The United Kingdom and the European Union

The United Kiingdom is one of several European states which make up the European Union. The UK joined the European Union in 1973 for the purpose of strenghtening its economic and political relations with other European states. The UK sought to boost its trade links with other nations in continental Europe, through the liberalized common market. The UK was motivated to join the EU to export more manufactured goods to other European countries with fewer restrictions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The United Kingdom and the European Union specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More All EU member states are required to remove barriers on movement of goods, people and labor between their borders. UK’s association with the EU has helped the country benefit from strong economic ties with other nations in Europe. The country’s Industrial and financial sectors, have greatly benefited from strong relations the country has with other EU member states (Bannin 67). The UK government’s engagement with other EU member states has been mainly influenced by the benefits it gets from the common market. Political leaders in the country have been skeptical of treaties between member states, which allow for free migration of labor and adoption of the Euro as a single currency for all member states. The UK government refused to accept the Schengen agreement, which allows people to move freely across borders of EU member states with fewer restrictions. The UK government has also failed to agree with other states on various issues which are important to the future of the EU. The EU is currently facing a lot of economic challenges which have discouraged Britain from contributing funds to assist troubled member states. Several EU member states are experiencing severe economic problems caused by poor fiscal and financial policies (Gowland 87). EU member states have been forced to intorduce policies to help faltering member states revive their economies. The association between UK and the EU has several implications for both parties. The financial services sector in the country has linkages with other financial systems in Europe. There is an increase in the volume of financial transactions done between UK firms and those in other EU member states due to liberalized trade policies. The concept of free trade and open borders allows more British businessmen to take advantage of economic opportunities in other EU member countries (Burrell 59). This economic integration has made banking operations in the UK more intertwined with those in Germany, France, Italy and other European states.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, stock brokerage firms and banks in the UK are more susceptible to financial risks from other countries in Europe. For instance, the recent debt crisis which affected Greece, Portugal and Spain has had a negative impact on UK’s economy (Geddes 75). Some consumers in these countries have low incomes and this has caused a reduction in the volume of exports from UK to these countries. UK laws have been amended to comply with EU statutes which all member countries need to abide by. Some EU laws have been adopted as part of common laws observed in the country and they are enforced by all legal institutions. Some of the EU laws adopted in the country relate to human rights, free movement of labor and immigration. UK citizens are free to seek employment opportunities in other EU member states with fewer restrictions. Likewise, citizens of other EU member states are free to seek employment opportunities in the UK without any restrictions. Therefore, UK citizens have become more exposed to diverse cultures from other European states (Gowland , Turner and Wright 69). The EU has encouraged people from different countries in Europe to b uild positive relationships. The British political system is a constitutional monarchy which has been in existence for many centuries. Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state and the government is headed by the Prime Minister. The UK government is democratically elected by citizens who choose various political representatives to represent them in government. The country is a multi party state. The Conservative Party and the Labor Party are the two strongest political parties in the country. The two parties have produced the largest number of Prime Ministers and members of parliament in the last century. However, on several occasions, they have formed coalitions with smaller political parties to increase their parliamentary majority after general elections. The leader of the party which wins a majority number of parliamentay seats after elections have been conducted automatically assumes the position of Prime Minister (Mc Annula 56). There are several devolved government authorities in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland which deal with issues affecting their citizens. These three territories have their own legislative assemblies which are semi-autonomous. The legislative assemblies in these territories operate under parliamentary acts passed in the House of Commons. The House of Commons, is the overall UK parliament where 620 representatives from their respective constituencies sit and legislate various laws which are enforced throughout the country. The House of Lords reviews acts passed by The House of Commons and wields the power to veto some decisions made by members of parliament , if its members feel they are not good for the country. The judiciary in the UK follows different sets of laws which are practiced and observed in different territories (Coe and Jones 89). English common law is mainly observed and practiced in England and Wales while Scottish law is a set of unique laws practiced in Scotland.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The United Kingdom and the European Union specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More UK’s economy is mainly influenced by free market principles. Major sectors of the economy include agriculture, industrial and service sectors. The agricultural sector contributes less than 2 percent of the country’s GDP. However, it services more than 60 percent of local food demand in the country. Manufacturing industries contribute an estimated 22 percent of the country’s GDP. Automotive and aerospace components produced in the UK bring the country a lot of revenue every year. The service sector is the largest economic sector and accounts for more than 75 percent of UK’s GDP. The country’s financial system is one of the largest in the world; dominated by the London Stock Exchange, Bank of England and the London Metal Exchange. The country also benefits from high tourism revenues because it receives more than 20 million vi sitors every year (Giudice, Kuenzel and Springbett 112). These high tourist numbers are beneficial to the country’s economy. There are a lot of natural resources in the UK which are yet to be exploited fully. In the past, coal and iron ore were the most important minerals in the country because they were heavily utilized during the early years of the industrial revolution. Iron ore helps in the production of steel which is a crucial component in the manufacture of aerospace and vehicle parts (Giudice, Kuenzel and Springbett 116) . The UK ‘s economy faces various challenges because unemployment rates currently stand at an estimated 7 percent. Works Cited Burrell, Kathy. Polish Migration to the UK in the ‘New’ European Union: After 2004. Cornwall: TJ International, 2009. Print. Coe, Neil, and Andrew Jones. The Economic Geography of the UK. Thousand Oaks : Sage, 2010. Geddes, Andrew. Britain and the European Union. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. Print. Giu dice, Gabriele, Robert Kuenzel, and Tom Springbett. UK Economy: The Crisis in Perspective. New York: Routledge, 2012. Print.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Gowland , David , Arthur Turner, and Alex Wright. Britain and European Integration since 1945: On the Sidelines. New York: Routledge, 2010. Print. Mannin, Michael L. British Government and Politics: Balancing Europeanization and Independence. Plymouth: Rowman and Littlefield, 2010. Print. McAnnula, Stuart. British Politics: A Critical Introduction. London: Continuum International Publishing, 2006. Print. This essay on The United Kingdom and the European Union was written and submitted by user BenUrich to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

B2B and B2C Ethical, Legal and Regulatory Issues

B2B and B2C Ethical, Legal and Regulatory Issues Every site on the web is different; no two are exactly alike despite if their topics are the same. Even if this is an obvious fact to some, it is still amazing how people sometimes tend to put all web sites in the same categories. Every site on the net serves different purposes. I'll examine the differences and similarities between how business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) websites deal with ethical, legal and regulatory issues.The only similarity I can conclude is that both B2B and B2C websites can be found on the net and that's where the similarity ends. These sites serve different markets and are ruled by very different ethical, legal and regulatory systems of operation.The B2B markets are other businesses and not consumers. Business needs and methods of payments are going to be different. B2B sites are designed to connect businesses electronically (Comerford, 2001). They also bring competing firms together to build electronic exchanges which are software syst ems enabling buyers and sellers to purchase goods and services through use of industry-wide computer systems (Comerford, 2001).Exterior of the University House at Penn State Uni...B2B sites allow an increased efficiency between businesses and a better free market economy, leading to increased efficiency promotions (Comerford, 2001).B2C websites cater to the consumer and generally sell consumer goods and services. These sites tend to be more colorful, with special features, such as highlighted texts, texts of several sizes and possibly moving images, all this to appeal to and attract consumers.Contract formation is one issue the B2B websites face that their B2C counterparts do not. When it comes to contract formation in the "real world," two business associates get together, discuss the concept, sign contracts, probably shake one another's hands and move on. The contract is considered binding.Contract formation on the net is trickier because it...

(Some Finance Questions) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

(Some Finance Questions) - Research Paper Example TIPs pay interest semi-annually at a fixed rate which is calculated on the adjusted principal to make the interest payments as well inflation driven (Treasury Direct). The market of TIPs is the world largest inflation indexed securities market with over $550 billion of TIPs outstanding i.e. approximately 8% of the total debt market of treasury. TIPs can be purchased directly from Treasury Direct system with a minimum purchase limit of $100 and multiples of $100 thereof and are available with 5-, 10-, and 30-year maturities. The 5-year and 30-year TIPs are auctioned semi-annually whereas 10-year TIPs are auctioned quarterly. The auction bids are TIPs are submitted both as competitive and non-competitive. In case of competitive bids, the bidder specifies the yield that he/she is willing to accept the security for. In case of non-competitive bid, the yield is determined at the auction which the bidder agrees to accept for a security. TIPs are issued in electronic form and can be like ot her marketable securities which can be held to maturity or sold before it matures. Interest paid on TIPs is subject to federal taxes but are exempted from both state and local taxes.

Write an essay on a cultural issue as related to humanistic

Write an on a cultural issue as related to humanistic psychotherapy - - Essay Example the eighteen century had a dramatic transformation when the age of the industrial revolution started the latter did not just revolutionize the way we worked but most profoundly changed the structure of our societies and values where capitalism became the new god and the science replaced the religious beliefs that for a long time have been playing a supporting role for the people in need during difficult times.  Humanistic therapists emerged in the USA in the 1950s such as Maslow Abraham and Rogers Carl. These therapists formulated different humanistic theories and procedures for effective psychotherapy. Rogers delivered a speech in 1940 at the University of Minnesota about new concepts of psychotherapy that became the origin of humanistic psychotherapies. The American Psychological association (APA) launched the first journal on humanistic psychology in 1973. It is a professional organization representing psychology and consists of researchers, educators, physicians, consultants, a nd students. Culture may be defined as patterns of norms derived from traditions that influence personal behavior. These norms may include values, beliefs, customs, thoughts, and institutions such as religious, racial, ethnic and social groups. Cultural beliefs are passed from older generations to younger generations within a given society. Interaction with different cultures causes behavioral and psychological changes within an individual. Individuals migrating from one society to another have difficulty when adapting to the culture of the new society (Lago, 2006). Culture is not static, and interaction with other cultures may cause culture change. On the other hand, ethnicity can be defined as the sense of belonging to a group alienated to a particular society. Ethnicity is caused by social pressure and can only be resolved through psychological interventions. Race refers to the physical appearance of individuals as determined by the genetic composition. Humanistic therapy involves

Outline the processes of evolution Essay Example for Free

Outline the processes of evolution Essay Outline the processes of evolution and explain how theory of mind is an adaptation resulting from the selective forces that have operated during evolution. Evolutionary psychologists endeavour to understand how animal and human behaviour evolved and the adaptive functions that these behaviours would have had over time. They reflect on ultimate explanations and look for the reasons why such phenomena exist and how this helps to ensure that our genes (the structures containing DNA sequences) are passed to future generations through the process of sexual reproduction. Evolutionary psychology is concerned with identifying which behaviours and psychological traits are adaptive and the function which the latter fulfil. Evolutionary psychologists do not, therefore, look for causal explanations regarding behaviour, but are concerned instead with functional explanations. By researching evolved characteristics and abilities they try to uncover within the processes of evolution how the human mind works, and ultimately how societies function. They conclude that our current physiology and psychology still demonstrate a decisive interplay between adaptations and environments on an evolutionary timescale (Clegg, 2007 pp. 161-2). The theory of evolution is in the most part derived from the work of Charles Darwin (1809-1892). Following many years of painstaking research, most notably surrounding his study of species of the Galapagos Islands, he arrived at the theory that species have gradually evolved from common ancestors. He researched the possible processes through which evolutionary change could have occurred and argued that there is a strong relationship between genes and environment, whereby genes that allow for traits most suited to dealing with changes in the environment will be selected for. Darwin recognized how important sexual reproduction (where genes are passed to the next generation) is for creating variation, and that inherited characteristics and genetic variation are open to random changes. However, the forces of natural selection have effect on these changes enabling the mechanisms that ensure the organism is better able to survive within their environment are selected for, and consequently more likely to be passed onto the next generation. The processes of selection occur over extremely long periods of time. Hominoids (the family containing primates) evolved around 22 to 31 million years ago, with humans appearing very recently on the evolutionary timescale somewhere between 150,000-200,000 years ago. We should note also that since it is the genes that endure over time, selection refers not to the survival of the individual or indeed of the species, but to the survival of the genes. Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins noted that People act as vehicles to contain the genes, and these are passed on when they reproduce (as cited in Clegg 2007, p 121). Humans, being highly social creatures, require psychological mechanisms that enable them to successfully interact within the social environment. For example, being able to guess what another person is thinking in order to predict how they might behave, or understanding others behaviour so as to be responsive to their feelings, or even being capable of deceit are all highly useful abilities for social interaction. In an evolutionary context, these social skills and empathy with others would have greatly improved an individuals survival chances and/or reproductive success, ultimately increasing the chances of his genes passing onto the next generation. Such traits would have been a positive asset to the species as a whole. As psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen explained by being able to predict one anothers behaviour, two individuals can work together more effectively thereby improving survival chances (As cited in Clegg 2007, p. 133). Our ancestors who possessed such characteristics would have had a great advantage over those who did not. Thus in accordance with Darwins theory these abilities, over time, would have been selected for. The ability to predict and explain the actions both of oneself and of others, and the ability to mentally put oneself in the place of another is known as theory of mind. It is associated with the ability to manipulate and influence others within a social context both in a positive and in a negative way. These abilities are essential in gaining social status and resources, forming alliances and obtaining sexual partners. Ultimately, they are greatly significant in the role they play in reproductive success and our continued survival as a species. Theory of mind interests evolutionary psychologists because it is fundamentally relevant to modern human behaviour. Psychologists are particularly concerned with its evolution and its role, hence much research has been carried out involving children, those diagnosed as autistic, and non-human primates in order to develop upon hypotheses. Evidence collected from research involving these groups has led psychologists to better understand theory of mind and its functions. A large amount of studies on the aforementioned three groups involve testing deception and false beliefs using a version of the Maxi test devised by Wimmer and Perner (1983). However, there are more modern experiments which have revealed evidence of theory of mind in children as young as 2 years old. Further evidence in the form of archaeological findings, such as signs of burial rituals and evidence of art production has been uncovered. The ability to create imaginary images or the notion of an afterlife would suggest that our ancestors were able to conceptualize the thoughts and beliefs of others. Research evidence from experiments carried out involving children from many different societies and cultures shows that theory of mind is universal, and consequently indicates that it may be an evolved adaptation. Much of the research suggests that it may have evolved because it effected human interaction within social environments which would have benefited humans and their offspring. Those who displayed a strong theory of mind are likely to have improved their chances of survival by increasing their social status, or they may have used deception, or plan ahead to their advantage in order to gain more resources. They may have been able to negotiate dangerous situations by predicting others behaviour, or those with a highly developed theory of mind may have had more success regarding sexual reproduction. We can say then that theory of mind is an intrinsic element of our humanness, with evidence suggesting that its adaptive function is a result of the selective forces of evolution. It is all about enhancing social relationships; a perspective that is supported by a number of researchers (Baron-Cohen, 1999; Byrne and Whiten, 1997; Dunbar, 2003) (As cited in Clegg 2007, p. 138). Theory of mind as a psychological mechanism has been a highly influential factor to the developmental progress of the human race, and unequivocally instrumental to the success of the species.

Possession in The Exorcist Essay -- The Exorcist

Being Possessed The idea of possession can frighten many people. What horror movie producers and directors that go into this field are counting on is that they can use it to frighten their viewers. The Exorcist and The Exorcist Beginning both are centered on the act of exorcism. Both demoniacs in the films are women though their fates are polar opposites. The exorcisms are also shown in different lights. This is done through special effects as well as lighting and music. The first film in the series stays with a cut and dry method of keeping mainly to the exorcism itself; however, its prequel focuses more on fancy special effects and stimulating music. The newest addition to The Exorcist series also adds in the usual Hollywood love story present in most films in our time. Prequels tend to also serve the purpose of story building, regardless of how new it is. In this case it has the duty of creating and explaining the character of Merrin. The success of both The Exorcist and The Exorcist Beg inning was not only due to the story line, but also the mystery of it as well as its acceptance in society and the church. The exorcism itself, such as the effects and the overall focus on it were portrayed differently within The Exorcist and The Exorcist Beginning in accordance with the view from society in general and their expectations on how a movie should be done. The rite of exorcism dates back many centuries. It is a practice not only practiced in Christianity but in Pagan religions as well. The main difference between the two is that Pagan exorcists rely on their own power to expel the demons rather then the Christians drawing their power directly from God to do the job (Baker, 137). This power was given to the Christia... ...new technology back then. Movies have now been mandated by the movie making industry to take on new twists, however. The Exorcist Beginning, being the prequel to the first of the series, had to pull something new to get the viewers it needed for success. Therefore, Harlin put in the notorious love story to add a special little twist to our emotion. This in conjunction with the development of Merrin, puts the actual exorcism out of the spot light. Thus, showing how movies have been changed over time with the change in wants from society. As their wants for a good movie change, so must the actual film to acquire success. The Exorcist and The Exorcist Beginning both followed the expectations of society for their respective filming eras to become very successful movies, having their success fueled by the mixed views and conceptions of both the church and society.

Mngt 5000 Term Paper

MNGT 5000 May 14, 2010 Term Paper There are many issues that companies face every day that could potentially be managed in a different way. The issue that I would like to review is an issue that is in the forefront of the news these days. It is hard to say when there might be some sort of resolution to this issue, based on the size and impact to the environment and economy. The most recent issue occurred on April 20, 2010. This was when the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded and sunk into the Gulf of Mexico 2 days later. Along with this explosion, there were 11 people reported missing and are assumed dead.The larger problem that British Petroleum has experienced since this explosion is a blow out preventer (BOP) that failed. This failed BOP has caused a horrible oil leak that is gushing from the ocean floor. The initial estimates were that the leak would be around 1,000 barrels or 42,000 gallons per day. This number has since skyrocketed from the initial estimates. As of May 13, this number is now thought to be as high as 70,000 barrels per day, or 2,940,000 gallons. With the amount of oil that is leaking into the Gulf of Mexico from this incident give it the potential to be the worst oil spill in US history.The previous largest oil spill in US history was the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill that occurred on March 24, 1989. As a comparison, the Valdez spill lost 250,000 barrels of oil, or 10,500,000 gallons. It was not until 1992 that the clean up from this spill was completed. From the estimated numbers, the current spill will eclipse the Valdez spill in only a matter of days. Given the fact that the Valdez spill took 3 years to clean up, we can only speculate as to how long it might take to clean up the effects of the Deepwater Horizon. The main problem that BP is immediately faced with is how to control and stop the Deepwater Horizon leak.There have been many suggestions as to what approach they should take. British Petroleum has had to utilize the planning process a nd try to implement several different strategies since April 22, 2010. While the typical planning process might take several weeks or months, BP had to speed this process up. Their goal is to try and minimize the impact to the Gulf of Mexico and the surrounding environment. Planning is necessary to help drive a structured process for making decisions about the goal they are trying to reach. There are 6 main steps involved in a formal planning process.The first step in the planning process is situational analysis. This first step most likely started for BP on April 20th after the explosion happened. This is when all relevant information about the plan is gathered, interpreted and summarized. For this situation, it most likely included studying past events, the current conditions and trying to forecast future events. The next step in the planning process is to review alternative goals and plans that might have been identified through the situational analysis. A goal is a certain targe t that is set by a manager that they hope to reach.The alternative goal that BP needs to try to achieve as quickly as possible is to stop the leak that is gushing from the ocean floor. The book Management: Leading & Collaborating in the Competitive World outlines a very helpful acronym to ensure you gather certain qualities in the goals you set. The acronym identified is SMART. This stands for Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound. There are parts of this acronym that are a little more sensitive for BP than some of the other pieces. The time bound is the part that sticks out in my mind.The longer it takes to contain the leak from the ocean floor, the larger the impact to the environment and to BP financially. As of May 13, the oil has been leaking from the Deepwater Horizon site for 24 days. It appears that BP has come up with many alternative plans to try and address and contain the oil leak that the failed BOP has created. Next we will review the different pla ns that BP has established and how some of them have been working so far. A plan is defined as how the management staff plans to achieve the outlined goals. BP has presented several plans that they will use to try and achieve their goal.The first plan that they will try to implement is to lower a containment box over the leak that will then funnel the oil to the surface and into an oil tanker. This will be the quickest option that they can try to put in place to stop the leak. Another option that they will try to implement at the same time is to drill a relief well, but this could take up to 3 months to complete. Once the alternatives have been reviewed, we move to step three which is to evaluate the goals and plan. All of this planning has to be completed in a very tight time frame for BP, because as the time passes, the oil continues to leak.During this step, management will review the advantages and disadvantages of the alternative goals and plan from step 2. The drilling of a re lief well has a huge disadvantage due to the time frame. This step also includes prioritizing and potentially eliminating some of the goals. Step 4 is the Goal and Plan Selection. After having reviewed and prioritized the goals in the last step, this is where the decision will actually be made on which goal and plan is most feasible. After the selection has been made, the following step is to implement plans to achieve the goals that have been outlined.As of May 7, British Petroleum has started to implement their plan of lowering a container over the leaking well. Once everything is implemented, the final step is to monitor and control the work that is being done. The container was successfully lowered into place, however ice crystals started to form and blocked the pipe that would deliver the oil to the surface. BP has now had to resort to some of their back up or alternative plans. Some other ideas that have been presented in this process include using a smaller containment dome, shooting junk into the well to clog the hole, and siphoning the oil into a tanker at the surface.With these different plans in place, BP will have to ensure that they have a good strategy if another alternate fails. The definition of strategy is a pattern of actions and resource allocations designed to achieve the organization’s goals. Planning and strategy go hand in hand. BP will need to use some strategic management in dealing with this situation. Strategic management is basically a strategic planning process that has six major steps. The first step is to establish a mission, vision and goals. The mission is short statement that describes the purpose of the organization.The vision is what the organization hopes to accomplish in the future. BP has their company mission and vision statement listed on their site as their values. The sites states â€Å"BP wants to be recognized as a great company – competitively successful and a force for progress. We have a fundamenta l belief that we can make a difference in the world. We help the world meet its growing need for heat, light and mobility. We strive to do that by producing energy that is affordable, secure and doesn’t damage the environment.BP is progressive, responsible, innovative and performance driven. † The second step in this process is to do an analysis of external opportunities and threats. This includes understanding the different forces that might affect the company’s mission and vision. This is a unique situation for BP, due to the fact that they are trying to live up to their values, while trying to prevent an environmental disaster that could potentially tarnish their name for quite some time. After reviewing external factors, step 3 is to complete an analysis of internal strengths and weaknesses.There are many aspects to an organization that can be reviewed a couple of key parts to be reviewed would be resources available and core competencies. Resources can fall into two categories, tangible and intangible. Steps 2 and 3 provide a good foundation of information for step 4, which is SWOT Analysis and Strategy Formulation. Once the SWOT analysis is complete, there are several different strategies to consider based on the type of business that is in operation. For BP and this situation, I would think that they would need to implement a functional strategy.Once the type of strategy has been decided upon, step 5 is strategy implementation. During this step, BP would need to ensure that the strategy is being implemented efficiently and effectively. Once implemented, this takes us to the final step, which is strategic control. I believe this control will not be in place until the leak has been contained. In this final step, typically there is a system to help support management in evaluating how the organization is doing with the strategy. Overall, BP has an enormous task that they are faced with. It will take good planning and strategy to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.They are faced with having to contain one of the largest oil spills in US history. It is hard to accurately measure the true amount of oil that is leaking from the well; however there are several estimates of how much oil is leaking per day, ranging from 1000 to 70,000 barrels. As of May 13, 2010, BP has had to resort to alternate plans due to their initial attempt failing. It will be interesting to watch the news and see how BP continues to manage the situation. It is almost guaranteed that the government will intervene at some point, possibly by implementing new laws around off shore drilling.We can only hope that the impact to the environment is not too great, but there have already been reports of dead animals and tar balls washing ashore. It is hard to think that there would be no impact with so much oil leaking into the ocean. I still remember the images from the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. I can only imagine we will start to see some of t he same images in the future from the Deepwater Horizon spill. Let’s hope that BP’s management staff has all the tools necessary to have a strong plan in place to rectify this problem. Bibliography Robertson, C & Lipton, E (2010, April 30). BP Is Criticized Over Oil Spill, but U.S. Missed Chances to Act. New York Times. Retrieved May 11, 2010, from http://www. nytimes. com/2010/05/01/us/01gulf. html The Valdez Oil Spill. (n. d. ). Retrieved May 11, 2010, from http://www. exxonmobil. com/corporate/about_issues_valdez. aspx Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. (n. d. ). Retrieved May 11, 2010, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill Gulf Oil Spill Layers. (n. d. ). Retrieved May 13, 2010, from http://maps. google. com/maps/mpl? moduleurl=http://mw1. google. com/mw-earth-vectordb/disaster/gulf_oil_spill/gulf_oil_mapplet. xml&mapclient=google&hl=en Weber, H. amp; Burdeau, C (2010, May 6). Expedition to contain oil leak begins in Gulf. Associated Press. Retr ieved May 11, 2010, from http://www. google. com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gIXWYBTpLtSayJtg41LKXpxSxVPAD9FH9GN80 Resnick-Ault, J. & Polson, C (2010, May 11). BP to Try Again to Control Oil Leak as Hearings Start (Update3). Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved May 13, 2010, from http://www. businessweek. com/news/2010-05-11/bp-to-try-again-to-control-oil-leak-as-hearings-start-update3-. html What we stand for. (n. d. ). Retrieved May 13, 2010, from http://www. bp. com/sectiongenericarticle. do? categoryId=9002630&contentId=7005204