Summarize the four major pieces of legislation collectively known as the Antitrust laws Essay Example for Free

Summarize the four major pieces of legislation collectively known as the Antitrust laws Essay United States antitrust law is a collection of federal and state government laws, which regulates the conduct and organization of business corporations, generally to promote fair competition for the benefit of consumers. The four major pieces of legislation known as the Antitrust Laws include: The Sherman Act, The Clayton Antitrust Act, The Federal Trade Commission, and the Celler-Kefauver Act. The Sherman Act was created in 1890 had two major provisions which was to prohibit conspiracies to restrain trade and also to outlaw monopolization. In 1914 the Clayton Act was passed to expand off of the Sherman Act. The Clayton Act strengthened the Sherman Act in several ways: price discrimination, typing contracts, acquisition, and interlocking directorates. In 1914, the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC) was created to enforce antitrust laws and the Clayton Act in particular. The FTC investigates unfair competitive practices and when appropriate issues cease-and desist orders. In 1950 the Celler-Kefauver Act was created to close the loophole the was left available from the Clayton Act’s Section 7. This clause was put in place to stop a firm from acquiring stocks in a competitive firm in order to merge. The Celler-Kefauver Act closed that loophole in order to prevent any firm from reducing the competition. (McConnell 375) B. Discuss the intended purpose of industrial regulation as it applies to the following market structures: An oligopoly is a market form in which a market or industry is dominated by a small number of sellers. An oligopoly has the ability to determine its own price and output. (McConnell 164) Industrial regulation is used to reduce the market power of monopolies. It’s also used to reduce the market power of oligopolies, prevent collusion and increase market competition. A pure monopoly is a market structure in which only one firm is the sole seller. The purpose of industrial regulation in regards to monopolies is clearly to protect the public from price gauging and companies controlling demand. Since monopolies have no competition they have complete control over pricing and production. (McConnell 195) C. Explain the major functions of the three primary federal and state regulatory commissions that govern industrial regulation. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or FERC (1930) is an independent agency that regulates the interstate transmission of natural gas, electricity, oil pipelines, and water-powered sites. FERC also reviews proposals to build liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals and interstate natural gas pipelines as well as licensing hydro power projects. (2) The Federal Communication Commission or FCC (1934) regulates interstate and international communications by telephones, televisions, cable televisions, radios, telegraph, CB radios, and satellite in over 50 states. The FCC is directed by five commissioners who are appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the U. S Senate. (3) The State Public Utility Commissions is represented by NARUC which is responsible for utility services (electricity, gas telephones) in different states. (4) The reasoning behind the three is to control pricing so the public can benefit from the economies of scale that occur with monopolies and do so in a way that provides a fair return for those producers. Specifically, this intent is covered in the public interest theory of regulation which protects consumers from unfair pricing. D. Discuss the intended purpose of social regulation as it applies to all market structures. Social regulation deals with the broader impact of business on consumers, workers, environment and the third parties. Social regulation is concerned with the physical qualities of the goods produced, the conditions under which production occurs, and the impact of the production on society. Social regulation increases economic efficiency and societys well-being by: removing unsafe products, improving working conditions and safety, decreasing economic discrimination, and reducing pollution. One example is the Equal Opportunity Commission that enforces laws against workplace discrimination. Social Regulation intrudes into the day-to-day production process to a greater extent than industrial regulation. (McConnell 384) E. Explain the major functions of the five primary federal regulatory commissions that govern social regulation. Food and Drug Administration (1906) verifies safety and effectiveness of food, drugs, and cosmetics (1) Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (1964) exists to hire, promote, and discharge workers(1) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (1972) exists to ensure health and safety for workers(1) Environment Protection Agency (1972) exists to regulate noise pollution, air, and water-powered Consumer Product Safety Commission (1972) exists to protect the safety of consumer products(1)

Hitchcocks North By Northwest: The Birth of the Modern Action Film Essa

1959 was an exciting year in the history of filmmaking. An extraordinary conjunction of talent throughout the globe existed. In France, Truffaut, Godard, Chabrol, Rohmer, Rivette, and Resnais all directed their first films, thus establishing the French New Wave. In Italy, Fellini created the elegant La Dolce Vita, and Antonioni gave us L’avventura. Most importantly, though, in America, famed British director Alfred Hitchcock gave us the classic thriller North by Northwest, the father of the modern action film. Throughout the history of filmmaking, many different genres have thrived such as the romantic comedy, giving us such classics as Bringing up Baby and His Girl Friday. The war film gave us All Quiet on the Western Front and Paths of Glory. The western gave us Stagecoach and The Searchers. Film Noir gave us such films as Sunset Boulevard and Chinatown. The one modern film genre not existing prior to 1959 was that of the modern action film whose entrance as a genre was inaugurated with the release of Hitchcock’s psychopolitical thriller North by Northwest, starring Cary Grant. North by Northwest is your basic espionage thriller involving mistaken identity and a government conspiracy. Cary Grant plays advertising executive Roger Thornhill, who, one evening at his usual club calls over the page boy when his is paging a Mr. George Kaplan. Two mysterious men observing Grant get the idea that Mr. Thornhill is Mr. Kaplan, not simply a man talking to a boy who is paging him. Believing him to be Mr. Kaplan, the two men kidnap Thornhill at gunpoint and whisk him away to a beautiful mansion somewhere outside the city. An important discussion point is that as to which type of hero Roger Thornhill is. The action hero created through North by Northwest is that of the everyman, only man attractive and witty. He is a reluctant, yet brave, hero. Thornhill is unafraid to make an attempted escape while he is in the captive of these two men. Thornhill is confronted at the house by a vaguely European fellow who demands answers from him. This usage of the seemingly upper class Eurotrash villain will permeate throughout the action film genre from the Die Hard movies to The Fifth Element. Thornhill, of course, has no answers for the man. While being held captive in a library, Cary quips, â€Å"I’ll catch up on my reading.† When they believe his as simply being uncooperative, the... ...ty directly onto the bed of a private room on a train. Lacking the ability to end the picture with a sex scene, Hitchcock cheekily ends the picture with a shot of a train going into a tunnel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What marks North by Northwest as the father of the modern action film is that of its hero. He is a contemporary man, with a decent and respectful job (here an advertising executive). As opposed to the heroes of Westerns, who are dark and mysterious characters with shady pasts, in the action film the hero is likeable, attractive, and witty. What made Cary Grant so perfect for the role of Thornhill is that he is attractive to both men and women. â€Å"Cary Grant is the male love object,† said Pauline Kael. â€Å"Men want to be as lucky and enviable as he is—they want to be like him. And women imagine landing him.† The influence of North by Northwest on the action and spy film is immeasurable. It influenced the James Bond series, the Die Hard movies, and even science fiction films such as Total Recall. What Hitchcock did, basically, was create an action film of such quality that directors ever since have been trying to equal its success in story, action, and characterization.

Torture: Morality and Terrorist

In the article â€Å"The Truth about Torture†, Charles Krauthammer considers the ticking time bomb problem and argues that torture is sometimes not only morally permissible, but morally necessary. Krauthammer uses the example of terrorists in his example, what if we captured a terrorist with knowledge of an attack and the knowledge of future attacks; do we torture him for his information? Or simply just have him locked up? (Krauthammer 2). Utilitarian considerations are sufficient to justify using cruel actions against terrorists to extract confessions.Even though is cruel to torture one to extract information, it is our duty as citizens to maintain the happiness as a whole and do what is necessary to save lives. Utilitarianism is a consequential normative moral theory, which state the moral value of an action is determined by the most happiness or utility it creates (Mill 461). If we use this definition to analyze the case, then yes it is sufficient to use cruel actions such as waterboarding and sodium pentathol injections on terrorists to extract information.Waterboarding is a terrifying and deeply shocking torture technique in which the prisoner has his face exposed to water in a way that gives the feeling of drowning (Krauthammer 3). Sodium pentathol injection is a sedative drug; its purpose is to disinhibit the higher brain centres to make someone more likely to share their information (Krauthammer 3). In parts of Asia, torture is embedded in the criminal justice system (Wong 1). So there is no concern as to why torture can’t be used in the example of the terrorist. By torturing the terrorist, we are able to extract information from him, thus doing what is morally right and save lives.Maintaining and creating happiness among the whole is more important just the happiness of a person. If that is the case then wouldn’t torturing the terrorist be the right thing to do? Torturing him would make the world a more peaceful place and also lett ing terrorists know that we are not scared of them and we’ll do whatever it takes to spoil their well-thought-out plans. Utilitarianism allows for violations of justice. This is one of those violations because we’re torturing for the good of humankind and fighting off evil at the same time.Some might argue torturing someone is morally wrong, even though is for a good cause. The example of waterboarding and sodium pentathol injection is cruel and non-humane. This is because both these examples violate basic human rights. Injecting sodium pentathol into another human is usually against their own will, let alone extracting information from them without their consent. Utilitarianism holds that actions tend to help promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce unhappiness (Mill 462). In this case, wouldn’t we create unhappiness for the terrorist because he is suffering?Saving lives is one thing, but there must be better ways of extracting information than to tortu re another human. With regards to torture on the terrorist, is important to note that utilitarian maintain that each person’s happiness is to be weighted equally and that happiness is pleasure and the absence of pain (Mill 469). Torturing then would be the right thing to do because happiness out-weight unhappiness. More people will be upset and devastated if a terrorist attack did happen and we choose not to torture the terrorist to extract information. If the terrorist attack did not go as planned, so what?The terrorist wouldn’t be devastated and be sad as much as we would have to deal with the death of innocent people. The terrorist will probably just think of a better plan and hope it’ll execute to perfection the next time. Is necessary to be cruel and torture a terrorist to get information, but on one condition, if happiness out-weight unhappiness. This is the case when we know lives can be saved by means of torture. Torture is cruel, with examples such as i njections of sodium pentathol and waterboarding, but sometimes is needed to help do what’s best for humankind.Bibliography -Wong Kai-shing. â€Å"The Problem of Torture in China's Criminal Justice System† http://www. hrsolidarity. net/mainfile. php/2005vol15no05/2451/ – Krauthammer, Charles. â€Å"The Truth about Torture† http://www. weeklystandard. com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/006/400rhqav. asp? page=3 -Mill, John Stuart. Utilitarianism. In Introduction to Philosophy: Classical and Contemporary Readings, Fifth Edition. Eds JohnPerry, Michael Bratman and John Martin Fischer. New York, NY: Oxford University press, 2010. Pp. 457-476.

Should Marijuana Be Legalized - 882 Words

Five territories in the United States; Colorado and Washington in 2012, with Oregon, Alaska and Washington D.C. quickly following their example, have already found substantial evidence to support the legalization of marijuana. I absolutely agree with the legislation passed in these areas making the use of marijuana legal, so long as it is sold and regulated by the government in a similar fashion to alcohol and tobacco. Like tobacco and alcohol there should only be certain settings in which it is acceptable to engage in such activities. The use of marijuana as a medicinal drug is absolutely agreeable because it can help so many who cannot find relief from their disorders through any other means, but the recreational use would also have a number of positive effects on America as a whole. By decriminalizing the use of marijuana will bring a large flow of money as well as create jobs for the American people as a whole. Use of marijuana no longer being a punishable offense would free up p recious space that is currently occupied in prisons, it would also allow police officers to spend more of their time pursuing more serious offenders. Allowing the use of marijuana for recreational use would also make access for medicinal reasons easier. People who can benefit from the use of marijuana include patients with Crohn’s disease, PTSD, glaucoma, and multiple sclerosis, by decriminalizing this drug it would mean these people are no longer discriminated against. By legalizing, we couldShow MoreRelatedShould Marijuana Be Legalized?849 Words   |  4 Pageswhether marijuana should be legalized. Around 23 states have legalized marijuana for medical and recreational use. In the state of Illinois, medicinal use of marijuana has been passed on April 17, 2013. Since January 2014, patients are able to obtain marijuana with a doctor s recommendation. The new debate is whether marijuana should be legalized for the general public as a recreational drug. Although some believe th at marijuana is harmless, and that it has beneficial medicinal uses, marijuana shouldRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1715 Words   |  7 PagesMarijuana in Society Cannabis, formally known as marijuana is a drug obtained from the tops, stems and leaves of the hemp plant cannabis. The drug is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. Only substances like caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are used more (â€Å"Marijuana† 1). In the U. S. where some use it to feel â€Å"high† or get an escape from reality. The drug is referred to in many ways; weed, grass, pot, and or reefer are some common names used to describe the drug (â€Å"Marijuana† 1). Like mostRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1489 Words   |  6 Pagescannabis plant or marijuana is intended for use of a psychoactive drug or medicine. It is used for recreational or medical uses. In some religions, marijuana is predominantly used for spiritual purposes. Cannabis is indigenous to central and south Asia. Cannabis has been scientifically proven that you can not die from smoking marijuana. Marijuana should be legalized to help people with medical benefits, econo mic benefits, and criminal benefits. In eight states, marijuana was legalized for recreationalRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1245 Words   |  5 PagesMarijuana is a highly debatable topic that is rapidly gaining attention in society today.   Legalizing marijuana can benefit the economy of this nation through the creation of jobs, increased tax revenue, and a decrease in taxpayer money spent on law enforcement.   Ã‚  Many people would outlaw alcohol, cigarettes, fast food, gambling, and tanning beds because of the harmful effects they have on members of a society, but this is the United States of America; the land of the free and we should give peopleRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1010 Words   |  5 PagesThe legalization of marijuana became a heated political subject in the last few years. Twenty-one states in America have legalized medical marijuana. Colorado and Washington are the only states where marijuana can be purchased recreationally. Marijuana is the high THC level part of the cannabis plant, which gives users the â€Å"high† feeling. There is ample evidence that supports the argument that marijuana is beneficial. The government should legalize marijuana recreationally for three main reasonsRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1350 Words   |  6 Pagespolitics in the past decade would have to be the legalization of marijuana. The sale and production of marijuana have been legalized for medicinal uses in over twenty states and has been legalized for recreational uses in seven states. Despite the ongoing support for marijuana, it has yet to be fully legalized in the federal level due to cultural bias against â€Å"pot† smoking and the focus over its negative effects. However, legalizing marijuana has been proven to decrease the rate of incrimination in AmericaRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1231 Words   |  5 Pagesshows the positive benefits of marijuana, it remains illegal under federal law. In recent years, numerous states have defied federal law and legalized marijuana for both recreational and medicinal use. Arizona has legalized marijuana for medical use, but it still remains illegal to use recreationally. This is absurd, as the evidence gathered over the last few decades strongly supports the notion that it is safer than alcohol, a widely available substance. Marijuana being listed as a Schedule I drugRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1457 Words   |  6 PagesSHOULD MARIJUANA BE LEGALIZED? Marijuana is a drug that has sparked much controversy over the past decade as to whether or not it should be legalized. People once thought of marijuana as a bad, mind-altering drug which changes a person’s personality which can lead to crime and violence through selling and buying it. In the past, the majority of citizens believed that marijuana is a harmful drug that should be kept off the market and out of the hands of the public. However, a recent study conductedRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1596 Words   |  7 Pages But what needs to be known before a user can safely and completely make the decision if trying Marijuana is a good idea? Many do not want the drug to be legalized because they claim that Cannabis is a â€Å"gateway drug†, meaning it will cause people to try harder drugs once their body builds up a resistance to Marijuana, because a stronger drug will be needed to reach a high state. This argument is often falsely related to the medical si de of the debate over legalization. It is claimed that this wouldRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?985 Words   |  4 PagesLegalize Marijuana Despite what people believe about marijuana, it hasn’t once proved to be the cause of any real issue. It makes you wonder what the reason as to why there is a war on drugs. Why is marijuana the main concern? Since the time that alcohol and tobacco became legal, people wonder why marijuana isn’t legal yet. The fact that marijuana is illegal is mainly caused by the amount of money, jobs, and pride invested in the drug war. Once the government starts anything, they stick to it. At