Urban Legends Essay -- essays research papers

Joel Beckwith Febuary 13, 2001 Urban Legends In this paper I will explain exactly what an urban legend is,and give some examples of very popular ones that have been passed by word of mouth for decades across the United States. 1 " An urban legend is a story that is so bizarre,horrifying,or unexplainable, that it makes something inside of us want to believe it." Urban Legends can have traced origins from other countries, universities, states, or people,that just decided to made up as incredible story and pass it on to their friends and family members. Many of these legends were started in the sixties and seventies, and still continue to be passed on to this day. A good example, is the horrifying Pop Rocks death. 2"In the seventies ,school kids passed on the rumor that if Pop Rocks candy was eaten with any kind of soda,the person's insides would explode". A legend that eventually forced the candy company company to prove as untrue. Most urban legends are began with "friend of a friend", which is a key in realizing that what you are going to hear is probably untrue. When I was in second grade, a famous legend was passed to me, the story of the ''well to Hell''. Reportedly, down in Mexico, a group of men were drilling holes in the ground looking for oil. These holes were thousands of feet deep, and the men heard horrifying screams coming from the depths below. Supposedly these these terrible sounds were coming from Hell. This story caused much debate among the Christian community, and was repeating in news letters, and radio talk shows around the country. Eventually, an urban legend investigator traced the story to a school teacher who admitted that she made the whole thing up. As legends are passed from person to person the stories are modified and changed until several versions of the story actually exist. A good example of a mixed story is the classic urban legend of the vanishing hitch hiker. Most versions of the story are told of a tall thin hitch hiker walking down the road until he gets picked up.As the stranger is in the car he stays quiet and doesn't speak until he says ''The end is near'' and disappears right before the drivers eyes. Other versions are told of a young girl who does the same thing sometimes the hitch hiker claims ''Jesus is coming again ''right befor... ...hich is which and who is who", we see the Wicked Witch of the West looking at the dead feet of the Wicked Witch of the East. For "up..up..up", the Witch is on top of a ramp; on "down..down.. down..", she is walking down. "And in the end", the dead Witch disappears. "Out..out..out", Good Witch Glynda exits in a bubble. The song "Brain Damage" is played as the scarecrow sings "If I Only Had a Brain." The heartbeat heard at the end of the album coincides with Dorothy listening to the Tin Man's heart. (These similarities are found at http://turnerclassicmovies.com) Urban legends and their history can be a very interesting thing to devote your time to. The library has many good books on urban legends, one of the best is "Too Good to be True: The Colossal Book of Urban Legends" by Jan Harold Brunvand. Jan Harold Brunvard has written other good books as urban legend references, including "The Baby Train" and "The Mexican Pet". Overall I enjoyed writing this report and I have found urban legends to be very interesting and I hope to explore them more as a personal hobby.

Chalillo Dam

FORTIS INC. AND THE CHALILLO DAM Professor Robert Sexty wrote this case solely to provide material for class discussion. The author does not intend to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a managerial situation. The author may have disguised certain names and other identifying information to protect confidentiality. Richard Ivey School of Business Foundation prohibits any form of reproduction, storage or transmission without its written permission. Reproduction of this material is not covered under authorization by any reproduction rights organization.To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, contact Ivey Publishing, Richard Ivey School of Business Foundation, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 3K7; phone (519) 661-3208; fax (519) 661-3882; e-mail [email  protected] uwo. ca. Copyright  © 2011, Richard Ivey School of Business Foundation Version: 2011-04-29 The executive offices of Fortis Inc. overlooked the harbour in St. John’s, Canada. Ships could be seen entering and exiting through the Narrows, the outlet to the North Atlantic Ocean. It had snowed and the trees on the Southside Hills were covered with a light dusting of white.H. Stanley Marshall, President and CEO, and John Evans, chief engineer, turned away from the view and began discussing the main issue the board of directors would confront at its next meeting in January 2002. Marshall and Evans were planning a presentation on the company’s Chalillo Dam project in Belize. They believed the project should proceed, but they had to convince the board of directors. The task was to make a recommendation including supporting arguments with a defence to counter the attacks being made on the project by international environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs).Fortis had to prepare for the negative publicity that would most likely occur if the project was approved. If the company was unable to make a convincing argument, it was unlikely the project would proceed. FORTIS CORPORATION Fortis Inc. was a diversified electric utility holding company headquartered in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. Fortis is a Latin word meaning strong, powerful, and firm. The Fortis international banking and insurance financial firm headquartered in The Netherlands and Belgium was not associated with Fortis Inc.In 2001, Fortis wholly owned Newfoundland Power Inc. , the principal distributor of power in the province of Newfoundland, and Maritime Electric Company, Limited, the main distributor in Prince Edward Island. Other financial interests included: ? ? ? FortisUS Energy Corporation, which operated four hydroelectric generating stations in upper New York state. Fifty per cent of Canadian Niagara Power Company, which sold energy to Canadian and U. S. customers. Twenty per cent of Caribbean Utilities Company Ltd. , the sole supplier of electricity on Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.This document is authorized to be used only in the BU111- Introduction to Business Organization course by Professor Leanne Hagarty, at the Wilfrid Laurier University from 09/10/2012 until 12/19/2012. Use outside these parameters is a copyright violation. S ? ? ? 9B11M026 Sixty-seven per cent of Belize Electricity Limited (BEL), the only distributor of electricity in Belize, Central America. One hundred per cent of Belize Electric Company Limited (BECOL), which owned a hydroelectric plant on the Macal River in Mollejon, Belize.A non-utility subsidiary, Fortis Properties, with investments in commercial properties in Atlantic Canada. 1 Exhibit 1 is a summary of Fortis’ financial performance for the years 1997 through 2001. FORTIS’ BELIZE OPERATIONS The Fortis operations in Belize embroiled the company in a social responsibility issue that consumed substantial costs, time, and energy. Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) had been owned by the government of Belize and was the main supplier of electricity in th e country. In October and November 1999, Fortis Inc. acquired 67 per cent of the company for $36 million in cash.It later acquired BECOL and a proposal by this company to develop a hydroelectric project in Belize received international attention and became a sensitive issue for management. At the time of acquisition, BEL served about 53,000 customers. It was able to meet the country’s peak demand of 44 megawatts from the Mollejon hydro plant, its own diesel-fired generation, and purchases of energy from Comision de Electricidad, the Mexican state-owned power company. During 2000, the company conducted a quarterly Customer Satisfaction Survey and received an average 85 per cent satisfaction rating.Several initiatives improved BEL’s performance, including expanded service, improved reliability, monthly visits to customers, and the implementation of convenient payment options for customers. 2 BEL enhanced its corporate image in several other ways. It reduced electricity r ates by seven per cent — a move targeted at commercial customers to assist in stimulating economic activity. 3 The company deployed operational teams from Newfoundland Power and Maritime Electric to repair damage caused by Hurricane Keith in the northern coastal regions of Belize on September 30, 2000.A safety program was implemented to reduce the risk of injury to employees and the public. This included the promotion of public safety and sponsorship of safety awareness campaigns. 4 BEL was concerned about the environment and initiated a program to meet compliance with the ISO 14001 environmental standard. It completed environmental cleanups at its generating plants and some diesel plants were decommissioned. The company signed a Memorandum of Intent to purchase excess capacity from Belize Sugar Industries, which had proposed construction of an electrical generation facility fuelled by sugar cane residue. BEL continued to improve its operations during 2001. Automated billing was introduced for its now 57,000 customers. Rural electrification projects continued in partnership with the Belizean government. These projects would eventually result in the closing of the remaining isolated diesel plants. A comprehensive safety audit was conducted and was the basis for a plan to increase employee safety. The 1 Generating Growth 2001 Annual Report, Fortis Inc. , pp. 10-24. Electrifying Growth 2000 Annual Report, Fortis Inc. , p. 16. 3 Ibid. , 35. 4 Ibid. , pp. 4, 16-17. 5 Ibid. , pp. 4, 18. 2This document is authorized to be used only in the BU111- Introduction to Business Organization course by Professor Leanne Hagarty, at the Wilfrid Laurier University from 09/10/2012 until 12/19/2012. Use outside these parameters is a copyright violation. Page 2 9B11M026 Customer Satisfaction Index continued high at 82. 5 per cent. The company worked with the government to develop energy resources to meet the demand for energy with the goal of achieving self-sufficiency. 6 BEL was sensitive to environmental concerns and continued to mitigate the environmental impact of its operations.In October, 2,600 customers were impacted by Iris, a Category IV hurricane which damaged 25 per cent of the distribution system, causing $4 million in damage. The company donated about $40,000 to the Belize Red Cross for relief activities and employees donated clothing, helped build shelters, and cooked and served meals to hurricane victims. 7 The economic performance of BEL is summarized in Exhibit 2. The company’s rates and minimum quality service standards were determined by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). Also, the company had a license to generate, transmit, distribute, and supply electricity until 2015.At that time, it had the right of first refusal on a subsequent license and if its license was not renewed, Fortis was to be paid the greater of market value or 120 per cent of net book value of assets. 8 For Fortis, the major event in 2001 was the purchase on January 26 of 95 per cent ownership in the Belize Electric Company Limited (BECOL) with the Belizean government owning the other five per cent. BECOL operated the only commercial hydroelectric station in the country at Mollejon on the Macal River. The plant produced 25 megawatts and was capable of delivering average energy of 80 gigawatt hours.BECOL’s entire output was sold to Belize Electricity under a 50-year power purchase agreement. 9 Fortis paid $103. 1 million for BECOL and considered it a good strategic fit with its operation of BEL. 10 BECOL planned to build another dam on the Macal River and that became a major issue for BEL and Fortis. THE COUNTRY OF BELIZE Belize was a sovereign, democratic state with a government operating on the principles of parliamentary governance based on the Westminster parliamentary system. Until 1973, the country was known as British Honduras.It became independent from Britain in 1981 but maintained membership in the British Commonweal th of Nations. The country was located on the eastern or Caribbean coast of Central America, bordered by Mexico and Guatemala. A low plain extended along the coast with the land rising in the interior, where mountains rose to 1,124 metres above sea level. Eighty-four per cent of the country was covered with forests and about 10 per cent had arable land. The country was 22,966 square kilometres and the climate was subtropical. The main industries were sugar, citrus, fisheries, and bananas with some timber operations, food processing, and construction.Tourism had become an increasing contributor to the economy. The largest city was Belize City, on the coast, which was the country’s commercial hub. Inland about 75 kilometres was Belmopan, the capital where the seat of government had been relocated from Belize City to escape from the storms that flooded coastal areas. The country’s population was less than 300,000. 11 The government believed that electrification was an imp ortant component in its attempts to improve the country’s economy. The possible development of another hydro plant on the Macal River, known as the Chalillo project, was critical to increasing the supply of electricity. Generating Growth 2001 Annual Report, Fortis Inc. , pp. 6, 17. Ibid. , pp. 3, 18. 8 Ibid. , p. 34. 9 Electrifying Growth 2000 Annual Report, Fortis Inc. , p. 6. 10 Generating Growth 2001 Annual Report, Fortis Inc. , p. 4. 11 â€Å"About Belize,† Government of Belize web site, www. governmentofbelize. gov. bz/about_belize. html, accessed December 29, 2008. 7 This document is authorized to be used only in the BU111- Introduction to Business Organization course by Professor Leanne Hagarty, at the Wilfrid Laurier University from 09/10/2012 until 12/19/2012. Use outside these parameters is a copyright violation. Page 3 9B11M026THE CHALILLO PROJECT Fortis, through BECOL, had proposed construction of a dam on the Macal River in the Cayo District of western Bel ize at a cost of about US$27. 3 million. The site was located in an unpopulated wilderness area, part of which was in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve and the Chaquibul National Park. These areas covered most of the southern half of the Cayo District (see Exhibit 3). It would produce 7. 3 megawatts of electricity for the Belize network and regulate the water flow of the river. The control over the water flow would increase the productivity and reliability of the Mollejon hydropower station downstream.The Chalillo project included the following: ? ? ? ? ? a 49. 5-metre-high and 340-metre-wide dam on the river a reservoir with a total surface area of 9. 5 square kilometres a powerhouse at the foot of the dam an 18-kilometre transmission line from the powerhouse to the Mollejon plant ancillary requirements including an access road and construction camp. 12 Project Justification As they had been working on the project for months, Marshall and Evans quickly identified its benefits, in particular for the Belizean economy and for the citizens of the country.Most importantly, the project would increase electrical output and raise energy self-sufficiency. The second dam on the Macal River would increase the productivity of the existing electrical plant at Mollejon. The output from the two plants would reduce reliance on petroleum generation, as diesel-fuelled generators could be closed. This would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the possibility of oil spills. A large portion of Belizean electrical energy was imported from Mexico under a contract that was to expire in 2008.The Mexican system experienced difficulties and was not a stable source, resulting in power outages in Belize. The completion of the Chalillo project meant that Belize would have a more reliable and secure supply of electricity, thus stabilizing and possibly reducing prices. Alternative sources of energy were examined by the government and BEL including thermal options (diesel and gas turbin es), biomass, Battery Energy Storage Systems, and solar and wind power. Studies by BEL determined that power generated from the hydro source was less expensive than any other type of power.However, BEL was committed to purchasing power from a bagasse-fuelled generation facility planned by Belize Sugar Industries Limited (BSI). The facility would produce energy by burning crushed sugarcane and wood waste from nearby sawmills. There were also auxiliary benefits from the project. The dam and reservoir would control flooding on the Macal River with significant economic, health and safety benefits to downstream residents, many of whom lived in the river’s floodplain. Also, there would be a steadier supply of water for residents, especially during the dry season.Employment would be created during construction and there would be economic benefits from supplying goods and services to the project. 13 12 Information for this section was obtained from â€Å"Chalillo Hydropower Project Summary,† brochure published by Fortis Inc. , Belize Electric Company Ltd. , and Belize Electricity Limited, October 2001, p. 10. 13 Most of the information for this section was obtained from â€Å"Chalillo Hydropower Project Summary,† brochure published by Fortis Inc. , Belize Electric Company Ltd. , and Belize Electricity Limited, October 2001, pp. 7, 10, 15-17.This document is authorized to be used only in the BU111- Introduction to Business Organization course by Professor Leanne Hagarty, at the Wilfrid Laurier University from 09/10/2012 until 12/19/2012. Use outside these parameters is a copyright violation. Page 4 9B11M026 Environmental Impact Fortis, through BECOL, was sensitive to the need for an environmental impact assessment. A five-volume Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on the â€Å"Macal River Upstream Storage Facility† (technical name for the Chalillo project) was submitted by BECOL to the Belizean government in August 2001. Two portion s of the EIA are discussed below.The Natural History Museum, London, England, conducted a wildlife impact assessment of the proposed Chalillo project in early 2001. The report confirmed that the area which would be impacted contained a rare and discrete floral floodplain habitat. This habitat relied on the flow of oxygenated water and the seasonal flooding following heavy rain. The project would adversely impact a biologically rich and diverse area, as well as many animals inhabiting the area, including jaguar, Baird’s tapir, Morelet’s crocodile, several species of monkeys, the Central American Scarlet Macaw, and various other bird life.The report concluded that mitigation of the negative impacts of large-scale dams on wildlife was usually irreversible and that mitigation efforts were often ineffective. 14 The Natural History Museum report applied conservation criteria to three options: ? ? ? Do not build the Chalillo dam. This was the best opportunity to avoid the imp act on key aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. It stated that, â€Å"This option should be considered seriously, especially if costs identified in reviews of the technical, socio-economic and environmental assessments †¦ re considered to outweigh the benefits of meeting the growing demand and utilization of electrical energy by increasingly criticised hydroelectric projects. † Select an alternative site for damming. If tributaries were dammed instead, they could potentially supply the same volume of water with less damage to the environment. But, this alternative would require technical, economic and environmental surveys. Proceed as planned. If this option were followed, it would not be possible to satisfactorily mitigate against most of the long-term impact to the environment.However, the report did identify measures that would partially alleviate some of the impact of construction and operation. 15 The report identified several measures to mitigate or offset the impact of the project, including: building roads to avoid sensitive wild plant and animal life sites, issuing safe and clear guidelines to drivers, prohibiting all hunting and settling in the area, providing fire protection, maintaining a minimum water flow in the river, and re-aerating water before releasing it downstream. 16 The concluding recommendation of the report was:Based on the rarity of the habitat, and the dependence on this habitat by several endangered species, the â€Å"No Build† option is highly recommended as the most suitable and appropriate option for the long-term viability and conservation of wildlife in Belize. 17 The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) hired AMEC, a British engineering and project management consulting firm, to prepare an environmental impact assessment of the Chalillo project. CIDA’s involvement was a form of aid to a developing country.The assessment was performed in accordance with the Belize Environmental Protection Act and the â€Å"Projects Outside Canada Environmental 14 C. M. Minty, â€Å"Preliminary Report on the Scientific and Biodiversity Value of the Macal and Raspaculo: A Wildlife Impact Assessment for the Proposed Macal River Upper Storage Facility† (Executive Summary), The Natural History Museum, London, England, May 24, 2001, http://old. probeinternational. org/catalog/pi/documents/belize/NHM9_05_01Wia15. pdf. 15 Ibid. , p. 49. 16 Ibid. , pp. 46-47. 17 Ibid. , p. 49.This document is authorized to be used only in the BU111- Introduction to Business Organization course by Professor Leanne Hagarty, at the Wilfrid Laurier University from 09/10/2012 until 12/19/2012. Use outside these parameters is a copyright violation. Page 5 9B11M026 Assessment Regulations† of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. CIDA’s report, dated August 2001, summarized the advantages and disadvantages of the project. Adverse predicted impacts were the risk to plant and animal species. There would be no predicted impact on population, tourism and ecreation, transportation and public safety, heritage and archaeological resources, water and air quality, parks and forest preserves, and aquatic resources. Positive predicted impacts would include labour force, economy, flood control, reliability of power supply, increased power self-sufficiency, and decreased cost of electricity. 18 The report’s conclusions regarding the Chalillo project on the Macal River included: 1. The project is presently the most economical option for generating power in Belize. 2.It is both technically and economically viable and will maximize the hydroelectric power generation of the river. 3. It will help decrease energy reliance on outside sources. 4. The electric utility will have the flexibility necessary to provide better service to its customers. 5. There will be significant flood control benefits to downstream stakeholders. 19 The studies called for a plan to implement the recommended mitigation measures, including the development of a contingency plan prior to construction. Also, a monitoring or compliance plan should be formulated. 0 Marshall and the Fortis management believed that the environmental impact had been adequately studied. Marshall stated that, â€Å"Fortis has undertaken a comprehensive study of the environmental implications of the Chalillo project and the benefits of the project to the people of Belize. †21 Opposition to the Project During 2001, criticisms and opposition were voluminous, some of which are listed in Exhibit 3. In addition, several Canadian print and broadcast media carried stories, there were letters to the editor in newspapers, and protest web sites were established.Numerous environmental ENGOs campaigned against the project, including Probe International (PI), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Sierra Club, the Sierra Club of Canada, the Belize Alliance of Conservation Non-Governmental Organizations (BACONGO), Humb er Environmental Action Group, Humber Natural History Society, Petitcodiac Riverkeeper, Action Environment, Defenders of Wildlife, Environment Coalition of Prince Edward Island, and Falls Brook Centre. In particular, Probe International carried out an aggressive campaign and coordinated the protests of other ENGOs. 2 PI was an environmental advocacy group that fought to stop ill-conceived aid, trade projects and foreign investments. It worked to give citizens the tools they needed â€Å"to stop these projects using the rule of law, democratic processes, and honest and transparent accounting. †23 It was a division of the Energy Probe Research Foundation, a well-known Canadian environmental and energy policy ENGO created in 1980. Its tactics included letter-writing to public officials, preparation and publishing of reports and articles, media releases, speech presentations, and public demonstrations. 18 Macal River Upstream Storage Facility Environmental Impact Assessment †“ Part 1 Main Report† (Executive Summary), AMEC and Canadian International Development Agency, August 2001, www. probeinternational. org/chalillo/news-andopinion/macal-river-upstream-storage-facility-environmental-impact-assessment. 19 Ibid. , Main Report, p. 18. 20 Ibid. , Executive Summary, ES-2 and ES-3. 21 â€Å"News Article,† Fortis Inc. web site, November 1, 2002, www. fortisinc. com/News/Article. aspx? id=134. 22 Fortis Belize web site, Probe International, www. probeinternational. org/fortis-belize/news_and_opinion. 3 â€Å"About Us,† Probe International web site, www. probeinternational. org/node/5818#tabs-tabset-1. This document is authorized to be used only in the BU111- Introduction to Business Organization course by Professor Leanne Hagarty, at the Wilfrid Laurier University from 09/10/2012 until 12/19/2012. Use outside these parameters is a copyright violation. Page 6 9B11M026 The other main opposition came from NRDC, an environmental action group founded in 1970. Its mission was to safeguard the Earth: its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends.It had offices in seven U. S. cities, staff of about 300 lawyers, scientists and policy experts, and about one million members. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. , a lawyer, was the main spokesperson for NRDC on the Chalillo project. 24 Probe International maintained an elaborate web site in opposition to the project. Another web site devoted exclusively to the Chalillo project was Stop Fortis! at www. stopfortis. org, which contained extensive information on the project, including photographs. Several environmental groups placed advertisements in Canadian newspapers.The wording in one advertisement included: Look her [a jaguar] in the eyes. Now explain why a Canadian company wants to destroy her home. It won’t be easy. Fortis Inc. of Newfoundland plans to profit from it †¦ with a dam that makes no sense. Look him [Stan Marshall] in the eye s. And tell Fortis CEO Stan Marshall that it is wrong to destroy one of the wildest places left in all of Central America. 25 Readers were invited to visit a web site, www. stopfortis. org, or call toll free 1-866-STOP-FORTIS. The criticisms of Fortis’ practices and the dam’s construction are summarized in Exhibit 4.Fortis, and Marshall in particular, responded to this criticism. A news release was made on November 1, 2001, called â€Å"Decision to Build Hydroelectric Dam in Belize Should Reside with Belizeans. † The main points made in the release were: ? ? ? ? Belizeans should decide on the construction of the dam. Contrary to information from ENGOs, the dam is economically feasible and will ensure a more stable energy supply. Information presented by ENGOs is misleading the media about the environmental impact of the project. Fortis is willing to review its business activities with stakeholders. 6 In a story in The Telegram on November 2, Marshall stated to a reporter that, â€Å"This bombardment in the media of misleading information is putting enormous pressure on me, attacking me personally and inundating the media with lies. † He also said, â€Å"Whatever we do as an electric company will impact the environment, but it’s a question of how well we can manage our activities. On balance, this project is a good one. If I felt personally that we were going to threaten an endangered species and wipe it out — no. I would not propose going ahead with it. †27In mid-2001, the Belizean government’s National Environmental Appraisal Committee began its evaluation of the project. The Committee was comprised of nine government members and two nongovernment members representing the Association of National Development Agencies and BACONGO. In mid-November 2001, the Committee granted the environmental clearance for construction of the Chalillo dam, as the economic and other benefits of the project outweighed the env ironmental costs. Its decision was â€Å"conditional upon the development and signing of the Environmental Compliance Plan (ECP), which 24Natural Resources Defense Council web site, www. nrdc. org/about. â€Å"Look her in the eyes,† advertisement, The Telegram, St. John’s, Newfoundland, October 18, 2001, D11. 26 â€Å"News Article,† Fortis Inc. web site, November 1, 2002, www. fortisinc. com/News/Article. aspx? id=134. 27 Will Hilliard, â€Å"Dam opponents misled: Fortis,† The Telegram, St. John’s, Newfoundland, November 2, 2001, A3. 25 This document is authorized to be used only in the BU111- Introduction to Business Organization course by Professor Leanne Hagarty, at the Wilfrid Laurier University from 09/10/2012 until 12/19/2012.Use outside these parameters is a copyright violation. Page 7 9B11M026 would incorporate the mitigation measures identified in the EIA in addition to those recommended during the evaluation process. †28 Opponents of the project immediately criticized the decision, claiming that the government was biased. The government members voted for the project and the prime minister had publicly supported the project. Critics also pointed out the lack of public consultation during the evaluation process. They claimed the public hearings being held after the announcement were to present or explain the decision.This approach contravened law that required public hearings with submissions from interested stakeholders. 29 The Decision and Expected Opposition Looking back over the past year, Marshall and Evans were amazed at the extent of the opposition and criticism. Even with the Belizean government’s approval, they realized that the coming year would most likely be more of the same. Some of the circumstances and challenges that Fortis’ management faced were: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Legal action seeking injunctions or stoppage of the project in the Belizean, Canadian and British court systems.Po litical lobbying by ENGOs of government agencies, officials and politicians in Belize and Canada. Pressures to reduce electricity prices and certainly against increasing them. Customer satisfaction measures might decline if lower prices were not delivered. Protests against the project through letters to the editor, demonstrations at Fortis properties, and petitions. More celebrity â€Å"protest† appearances. Newspaper advertising against the project. Shareholders might be concerned and there might be questions from activists at the Annual Shareholders Meeting.The social investing concept was increasing in popularity. Calls for more environmental studies and challenges from ENGOs on the accuracy of EIAs. Constant monitoring and evaluation by ENGOs of everything related to the project. Adverse media coverage. The political environment might change in Belize if a different party was elected to govern. The project had consumed a lot of time, energy and resources and Marshall and Evans wondered whether or not it was worth it. There might be less demanding projects which would add as much value to the company.They turned away from the harbour view and started to draft their report and recommendation to the board of directors. 28 â€Å"Chalillo Dam receives Environmental Clearance,† Press Release, Ministry of the Environment, November 13, 2001, http://sanpedrosun. net/old/01-453. html. 29 â€Å"Chalillo Dam – Who will benefit? † (Editorial), The San Pedro Sun, 11:46, November 22, 2001, http://sanpedrosun. net/old/01-463. html. This document is authorized to be used only in the BU111- Introduction to Business Organization course by Professor Leanne Hagarty, at the Wilfrid Laurier University from 09/10/2012 until 12/19/2012.Use outside these parameters is a copyright violation. Page 8 9B11M026 Exhibit 1 SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA FORTIS INC. 1997-2001 (In Canadian Dollars) Operating Revenues (‘000$) Operating Expenses (‘000$) Income Taxes (‘000$) Share Earnings (‘000$) Total Assets (‘000$) Book Value per Share $ Dividend per Share $ Share Price (closing) $ 1997 486,662 341,024 29,449 30,006 1,017,396 25. 58 1. 76 42. 00 1998 472,725 339,429 22,998 27,414 1,037,192 26. 09 1. 80 38. 25 1999 505,218 356,227 27,476 29,183 1,238,597 26. 21 1. 81 31. 40 2000 580,197 417,607 17,228 36,759 1,478,596 7. 89 1. 84 36. 00 2001 628,254 418,347 28,088 53,442 1,642,752 29. 97 1. 87 46. 95 Source: â€Å"Historical Financial Summary,† Generating Growth 2001 Annual Report, Fortis Inc. , pp. 58-59. Exhibit 2 BELIZE ELECTRICITY LIMITED FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE 2000 AND 2001 (In Canadian Dollars) Earnings Energy Sales Revenues Power Expenses Other Operating Expenses Earnings Contributed to Fortis Inc. Capital Expenditures Long-Term Debt 2000 $8. 2 m 229 GWh $63. 6 m $30. 6 m $13. 6 m $5. 5 m $21. 0 m $60. 6 m 2001 $9. 3 m 257 GWh $72. 4 m $34. 8 m $14. 2 m $6. 3 m $27. 6 m $84. 3 mSource: Electrifying Growth 2000 Annual Report, Fortis Inc. , pp. 35-36, and Generating Growth 2001 Annual Report, Fortis Inc. , pp. 3, 33-34, 38, 48. This document is authorized to be used only in the BU111- Introduction to Business Organization course by Professor Leanne Hagarty, at the Wilfrid Laurier University from 09/10/2012 until 12/19/2012. Use outside these parameters is a copyright violation. Page 9 9B11M026 Exhibit 3 SELECTED ACTIVITIES OPPOSING THE CHALILLO PROJECT DURING 2001 February 2 May 5 May 20 June 3 August 29 September 20 October 4 October 12 October 18 October 29 October 30October 31 November 1 November 30 December 2 December 4 December 1823 December 31 Belizean newspaper, The Reporter, carries a story about a school teacher allegedly being fired because he opposed the project M. P. Keith Martin requests release of environmental impact assessment in the Canadian House of Commons Oral Question Period The Reporter carries story that proposed dam could flood Maya ruins The Reporter carries st ory claiming Canadians not being told the truth about the Chalillo project Probe International complains to Minister of International Cooperation about CIDA’s secrecyHarrison Ford speaks out against the proposed dam Opposition MP Svend Robinson expresses concern about project to Minister of International Cooperation Probe International and other groups write a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs calling for the government to stop supporting the dam Coalition of environmental groups launch a series of â€Å"hard hitting† advertisements in Atlantic Canadian newspapers opposing the dam Probe International writes a letter to Fortis’ board of directors regarding the company’s refusal to meet with citizens groups Greg Malone, St.John’s comedian, starts campaign to save endangered creatures National Post editorial states that what Belize needs is a free energy market rather than an uneconomical dam Harrison Ford, Robert Kennedy, and others lobby aga inst dam that could destroy a forest at a Toronto Stock Exchange press conference Concerned citizens from across Atlantic Canada hold regional day of action in opposition to the project Environmental NGOs announce they will be contacting Fortis’ major shareholders Probe International files a complaint against CIDA’s involvement with the hydro schemeRobert Kennedy Jr. travels to Belize to support citizens opposing the dam Conservation groups claim that the Belizean government’s clearance for the hydro project is illegal Source: Compiled from Belize Fortis Campaign, pp. 13-20, Probe International web site, www. probeinternational. org/fortisbelize/news_and_opinion. This document is authorized to be used only in the BU111- Introduction to Business Organization course by Professor Leanne Hagarty, at the Wilfrid Laurier University from 09/10/2012 until 12/19/2012.Use outside these parameters is a copyright violation. Page 10 9B11M026 Exhibit 4 MAIN CRITICISMS OF THE CHALILLO PROJECT ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? The threat to wild and plant life, especially endangered species. The dam would exacerbate the water quality problems downstream. The dam might flood Maya ruins, destroying the cultural landscape. Limestone caves might drain the reservoir. The claim that the project was uneconomical and not the cheapest option. The only reason the project was viable was because BEL had a monopoly and could recover costs from captive customers.Fortis’ unwillingness to consider alternative sources, denying consumers better and cheaper electricity. The allegation that Fortis asked the Canadian government, through CIDA, to pay for a study justifying the project. It was claimed that the study was biased, involved too much secrecy, and failed to promote and ensure effective stakeholder consultation. According to environmental groups, Fortis denied them access to pertinent information and failed to consult them. Fortis would not make its own geology studies and e ngineering plans public or agree to an independent panel review.There was insufficient information on the impact of the project. Source: Compiled from Belize Fortis Campaign, pp. 13-20, Probe International web site, www. probeinternational. org/fortisbelize/news_and_opinion. This document is authorized to be used only in the BU111- Introduction to Business Organization course by Professor Leanne Hagarty, at the Wilfrid Laurier University from 09/10/2012 until 12/19/2012. Use outside these parameters is a copyright violation. Page 11

Counter-Productive Behavior Indexâ„¢

Counter-Productive Behavior Indexâ„ ¢ Every single day employees don't show for work, steal cash and inventory, surf the web, e-mail on company time, and disrupt the workplace. It is burning up billions of dollars of profits and inventory each and every year. The Counter-Productive Behavior Index (CBI) is a contemporary integrity test – a cost-effective screening procedure for identifying job applicants whose behavior, attitudes, and work-related values are likely to interfere with their success as employees. The CBI consists of an objective questionnaire with 140 true/false items that can be completed by the job applicant in about 15 minutes. CBI is a self-scoring assessment available in both English and Spanish. The candidate completes a questionnaire which is then scored within seconds by the hiring manager or assistant. A manager's interview question guide is available. (Free with the first purchase). NEW! An online version called Candid Clues is available too. Candid Clues generates an objective report addressing degree of potential concern about the six major areas identified below, a measure of overall or total concern, and an assessment of self-serving response bias. Counter-Productive Behavior Index is the most cost-effective pre-employment screening test to identify high-risk and disruptive work-related attitudes and behaviors: †¢Employee Dependability †¢Honesty †¢Substance Abuse †¢Computer Abuse †¢Workplace Aggression †¢Sexual Harassment CBI is the perfect solution for all size businesses. Saves time and money. How CBI Works The basic meaning of the scores are as follows: Dependability Concerns. Low scorers are dependable, conscientious, and reliable. High scorers can be undependable, careless, lazy, and disorganized. Aggression Concerns. Low scorers handle their feelings well and are unlikely to be disruptive. High scorers can be aggressive, hostile, disruptive, and have poor control of their anger. Substance Abuse Concerns. Low scorers have no problems with alcohol and/or illegal drugs. High scorers report substantial use of alcohol and/or illegal drugs and may be disruptive. Honesty Concerns. Low scorers have no problem with workplace dishonesty. High scorers have the potential for dishonest behavior in the workplace. Computer Abuse Concerns. Low scorers use their workplace computers only for work-related uses. High scorers use their computers in ways that are unrelated to their work activities or are disruptive to their work. Sexual Harassment Concerns. Low scores are unlikely to engage in sexual harassment at work. High scorers have attitudes and behaviors regarding sexuality that are likely to be considered as harassment by the opposite sex. Overall Concerns. Low scorers report few instances of workplace deviance. High scorers report a wide range of deviant behaviors in the workplace and are likely to be problematic employees. (The Overall Concerns score is included in order to help identify applicants whose individual scale scores might all fall below the cutting score for inclusion in the Concern category, but whose total score does identify them as worthy of special attention. It is important to note that high Overall scores still require a close examination of the six individual scale scores. ) Good Impression. Low scorers are open about acknowledging their normal faults and imperfections. High scorers deny normal shortcomings and exaggerate personal virtues, suggesting that their scores on the other scales may be artificially depressed by their efforts to make a good impression. Scores on this scale can be used to determine the degree of confidence that should be placed in the remainder of the profile.

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buy custom Rise of Capitalism essay Capitalism is a social and an economic system in which the land and capital, means of production or non-labor factors of production are owned by individuals (privately owned). This means that the labor, goods and other resources are traded in the market with the aim of making profit. The profit is then distributed to owners or even invested in industries and other technologies. In other words, this is a system where factors that make money, like the communications, factories, transportation system and land are owned by private traders and corporations with the aim of making profit. Private means of production, manufacturing of goods and services with the aim of making profit, wages and prices are the elements of capitalism. The economic elements of capitalism include the items like commodities which may be consumer or capital goods, money, labor power, cost of production, pricing and means of production. This usually leads to small group of people having a lot of wealth and big corpo rations hence creating an economic inequality between poor and the rich (John, 2000). Capitalism stresses on the individual economy enterprise freedom. Capitalism has been there from time of industrial revolution where it existed in limited forms in all civilizations economies. In Britain, merchants, industrialist and bankers started displacing ladowners due social, economic and political importance. This however was abused capitalism, government needed to take action so as to curb this; this was like the case of the slavery in United States and Britain and the apartheid in South Africa. This gave rise to monopolist cartels and the frauds in finance sector. Capitalism made the British to be faced with a lot of crises in many sectors like labor and social welfare. Due to unchecked situation, the Britain workers continued to struggle and demanded for more freedom and wages in the employment sectors like industries (Mark, Joel, Christopher Stephen, 2008). By the end of 19th century in United States, direction and the control of large areas of industries came into hands of financiers, trust and also holding companies. By this time, many companies or oligopolistic firms were getting or earning supernormal profits in their operations. Some of the major characteristics of capitalism in this era included the establishment of monopolies or large industrial cartels, management and the ownership of industries by financiers, changed process of production to profit making business; development of banking system that was complex and holding of corporate capital through the ownership of stocks. In late 19th century, Britain saw the industrial capitalism likee supernatural hands which had powers to make a country succeed. This was mainly expressed when Britain became first nation to be industrialized. The economic and political development in the Britain was seen to have been driven by the British capitalism. British capitalism was seen as a model which needed to be followed by other countries for them to be able to develop politically and economically. In 200 years since American constitution was written, there were some striking American capitalism attributes which included the organized improvement of North American continent natural resources; the diversification that was deliberate of national economy from agriculture into mining, services and manufacturing; and public policy effectiveness in promoting growth. The tension between the public and private interest was rising in United States mainly due to increased interest by the individuals to get everything to their own or rather maximizing on their profits. Individuals were putting the interest of their own as first priority rather than the welfare of whole society. Markets were supposed to be guided by a clear system which could not favor the interest of few individuals. Market was supposed to be guided by policies which were to look and serve the interest of the public and not giving few individuals a chance of making abnormal profits (Rubinstein, 1994). Buy custom Rise of Capitalism essay

HOW TO FIND EXPERT SOURCES FOR ARTICLES

HOW TO FIND EXPERT SOURCES FOR ARTICLES Quotes from experts on a topic lend authority to your articles, and can make the difference between a sale to a magazine and another rejection slip for your collection. What kind of experts should you look for? Doctors are the number one expert for any sort of medical topic. If you’re covering legal matters, talk to a lawyer. A professor or scientist who’s published research on a subject is an expert, as is anyone who teaches the subject, works in a field related to the subject, or who has written a nonfiction book on the topic. Interviewing these people and including their thoughts and comments in your article gives readers – and editors – the information they’re looking for. So how do you find these experts? One or all of the following should yield you multiple authorities you can interview on almost any topic: People you know. Your personal doctor, the lawyer who’s your neighbor and the fitness instructor who goes to your church are all potential experts you could interview. These people are often the easiest for you to contact, but their knowledge may not always be the best, and after very many articles your small circle of acquaintances won’t yield enough experts to sustain your writing career. Any large University. Universities have media liaisons whose primary job is to connect the professors, research fellows, doctors at the university hospital, and others with journalists who are eager to hear what these professionals have to say. Call the University’s main number, ask for the media relations department and explain what you’re writing about.Chances are the liaison will find you an expert to interview. Profnet (profnet.com) This is my personal favorite. Register for free as a journalist with Profnet, then post your query. You can select the type of people you want to interview (professors, doctors, book authors) etc. andProfnet will send the query out to thousands of colleges and universities, large corporations, public relations firms and individuals who will contact you Help a Reporter Out. (helpareporter.com) Like Profnet, this is a service where you can post a query and receive responses from people all over the United States who are willing, even eager, to help you. If you think these experts won’t want to talk to little old you, think again. People like to talk about themselves and their interests. If you can possibly get their name in a magazine one day, so much the better. Tips to keep in mind: Have a list of questions prepared for your interview. Some sources want to see these beforehand. Always ask â€Å"Who else should I talk to about this subject? I’ve gotten some terrific leads to other experts this way. Say thank you. Send a follow-up email or written note. And be sure to send a copy of the article when it’s published.

Web Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Web Security - Essay Example Web security manages and secures web traffic by sorting threats of web malware, blocking URL’s containing inappropriate content, and prevents the loss of confidential data over protocols on the web. Attackers use the web to deliver viruses such as malware. A huge percentage of breaches involve crimes that target corporate information. Another challenge of brand impairment occurs when the contractors or employees make postings that are inappropriate to sites of social networking. Therefore, the on-site contractors and employees expose an organization to legal uncertainties by visiting sites containing inappropriate content. Consequently, the productivity of an organization will suffer if the contractors and the employees exceed the use of the web during working hours. Web security ensures that the confidential information and networks are available and secure. Also, it protects the networks coming from outside such as malware posted over the web. Web security enhances the web p rotection and reduces the legal exposure by blocking restricted sites. Subsequently, it scans email of the internet and other web traffic that are outbound to reduce the loss of confidential data. It also prevents and detects proliferation to protect the end users against application threats. Web security also chooses among hosted, appliance, and premises options for web filtering and web security. Table of Contents WEB SECURITY. 1 MEMORANDUM 1 ABSTRACT. 6 INTRODUCTION 6 BACKGROUND 7 OBJECTIVES 8 FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO WEB SECURITY 8 Human and Technological Factors 9 The knowledge of the user 9 The technology that is in use at that particular time 9 Tools for Security 9 The necessary tools available for security 9 SECURITY CAN BE ACHIEVED BY ADDRESSING 9 User and Technology Factors 10 Responsibility of the User 10 Relevance to Security 10 Sweet Development 11 Design 12 Visualization 12 HISTORY OF WEB SECURITY 12 History of Web Tools 13 Preventing SQL injection 13 Creating awaren ess to web security 14 Tools to detect web attacks 14 Web versus desktop applications 15 Intelligent information systems 16 INTERNET CONTROLS: 16 Intrusion Detection System: 17 Signature-based network intrusion detection system: 18 Analysis-based network intrusion detection system: 18 Firewalls: 19 Encryption program: 19 Honey popts: 19 CONCLUSION 20 REFERENCE 21 3.Singh, Brijendra and Agarwal, Pooja. â€Å"Algorithm for Web Server Security† IETE Journal of Research57.5 (Sep 2011): 413-422. 22 6.Hossain, Md Safaet and Hossain, Md Shazzad. â€Å"Web Test Integration and Performance Evaluation of E-Commerce Web Sites† International Journal of Computer Science and Information Security10.9 (Sep 2012): 65-69. 23 7.Serrhini, Mohammed. Moussa, Abdelazziz Ait. â€Å"Home Users Security and the Web Browser Inbuilt Settings, Framework to Setup IT Automatically† Journal of Computer Science9.2 (2013): 159-168. 23 9.Volkoviy, Andrei and Chekhov, Ilia. â€Å"Use of Mobile Ap plications in Security and Safety Systems† Information & Security28.1 (2012): 146-153. 24 APPENDIX A. GLOSSARY 25 IT Systems: These are secure systems developed and can automatically detect threats and ensure that they are removed without the involvement of the user. 26 APPENDIX B. RESEARCH METHODS. 28 ABSTRACT. This final report discusses the topic of web security and some of the risks that internet users all over the world experience. Over the years, web security has grown to become a very crucial part of our daily life. This is shown by the manner in which most of the world population conducts their business (Alanazi, Fahad, &Mohamed, 2011 87). These include, doing bank transactions,

Technology and the Written Word Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Technology and the Written Word - Essay Example However, in the ancient world, writing was not practical for most due to technological limitations. Written language as we know it today is the product of thousands of years of technological advancement, not advancement in the language itself. From papyrus to typesetting to computers, the history of language is a history of technology. The situation is no different today with the introduction of new communication mediums like text messaging, email, and the internet, all of which have had significant effects on how we communicate and live in the community. From the technology we use to communicate in the modern world we derive a number of benefits, such as the ability to store, transmit, and link texts remotely from anywhere on the globe to anywhere else. However, there does seem to be, for some, a backlash of complaints against technological advancement and the drawback it has on global language use, including the objection that technology corrodes proper language use and forces soci al interaction through electronic means to be empty. In comparison with the benefits of technology on language, these costs of a technology-laden form of communication are slight, and it is a mistake to argue that technology is corrupting language when technology has been enhancing communication for the past five to six thousand years. The fact that all technology influences language is an undeniable fact. Technology is, as a matter of fact, a â€Å"means to extend man’s reach† (Moore, 2005), and this fact alone relates it to natural languages. To use an example, air-traffic controllers use radio communication to make airplane travel safer. It is derived from radar and weather-forecasting technologies and is sent to users of aircraft technology to transport people to locations they would never otherwise be able to reach, in order to speak to people face to face instead of over the phone. This interconnection of language and technology