Thursday, July 28, 2005

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If Only Answers Answers
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Minds in whirls.
Headaches that won't subside.
Bottles that never fill.
Work that never does.
Objectives that never met.
People that won't stop.

Animals longing for freedom.
Some never felt freedom.
Some never knew freedom.
Some never demanded freedom.

Animals longing for freedom.
Tested alive.
Dissected alive.
Vulnerability.
Helplessness.
Unexpressed struggles.
For whom?

Animals longing for freedom.
Lives observing lives.
Lives reading gestures.
Obedient lives.
Uncherished lives.

If the World thought like Children.
If the World felt like Children.
If only answers answer.

If the World were silent.
If the World paused to think.
If only answers answer.

If the World stopped mystery.
If the World answered me.
If only answers answer.

If only there were answers.
If only answers existed, though hidden.
If only answers answer.

If only answers didn't sound foreign.
If only answers weren't related to questions,
And solutions weren't related to problems.
If only questions were statements.
If only answers were opinions.

If only opinions were treasured.
If only thoughts were recorded.
If only some questions didn't require courage.

Only if answers answer.

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Saturday, July 16, 2005

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For the Person Who
Left Her Book in School. -.-"
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Section C - MCQ

Attempt questions in Chapter 6, Section 6.1, Pages 127-136 of TYS

Section D - Essay Questions

1(a) What are the main characteristics of a monopoly market? [12]

1(b) To what extent is it true that monopolies are bad for the consumer? [13] (Nov 1999)

2(a) Air fares on major airlines cost more during periods such as summer holiday time when demand is high. Explain how price discrimination can occur and consider whether this is an example of price discrimination. [12]

2(b) The fares are fixed by a group of airline companies acting together. If these fares were left to competitive market forces, and the agreements between the airline companies were ended, how might consumers be affected? [13] (June 2000)



Section C – Data Response Questions

The massive growth in companies selling over the Internet has raised many questions. Will all companies become Internet companies? Is this the beginning of the end of shops as we know them? Will we all be caught up in a web, where big companies swallow up little ones, and where we, as consumers, end up with no power at all?In practice, e-commerce could have large benefits for consumers. These include not only the obvious benefits of being able to do your shopping from your own home, but also of having a wider choice of products and at more reasonable prices. But why should prices be more reasonable? The answer is that e-commerce has the potential to make markets more competitive: in fact, in many cases, pretty close to perfectly competitive.

The growth of e-commerce has led to many new firms starting up in business. It’s not just large firms like Amazon.com that are providing increased competition for established firms but the thousands of small online companies hat are being established everyday. Many of these firms are selling directly to us as consumers.

The reach of the web is global. This means that firms, whether conventional or web-based, get to keep an eye on the prices and products of competitors in the rest of the world, not just in the local neighbourhood.

If you go shopping to buy a new household item and want to get the best deal, then it can take you some time going from shop to shop comparing prices. If, however, you go online to buy the same item, you can very rapidly compare prices. Search engines can quickly locate a list of alternatives such as ShoppingTrolley.net or Kelkoo.com.

Internet companies often have lower start-u costs than their conventional rivals. Their premises are generally much smaller, with no ‘shop-front’ costs and lower levels of stock holding. Marketing costs can also be relatively low, especially given the ease with which companies can be located with search engines. Internet companies are often smaller and more specialized, relying on Internet ‘outsourcing’, rather than making everything themselves. They are also more likely to use delivery firms rather than having their own transport fleet. All this makes it relatively cheap for new firms to set up and begin trading over the Internet.

Extracted from “Essentials of Economics” by John Sloman, 3rd Edition

Questions:

1) What are the characteristics of a perfectly competitive industry? [2]

2)The extract described e-commerce market to be ‘pretty close to perfectly competitive’. Provide two examples on why the e-commerce market is said to be similar to a perfectly competitive industry. [4]

3) Provide two reasons on why the e-commerce market does not conform to a perfectly competitive industry. [4]

4) Given the extract, explain and illustrate how the demand curve for a small firm selling books online would be like. [4]

5) What are some disadvantages of a perfectly competitive industry? If you were a consultant engaged by an online book retailer, what would you advice your client on expanding the firm’s market share? [6]


-End-

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Wednesday, July 06, 2005

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If only YOU could read THIS.
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No no it's not you, you nor you,
It's you.

I decided against calling you,
because it would make me sound
terribly immature and sensitive,
like the others who were there.
what's the problem with you people.
since I've decided against immaturity,
let me voice out, right here,
just in case you happen to come by.

My tone may sound offending,
but truly no offence.

Wanted to speak to you just now
But I had to consider first.
I wish to clarify because I felt that
you and your **** had
the impression that us from T18
place more importance on other
ccas than this.
Perhaps you didn't mean it
Like that in the canteen,
but it's unfair to us that and
we should explain clearly to you.
The ccas that my friends have
are only available on wednesdays,
like council, life sciences, band...
so we can only make it on fridays.

It doesn't mean that this cca
is SECONDARY,
especially if we enjoy the game,
and wish it to be part of our nyaa.

Hope you'll understand, that's all.

By the way, I'm here because
I enjoy the game,
not after some freaking position.
I know as if it'll make any diff,
but you may strike me off.
Thanks for screwing up my evening, though.
through this damaging anger,
I had some food for thought.
God Bless and Bye.

Maybe I should just speak to you in person.
Don't know why this affects me so much,
but I won't allow us to be insulted.

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Tuesday, July 05, 2005

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Means so Much.
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So...
How should I put it.
Well, you may not be aware,
but the little actions that you do,
sparing a thought for others,
taking minor decisions seriously...,
it all adds up,
it all adds up to aiding others,
enabling everyone else to have
an easier life,...
and it creates an atmosphere of trust,
one in which,
I trust you,
and you trust me.
so what i'm trying to say is,...
for the self-centred ones,
do put yourself out of the picture
every now and then,...
and for those considerate ones
who constantly think for others,
keep it up, because the world
is the way it is today
because of you.
If you are in between,
fair enough.
If you don't know where you are,
well,
you don't know who you are.

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Like I've Never Seen the Sky Before.
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on the radio this morning,
I heard the two deejays
calling up a big superstar,
they said his name was 'David'
and everyone thought it was
David. Beckham.
so...it was so stupid and lame,
the guy on the other line
was obviously one of them,
and they made him sound so lecherous,
and so dumb and so... annoying.
heck, whatever,
but it was really insulting,
especially to fans of Beck's and
his past and present clubs.
but I dunch care. hahaaa.. dunch.

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Why Show Your Weakness.
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CT Review. heh heh.
oh great.
so we all went to school...
met the Chem paper.
felt some questions were retarded,
but generally okay to the majority, I guess.
Enjoyment Rate: ***

and then we met the Econs paper.
even more retarded questions.
even more pointless questions.
but I enjoyed doing it.
maybe cos I like analysing.
but my essays.. single digits.
I didn't even read perfect com, so...
there goes a few marks for mcq.
Enjoyment Rate: ****

and then we met the Chinese paper.
Chinese. Oh GOSH.
I only have like a 20% chance of passing it.
Seriously!
The words may recognize me,
but man, I don't know half the words there.
Not like my Chinese is thaaat lousy lar,
but still. the paper amused me. greatly.
Enjoyment Rate: *

what next? oh yeah,
BIO PAPER!
all application questions!
just what do you want from us?!
haha...but it was great,
broadened my perspectives,
saw it for myself.
Insufficient time.
It wasn't easy though.
But I loved it though I'll probably fail!
Enjoyment Rate: *****

then there was Maths.
fail fail fail fail fail.
though it was fun to think,
I calculated carefully,
and had like
less than 30 marks
out of a hundred?
so dead.
I'm the dead talking.
familiar? hehe.. =)
should have brought my abacus.
Enjoyment Rate: ****

won't make it to J2.
year 2...so near yet so far.
maybe I'll just remain in J1 forever.
I'll cry when all my friends move up,
but I'll be glad to meet new friends,
go through orientations again...
maybe I'll feel superior! lols...
yeah, superior, and old. -.-"
I'll miss you guys...
thanks for sharing this one year with me,
but it's time we let go,
and go separate ways..........
maybe we're happier that way.
you guys have always complained of the crap right?
well, here's your opportunity.
seize it! and run! =)
keep in touch though!
and take care.

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