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BC Hydro have decided to construct and operate a dam and 1,100-megawatt hydroelectric generating station on the Peace River in northeastern British Columbia. It is said that the dam would flood some part of the Peace River Valley and destroying farmland and wildlife habitat.  As a result, their normal activities would be stopped, like fishing and hunting.

According to the PESTLE analysis, the most significant factors in this situation are politics, environment and social. Among all of the factors, social element come to my mind firstly. From my point of view, their purposes never conflict for the simple reason that both of them want to create a better living condition. The government argued that as the development in this region, they need the relatively clean hydroelectric. On the other hand, the chiefs are welcome and interested in supporting smaller projects such as wind and solar power in areas. The only thing they are afraid of is that the dam would influence their daily activities and traditional ceremonies.

I believe the situation would have a better perspective if the government can ensure the right of the first nation to be effectively consulted, in accordance with their traditions and customs. In addition, they should pay more attention to development or investment projects that may affect their territory. Last, it is necessary to share the benefits of projects with the members of the first nation.

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Work Cited: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/First+Nation+chiefs+stage+Site+showdown/10215965/story.html

https://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/saramaka-people-v-suriname-human-rights-victory-and-its-messy-aftermath

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Samsung is rushing its device out the door. The company will launch its Galaxy Note 4 smartphone in China and South Korea ahead of schedule in order to steal some thunder from Apple’s device.

Samsung has lost market share in China and India over the past two years to local cheap phones. The reason why Samsung has given China priority over other export markets this time is that they find China exists massive untapped base.They believe the Note 4 would “far outsell its predecessor” by using this chance. However, I hold the opposite opinion. I think most customers would like to wait for iPhone 6 rather than purchase Note 4. For one thing, the prices of those two devices are similar. If they cannot afford Note 4, they will choose the cheaper homegrown brands. For another, some consumers in China are described as disciples of an “Apple Cult”.  In fact, many buyers lining up at Apple stores around the world are from China itself—they just couldn’t wait for the new product to be launched later at home. That is why I do not think that it really matters if iPhone 6 arrive a little bit late than Note 4. Because the fans would not care about it at all.

Also, Samsung has always been the world’s leading smartphone producer by sales, especially in “phablet” area.  People chose Samsung just for the simple reason that it is bigger than iPhone sometimes. The screen size of iPhone 6 plus is as same as Note 4, which is 4.7 inch. So what will happen when iPhone 6 plus meets Note 4?

Welcome to the biggest smartphone battle of 2014.

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Work Cited: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/09/25/samsung_tries_to_head_off_apple_pushes_up_asian_release_of_galaxy_note_4/

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In the 19th of September, founder and chairman Jack Ma rang the opening bell in The New York Stock Exchange. Alibaba is now valued at $231.4bn – making it significantly larger than Amazon and Facebook.Yet Alibaba remains a mystery and an unknown quantity to most  investors, business people and consumers located outside of China.

Firstly, what Alibaba is and what it does. Alibaba is the largest e-commerce company on Earth– bigger than Amazon and eBay combined. Alibaba’s two largest and best known platforms are T-Mall and Tao Bao. It is the platform where people go to sell things and where people go to buy things. The company itself has no desire to sell products. In other words, all the sales are down through Alibaba, not by Alibaba. That is the biggest difference between Amazon, eBay and Alibaba.They make money by advertising selling advertising to the merchants who are selling on their market places and other e-commerce services.

How can Alibaba be so successful in fifteen years? For one thing, they created Alipay. Alipay has been called the Paypal of the East, but I think that it is more than this. I would say that Alipay provides a wider service than PayPal. My mom is a Alipay user.  She uses it to transfer money, pay her bills, check her bank balance and add money to her phone account. However, it seems like she only use Paypal when she goes shopping on ebay. For another, nobody can ignores the power and influence that Jack Ma gives to the Alibaba Group. He has revolution eyes how retailing is done in China and how economy recovery in China. That is the reason why he created the company. His colleagues described him as an idealistic, optmistic, competitive, innovative and resilient. He measures his life by how positive an effect he has on the lives of others.
Work Cited: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29282407

The 2007-2009 recession was long and deep, and according to several indicators, it was the most severe economic contraction since the 1930s. Unemployment Rate in the United States was extremely high in 2009 almost 10 percent. However, it decreased to 5.90 percent in September of 2014 from 6.10 percent in August of 2014, the lowest rate since July of 2008. In a addition, 69,000 more jobs were created in July and August than previously estimated.

This report is very important cause we can use it to estimate the health of the economy. The strength in hiring this year has been one of the clearest indications that the country is finally escaping the long shadow of the Great Recession. The lower unemployment rate is not only good for the government, but also has a lot of impacts to the citizens. Their living situation and satisfaction will improved and the rate of crime will decrease for the reason that the society are harmonious than before. Still, one thing need to be mentioned. Most of the new jobs in this recovery have been low wage jobs and part time jobs. Wages have been basically stagnant for several decades. So the economy in US still need a little time to recover.

Resource: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/03/us-usa-economy-idUSKCN0HS09020141003

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29479533

Picture: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/04/business/economy/monthly-jobs-report-september.html?_r=0

http://www.forbes.com/sites/samanthasharf/2014/10/03/jobs-report-u-s-economy-added-248000-jobs-in-september-unemployment-down-to-5-9/