Climate Change And The Kyoto Protocol Politics Essay

Climate Change And The Kyoto Protocol Politics Essay The Kyoto Protocol under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international agreement that serves to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2% by 2012. The Protocol was adopted on December the 11th, 1997 in Kyoto, Japan and then kicked off on 16 February, 2005. This lengthy timespan was as such due to the terms agreed upon in Kyoto, stating that at least 55 parties had to ratify the agreement and the total combined emissions of the ratifying parties had to equal at least 55% of the global production of greenhouse gases. The official rules as to the implementation of the Protocol are called the Marrakesh Accords as they were agreed on at the 7th Conference of the Parties (COP7) in Marrakesh, 2001. All parties that sign and ratify the protocol are committed to reduce emissions of Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous oxide, Hydrofluorocarbons, Perfluorocarbons and Sulphur hexafluoride. Should the participant countries fail to reduce their emissions to target levels, they are required to engage in emissions trading (the buying of credits from other participating countries that are able to exceed their targets in order to offset the emissions so that the collective target of reduction by 5.2% can still be reached). Under the Protocol, countries have to monitor and keep exact records of trades carried out. They also are responsible for monitoring the progress towards their emission targets and a compliance system is put in place to ensure that parties meet their commitments as well as helping them do so should they have problems. The Protocol is designed to assist countries to adapt to the Negative effects of climate change and it facilitates development and distribution of means that could help counter act the impacts of climate change. The Kyoto Protocol is a crucial movement towards a global fight against the reduction of Greenhouse gases. As of September 2011, 191 countries have signed and ratified the protocol with the United States being the only nation to have signed but not ratified the protocol. The Bali Action Plan The Bali Road Map, formulated in 2007 at the Bali Climate Change conference, consists of a number of decisions that that according to the UNFCCC, represent the various tracks that are essential to reaching a secure climate future. The Bali Road Plan incorporates the Bali Action Plan which charted the course for a new negotiating process designed to tackle climate change. All nations at the conference in Bali acknowledged that there is conclusive evidence of global warming and that it is crucial that humans make every possible effort to reduce the risks of the possible severe impacts that climate change could have. The outcome that was reached recognized that there was a need for deep cuts in global emissions and that the emissions of developed countries must fall by 10-40% by the year 2020. The Cancun Agreements Settled on December 11 at Cancun, Mexico, the Cancun agreements represent vital steps to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and building a sustainable future. The objectives of the agreements included: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions over time so that the global average temperature rise is kept below 2 degrees. To encourage participation of all countries in reducing the emissions with proportionality to each countries responsibilities and capabilities. Ensure international transparency of the actions taken by countries. Making sure that global progress towards the long term goal is reviewed on a regular basis. Mobilizing the development and transfer of clean technology to boost efforts to counter climate change. Provide funds in the short and long term to enable developing countries to take greater and more effective action against climate change. Assist vulnerable people in the world to adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. Protect the worlds forests which are vital to reducing levels of Carbon dioxide and increasing the levels of oxygen. Establish effective institutions and systems which will ensure that these objectives are implemented successfully. (Note: all objectives adapted from http://cancun.unfccc.int/what-governments-will-do-in-2011/ ) The agreements were aimed to move the international action on climate change and global warming forward by primarily bringing countries greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets under the UNFCCC process. COP17/CMP7 COP17 refers to the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Framework Convention on Climate Change, while CMP7 refers to the 7th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol. The COP meets annually to assess and discuss progress in dealing with climate change. They make decisions and adopt resolutions which are all filed in the reports published by the Conference of the Parties. The 17th conference of the parties (COP17) was held in Durban in December 2011. Its purpose and aim was to build on the agreements that were reached during COP16 in Cancun and to establish a new climate change regime. Being a developing country, South Africa would like to see a balance between climate and development initiatives as well as global action that ensures that temperature increases are kept below 2degrees Celsius. Another aim was to have countries design institutions to provide developing countries with adequate and efficient climate support. South Africa also planned on showcasing the way in which climate change affects a developing country as well as the responses it has implemented. At the conference in Durban all goals were eventually reached and decided on with the nations agreeing on: Adopting a universal agreement on climate change A framework for the reporting of emission reductions for developed and developing countries. An urgent support package for developing nations that are suffering the most under the effects of climate change. The package is to include an agreement to form a green climate fund. Canadas withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol On 13 December 2011, Canada withdrew from the Kyoto Protocol stating that it did not represent the way forward for them. It seems that Canada has never stood fully behind the Kyoto Protocol as rather than cutting their emissions by 6%, they were headed for a rise of 16-30%. They stated that should they have decided to remain in the protocol, it would have cost them $13.6 billion in fines or penalties seeing as they failed to reach their target. The Canadian government stated that this would result in a severe blow to their economy and could result in either a mass loss of jobs or approximately an additional $1600 per family in tax so as to accumulate the money to be used for emissions trading with nations that exceeded their targets in order to offset the amount so that Canada could in theory have reached their target. Instead the government ducked out early to avoid any cost and slammed the protocol by stating that it fails to include the worlds two largest greenhouse gas emitters being China and the United States. They said that the protocol only serves to harm hurt Canadas competitiveness and overall it proves ineffective at reducing global emissions. The decision was met with disappointed emotions all over, with environment critic Megan Leslie saying that pulling out only saves Canada from having to report on its failures, she went on to say, What this is really about is the fact that our government is abdicating its international obligations. Its like were the kid in school who knows theyre gonna fail the class, so we have to drop it before that actually happens. Elizabeth May, a life long environmentalist and green party leader went on to say that it is unnecessary and that an agreement could most likely have been easily reached. She is quoted as saying, This is not just big, this is disastrous for Canada, and Im embarrassed to be represented by this government. According to Environment Minister Peter Kent, Canada will now look forward to a more global deal that will incorporate all nations in the fight against climate change and reducing carbon emissions. Canadas withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol means that it is now really only the Europeans that are staying with the Protocol. Canada has now taken a similar stance to the Americans by aiming only to reduce carbon emissions without restricting their growth as a country. As Greenblog states, their withdrawal doesnt change much for the fight against reducing carbon emissions as Canada was never really a part of it seeing as their emissions have increased by 20% rather than decreasing. The blog states that future UN negotiations will certainly become even more polarized and the mistrust created will surely delay, or in worse case even sabotage, efforts to secure a global climate deal for 2020 and beyond. But one thing that is painfully clear now is that a legally binding climate deal does not guarantee countries wont ignore or walk away from their commitments. Their statement is easy to agree with because Canada has now made use of their legal right to walk away. They are now the first country to leave the Protocol and there is no reason why they cant now be joined by more countries. As the Blog states, this opens up a whole new side to the case involving possible instability and distrust between nations which will need to be overcome should the fight against climate change be successful. Countries not in favour of the Kyoto Protocol USA- the USA is not in favour due to the fact that the Protocol does not take into account emissions from developing countries which according to the USA will soon match their own emissions. Australia has not ratified the protocol saying that- it will not ratify the Protocol until the USA does and until developing countries are included. Canada has left the Protocol. Source 1 gives a clear indication of the Participants and the nations not in favour of the Protocol as of 2012. Source 1 Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Kyoto Protocol participation map 2010.png Kyoto Protocol participation map as of February, 2012 Green indicates countries that have ratified the treaty (Annex I II countries in dark green) Brown = No intention to ratify[1] Red = Countries which have withdrawn from the Protocol.[2] Grey = no position taken or position unknown South Africas position on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol The South African Government have taken a stance on climate change that incorporates the fact that the poor will be most severely affected by it even though they have contributed the least to its causes. Due to Africas high level of poverty, they are thus most vulnerable to the effects of Climate Change. The government believes that Climate change is a global problem, which requires global solutions, which can only be attained through the cooperative efforts of all nations and not by a single country working on its own. The government set objectives which are outlined in the National Climate Change Response White Paper. These objectives can be briefly understood as being: To help and support all South Africans affected by Climate Change and to respond to the impacts of it in doing so. To work together with all nations in the international effort to lessen and end the effects of climate change. South Africa agrees with global scientific opinions which have stated that it is vital that the average global temperatures dont rise any more than 2 degrees so as to avoid possible social and environmental consequences. As a signatory of the Kyoto Protocol, South Africa contributes its fair share in the fight to lower the global amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted. However they are classified as a developing country and hence they are not subjected to the more demanding commitments placed on developed countries. South Africa has taken an interesting approach toward the greenhouse gas reduction efforts by stating that they believe these efforts should work in tandem with an approach that empowers the poor thus ensuring human dignity while lowering greenhouse gas emissions. This furthers their initial beliefs of he fact that the poor population on the African continent have contributed the least yet suffer the most. The media has not made much of Africas position on the Kyoto Protocol. What we can however gather from previous sources is that nearly all African countries have signed and ratified the treaty. All countries in Africa are also classified as developing, and hence they are subject to less demanding targets for their emission reductions. What we have also learnt is that Africa, because of its poverty, is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and hence it is in the continents best interest that all countries support the global problem of climate change so as to lessen the effects it has on Africa as a continent. Africa should be of a similar belief as South Africa, which is that the poor have contributed least to climate change yet they suffer the most. With this belief, the continent will go a long way to the fight against both poverty and climate change. Somerset College and Climate Change In my opinion there are two main areas of Somerset College that may lead to high carbon emissions. The first area is very direct as it relates to the transport the school uses as well as the vehicles that bring students to and from school everyday. Somerset College sees hundreds if not thousands of cars pass through its gates daily and these cars are responsible for releasing carbon monoxide gases into the air. Not only does it harm our environment but it contributes to a high amount of carbon emissions that affect climate change. The second area involves Somerset Colleges Administration and printing system that is responsible for printing many hundreds of pages of paper for school and admin purposes on a daily basis. This indirectly affects climate change as paper is made from trees that produce oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the air. In this way, carbon emissions wont decrease and hence it makes the school indirectly responsible for letting out carbon emissions. Somerset College have however started moving towards a greener future by printing less and less paper and making everything electronic. They also dont make use of air conditioners and instead use fans. Electricity to certain parts of the school is provided by solar panels and the school has implemented bus services to lessen the amount of vehicles on the property. They have also installed new hot water geysers around the school that reduce energy consumption by nearly fifty percent when compared with the old ones. The school also has an eco-club which ensures that the school is always striving to do what is best for the environment.

Dramatisation Of Macbeth †Explain And Evaluate Essay

Introduction Macbeth is a very dramatic play because it goes through many stages and throughout these stages there are mixed feelings between characters and these are portrayed as very dramatic. Macbeth as a play involves many themes as he changes from good to evil, love, temptation, ambition, equivocation, and corruption. These themes have to be portrayed in a way, which gives maximum effect and understanding of the characters dramatisation. There are two main ways in which Macbeth can be dramatised. Through the language and through physical methods. A physical method is a term I like to use to explain anything which is done physically and portrays the idea that needs to be carried across. E.g. clothes, lighting†¦ Portrayal Through Language There are many ways in which Macbeth can be dramatised through language. Throughout my research on Macbeth I found many. Shakespeare tends to use many techniques in order to portray his message through language, and in fact he uses language more than any other method. Soliloquies. A soliloquy is a monologue spoken by a particular character that is alone on stage or assumes that he or she is alone. It reveals their inner thoughts and will. So that you as a viewer will be able to know the truth when he as a character doesn’t know that you do, this dramatises the issue that he talks about and puts depth in to it, making it more interesting. Shakespeare uses this method in many occasions. One main occasion in which he used a soliloquy is when Macbeth was near the great wall and he is choosing weather to kill or not to kill because he knows that if he does there will be consequences, he says this to himself ‘ But in these cases, We still have judgement here that we but teach Bloody instructions’. Shakespeare dramatises the situation using this technique. Another technique that Shakespeare uses is called Prose. He usually does this on characters that are low status but he never feared to break that rule. There are only five prose sequences within the whole play. 1. Macbeths letter to his wife 2. The Porter 3. Macbeth’s conversation with the assassins 4. Part of lady Mac duff’s conversation with her son 5. Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking A prose is a word to explain someone explaining the subject she/he is talking about. Usually Shakespeare tends to use a verse before a prose. A verse is an important technique used by Shakespeare as well. Probably the most common technique used in Macbeth is his famous blank verse (unrhyming lines with a five beat rhythm: ‘iambic pentameter’). In a blank verse each line has five iambs (feet), each with a stressed (/) and unstressed (X) syllable: X / X / X / X / X / ‘So fair / and foul / a day / I have / not seen’ Shakespeare uses blank verse very flexibly, making the rhythm of the characters speech very appropriate to the meaning, the mood, and the speaker’s meaning and mood, this is how Shakespeare dramatises using this technique. Shakespeare could not do this without creating new words to match the blank verse H. An average person would have a vocabulary of 6,000 words. An estimate of Shakespeare’s vocabulary would be around 30,000 words. He created new words in such a simple and understandable way. He does this by the use of Hyphen. Macbeth is full of Hyphenated words, many are so familiar that we do not recognise them as Shakespeare’s. These words help to dramatise Macbeth in the way that it adds more detail to anything Shakespeare was trying to explain about the situation or the character. Examples of some of his new words: * New-born * Firm-set * New-hatched * Live-long * Bare-faced * Earth-bound * Lily-livered * Cut-throat This shows that Shakespeare likes to dramatise and create meaning atmosphere with some significance within his plays. Especially Macbeth is a great example of his efforts to portray his dramatisation and significant meaning effect on the viewer making the viewer understand more than he usually should. Shakespeare is never afraid to repeat himself or regularly use a word. The following words were used the most; you will find them used very regularly: * Blood (e.g. Scene Act 1 Scene IIII, when Macbeth says ‘It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood: Stones have been known to move and trees to speak; Augurs and understood relations have, by maggot-pies and choughs and rooks brought forth The secret man of blood. What is the night’) * Fear (e.g. Scene Act 1 Scene IIII, when Macbeth says ‘When mine is blanched with fear.’) * Sleep (e.g. Scene Act 1 Scene III, when the 1st witch says ‘I myself have all the other, and the very ports they blow, all the quarters that they know I’th’ shipman’s card. I will drain him dry as hay: Sleep shall neither night or day) * Night (e.g. Scene Act 1 Scene III, same as Sleep) * Done (e.g. Scene Act 1 Scene III, when Ross says ‘I’ll see it done’) * Man (e.g. Scene Act IV Scene III, when Malcolm says ‘Dispute it like a man’) * Time (e.g. Scene Act 1 Scene III, when Banquo says ‘If you can look through the seeds of time’) My final evaluation on the dramatisation of Macbeth using language is that Shakespeare is a great master of English because of his different ideas to portray many things. This is a good thing because it adds more effect to the play and dramatises it causing more interest and depth to it in the way that every idea has a particular significance within the play. Portrayal Through Physical Methods In Macbeth one of the most significant things that Shakespeare uses is Imagery. Macbeth is rich in imagery. Imagery conveys ideas with such emotion and drama and that it is one of the special things about Macbeth. There are many ways in which Macbeth was dramatised through imagery these are some of them: * Portrayal Through Darkness and Light It was used because it’s a simple to do method, which dramatises the play. The main ways it was used was to define good from evil. For example, in a Macbeth play that we watched we saw that when king Duncan was shown the lights were so bright that you could tell that it was the way it is to represent extreme good even holiness. When the witches showed up on the scene the stage would turn very dark that the only thing that you could see was their wicked eyes representing the extreme no good, the evil. The contrast between the witches and King Duncan shows that light and darkness imagery can be very dramatic. One interesting way of using light imagery was to gradually decrease the amount of light given to Macbeth himself. This is because as we know Macbeth’s character starts to fade away and so does the light just to remind us of this and make it more dramatic and effective. You can understand through light and darkness if something bad is going to happen or something good. If the stage turn all dark and nothing happens you know something is going to happen. If the stage turns all bright with light you know that something good is going to happen. This idea of having different contrast of light before each scene can tell you weather this scene contains the theme of good or evil is actually a very good idea because it’s like a prophecy about to be fulfilled and this creates a very dramatic effect. Also the words of light and darkness are used in Macbeth, ‘dark night strangles the travelling lamp’ or even more dramatic is ‘Come, thick night’. * Portrayal Through Clothes Shakespeare had many ideas to do with dramatising using clothes. One of his most famous one is his reference to the throne of Scotland dresses him in ‘borrowed robes’. Basically illustrating the theme of deception in a silent but dramatic way. Shakespeare also likes to mix different subjects or irrelevant subjects in to the matter using imagery. * Acting and Theatre, (‘a poor player’) * Eyes, (‘the eye of childhood’) * Hunting and Sport, (‘bear-like I must fight the curse’) * Hands, (‘with these hands ne’er be clean’) This kind of imagery again adds more depth to the play making it more interesting and more dramatic by making the viewer think about what is Shakespeare trying to represent with his language and thoughts. Speaking of thoughts, Shakespeare liked to involve community in Macbeth. * Portrayal Through Feasting And Hospitality He involved the image of community in Macbeth using Hospitality and Feasting. Eating together is a sign of friendship and community. Macbeth’s disrupted banquet represents his moral illusion in to evil and darkness, which took him away to another level, just like how the banquet changed from a friendly level to an embarrassment. * Portrayal Through Animals Throughout Macbeth there are many references to animals. Especially when Shakespeare try’s to explain something that is mystical and fearful. This creates the perfect atmosphere for the evil characters to act in to create a dramatic experience for the viewer just like the cauldron scene. Also Shakespeare likes to use birds like robins to represent happiness because of their singing. The owl is used also to create the idea of darkness, the owl only comes out in the dark and so does Macbeth. * Portrayal Through Babies And Children Throughout Macbeth there are many references to vulnerability and innocence. This way was very successfully done through babies and children. This is because children cannot take actions and cannot prevent them either this makes them innocent. The most dramatic example in Macbeth of this dramatisation technique was when Macduff’s family were killed. His son was so young and innocent that Shakespeare showed us this by his lack of knowledge, the poor boy didn’t even know what a traitor was. * SON: (‘was my father a traitor, mother?’) * LADY MACDUFF: (‘Ay, that he was’) * SON: (‘What is a traitor?’) * LADY MACDUFF: (‘Why, one that swears and lies.’) * SON: (‘And be all traitors, that do so?’) * LADY MACDUFF: (‘Every one.’) * SON: (‘Who must hang them?’) * LADY MACDUFF: (‘Why, honest men.’) We can see from the extract conversation between the mother and child that Shakespeare intends to break peoples hearts and make them give sympathy toward this poor boy, who doesn’t even know what a traitor is. * Other Portrayals Shakespeare tended to use a lot of violence in his stories; violence of course refers to blood. He tended to use blood because it is so significant in the way that it is precious and there is lots of it. Blood can also be represented as a word to explain something with heart to it because it is so important to you and you are mentioning it. Sleep is a common technique used in Macbeth in order to dramatise the fact that Macbeth himself cannot get sleep anymore because of his filthy deeds, and Lady Macbeth sleepwalks while pretending to wash and scrub her hand as if she is washing her deeds away, but still she rubs as if it’s not going away, the blood stains. This kind of technique really does dramatise it in way that again causes interest towards the audience. Conclusion To conclude I think I will say that Shakespeare is a great writer who was very creative and significant in the way that he uses different techniques to dramatise anything. When I say dramatise I mean that he made something more exaggerated in the way that you understand it more and it appeals to you more. Macbeth is very rich in dramatisation because that’s what makes a good story, if it’s full of ideas which appeal more by having more depth in to it than usual, then you get more people watching your play because it’s more than the usual. People will always want something more. And that’s what Shakespeare gave them and he did it well.

Harlequin Enterprises: the Mira Decisions Essay

The primary issue facing Harlequin is the â€Å"steady loss of share in a growing women’s fiction market†, due to the growing popularity of single-title novels. With the volume sales dependence that is inherent in series publishing, the unit sales stalling that occurred in the late 80’s and early 90’s acted as a warning signal to Harlequin. A change in pricing strategies enabled revenues to continue to rise, but this was a short-term solution and Mira has the potential to become a long-term solution. However, there are a number of issues surrounding the launch of Mira. As the world’s largest publisher of romance fiction, Harlequin has a strong global foothold in series publishing with a presence in more than 100 international markets and 23 languages. Indeed, Harlequin has been able to create high barriers to entry in the series market through the development of brand loyalty and excellence in product quality and supply chain management. Brand loyalty comprises a strong readership base, which has been cultivated through brand recognition, trust, and long-term relationships. This is evidenced by the direct-to-reader Book Club, which currently provides 3/8 of US Sales at significantly higher margins than indirect sales. The low-price, consistent, high-quality product is well packaged and positioned ideally to take advantage of customer expectations, supported by a large and capable author/editor base. Standardization has enabled Harlequin to take advantage of significant economies of scale in printing, distribution and advertising; and simplifies retailers’ positioning and marketing strategies. While standing order distribution enables Harlequin to more accurately predict sales and returns, and therefore benefit from predictable cost-based accounting practices to achieve better margins. However, with limited diversification, Harlequin has little expertise in the broader realm of women’s fiction outside of the romance genre, which may limit their abilities to select and develop successful authors and titles, as was the case with the 1987 Worldwide Library failure. Although, the Worldwide experience gives Harlequin a true appreciation of their strengths and provides a strong foundation from which to avoid future mistakes. Harlequin’s inferior presence in traditional retail environments for single-title novels and limited advertising portfolio centred on print media somewhat restricts their sales to their existing, or stereotypical, customer base. Existing distribution partnerships are unlikely to resolve this issue and may force Harlequin to seek out new partnerships and/or mechanisms. According to the market research, â€Å"customers were reading as many single-title romance and women’s fiction books as series romances. This implies that there is significant overlap with other subject areas and market segments within Harlequin’s existing readership base and it should be possible for Harlequin to cultivate their customer loyalty and translate it to direct-to-reader sales in other genres. Mira also provides the opportunity for authors to develop beyond the series format without moving to another publisher, and still remain available to the Harlequin series genre. This promotes emp loyee loyalty and job satisfaction, while allowing Harlequin to invest in promoting individual authors and benefit from the cross-segment marketing. The overheads that Mira would incur, although substantial, would remain competitive with other publishers and would benefit from Harlequin’s global infrastructure. Foreign language markets, in particular, would be accessible to Mira through the use of existing translation services, distribution networks and retail relationships. Mira would also provide Harlequin the opportunity to create economies of scale through the centralization of rights acquisition activities already being undertaken in some international subsidiaries. Conversely, Mira represents an extremely high risk undertaking for Harlequin with significantly higher costs for production, distribution and marketing. A single-title novel is a unique product, which requires a publisher to generate higher per-unit sales volumes; create individual design, marketing and promotion campaigns; and provide higher returns to authors and third parties. Production changes, at least in terms of product dimensions, could have significant unforeseen impacts on the economies of scale currently enjoyed within the production and distribution supply chains. If Mira is to compete with existing single-title publishers, long-term author contracts, royalties and advances could put extreme financial pressure on Harlequin and represent a significant level of investment, which may or may not be realizable in the long-term. Therefore, the failure of a single-title novel to achieve break-even sales targets has far-reaching consequences; and can seriously damage reputations upon which future sales would depend. Nevertheless, the most significant threat to the success of Mira is its potential in the US market. The truce with Simon & Schuster achieved at the end of the Romance Wars may not be sustainable, if Harlequin launches Mira in direct competition with S&S in single-title publishing. This situation would be especially difficult given that Harlequin is entirely dependent on S&S for distribution of its series titles within the US market, and its lack of experience with mainstream retailing avenues. By pursuing Mira, Harlequin risks losing a highly efficient and profitable relationship with S&S and having to completely redevelop its distribution chain within the US. Upon consideration, Harlequin has the resources and capabilities it needs in order to succeed with Mira. Although the company currently has a different business model, it has the same basic components and critical resources necessary to create and manufacture the product. The author/editor base that Harlequin has at its disposal represents a considerable asset, and somewhat mitigates the risk of talent selection and development that can be associated with single-title novels. Historic market positioning and the reputation of Harlequin as a romance eries publisher may overshadow attempts to create the Mira brand; but Harlequin has reached the point where it must expand beyond the romance genre. The direct-to-reader sales, marketing and distribution mechanisms would require few adjustments or adaptations, and would provide Harlequin with an ideal test market from which to make the leap into the mainstream. Existing production and distribution expertise would sustain development of Mira , while Harlequin spends time putting mainstream distribution mechanisms and publicity expertise into place. It is conceivable that successful single-title authors who published their early works with Harlequin could be convinced to return to Harlequin, depending on the financial incentives; but, this is a long-term question, governed by authors’ contractual obligations and the success of Mira in the short-term. However, the back-list of novels created by successful authors who published their early works with Harlequin comprises an easily marketable, cost-effective and potentially profitable resource, that would enable Mira to capitalize on established reputations and in-direct publicity. The downside is that Mira may risk alienating or offending fans of established authors, by publishing works that did not meet reader expectations because of their quality or adherence to Harlequin conventions. Therefore, I would recommend that Harlequin perform a limited launch of Mira by re-developing titles in their back-list and generating direct-to-reader sales through the Book Club, while it explores global distribution and marketing relationships. References: Richard Ivey School of Business Case Harlequin Enterprises: The MIRA Decision #9B03M007

Christian Worldview On Legalization Of Marijuana - 754 Words

f. Christian Worldview on Legalization of Marijuana While a majority of individuals in the United States may believe that marijuana should be legal, the support among Evangelical Protestants (32%), Catholics (39%), and Mainline Protestants (45%) is much lower. The majority of Christians in America would say that they do not believe that anyone should use marijuana and that it should not be legal to purchase the drug. The problem with this view is that it mixes two different issues together, whether something is moral and whether the government has the jurisdiction to criminalize a particular conduct. I will analyze both of these separate issues below and provide a conclusion for both. The scriptures say that â€Å"everything God created is good† and that he gave us â€Å"every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth.† There are many things in this world that can be used in a responsible and sinless manner but when used in excess will lead to a sin and immoral conduct. We see examples of this in the scriptures for food, alcohol, and money. From these principles and scriptures, it is clear that the use of marijuana is not something that is completely barred by the scriptures but is something that is only sinful when it is used in excess or to the point of it becoming an idol. Other than when used in excess, there does appear to be three circumstances where it is improper for a Christian to consume any marijuana, for any purpose. The first and most straightforward,Show MoreRelatedWhy Christians Act And Think So Differently From Non Christians?1837 Words   |  8 PagesHave you ever wondered why christians act and think so differently from non-christians? Christianity impacts every aspect of life, including the thoughts and actions of the individual, the ideas and beliefs present in the government, and the commonalities and trends in the culture. To begin, Christianity impacts the individual’s thoughts more so than any other religion. Let’s take a look inside the mind of Marcus Vinicius. It is made very clear from the book â€Å"Quo Vadis† that Marcus’ thoughtsRead MoreRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 Pages1970s—after Bob Marleys emergence as an international viii FOREWORD star, after Selassies arrival in Jamaica, and after so much had been written about the importance of Rastafarianism. The problem was that Rasta was counter to the strong Christian structure that dominated and continues to dominate Jamaican life and was seen ï ¬ rst as heretical and misguided before its powerful social and political ideas were fully appreciated. Most important, however, was the Rastafarian insistence that Africa