Safety of Products Made in China

Safety of Products Made in China Free Online Research Papers The safety of products made in China is under scrutiny because of the increase in problems with quality control. Over the last 2 to 3 years, there have been findings of excessive antibiotics and pesticide residue in foods, carcinogens in household goods, mislabeled drug ingredients and, most recently, lead painted toys. The purpose of this research is to examine how and why products make their way to consumers with defects and what needs to be done to prevent these products from making it to the United States. â€Å"Made in China† is seen on a variety of American products, especially products in industry giants like Wal-Mart and smaller mom and pop discount stores. Most of these made in China products are sold at half the price of a regular retail of grocery store. For last several years, China has been capitalizing on the market for cheap goods around the world; these goods are made at a fraction of the cost of name brand manufactures. According to World Trade Organization statistics, China export revenue increased to $246 billion in 2005, eight times the revenue reported in 1980 (Bezlova, 2007). China has even been under fire for making and selling counterfeit products for less, thereby stealing market share from established manufactures. For example, last year China was the source of 81% of counterfeit good seized by customs officials at U.S. ports of entry (Lipton Barboza, 2007). Most recently, Colgate found out that manufacturers in China were making and selling toothpaste under its brand name. The imitation Colgate toothpaste is tainted with a chemical called diethylene glycol which is used in anti-freeze. Counterfeits, such as the imitation Colgate toothpaste, sometimes slip through the cracks and end up in the hands of consumers because no tests were performed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), or Chinese officials. Based on a study by consumer advocacy groups, only about 1 percent of the goods reaching American ports or borders are being tested (Shedden, 2007). The quality and authenticity are being overlooked by ret ailers because of the low costs and high profit margin of the goods. More reports are showing the danger and a lapse in quality control of products imported from China. This year alone (a) mislabeled drugs killed and injured people in Haiti, (b) Japan banned Chinese poultry, tea and frozen spinach because of excessive pesticide residue, (c) Russia banned fish contaminated with excessive amounts of antibiotics, (d) U.S. recalls fake eyeball toy filled with kerosene and about 24 other kind of toys with lead based paints; and over 100 brands of cat and dog food tainted with melamine, a chemical used in plastic products, and (e) in Panama, 51 people died because of cough syrup with diethylene glycol. The problematic goods have also hit China, last year Hong Kong blocked imports of turbot fish that had traces of malachite green, a cancer-causing chemical used to treat fungal infections; Taiwan banned imports of hairy crabs with traces of carcinogens. Defective products home and abroad have put China in the lead with 60 percent more recalls than any other c ountry (Lipton Barboza, 2007). According to a WorldNet Daily exclusive report (2007), 257 products from China were refused in April, in comparison to 140 from Mexico and 23 from Canada. Canada and Mexico export far more food products to the U.S. than China; yet China had more refusals. In the United States, consumers are very concerned about buying products marked â€Å"made in China†. Parents are especially concerned because the recent recalls on a variety of toys for young children with lead based paint. No fault lawyers are using the opportunity to make big bucks suing the American companies involved with tainted goods on the shelves and hands of consumers. In fact, there is a new slogan, â€Å"Made in China, Sued in the USA†. The main question for many consumers is why did this happen? The CPSC claims that over the last two years, budget cuts of about 10 % forced them to cut back on staffing, leaving fewer regulators to monitor the safety of the flood of imports The CPSC now has only about 100 field investigator and compliance personnel nationwide which is not nearly enough to conduct inspections at the hundreds of ports, warehouses and stores around the country (Lipton Barboza, 2007). In total, there is only a total of about of 400 people workin g at the safety commission, less than half the size of the agency’s 1980 staff (Shedden, 2007).This is not nearly enough inspectors needed to conduct proper tests at U.S. ports around the country. According to Janell Mayo Duncan, the senior counsel for the Consumers Union, â€Å"they don’t have the staff that they need to try to get ahead of this problem†¦They need more money and resources to do more checks† (Lipton Barboza, 2007). David Acheson, the FDA’s assistant commissioner for food safety, said: The bottom line message is to focus the testing on areas where we have identified problems. We cannot even begin to test on everything. There are certain things we can predict are going to be a problem because we’ve seen it before, other countries have the problem†¦ but sometimes things come out of nowhere, completely unexpected. The melamine was an example of that. I would always like us to react faster. We react as quickly as we can on the information we have. (Smith-Spark, 2007) This appears to be another excuse for officials who are not doing their job to protect American consumers from tainted foods and drugs. Democratic senators, Charles Schumer, Bill Nelson and Dick Durbin, seem to agree that the shortage of inspectors should not be a reason the defective reaching the U.S. market. They concur that the American government is not doing its job, and that rigorous inspections at the U.S. border should be implemented to make up for the weaknesses in foreign regulations. In accordance Senator Durbin, along with others, has made proposals to increase the number of inspectors and the size of fines and to limit the period manufacturers have to reply to findings of defects or hazards. Out of fear of costly litigation, tougher regulations and fines American, retailers are taking matters in their own hands instead of waiting for the government to fix the problem. For example, Wal-Mart decided to deal with the problem by cutting back on spring orders from China. Other retailers has followed suit and cut back on orders, claiming that they do not want to be made into scapegoats and have the burden of doing the government’s job (Shedden, 2007). Mattel claims it is dealing with the problem and that it is doing more than anyone else to curtail the problems with unsafe toys made in China (Shedden, 2007). Mattel is one of many retailers who have quality control methods in place for its manufacturing plants base in China; Mattel developed their standards after complaints and toy recalls in 1990. But Mattel still faces quality control problems because it has no control over independent contractors who do business with its manufacturers. These independent contractors ar e a major a source of the problems with tainted goods in China; many do not follow regulations. Overall, the retailers are blaming the government for not doing its job and officials are telling retailers to take responsibility. This does not spell good news for consumers. In light of the increasing concern of consumers, the U.S. government is trying to remedy the situation as soon as possible by adding new measures. Some officials believe a good place to start is to address trade issues and corporate decisions on where and how products are manufactured (Shedden, 2007). The FDA has increased testing on imports around the country. There is also an increased of testing on toothpaste and other dental products in light of the imitation Colgate situation. Currently there is a nationwide hold on the import of five types of farmed fish and seafood that were said to be filthy with pesticides and tainted with salmonella. China, like the U.S. is trying to remedy the situation but at the same time some officials are lashing out at the U.S. On July 24, 2007 former head of State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), Zheng Xiaoyu was executed after being convicted for accepting bribes in return for government approval of unobserved medicines. The execution was a demonstration of China’s zero tolerance toward fraud, bribery and consumer abuse (Newman, 2007). In addition, government officials are making efforts to improve supervision of safety standards. Some progress was made when officials banned exports of 14 companies that produced foods that contained harmful levels of chemical and bacteria headed for Japan, Canada, European Union and the United States. Government officials also closed 180 food manufacturers after finding 23,000 safety violations involving dyes, chemicals and other illegal ingredients (Dabilis, 2007). China claimed that part of the problems is when some of the companies re-open under different names and locations making hard to keep track of violators. More recently, China has made more progress by creating a system that holds producers more accountable for selling unsafe products. China also vows to tighten controls on chemicals used by seafood and meat producers. Besides tightening controls, the government has broken up criminal rings that operate factories that produce from pirated goods such as the tainted Colgate toothpaste. China is even reaching out to international public relations to help remedy the country’s image. Many western countries do not trust that China will do what it promises, because promises were made before but were never fulfilled. Some governmental officials are adding to the doubt by fighting back with negative attitudes towards the U.S. and in some instances in its own country. For example, government officials arrested a journalist for broadcasting a story about food vendors who were making steamed buns by using softened cardboard as filler (Barboza, 2007). In efforts to cover what was going on, the officials claimed the journalist was detained for creating a hoax. A statement released by Li Yuanping, director of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine stated, â€Å"There is no such thing as zero risks in term of food safety, it is impossible for any country to make 100 percent of their foodstuff safe†¦ China-made products should not be labeled as substandard just because of a few bad producers† (Chang, 2007). Another example is China’s recent rejection of frozen poultry from Tyson Foods Inc., the world’s largest meat processor (Chang, 2007); China claims the meat was contaminated with salmonella. Other products rejected by China include frozen chicken feet from Sanderson Farms, Inc. for an anti-parasite drug, and frozen pork ribs from Cargill Meat Solutions Corp. for a leanness-enhancing feed additive. Chinese officials have even blamed the U.S. for some of China’s recent problems, claiming the contamination of goods occurred after being shipped to the United States. As an offshoot of the safety concerns of goods made in China, there is and will be further decline of goods purchased from China unless manufacturers start producing better quality goods. Until then, retailers will raise prices to remedy the higher cost of purchasing from other countries. The relationship between the U.S. and China may continue to get worse as both countries play tit-for-tat with the goods been imported. Revenue in China’s imports might decrease and the U.S. will be blamed for causing the decrease by dramatizing the defects of the imported goods. The issue of the safety of products made in China that the U.S. is trying to do what it can to remedy the situation, but the groundwork has to take place in China, especially with the independent contractors. Based on the recent rejection of U.S. imports, it seems as though China is not trying to resolve the problems. The government in China needs to stop being on the offensive and recognize the bottom line that people’s lives are at risk and it needs to get the situation under control as soon as possible. Future possibilities for resolving the problem are training Chinese officials to properly inspect products based on the World Trade Organization standards, which means enforcing tougher sanctions on producers for breaking the regulations and conducting more inspections. The U.S. needs to enforce tougher standards for U.S. retailers who accept substandard goods from China without conducting a proper inspection. It is impossible for the government to catch all the flaws or inspect 100 percent of the goods that come to the U.S. Regardless of the amount of inspectors assigned, so retailers should be mandated to conduct inspection. To ensure that retailers conduct proper inspections the government should provide training and penalize retailers who do not comply. In general, retailers should be more involved in the root of the manufacturing of all goods they purchase from China and other foreign countries. An example for retailers to follow is the American Fireworks Standards Laboratory (A FSL), a task force developed by U.S. fireworks importers to monitor production from the assembly line in China. On the same token, foreign manufacturers, especially China, need to learn how to curb their manufacturers and put an end to the frequency of the dangerous goods on the market. This whole ideal has not really affected China’s bottom line because the U.S. cannot honestly survive without buying products from China. Goods cost so much less when it is made in China than in the U.S. In the U.S., wages alone cut into the profit margin, and then there is the material, which is often imported from China. The major problem China faces is the damper in its reputation; a reputation that not a hundred percent to start with. Regardless of reputation, China will continue to be the world’s most cost effective manufacturer and generate large profits. References Barboza, D. (2007, July 27). China steps up defense of its products’ safety. International Herald Tribune. Retrieved August 2, 2007, from iht.com/articles/2007/07/27/business/safety.php Barboza, D. Lipton, E. (2007, June 19). As More Toys Are Recalled, Trail Ends in China. The New York Times. Retrieved August 2, 2007, from nytimes.com/2007/06/19/business/worldbusiness/19toys.html?ex=1197864000en=f298d5fad8155b1aei=5087excamp=GGBUtoyrecall Bezlova, A. (2007, August 2). China’s about-face on product safety. Asia Times Online. Retrieved August 2, 2007, from atimes.com/atimes/China_Business/IH03CB01.html Chang, A. (2007, July 14). China Fights Back, Goes After U.S. Meat. Associated Press. Retrieved August 2, 2007, from http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=3381526 Dabilis, A. (2007, July 14). If it’s â€Å"Made in China† you know its â€Å"junk†. The European Weekly. Retrieved August 2, 2007, from neurope.eu/view_news.php?id=76014 Is China trying to poison Americans and their pets? U.S. markets flooded with foods unfit for humans, tainted with carcinogens, pesticides, bacteria, drugs. (2007, May 27). WorldNet Daily. Retrieved August 2, 2007, from worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55892 Lewis, T. (2007, July 2). U.S. Companies Look More Closely At Chinese Products Schumer Calls for Creation of Import Czar. ConsumerAffairs.com. Retrieved August 2, 2007, from consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/07/china_senate03.html#to Newman, R. (2007, July 13). Made in China: Should You Worry? [Electronic version]. U.S. News World Report. Retrieved August 2, 2007, from usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/070713/13flowchart.htm Shedden, M. (2007, July 29). U.S. Governments Grapples With China Imports. The Tampa Tribune. Retrieved August 2, 2007, from tbo.com/news/money/MGB8X4FIN4F.html Smith-Spark, L. (2007, July 10). Chinese product scares prompt US fears. BBC News. Retrieved August 2, 2007, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6275758.stm Research Papers on Safety of Products Made in ChinaDefinition of Export QuotasMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductGenetic EngineeringAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseTwilight of the UAWPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfCapital Punishment

Quality Essay Writing Do You Need Proofreading or Editing

Quality Essay Writing Do You Need Proofreading or Editing Quality Essay Writing: Do You Need Proofreading or Editing? When writing an essay we understand there are many factors you must consider. But when you opt for using a writing service to get some help with polishing your writing, a critical factor to consider is the difference between proofreading and editing. Knowing the difference between these correcting processes, and what to expect from each service will help you obtain the essay you desire. Academic services can vary in price and nature. In order to best manage your expenses and expectations, we would like to take a moment to explain the difference between proofreading and editing. This will assist you in choosing the service you need. Most people employed in the writing professions realize that an edited document will still need proofreading. Editing deals with issues of style and flow, whereas proofreading relates to grammatical correctness, spelling and punctuation. The Mechanics of Proofreading Proofreading is usually reserved for the final draft of a document before it is printed, submitted or published. Proofreading generally takes place after editing so that all final corrections can take place, including corrections to the edited material. Proofreading covers three basic areas; spelling, grammar and punctuation. It also includes typos and in some cases, the regional use of language.   In order to interpret a proofread document you should familiarize yourself with proofreaders’ marks which can be found using a Google search. Proofreading and editing require a different mindset as proofreading, as a task, is very literal and relies on rules and regulations. Editing requires creative and critical thinking and uses a different area of the mind to accomplish the task, making proofreading and editing very hard to accomplish at the same time. The Art of Editing Editing is an art which deals with enhancing the style and flow of the written piece. Editing does not occur at the end of the writing process. Since it deals with style, it makes sense to use an editing service while the writing is underway, after you have your main ideas solidified. Editing can include condensing ideas, clarifying thoughts, rewriting sections and making sure the ideas expressed make sense. An editor will focus on keeping the writing concise and understandable, ensuring the document has a logical flow and progression. They may move pieces of the writing around, cut out redundant material and even have the license to add material as they see fit. Because editing takes creativity, critical thinking, rewriting and more effort then proofreading you can expect to receive a higher quality paper if editing is used before proofreading. You can also expect the price of editing to reflect the work it involves. As the saying goes â€Å"You get what you pay for†, and it applies in writing just like in any other industry. Quality essay writing necessitates editing and proofreading. They are both important components of the writing process. If you are confident in you grasp of English and have consistently received high marks for your writing style from teachers and professors, you may benefit from the time savings found with proofreading alone. If you find writing is not your strongest subject, or if you are a non native English speaker, you will likely benefit from both editing and proofreading services. At you can order quality custom essays written by top-rated academic experts.

What were the principal causes and consequences of the Essay

What were the principal causes and consequences of the Spanish-American War - Essay Example The paper tells that various wars were fought by Cuba in order to gain independence from Spain. Spain held the country as a colony ever since the end of the 19th century. These wars were labeled as the Cuban War of Independence. While these wars were being fought, Cuba’s status was slowly being changed. Slavery was abolished in October 1886 and many of these liberated slaves were able to gain positions as farmers or urban working class employees. These social changes caused rich people to lose their properties, downgrading their status to middle class. A significant amount of money was also flown into Cuba from the US, with amounts reaching almost 50 million dollars. While money was flowing into Cuba, issues on whether the country was US or Spanish territory were raised politically and economically. During the Cuban War of Independence, the last few months of the conflict triggered the bigger Spanish-American War. Spanish colonial policies were revised soon after the country e xperienced two major losses in the colonial wars. These defeats caused the loss of its colonies in the Americas and in the Peninsular Wars. Soon after, the concept of the Spanish empire was being redefined by Spain. Spain’s colonialism can be explained in terms of culture and language. Although oceans separated these territories from each other, their culture and language united them as Spanish colonies. CÃ ¡novas also claimed that Spain was remarkably different from other empires such as Britain, and France. As opposed to these empires, Spain uniquely contributed to spreading civilization to the New World.3 On the other hand, the US also had its own interests in the Caribbean area. According to the US Monroe Doctrine, it would not allow any interference in any states’ issues and goals in expanding their colonies. Interestingly, however, Spanish Cuban colonies were exempted from the statement. For Americans, Cuba has been attracted by offers to be brought from Spain a nd other Americans were also high in ‘their hopes of future annexation’4 of the country. The US government did not however consider the same possibilities for other Spanish colonies like the Philippines, Guam, or Puerto Rico.5 Canovas del Castillo was in charge of Spain’s restoration following the wars and it mandated General Martinez-Campos to control the uprisings in Cuba. The general was however unable to control these insurgent activities; he was then replaced by General Valeriano Weyler who succeeded in stripping the insurgents of their weapons and supplies; he also moved many of the insurgents into reconcentration camps. This move however enraged the US and labeled Spain’s actions as extermination, not civilized warfare.6 Towards the end of the 19th century, various factors eventually came together in the US which established its concerns on overseas expansion. Concerns were also growing on new markets and other sources for its raw material needs7. T he erratic economy of the late 1800s where the US was hit with depression, prompted the US to consider the foreign expansion of its markets. In effect, they saw the foreign market as a market which could take in their industrial and agricultural surpluses at the same time, one which they could also get their raw materials from8. Latin America and the Far East were considered fertile ground for its economic plans. America was however very much aware that in order for it to succeed in its economic expansion plans, it also needed to build a strong navy to protect its interests9. This meant that the US would have to establish its naval bases in the Pacific islands of the Far East, including the Philippines, Guam, and American Samoa10. A canal through Central America would therefore also be necessary for its economic expansion plans. Other elements also came into play in the Spanish-American war. The end of the 19th century also brought about the missionary expansion of American Protesta nt Churches11. These missionaries

Consumer Buying Behaviour & New Product Development Essay

Consumer Buying Behaviour & New Product Development - Essay Example   Though it might be argued that the patterns and stages of consumer purchasing are somewhat universal, each individual consumer maintains different preferences in terms of pricing, quality, as well as the level of utility offered by specific products. The utility can best be defined as a measure of satisfaction that a consumer receives from possessing or consuming goods and services (Boyes & Melvin, 2005). As such, consumers tend to make choices that offer them maximum utility. However, in order for marketing entities to deliver the products demanded by consumers, in the pursuit of maximizing utility and satisfying corporate profitability expectations, marketers must consider the methods by which consumers adopt new products. Before a consumer makes the decision to purchase a new product, they must first recognize the opportunities or problems with a life situation which needs improvement or correction. This is the first stage in the buying decision process whereby the consumer desires to provide a change or a resolution to an issue. For example, the consumer may recognize a specific problem: There is currently not an adequate supply of food in their refrigerator or the supply of food is not sufficient to their current tastes. Once the consumer recognizes that a problem or opportunity for change exists, they set out to correct the issue. During the second stage in the decision-making process, the consumer gathers the information necessary to attain a desirable solution to their recognized problem. This can be provided in the form of internal assessments or searching external sources of information. For instance, the consumer may make a mental review of a previous, positive experience with a particular brand or type of food product.  Ã‚  

Policy Making Processes in South Africa

Policy Making Processes in South Africa The National Government is accountable to the law making process regarding the rights and commitments of its citizens and delivery of services. The Constitution of South Africa provides in Section 43, three spheres of government in South Africa, namely, the National Government, Provincial Government and Local Government. In Section 40(1) of the Constitution it states that these spheres of government are distinctive, inter-related and inter-dependent. All three areas work under the Constitution as well as the laws and policies created by Parliament. Elected members sanction policies and laws as well as supervise the work of the departments. The department and public services are liable for the work delegated by government and are accountable to the Executive. In the Provincial Legislature, the Premier and Executive Council is responsible for the managerial executive and the administration is done by the Heads of Department and their staff. The local government or council are managed b y the Mayor and the Mayoral Committee and the administration is taken care of by the Municipal Manager, Heads of Department and their staff. The law making process The National Legislature is the authority that passes new laws, amend existing laws or repeal old laws. This same power exists for provincial legislatures in making provincial laws and municipal laws in respect of municipal by –laws. The process is as follow: Firstly, a draft bill is drawn up by the MEC, MPL or the standing committee. This is then published in the provincial gazette as well as other papers to notify the public. The public has 14 days to respond to the proposed drat. If there were any public comment, the department will make the changes. Secondly, the speaker will introduce the proposed Bill to the legislature. Thirdly, the legislature committee debates the bill. Public hearings can be hold and if there are any changes to the draft, it is referred back to the legislature. Fourthly, the Legislature debates the bill and a vote is then passed. The Bill is passed once a majority vote is in favour. If not, the Bill is rejected. Fifthly, the Premier of the Province signs the Bill into an Act. Lastly, the Act is published in the Provincial Government Gazette. The Role of the NCOP When a Bill is passed by the National Assembly it is given a number and referred to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP). The Bill is subject to the amendment proposed or rejected by the Council. The NCOP first needs to distinguished if the Bill contains issues that affects provinces (Section 76 Bill) or contains issues that do not affect the provinces (Section 75 Bill). If the Bill contains issues affecting provinces (Section 76 Bill) Members of the Select Committee approach their own provinces to review the Bill. Each provincial legislature gives a provincial mandate to make changes or leave it as it stands. Provincial representatives report back to the NCOP on their provincial decision. Then the selected committee negotiates the final version of the Bill, to report their decision or suggested changes to the NCOP. The NCOP considers the report, vote on the Bill and each province has a vote. It there are any proposed changes to the Bill, the NCOP refers it back to the National Assembly for approval. If the Bill contains issues that do not affect the provinces (Section 75 Bill) The NCOP considers the Bill, can either accept, reject or propose changes by the Select Committee. Each member of the NCOP votes according to their party decision. If the NCOP makes any changes to the Bill, it is then referred back again to the National Assembly for approval. If there are still differences in the agreement of the Bill, it can follow a mediation process. If this fails, the National Assembly can refer the Bill (Section 76 Bill) to the president to obtain a two thirds majority. If this does not happen the Bill falls away Once both houses accepts the final version of the Bill, it is then send to the President to be signed into an Act and law and then published in the Gazette. Once a law has been passed by the National Parliament it is up to the Provincial and Local Government on the implementation thereof The Role, Powers and Function of the Local Government in law-making According to Section 156(2) of the Constitution: â€Å"A municipality may make and administer by-laws for the effective administration of the matters which it has the right to administer†. The elected members to the municipality decide on the policies and by-laws for their area that needs to be approved and executed by law. The executive committee of the local council is accountable to present the by-laws. A by-law can only be passed if a majority vote in the municipal council was achieved, all members received reasonable notice and it was published in to elicit public comment. It must be understandable to the public. A by-law can only be imposed if it was published in the provincial gazette. Municipalities can prepare by-laws on matters that refer to Schedule 4B and Schedule 5B of the Constitution which gives Local Government the power to create and pass laws. Municipalities can also make laws on issues allocated by the National or Provincial Government. These issues depend on the category of the municipality to make these by-laws. A category ‘A’ municipality is referred to as a metropolitan municipality, a category ‘B† municipality is identified as a local municipality and a category ‘C’ is known as a district municipality. A metropolitan municipality makes by-laws on all affairs as listed per Schedule 4B and 5B of the Constitution and has the ability to make by-laws delegated by the Provincial or National Government. These affairs include by-laws affecting for example, air pollution, building regulations, local tourism and municipal planning, to name a few. These affairs are identified as Schedule 4B affairs. By-laws with regards to Schedule 5B is affairs that include display of billboards, keeping of cemeteries, licensing of dogs, markets and local abattoirs, to name a few. Local and district municipalities share the power to create by-laws. This has been controlled by the Municipal Structures Act. Section 84(1) of the Municipal Structures Act, states the powers and functions of the district municipality and obtained from Schedule 4B and Schedule 5B of the Constitution. According to Section 84(2) of the Municipal Structures Act, the local municipality has authority over all other local government matters not mentioned in section 84(1) in its jurisdiction. Examples are for instance on air pollution which is a Schedule 4B competency. A district municipality under section 84(1) has no power but the local municipality under section 84(2) has full power in the area of jurisdiction. The district municipality has no powers under Section 84(1) with regards to beaches and amusement facilities under Schedule 5B, but the local municipality under section 84(2) has full powers in the area of jurisdiction. THE ROLE, POWERS AND FUNCTION OF THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT IN LAW MAKING All nine provinces have their own legislature ranging from 30 up to 80 members depending on the number of votes received by the political party. The provincial legislature is accountable for making and passing laws for its province. The provincial government tables provincial Bills under Schedule 5B of the Constitution. These Bills must be accepted by the executive council and then published in the Provincial Gazette for public commentary. The provincial laws requires two thirds majority of the vote and are only operative in that specific province. An example is the ban on cell phones while driving in the Western Cape. A Bill is presented by the Speaker of the provincial legislature. The Standing Committee can invite public hearing and after consultation send a report to the provincial legislature. A vote is taken after the debate and the legislation is passed when a majority vote has reached. The Premier of the province has to sign the Bill into law. The Act then gets published and takes effect on the determined date. Provincial laws can be changed or interceded by Parliament if they challenge the interest of national or other provincial governments. According to the Constitution, provinces can have legislative and executive powers simultaneously with the national government over areas such as agriculture, cultural affairs, environmental issue, health services etc. Also, provinces has absolute proficiency over areas such as ambulance services, liquor licenses, provincial roads, planning and cultural matters

Poseidon Essay

God of the sea, protector of all waters. Poseidon is the brother of Zeus. After the overthrow of their Father Cronus he drew lots with Zeus and Hades, another brother, for shares of the world. His prize was to become lord of the sea. He was widely worshiped by seamen. He married Amphitrite, a granddaughter of the Titan Oceanus.At one point he desired Demeter. To put him off Demeter asked him to make the most beautiful animal that the world had ever seen. So to impress her Poseidon created the first horse. In some accounts his first attempts were unsuccessful and created a variety of other animals in his quest. By the time the horse was created his passion for Demeter had cooled. His weapon is a trident, which can shake the earth, and shatter any object. He is second only to Zeus in power amongst the gods. He has a difficult quarrelsome personality. He was greedy. He had a series of disputes with other gods when he tried to take over their cities. Poseidon was the second son of Cronus and Rhea. In most accounts he is swallowed by Cronus at birth but later saved, with his other brothers and sisters, by Zeus. However in some versions of the story, he, like his brother Zeus, did not share the fate of his other brother and sisters who were eaten by Cronus. He was saved by his mother Rhea, who concealed him among a flock of lambs and pretended to have given birth to a colt, which she gave to Cronus to devour.[3] According to John Tzetzes[23] the kourotrophos, or nurse of Poseidon was Arne, who denied knowing where he was, when Cronus came searching; according to Diodorus Siculus[24] Poseidon was raised by the Telchines on Rhodes, just as Zeus was raised by the Korybantes on Crete. According to a single reference in the Iliad, when the world was divided by lot in three, Zeus received the sky, Hades the underworld and Poseidon the sea. In the Odyssey (v.398), Poseidon has a home in Aegae. The foundation of Athens Athena became the patron goddess of the city of Athens after a competition  with Poseidon. Yet Poseidon remained a numinous presence on the Acropolis in the form of his surrogate, Erechtheus.[2] At the dissolution festival at the end of the year in the Athenian calendar, the Skira, the priests of Athena and the priest of Poseidon would process under canopies to Eleusis.[25] They agreed that each would give the Athenians one gift and the Athenians would choose whichever gift they preferred. Poseidon struck the ground with his trident and a spring sprang up; the water was salty and not very useful,[26] whereas Athena offered them an olive tree. Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, ca 440 BC The Athenians or their king, Cecrops, accepted the olive tree and along with it Athena as their patron, for the olive tree brought wood, oil and food. After the fight, infuriated at his loss, Poseidon sent a monstrous flood to the Attic Plain, to punish the Athenians for not choosing him. The depression made by Poseidon’s trident and filled with salt water was surrounded by the northern hall of the Erechtheum, remaining open to the air. â€Å"In cult, Poseidon was identified with Erechtheus,† Walter Burkert noted; â€Å"the myth turns this into a temporal-causal sequence: in his anger at losing, Poseidon led his son Eumolpus against Athens and killed Erectheus.†[27] The contest of Athena and Poseidon was the subject of the reliefs on the western pediment of the Parthenon, the first sight that greeted the arriving visitor. This myth is construed by Robert Graves and others as reflecting a clash between the inhabitants during Mycenaean times and newer immigrants. It is interesting to note that Athens at its height was a significant sea power, at one point defeating the Persian fleet at Salamis Island in a sea battle. The walls of Troy Poseidon and Apollo, having offended Zeus by their rebellion in Hera’s scheme, were temporarily stripped of their divine authority and sent to serve King Laomedon of Troy. He had them build huge walls around the city and promised to reward them well, a promise he then refused to fulfill. In  vengeance, before the Trojan War, Poseidon sent a sea monster to attack Troy. The monster was later killed by Heracles. Consorts and children Poseidon on an Attic kalyx krater (detail), first half of the 5th century BC. Poseidon was said to have had many lovers of both sexes (see expandable list below). His consort was Amphitrite, a nymph and ancient sea-goddess, daughter of Nereus and Doris. Poseidon was the father of many heroes. He is thought to have fathered the famed Theseus. A mortal woman named Tyro was married to Cretheus (with whom she had one son, Aeson) but loved Enipeus, a river god. She pursued Enipeus, who refused her advances. One day, Poseidon, filled with lust for Tyro, disguised himself as Enipeus, and from their union were born the heroes Pelias and Neleus, twin boys. Poseidon also had an affair with Alope, his granddaughter through Cercyon, his son and King of Eleusis, begetting the Attic hero Hippothoon. Cercyon had his daughter buried alive but Poseidon turned her into the spring, Alope, near Eleusis. Poseidon rescued Amymone from a lecherous satyr and then fathered a child, Nauplius, by her. After having raped Caeneus, Poseidon fulfilled her request and changed her into a male warrior. A mortal woman named Cleito once lived on an isolated island; Poseidon fell in love with the human mortal and created a dwelling sanctuary at the top of a hill near the middle of the island and surrounded the dwelling with rings of water and land to protect her. She gave birth to five sets of twin boys(the firstborn who being named Atlas) became the first rulers of Atlantis.[28][5][6][7] Not all of Poseidon’s children were human. In an archaic myth, Poseidon once pursued Demeter. She spurned his advances, turning herself into a mare so that she could hide in a herd of horses; he saw through the deception and became a stallion and captured her. Their child was a horse, Arion, which was capable of human speech. Poseidon also had sexual intercourse with Medusa on the floor of a temple to Athena.[29] Medusa was then changed into a monster by Athena. When she was later beheaded by the hero Perseus, Chrysaor and Pegasus emerged from her neck. There is also Triton (the merman), Polyphemus (the cyclops) and, finally, Alebion and Bergion and Otos and Ephialtae (the giants).[29]

Konnichiwa Means Good Afternoon in Japanese

If you want to greet someone in Japanese by saying good afternoon or good day, the word you want to use is Konnichiwa.   Konnichiwa is actually a shortened version of a full greeting. Over time, a more slang version of the term evolved in the Japanese language. â€Å"Konnichiwa was once the beginning of a sentence that went, â€Å"konnichi wa gokiken ikaga desu ka?,†Ã‚  or â€Å"How are you feeling today?† (ä »Å Ã¦â€" ¥Ã£  ¯Ã£ â€Ã¦ ©Å¸Ã¥ «Å'㠁„㠁‹ã Å'㠁 §Ã£ â„¢Ã£ â€¹ Writing Rules for Konnichiwa There is a rule for writing hiragana wa and ha. When wa is used as a particle, it is written in hiragana as ha. Konnichiwa is now a fixed greeting. However, in the old days it was a part of sentence, such as Today is ~ (Konnichi wa ~) and wa functioned as a particle. Thats why it is still written in hiragana as ha. The greeting can be changed to good evening, with, â€Å"Konbanwaâ€Å" where â€Å"this evening† is substituted for the word today. (ä »Å Ã¦â„¢ ©Ã£  ¯Ã£ â€Ã¦ ©Å¸Ã¥ «Å'㠁„㠁‹ã Å'㠁 §Ã£ â„¢Ã£ â€¹) Audio File: Listen to the audio file for Konnichiwa. Japanese Characters for Konnichiwa: 㠁“ん㠁 «Ã£  ¡Ã£  ¯Ã£â‚¬â€š More Japanese Greetings: Previous wordNext wordGreetings ArchiveSimple Japanese Phrases Sources: Rocket News 24, http://en.rocketnews24.com/2014/04/08/what-does-konichiwa-really-mean-understanding-japanese-greetings/