The Return: Midnight Chapter 8

Damon nodded thoughtful y, glancing back and forth between the fighting stave and the pil owcase in his hand. Hadn't he suspected something like this for a long time? Subconsciously? After al , there had been that attack on the grandfather, which had failed to either kil him or to erase his memory completely. Damon's imagination could fil in the rest: her parents seeing no reason to blight their tiny daughter's life with this gruesome business – a whole new change of scenery – and then giving up the practice in the provincial, protected little town of Fel ‘s Church. If they had only known. Oh, doubtless they had made sure that Meredith had had self-defense and various martial arts training since she was a child, while swearing her to absolute secrecy – even from her best friends. Wel , now, Damon thought. The first of Shinichi's riddles was already solved. â€Å"One of you has a lifetime secret kept from everyone.† I always knew there was something about this girl†¦and this is it. I'd bet my life that she's a black belt. There had been a long silence. Now Damon broke it. Your ancestors were hunters too? he asked, as if she were telepathic. He waited a moment – stil silence. Okay – no telepathy. That was good. He nodded at the magnificent stave. â€Å"That was certainly made for a lord or lady.† Meredith wasn't stupid. She spoke without glancing away from his eyes. She was ready, at any instant, to go into kil ing mode. â€Å"We're just ordinary folk, trying to get a job done so innocent humans wil be safer.† â€Å"By kil ing the odd vampire or two.† â€Å"Wel , so far in recorded history saying ‘Naughty, naughty, Mama spank'has failed to convert a single vampire to vegetarianism.† Damon had to laugh. â€Å"Pity you weren't born early enough to convert Stefan. He could have been your grand triumph.† â€Å"You think that's funny. But we do have converts.† â€Å"Yes. People wil say anything while you're holding a pointed stick at them.† â€Å"People who feel that it's wrong to Influence other people into believing they're getting something for nothing.† â€Å"That's it! Meredith! Let me Influence you!† This time it was Meredith who laughed. â€Å"No, I'm serious! When I'm a vampire again, let me Influence you not to be so much afraid of a bite. I swear I won't take more than a teaspoon. But that would give me time to show you – â€Å" â€Å"A nice big house of candy that never existed? A relative who died ten years ago and who would have abhorred the thought of you taking my memory of her and using it as a lure? A dream of ending world hunger that doesn't put food into one mouth?† This girl, thought Damon, is dangerous. It's like a Counter-Influence that they've taught to their members. Wanting her to see that vampires, or ex-vampires, or Once and Future Vampires had some good qualities – like courage – he let go of the pil owcase and grasped the end of the fighting stave with both hands. Meredith raised an eyebrow. â€Å"Did I not just recently tel you that a number of those spikes you've just driven into your flesh are poisonous? Or were you not listening?† She had automatical y grabbed the stave as wel , above the dangerous zone. â€Å"You told me,†he said inscrutably – he hoped. â€Å"I particularly said ‘poisonous to humans as wel as to werewolves and other things' – recal it?† â€Å"You told me that, too. But I'd rather die than live as a human, so: Let the games begin.†And with that, Damon began to push the two-headed stave toward Meredith's heart. She immediately clamped down on the stave as wel , pushing it back toward him. But he had three advantages, as they both soon realized. He was slightly tal er and more strongly muscled even than lithe, athletic Meredith; he had a longer reach than hers; and he had taken up a much more aggressive position. Even though he could feel poisoned little spikes biting into his palms, he thrust forward and up until the kil ing point was once again near her heart. Meredith pushed back with an amazing amount of strength and then suddenly, somehow, they were even again. Damon glanced up to see how that had happened, and saw, to his shock, that she also had grasped the stave in the kil ing zone. Now her hands were dripping blood onto the floor just as his were. â€Å"Meredith!† â€Å"What? I take my job seriously.† Despite her gambit, he was stronger. Inch by inch, he forced his torn palms to hang on, his arms to exert pressure. And inch by inch she was forced backward, refusing to quit – until there was no more room to back up. And there they stood, the entire length of the stave between them, and the refrigerator flat against Meredith's back. Al Damon could think of was Elena. If he somehow survived this – and Meredith did not – then what would those malachite eyes say to him? How would he live with what they said? And then, with infuriating timing, like a chess player knocking over her own king, Meredith let go of the spear, conceding Damon's superior strength. After which, seeming to have no fear of turning her back on him, she took a jar ful of salve from a kitchen cupboard, scooped out a dol op of the contents, and motioned for Damon to hold out his hands. He frowned. He'd never heard of a poison that got into the blood that could be cured by external measures. â€Å"I didn't put real poison in the human needles,†she said calmly. â€Å"But your palms wil be torn and this is an excel ent remedy. It's ancient, passed down for generations.† â€Å"How kind of you to share,† – at his most sharply ironic. â€Å"And now what are we going to do? Start al over again?†he added as Meredith calmly began to rub salve into her own hands. â€Å"No. Hunter-slayers have a code, you know. You won the sphere. I assume you're planning to do what Sage seems to have done. Open the Gate to the Dark Dimension.† â€Å"Open the Gate to the Dark Dimensions,†he corrected. â€Å"Probably I should have mentioned – there's more than one. But al I want is to become a vampire again. And we can talk as we go, since I see we're both wearing our cat burglar costumes.† Meredith was dressed much as he was, in black jeans and a lightweight black sweater. With her long shining dark hair she looked unexpectedly beautiful. Damon, who had considered running her through with the stave, just as his obligation to vampire-kind, now found himself wavering. If she gave him no trouble on his way to the Gate, he would let her go, he decided. He was feeling magnanimous – for the first time he had faced down and conquered the fearsome Meredith, and besides, she had a code as he did. He felt a sort of kinship with her. With ironic gal antry, he waved her on before him, retaining possession of the pil owcase and the fighting stave himself. As Damon quietly shut the front door he saw that dawn was about to break. Perfect timing. The stave caught the first rays of light. â€Å"I have a question for you,†he said to Meredith's long, silky dark hair. â€Å"You said that you didn't find this gorgeous stave until after Klaus – that wicked Old One – was dead. But if you're from a hunter-slayer family you might have been more help in getting him dispatched. Like mentioning that only white ash could kil him.† â€Å"It was because my parents didn't actively pursue the family business – they didn't know. They were both from hunter families, of course – you have to be, to keep it out of the tabloids and – â€Å" † – police files – â€Å" â€Å"Do you want me to talk, or can you do your stand-up routine alone?† â€Å"Point taken† – hefting the extremely pointed stave. â€Å"I'l listen.† â€Å"But even though they chose not to be active, they knew that a vampire or werewolf might decide to pick on their daughter if they found out her identity. So during school, I took ‘harpsichord lessons'and ‘riding lessons'one day a week each – have done since I was three. I'm a Black Belt Shihan, and a Taekwondo Saseung. I might start Dragon Kung Fu – â€Å" â€Å"Point taken once more. But then how exactly did you find that gorgeous kil ing stick?† â€Å"After Klaus was dead, while Stefan was babysitting Elena, suddenly Grandpa started talking – just single words – but it made me go look in our attic. I found this.† â€Å"So you really don't know how to use it?† â€Å"I'd just started practicing when Shinichi turned up. But, no, I don't real y have a clue. I'm pretty good with a bo staff, though, so I just use it like that.† â€Å"You didn't use it like a bo staff on me.† â€Å"I was hoping to persuade you, not kil you. I couldn't think of how to explain to Elena that I'd broken al your bones.† Damon kept himself from laughing – barely. â€Å"So how did a couple of inactive hunter-slayers end up moving to a town on top of a few hundred crossing ley lines?† â€Å"I'm guessing they didn't know what a line of natural Power was. And Fel ‘s Church looked smal and peaceful – back then.† They found the Gateway just as Damon had seen it before, a neat rectangular piece sliced out of the earth, about five feet deep. â€Å"Now sit down there,†he adjured Meredith, putting her on the opposite corner from where he lay the stave. â€Å"Have you given a thought – even the briefest – as to what wil happen to Misao if you pour out all the liquid in there?† â€Å"Actual y, not one. Not one microsecond's worth,†Damon said cheerful y. â€Å"Why? Do you think she would for me?† Meredith sighed. â€Å"No. That's the problem with both of you.† â€Å"She's certainly your problem at the moment, although I may stop by sometime after the town's destroyed to have a little tte--tte with her brother about the concept of keeping an oath.† â€Å"After you've gotten strong enough to beat him.† â€Å"Well, why don't you do something? It's your town they've devastated, after al ,†Damon said. â€Å"Children attacking themselves and each other, and now adults attacking children – â€Å" â€Å"They're either scared to death or possessed by those malach the foxes are stil spreading everywhere – â€Å" â€Å"Yes, and so fear and paranoia keep spreading too. Fel ‘s Church may be little by the standards of other genocides they've caused, but it's an important place because it's sitting on top – â€Å" â€Å"Of al those ley lines ful of magical power – yes, yes, I know. But don't you care at al ? About us? Their future plans for us? Doesn't any of it matter to you?†Meredith demanded. Damon thought of the stil , smal figure in the first-floor bedroom and felt a sick qualm. â€Å"I told you already,†he snapped. â€Å"I'm coming back for a talk with Shinichi.† After which, careful y, he began to pour liquid from the uncorked star bal at one corner of the rectangle. Now that he was actual y at the Gate, he realized he had no idea what he should do. The proper procedure might be to jump in and pour out the star bal ‘s entire liquid in the middle. But four corners seemed to dictate four different places to pour, and he was sticking to that. He expected Meredith to try to foul things up somehow. Make a run for the house. Make some noise, at least. Attack him from behind now that he had dropped the stave. But apparently her code of honor forbade this. Strange girl, he thought. But I'l leave her the stave, since it real y belongs to her family, and, anyway, it's going to get me kil ed the instant I land in the Dark Dimension. A slave carrying a weapon – especial y a weapon like that – won't have a chance. Judiciously, he poured out almost al of the liquid left into the final corner and stepped back to see what would happen. SSSS-bah! White! Blazing white light. That was al his eyes or his mind could take in at first. And then, with a rush of triumph he thought: I've done it! The Gateway is open! â€Å"The center of the upper Dark Dimension, please,†he said politely to the blazing hole. â€Å"A secluded al ey would probably be the best, if you don't mind.†And then he jumped into the hole. Except that he didn't. Just as he was starting to bend his knees, something hit him from the right. â€Å"Meredith! I thought – â€Å" But it wasn't Meredith. It was Bonnie. â€Å"You tricked me! You can't go in there!†She was sobbing and screaming. â€Å"Yes, I can! Now let go of me – before it disappears!†He tried to pry her off, while his mind whirled uselessly. He'd left this girl – what? – an hour or so ago, so deeply asleep that she had looked dead. Just how much could that little body take? â€Å"No! They'l kil you! And Elena wil kil me! But I'l get kil ed first because I'l stil be here!† Awake, and actual y capable of putting together puzzles. â€Å"Human, I told you to let go,†he snarled. He bared his teeth at her, which only caused her to bury her head in his jacket and cling on koala-bear style, wrapping both her legs around one of his. A couple of real y hard slaps should dislodge her, he thought. He lifted his hand.

Data Abstraction

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, the word abstract is defined as â€Å"disassociated from any specific instance† or â€Å"expressing a quality apart from an object†, or â€Å"having only intrinsic form with little or no attempt at pictorial representation or narrative content†.From these definitions, it can be possible to get an idea that to abstract an object implies something ethereal and nebulous, completely disjoint from a concrete instance of that object. In an idea reminiscent of Plato, the world can be separated into two things – the abstract idea and the concrete instance.Understanding the concept of the abstract data type or ADT is easier knowing the definitions of abstraction. An ADT is a representation of a concrete instance. Computers can only process ones or zeros and can only store long ones and zeros.However, in building programs a programmer might want to develop code that interacts or models real world objects or process es. ADTs are â€Å"invented† data types – data types that are modeled after the abstract idea of the concrete instance. An example is the string data type found in some programming languages.A computer cannot store a string (only ones and zeros) yet programmers can do operations on a string like concatenation (using the + operator) effortlessly as if the computer or compiler understands that the user is working with sentences.This brings to light an important concept when dealing with ADTs – the concept of information hiding. A compiler designer might engineer a programming language to handle strings in many ways. He may choose to use ASCII or EBCDIC, use 8 bits per character or a full 32 bit word, use little endian or big endian storage.All these choices are invisible to the user. All the developer needs to understand is that to concatenate strings uses a â€Å"+† operator. Indeed, for an abstracted data type to be functional the functionality of that da ta type should reflect that what that ADT represents independent of the implementation.The nitty gritty of its workings is hidden behind a wall called the interface. The interface (associated operations, properties, etc) is all that the programmer needs and should need to   know. A good wall is a prerequisite of good ADT design.So far the paper has discussed about ADTs as data types that represent an idea (such as a string) that is not natively supported by the hardware. A developer might also make his or her own ADTs through the use of data structures.A data structure is basically just an ordered way of organizing data. An example of a data structure is the struct in C, linked lists, and trees. A developer may choose to create one of these data structures in order to represent an abstract idea. He may choose to use a tree in order to represent a family tree.In designing user created ADTs, the concept of information hiding should still be remembered. The ADT should provide a const ant standard interface for every method or subroutine that chooses to call it. Additionally, it goes without saying that the data structure of choice should efficiently model the abstract idea it represents. Using a tree to represent genealogy is easier and makes more sense compared to using linked lists.A soda vending machine, even though it is quite simple is a good illustration of the many aspects of ADT design. The developer might need to store the types of sodas the machine is selling. As there is no â€Å"soda† data type, the programmer might use strings. When the machine vends, the machine should also know that there is one less soda in its storage.A programmer might then choose to implement the sodas as a stuct composed of one string (for the soda name) and an integer representing the number of soda cans left. When the customer presses a button corresponding to a soda, the soda name is displayed on the screen and the machine checks if there are still soda cans left.If there are cans left, the vend process continues through with the customer getting his soda (after payment of course) and the integer counter for the soda is decremented by one. However if the counter is of value zero already, the machine halts the operation and tells the customer to pick another soda.BibliographyCarrano, Frank, and Janet Prichard. Data Abstraction and Problem Solving with C++ Walls and Mirrors. 3rd ed. Boston: Addison-Wesley, 2001.Sedgewick, Robert. Algorithms in C. 3rd ed. Boston: Addison-Weslet, 1998.Sun Developer Network [Website], java.sun.com

Abandoning the American Dream

Abandoning the American Dream From the American Revolution onward, the United States has gained international recognition as a land of hope and equal opportunity. America’s founding fathers imagined the nation to be a place of widespread promise, operating under democratic rule and allowing for social mobility. The notion that any individual, regardless of circumstance, could achieve a goal by possessing determination became a belief known as the American Dream. Instilled at the core of American culture, and remaining there at present, the American Dream must be assessed for its validity. Using critical support to discuss the purpose and importance of this myth in the past centuries, I will examine the American Dream from a historical perspective to uncover its current function in modern America. In spite of its illusory nature, the pervasion of the American Dream into national thought serves to justify the myth’s perpetuation into 21st century. Overall, this paper will illustrate the necessity of a new ideology if America is to continue on the rise. Incredibly popularized in the 19th century, during the period of expansion and Manifest Destiny, the American Dream became a predominant principle that guided society. The myth’s premise appeared straightforward: work hard and achieve greatness. A hopeful approach to the future, this idealistic outlook provided inspiration to adolescent America, a child in essence. Psychologist Bruno Bettelheim explains â€Å"the most important and also the most difficult task in raising a child is helping him to find meaning in life† (3), which is essentially the conflict that led the youthful society to adopt a nationally recognized ideology. The people had the difficult task before them of economic, social, and cultural development, and they needed a path to follow that would assure a prominent, meaningful future. The author of mid-nineteenth century children stories, Horatio Alger was a major influence in spreading the message of the American Dream through popular culture. Embedding the myth into American consciousness, Alger proposed that anyone could move from rags to riches (Kanfer). He provided a formula to the achievement of the American dream that corresponds to Joseph Campbell’s simplified formula of the monomyth.[1] There are three stages to Campbell’s formula: â€Å"a separation from the world, a penetration to some source of power, and a life-enhancing return† (35). Similarly, the Alger plot typically depicted a young boy separating himself from his poverty-stricken world, taking on a new routine characterized by intense work ethic, and coming forth with an improved status. Alger’s stories circulated throughout America at a crucial stage in its history, imparting a seemingly sensible approach to societal challenges and promising triumph. Alger truly had a substantial impact on the American philosophy for the upcoming century. Although Joseph Campbell in his conclusion to The Hero with a Thousand Faces asserts that modern society no longer abides by a mythic approach to life’s difficulties, I see the situation as the reverse: too strong of a reliance on the American myth has served as a constraint in the progression of society. In Campbell’s formula, there comes â€Å"the stage of the trials and victories† (36). Continued hope in the American Dream has prevented the social body from overcoming these trials. Consequently, the modern world’s reluctance to throw away the American Dream causes the postponement of â€Å"the return and reintegration with society† (Campbell 36). An exclusive faith in the American Dream hinders society from utilizing other approaches to improving the status quo. While the American Dream is exhausted of hope, society reluctantly retains faith due to how ingrained the philosophy has become within the social fabric. The American Dream myth consistently disappoints a large portion of American society; yet, for society to alter its attitude toward the myth proves difficult. Economist Lewis Corey uses the term â€Å"cultural lag† for this failure to change a popularized value, and he suggests that â€Å"ideals may persist†¦.after the material conditions of their origin are no more† (qtd. in Tipple 268). Viewing the American Dream from this rationale, I see the myth’s current existence in popular thought as primarily a result of its longevity. Instead of hard workers realizing that their efforts do not necessarily bring the promised success, they do not know whether to believe the claims of the myth or the observations of reality. Myth has the potent ability to blind its adherents from the nature of reality. By holding on to the myth, the believer suffers in a struggle without prospect. â€Å"Social myth functions in a complex and indirect system of rationalization,† (11) explains Joe Holland in The American Journey: A Theology in the Americas. Dominating the believer’s understanding of how society works, trust in the American myth only perpetuates the disillusionment in modern society. America does not recognize the myth’s falsehood, failing to confront the facts of the present social circumstances. Despite Alger’s claims about the self-made man, United States history repeatedly shows that the American Dream lacks the promise that the people have projected onto it. A study of United States history, from the American Revolution to the present day, reveals many examples of class struggle, racial prejudice, and restricted social mobility. Various times in history emphasize a not-so idealistic reality for minority groups, including the Civil War, the Progressive Era, and the 1960s. A key historical example, the period preceding and during the Great Depression in America, circa 1920s and 1930s, exposes the discrepancy between the American myth’s promise and the conditions of reality. In Crisis of the American Dream, John Tipple describes the carefree feeling among the people in the roaring twenties; it was taken as a truth that â€Å"man could realize his highest aspirations amid abundance† (13). The optimism, and naivety, of the American people reflects the stronghold that the myth of the American Dream had on our culture during a time of perceived affluence. The sudden collapse of the stock market crash, however, contradicted the myth’s promise: â€Å"the ensuing depression turned the dream of universal prosperity into a horrible nightmare† (Tipple 14). Regardless of its deep historical foundation, the time has come to acknowledge that Alger’s myth lacks true basis. The out-dated American Dream does not foster social advancement, and it has become harder to find Alger’s rags-to-riches man in modern America. No longer are the days of Manifest Destiny; the adolescent years of our nation have passed. Consequently, America must undertake the most difficult rite of passage[2]: giving up on old ideology and experiencing a rebirth by implementing a new faith. Modern society has the task of separating itself from the former myth and initiating a new philosophy if it is â€Å"to nullify the unremitting recurrences of death† (Campbell 16). Only by forming a new ideal can America prevent its demise and continue on an upward journey.

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Describe the Human Nature & Physical Aspects - Essay Example MeurSault who is the protagonist of The Stranger performs such activities for which, he finds no reason for remorse and sorrow. At his mother’s death, he is emotionless and has no sense of loss. When he murders an Arab man, he is again remorseless. He takes actions without any rationality and reason behind them. He shoots the Arab man without any specific reason. The trial that is held for the judgment of Meursault’s crime also circulates around absurd causes of his reasonless act. With the passage of time, Meursault realizes that human existence is worthless and has no meaning behind it. After gaining awareness about this fact, he feels no problem in his way of dying and realizes that death will come to all who have taken birth. Meursault shows more desirability for physical aspects of life such as Marie, weather, his environment and other aspects of life, he is not persuaded by his spiritual or emotional existence due to which, he is alienated from society. For killing the Arab man, he identifies the torment because of sun as a reason for his killing which is quite absurd and ridiculous. He attaches everything with the physical aspect of life. Raskolnikov, the protagonist of the book, Crime and Punishment, shows an alienated attitude in the work. He is alienated from the society on the basis of his consideration that is he is superior to other social figures around him. He plans a murder of an old lady for profit based reasons and while murdering, murders another lady because of being seen. He continuously rejects any support from his friends and relatives due to which, he is left alone. Like Meursault, Raskolnikov also shows attraction towards physical aspects of life and has no concern with his spiritual aspects. He kills the old lady for her wealth. Like Meursault, Raskolnikov is also an unemotional being and shows no emotional concerns to anything in his life. He shows no guilt for his

Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Change Management - Essay Example â€Å"While participation in Internet doubled from 1982 to 1992†¦the irony is that the key communication technologies are, at best, in their infancy in developing or less developed countries† (Olaniran 65). Many companies in such developing countries as India and Kenya are reluctant to change the communication practices that have been in use for decades. However, as the workforce is getting more trained and educated, a positive change is expected and has already started to show up in many organizations in these countries. An effective way to reduce the employee resistance is by allowing them to get involved and participate in the change management process. This can be achieved if the employees are taken into confidence. Managers should develop and engage the employees in unfreezing activities. â€Å"Unfreezing activities normally involve group activities designed to confront existing group behavior. These may take the form of training interventions, team talks, evangelic al speeches, or some other form of activity† (Collins 60). Managers should arrange meetings with the employees where they all can be addressed at once. Managers should ensure that all employees attend the meeting. In the meeting, the managers should explain the need of introducing the change to the employees and why and how the old system is not letting the organization achieve its objectives. The managers should not only demonstrate the need of change but also show how individualistic efforts of the employees working at different levels in the organization will contribute to the organizational success. A very important point that a manager should keep in mind while addressing the employees is not to underestimate or overlook the role of any employee in the change introduction and the management process. Ideally, the manager should encourage the employees to come up with ideas that could further enhance the manager’s plan of introducing and managing the change. Construc tive ideas should not only be appreciated but also be incorporated into the change implementation process. This would serve as an incentive for other employees to share their positive opinions with the manager and also boost their confidence as well as motivation to help the manager implement the change. â€Å"Participatory measures such as team working and high-involvement work practices demonstrate improvements in performance†¦Performance changes may occur because participation leads to changed attitudes which lead to higher performance† (Summers and Hyman). Before conducting the meeting, the manager should try to identify the employees whose interests would be affected by the introduction of change, and tend to modify the change plan in a way that causes minimum loss to those employees while enhancing the overall efficiency of other employees and the organization as a whole. However, â€Å"[i]n any change, especially ones that affect a complete organization, it is im possible to involve every employee in each decision† (Heathfield), so the manager should not change the plan in an attempt to satisfy everyone. Once the employees have been sufficiently addressed and convinced through such meetings, the manager shou

Coffee and Starbucks Corporation Essay Example for Free

Coffee and Starbucks Corporation Essay Acknowledgements: First and foremost, we would like to express our gratitude to our faculty Ms. Nusrat Huq for her constant support and motivation, and we would also like to thank her for assigning a topic to our group that has been quite interesting to work with. We are immensely grateful to our friends and AIUB alumni who have been kind enough to share their knowledge with us. Last but not the least, our sincere gratitude goes to our respected families for their guidance and contribution in all aspects of our lives. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Among many other global coffee shops, Starbucks is the most popular. This article discusses the company’s internal and external environments, its corporate strategies, organization structures, how they can improve their quality, and where there is room for success.In 1971, three young entrepreneurs began the Starbucks Corporation in Seattle Washington. Their key goal was to sell whole coffee beans. Soon after, Starbucks began experiencing huge growth, opening five stores all of which had roasting facilities, sold coffee beans and room for local restaurants. In 1987, Howard Schultz bought Starbucks from its original owners for $4 million after expanding Starbucks by opening three coffee bars. These coffee bars were based on an idea that was originally proposed to the owner who recruited him into the corporation as manager of retail and marketing. Overall, Schultz strategy for Starbucks was to grow slow. Starbucks went on to suffer financial losses and overhead operating expenses rose as Starbucks continued its slow expansion process. Despite the initial financial troubles, Starbucks went on to expand to 870 stores by 1996. Sales increased 84%, which brought the corporation out of debt. With the growing success, Starbucks planned to open 2000 stores by year 2000.

Mobile Phone And Battery Recycling In Mauritius Environmental Sciences Essay

Mobile Phone And Battery Recycling In Mauritius Environmental Sciences Essay The mobile phone industry, because of its desire to maintain high environmental standards, has voluntarily developed the Mobile Phone Industry Recycling Program. The program aims to ensure that potentially toxic components in mobile phones and batteries do not end up in landfill, but rather are recycled. Orange (Mauritius) and Mission Verte joint green initiative has launched a collection recycling campaign for old phones and wasted batteries. The aim was to reduce noxious liquid that may be released from the battery and cause harm to the environment for example contaminating the water in Mauritius while other parts of the phone will be recycled. Collection or disposable points will be situated in all Orange shop outlets across the island. For the period year 2007, according to the Central Statistics, Mauritius has imported a whopping   175,000 cellular phones while batteries 25 million batteries. In Mauritius, Orange has launched a national program to develop the recycling of mobile phones and batteries in partnership with BEM Enterprises Ltd, the Port Louis Citadelle Rotary Club and the Mission Verte association. Some 15 collection points have been set up at Orange stores. The collected equipment is grouped together and then transported to the BEM Enterprises sorting centre. Plastics and metals are routed to local recycling centres. Batteries, chargers and other electronic circuits for which there is no local processing channel are sent to Europe for recovery at approved recycling centres. BATTERY RECYCLING Most batteries contain heavy metals which is the main cause for environmental concern. Disposed of incorrectly, the heavy metals may leak into the ground when the battery erodes. This contributes to soil and water pollution and endangers wildlife. Some components in batteries can be toxic to fish and make them unfit for human consumption. Batteries contain a range of metals which can be reused as a secondary raw material. There are well-established methods for the recycling of most batteries containing lead, nickel-cadmium, nickel hydride and mercury. For some, such as newer nickel-hydride and lithium systems, recycling is still in the early stages. Mobile phone Battery recycling in UK It is estimated that in 2000, almost 19,000 tonnes of waste general purpose batteries and 113,000 tonnes of waste automotive batteries required disposal in the UK.    Currently, only a very small percentage of consumer disposable batteries are recycled (less than 2%) and most waste batteries are disposed of in landfill sites. The rate for recycling of consumer rechargeable batteries is estimated to be 5%.   The average household uses 21 batteries a year. The UK generates 20,000 30,000 tonnes of waste general purpose batteries every year, but less than 1,000 tonnes are recycled. Automotive batteries, on the other hand, are more routinely recycled in the UK, with a current recycling rate of approximately 90%.   They are collected at garages, scrap metal facilities and many civic amenity and recycling centres. Whilst the exact chemical make-up varies from type to type (see below), most batteries contain heavy metals, which are the main cause for environmental concern. When disposed of incorrectly, these heavy metals may leak into the ground when the battery casing corrodes.   This can contribute to soil and water pollution and endanger wildlife. Cadmium, for example, can be toxic to aquatic invertebrates and can bio-accumulate in fish, which damages ecosystems and makes them unfit for human consumption. Some batteries, such as button cell batteries, also contain mercury, which has similarly hazardous properties.   Mercury is no longer being used in the manufacture of non-rechargeable batteries, except button cells where it is a functional component, and the major European battery suppliers have been offering mercury-free disposable batteries since 1994. A number of valuable materials are used in the construction of mobile phones, and they contain components which, if carefully removed, can be used again, for example in electronic devices. Perhaps more importantly, some cell phones and their accessories contain substances that are amongst the 10 most dangerous known to man including Cadmium, Rhodium, Palladium, Beryllium and Lead Solder (Ref: Cellular Reclamation Ltd, Nov 2004) and most of this ends up in a land fill site or the sea. Now with so many convenient mobile phone recycling schemes around, theres no need for this and no excuse for not recycling your old phone % of material recycled all over the worldg-waste_recyc_material-m.gif Paper recycling Paper recycling is the process of recovering waste paper and remaking it into new paper products. There are three categories of paper that can be used as feedstocks for making recycled paper: mill broke, pre-consumer waste, and post-consumer waste. Mill broke is paper trimmings and other paper scrap from the manufacture of paper, and is recycled internally in a paper mill. Pre-consumer waste is material which left the paper mill but was discarded before it was ready for consumer use. Post-consumer waste is material discarded after consumer use, such as old corrugated containers (OCC), old magazines, old newspapers (ONP), office paper, old telephone directories, and residential mixed paper (RMP). Paper suitable for recycling is called scrap paper. The industrial process of removing printing ink from paperfibers of recycled paper to make deinked pulp is called deinking, an invention of the German jurist Justus Claproth. Water and air pollution The United States Environmental Protection Agencyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ½ (EPA) has found that recycling causes 35% less water pollution and 74% less air pollution than making virgin paper. Pulp mills can be sources of both air and water pollution, especially if they are producing bleached pulp. Modern mills produce considerably less pollution than those of a few decades ago. Recycling paper decreases the demand for virgin pulp and thus reduces the overall amount of air and water pollution associated with paper manufacture. Recycled pulp can be bleached with the same chemicals used to bleach virgin pulp, but hydrogen peroxide and sodium hydrosulfite are the most common bleaching agents. Recycled pulp, or paper made from it, is known as PCF (process chlorine free) if no chlorine-containing compounds were used in the recycling process. However, recycling mills may have polluting by-products, such as sludge. De-inking at Cross Pointes Miami, Ohio mill results in sludge weighing 22% of the weight of wastepaper recycled. Recycling facts and figures In the mid-19th century, there was an increased demand for books and writing material. Up to that time, paper manufacturers had used discarded linen rags for paper, but supply could not keep up with the increased demand. Books were bought at auctions for the purpose of recycling fiber content into new paper, at least in the United Kingdom, by the beginning of the 19th century. Internationally, about half of all recovered paper comes from converting losses (pre-consumer recycling), such as shavings and unsold periodicals; approximately one third comes from household or post-consumer waste. Some statistics on paper consumption: The average per capita paper use worldwide was 110  pounds (50  kg). It is estimated that 95% of business information is still stored on paper. [Source: International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) Discussion Paper (IIED, London, September 1996)] Recycling 1  short ton (0.91  t) of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7 thousand US gallons (26  m3) of water, 3  cubic yards (2.3  m3) of landfill space, 2 barrels of oil (84 US gal or 320  l), and 4,100  kilowatt-hours (15  GJ) of electricity enough energy to power the average American home for six months. Although paper is traditionally identified with reading and writing, communications has now been replaced by packaging as the single largest category of paper use at 41% of all paper used. 115 billion sheets of paper are used annually for personal computers. The average web user prints 28 pages daily. Most corrugated fiberboard boxes have over 25% recycled fibers. Some are 100% recycled fiber. This articles factual accuracy may be compromised because of out-of-date information. Paper recycling by region European Union Paper recovery in Europe has a long history and has grown into a mature organization. The European papermakers and converters work together to meet the requirements of the European Commission and national governments. Their aim is the reduction of the environmental impact of waste during manufacturing, converting/printing, collecting, sorting and recycling processes to ensure the optimal and environmentally sound recycling of used paper and board products. In 2004 the paper recycling rate in Europe was 54.6% or 45.5  million short tons (41.3  Mt). The recycling rate in Europe reached 64.5% in 2007, which confirms that the industry is on the path to meeting its voluntary target of 66% by 2010. Japan Municipal collections of paper for recycling are in place. However, according to the Yomiuri Shimbun (Japanese newspaper published in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and other major Japanese cities), in 2008, eight paper manufacturers in Japan have admitted to intentionally mislabeling recycled paper products, exaggerating the amount of recycled paper used. United States of America Recycling has long been practiced in the United States. The history of paper recycling has several dates of importance: 1690: The first paper mill to use recycled linen was established by the Rittenhouse family. 1896: The first major recycling center was started by the Benedetto family in New York City, where they collected rags, newspaper, and trash with a pushcart. 1993: The first year when more paper was recycled than was buried in landfills. Today, over half of the material used to make paper is recovered waste. Paper products are the largest component of municipal solid waste, making up more than 40% of the composition of landfills. In 2006, a record 53.4% of the paper used in the US (or 53.5 million tons) was recovered for recycling. This is up from a 1990 recovery rate of 33.5%. The US paper industry has set a goal to recover 55 percent of all the paper used in the US by 2012. Paper packaging recovery, specific to paper products used by the packaging industry, was responsible for about 77% of packaging materials recycled with more than 24 million pounds recovered in 2005. By 1998, some 9,000 curbside programs and 12,000 recyclable drop-off centers had sprouted up across the US for recycles collection. As of 1999, 480 materials recovery facilities had been established to process the collected materials. In 2008, the global financial crisis resulted in the price of old newspapers to drop in the US from $130 to $40 per short ton ($140/t to $45/t) in October. Recycling Plastic Bottles ( UK ) Plastic bottles can be found almost anywhere on Earth. This attests to the fact of their usefulness and to the ease and low cost in making these items. Indeed plastic bottles are so useful that almost any liquid beverage or food product can be found being sold in plastic bottles. So why do we recycle? The practice of recovering scraps and waste plastic and reprocessing these materials into new products is called recycling. Recycling makes use of materials that are at the end of their useful lives which otherwise would be added to the waste stream and end up in landfills or (sadly) in the ocean and on our shores. Recycled plastic bottles are an indispensable and ubiquitous part of our lives. They are light in weight and almost unbreakable when used for their designed purpose. This is also the reason why plastics and plastic bottles account for a large part of the waste generated by our throwaway society. Plastic bottles are the most recycled plastic items but still the recycle rate is only about 24 percent.    What are the benefits to recycling plastic bottles? Conservation of Oil. When a ton of plastic bottles are recycled approximately 3.8 barrels of petroleum is saved.   Reduction of Greenhouse Gas emissions. The substitution of recycled materials reduces the emission of greenhouse gases that are produced in the manufacturing of virgin materials. Saving of Landfill Space. Not having millions of plastic bottles in the landfill results in a saving of 6.7 cubic meters of landfill space that is at a premium right now. Plastic bottles also take an average of 500 years to biodegrade. Conservation of Energy. Water and soft drink bottles are made of polyethylene terephthalate or PET.   Recycling of one pound of PET results in a saving of approximately 12,000 BTUs (British Thermal Units). Benefits of Reuse. Recycled bottles can provide an environmentally friendly source of materials for the manufacture of new products and substitutes recycle materials for virgin materials. Recycling Plastic Bottles / Is the Recycling of Plastic Bottles Economically Feasible? Up to the present there is still continuing discussion and debate over whether the recycling of plastic bottles is economically feasible. Local government units and municipalities largely see the fiscal benefits of recycling plastic bottles because of the savings in landfill space and reduced landfill costs. Statistics from a Technical University of Denmark study show that recycling is still the most efficient method to dispose of household waste in 83 percent of all cases. Critics of recycling often claim that more resources are wasted in recycling than is saved. However municipal recycling is still worthwhile if the net costs do not exceed the landfill or other disposal costs.

A Christian World Viewpoint Essay -- christian, viewpoint, god

Having never considered much about world views until after visiting a Christian world view camp, I wanted to know more about mine. As a Christian, naturally I would have a Christian world view, but I did not really know what that meant. I did not think much about the nature of God, or man, or even the cause of evil and suffering. Although I did not doubt my Christianity, I only doubted my knowledge of it, and ability to defend the Christian faith. I knew the root of all suffering came from sin, and that since Adam and Eve sinned, all man is burdened with sin. However, people are able to have a loving relationship with God if we trust in Jesus. Often time’s people portray God as a distant, but extremely powerful being that only smites the evil and mildly rewards the righteous. People holding that view could not be more incorrect. In James 4:8 it says, â€Å"Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you,† and in Romans 5:8 it says, â€Å"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.† These verses do not show God as a cold hard sky dwelling creature, but a loving personal God that desires a personal relationship with all people. â€Å"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning--the sixth day.† (Genesis 1:31) God created the universe good, and good it remains. Since humans sinned, not animals, or planets, or stars, naturally, humans are inherently evil, not the universe. However, man has corrupted this world with evil, so when Jesus returns, He has promised to create a new heaven and earth. â€Å"For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, (Mark 7:21)†. Even though God created man as... ...g that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. (Romans 6:17-18)† Works Cited 2 Corinthians. BibleGateway.com: A Searchable Online Bible in over 100 Versions and 50 Languages. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2013. Genesis. BibleGateway.com: A Searchable Online Bible in over 100 Versions and 50 Languages. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. "James 4:8." Holy Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005. N. pag. Print. John. BibleGateway.com: A Searchable Online Bible in over 100 Versions and 50 Languages. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. Mark. BibleGateway.com: A Searchable Online Bible in over 100 Versions and 50 Languages. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. Romans. BibleGateway.com: A Searchable Online Bible in over 100 Versions and 50 Languages. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013.

Accepting the Extraordinary in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Essay

My life, although not without surprises and unusual events, is dictated by predictable and ordinary elements. However, through fiction I am transported into a world of boundless imagination and extraordinary themes. One such example is evident in my response to Mary Shelley’s gothic novel Frankenstein. Through fiction, Shelley invites the reader to accept the extraordinary. Firstly, we are led to believe that Victor Frankenstein is able to create life by shocking it with electricity, and to this I responded with an imaginative curiosity. But it was the consequences of the creation provoked a stronger response from me. The element of horror Victor experiences and his reaction to the ‘god like’ qualities bestowed upon him as creator is truly extraordinary. Victor, like no other man, experiences the feeling of immense power and responsibility as creator of man, and this provoked a sympathetic response from me. Finally I also accepted and responded to the extraordinar y concept of the monster, who, unlike to the majority of humanity, is created without a sense of cultural identity. Additionally, what is extraordinary to me as a reader is the humanity and intelligence the monster displays, despite the disadvantageous of his creation. This made me have sympathy for monster and served to blotch the credibility of Victor. Throughout the novel I was inclined to accept Shelley’s invitation and to explore a deeper view of humanity. The most apparent extraordinary element in Frankenstein is the concept of galvanic creation. Shelley invites us to believe that Victor can bestow life to the inanimate monster. This achieved by stressing the power and enticement (None but those who have experienced them can conceive of the enticement of science... ...ng the extraordinary I responded in favour of the monster and in disfavour of Victor. In her novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley invites us as readers to accept the extraordinary. In accepting this invitation my response to the major characters in the novel, Victor and the monster, changed noticeably. Firstly I responded in favor of Victor, due to the extraordinary position he finds himself in as creator of man. But as the novel progressed I was invited to accept the extraordinary humanity of the monster, and this provoked a sympathetic response from me. We as readers are positioned to accept the elements of Frankenstein that are out of the ordinary because Shelley encourages an imaginative response from us. Throughout my reading my imagination was the dictum that influenced my response. By accepting the extraordinary I am able to explore a deeper view of humanity.

Arguments of the death penalty Essay

Is death the justification of a murder or are we merely subduing ourselves by performing the same heinous act? This argument had been debated for many decades and although some feel that death is the answer to a murder, there are others that find it completely barbaric. Through a careful analysis between Edward Koch’s â€Å"Death and Justice† and David Bruck’s â€Å"The Death Penalty†, I believe Koch had the better argument in claiming that death is the justification of a murder. I feel that if someone were to kill another person, we have all rights to sentence them to a death penalty to guarantee such a horrific crime would not happen again. If someone had the courage to take the life of another then he/she should have the courage to face the consequences. Although many believed that the death penalty is barbaric, I believe if it is not done, it would hinder America’s goal in working toward a country that possesses the least crime rates. In Koch’s essay he compared cancer with the death penalty. â€Å"Today we are faced with the choice of letting the cancer spread with†¦methods that considered barbaric†¦But to give up†¦would certainly delay the discovery of an eventual cure.† (Koch, paragraph 6) What Koch tried to convey to us is that certain methods of reducing cancer symptoms may be found barbaric but it is because of these methods we will find an eventual cure. This applies to the death penalty as well. Although someone may believe the death penalty is barbaric, they can still support it because if we create a society that does not tolerate the injustice of murder, incidents of murd er will decrease. In Bruck’s argument he attacked back by stating that the death penalty was applied in a discriminatory manner through a man by the name of â€Å"Ernest Knighton†. â€Å"Knighton had killed a gas station owner during a robbery†¦Why was Knighton electrocuted when almost everyone else who committed the same offense was not? Was it because he was black? Was it because his victim and all 12 members of the jury†¦were right?† (Bruck, paragraph 10) He’s stating the jury was racist to Knighton because he was black and the death penalty does not serve justice. I believe that his isn’t so because the appeals for each murderer are long and accurate. Our courts are made so that each case is handled effectively and thoroughly to bring forth justice in the case. Koch stated â€Å"It is not justice to exclude everyone from the penalty of the  law if a few are found to be so favored. Justice requires that the law be applied equally to all.† (Koch, paragraph 11). It is not a racial matter because the appeals process is long and elaborate for every individual and a person will not be given any less attention due to their race. The death penalty served justice to people who had abused it. It will ensure a safer society because potential murderers would be afraid to kill because if they did, they would be executed as well. If we do not continue to practice this then murder rates would steadily increase. It is also not a racial issue because each case is observed with the full extent of the law. I believe the death penalty should continue to be instated because it will provide for a quicker progression to a murder-free America.

Economics Essay

Save this file in your course folder, and name it with Assignment, the section number, and your first initial and last name. For example, Jessie Robinson’s assignment for Section 1 would be named JRobinson. Type the answers to the assignment questions below. Use complete sentences unless the question says otherwise. You will have more than one day to complete an assignment. At the end of each day, be sure to save your progress. Review Lesson 4 of the Course Overview for instructions about turning in your assignments. Assignment Questions In Section 1, you learned about economic principles. Now, you’ll apply what you learned. 1. Choose a well-known company that you know of, and answer the following questions about it: a. Is this mainly a product-based or service-based business? (1.0 points) it is mainly a product based company. b. What type of good or service is this company best known for? (1.0 points it is a food service company so it is known for the food. c. What makes the company different from its competitors? (1-3 sentences. 3.0 points) this company is known for there quality of fast food. The food is prepared much more fresh than other companies much like this one. This company also tends to have more of a range of foods to pick from. d. Why do you think this company became successful? Describe at least one reason. (1-5 sentences. 2.0 points) I think this company became successful because it was not the first company like it and people like to be able to grab something quickly and go so fast food works well. 2. Choose a different well-known company that you know of, and describe its direct and indirect competitors. Describe at least 2 direct competitors and 2 indirect competitors. (1-5 sentences. 4.0 points) a indirect competitor would be for example if someone opens a shop selling Malay rice while the opposite street another person is selling the same rice but then comes along a person selling Chinese fried rice. Although the person who is selling the Chinese fried rice and the two other competitors are selling Malay rice, the person selling the Chinese fried rice is considered an indirect competitor. But for another example a pizza shop in competition wit a fried chicken shop would be indirect because the products are not the same but they are still competing for sales. 3. Describe at least 3 nonprice competition strategies a company could use to convince customers that its product is better than other similar products. Why would those strategies matter to customers? (1-6 sentences. 3.0 points) It is better quality so it will last longer, it has a better warranty in case anything goes wrong, it functions or looks better than the opposition, the design is future projected. They would matter to the customers because customers care about the quality of whatever product it is they are possibly thinking about investing in. customers also don’t want things that are going to out of date in a year. And of course the customer is going to purchase the product depending on how much better they think it is in general including the appearance of the product. 4. Describe a real or made up but possible example of a product that went through a time of scarcity. What was likely to happen to the price of the product when it was scarce, and why? (1-3 sentences. 3.0 points) alcohol during the prohibition. The price skyrocketed. As the penalties for breaking the law increased, so did the demand and price. 5. Describe a product you know of that has elastic demand. Why is the demand for this product elastic? Explain. (1-3 sentences. 3.0 points) a stock in a micro cap company or a gas pharmaceutical company. Its factors are that the government proposing a law that is in favor of te industry, media, and just regular speculation.

Tanglewood

Develop a detailed selection plan for this position. In this case, you should determine what you want to measure by analyzing KSAOs from the Job description and the information on organizational culture in the case, and fitting the selection measures into the plan format as shown in Exhibit 8. 2 in the book. The current selection methods are the experience check, education check, Marshfield Applicant Exam, and the Retail Knowledge Test. Do not include the current interview as part of the selection plan. Selection Plan Format for Managerial Position at Tanglewood Major KSAO CategoryNecessary for selection? Edc EXC MAE RKT 1 . Communication skills x 2. Knowledge of organizational policies and regulations 3. Decision making Judgment/skills 4. Managerial skills 6. Reasoning abilities 7. Knowledge of personal management regulations 8. Knowledge of retail management: policies and practices 9. Technical knowledge 10. Strategic abilities. Ability to develop solutions to complex conflicts. Y 1 1 . Skill in interpreting and analyzing financial data and performing financial operations. Y RKT = Retail Knowledge Test 3. Develop initial interview questions.Staffing services believes that a half-hour nterview will be appropriate, with about 3 minutes per interview question. They would like 5 behavioral interview questions and 5 situational interview questions. Each interview question should have a very specific KSAO target as shown in the example. Behavioral Questions: 1 . Tell me about a time when you had to make a decision that benefitted the company, but went against your personal values. 2. Tell me about a time you had to go beyond your comfort zone and personal limits to satisfy an unhappy customer. 3.Tell me about a time you received news that an employee was violating workplace regulations. How did you confront that employee and go about solving the conflict? 4. Tell me about a time you offered constructive criticism to an employee regarding workplace responsibilities. How did you broach the subject and create an effective solution to the problem that the employee both clearly understood and willingly complied with? 5. Tell me about a time you received a complaint about one of your employees. How did you approach the matter and bring up the subject with the employee?Situational Questions: 1. Suppose you received an anonymous complaint that a certain employee was sexually harassing other employees in the workplace. How would you handle the situation? 2. Suppose an irate customer demands compensation that exceeds company policy (i. e a large discount or store credit in a situation where it is not a valid option). How would you resolve the conflict and ensure customer satisfaction? 3. An employee has been engaging in dishonest and illegal activity. While it is not felony activity, there can be legal repercussions.How do you deal with this employee? Would there be legal repercussions? 4. An employee is not correctly and fully meeting Job responsibili ties and expectations. This employee reports to another manager in the store. Who would you confront about the issue, and how would you handle the situation? meeting your goal for sales. You are expected to increase sales dramatically in order to remain as close to your sales goal as possible. How do you go about this, and what steps would you take? 4. Develop a scoring key for each interview question.This means you will have ten different scoring keys. Question 1 Job Title Department Manager Item Description Requires applicant to provide a response where they struggled between personal values and Job responsibilities and how they overcame this. Performance Dimensions Task: identify Job duties and compare to ethical issues Knowledge: legal issues, duties, personal values Skill: decision making Ability: conflict solving Question Tell me about a time when you had to make a decision that benefitted the company, but went against your personal values.Scoring Key 1: Applicant fails to men tion a specific incident 2: Applicants mentions a situation, but fails to mention a solution. 3: Applicant identifies a solution and provides and acceptable solution. 4: Applicant successfully identifies a significant situation and provides a solution in a way that exhibits their kills and abilities. Interviewer Comments Legal issues are not so much important as exhibition of skills and abilities regarding job duties and personal values. Question 2 Requires applicant to explain a time they provided excellent customer service.Performance Dimensions Task: Identify customer in need, effectively seek a solution which results in customer satisfaction. Knowledge: customer service Skill: Judgment Ability: Effective communication; inductive reasoning. Tell me about a time you had to go beyond your comfort zone and personal limits to satisfy an unhappy customer. Scoring Key : Applicant fails to mention concepts related to customer service. 2: Applicant Applicant identifies concepts related t o customer service and provides a solution. 4: Applicant fulfills requirements of 3, and exhibits KSAOs.Interviewer Comments Applicant was satisfied with the question and thought it greatly contributed to the interview process. Question 3 Behavioral interview question requiring the applicant to provide a response about an employee violating workplace regulations. Performance Dimensions Task: Absorb information about employee violation, confront employee in an ethical, rofessional manner. Knowledge: personal management Skill: Communication skills, personal management, Judgment and decision making Ability: Effective communication, reasoning, listening aptitude.Question Tell me about a time you received news that an employee was violating workplace Scoring Key 1: Applicant fails to mention a situation. 2: Applicant mentions a situation, but fails to provide a solution. 3: Applicant provides a situation and a solution. 4. Applicant fulfills requirements listed in 3, and also exhibits ex pected KSAOs. Interviewer Comments Applicant felt this was a personal question. Question 4: Behavioral question asking applicant to identify a situation where they had to offer constructive criticism to an employee.Performance Dimensions Task: Offer constructive criticism to an employee that is not meeting workplace standards. Knowledge: personal management, effective communication skills Skill: effective mentoring, reasoning, personal management Ability: Effective communication Tell me about a time you offered constructive criticism to an employee regarding complied with? Scoring Key 1: Applicant fails to mention an applicable situation : Applicant mentions an applicable situation, but fails to mention how they resolved the problem. 3. Applicant identifies a situation and a solution. . Applicant fulfills requirements for score 3, and exhibits KSAOs in their explanation. Method of approach is crucial, as are ethical considerations. Question 5 Behavioral question in which applicant i s asked to respond to a customer complaint about an employee. Performance Dimensions Task: Listen to complaint. Use decision making skills to approach employee and propose an effective solution. Knowledge: Personal management, legal/workplace egulations. Skill: decision making, conflict resolution Ability: Communication, listening aptitude, decision making.Question Tell me about a time you received a complaint about one of your employees. How did you approach the matter and bring up the subject with the employee? Scoring Key 1: Applicant fails to find a workplace solution to solve the conflict at hand. 2: Applicant uses limited reasoning to find a solution to the problem. Uses communication skills. 3. Applicant uses reasonable Judgment, communication skills and inductive reasoning. 4: Applicant meets requirements of score 3, and also emonstrates excellent personal management concepts.Interviewer Comments Legalities may not be necessary considerations for this question, depending on the complaint. Question 6 Situational question asking the applicant to address legal concerns and resolve the conflict at hand. Performance Dimensions Task: Process concerns. Talk with offending employee and discuss legal repercussions. Knowledge: Knowledge of law and workplace regulations Skill: Problem solving, employee directing Ability: Effective communication of protocol Suppose you received an anonymous complaint that a certain employee was sexually arassing other employees in the workplace.How would you handle the situation? 1 : Applicant fails to mention legal concepts and how they addressed the situation with such 2: Applicant shows sufficient knowledge of legal concepts. 3: Applicant demonstrates sufficient knowledge of legal concepts and provides conflict resolution. 4: Applicant fulfills requirements of score 3, and also demonstrates effective application of preventative measures to ensure the conflict does not happen again. Interviewer Comments Candidate felt this was a well-worded question that addressed an important workplace issue.Candidate felt it is important for managers to be able to effectively Question 7 Situational question requiring applicant to provide an original solution based on personal Judgment to effectively resolve the conflict. Product Dimension Task: Communicate effectively with the customer. Knowledge: customer service practices, company policies Skill: Judgment, decision making Ability: effective communication, decision making, develop original solution to conflict Suppose an irate customer demands compensation that exceeds company policy (i. a large discount or store credit in a situation where it is not a valid option). How would you resolve the conflict and ensure customer satisfaction? Scoring Key 1 : Applicant fails to demonstrate customer service practices knowledge and fails to comply with company policy 2: Applicant sufficiently follows company policy, but fails to demonstrate customer service knowledge. 3: Applicant sufficiently follows company policy and customer service practices. 4: Applicant complies with company policy and demonstrates excellent customer service practices.Interviewer Comments Candidate felt this was a great question for a common situation in the retail industry. Question 8 A situational question asking candidate to respond to a situation with legal repercussions. Product Dimensions Task: Engage in documentation and gathering of evidence against employee. Approach employee and take disciplinary action and compose an effective solution to prevent repeat offenses. Knowledge: legal procedures, inductive reasoning, communication.Skill: inductive reasoning, application of legal procedures, communication Ability: Effective problem solving/reasoning, effective communication, personal management Question An employee has been engaging in dishonest and illegal activity. While it is not felony activity, there can be legal repercussions. How do you deal with this employee? Would there be legal repercussions? Scoring Key 1: Applicant fails to mention consequences and legal ramifications. 2: Applicant demonstrates sufficient knowledge for legal repercussions, but not the relevance to the situation.Does not provide a satisfactory solution. 3: Applicant demonstrates sufficient knowledge of legal repercussions, and effectively implements them. 4: Applicant fills requirements of score 3, and also an innovative, original solution to ensure the conflict does not arise again. Interviewer Comments Candidate felt this was especially crucial to the interview process, as legal issues are Question 9 Situational question that requires employer to eliminate performance issues and demonstrate knowledge and accurate observation of employee interaction with other managers.Product Dimensions Task: Communicate with appropriate individuals regarding the issue and effectively eliminate lack of production. Knowledge: personal management, company policy and job requirements knowledge Sk ill: decision making, communication, personal management Ability: effective communication An employee is not correctly and fully meeting Job responsibilities and expectations. This employee reports to another manager in the store. Who would you confront about the issue, and how would you handle the situation?Scoring Key 1 : Applicant shows knowledge of personal management, but fails to provide a detailed course of action. 2: Applicant demonstrates knowledge of personal management, gives an answer but does not completely resolve the conflict 3: Applicant shows knowledge of personal management, and provides a solution and successfully resolves performance issues. 4: Applicant meets requirements of score , and also thoroughly discusses preventative actions taken. Interviewer Comments Candidate felt that incident documentation and repercussions were necessary.Question 10 Situational question requiring the candidate to formulate effective methods to increase sales. Product Dimensions Tas k: Formulate effective strategies to increase sales. Knowledge: sales processes. Skill: Rational decision making. Ability: Communication practices, inductive reasoning, composition of original and innovative solutions. Question Suppose you are halfway through a financial quarter and are nowhere close to steps would you take? Scoring Key : Applicant's plan fails to mention sales concepts and solution is not creative enough. : Applicant develops a sufficient plan, but it is clear they are not confident or knowledgeable enough in this field. Again, solution is not creative enough. 3: forecasting and concepts. Solution is acceptable. 4: Applicant meets requirements of number 3, and also demonstrates a thorough understanding of sales concepts and is able to provide an effective, original solution to the problem. Interviewer Comments Perhaps in future interviews ask candidates to supply a personal example of when they had to do something like this.

What is Rebranding?

What is Rebranding? Rebranding  is the creation of a new name, term, symbol, design, or combination thereof for an established brand with the intention of developing a differentiated (new) position in the mind of stakeholders and competitors. This may involve radical changes to the brand's logo, brand name, image,  marketing strategy, and  advertising  themes. These changes are typically aimed at the  repositioning of the brand/company, sometimes in an attempt to distance itself from certain negative connotations of the previous branding, or to move the brand  upmarket.However, the main reason for a re-brand is to communicate a new message for a company, something that has evolved, or the ‘new board of directors’ wish to communicate. Reasons for Rebranding Proactive Rebranding: Sometimes a company sees a reason to rebrand to seize an opportunity or thwart potential threats in the future. Proactive rebranding might happen in the following situations: * Predict ed Growth: When a company is preparing for expected growth, particularly international growth, it might rebrand products and services into a consolidated brand. This is often done for consistency and to save money over time.This type of rebranding is also done when a company simply needs to create a greater sense of brand unity across its business. * New Line of Business or Market: When a company enters into a new line of business or market that is not cohesive to the existing brand identity, a rebranding might be in order. * New Audience: When a company wants to appeal to a new audience, a rebranding might be necessary. Keep in mind, the rebranding might not require an actual name or logo change. * Relevancy: When a company realizes its brand is losing relevancy in consumers’ minds, it might be time to rebrand.The Yellow Pages rebranding is a perfect example. With the use of printed Yellow Pages directories declining, Yellow Pages rebranded to YP and began to focus more atte ntion on the digital space making it significantly more relevant. Reactive Rebranding: Companies could also rebrand in reaction to an event that is so significant that the existing brand must be changed. For example, reactive rebranding might happen in situations like the ones listed below: * Merger or Acquisition: When companies merge or acquire other companies, rebranding is often required. Legal Issues: There are a number of different legal issues that could cause a company to rebrand. Trademarks are often at the root of these rebranding examples. Hence, it is imperative to conduct an exhaustive trademark search and obtain the trademark rights to your brand name before you launch it. * Competitive Influences: Sometimes a company’s competitors’ activities can be the catalyst to a rebranding. When a competitor renders your brand useless or dated, a rebranding could help you regain a foothold in your market and give you the facelift you need to effectively strike back. Negative Publicity: When the image of the corporate or the brand has been tarnished by a sudden happening or more so, a crisis that has arisen, companies adopt a rebranding marketing strategy. The mistakes when while rebranding 1. Do not rely only on history: Rebranding well means staying relevant. Assumptions made when the brand was established may no longer hold true. Analyze changes in target markets when exploring opportunities for brand expansion, repositioning and revitalization.One must try and evaluate current market conditions before finalizing a rebranding exercise for the brand. However, one must ensure that the core offering is in line with the initial offering, the essence could be the differentiator. 2. Thinking the brand is the logo, stationery or corporate colors: The brand not only encompasses these elements, but also customer perception and experience to quality, the overall look and feel of the brand, customer care, retail and web environments, the tone and voice of communications, and more.One must ensure that the new image, thus to be communicated, touches upon all the aspects of the brand. 3. Navigating without a plan: Effective rebrands rely on a creative brief to keep everyone focused as the project progresses. Include sections for a situation analysis, objectives, target markets, budget and resources, timeframe, point person, known parameters, approval structure, stakeholders and metrics for assessing results. 4.Refusing to hire a branding consultant without industry experience: It’s ok to consider an agency that hasn’t worked in your specific industry before. Sometimes it is ideal – especially if you’re serious about a turnaround. Smart companies recognize the value of a fresh perspective. 5. Not leveraging existing brand equity and goodwill. Dismissing brand equity when rebranding alienates established customers, while unnecessary overhauls can irreparably damage a brand’s perception.Consider the n eeds and mindset of the target market carefully before digging into the process. Sometimes a small evolution – or a new coat of paint – is all that’s needed to rejuvenate and make a brand relevant. 6. Not trying on your customer’s shoes. Simply calling your own 800-number or receptionist may reveal challenges customers face and inform your rebranding strategy. Take the time to navigate your own website, buy your products and return something. Better yet, ask a friend or family member to do so and learn from their experiences

Marketing Financial Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing Financial Services - Essay Example The greatest asset of any consumer finance business is its base of customers. In the current competitive market, acquisition of profitable customers is tricky and tough. Nurturing the relationship into long-term profitable assets require lots of perseverance, innovation, and research. All customers are different, and to acquire the value they bring, they need to be treated differently. There are many methods to acquire customers. Advertising is one of the foremost methods. US Advertising Spending by Financial Services companies by media 2003 & 2004 (as a % of total spending).....Source: TNS Media Intelligence & Advertising, June 2005: 2003 2004 TV 27.7% 31.15 Newspaper 23.8% 22.4% Magazine 14..7% 15.5% Cable TV 12.9% 12.5% Internet 14.7% 12.5% Radio 3.2% 3.0% Outdoor 3.1% 3.0% Acquiring new customers through email and direct mail marketing are other methods that are fast and cost-efficient. With the help of thousands of interest categories demographic information, and behavioral targeting, you can find the exact people you are looking for and then giving you the information you need to convert these prospects into customers through email and direct mail marketing. CUSTOMER RETENTION Customer retention marketing is a tactically-driven approach based on customer behavior. It’s the core activity going on behind the scenes in relationship marketing, loyalty marketing, database marketing, permission marketing, etc. ... information, and behavioral targeting, you can find the exact people you are looking for and then giving you the information you need to convert these prospects into customers through email and direct mail marketing. CUSTOMER RETENTION Customer retention marketing is a tactically-driven approach based on customer behavior. It's the core activity going on behind the scenes in relationship marketing, loyalty marketing, database marketing, permission marketing, etc. Here's the basic philosophy of a retention-oriented marketer: 1. Past and current customer behavior is the best predictor of future customer behavior. Example: Take these two groups of potential buyers who surf the net: People who are a perfect demographic match for your site, but have never made a purchase online anywhere and people who are outside the core demographics for your site, but have repeatedly bought online at many different web sites If you sent a 20% promotion to each group, asking them to visit and make a first purchase, response would be higher from the second group than the first group. It works because actual behavior is better at predicting future behavior than demographic characteristics are. 2. Active customers are happy (retained) customers; and they like to win. They like to feel they are in control and smart about choices they make, and they feel good about their behavior. Marketers take advantage of this by offering promotions of various kinds, ranging from discounts and sweepstakes to loyalty programs and concept approaches such as thank-you notes and birthday cards. If you want your customers to do something, you have yo do something for them, and if it's something that makes them feel good, then they're

Court system has been plagued by increasing numbers of criminal Essay

Court system has been plagued by increasing numbers of criminal defendants - Essay Example However, if it is a serious offence, they are taken to the higher-district or supreme courts for trial (Stojkovic, Kalinich and Klofas 174). However, things might become complicated if the defendant is having a mental illness or is involved in the use of illegal narcotics. Unlike other sound defendants, this class of defendants needs to have a special treatment because of the uniqueness of their conditions. For the legal process to be fair, the mentally ill suspects should be granted an opportunity to ascertain their capability of standing a trial. It is recommended that they be tried in a different way since their condition is so unique. This is necessary because it might have made them vulnerable to committing the criminal acts they are accused of. At the same time, it might make them to be unfit to stand trial in the court of law (Welsh and Harris 82). In this regard, they should either be tried in a specially established drug and mental illness courts; be tried by specially-trained judges; or be tried in the normal courts, but on separate calendar days allocated for them. All these are necessary because they can guarantee them the justice that they require. Unlike the other normal accused persons, those with mental illness or on illegal drugs require a special attention (Council of State Governments 41). For instance, the mentally ill defendants need to be referred to the Mental Health Review Tribunal to determine their capability and direct if they need to become forensic patients to be cared for in the hospital or correctional centers. As a patriot, I am concerned about a crime-free society. If I got a chance, I would contribute towards eliminating criminal activities in the country. If mandated by the Chief Justice to contribute towards the possibilities of trying mentally ill criminals, I will organize my team and conduct an extensive research. This will be done by identifying the target population and actively involving them

Proposal and contract Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Proposal and contract - Assignment Example The company adopts a diverse multi-channel market strategy that aims to offer to clients a unique shopping experience with ideal pricing and a vast selection of goods and services (systemax.com). The company provides industrial equipment and computer supplies to other companies and businesses in North America through its company website, corporate sales teams and vividly detailed catalogues. The company’s technology product department focuses on Information and Communications Technology as well as Consumer electronics such as tablets, laptops, desktop machines, related accessories and software. Its consumer electronics products range from surveillance equipment, cell phones, toys, video games as well as other electronic accessories. Its industrial products are categorized under maintenance, repair and operations equipment and includes an array of both goods and services such as electrical and bulbs; plumbing supplies, fans, safety and medical items, storage, shelving, packaging and supplies among others. However, technology products account for the bulk of the company’s revenue. The company markets its products to both individual and business clients. Business clients consist of educational institutions, government agencies and corporate businesses mostly within the North American region

The author of choice Is Langston Hughes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The author of choice Is Langston Hughes - Essay Example By looking at works by DuBois, Booker T. Washington and Frederick Douglass, some of the history and literary context can be established while other authors such as Minnick and Wolfram help to provide insight into the technical elements, such as the use of dialect, used in Hughes’ writing. Spearman and Moore expand knowledge of Hughes the man as well as the lesser known writings while Mogan’s analysis of â€Å"Cubes† helps to illustrate the strong connections between Hughes’ poetry and the world around him. Hughes, Langston. (1995). The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes. New York: Vintage Classics. This book is exactly what it claims to be, a collection of poems written by Langston Hughes. What makes this book unique is that the editors have worked to gather together all of Hughes’ known poems and present them in chronological order by approximate composition date as well as in the final rendition as it had been left by Hughes. By presenting the poems in this way, the reader can begin to trace the prevalent themes of the major eras of Hughes’ life, including the ‘race’ poems, the ‘protest’ poems and the ‘children’s’ poems. At the same time, the concentrated presentation brings forward the sense of music that is built into Hughes’ work, preserving this element of the culture in the cadence and language used. This book is helpful to the present research in that it informs the reader of what was most important to Hughes a t differing stages of his life. In combination with his journalistic works when applicable, the poems highlight the differences between Hughes’ vision and those of his predecessors or contemporaries and captures the sound and cadence of the black people of Harlem at this point in history. By telling the story in their own ‘language’ or linguistic style, the poet is able to preserve more of the intended meaning and nuance expressed within his culture and therefore convey much

1.Critically evaluate if the National Minimum Wage (NMW) have an Essay

1.Critically evaluate if the National Minimum Wage (NMW) have an effect on business performance and increase reward grades - Essay Example They continue to argue that with the introduction of this wage, a great percentage of human labor has been replaced by machinery since the employers attest to the fact that inclusion of the employees in the workplace has become extremely expensive due to the costs that come from reinstatement of wages to the employees. However, other analysts differ with this argument arguing that the wage has increased employee performance in the workplace. In the research carried out by Dickens & Manning (pp.95), the National minimum wage (NMW) has acted as a foundation in which employers can offer proper pay to their employees. This works by virtue of the wage being in a position to manage the increases in wages and controlling all aspects that may lead to cutting down of costs. The National minimum wage (NMW), on the other hand also attempts to be at par with the changes that take place in relation to employees and the wage rates. Nevertheless, other analysts argue that it is extremely tasking for employers to deal with the task of adjusting to the tough economic conditions and dealing with demands of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) as imposed by the government. This essay shall attempt to analyze the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and the effect on business performance and increase reward grades. The major aim of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) is to reduce poverty rates in UK. This is according to research conducted by Dickens & Manning (pp.95), who indicate that with the National Minimum Wage (NMW) the employees have no option but to work in their workplaces or risk being unemployed. In this case, therefore, employees do not want to risk getting into the labor market that does not allow for easy entry into the market; thus, give the best that they can manage whilst in their current jobs. With proper distribution of income in the market, Arrowsmith et al, (pp.435) indicate that there are high chances that individuals will be

Business Planning and Forecasting Research Paper

Business Planning and Forecasting - Research Paper Example 2008 48 51 21 34 i. Scatter Diagram: As the data describes sales for each season for a particular year, with no sign of any multiplicative or exponential jump, therefore the additive model should be used to analyze the data. The main reason is the progression, which is quite straight-forward, as compared to multiplicative plotting, which is more exponential, with later figures of comparatively much higher values. ii. Moving Average for Calculation of Trend: For the calculation of moving averages, the process is done in a way such that each season's moving average has been calculated with the data provided of the past 3 years. The moving averages for each season are as follows. iii. Seasonal Indices: Year Quarter Original Values(Y) 4 Figures Moving Total 4 Figures Moving Average 2 Figures Moving Total 2 Figures Moving Average(T) Ratio-to-Moving Average(%)(Y)/ (T)*100 (Seasonal Indices) 2006 1 46 2 53 3 18 4 33 150 37.5 2007 1 52 156 39 76.5 38.25 47.05882353 2 47 150 37.5 76.5 38.25 86.2745098 3 20 152 38 75.5 37.75 137.7483444 4 39 158 39.5 77.5 38.75 121.2903226 2008 1 48 154 38.5 78 39 51.28205128 2 51 158 39.5 78 39 100 3 21 159 39.75 79.25 39.625 121.1356467 4 34 154 38.5 78.25 39.125 130.3514377 iv. Trend Extension: The trend for 2009 is calculated by first formulating a regression formula for the new values using the given data. The methodology used is the Method of Least Squares, as follows: Quarter(X) Original...The main reason is the progression, which is quite straight-forward, as compared to multiplicative plotting, which is more exponential, with later figures of comparatively much higher values. For the calculation of moving averages, the process is done in a way such that each season's moving average has been calculated with the data provided of the past 3 years. The moving averages for each season are as follows. The initial scatter plot suggested that the autumn sales are the lowest of all the seasons. Also when we calculated the moving averages the result came that the seasonal variations in sales are smothered in the overall run. On this base the new sales figures for 2009 were calculated which were as given above. When the real values of the sales of the three brothers are seen and compared, taking one year at a time, then its is observed that when we take 2006 as a base year, we find that the sales figures for Dick was higher than his two brothers'. Also Rick's sales were better than Mick's, although the actual figures are lower. Mick's sales real values have been going continuously down, while those of Rick's have gone down only in 2008. For Dick, the real value of sales has been going up continuously.