State Court Systems

The system of state courts is quite diverse; virtually no two states have identical judiciaries. In general, however, the states, like the federal government, have a hierarchically organized system of general courts along with a group of special courts. The lowest level of state courts are inferior courts, may include any of the following: magistrate court, municipal court, justice of the peace court, police court, traffic court, and county court. Such tribunals, often quite informal, handle only minor civil and criminal cases. More serious offenses are heard in superior court, also known as state district court. The superior courts hear appeals from the inferior courts and have original jurisdiction over major civil suits and serious crimes.

The highest state court, state court of appeals, or state supreme court, generally hears appeals from the state superior courts and, in some instances, has original jurisdiction over particularly important cases. A number of the larger states, such as New York, also have intermediate appellate courts between the superior courts and the state's highest court.

A state may have special tribunals, including juvenile court, divorce court, family court, housing court, and small-claims court. There are more than 1, 000 state courts of various types, and their judges may be either appointed or elected.

5. Imagine that you are the assistant manager of Marco’s (a fast food restaurant). The manager has asked you to assess the food and prices, service and atmosphere and suggest any changes that you think need to be made.

A 14-year study shows that fast food restaurants have only made minimal improvements to the nutritional value of items on their menus. The researchers say that's especially problematic because more than 25 percent of Americans eat fast food two or more times a week, and the items are filled with high amounts of sugar, fat and salt.

Fast food restaurants are a very quick and easy way to get food if you are in a hurry, but there is a dark side to this convenience. Most fast food restaurants are generally bad for both people and the environment. The production of food is in a way harmful to the environment. The food itself is a potential risk to people’s health.

That is why if I will have the chance to change something I will:

· Focus on value

· You can practice portion control--choose small, regular, junior or single sizes.

· No delayed meals or waiting at the table for food.

· You can make special requests to avoid hidden calories such as mayonnaise and " special sauces".

· You can split and share with no extra charges.

· Nutrition information is available.

· Promote New and Novelty Items - Attract consumers with promotions for new items and advertise a range of food items that appeal to a variety of diners, but balance the special price menu by eliminating too many options. Promotion of a new food item each month attracts customers looking for something unusual. Food with a holiday theme, including peppermint ice cream for the winter holidays or iced drinks during summer months, attracts customers focused on that single food item. Promote food made with seasonal fruit and vegetables, and advertise your special menu to increase patronage.

· Train Staff for Continuity - Quality customer service promotes a pleasing experience for your diners. A smile and greeting from your staff when customers enter the store helps set the tone for the visit - and the training required to get employees to utter a simple greeting is minimal.

Keep your restaurant interior clean, and landscape the area around the drive-through window to improve the customer perception of your restaurant. A customer who experiences quality dining is a happy customer. A satisfied customer also recommends your restaurant to others.

6.Nowadays technology is used to keep a close watch on our every move. What are the forms of surveillance? Which of these seems the most scary for you? Give your reasons.

Governments are increasingly using technology that monitors online activity and intercepts electronic communication in order to arrest journalists, and dissidents. Around 180 netizens worldwide are currently in prison for providing news and information online.

As you go about your business today, you may think you enjoy a relative anonymity and privacy. Not so. Along with the government’s ability to track its citizens as they move about the Internet, computerization seems develop the ability to track people in the material world. Moreover, it can be done cheaply and almost invisibly. We have a wide range of surveillance devices used to safeguard the public. The most successful are:
I’ve seen your face before …
In 1998, the London borough of Newham connected the US firm Visionics’ software to cameras covering one shopping area. The face recognition software was reported to decrease crime rates relative to other boroughs, achieving a dramatic drop in street robberies and burglaries.
The system tries to match faces on Newham’s cameras to a ‘watch list’ of nearly 100 active criminals, chosen by a Metropolitan Police committee. The software shows probable matches to a Newham employee who is (8-decide) if the match is valid and whether or not (9-contact) the police.
Such a system costs from Ј15, 000 a single camera feed and uses standard surveillance cameras.
I know your number …
Automatic number place recognition appeared in the UK in 1997, when the City of London police installed cameras that scan the plates of every vehicle entering and leaving the Square Mile. A police spokesperson says: “We are not interested in monitoring people’s movements; we are supposed to provide them with a safe environment.”
The traffic information provider, Trafficmaster plc, owns a far more widespread plate-reading system, with 8, 000 cameras on roads that monitor traffic speeds.
I know where you are …
There is even a simpler way to track citizens: examining location data sent out by mobile telephones. When switched on, each unit transmits its identity. As a result, your network always knows roughly where you are.
Base-station data is already used to provide traffic news.

You could find yourself getting text messages advertising shops you are passing; meantime your network will be keeping a keen eye on your movements. Are you in a trap like a mouse in just one click?

7. You talk with your foreign friend about religious and public holidays which are observed in Ukraine, Great Britain and USA. What do these holidays have in common? Are there any differences in celebration in these countries?

A public holiday in Ukraine is a holiday typically established by Ukrainian law makers and is normally a non working day during the year. The public holidays in Ukraine are often days of a famous event (Independence day), or may be a religious celebration for instance Christmas.

The Ukrainian National Day is a specific date on the 24 August (1991) to observe the Independence Day of Ukraine. Often this public holiday in Ukraine is not called as National Day. However, the banks, schools along with other public buildings would be closed.
Public Holidays in Ukraine

New Year’s Day - January 1. In addition to the traditional celebrations the Old New Year’s Day, a folk symbol of tradition and originality, is marked on January 14.

Ortodox Christmas Day - January 7

International Women’s Day - March 8

Easter - movable: May 5, 2013; April 20, 2014;

Labor Day - May 1 and 2 (2 days)

Victory Day - May 9

Holy Trinity Day - movable: June 23, 2013; June 8, 2014;

Constitution Day - June 28

Independence Day - August 24

Except Ortodox Easter and Svyata Triytsia, all the above holidays are celebrated on a fixed day. Ortodox Christmas Day and Velykden’ (Ortodox Easter) are celebrated in accord to the Orthodox Old Calendar.

Important notice: In Ukraine, if a holiday falls on a weekend, there will be a day off on the following Monday.

Public holidays in the United Kingdom are the public holidays observed in some or all of the countries of the United Kingdom. Most businesses and non-essential services are closed on public holidays, although some of retail businesses do open on some of the public holidays.

The United Kingdom has no national day holiday marked or celebrated. The lack of a formal founding date and no constitution may be the reason for the lack of a national day.

The statutory minimum holidays are currently 5.6 weeks a year (including any bank holidays or public holidays that are taken.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, public holidays are commonly referred to as bank holidays, and the two terms are often used interchangeably, although there is a difference.

Bank holidays are holidays when banks and many other businesses are closed for the day. Public holidays are holidays which have been observed through custom and practice.