur quickly or slowly, but it always corresponds to the idea of change, and therefore, denotes transformation. Globalization can also be thought of s the emergence of competitive yet worldwide Interconnectedness, by the ways of flow and exchange of capital, labor and technology throughout global borders. From this, drivers of globalization appear. Drivers such as the advances in technology, the removal of political and economic barriers and the free movement of capital allow global markets to progress. Therefore, allowing such markets to become more diverse. Consequently meaning that people now have greater access to capital, technology and have less restrictive political and economic barriers. For example, due information can be created because of the innovative use of resources that are used to endorse new products and ideas across borders, regardless of geographic location. How to cite Critique and Analysis of Baumann’s Article, Papers

Fortescue Metal Group for Market Position - A Case Study

Question: Describe about the Fortescue Metal Group for Market Position. Answer: Introduction In this case study Fortescue Metal Group, an iron ore company and its position in the market is analyzed. The case study begins with the informational background of the company, its nature of business and its competitive analysis. The mission and vision statement of the company is developed considering its goals and values. the framework of the company is analyzed on the basis of five force model by Porter and what are the competitive factors for the company. Analysis of companys capabilities and resources is done to evaluate it strength and weakness. SWOT analysis of the company is done and potential threat remedies are suggested. Introduction of the company Fortescue Metal Group is amongst the largest iron ore producer in the world. The company focuses on extension of iron ore. It laid its foundation in the year 2003 in Western Australia. Since its inception it has invented and fabricated some of the colossal mines in the world. Chichester Hub and Solomon Hub are the main areas where the company operates its mining activities. The company is also associated with port supply chain and rail operations to assist in the progress and revenue generation from the left out iron ore bodies (Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (FMG.AX), 2016). Nature of Business Fortescue Metal Group is in Mining industry with net income generation in the year 2014, $2,740,000,000 (Fortescue appendix 4e financial year ended 30 June 2014, 2014). Competitive Position in the Market The group is the worlds fourth largest iron ore producer and contributes significantly in the total 15% of the global production generated from Australia. FMG only operates in Australia and has its contracts with Chinese steel mills. Its competitors Rio Tinto, Vale do Rio Doce (Vale) and BHP Billiton are domineers of the market. Rio and BHP also have their operations established outside Australia. Under the competition laws infrastructure of FMG has not been declared as open network and is also not subjected to government regulations unlike its competitors BHP and Rio, this provides them with an added cost advantage (Our Business, 2016). Mission Statement To deliver the premium value reliably to the shareholders, customers, employees and community in the mining industry by revolutionizing natural resources into prosperity and sustainable development. To become the new force in iron ore. Vision Statement To utilize our mining expertise in attaining economic advantages by developing reserves and creating partnerships along with becoming a company that adds value to the global natural resources and values people, passion and the planet. Five Competitive Forces The Five forces model identifies and analyzes the forces that are faced in the business. It is a tool that assesses the strength and weakness of a business and affects its development strategies. Bargaining Power of Suppliers- The sources of raw material and inputs are extremely crucial for a business. Suppliers enjoy a full power if theres a monopoly because of the uniqueness of the product, but this puts business in a compromising position. The suppliers can over charge the company, set their own terms and conditions. Because of the less options the business losses its bargaining power. It is suggested for the business to look for alternate resources and inputs, so that they have the powers to function in their own hands and are not controlled by the suppliers (Hill Jones, 2009). In mining industry suppliers who provide information technology, labor, equipments and power supply are in more dominant position. Power supply being the most essential and there are only few suppliers in the mining areas so it does not give much bargaining power to the company. The company usually has long term contracts with the fuel and power suppliers. Skilled labor is also one such aspect where the bargaining power of the company is compromised because of lack of availability and complex miming process requires training which incurs cost. The supplier power in the industry is moderate because the market is competitive. Bargaining Power of buyers- The business has to analyze the power that the buyers possess. If there are few buyers, the company would be dictated the terms by the buyer because they are few in numbers and would drive the price. On the other hand if there are large buyers available to the company, then the position of the company becomes strong and they can control the price and movement of the product. It also analyses the cost it would incur to convert a potential customer to an actual one (Schermerhorn, 2010). Buyer power in the industry is moderate, but in aspect of FMG, since it caters to the Chinese market and due to weaker demand because of GFC, the bargaining power of the buyer is strengthened. The pricing practices have also changed because of weak demand (Dr Cutcher, 2016). Competitor Analysis- analyzing the competitors strength and weakness and most importantly their USP. If the competitors offers the exact product then there is very little power in the hands of the business in controlling the price, but if the product of the competitor is inferior than the business can use this to its advantage. In the former case, the buyers use the variety and price differentiation to their advantage (Arline, 2015). FMG mostly caters outside Australia, but its major competitors Rio and BHP are the dominant players of the domestic market. There is intense internal rivalry in the market which is reflected by struggle to increase the market share and profitability. The company tries to cut down its operational cost and maximize returns by undertaking large scale operations (Dr Cutcher, 2016). Substitution threat- understanding the key components that how can your product is substituted in the market. If the substitution product is easy to generate, then the power of the product of the company is weak, but if the ability to substitute the product is difficult, then it gives the company and additional power to play a dominant role in the market (Porters five force of Competitive Position Analysis, 2016). The demand for iron ore is dependent on volume of steel production. It is only affected in a positive or negative aspect because heavy steel construction requires iron ore and there is not a substantial substitute available. This reduces the threat of substitution for FMG. Threats of New Industry Entrants If a new entrant enters the market, if makes an impact on the position of the company. If the entrance barriers are not strong then this may be a difficult situation for the company, as it may see increasing competition. On the other hand if the barriers are stringent then the company may enjoy this leverage (Porters Five Forces: Assessing the Balance of Power in a Business Situation, 2016) Barriers to enter the market are high because of large capital requirements. To execute operations acquiring mines on lease or purchase involves hefty capital. FMG does not have a threat because firms with limited financial assets will not enter such market. Bargaining Power of Supplier, Bargaining Power of Buyers and Competitors Analysis are prominent force for FMG. The bargaining power of the suppliers is moderate because to operate the site, heavy power supply is required, in which FMG has limited options in the choice of supplier. Skilled labor and heavy equipments also pose a problem. Power of Buyers is high because FMG caters to Chinese market and due to global economic slowdown the market has not undertaken the heavy steel construction to an upscale level; this puts FMG in a compromising position to reduce the prices and continue to be in the market. Internal rivalry and competition with international market is also another force. There is intense competition in the mining industry and FMG has not even captured a major share of it. Its competitors are strong and big players and this pose a threat to FMG. The major Resources and Capabilities of FMG Capability in the mining industry largely depends on three factors- mines, port and railways. Mines- FMG operates on two sites Christmas Creek and Cloudbreak. Its third site is under exploration. The company forecasts that they have a target mining life of 20 years and could reach an annual production of 100 million tones with its major reserves being in the former two sites. The company has adopted a relatively new mining technique than its competitors, and also innovations in the machinery have helped them improve mining rates and increase production. Rail and Port- Significant development in these two have led FMG improve its performance. Loading 10 trains in a day at a rate of 12000 tons per hour at their cloudbreak mine has been a major development. Decision to open up the port facilities to third parties has been a historic decision made by the company. FMG is a strong player because it has the resources and capabilities to cater the market and become a dominant player in the domestic as well as international market. SWOT analysis for FMG Strengths of FMG lie in its developed infrastructure mines, rail and port. Strength of the company is the adoption of new mining technique and enhancement of machinery which helps them in improving their performance and caters to more demand. The company portrayed its character strength when they allowed its port Pilbara access to third parties. The integrated port and rail system improved FMGs ability to co-ordinate its distribution and supply more effectively and to develop a reliable and cost effective infrastructure. Weakness of the company is that the operations in Pilbara can be easily disrupted by the cyclone. The weather plays an important role in the operations and to reduce the risk the company has undertaken risk mitigation. Another weakness of the company is less bargaining power with the customer, due to GFC, the market has been in favor of the buyer, and they have power in controlling the prices. Opportunities for FMG lies in creating a space for itself in the domestic market like its rivals. To capture the dominated areas of BHP and Rio, FMG has to drive low cost at Solomon hub. FMG also has the potential opportunity to cater to the growing demands in the international market. Threats of the company are considerably changes in the market regulations and market drivers. Environmental changes also play a major role. Since this industry is largely dependent on technology, its advancement could pose as a potential threat. Companies working on low-profit margin can also pose problems (The rising threat of Substitution: mining metals, 2014). The prominent threat to FMG in the above analysis is technology. A company cannot constantly deal with technological advancements because it requires huge capital investments, to deal with this threat improving the business intelligence and planning strategies in advance could help minimize the impact of this. Investing in research and development is also another way through which this threat affect could be reduced. Another prominent threat is Environmental challenges, since one of its mining operations are in Pilbara, which is highly cyclone prone area, FMG management team has to focus on risk mitigation techniques to reduce the adverse conditions (Business risk facing mining and metals 2015-2016, 2016). Conclusion The mining industry shows traits of a monopolistic behavior but due to intense competition and rivalry it can be structured as oligopoly. Rio, BHP and FMG are key players of the market. FMG has improved operations and distribution techniques which give them an edge over its competitors, but it is yet to capture the major share of the domestic market like its rivals. FMG mostly caters to Chinese market and its plans to expand its customer base with all its technological advancements are in place. With its mine-rail and port infrastructure FMG aims to become the lowest cost producer of the iron ore in Pilbara. The company is relatively a new entrant when it is compared to the rivals, who are big market players. But the performance of the company in capturing the market on the international level and delivering to its commitments has proved that the company can fulfill its goal of becoming the low cost producer of iron ore in Pilbara. References Arline, K. (2015, February 18). Porter's Five Forces: Analyzing the Competition. Retrieved 8 September, 2016 from URL https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5446-porters-five-forces.html. Business risk facing mining and metals 2015-2016. (2016) Retrieved 8 September, 2016 from https://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/EY-business-risks-in-mining-and-metals-2015-2016/$FILE/EY-business-risks-in-mining-and-metals-2015-2016.pdf Dr Cutcher, L. (2016). Fortescue Metal Group : the new force in iron ore. 8 September, 2016 from file:///C:/Users/Abasus%20Solutions/Downloads/935375_665220193_FMG%20(2).pdf Fortescue appendix 4e financial year ended 30 june 2014. (2014). Retrieved 8 September, 2016 from URL https://fmgl.com.au/media/2346/20140820-annual-results785232.pdf. Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (FMG.AX). (2016). Retrieved 8 September, 2016 from URL https://in.reuters.com/finance/stocks/companyProfile?symbol=FMG.AX. Hill, C. Jones, G. (2009). Strategic Management: An Integrated Approach. [Online]. Retrieved 8 September, 2016 from URL https://books.google.co.in/books?id=CzIK9ELsyYwCpg=PA42dq=porter%27s+five+forceshl=ensa=Xved=0ahUKEwiu2dvBl__OAhWMvY8KHcv6AtAQ6AEIGzAA#v=onepageq=porter's%20five%20forcesf=false. Our Business. (2016). Retrieved 8 September, 2016 from URL https://fmgl.com.au/our-business/operations-map/. Porters five force of Competitive Position Analysis. (2016). Retrieved 8 September, 2016 from URL https://www.cgma.org/Resources/Tools/essential-tools/Pages/porters-five-forces.aspx?TestCookiesEnabled=redirect. Porters Five Forces: Assessing the Balance of Power in a Business Situation. (2016). Retrieved 8 September, 2016 from URL https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_08.htm. Schermerhorn, J. (2010). Exploring Management. US : John Wiley Sons Inc. The rising threat of Substitution: mining metals. (2014). Retrieved 8 September, 2016 from https://www.ey.com/GL/en/Industries/Mining---Metals/The-rising-threat-of-substitution---mining-and-metals

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The Directory, Consulate End of the French Revolution

The Directory, Consulate End of the French Revolution The Constitution of Year III With the Terror over, the French Revolutionary wars once again going in Frances favor and the stranglehold of the Parisians on the revolution broken, the National Convention began to devise a new constitution. Chief in their aims was the need for stability. The resulting constitution was approved on April 22nd and was once again begun with a declaration of rights, but this time a list of duties was also added. All male taxpayers over 21 were citizens who could vote, but in practice, the deputies were chosen by assemblies in which only citizens who owned or rented property and who paid a set sum of tax each year could sit. The nation would thus be governed by those who had a stake in it. This created an electorate of roughly a million, of which 30,000 could sit in the resulting assemblies. Elections would take place yearly, returning a third of the required deputies each time. The legislature was bicameral, being comprised of two councils. The lower Council of Five Hundred proposed all legislation but did not vote, while the upper Council of Elders, which was composed of married or widowed men over forty, could only pass or reject legislation, not propose it. Executive power lay with five Directors, which were chosen by the Elders from a list provided by the 500. One retired each year by lot, and none could be chosen from the Councils. The aim here was a series of checks and balances on power. However, the Convention also decided that two-thirds of the first set of council deputies had to be members of the National Convention. The Vendà ©miaire Uprising The two-thirds law disappointed many, further fuelling a public displeasure at the Convention which had been growing as food once again became scarce. Only one section in Paris was in favor of the law and this led to the planning of an insurrection. The Convention responded by summoning troops to Paris, which further inflamed support for the insurrection as people feared that the constitution would be forced onto them by the army. On October 4th, 1795 seven sections declared themselves insurrectionary and ordered their units of National Guard to gather ready for action, and on the 5th over 20,000 insurgents marched on the Convention. They were stopped by 6000 troops guarding vital bridges, who had been placed there by a deputy called Barras and a General called Napoleon Bonaparte. A standoff developed but violence soon ensued and the insurgents, who had been very effectively disarmed in the preceding months, were forced to retreat with hundreds killed. This failure marked the last time Parisians attempted to take charge, a turning point in the Revolution. Royalists and Jacobins The Councils soon took their seats and the first five Directors was Barras, who had helped save the constitution, Carnot, a military organizer who had once been on the Committee of Public Safety, Reubell, Letourneur and La Revellià ©re-Là ©peaux. Over the next few years, the Directors maintained a policy of vacillating between Jacobin and Royalist sides to try and negate both. When Jacobins were in the ascendant the Directors closed their clubs and rounded up terrorists and when the royalists were rising their newspapers were curbed, Jacobins papers funded and sans-culottes released to cause trouble. The Jacobins still tried to force their ideas through by planning uprisings, while the monarchists looked to the elections to gain power. For their part, the new government grew increasingly dependent on the army to maintain itself. Meanwhile, sectional assemblies were abolished, to be replaced with a new, centrally controlled body. The sectionally controlled National Guard also went, replaced with a new and centrally controlled Parisian Guard. During this period a journalist called Babeuf began calling for the abolition of private property, common ownership and the equal distribution of goods; this is believed to the first instance of full communism being advocated. The Fructidor Coup The first elections to take place under the new regime occurred in year V of the revolutionary calendar. The people of France voted against the former Convention deputies (few were re-elected), against the Jacobins, (almost none were returned) and against the Directory, returning new men with no experience instead of those the Directors favored. 182 of the deputies were now royalist. Meanwhile, Letourneur left the Directory and Barthà ©lemy took his place. The results worried both the Directors and the nation’s generals, both concerned that the royalists were growing greatly in power. On the night of September 3-4th the ‘Triumvirs’, as Barras, Reubell and La Revellià ©re-Là ©peaux were increasingly known, ordered troops to seize Parisian strong points and surround the council rooms. They arrested Carnot, Barthà ©lemy and 53 council deputies, plus other prominent royalists. Propaganda was sent out stating that there had been a royalist plot. The Fructidor Coup against the monarchists was this swift and bloodless. Two new Directors were appointed, but the council positions were left vacant. The Directory From this point on the Second Directory rigged and annulled elections to keep their power, which they now began to use. They signed the peace of Campo Formio with Austria, leaving France at war with just Britain, against whom an invasion was planned before Napoleon Bonaparte led a force to invade Egypt and threaten British interests in Suez and India. Tax and debts were revamped, with a two-thirds bankruptcy and the reintroduction of indirect taxes on, among other things, tobacco and windows. Laws against à ©migrà ©s returned, as did refractory laws, with refusals being deported. The elections of 1797 were rigged at every level to minimize royalist gains and support the Directory. Only 47 out of 96 departmental results were not altered by a scrutinizing process. This was the coup of Florà ©al and it tightened the Directors grip over the councils. However, they were to weaken their support when their actions, and the behavior of France in international politics, led to a renewal of war and the return of conscription. The  Coup of Prairial By  the start of 1799, with war, conscription and action against refractory priests dividing the nation, confidence in the Directory to bring about the much-desired peace and stability was gone. Now Sieyà ¨s, who had turned down the chance to be one of the original Directors, replaced Reubell, convinced he could effect change. Once again it became obvious the Directory would rig the elections, but their grip on the councils was waning and on June 6th the Five Hundred summoned the Directory and subjected them to an attack over its poor war  record. Sieyà ¨s was new and without blame, but the other Directors didnt know how to respond. The Five Hundred declared a permanent session until the Directory replied; they also declared that one Director, Treilhard, had risen to the post illegally and ousted him. Gohier replaced Treilhard and immediately sided with Sieyà ¨s, as Barras, always the opportunist, also did. This was followed by the Coup of Prairial where the Five Hundred, continuing their attack on the Directory, forced the remaining two Directors out. The councils had, for the first time, purged the Directory, not the other way round, pushing three out of their jobs. The Coup of Brumaire and the End of the Directory The Coup of Prairial had been masterfully orchestrated by Sieyà ¨s, who was now able to dominate the Directory, concentrating power almost wholly in his hands. However, he was not satisfied and when a Jacobin resurgence had been put down and confidence in the military once again grew he decided to take advantage and force a change in the government by use of military power. His first choice of general, the tame Jourdan, had recently died. His second, the Director Moreau, wasnt keen. His third,  Napoleon Bonaparte, arrived back in Paris on October 16th. Bonaparte was greeted with crowds celebrating his success: he was their undefeated and triumphant general and he met with Sieyà ¨s soon after. Neither liked the other, but they agreed on an alliance to force constitutional change. On November 9th Lucien Bonaparte, Napoleon’s brother and president of the Five Hundred, managed to have the meeting place of the councils switched from Paris to the old royal palace at Saint-Cloud, under the pretext of freeing the councils from the – now absent – influence of Parisians. Napoleon was put in charge of the troops. The next stage occurred when the entire Directory, motivated by Sieyà ¨s, resigned, aiming to force the councils to create a provisional government. Things didn’t go quite as planned and the next day, Brumaire 18th, Napoleon’s demand to the council for constitutional change was greeted frostily; there were even calls to outlaw him. At one stage he was scratched, and the wound bled. Lucien announced to the troops outside that a Jacobin had tried to assassinate his brother, and they followed orders to clear the meeting halls of the council. Later that day a quorum was reassembled to vote, and now things did go as planned: the legislature was suspended for six weeks while a committee of deputies revised the constitution. The provisional government was to be three consuls: Ducos, Sieyà ©s, and Bonaparte. The era of the Directory was over. The Consulate The new constitution was hurriedly written under the eye of Napoleon. Citizens would now vote for a tenth of themselves to form a communal list, which in turn selected a tenth to form a departmental list. A further tenth was then chosen for a national list. From these a new institution, a senate whose powers were not defined, would choose the deputies. The legislature remained bicameral, with a lower hundred member Tribunate which discussed legislation and an upper three hundred member Legislative Body which could only vote. Draft laws now came from the government via a council of state, a throwback to the old monarchical system. Sieyà ©s had originally wanted a system with two consuls, one for internal and external matters, selected by a lifetime ‘Grand Elector’ with no other powers; he had wanted Bonaparte in this role. However Napoleon disagreed and the constitution reflected his wishes: three consuls, with the first having most authority. He was to be first consul. The constitution was finished on December 15th and voted in late December 1799 to early January 1800. It passed. Napoleon Bonapartes Rise to Power and the End of Revolution Bonaparte now turned his attention to the wars, beginning a campaign which ended with the defeat of the alliance ranged against him. The Treaty of Lunà ©ville was signed in France’s favor with Austria while Napoleon began creating satellite kingdoms. Even Britain came to the negotiating table for peace. Bonaparte thus brought the French Revolutionary Wars to a close with triumph for France. While this peace was not to last for long, by then the Revolution was over. Having at first sent out conciliatory signals to royalists he then declared his refusal to invite the king back, purged Jacobin  survivors and then began rebuilding the republic. He created a Bank of France to manage state debt and produced a balanced budget in 1802. Law and order were reinforced by the creations of special prefects in each department, the use of the army and special courts which cut into the crime epidemic in France. He also began the creation of a uniform series of laws, the Civil Code which although not finished until 1804 were around in a draft format in 1801. Having finished the wars which had divided so much of France he also ended the schism with the Catholic Church by re-establishing the Church of France and signing a concordat with the Pope. In 1802 Bonaparte purged – bloodlessly - the Tribunate and other bodies after they and the senate and its president – Sieyà ¨s – had begun to criticize him and refuse to pass laws. Public support for him was now overwhelming and with his position secure he made more reforms, including making himself consul for life. Within two years he would crown himself Emperor of France. The Revolution was over and empire would soon begin