Gasoline Prices Essays - Petroleum Politics, Commodity Markets

Gasoline Prices Essays - Petroleum Politics, Commodity Markets Gasoline Prices The price of gasoline is a major interest to almost everyone in the country and almost everywhere in the world. It seems that every month and sometimes more frequently, gas prices are either spiking or dropping, never staying stable. Gasoline prices are affected by many factors, including the price of crude oil in the world market, supply and demand for gasoline, local market competition, temporary supply interruptions, government regulations, or taxes. Gasoline is produced by a distillation process where crude oil is heated and fumes are captured and converted into many products such as kerosene, jet fuel, and gasoline to name a few. Therefore the price of crude oil, which is extracted from oil wells beneath the earths surface, is a major factor in gas prices. The five leading oil-producing countries and their approximate shares of the world supply of oil are: Soviet Union 21%, Saudi Arabia 17%, The United States 15%, Venezuela 4%, and Mexico 4%. These five countries made up 61 % of the worlds oil production back in 1980. Even though The United States is a major producer of oil, it does not make them self-sufficient. The United States uses more oil than they can produce and must look towards foreign countries. An organization called O.P.E.C. controls approximately four fifths of the worlds oil reserves in the non-communist world. The United States is forced to deal with O.P.E.C., not only in its own interests, but also in the inter est of its allies and in the interest of maintaining peace. The former Soviet Union may now have an interest in selling some of their oil that they have a tremendous amount of. O.P.E.C. which stands for Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, is made up of 13 countries: Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Qatar, Indonesia, Libya, United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Nigeria, Ecuador, and Gabon. O.P.E.C. was founded in Baghdad, Iraq in September of 1960. It was organized in response to oil producing countries that did not consult with the Middle Eastern oil states before lowering their crude oil prices. The producers feared that other countries would establish monopolies. The aim of O.P.E.C. was to create a universal price between the countries, in order to ensure peace between oil producers throughout the world. O.P.E.C. also wanted to provide its members with technical and economic support in times of need, since not all the countries were completely stable. The headquart ers were initially set in Geneva, but were later moved to Vienna in 1965. O.P.E.C.s goal was to establish firmly unified prices amongst their members, but the organization was not always successful. In their quest for control over the world market of oil production, they have ran into several obstacles and setbacks. O.P.E.C. has barely survived being eliminated due to internal conflicts amongst its members. Since O.P.E.C. almost has a strangle hold on the worlds oil supply, The United States is extremely concerned with the areas instability. The Middle East and the Persian Gulf area, where most of the members are located, are extremely prone to wars, both civil and cross borders, plagued by religious battles, and positions of power are frequently overthrown, making it hard for any stability to come out of the area. Any time there is chaos in the Middle East, The United States thinks back on memories of other troubles in the Persian Gulf area: the Arab oil embargo in 1973-74, the Iranian revolution in 1979-80 and Saddam Husseins invasion of Kuwait in 1990. (1) The area is also vital to our allies, who would be crippled without Gulf oil, whose livelihood we are dependent on. In 1973 O.P.E.C. raised oil prices 70%. The dominant Middle Eastern members of O.P.E.C. used succeeding price increases as a political weapon aimed at Western nations in retaliation for their support of Israel against its Arab neighbors in the so-called Yom Kippur War of October 1973. Prices were accordingly raised another 130% at the Tehran conference of December 1973, and a temporary embargo was placed on the United States and the Netherlands at the same time. Other prices increases followed in 1975, 1977, 1979, and 1980, which ultimately raised the price of a barrel of crude oil from United States $3.00

Introducing an emicropayment method using the internet Essay

Introducing an emicropayment method using the internet - Essay Example Using credit cards is the most common way to purchase items online. When a buyer tries to buy an inexpensive item through a credit card, the authentication and verification process of user account is often quite cumbersome and in most cases is infeasible and unpractical. For merchant selling inexpensive items, finds its profits disappear due to the high credit card fees and associated costs (Geer, 2004). Therefore the tools used for online payments are one of the biggest factors in deciding the fate of e-micropayments. Since the sales are often low and the profit margins thin, the sellers don't feel comfortable in investing into e-micropayment technologies and goods. They feel that the risk taken to sell inexpensive goods is not worthwhile. Therefore the supply of inexpensive goods and seller's attitude is another factor deciding the existence of e-micropayments. (Smith, 2003) Since its start, e-micropayments haven't shown the intensity and promise that was expected. Due to not enough successful inexpensive products in the market (compared to more expensive items) the demand for keeping inexpensive assortments in the inventory is low (Geer, 2004). Therefore the historic trends, not enough success stories and the hype in the market are other factors that need to be considered to make e-micropayments method a success. For all online transactions, a buyer or a merchant needs to have a secure and reliable e-micropayment technology (Geer, 2004). Since critical personal information and credit card (account) information is given over the net, a secure (usually SSL) and safe technology must be in place. Without such a technology, the method can never be a success. To run e-micropayments methods, dependant technology like computers, servers, internet etc. should be reliable (Geer, 2004). If the internet link is unreliable, or the merchant's website has a high downtime, the customers would simply move to a different merchant which provides the same products and services but which does not offer e-micropayment technology. Another issue is the cost of the e-micropayment technology and how much of the commission is charged from the merchant. If this cost is high, the merchants would not agree to have this system and would rather prefer a normal credit card payment option. (Electronic Payment Systems, 2006) As we have seen from the discussion above, there are a lot of stakeholders involved in the entire process which complicates the matters. Although e-micropayments are convenient and needful, their lack of practicality at the moment has let it down. Building a secure, reliable and inexpensive e-micropayment solution is required at a time where PayPal and credit cards have taken over the sale of expensive items. Works Cited 1. Electronic Payment Systems. (2006). Retrieved February 8, 2008, from Prentice Hall: www.c5c6.com/upfile/down.phpfilename=908a738581.ppt 2. Geer, D. (2004). E-Micropayments Sweat the Small Stuff. Retrieved Februa

The Rule of Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Rule of Law - Essay Example Nevertheless, under all contexts that the concept of the Rule of Law should be applied, it anticipates two major aspects; fairness and equality. The meaning of the Rule of Law can be broken down into different contexts, where the first two contexts adheres to the proposition by Webley & Samuels, 2012, that â€Å"The rule of law is a doctrine†, while the third context in which the Rule of Law can derive its meaning, is pitched on the other proposition by Webley & Samuels, 2012, that â€Å"The rule of law is a theory†. Thus, the Rule of Law can be applied in the first context to mean â€Å"according to the law†. Under this context, the Rule of Law is then applied to mean that no individual, regardless of the social status or the position of power they hold in the society, can be subject to a form of punishment that is not in accordance with laws that are well established and clearly and procedurally defined3. This context of the application of the rule of law there fore means that any criminal charges leveled against an entity, be it an individual, a group or an organization must be in line with laws that are well-established and which are clearly understood by the entity, and whose procedure is well known. Therefore, this context of the law anticipates the application of the law to be aligned with the existing doctrines. This prevents an individual or an entity from being punished for any violation that is not punishable by the law4. Relevant case: Papachristou v. City of Jacksonville, 405 U.S. 156, 92 S. Ct. 839, 31 L. Ed. 2d 110 [1972] The Papachristou v. Jacksonville is case in relation to a vagrancy ordinance enacted by the city of Jacksonville in Florida State, where the law prohibited a large form of freelance activities, which included strolling, wandering and moving from place to place, without any lawful intent or object5. The defendant, Papachristou, was among eight other individuals that were arrested and charged with vagrancy in a court of law in Jacksonville, city, for disorderly loitering. Upon an appeal in the United States Supreme Court, the court declared that the Jacksonville ordinance was largely vague constitutionally, since the ordinance did not create any distinction between the illegal and the innocent activities, thus could end-up criminalizing innocent movement activities such as walking at night or habitual movement which had no visible intent5. This vagueness granted the police arbitrary powers to determine which activities they would interpret as lawful, and which ones to declare innocent, following the lack of well-established laws, which are clearly understood by the entity, and whose procedure is well known5. The Supreme Court therefore held that the defendant would not be criminally liable, under such vague law. The second context under which the rule of law can be confidently applied is to mean; â€Å"rule under the law†6. Here, the concept of the Rule of Law would therefore mean that no one is above the law, and thus no one has the freedom to apply law arbitrarily, even when such an entity is the one formulating such laws. Therefore, the second context of the rule of law anticipates that all individuals and entities will be subjected to equal treatment by the law, and thus no one can be favored, and no one can be prejudiced by the same law, regardless of

Cfa Study Outlines Essay Example for Free

Cfa Study Outlines Essay CFA Curriculum/Blue box examples/EOC problems Month 5: Schweser Slides=gt;Take practice exam (8X) BOOT CAMP strongly recommended (Creighton University provides an exceptional LIII Boot Camp—Marc Lefebvre teaches the course and has put together an impressive strategic outline) Question Format Morning: Essay ? Focus on writing key words (study previous actual CFA exam answers and learn what these key words are—just remember that the CFA guideline answers are also considered â€Å"perfect† so don’t think you must include everything stated) ? The morning essay questions are the least correlated with questions from the actual CFA curriculum; therefore, it is absolutely necessary to study past actual CFA Level III exams and familiarize yourself with how they’ll ask questions—you’ll be surprised at how well you may know the material but not quite understand what the questions are asking for Afternoon: Item Set Multiple Choice ? READ THE QUESTION FIRST! 90% of all questions asked follow the item set chronologically (first portion of item set relates to 1st question, 2nd portion relates to 2nd question, etc. First paragraph is usually an introduction that can be skipped to save time) Special emphasis on essay format (master your timing—Individual Investor IPS/Return Calculation should take lt; 10 min). DO NOT rely on year to year correlations in question types—expect ANYTHING to be tested Prior exams are published and are a necessary resource CFA Practice Exam only includes the afternoon item set section; you must take Schweser practice tests/actual prior CFA Level III exams to incorporate the morning session One of your top goals should be to finish the morning session; many candidates have failed due to the inability to finish—you’ll be surprised at how many extra points you can earn just for taking educated guesses CFA Level III exam is by far the most difficult although the material is a breeze. Therefore, you must conceptualize the material rather than rely on pure memorization. Special Note: For Level I candidates, place special emphasis on ethics and portfolio management concepts. An in-depth understanding of both saves time from LII and LIII down the road. Memorize Code Standards and read ALL ethics examples! Portfolio management concepts such as portfolio standard deviation and portfolio variance are recurring concepts that are extremely important for LIII. Taken Directly from the CFA Institute Website

Dehumanization and Freedom in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Dougla

Dehumanization and Freedom in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass    The issue of slavery in antebellum America was not black and white. Generally people in the North opposed slavery, while inhabitants of the South promoted it. However, many people were indifferent. Citizens in the North may have seen slavery as neither good nor bad, but just a fact of Southern life. Frederick Douglass, knowing the North was home to many abolitionists, wrote his narrative in order to persuade these indifferent Northern residents to see slavery as a degrading practice. Douglass focuses on dehumanization and freedom in order to get his point across. Frederick Douglass emphasizes the dehumanization aspect of slavery throughout his narrative. As is the general custom in slavery, Douglass is separated from his mother early in infancy and put under the care of his grandmother. He recalls having met his mother several times, but only during the night. She would make the trip from her farm twelve miles away just to spend a little time with her child. She dies when Douglass is about seven years old. He is withheld from seeing her in her illness, death, and burial. Having limited contact with her, the news of her death, at the time, is like a death of a stranger. Douglass also never really knew the identity of his father and conveys a feeling of emptiness and disgust when he writes, "the whisper that my master was my father, may or may not be true; and, true or false, it is of but little consequence to my purpose" (Douglass, 40). Douglass points out that many slave children have their masters as their father. In these times, frequently the master would take advantage of female slaves and the children born to the slave w... ... the abolitionist movement is fueled by reading The Liberator, a newspaper that stirs his soul in fighting for the anti-slavery cause. While attending an anti-slavery convention at Nantucket on August 11, 1841, Douglass, with encouragement from Mr. William C. Coffin, speaks for the first time to a white audience about slavery. In conclusion, Frederick Douglass starts his life as a slave determined to get his freedom. At the end of his life, he is one of the foremost figures of the abolitionist movement. Douglass' narrative takes advantage of the literal advantage in order to abolish slavery. Through depictions of dehumanization and freedom, Frederick Douglass' narrative is instrumental in swaying the views of the indifferent Northern residents. Work Cited: Douglas, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas. New York: Signet, 1968.

Natural Family Planning Essay

To begin this essay I will first explain what Natural Family Planning is and I will then turn to take a look at the essay written by Joseph W. Koterski entitled Theological Reflections on Natural Family Planning. Natural Family Planning ‘is the general title for the scientific, natural and moral methods of family planning that can help married couples either achieve or postpone pregnancies. Methods of Natural Family Planning depend on the observation paid to the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle. The main idea behind Natural Family Planning is that no methods of artificial contraception are used. Such methods of artificial contraception include drugs, devices or surgical procedures which are used to avoid pregnancy.   The first question Koterski asks is ‘Can the use of Natural Family Planning to avoid pregnancy be morally justi?ed? He then goes on to state that many discussions come to the conclusion that Natural Family Planning is acceptable providing one does not have a ‘contraceptive mentality. The writer agrees with this statement, however one finds themselves asking does the whole idea of Natural Family Planning not have a somewhat contraceptive mentality to it also? The article then puts across the idea that procreation is good within marriage however if a couple do have a contraceptive mentality it should be for a moral reason such as ‘spacing births a bit for the good of the mother’s health, or caring better for the sake of one’s existing children, or for the good of the marriage in a time of great pressures of some sort If these scenarios do come into a couples lives who use Natural Family Planning they are still remaining open to having children at the se times however they are just hoping they will not until these scenarios have sorted themselves out. It appears that throughout the article the writer continually relates back to the subject about having a contraceptive mentality. He says on a frequent basis that if the reason for a couple having a contraceptive mentality is morally for the right reasons then it is okay while still using Natural Family Planning. Compared to using contraception where the act itself is  morally objectionable whether the intentions are good or bad, there does not seem to be anything intrinsically objectionable to a couple deciding whether or not to have intercourse at a particular time during the womans menstrual cycle. If the couple have a good knowledge of Natural family Planning and are trying to avoid having more children then nothing should change about their actions during sexual relations apart from the time at which they have them and knowing when not to have intercourse. The author seems to be saying there is nothing wrong with this approach, however many a person would say this is having a contraceptive mentality. The writer then poses two questions aimed especially at those religious people who do not believe in intercourse unless between a couple for procreative reasons: 1. Are we morally required to have all the children possible for us, given  our current understanding of the natural rhythms of fertility? 2. Are we morally required to refrain from intercourse when we know  as a couple that we are infertile? These questions open up quite a strong argument for those sceptical about the idea that intercourse should only be for procreative purposes. These would possibly argue that sexual intercourse is also for unifying purposes between a couple and therefore this would prevent a couple from growing closer. John Murray also states that it is not the woman’s fault that she is naturally infertile therefore why should she have to abstain from intercourse: If you were naturally blind, you could not do anything further to make yourself blind. So: when a woman is naturally infertile [and knows it] she cannot do anything to make her acts of sexual intercourse infertile [due to her natural infertility] The point is not that she may not do so; she cannot do so. The facts and figures of the matter according to Jack Dominian are ‘currently ninety-nine percent of sexual activity is knowingly and deliberately non-procreative. Dominian then continues on with his argument  stating the majority ‘need only a few sexual acts to achieve their desired family size. It appears Dominion is saying therefore that contraceptive methods are the easiest way of controlling family size. The writings of Paul Quay S.J. Then continue on the essay. Quay mentions how estrus is a sign of fertility in the female species of animals and the male species can pick up on this. Humans are different however and the only way for us to know is by knowing how to ‘read the cycles of temperature and cervical fluid as signs of fertility and infertility. The article continues on to mention the whole symbolism around sexual intercourse. When a couple have intercourse it is almost like a language between them that only they can understand. Koterski uses Quays argument to say that the physical union of intercourse symbolises the union of persons in marriage. The whole idea of nakedness between a couple having intercourse is to symbolize their openness and vulnerability to one another. The whole point of this argument appears to be this is the reason why only when married should one engage in intercourse. If relating back to Natural Family Planning and not having a contraceptive menta lity ‘Traditionally the reason given is that sex is linked to procreation and that the fruit of this, children, need two parents to look after them and give them legitimacy and status. As we carry on through the document and take a look at the application of Quay’s understanding to Natural Family Planning we see how it states the Church should have as many children as possible. The task seems to be to ‘bring all of these who are naturally born to be reborn of the water and the Holy Spirit of the womb of the church by baptism. The document continues on to focus more towards the Church and how even though one may be born to Christian parents this does not mean one is a Christian. It is only through water and the Holy Spirit that we can be brought from this world of sin into the Christian community and the Church. It is only through God however that these children should be brought into this world and not as items of property, therefore conception should be one hundred per cent natural and not through in vitro fertilisation or any such procedures. The authors final few points are quite valid when he states the the infertile period for a couple who are using the method of Natural Family Planning is a period for the woman’s body to rest before releasing the next ovum. Natural family planning should also allow the woman’s body to rest during the natural spacing of pregnancies. In this sense by abstaining from intercourse it is an expression of love on the man’s behalf as he is caring for his wife. The main point the author is trying to get across is that some of the time, even though intercourse is a way of expressing love, abstinence can sometimes be for the greater good of the family and the relationship. To conclude, this essay states what Natural Family Planning is and the many different aspects to it. As with everything it has its pros and cons however if practised properly it allows a couple to do as the Church teaches and ‘make a decision about how many children to have in a wise and loving manner – trying to bear in mind various needs, such as health, their existing children, society’s needs, etc.’13 The whole idea about making Natural Family Planning successful is not to have a contraceptive mentality. This however is a mentality that the majority have and as stated by Jack Dominion ‘ninety-nine per cent of sexual activity is knowingly and deliberately non-procreative. Bibliography Dominian, Jack, ‘Masterbation and Premarital Sexual Intercourse’ , God Sex and Love (London: SCM Press, 1989), Koterski, Joseph W. Theological Reflections on Natural Family Planning, http://www.nvjournal.net/images/stories/SampleArticles/6.4.pdf Murray, John, Lecture notes. http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/what-is-nfp/

Is Canada A Free And Democratic Society Essay - 1294 Words

Canada is a free and democratic society that protects and guarantees individual Charter rights and freedoms (Grebowicz, 2011). However, these rights and freedoms are not absolute and can be limited when they infringe on the rights and freedoms of others (Grebowicz, 2011). As a result, the possession of child pornography limits freedom of expression as it innately harmful to children and the broader society (Bray, 2009). Furthermore, society suffers when destructive expressions and behaviors are reinforced (Grebowicz, 2011). Additionally, the dignity and equality of children rights is violated through the existence of pornographic materials independent of its distribution. Furthermore, a collective societal goal is to protect children from harm, one of the most vulnerable societal groups (Bray, 2009). Therefore, laws that criminalizes the possession of child pornography are enacted (Bray, 2009). As a result, competing rights and values often emerges; therefore, the courts are in plac e to create a balance (Grebowicz, 2011). Hart’s work through legal positivism argues that laws are used to govern society; therefore, the population is expected to abide by them. As a result, conformity from its members keeps society running smoothly and efficiently (Stith, 2008). However, disruptive members to society are sanctioned to guarantee conformity from the rest of the population (Stith, 2008). Additionally, the criminal code of Canada dictates behaviors that are unacceptable in societyShow MoreRelatedThe Canadian Charter Of Rights And Freedoms1504 Words   |  7 PagesRights and Freedoms(CCORAF) Guarantees a Free and Democratic Society The Charter of Rights and Freedoms upholds the individual rights of all Canadians. Agree or disagree with the following statement. 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