RH Bill Essay

RH Bill is plausible yet we cannot be sure about what will be the incoming effect of it in the Philippines. The government says that the main problem here is poverty and with RH Bill, there would be a decrease in population so that poverty in relatively with population also decreases. Yes, the government has a point in that sense but morally speaking, is it what God wants us to do? There are some people who agrees with RH Bill because as we all know, the use of contraceptive will make us unfertile; and if a woman is unfertile, it will not become pregnant. Let us all be open-minded and say that nowadays, teens are engaging in sexual activities. Teens are truly engaging with sex. Most of them who engages with sex will be pregnant. If they are still not that responsible enough to have a child, they have an option to abort the child or not; if not, then the couple will most likely suffer in having an early marriage. I respect the opinion of others about their decision upon agreeing in this bill but they should have an understanding that when RH Bill is going to be a law, then the Philippines will somewhat be liberated. I passed upon a guy who is not a Pro nor a Con in RH Bill but has a point in telling us that, â€Å"I wouldn’t directly say that I am against it†¦but I wouldn’t also say that I am with it†¦on the surface, the law seems to be plausible†¦it is actually verging on good to great†¦but as Filipinos, the separation of the state to the church isn’t actually complied because as Filipinos, our value for life and morality is sky high†¦but we cannot also change the fact that we are not the most responsible people in the world†¦many youths that I know here on our place is actually engaging in sexual activities and they suffer for it†¦we can’t change the fact that we need to control the situation before it gets worst†¦guys, we ’re 92,681,453 and counting as we talk†¦we can’t just sit†¦we have to do something†¦ the church is here to teach the people of the values†¦the government and the state is here to implement the values that the church teaches†¦but if she can’t do the teaching, the state shall act upon doing what is right on his eye†¦let the church be the church and the state be the state†¦Ã¢â‚¬  but we must be careful about its effect. This guy has a good point in everything but teenagers who experienced early pregnancy should face their own consequences rather than encouraging other youths to engage in sex. Well, literally speaking, the RH Bill doesn’t encourage teens to engage in sexual activities but figuratively speaking, this bill somewhat encourages the teens to engage because of the thought that they won’t get pregnant and thus they’d be more liberated than ever. I respect the the governments’ idea about RH Bill because in the first place, they don’t want any abortion happening here in the Philippines nor having poverty because of having a child at an early age but I tell you, POPULATION is not the main issue here in the Philippines(well maybe a part) but POVERTY. Don’t tell me that poverty happens because of overpopulation. Well maybe yes†¦ but not the main reason. It is the CORRUPTION happening in our government’s the MAIN ISSUE here. Why concentrate in RH Bill when we should first plan a good system that helps the people in the Philippines which poverty will most likely decline. As a citizen here in the Philippines and as a Christian or a Catholic, would you like to have a liberated country? An immoral society? Think about it. Even though the RH Bill has a lot of benefits, it doesn’t mean we should make the disadvantages of the bill happen.

Operations Strategy Essay

The statement that â€Å"operations strategy is the total pattern of decisions which shape the long term capabilities of any type of operation and their contribution to overall strategy, through the reconciliation of market requirements with operations resources†, is true. First, define the words operations strategy, and operations strategy. Operations is what a company â€Å"does†. It is how it delivers its products or services to its customer. Operations is the case of a company’s business i. e. hatever that is, for example hospitality companies offer service, manufacturing companies make products, stockholders, purchase, store and distribute, which retailers procure, stock and supply the public with the goods. This definition can be applied to almost any organization. Strategy is a deliberate search for a plan of action that will develop a business’s distinctive competence and compound it. Organizations strategy describes how it intends to create value for its shareholders, customers, and the citizens. Operations strategy consists of a sequence of decisions that over time enables the business unit to achieve a desired operations, structure, infrastructure and set of specific capabilities in support of the competitive priorities. Operations strategy is concerned with matching characteristics of operations function with the requirements of the market in order to fulfill needs of the business. A proper approach of this process requires not only understanding of the ideas and methods used to develop operations systems but also knowledge of the techniques and principles involved in its implementation. Implementation requires knowledge of operations system and policies including those that relate to resource planning and activity control, quality, motivation and organization of people, performance metrics and continuous improvement. Operations strategy has several components that range from structure decision, categories to others. Decision strategies includes such things as capacity, which defines the size of the organization. Facilities available in the business unit also forms part of the structural decision categories of the operations strategy. Vertical integration is another aspect of the structural decision category. Technological trends in the organization is also part of the structural decision category. Infrastructural decision categories includes things like work place, organization, information and control systems. The conditions of the work place affect the infrastructure of the business unit. Information and control systems defines the infrastructure of the organization. Capabilities are also a component of operations. Each business has unique capabilities. For example a firm A may have the capability of providing higher levels of services than firm B. Competition priories are also part of the components of operations strategy. In this category cost is an important aspect and determines the competitiveness of a business organization. The other aspect in this category is quality. Here higher performance decisions are made and also maintaining consistence in quality. Time is also critical and on it emphasis is on fast delivery, on-time delivery of services and products and also the development sped. Flexibility is another aspect in the category of competitive priorities. There should be customization of services and also volume flexibility meaning that the business unit should be ready to serve even increased volume of clients. Operations is what a company does to achieve a set of four objectives. These are increasing customer satisfaction, increasing financial performance, increasing employee satisfactions and creating value for the citizens. Customer satisfactions levels is determined by the levels an quality of services, the value for their money, the speed of service, the behavior of the service staff, the atmosphere and theme of service. Customer satisfaction leads to increase in business hence margins go up. Financial performance as mentioned above depends on the sales volumes that depend on customer satisfaction. This is determined by checking the profit margins and the costs involved in doing a business. The task of the business is to gain more margins while minimizing the costs. Employee satisfaction results from the way the employees are treated by management. This treatment is based on the nature o work being performed and also the way the workers are enumerated. Employees’ satisfaction depends on levels of motivation that they get at the work place i. . being given challenging job tasks, being rewarded for excellent performance etc. Businesses should also create value for the citizens and this is mainly through practicing social responsibility. This involves giving back something to the community as an appreciation for benefits derived from doing business in that community. Example of this include building hospitals, homes for orphans and supporting other disadvantaged people in the community. It is through the operations of work done in the various functions or departments in a business unit that the above objectives can be met. There are three levels of strategy in an organization. These are the corporate level, business or divisional level and operations the functions level. Operations strategy ultimately contribute to the overall strategy key functional areas with an organization include the finance, human resources, marketing, product development among others. In each category there are several challenges encountered in achieving and maintaining a suitable operations strategy. Marketing of hospitability services is complicated by several features or characteristics of services marketing. First the services are intangible meaning that they cannot be displayed for customers. There the market has to use great skills to convince a customer to buy the service. The aspect of inseparability of services also complicates the marketing task. This means that the services also produced and consumed simultaneously. The other characteristic of services marketing is perishability meaning that services are perishable if not used at the time they are available e. g. a hotel room goes wasted if it is not used on a particular night. Variability is another characteristic of services. A service given to a guest in a restaurant may vary with similar service provided to the guest by another employee at the same restaurant. In the case of Wynn Macau’s casino and resort that is to open September this year the general manger of Wynn Resort Macau confessed that they faced some challenges in their marketing plan. First, they want to set up a gaming facility yet it is illegal to advertise and promote gaming in China. To counter this situation the company is trying to hook up customers with high growing levels of disposable income and who travel a lot. It is targeting people living on the eastern seaboard of China who represent 80% of Chinas wealth belt. Another challenge is that Macau receives few people from the western countries (who are more interested in gaming) Macau being a one-day trip market poses another challenge for marketers. This will call for targeting of people with high spending power. Another challenge facing the marketing staff as they try to develop operations strategy is the aspect of seasonality of the hospitability business. In this case you find different approaches being used at different times of the year. There is also the problem of money laundering in Macau among the agents poses yet another challenge. For this problem, Wynn Macau has created their own investigation team to look at the matter. In Macau most gaming revenues come from the VIP market yet, Wynn Macau is targeting the mass market. This means more marketing is to be done to attract the mass market in the gaming business. The finance function is also faced with several challenges in the hospitability industry. Finance department is involved in looking for or designing ways of getting money to do business. It is also involved in establishing the way revenue is generated or not generated in the organization. Finance function makes investment and diversification decision. Challenges may arise when a business opts to do diversity its operations in that you may find that revenue contribution from one kind of business e. g. gaming may differ from place to place. In the case of Macau, it is believed that the non-gaming assets are going to change the hotel chains penetration into the market. This will be finding more people interested in gambling and other activities that go together. Organizations have different ways of financing business. Among these is ploughing back some of the profits realized and this may conflict with the shareholders who want to be paid their dividends. These banks which fund hotels and other hospitability organizations sometimes ask for high interest in loans and give conditions that are too hard to abide by. These problems bring challenges to the hospitability businesses when they require funds for more investments. Other challenges like disperanities in revenues from similar businesses at different parts of the world also comes as a challenge to organization. It becomes difficult to predict the expected revenue fro the whole business chain. The issue of cost doing business varying in different parts of the world poses challenges to organizations wishing to go global. As in the case with Wynn Macau, the staff needs is not uniform. Higher-skilled workers are asking for more wages thus filling more pressure on the organization. It is also evident that the staff needs vary for those of the skilled employees to those of that at the introductory level who need to be trained. Salary scales are also different in different part of the world. As in the case of Wynn Macau, salaries in China are higher than is the case in Las Vegas and this has some financial implications. With increase in business more employees will be required thus building more pressure for wages. Although, diversification has succeeded for some organizations, it also involves a lot of risk taking. This is so because the organizations are venturing in unfamiliar grounds hence being in a position to face many challenges. The challenges may include issues of recession in such part of the country and also political instability, which can affect the financial well being of the business. Some examples of successful diversifications in the hospitability industry include that of Hilton hotels co-operation that went into a merger with the Grand casinos. In this case the Grand Casinos were given an excellent strategies opportunity to diversify their operations. Product development in hospitality industry means the process of coming up with new products or services. This has impacts on operations strategy in that, it is through the process new products and service come into being and helps in raising the customer’s satisfaction. New services or products development serves as a challenge to the employees hence raise their motivation. Challenges common in this function include lack of resources i. e. both material and human resources. Failure by management to encourage or recognize employee’s ideas may act as a hindrance to the development of new services or products. Another challenge comes from the customers who are not familiar with unusual quality of services. These customers are likely to avoid the services hence keeping the business low in terms of sales volumes. New products and services may sometime help in increasing customer satisfaction by giving a variety of services/products to the customer. The new products and services may also possess higher quality than similar services and products. Maintaining the new set standards may prove to difficult and expensive since it may call for more training of the staff. Another challenge facing product/service development is that some customers could be alienated by an unusual quality of service. This is due to conservations among some clients meaning they will be unwilling to accept new products. The human resources in any organization form the backbone to its success. Operations strategy poses a key challenge due to its symbiotic dependence on the organization structure. The organization is made up of human beings who are living things aggregating the skills complexities and the drivers of the people within them (the organization). These aspects impact and constrain operations strategy. In many cases organizations evolve rather than being designed and changes become adaptation of the former structure without revisiting the underlying strategy and operations (Schroeder Roger 1989). Comparing recruiting and training of workers in has Vegas and Macau you find that these processes are not different. Although these processes may not differ for two locations, culture differences pose major challenges for Wynn Macau Resorts and any other gaming companies planning to operate in Macau. Human resource recruiting has gone online with many applications for jobs at Wynn Macau being generated from an online service. This is a new trend which may mean that those who have started using it will benefit by getting a large pool of applicants and get the best candidates. Those who fail to adopt this may not benefit from getting high quality staff. Training materials for people in foreign places with different languages have to be translated into language of the targeted group. There are also hiring and work differences between different places in different parts in the world e. g. Las Vegas and Macau. This is a challenge for Hospitality Company like Wynn Macau which is planning to offer its services in the two different places of the world. Another challenge facing hiring of staff for a company like Wynn Macau is Chinese government’s tough immigration rules. This means neatly all management and staff at Wynn Macau will be Chinese. In some countries there no industrial or trade unions and this is a challenge to the human resources welfare. Although there may be strong governmental regulations related to employment, employees in such places are likely to be treated unfairly in organizations. Employee performance in a place with culture they are not used to may be another challenge facing the human resources function. As for Wynn Macau and Hilton Hotels Corporation venturing into overseas business, the way they perform in a different setting is critical to their survival in such places. This means they have to put a lot of efforts in staffing and training of their staff to cope up with challenges associated with the new locations. Another challenge facing human resources for Wynn Macau is the fact that workers are not used to working in hotels offering the level of service Wynn customers expect. Were it not for the Chinese government’s tough immigration policy, the company could import professionals who are familiar with the level of service of Wynn customers. Motivation of staff is one of the roles of human resource management; motivation among the staff can be achieved through giving challenging tasks, employee recognition for good work done, good enumeration among other things. Highly motivated employees will perform their duties well which in turn leads to high customer satisfaction. Employees being human beings can do a very bad job if they are not motivated. Keeping the employees highly motivated is a challenge to the organization since motivation comes as a result of mixing several variables (Schroeder Roger 1989). Employee turn-over is the other critical challenge to the human resources function in any business unit. Lack of motivation is the main reason for employee turn-over in organizations. Employee retention is an operation strategy that relates to the human resources function and therefore organization should endeavor to satisfy their employees and ultimately retain them. Remember employees are the implementers of any strategy in the organization and as such they should be rated as the most important component of the organization. Operations process also includes the functions of the purchasing and supplies department. This department is expected to develop and sustain supplier relationships. Companies enjoy significant competitive advantage from their established networks of superb supplier relationships. The objective is to lower the total â€Å"cost ownership† i. e. the cost of acquiring goods, materials and services. Challenges facing the purchasing and supplies function include competition in business. A business organization competing with another may go to the supplier of the latter and get a better deal for materials from the same supplier thus affecting supply to the former business organization. Instability of prices for materials and services poses some challenges to the purchasing and supplies function of the organization. Capacity is another dimension to the operations strategy. It entails growth as needed through additional business units, but capacity added carefully. An example of building a business capacity is that of McDonald’s that planned to add more stores its chain. The challenge is that increasing the capacity should be done carefully and in a calculated manner otherwise it may end up adding costs of business without or with little margins being recognized. Process/informative technology is a new age in business organization are forms an important part of its functions. Strategies relating to this include having a high degree of understanding of the latest advances in it (process/information technology). Another strategy for process information technology is that organizations seek to be leaders in IT in their specific industry. Challenges could include high costs of acquisition and maintenance of the information systems. IT is also viewed by conservative people as way of reducing staff from organizations and as such it is likely to face resistance from some employees. In the hospitality industries introduction of automated machines is a challenge in that it affects the â€Å"human† aspect of service. Customers prefer to be served by people and thus be able to enjoy the human contact created by the employee’s presence. Another dimension of operations strategy is the vertical integration. This focuses on partnership arrangements with other organizations. It also focuses on maintaining long-term relationship with suppliers in order to promote innovation and quality improvement. Some organizations may fear partnering with the others thinking that the other organization has intentions of â€Å"stealing: their business ideas. Operations strategy can be evaluated using two different approaches. One is checking its internal and external consistency. It entails consistency between the operations strategy and overall business strategy, between operations strategy and other functional strategies within the business among decision categories that make up operations strategy, and between operations strategy and business environment (resource available, competitive behavior, government restraints). The other approach to operations strategy evaluation is looking at contribution to competitive advantage. It involves making trade-offs explicit, and enabling operations to set priorities that enhance competitive advantage. It also involves directing attention to opportunities that complement the business strategy. The other thing is promoting clarity regarding the operations strategy throughout the business unit to realize its potential. Lastly it involves providing operations capabilities that will be required business in the future. Conclusion Looking at the operations strategy along the various dimensions discussed in this paper, it can be concluded that they are support the operations mission and ultimately contribute to the overall business strategy of the organization. This is so because all aspects of the operations strategy work together in a complex mix to give the overall results expected by an organization.

The Golden Lily Chapter 4

SONYA DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING about the mysterious encounter to the rest of the gang at Adrian's, so I respected her silence. Everyone else was too preoccupied with dinner and the experiments to notice much else. And once they conducted the second wave of experiments, even I grew too distracted to give much thought to the guy on the street. Sonya had said she wanted to see how Eddie and Dimitri responded to direct spirit. This was accomplished by her and Adrian focusing their magic at the dhampirs one at a time. â€Å"It's sort of like what we'd do if we were trying to heal them or make something grow,† Sonya explained to me. â€Å"Don't worry – this isn't going to make them supersized or anything. It's more like we're coating them with spirit magic. If Dimitri's got some lasting mark from when he was healed, I'd imagine it would react with our magic.† She and Adrian coordinated their timing and did Eddie first. Initially, there was nothing to see – just the two spirit users staring at Eddie. He looked uncomfortable under the scrutiny. Then, I saw a silvery shimmer run over his body. I stepped back, amazed – and unnerved – at seeing a physical manifestation of spirit. They repeated the process on Dimitri, with the same results. Apparently, on an unseen level, things were the same too. There was nothing notable about Dimitri's response. All of them took this in stride as part of the scientific process, but seeing that magic actually embrace the two men had creeped me out. As Eddie and I drove back to Amberwood that night, I found myself sitting as far away from him as I could in the car, as though residual magic might leak over and touch me. He chatted with me in our usual, friendly way, and I had to work hard to hide my feelings. Doing so made me feel guilty. This was Eddie, after all. My friend. The magic, even if it could've hurt me, was long since gone. A good night of sleep went a long ways to shake both my anxiety and guilt, leaving the magic a distant memory when I woke and prepared for classes the next day. Even though being at Amberwood was an assignment, I'd kind of come to love the elite school. I'd been homeschooled before this, and while my dad had certainly taught tough curriculum, he'd never gone beyond what he felt was necessary. Here, even if I surpassed what my classes were learning, there were plenty of teachers ready to encourage me to push farther. I hadn't been allowed to go to college, but this was a nice substitute. Before I could get on to it, I had to chaperone a training session with Eddie and Angeline. Even though he might want to avoid her, he wouldn't – not with Jill's safety on the line. Angeline was part of Jill's defense. I settled down in the grass with a cup of coffee, still wondering if he wasn't just imagining Angeline's interest. I'd recently acquired a one-cup coffee maker for my dorm room, and while it couldn't compare to a coffee shop, it had gotten me through a number of rough mornings. A yawn smothered my greeting as Jill sat down beside me. â€Å"Eddie never trains me anymore,† she said wistfully, as we watched the spectacle. Eddie was trying to patiently explain to Angeline that headbutting, while suitable in a bar brawl, was not always the best tactic with Strigoi. â€Å"I'm sure he will if he gets more time,† I said, though I wasn't sure at all. Now that he could admit his feelings for Jill to himself, he was nervous about touching her too much. That, and a chivalrous part of him didn't want Jill risking herself anyway. It was ironic because Jill's fierceness in wanting to learn self-defense (rare in a Moroi) was what had attracted him to her. â€Å"Angeline was recruited as protection. He's got to make sure she can handle it.† â€Å"I know. I just feel like everyone's trying to coddle me.† She frowned. â€Å"In PE, Micah won't let me do anything. After I had all that trouble starting out, he's now paranoid I'll hurt myself. I keep telling him I'm fine, that it was just the sun†¦ but well, he keeps jumping in. It's sweet†¦ but it drives me crazy sometimes.† â€Å"I've noticed it,† I admitted. I was in the same PE class. â€Å"I don't think that's why Eddie won't train you, though. He knows you can do it. He's proud that you can†¦ he just thinks that if he's doing his job, you shouldn't have to learn. Kind of weird logic.† â€Å"No, I get it.† Her earlier dismay shifted to approval as she turned back to the training session. â€Å"He's so dedicated†¦ and, well, good at what he does.† â€Å"The knee's an easy way to disable someone,† Eddie told Angeline. â€Å"Especially if you're caught without a weapon and have to – â€Å" â€Å"When are you going to teach me to stake or decapitate?† she interrupted, hands on her hips. â€Å"All the time, it's hit here, dodge this, blah, blah, blah. I need to practice killing Strigoi.† â€Å"No, you don't.† Eddie was the picture of patience and back in the determined, ready mode I knew so well. â€Å"You're not here to kill Strigoi. Maybe we can practice that at a later time, but right now, your priority is keeping mortal assassins away from Jill. That takes precedence over anything else, even our lives.† He glanced over at Jill for emphasis, and there was a flash of admiration in his eyes as he looked at her. â€Å"Seems like decapitation would kill Moroi just the same,† Angeline grumbled. â€Å"And besides, you did have a Strigoi problem last month.† Jill shifted uneasily beside me, and even Eddie paused. It was true – he had had to kill two Strigoi recently, back when Adrian's apartment had been Keith's. Lee Donahue had led the Strigoi to us. He was a Moroi who'd once been Strigoi. After he was returned to his natural state, Lee had wanted desperately to become a Strigoi again. He was the reason we'd learned that those restored by spirit seemed to have some Strigoi resistance. The two Strigoi he'd called to help him had tried to convert him but ended up killing him instead – a better fate than being undead, in my opinion. Those Strigoi had then turned on the rest of us and inadvertently revealed something unexpected and alarming (if not to them, then to me). My blood was inedible. They'd tried to drink from me and been unable to. With all the fallout from that night, no one among the Alchemists or Moroi had paid much attention to that small detail – and I was grateful. I was terrified that one of these days someone would think to put me under a microscope. â€Å"That was a fluke,† said Eddie at last. â€Å"Not one that's likely to happen again. Now watch the way my leg moves, and remember that a Moroi will probably be taller than you.† He did a demonstration, and I cast a quick look at Jill. Her face was unreadable. She never talked about Lee, whom she'd dated briefly. Micah had gone a long way to distract her on the romantic front, but having your last boyfriend want to become a bloodthirsty monster couldn't be an easy thing to get over. I had a feeling she was still in pain, even if she did a great job at hiding it. â€Å"You're too rigid,† Eddie told Angeline, after several attempts. She completely relaxed her body, almost like a marionette. â€Å"So, what? Like this?† He sighed. â€Å"No. You still need some tension.† Eddie moved behind her and attempted to guide her into position, showing her how to bend her knees and hold her arms. Angeline took the opportunity to lean back into him and brush her body suggestively against his. My eyes widened. Okay. Maybe he wasn't imagining things. â€Å"Hey!† He leapt backwards, a look of horror on his face. â€Å"Pay attention! You need to learn this.† Her expression was pure angelic innocence. â€Å"I am. I'm just trying to use your body to learn what to do with mine.† So help me, she batted her eyelashes. Eddie moved back even farther. I realized I should probably intervene, no matter what Eddie had said about handling his own problems. An even better savior came when the school's thirty-minute warning bell rang. I jumped up. â€Å"Hey, we should go if we want to get to breakfast in time. Right now.† Angeline gave me a suspicious look. â€Å"Don't you usually skip breakfast?† â€Å"Yeah, but I'm not the one putting in a hard morning's work. Besides, you still need to change and – wait, you're in your uniform?† I hadn't even noticed. Whenever Eddie and Jill trained, it was always in casual workout clothes – just like he wore now. Angeline had actually come out today in an Amberwood uniform, skirt and blouse, that were showing the wear and tear of a morning's battle. â€Å"Yeah, so?† She tucked in her blouse where it had started to come undone. The side of it was smudged with dirt. â€Å"You should change,† I said. â€Å"Nah. This is fine.† I wasn't so sure, but at least it was better than the jean shorts. Eddie did leave to put on his uniform and never came back for breakfast. I knew he liked his breakfasts, and since he was a guy, he could change clothes pretty quickly. My guess was he was sacrificing food to stay away from Angeline. I heard my name called as we entered the cafeteria and caught sight of Kristin Sawyer and Julia Cavendish waving to me. Aside from Trey, they were the two closest friends I'd made at Amberwood. I still had miles to go in ever being socially savvy, but those two had helped me a lot. And with all the supernatural intrigue my job involved, there was something comforting about being around people who were normal†¦ and, well, human. Even if I couldn't be fully honest with them. â€Å"Sydney, we have a fashion question for you,† Julia said. She tossed her blonde hair over one shoulder, her usual sign that what she was about to say was of utmost importance. â€Å"A fashion question for me?† I was almost ready to glance back and see if maybe there was another Sydney standing behind me. â€Å"I don't think anyone's ever asked that.† â€Å"You have really nice clothes,† Kristin insisted. She had dark skin and hair, as well as an athletic air that contrasted with Julia's more girly nature. â€Å"Too nice, actually. If my mom were ten years younger, cool, and had a lot more money, she'd dress just like you.† I didn't know if that was a compliment or not, but Julia didn't give me a chance to ruminate. â€Å"Tell her, Kris.† â€Å"Remember that counseling internship I wanted next semester? I scored an interview,† Kristin explained. â€Å"I'm trying to decide if I should wear pants and a blazer or a dress.† Ah, that explained why they were coming to me. An interview. Anything else they could have pulled from a fashion magazine. And while I could admit that I probably was the authority on such practical matters†¦ well, I was kind of disappointed that was what I'd been summoned for. â€Å"What color are they?† â€Å"The blazer's red, and the dress is navy.† I studied Kristin, taking in her features. On her wrist was a scar, the remnant of an insidious tattoo I'd helped remove, back when Keith's shady tattoo ring had run rampant. â€Å"Do the dress. Wait†¦ is it a dress you'd wear to church or to a nightclub?† â€Å"Church,† she said, not sounding happy about it. â€Å"Dress for sure then,† I said. Kristin flashed a triumphant look at Julia. â€Å"See? I told you that's what she'd say.† Julia looked doubtful. â€Å"The blazer's more fun. It's bright red.† â€Å"Yeah, but ‘fun' isn't usually what you want to portray at an interview,† I pointed out. It was hard to keep a straight face with their banter. â€Å"At least not for this kind of job.† Julia still didn't seem convinced, but she also didn't try to talk Kristin out of my sound fashion advice. A few moments later, Julia perked up. â€Å"Hey, is it true Trey set you up with some guy?† â€Å"I†¦ what? No. Where'd you hear that?† Like I had to ask. She'd undoubtedly heard it from Trey himself. â€Å"Trey said he'd talked to you about it,† said Kristin. â€Å"How this guy's perfect for you.† â€Å"It's a great idea, Syd,† said Julia, face as serious as if we were discussing a life or death matter. â€Å"It'd be good for you. I mean, since school started, I've gone out with†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She paused and silently counted out names on her fingers. â€Å"†¦ four guys. You know how many you've gone out with?† She held up a fist. â€Å"That many.† â€Å"I don't need to go out with anyone,† I argued. â€Å"I have enough complications already. I'm pretty sure that would add more.† â€Å"What complications?† laughed Kristin. â€Å"Your awesome grades, killer body, and perfect hair? I mean, okay, your family's a little out there, but come on, everyone has time for a date now and then – or lots, in Julia's case.† â€Å"Hey,† said Julia, though she didn't deny the charge. Kristin pushed forward, making me think she was more suited to a legal internship than a counseling one. â€Å"Skip homework for once. Give this guy a shot, and we can all go out together sometime. It'd be fun.† I gave them a forced smile and murmured something noncommittal. Everyone has time for a date now and then. Everyone but me, of course. I felt a surprising pang of longing, not for a date but just for social interaction. Kristin and Julia went out a lot with a larger group of friends and love interests and often invited me on their outings. They thought my reticence was because of homework or, perhaps, no suitable guy to go with me. I wished it were that simple, and suddenly, it was as though there was a huge chasm separating me from Kristin and Julia. I was their friend, and they had welcomed me to every part of their lives. Meanwhile, I was full of secrets and half truths. Part of me wished I could be open with them and able to confide all the woes of my Alchemist life. Heck, part of me just wished I really could go on one of these outings and let go of my duties for a night. It would never work, of course. We'd be out at a movie, and I'd probably get texted to come cover up a Strigoi slaying. This mood wasn't uncommon for me, and it began lightening as I started my school day. I fell into the rhythm of my schedule, comfortable in its familiarity. Teachers always assigned the most work over weekends, and I was pleased to be able to turn in all that I'd done on my plane rides. Unfortunately, my last class of the day derailed all the progress of my mood. Actually, class wasn't the right word. It was an independent study I had with my history teacher, Ms. Terwilliger. Ms. Terwilliger had recently revealed herself to be a magic user, a witch of sorts or whatever those people referred to themselves as. Alchemists had heard rumors of them, but it was nothing we had a lot of experience with or facts about. To our knowledge, only Moroi wielded magic. We utilized it in our lily tattoos – which had trace amounts of vampire blood – but the thought of humans producing it in the same way was crazy and twisted. That was why it was such a surprise when Ms. Terwilliger not only revealed herself to me last month but also ended up kind of tricking me into wielding a spell. It had left me shocked and even feeling dirty. Magic was not for humans to use. We had no right to manipulate the world like that; it was a hundred times worse than what Sonya had done to the red lily on the street. Ms. Terwilliger insisted I had a natural affinity for magic and had offered to train me. Why she wanted this, exactly, I wasn't sure. She'd gone on and on about the potential I had, but I could hardly believe she'd want to train me without a reason of her own. I hadn't figured out what that might be, but it didn't matter. I'd refused her offer. So, she'd found a workaround. â€Å"Miss Melbourne, how much longer do you think you'll be on the Kimball book?† she called from her desk. Trey had picked up â€Å"Melbourne† from her, but unlike him, she seemed to constantly forget that wasn't my actual name. She was in her forties, with mousy brown hair and a perpetually cunning glint in her eyes. I looked up from my work, forcing politeness. â€Å"Two more days. Three at most.† â€Å"Make sure to translate all three of the sleep of spells,† she said. â€Å"Each has its own nuances.† â€Å"There are four sleep spells in this book,† I corrected. â€Å"Are there?† she asked innocently. â€Å"I'm glad to see they're making an impression.† I hid a scowl. Having me copy and translate spell books for research was how she taught me. I couldn't help but learn the texts as I read them. I hated that I'd been ensnared, but it was too late in the school year to transfer out. Besides, I could hardly complain to the administration that I was being forced to learn magic. So, I dutifully copied her spell books and spoke as little as possible during our time together. Meanwhile, I simmered with resentment. She was well aware of my discomfort but made no attempts to alleviate the tension, leaving us in a stalemate. Only one thing brightened those sessions. â€Å"Look at that. It's been nearly two hours since my last cappuccino. It's a wonder I can function. Would you be kind enough to run to Spencer's? That should finish us out for the day.† The last bell had rung fifteen minutes ago, but I'd been putting in some overtime. I was already closing the spell book before she finished speaking. When I'd begun as her assistant, I'd resented the constant errands. Now, I looked forward to the escape. Not to mention my own caffeine fix. When I reached the coffee shop, I found Trey was just starting his shift, which was great – not just because he was a friendly face, but because it meant discounts. He began making my order before I even placed it since he knew the drill by now. Another barista offered to help, and Trey gave him meticulous instructions on what to do. â€Å"Skinny vanilla latte,† said Trey, grabbing the caramel for Ms. Terwilliger's cappuccino. â€Å"That's sugar-free syrup and skim. Don't mess it up. She can sniff out sugar and 2% milk a mile away.† I suppressed a smile. Maybe I couldn't reveal Alchemist secrets to my friends, but it was nice to know they at least knew my coffee preferences backwards and forwards. The other barista, who looked to be our age, gave Trey a droll look. â€Å"I'm well aware of what skinny means.† â€Å"Nice attention to detail,† I teased Trey. â€Å"I didn't know you cared.† â€Å"Hey, I live to serve,† he said. â€Å"Besides, I need your help tonight with that lab write-up from chem. You always find things I miss.† â€Å"It's due tomorrow,† I chastised. â€Å"You had two weeks. I'm guessing you didn't get much done in your cheerleader study session.† â€Å"Yeah, yeah. Will you help me out? I'll even go to your campus.† â€Å"I'll be up late with a study group – a real one.† The opposite sex was banned from our dorms after a certain hour. â€Å"I could meet you on Central Campus afterward if you want.† â€Å"How many campuses does your school have?† asked the other barista, setting down my latte. â€Å"Three.† I reached eagerly for the coffee. â€Å"Like Gaul.† â€Å"Like what?† asked Trey. â€Å"Sorry,† I said. â€Å"Latin joke.† â€Å"Omnia Gallia in tres partes divisa est,† said the barista. I jerked my head up. Not much could have distracted me from coffee, but hearing Julius Caesar quoted at Spencer's certainly did. â€Å"You know Latin?† I asked. â€Å"Sure,† he said. â€Å"Who doesn't?† Trey rolled his eyes. â€Å"Only the rest of the world,† he muttered. â€Å"Especially classical Latin,† continued the barista. â€Å"I mean, it's pretty remedial compared to Medieval Latin.† â€Å"Obviously,† I said. â€Å"Everyone knows that. All the rules became chaotic in the post-Empire decentralization.† He nodded agreement. â€Å"Although, if you compare it to the Romance languages, the rules start to make sense when you read them as part of the larger picture of the language's evolution.† â€Å"This,† interrupted Trey, â€Å"is the most messed-up thing I've ever seen. And the most beautiful. Sydney, this is Brayden. Brayden, Sydney.† Trey rarely used my first name, so that was weird, but not nearly as weird as the exaggerated wink he gave me. I shook Brayden's hand. â€Å"Nice to meet you.† â€Å"You too,† he said. â€Å"You're a Classics fan, huh?† He paused, giving me a long, considering look. â€Å"Did you see the Park Theatre Group's production of Antony and Cleopatra this summer?† â€Å"No. Didn't even know they performed it.† I suddenly felt kind of lame for not having known that, as though I should be up on all arts and culture events in the greater Palm Springs area. I added by way of explanation, â€Å"I only moved here a month ago.† â€Å"I think they have a couple performances left in the season.† Brayden hesitated once more. â€Å"I'd see it again if you wanted to go. Though I'll warn you – it's one of those reinterpreted Shakespeare productions. Modern clothes.† â€Å"I don't mind. That kind of reinterpretation is what makes Shakespeare timeless.† The words rolled automatically off my lips. As they did, I suddenly had one of those epiphany moments where I realized there was more going on than I'd initially thought. I replayed Brayden's words. Between that and Trey's enormous grin, I soon had a startling realization. This was the guy Trey had been telling me about. My â€Å"soul mate.† And he was asking me out. â€Å"This is a great idea,† said Trey. â€Å"You kids should totally go see that play. Make a whole day of it. Grab some dinner and hang out at the library or whatever it is you do for fun.† Brayden met my eyes. His were hazel, almost like Eddie's but with a little green. Not as much green as Adrian's, of course. No one's eyes were that amazingly green. Brayden's brown hair occasionally picked up glints of gold in the light and was cut in a no-nonsense way that showed off the angles of his cheekbones. I had to admit, he was pretty cute. â€Å"They perform Thursday through Sunday,† he said. â€Å"I've got a debate tournament over the weekend†¦ could you do it Thursday night?† â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Could I? There was nothing planned, so far as I knew. About twice a week, I took Jill to the home of Clarence Donahue, an old Moroi who had a feeder. Thursday wasn't a scheduled feeding night, though, and technically I wasn't obligated to go to experiment nights. â€Å"Of course she's free,† Trey jumped in before I could even answer. â€Å"Right, Sydney?† â€Å"Yes,† I said, shooting him a look. â€Å"I'm free.† Brayden smiled. I smiled back. Nervous silence fell. He seemed as unsure as I was about how to proceed. I would have thought it was cute, if I wasn't so worried that I looked ridiculous. Trey elbowed him sharply. â€Å"This is the part where you ask for her number.† Brayden nodded, though he didn't look like he appreciated the elbowing. â€Å"Right, right.† He pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. â€Å"Is it Sydney with a y or i?† Trey rolled his eyes. â€Å"What? I'm guessing the former, but as naming conventions become increasingly untraditional, you never know. I just want to get it right in my phone.† â€Å"I would have done the same thing,† I agreed. I then told him my phone number. He looked up and smiled at me. â€Å"Great. I'm looking forward to it.† â€Å"Me too,† I said, and actually meant it. I left Spencer's in a daze. I had a date. How on earth did I have a date? Trey hurried out to me a few moments later, catching me as I was unlocking my car. He still wore his barista apron. â€Å"Well?† he asked. â€Å"Was I right, or was I right?† â€Å"About what?† I asked, though I had a feeling I knew what was coming. â€Å"About Brayden being your soul mate.† â€Å"I told you – â€Å" â€Å"I know, I know. You don't believe in soul mates. Still,† he grinned, â€Å"if that guy isn't perfect for you, then I don't know who is.† â€Å"Well, we'll see.† I balanced Ms. Terwilliger's cup on top of the car, so I could drink from my own. â€Å"Of course, he doesn't like modern Shakespearean interpretations, so that might be a deal breaker.† Trey stared at me in disbelief. â€Å"Seriously?† â€Å"No,† I said, giving him a look. â€Å"I'm kidding. Well, maybe.† The latte Brayden had made me was pretty good, so I was willing to give him the benefit of a doubt on the Shakespeare thing. â€Å"Why do you care so much about my romantic life anyway?† Trey shrugged and stuffed his hands into his pockets. Already, beads of sweat were forming on his tanned skin from the late afternoon sun. â€Å"I don't know. I guess I feel like I owe you for everything that went down with the tattoos. That and all your homework help.† â€Å"You don't really need my help with that. And the tattoos†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I frowned, as an image of Keith beating on the glass flashed through my mind. Keith's vampire blood ring had resulted in high-inducing tattoos that had wreaked havoc on Amberwood. Trey, of course, didn't know about my personal interest in the matter. He just knew I'd gotten rid of those who were using the tattoos to unfair advantage in sports. â€Å"I did it because it was the right thing to do.† That made him smile. â€Å"Of course. Still, it's saved me a lot of grief with my dad.† â€Å"I should hope so. You don't have any competition on the team now. What more could your dad want?† â€Å"Oh, there's always something else he thinks I could be the best at. It's not just football.† Trey had hinted at that before. â€Å"I know what that's like,† I said, thinking of my own father. A moment of silence fell between us. â€Å"It doesn't help that my perfect cousin's coming into town soon,† he said finally. â€Å"Makes everything I do look completely lame. You got a cousin like that?† â€Å"Er, not really.† Most of my cousins were on my mom's side, and my dad tended to shy away from her family. â€Å"You probably are the perfect cousin,† Trey grumbled. â€Å"Anyway, yeah, there're always these expectations in the family†¦ always these tests. Football's given me some respectability for now.† He winked at me. â€Å"That and my awesome chem grade.† That last comment wasn't lost on me. â€Å"Fine. I'll text you when I get back tonight. We'll make it happen.† â€Å"Thanks. And I'll give Brayden a talking-to so he doesn't try anything on Thursday.† My mind was still full of Latin and Shakespeare. â€Å"Try what?† Trey shook his head. â€Å"Honestly, Melbourne, I don't know how you've survived this long in the world without me.† â€Å"Oh,† I said, blushing. â€Å"That.† Great. Now I had something else to worry about. Trey scoffed. â€Å"Between you and me, Brayden's probably the last guy in the world you have to worry about. I think he's as clueless as you are. If I didn't care about your virtue so much, I'd actually probably give him a lecture on how to try something.† â€Å"Well, thanks for keeping my best interests at heart,† I said dryly. â€Å"I always wanted a brother to watch out for me.† He studied me curiously. â€Å"Don't you have, like, three brothers?† Oh no. â€Å"Er, I meant figuratively.† I tried not to panic. I rarely slipped up on our background story. Eddie, Adrian, and Keith had all been passed off as my brothers at some point. â€Å"None of them are really that concerned about my dating life. What I'm concerned about, though, is getting into air conditioning.† I opened my car door, and a wave of heat rolled out. â€Å"I'll talk to you tonight and help you with the lab.† Trey nodded, looking like he wanted to get back inside as well. â€Å"And I'll help you if you have any more questions about dating.† I hoped my scathing look told him my opinion on that, but once he was gone and I was blasting the car's air conditioning, my arrogance faded. Anxiety took its place. The question I'd asked myself earlier repeated in my head. How on earth was I going to get through this date alive?

Reading Responses 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading Responses 4 - Essay Example She felt like she had nowhere to go, but standing still in her grief was not an option. â€Å"Two Kinds† – A young Chinese-American girl and her Chinese-born mother live together in America. The mother, who lost her first husband and children in China, seems to have pinned all her hopes on her stubborn daughter. Hopeful that her daughter will become a piano-playing genius, she forces her to take lessons – from a man who turns out to be deaf. The young girl fails miserably at the recital, she and her mother fight, before the young girl makes a mean comment about her mother’s now dead family. They never speak of the piano again, but when her mother dies, she plays one last time. This story surprised me with its sense of humor, especially with the mother who would constantly test her daughter to see if she had some strange gift, like the ability to guess the weather. â€Å"House on Mango Street† – This is a very short story about a girl explaini ng how her family once moved every year from one awful apartment to another, all while dreaming of the great home they would someday own. The house on Mango Street they own, but it is a sad little house, not much better than the last, and one they hope to move from soon. The nun in this story made me angry the way she acted shocked at the horrible condition of the girl’s former home.

Current events in business research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Current events in business research - Essay Example This meant that customers were asked for whether they would opt to drink this new product and trials were also made as per its consumption (Robertson, 2009). Then the people who were related with its marketing and advertising were asked to come up with catchy taglines and distribution patterns to make sure that the energy drink’s research was complete and comprehensive from all angles. Also the stakeholders behind this energy drink were brought on to a single platform so that their concerns and related feedback was taken beforehand. This was so done to make sure that the product becomes a hit more than anything else. The research process comprised of factors that included for discerning the taste, aroma, color, packaging, quantity and other details regarding the energy drink. This is the reason why one can think of this research process to be complete from a number of different perspectives. The research behind this proved that it was always good to know about the market and t he consumers so that the product can be designed in a better way. It gives everyone a good idea what the need is like and how it shall be changed for the sake of bringing more benefits. Hence this business research process highlighted quite a few important points which were required at our

Power system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Power system - Essay Example Electrical energy is a vital element for the modern and all round improvement of any nation. Electrical energy is moderated at each venture at present Generation, Transmission, Distribution, and use of electrical vitality. The electrical utility industry is presumably the biggest and most perplexing industry on the planet and thus extremely unpredictable and testing issues to be taken care of by force designing especially, in outlining future force framework to convey expanding measures of electrical vitality. This calls for impeccable comprehension, examination, and choice making of the framework. This force framework operation and its control play an extremely essential errand in the realm of Electrical Power Engineering. This research paper will examine the techniques needed and additionally difficulties power systems experiences in the United Arab Emirates. This incorporates power quality, impacts of force quality, significant reason for force quality, steps to address power quality issues, power quality results and requirement for force framework administration. The populations in this study will be Arab dialect speakers in the middle of 17 to 30 of age in from four separate colleges and schools situated in Abu Dhabi. The study notwithstanding, will be uncovered in Abu Dhabi Mens school, Abu women’s school, Khalifa University and Zayed University. Notwithstanding, the populace will include a greater amount of Emirati learners with incorporation of Arab speakers with outside travel papers going to the foundations. An arbitrary sampling method will be utilized. Every tenth understudy students on the colleges and universities enrollment lists will be reached via mail. In the event that there is no reaction then the next student on the schedule will be reached automatically. An online survey will be revealed through the backing of participants with respect to the quality, difficulties and the impact power frameworks has over the nation

Churchill, hitler, and the unnecessary war Term Paper

Churchill, hitler, and the unnecessary war - Term Paper Example Germany was also barred from building up large army. Tanks, aircrafts and submarines were also not allowed to be held by Germany. All these steps were deemed to be taken to prevent Germany from initiating any other war. Germany abided by the restrictions imposed by this treaty only by the end of second decade of the 20th century. In January 1933, Adolf Hitler was powered up by the disgruntled and poor people of Germany to take over the throne. The basis of their belief in Hitler was that they wanted a person who might empower Germany again and pull to pieces the unjust and unfair treaty. As a result, Hitler became the Chancellor of Germany. Soon after he became the Chancellor, he started the building up of German forces. He also empowered the German army by equipping it with modern weapons. Initially, all this was done secretly but soon it came to light. However, the Great Britain and France took it lightly. They were of the view that these actions will strengthen and will be helpful in stopping the flourish of Communism in Europe. After having built up the German forces for 2 years, Hitler gave them order to enter into Rhineland in 1936. The reason provided by Germany for this invasion is the threat that Germany was facing as a result of treaty with Russia. So, it became very important for Germany to post its troops in Rhineland. It is also considered by many historians reasonable that as Rhineland was a part of Germany, so, there is no bar if German troops are posted there. However, Germany was very weak at this point and little intervention by Britain or France could have defeated them. However, neither of these two intervened as they did not want to start another war with Germany. Meanwhile, Hitler also stepped forward to make allies with two important countries of Japan and Italy. Later on, Hitler advanced to take back the land of Austria. In March 1938, Hitler ordered German army to march in Austria to occupy the land. Austrian leader was then forced to c onduct a poll to decide whether the people of Austria wanted union with Germany. The results showed the favor of 99% of the citizens of Austria to live with Germany. The Austrian leader asked for help but, on been satisfied from Hitler side, none of Britain and France came to help Austria. Adolf Hitler promised that the union of Austria with Germany will end the aims of expansion of Hitler and he will not move further on. However, breaching his own words, Hitler insisted that the region of Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia should be handed over to Germany. Neville Chamberlain, the then British Prime Minister, met Hitler thrice in September, 1938. Chamberlain was himself of the view that Treaty of Versailles was not just and equitable for Germany. So, he took a soft corner for Germany. Finally, it was decided in Munich Agreement that the region of Sudetenland would be handed over to Germany on the provision of Hitler’s assurance that he would not make claims for any further territ ories. The agreement was mutually decided and signed by German, British, French and Italian leaders. However, Czech government was not involved in the agreement upon which they recorded their protest. However, Hitler occupied whole of the Czechoslovakia in 1939 March. Czechoslovak government asked for help but none of Britain and France intervened in the invasion. However, both of these countries promised that they would take military action against Hitler if the German forces advanced towards Poland. On September 1 1939, German forces occupied Poland

Vietnamese Weasel Coffee Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Vietnamese Weasel Coffee - Essay Example The plantation workers were not allowed to consume coffee beans picked from the coffee plantations. Driven by desire, they would pick up and clean the beans that had been excreted by the civet cats or weasels. It is argued that the weasels’ digestive systems give the coffee beans a unique rich aroma, smooth and rounded taste. The plantation owners later began to appreciate the unique flavor and hence its popularity today. Coffee producers posit that this process of making coffee through collecting beans from civet cats improves the coffee through selection and digestion. The civets select the most appropriate cherries containing better beans. When ingested and goes through the digestion process, the beans are enhanced in flavor due to fermentation in the digestive tract. The intensive method of collecting coffee beans has given rise to a new system of farming where the civet cats are battery caged and fed on the coffee cherries which they later evacuate; they are collected, washed and sold to the manufacturers (Waltner-Toews 13).The coffee beans are also collected in the forests. This is as a good source of income for the collectors. The unique flavor of this brand of coffee is enhanced by the use of condensed milk as a creamer and sweetener. After the coffee beans are ground, they are put into a metal filter, mixed generously with condensed milk. Boiling water is then put and allowed to drip slowly i nto the cup. The condensed milk and coffee are then blended carefully with a spoon giving way to a smooth, wonderful mixture known as cafe sua da. This coffee has a stronger and rich flavor as compared to the western style coffee. Production of this coffee is continually becoming difficult as the newly acquired intensive farming methods of raring civet cats is being heavily criticised by animal rights groups.

Political Views of Martin Luther King and Friedrich A.Hayek Essay

Political Views of Martin Luther King and Friedrich A.Hayek - Essay Example People needed to be actively democratic especially then, since the barriers of racial segregation were being broken down. Desegregation to him was shallow and empty, and integration was the ultimate goal. To him, â€Å"Integration is a genuine intergroup, an interpersonal doing† (King, 118). Therefore, desegregation is a means towards integration. Integration to him was everyone’s right by the nature of him being human. According to Martin, life demanded freedom. Denial of freedom was denial of life itself. This is first the capacity to weigh and deliberate alternatives, make one’s own decisions and be responsible for one’s own action. He argued that a person’s nature of life is altered when he is denied his freedom, because freedom is a basis for a person’s life (King, 121). Martin Luther King Jr. said Americans should realize that the burden placed upon Negro citizens was the inability to vote. According to him, the right to vote was a powe rful tool for change. He suggested that there should be a law allowing all people to vote and that literacy tests should be abolished especially in areas where education was inferior and in a poor state. Purpose, which was the only way to acquire change politically, socially and economically, could only be attained by understanding power properly. He suggested that the solution to fight poverty was to eliminate it directly through guaranteed earnings. This, according to him, can be done through the creation of full time employment and incomes. Additionally, people must be made consumers in one way or another. The belief here is that when poverty is eliminated, other problems like housing will also be eliminated. Friedrich August Von Hayek is also a Nobel Memorial Prize winner, and a renowned... This essay describes main political beliefs of Martin Luther King and Friedrich A. Hayek, whose ideas greatly influenced liberal arts development. Martin Luther King Jr. thought, that Americans should realize that the burden placed upon Negro citizens was the inability to vote. The right to vote was a powerful tool for change. He suggested that there should be a law allowing all people to vote. He suggested that the solution to fight poverty was to eliminate it directly through guaranteed earnings. This, according to him, can be done through the creation of full time employment and incomes. The belief here is that when poverty is eliminated, other problems like housing will also be eliminated. According to Martin, life demanded freedom. Denial of freedom was denial of life itself. This is first the capacity to weigh and deliberate alternatives, make one’s own decisions and be responsible for one’s own action. Friedrich A. Hayek believed, that a free society calls for general rules that predict and constrain coercive powers of individuals and the government. Individuals are also empowered to develop and follow their own life plans.Friedrich examines contemporary policies such as taxation, healthcare, social security, housing, natural resources, urban planning and education in the same light of principles developed in his earlier studies. Friedrich opposes policies that aim at wealth redistribution or social justice, and is very willing for the government to provide an immense range of social services.

Religion and politics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Religion and politics - Research Paper Example The objective of this report is to study the debate on tolerance of Islamic spread in America particularly in light of the Ground Zero issue. The debate though centered on a clear agenda of protesting the building of â€Å"mosque† near the ill-fated land, appears to be a sign of deeply rooted Islamophobia amongst Western cultures. In regards to the subject, the report describes the issue vis-à  -vis the multiple perspectives of the American people and the principles of America’s Sacred Ground. It further throws light on the reality vs. what is projected in the mainstream media. Religion and Politics have always crossed their respective lines, however, the interjections in a post-modern world are both intriguing and confusing. The sacred foundations of the American system have been a cause of debate between the conservative rights and the liberals left. Debates have often taken place on the meaning, interpretation and reach of the â€Å"Religious Clauses† of the First Amendment to the Constitution. In the â€Å"Religious Clauses† of the First Amendment have been interpreted by the Supreme Court as (1) the separation of church and state (the â€Å"anti-establishment clause† or â€Å"establishment clause†) and (2) freedom of religion (â€Å"the free exercise clause†).... The American founders found their answers primarily in the work of John Locke. According to Locke, a central Enlightenment Era (c1650-1800) philosopher, the liberty and equal dignity of the people is based on the law of the state of nature (a state prior to the formation of societies). The law of the state of nature considers freedom and equality to be legitimate claims to the state. Central to Locke’s political theology was the need to secure people’s civil rights towards tolerance of their religious beliefs, which he thought was the means to create a peaceful society. It was this convergence of theology and secular philosophy in the thinking of the founding generation that made them base the constitution on the principles of â€Å"life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness†. In order to discourage the abuse of â€Å"freedom† (that was the foundation of â€Å"from the people, for the people† government) by the American people, the public forum has a framework and principles (Jones). The framework consists of two-tiers, each of which has basic moral perceptions. The first tier deals with matters appropriate for government action such as enforcement of basic law and order while the second tier deals with persuasion and voluntary actions that are intended to be in public eye. The moral principles of first tier are â€Å"no harm law† (that no one may harm another in his or her life, liberty or property) and â€Å"no hypocrisy law† (that do not do unto others what you would not want done unto you). The moral principles with respect to second tier are â€Å"duties† to raise conscience beyond an individual’s wants and to participate in the whole process. The Ground Zero Mosque Conundrum The problem began when in May 22nd 2010, a local community board in

Hebrews through Revelation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hebrews through Revelation - Essay Example When the Kingdom of God is mentioned in the New Testament we at all times should take into account its context. The Jews entirely were very much anticipating the establishing of a concrete Kingly rule in which their King would govern and rule in Jerusalem and they would have an international status of authority. In Matthew 18.1, Luke 19.11, and Acts 1.6 are frequently the references to this particular Kingly rule of God in the New Testament. This was not the principle of Jesus. This alludes to the falsely held points of view of men of the Kingly Rule of God. However, Jesus explained very clearly that the Kingly Rule was not to be anticipated in this manner (Luke 17.21). His Kingly rule was never worldly or mortal (John 18.36) rather it was now existent in Him, and men should act in response to it from their hearts and offer themselves in deference and submission to God and to Jesus Christ. It led to the spreading of the word (Matthew 13). So as to experience and gain access into it m en should be conceived and given life from above (John 3.5-6). The final test was to identify whether their hearts were genuine and truly righteous (Matthew 13.1-8). There is hence a development of conception originally between the Kingly rule of God which was proclaimed the moment Jesus had been asserted by the Father as His Son (Mark 1.11) as well that which occurred when He was resurrected from the dead and received His rightful place in Heaven (Matthew

Crystal palace Essay Example for Free

Crystal palace Essay Also, what Swift shows is that it is reason itself and man’s ingeniousness that prevent him from reducing life to a few moral principles. Paradoxes and countercurrent tendencies pervade the human mind, as it moves from good to evil. The Houyhnhnms would not be able to construct the complex society specific to humans. They have no books, no systems of thoughts or philosophies. Their enlightened and perfect state depends thus on minimal reasoning and on a few righteous principles. The human society, by contrast, builds intricate systems that often contradict other systems and philosophies. It is not only vice that is proper of human nature but also curiosity and a perpetual thirst for knowledge. The Biblical myth of the first man’s corruption through knowledge stands true in Gulliver’s narrative. The other societies that Gulliver meets in his travels point to the human tendency towards discovery but also manipulation. Man hunts the truth but also manipulates and interprets reality according to his own inner impulses. The Yahoos’ condition as the servants of the Houyhnhnms is also very significant. They seem to represent humanity in its basest form, without the polish of civilization. The Houyhnhnm that houses Gulliver during his stay in their country remarks that this mixture of reason and vice makes the human race more dangerous and more powerful than mere brutality: â€Å"But when a creature pretending to reason could be capable of such enormities, he dreaded lest the corruption of that faculty might be worse than brutality itself† (Swift 183). The Houyhnhnms cannot attain the technological and scientific progress mastered by man because they do not manipulate truth and they do not know the meaning of power and corruption. By contrast, the dwarfish people of Lilliput manage to subdue Gulliver, despite the fact that he is a giant among them. The human society can progress but it cannot advance significantly in morality. The Houyhnhnms’ society is perfect because it is based on an economy of just ideas and principles. They cannot understand crime as a concept and think it absurd because of its lack of utility: â€Å"He was wholly at a loss to know what could be the use or necessity of practicing those vices† (Swift 195). The utopian world cannot belong to man because he is inevitably driven by feelings and passions that often do not conform to the common moral standards. Moreover, the Houyhnhnms world is one where absolute truth dominates and there is no falsehood: â€Å"†¦They have no word in their language to express lying or falsehood† (Swift 187). This is also unattainable in the human society since man will always be biased because of his subjectivity. Overall, Swift shows that a utopian society is impossible for man on account of the inherent faults and particularities of the human spirit. Dostoevsky’s Notes from the Underground reveals a similar conception of the utopian society. According to the underground man, the human society will always construct ideal and fantastical worlds to escape from reality. The paradox is that man seems to be equally infatuated with both happiness and sufferance. The â€Å"crystal palace† represents the unattainable ideal that lives in the lofty regions of the human imagination. As a utopian representation, the palace is made of crystal precisely because it contains all the answers and no questions: â€Å"Then †¦ new economic relations will be established, all ready-made and worked out with mathematical exactitude, so that every possible question will vanish in the twinkling of an eye, simply because every possible answer to it will be provided. Then the ‘Palace of Crystal’ will be built† (Dostoevsky 69). This mathematical and transparent construction is a symbol for perfection and self-sufficiency. The palace does not harbor any doubts: â€Å"What would be the good of a ‘palace of crystal’ if there could be any doubt about it? †(Dostoevsky 77) However, the human world is not even satisfied with its own ideals. The underground man believes resents that this ideal edifice cannot be mocked and derided: †You believe in a palace of crystal that can never be destroyed a palace at which one will not be able to put out ones tongue or make a long nose on the sly† (Dostoevsky 77). The palace is therefore the object of man’s desires for but also the object of his mockery. Dostoevsky puts forth the idea that the human world can never fit into the crystal palace with all its desires and aspirations although it can neither renounce this dream completely. As Swift had pointed out, man is torn between opposite principles, between sufferance and happiness and is unable to reduce his feelings to a few linear and uniform desires. Moreover, the ideal can be inconsistent with reality but man will persevere in his desires merely because it has an actuality for him: â€Å"But what does it matter to me that it is inconsistent? That makes no difference since it exists in my desires, or rather exists as long as my desires exist. † (Dostoevsky 78) Another issue that Dostoevsky emphasizes is that man will always pursue his ideals no matter how inadequate they are precisely because he is a complex being, entirely different from the animals. Dostoevsky gives as an example the basic necessity for shelter and compares a hen-house with the crystal palace: â€Å"You see, if it were not a palace, but a hen-house, I might creep into it to avoid getting wet, and yet I would not call the hen-house a palace out of gratitude to it for keeping me dry† (Dostoevsky 78). Man is not satisfied with mere principles of utility and economy. This idea is also identifiable in the representation of the utopian world of the Houyhnhnms, as already mentioned. The perfect world of the horses is content with a few basic and absolute principles that also serve the ideal of economy. Both Swift and Dostoevsky show that man could not live in a utopian world. While Swift shows that man the utopian world could never be created by man because of the inherent vices that corrupt human nature, Dostoevsky points out that man would actually be dissatisfied if he inhabited an ideal society. The two authors reveal the essential aspects of the human nature and the human society, pointing out that man could not live in a utopian state although this will always be his ideal. Works Cited: Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Notes from the Underground. New York: Macmillan, 1918. Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver’s Travels. New York: Penguin, 1981.

Modernization Theory and Dependence Theory Analysis

Modernization Theory and Dependence Theory Analysis In this day and age the rapid development of the word and the growing assimilation of countries can hardly fail to affect the development of new theories which attempt to explain the relationship between countries and the existing inequality between developed countries and countries of the third world. Two theories which analyze the development in third world countries are the modernization theory and the dependence theory. These two theories, while being rather different, still have several similarities in their views on the modern world and relationships between developed and developing countries. As Alvin So explained, there are three chief and historical essentials which were constructive to the foundation of the modernization theory of development after the Second World War.First, the United States rose as a superpower.While other Western nations, such as Great Britain, France, and Germany, were undermined by World War II, the United States came out of the war stronger then before, and became a world leader with the execution of the Marshall Plan to reconstruct Western Europe.[2]Second, the idea of communist began to move throughout the world.What was once the Soviet Union spread its influence to Eastern Europe, China, and Korea.Third, there was the breakdown ofEuropean colonial empires in Asia, Africa and Latin America, creating numerous new nation-states in the Third World.These budding nation-states began searching for a form of development to support their economy and to improve their political independence. The modernization theorys intellectual lineage has been traced back to Aristotle. Aristotle first recommended that states, just as plants, went through a natural pattern of growth. Just like Aristotle, Americans in the early Republic assumed that if societies grow in a natural manner, they must also perish. The thought that the progression of human development could be understood and controlled dates to the early nineteenth century, when France and Britain were struggling to bring back their trade empires. Since then it has tended to reappear at times and places where systems of dominance required explanation and rationalization. The modernization theory looks at the internal factors of a country with the assumption that, with aid, â€Å"traditional† countries can be developed in the same way more developed countries have. The modernization theory tries to recognize the social variables which cause social growth and development of societies, and then tries to explain the social evolution. In order for a country to have a profitable, sophisticated, modern economy the country must follow a pattern of development. This is a very systematic theory as it means do one thing and another will happen. In order for this to happen, there need to be prerequisites for takeoff that will lead to takeoff in which will lead to mass-consumption(Mahler 45). A missing component of this theory is that the modernization theory assumes all countries will follow the set path to development. There are actually numerous variables in which will affect a states ability to in fact develop. An example of this is the fact that Mexic o is geographically designed in a way that will cause it to have a weak economy due to the deserts, forests, and mountains. This makes it so that only 12% of the land is arable. The fact that there are no major rivers doesnt help either. These issues all help to making it tricky for Mexico to develop because it restrains transportation, which in turn weakens the possibility of exporting and importing goods in a proficient manner.Another problem with the modernization theory is that it assumes that all states have the necessary preconditions to develop. This is not true as many states do not have proper leaders and government. The explanation for this is that if a state is controlled by weak leadership, it will in turn influence its ability to develop. For example, Saddam Hussein, made it so that his country could not develop because he took all of the wealth for himself. Perhaps, if Hussein had spread the wealth throughout his country, this will have helped education and increased i nvention. This could have made it so that his country developed in a more efficient manner. One policy implication the modernization theory suggests is that the third world countries should look up to the developed western nations, while the Western countries should pass on more modern values, institutions, technology, and financial investment to the Third World countries. Another implication is that in order for the third worlds to develop, they should be moving along the path that the United States has traveled, hence move away from the ideas of communism. (READING) A theory in which is opposed to the Modernization model which was created largely as a response to it is the Dependency theory. Dependency theories developed in opposition to the optimistic claims of modernizationtheory which saw the less developed countries being able to catch up with the West. They stressed that Western societies had an interest in maintaining their advantaged position in relation to the LDCs and had the financial and technical wherewithal to do so. A variety of different accounts of the relationship between the advanced and less developed states evolved within the broad framework of dependency theory, ranging from the stagnationism and ‘surplus drain theory of Andre Gunder Frank (which predicted erroneously that the Third World would be unable to achieve significant levels ofindustrialization), to the more cautious pessimism of those who envisaged a measure of growth based on ‘associated dependent relations with the West. The major contribution to dependency theory was undoubtedly that of Frank, a German economist of development who devised and popularized the phrase ‘the development of underdevelopment, describing what he saw as the deformed and dependent economies of the peripheral states-in his terminology the ‘satellites of the more advanced ‘metropolises. InCapitalism and Underdevelopment in Latin America(1969), he argued that the Third World was doomed to stagnation because the surplus it produced was appropriated by the advanced capitalist countries, through agencies such as transnational corporations. Frank himself insisted that growth could only be achieved by severing ties with capitalism and pursuing autocentric socialist development strategies. According to the dependency theory, the Global North exploits the Global South. One reason for this is that the south is highly dependent on the wealth of the north; therefore unable to advance themselves because of the vicious cycle that then ensues. An example of this vicious cycle can begin with a country being very poor and/or economically unstable. They then allow a multinational corporation to set up camp in one of their cities. This leads to many new jobs for this city, but the people are hired for very poor wages. Then the products that are produced get siphoned off by the Global North, in turn preventing that states â€Å"mass-consumption† abilities which is a generalized way that the south gets exploited by the north and the multinational corporation comes out making huge profits at the expense of desperate people just trying to survive and willing to work for pennies. The depencde theory has several implications. First, Promotion of domestic industry and manufactured goods. By imposing subsidies to protect domestic industries, poor countries can be enabled to sell their own products rather than simply exporting raw materials. Second, Import limitations. By limiting the importation ofluxury goodsandmanufactured goodsthat can be produced within the country, the country can reduce its loss of capital and resources. Thrid, Forbidding foreign investment. Some governments took steps to keep foreign companies and individuals from owning or operating property that draws on the resources of the country. In conclusion, both theories admit the leadership of western countries and their currently dominant position in the modern world, while undeveloped countries are characterized by socio-economic and political backwardness. At the same time, the two theories agree that the cooperation between western countries and developing countries is constantly growing and leads to their integration. However, it is necessary to underline that Modernization theory views such cooperation and integration as a conscious and voluntary act from the part of developing countries, for which modernization in the western style is the only way to overcome the existing backwardness, while supporters of Dependency theory argue that such cooperation and integration is imposed to developing countries by more advanced western countries, which simply attempt to benefit from their cooperation with developing countries and their westernization becomes a way of the establishment of control over and growing dependence o f developing countries on developed ones. Regardless, the existing differences, both theories still raise a very important problem of relationships between developed and developing countries and the dominance of western countries and western civilization in the modern world.

Macys Department Store Repositioning Marketing Essay

Macys Department Store Repositioning Marketing Essay In 2005, Federated Department Stores (Federated) decided to pursue the repositioning and consolidation strategy of its 15 regional stores chains under just one national brandMacys. Federateds decision was in response to the decline in sales and profits of the traditional department store industry. Just three years later, U.S. was hit with the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression that threatened the existence of many successful retail giants, including Macys. In addition, in 2008, the loss in profits during Christmas of that year was just the tip of the iceberg for department stores that traditionally were used seeing the highest yearly profits during the holiday season. Other factors such as rise of gas prices that increased delivery costs to the stores along with rise of cotton prices due to issues with the crop that increased the prices of clothes made out of cotton further exacerbated the already fragile retail industry. In addition, Macys was positioned in the upper m iddle segment of the market and had no choice but to increase the prices of certain goods to its customers, thus leading to reduction in sales volume and profits. Moreover, Macys was faced with another challenge. The department store industry was divided into 5 market segment based on price of items. The segmented consisted of high-end luxury, high-end general, upper-middle, lower-middle, and the low-end areas. Additionally, since Macys was already in the upper middle segment of the market, the company could not immediately launch into the other four segments without spending time developing a workable strategy that will not negatively affect its revenue generation, brand image, market share and not to mention the continue availability of the jobs of many of its employees in different locations, and the retention of the loyalty of customers and suppliers. Furthermore, the traditional department store industry was in a declining stage and consumers were scare, which made competition for the existing companies to be aggressive for sliver of the limited profits that were still available. Yet competition within existing companies was not the only threat, discount stores like Walmart and Marshalls were beginning to build momentum in the market, gaining more sales. Of course, with the popularity of the Internet, online shopping was also rising in popularity, once again adding more retailers to the already heavily competitive environment. Thus, these factors propelled Macys to begin in repositioning and consolidating efforts to restore its vitality. Consolidation and repositioning tactics, from internal perspective, provided Macys an avenue in creating a national brand and reducing the unit cost of Macys advertising and promotional budgets considerably due to having one central hub for all administrative functions and bulk purchasing. The success of the consolidation strategy is attributed to several factors. For instance, Macys brand already had nationwide recognition as Americas department store through aggressive national advertising activities, Fourth of July Celebrations and Thanksgiving Day Parade. Additionally, when Federated had consolidated its regionally established department stores, these stores had a well-established customer base, were regionally well known, and were in prime locations close to business districts or large shopping centers, which meant that Macys did not have to put any efforts into developing business for those stores but rather maintain and increase business with them. Moreover, both Federated and Macys had solid leadership teams with strong retail and department store experiences. In fact, Federated management team was already well aware of the issues involving brand conversion since Federated had converted some of its regional stores to Macys brand prior to the official 2005 consolidation. The management team also had a well established relationship with major supply chain and distribution networks that were now selected to serve the Macys stores. Thus, once again Macys did not have to put any efforts into establishing new relationships but would simply have to maintaining the existing ones. Thus, the offshoot of the consolidation tactic enabled Macys to provide moderately priced goods to its consumers thereby maintaining high levels of competitiveness by remaining at the middle of a bell shaped curve and identifying it positioning as affordable luxury. Yet, offering affordable prices was not the only repositioning tactic used by Macys, the company also changed its brand from specific demographics to fashion conscious consumers as well as the younger female audience. Macys created a bridal registry and offered fashions made by younger designers to further differentiate its brand from the traditional department stores that had failed in their past attempt to attract consumers between ages of 18-25. In addition, Macys launched Everyday Value strategy program that promoted value pricing such that customers would be able to purchase products without having to wait for sales day and the availability of coupons to get the most bang for their buck. These tactics would enable Macys to broaden its consumer base, minimize the entrance of new competitors as well as the emergence of substitutes into its market segment. Despite the benefits of consolidation and repositioning efforts, there are some negative factors to consider. Change is often very difficult as most individuals are creatures of habit. Thus, consolidation of department stores to one brand (in this case Macys) meant that existing consumers who had regularly shopped at their favorite department stores (such as the conversion of Marshall Fields to Macys in Chicago) would now have to adjust to new products, prices and services. In fact, the perception of some loyal consumers post consolidation was negative, complaining that Macys store had lower quality products and services. Therefore, consumers were reluctant to shop at Macys. Unfortunately, Macys decision to standardize its products and pricing nationwide to lower purchasing cost actually backfired. In fact, standardization resulted in higher prices of products offered at Macys compared to the former regional department stores chains, thus consumers were apprehensive to shop at the ne w Macys. However, post consolidation challenges that Macys had encountered did not deter the company from pursuing its long repositioning and branding objectives. Macys continued to aggressively promote its brand nationwide through celebrity advertisement. The company forged ahead as an exponential revenue generating entity by focusing on fashion, adding Martha Stewart, Tommy Hilfiger and Beyonce product lines while still embracing the concept of affordable luxury and participating in Fourth of July Fireworks as well as the annual Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade. At the same time, Macys did not ignore the unfavorable results of its post consolidation and repositioning hiccups that threatened its brand and image. Instead, Macys made some necessary adjustments in order to accommodate its consumers. For instance, in response to negative consumer reception of the product and price standardization decision, Macys abandoned the strategy and instead tailored the product selection based on consumers ne eds. In this way, customers would have a pleasant shopping experience and begin to trust in Macys brand, which would increase the frequencies in which they visit Macys stores and make purchases. Additionally, as a result of the financial crisis in 2008, many department and retail stores offered promotional discounts such as percent off to sell overstocked inventory and attract consumers, Macys followed suit and discontinued its Everyday Value program to sustain itself during recession. Indeed, individually all of the above tactics are cash cows themselves therefore in combining them Macys was able to create a unique and valuable marketing position on the national landscape that would be difficult for its competitors to replicate. For Macys, the consumer became the basis for its strategies in terms of the market segments generated, the objectives of the national promotions and advertisings created, the remodeling of the stores for a better shopping experience, the focus on fashion rather than demographics, understanding differences in consumers needs and tastes and setting the price point at a moderate level. It was because of these tactics and strategies that the company began to increase its relevance and uniqueness among its targeted audience. Thus, Macys definitely found a way to be less conservative than the traditional department store as a results of its well developed and thought out and timely executed strategies, which should continue reaping the success f or several years to come.

The Importance of Working Together in Groups and Teams Essay -- Teamwo

The Importance of Working Together in Groups and Teams Realizing that a group can become a high performance team is important. Accomplishing this goal is invaluable, advantageous and profitable. Once able to operate from a group to the high performing team is a great step into preparation into the big business world. Leaders and members must also realize not only how to accomplish this but that some problems will and can arise from different demographic characteristics and cultural diversity. That is if one is in such a group, which the probability would be quite high. It is important that members of a group be knowledgeable and skillful in their positions, the degree to which those members can work harmoniously and cooperatively together is equally important and will form into a high performance team. Effective team management plays a high role in building high performance teams. It should always be a question as to what management can do to actively promote successful work teams. Skills and knowledge possessed by every member is also important for a team to become high performance. Although it is among the most important factors, however, it must be coupled with a good working relationship with every team member and good collaboration with every team member. The members who possess the good skills and wide knowledge will be a useful resource to the team if that team member can share their strengths with the other team members and vice versa. It is usually misconstrued that having skillful and intelligent team members is already enough to make a team work right. This kind of thinking is the reason why most teams, despite all of those competent members they have, fail to achieve their goals. A team should establish one common goal, not to think that way and develop a good working relationship with each member. (retrieved from: http://www.strictlysuccess.com, August 18, 2005) This can be done by self awareness exercises, like the DISC assessment and other assess ments or any other kind of self awareness exercises regarding communication style differences. Then these factors and important pieces of information should be taken into full consideration before the actual project is begun. These exercise or assessments can be great ice breakers and mark the difference between a group of individuals merely assigned to a team, as opposed to functioning as... ...of the direction of the project is to come. Whenever demographic or cultural diversity issues become array and cause conflicts and start interfering with the work or projects getting done, just like any other problem inducers, it is the client, the customers, the leaders and or the other stakeholders that are going to be dissatisfied with the results and they are the ones who will experience the negative results. All this may seem a little overwhelming and tiresome to some or to all, but do be assured it is not as hard as it seems. Just keep in mind that you have to embrace the differences between all the demographic characteristics and the culturally diverse team members that make up your group. This with an open mind, and a willingness to cooperate, compromise, and the pleasure to collaborate will harvest many great results and have the organization reaping the many great benefits along with a great top of the line fueled to the rim high performance team. References: Wisdom of Teams; Katzenbach & Smith (2003) HarperCollins Publishers The Team Learning Assistant Workbook; Jeffrey G. Miller (2004) McGraw-Hill Companies, The http://www.strictlysuccess.com/