tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15603928494767906852024-02-08T08:42:56.479-08:00Personal essay writing tipsCritical Essay Topics Media And Societygaryjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-10071588348899880992020-08-25T20:43:00.001-07:002020-08-25T20:43:09.695-07:00The characteristics of customer relationship management in Apple EssayThe qualities of client relationship the board in Apple Company - Essay Example CRM is viewed as the utilization of innovation, yet additionally a technique to study clients' needs and practices so as to create more grounded associations with them (Yu, 2009). Accordingly, it is to a greater degree a business reasoning than a specialized answer for help with managing clients successfully and effectively. By the by, fruitful CRM depends on the utilization of innovation. In such manner, Shanmugasundaram (2008) has noticed that so far as the innovative design of CRM is concerned, it is comprehensively ordered into 3 kinds which are as per the following: Operational Analytical Collaborative Also, Bergeron (2002) has been of the assessment that CRM is an innovation; and that it is fundamentally a procedure that encourages firms to make ââ¬Å"consistent, repeatable and quantifiable resultsâ⬠. In this manner the plain dependence of CRM on innovation is encouraged through the different researchers who have noticed how much innovation is a facilitator in CRM. Shanmu gasundaram (2008) has been of the assessment that there are different average highlights of any great CRM program. CRM is essentially connected to the corporate level methodology of the association and imagines the foundation just as the support of durable connections among the clients and the firm. In any case, it is consistently hard to execute a fruitful CRM methodology. Bergeron (2008) has expressed that plainly mechanically dependent CRM strategies may not generally end up being electronically doable. The creator further notes that different mechanical issues just as different issues emerge while executing an in any case sound CRM strategy plan on paper enthusiastically. Besides, among the other serious issues that emerge is that the firm might not have a significant level of innovative aptitude and the absence of such mechanical mastery may result in the firmââ¬â¢s redistributing of the CRM execution parts. This thus makes the significant information of the firm powerless t o the expected danger of the information falling in the possession of untouchables also. Additionally, Bergeron (2002) states that innovation is an indispensable piece of the general CRM process. In such manner, once more, security and protection can posture to be issues that may end up being difficult to sift through during the usage stage. Most definitely, it is viewed as the computerization of on a level plane incorporated business forms including front office client contact focuses by means of different, interconnected conveyance channels (Peelen, 2003). Consequently the domain of CRM spreads across different significant elements of systematic promoting, deals, administration just as help. Given the span of CRM or so far as that is concerned the most recent idea of utilizing CRM from a key perspective, it turns out to be critical to guarantee that legitimate consideration is taken so as to guarantee appropriate arranging also usage of CRM approaches inside the association. With regards to the current examination, it is basic that the firm viable has in reality left a permanent imprint as of late given the practices in retail promoting versus client relationship the executives. Hence the investigation visualizes diving profound into the zone of client relationship the board when all is said in done and that of the Apple organization specifically so as to concoct bits of knowledge just as discoveries with respect to the garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-49084087428098605122020-08-22T05:46:00.001-07:002020-08-22T05:46:07.573-07:00The Place of Strategic Dialogue in Collaborative Learning :: Peer Tutoring Tutor Tutors EssaysThe Place of Strategic Dialog in Collaborative Learning The instructional exercise cooperation recorded as a hard copy communities gives starting essayists a basic component not found in different kinds of understudy assistant collaboration. Not at all like the standard colloquium that happens in many study halls, mentoring offers a one-on-one setting whereby an understudy can straightforwardly talk with, examine, and go to an accomplished friend for help with however many strides of the creative cycle as would be prudent. This exceptional setting offers an opportunity for guides to address studentsââ¬â¢ singular needs utilizing vital discourse. Kenneth A. Bruffee discusses the significant features distributed exchange brings to the instructional exercise setting. In his paper, Peer Tutoring and the ââ¬ËConversation of Mankind,ââ¬â¢ he talks about discussion and its place inside the setting of ââ¬Å"collaborative learning.â⬠Bruffee contends that ââ¬Å"thought and composing are unique ancient rarities grounded in discussion. Accordingly, both are encouraged by training that stresses conversational trade among peersâ⬠(Intro, 3). He accepts that idea starts in discussion. When all is said in done, discussion is a social antiquity that can be disguised to support thought. Bruffee values peer coaching such a great amount of in light of the fact that, as he stated, it gives a social setting where understudies can understanding and practice the sorts of discussion that scholastics most valueâ⬠(7). The exchange that happens among coach and understudy encourages this sort of intriguing discussion. The cooper ation is exceptional on the grounds that it gives a novel setting whereby ââ¬Å"status approaches, or peersâ⬠(Bruffee, 8) can talk about issues that are intently at the core of the creative cycle. Emily Meyer and Louise Z. Smith, journalists of The Practical Tutor, concur with Bruffee on the exceptional commitment distributed mentoring awards to the way toward composing. In their section called ââ¬ËEngaging in Dialogue,ââ¬â¢ Meyer and Smith support Bruffee when they state, the instructional exercise meeting is a perfect arrangement for such incitement since it is really dialogicalâ⬠(28). This viewpoint is remarkable in two different ways in that first, it gives the essential one-on-one segment that starting essayists donââ¬â¢t get when they sit in class among a few other unpracticed authors. Second and progressively significant, the discourse that happens among guide and tutee invigorates felt that is begun in discussion. As indicated by Bruffee, ââ¬Å"The sort of discussion peer mentors take part in with their tutees can be sincerely included, mentally and meaningfully engaged, and by and by unbiased (7). Discussion, in this sense, turns into a perfect route b y which unpracticed essayists can let out their musings, sentiments, and emotions on a given point. garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-29999008897338123322020-08-09T04:34:00.001-07:002020-08-09T04:34:02.905-07:00More About ReadingMore About Reading I was planning an another entry on the reading process, and since many pertinent questions were asked in the last entry, I figured Id base this entry on those questions (a formal Questions Omnibus will follow in a few days). Sendie asked, Hrm how many apps do you usually evaluate per day? It depends on the reader. In our process, the more experienced admissions officers generally read an application in 20-25 minutes (remember, were professionals); newer readers might take 30-45 minutes to fully evaluate and summarize a folder. Were expected to read applications at least 4 full days each week (including weekends), in addition to the other non-reading work were responsible for. Sirius asked, How many early actions are you expecting? Its still unclear exactly how things will shake out, but I expect well be up slightly from last years ~2800. Ill post an official number when I can. Oren asked, Im assuming you start with the applications that have had all the components processed already, right? We evaluate the applications on a rolling basis: that is to say, yes, we start with the applications that are complete. As each new application becomes complete, it goes to the staff to be read. For applications that are still missing, say, a teacher evaluation, well wait a bit longer and read the folder when it becomes complete (we know you cant help this, so it is not held against you). It does not matter on what date your application is read; all applications are read in the same way with the same guidelines. Ultimately, we do not admit anyone until all of the applications have been evaluated. That will happen during Selection in early December; stay tuned. Mike asked, Is each admission officer assigned applications from a certain geographical region? Or are they random? I mean, will officer A only read applications from Texas, and officer B only from California? Unlike many schools, MIT is not regionalized in its admissions process. Each applicant is evaluated individually, within their own context (which does include geography, among other things). We do not admit by state, or region, or city, or high school. We admit individual students in an individualized process. Ej wrote, I love it that iTunes is playing in the background [of the stack of applications]. I need my music. Some readers need absolute quiet when evaluating folders; I need some good tunes. Let me tell you what I was listening to today so, this morning, I went with some friends for dim sum at China Pearl in Chinatown, and afterwards I spied a CD store that was having an amazing going-out-of-business sale. On Erics recommendation, I picked up albums by S.H.E and Jay Chou. In total, I picked up 4 of their CDs for only $10! Afterwards, I returned to the office with a full stomach and proceeded to work on applications for most of the rest of the day, listening to my new music. Tomorrow? I dont know yet And Sirius asked, Would you detail your process and include us into the adventure too? :) Thats what the blogs are for! More soon garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-64727467572197046102020-05-23T14:16:00.001-07:002020-05-23T14:16:03.927-07:00The Protestant Reformation - 912 Words The Protestant Reformation particularly was the 16th century religious, political, scholarly and very definitely social change that separated Catholic Europe, setting in place the structures and convictions that would for the most part essentially characterize the landmass in the cutting edge time in a subtle way in a subtle way. In northern and focal Europe, reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Henry VIII tested ecclesiastical power and scrutinized the Catholic Church s capacity to actually essentially characterize Christian practice, which definitely definitely is quite significant, particularly contrary to popular belief. They particularly contended for a kind of general basically religious and political redistribution of force under the control of Bible-and flyer perusing ministers and sovereigns, which really is fairly significant in a fairly major way. The disturbance activated wars, oppressions and the alleged Counter-Reformation, the Catholic Church s postponed yet intense reaction to the Protestants.The Protestant Reformation changed basically basically many things like for all intents and purposes generally religious freedom and the separation of church and state, or so they definitely thought. The first for all intents and purposes definitely major impact on our basically very modern society that actually was created by the reformers kind of for all intents and purposes is really fairly religious freedom.The definition of generally really religiousShow MoreRelatedThe Protestant Reformation And The Reformation Essay1379 Words à |à 6 PagesThe Protestant Reformation Why the Protestant Reformation is considered a significant development in the Christian Church. The Protestant Reformation was an event which occurred within the Catholic Church during the 16th century. This Reformation was prompted by Martin Lutherââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ë95 thesesââ¬â¢ which were a list of 95 criticisms towards the church. The Reformation formed another branch of Christianity called Protestantism which is comprised of many different Christian denominations including AnglicanRead MoreThe Protestant Reformation And The Reformation871 Words à |à 4 PagesThe Protestant Reformation was a pivotal time of European history that occurred during the 16th century. The Protestant Reformation was comprised of people called ââ¬Å"reformersâ⬠that challenged papal authority and questioned the Catholic Churchââ¬â¢s ability to define Christian practice (ââ¬Å"The Reformationâ⬠). The Protestant Reformation was revolutionary due to the fact that the reformers preached against everything the Catholic Church had been teaching. Some famous reformers are John Calvin an d Martin LutherRead MoreThe Protestant Reformation And The Reformation916 Words à |à 4 PagesThe Protestant Reformation took place in the 16th century and was a major European movement whose goal was to reform the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. 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The Protestant Reformation was a widespread epidemic that started with Martin Luther noticing severe problems in the way the Roman Catholic Church was running, and that there were simple and more holy methods and worshipping God, leading to the creation of Lutheranism. There was an uproar in Germany over this new reformation, and it caught the attention of John Calvin who then strove to create Calvinism with theRead MoreProtestant Reformation And The Reformation1727 Words à |à 7 PagesHI 101 Essay 3 Zhenli Xu Protestant Reformation Protestant Reformation is admittedly one of the most important schisms in the history of Christianity. It started with Martin Luther nailing the Ninety-Five Theses on the door of the Catholic Church in Germany in 1517, and ended with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. The Reformation was a religious movement triggered by the rise of humanism during the Renaissance and the general corruption of the Roman Catholic Church that eventually led to theRead MoreThe Protestant Reformation And The Reformation971 Words à |à 4 PagesCatholic Church: the English Reformation. The English Reformation wasnââ¬â¢t the only movement that led to the separation from the Catholic Church, though. The Protestant Reformation, starting only ten years before the English Reformation did, first recognized the corruption of the Catholic Church. The English Reformation noticed the corruptions of the Catholic Church, but was more focused on creating new political and religious authority. Both of these refo rmations relate to one another greatlyRead MoreThe Protestant Reformation And The Reformation Essay1978 Words à |à 8 PagesFrom the time Christianity began to the time of the Protestant Reformation, for about a millennium and a half, there was only one sect of Christianity: Catholicism. After the Protestant Reformation, however, different Christian denominations sprang up in many parts of Europe. The Protestant Reformationââ¬â¢s beginning is most commonly associated with Martin Lutherââ¬â¢s beliefs and his protest of the wrongdoings of the Catholic Church. Before the Reformation, the Catholic Church was more interested in raisingRead MoreThe Protestant Reformation And The Reformation Essay1879 Words à |à 8 PagesThe Protestant Reformation was the time in the 16th century when the Roman Catholic Church, which had dominated Europe for over a thousand years, split into new factions of Christianity. There were a number of political, social and religious causes for the reform ation. It was because of the ideals of significant figures such as Martin Luther that these protests were successful and led to major changes. Before the Protestant Reformation, almost all Christians in Europe were roman catholic. The roman garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-50631277261057669162020-05-12T10:21:00.001-07:002020-05-12T10:21:03.425-07:00Analysis Of The Health Care Industry - 1088 Words The health care industry has the highest percentage of occupational hazards of any workforce industry (SIC division structure, 2015). To control these numbers, several state and federal agencies were established to regulate risks to health and personal safety. (OSHA) is one such agency was established to cover all workforce industries, including health services and insurance. The regulatory authority of OSHA is ranged to cover many types of occupational hazards and hazard communication. OSHA procedures are intended to be carried out quickly and decisively in order to ensure and maintain the safest possible working environment and to expose and halt any activities which cause risk. OSHA established in 1970, monitor safety workers and theâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦In addition to the medical professionals healthcare facilities often employ a variety of employees in trades that have associated risks. Trades such as housekeeping, food service, mechanical, building, and grounds maintenance, and administration, each with their own unique set of risks (SIC division structure, 2015). A Brooklyn medical facility experienced OSHA firsthand as they were investigated in 2014 for failing to adequately protect against workplace violence. During their investigation, OSHA found that between the dates of February 7th and April 12, 2014, around 40 individual incidents of workplace violence had occurred, the most serious of which resulted in brain injuries sustained by a nurse who was attacked by a patient. All of the incidents involved staff members being verbally and physically attacked by patients and visitors, or staff members being injured when breaking up fights between patients. A witness for the investigation stated that the administration was aware of the violence and threats, but did nothing to improve the effectiveness of its ineffective workplace violence program or to increase security for employees. The medical center was found to have committed willful violation of OSHA workplace safety regulation and fined $78,000. The medical facility was given fifteen days after receiving theShow MoreRelatedFinancial Analysis On The Health Care Industry791 Words à |à 4 PagesIn the modern world of the health care industry, it is vital that organizationââ¬â¢s financial statement analyzes be kept up to date and reported accurately within their company. A financial analysis is an evaluative method of determining the past, current and projected performance of a company (Investopedia.com). Collectively, individual patients seek for superior quality of health care services and integrity from professionals who work in the hospitals with patients while serving the communities worldwideRead MoreBusiness Analysis : Health Care Industry2160 Words à |à 9 Pagesarrow button. 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Providers are garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-2349047973497439632020-05-06T12:15:00.001-07:002020-05-06T12:15:09.319-07:00Victim by Oliver Smithfield Free Essays In this essay I intend to explore the narrative conventions and values, which Oliver Smithfield presents in the short story Victim. The short story positions the reader to have negative and sympathetic opinion on the issues presented. Such as power, identity and bullying. We will write a custom essay sample on Victim by Oliver Smithfield or any similar topic only for you Order Now For example Mickey the young boy is having issues facing his identity. It could be argued that finding your identity may have the individual stuck trying to fit in with upon two groups. The main character Mickey is represented as valuing the outcasts of society. He is at an age where identity is important to find and seeking power to prove he can fit in. The issues facing this character have values and attitudes reflecting his actions. Another essential feature of an example is showing the Mickey is trying to prove he is strong, but not tough enough to harm another person so he uses his anger to think about making an irrational decision. ââ¬Å"I ââ¬â I ââ¬â Iââ¬â¢m gonna k ââ¬â k ââ¬â kill it! He cried. â⬠This example shows how Mickey is unsure of his decision. As a main character presented we as readers feel sympathy toward him because he is forced to act in a certain way that others will accept him. Power is defined as an ability to do or act; it represents strength, control and position of authority. Victim is based on identity and how power can have conflicts in certain groups of people, in more in depth a culture. Benda is another main character that represents physical power. This is shown through the way he looks and acts towards other people. ââ¬Å"Butch, sensing Mickeyââ¬â¢s uncertainty snarled, ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re such a reject. They began to close in on him pushing and laughing. â⬠Butch is described as ââ¬Å"a muscly, thick-set boy with a shaved head. â⬠Ras is a character who is also an outcast but has the ability to show he is not afraid to say what he thinks or feels. ââ¬Å"Michaelâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ said Ras softly, ââ¬Å"It is not the way. â⬠Mickey is a character who struggles with power and doesnââ¬â¢ t know how to show the ability of self-control. These individual characters show different qualities of power and give the reader the ideas of how power can be shown. Narrative conventions are used through out this short story. The main narrative conventions used are setting, theme, descriptive language and conflict. The setting is based in a school ground, which represents innocents of youth. The theme represents society and power, the power between characters and finding our identity in society. Descriptive language is used through out the short story to help us feel sympathetic towards the outcasts in this instance we feel for Mickey and Ras. The conflict in this short story is about man vs man, man vs society and man vs self. Man vs man is portrayed through the bullies and Mickey, man vs society is struggling with identity and man vs self is the struggle with inner self power. Narrative conventions have been used to position the reader to respond sympathetic and have the view on how identity also power are important for oneââ¬â¢s self. The issues presented in Victim are shown through Mickey wanting to fit in by killing a creature smaller than himself. I believe Mickey has found his identity by not killing the creature because he shows self control and has qualities which others maybe intimidated by using descriptive language it positions the reader to not only think deeper in the short story but possibly reflect upon themselves. I believe this short story has made me think how others are affected when people do not accept them for whom they are. As a young person it is important to feel wanted and accepted in society. Victim has shown as a light view on how hard it is to fit in society now days because people are still scared of what and who is different. This essay explored the narrative conventions and values, which is represented in Oliver Smithfieldââ¬â¢s short story, Victim. We learn the influence of others may find us wanting to have a different identity and can inflict oneââ¬â¢s self on how we interoperate the power we have. It can be seen that more than these issues can lead to not only wanting to find identity but the issues of power. I believe reading Victim, it has not only presented certain issues of power and identity but has shown society in a negative light. As I have argued though out this essay I believe identity is an aspect of showing who you are. How to cite Victim by Oliver Smithfield, Essay examples garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-29333684166552336142020-05-02T04:36:00.001-07:002020-05-02T04:36:02.821-07:00Supply Chain Management Global Market Question: Discuss about theSupply Chain Managementfor Global Market. Answer: Introduction: Supply chain management focuses on analysing movement of products for ensuring all the requirements of the market fulfilled in an appropriate manner (Christopher, 2016). With the increasing competition in the global market, organizations have focused on formulating logistic management strategies for sustaining its position in the market. In this study, the focus would be one of the prime computer hardware providing organizations namely Supermicro. The study will focus on evaluating entire order management procedure of Supermicrofor fulfilling the requirements of the customers. The study would also analyze the investment management procedure of the organization to reduce issues associated with the waste management procedure. Background of the Organization: Charles Liang founded Supermicro in the year of 1993 with the focus of providing superior types of computer hardware products across the globe. Supermicroalso has enhanced its specialization in providing power supplies, networking and storage system equipments for grabbing the major share of the market. Presently, headquarter of Supermicrois based on San Jose California of USA (supermicro.com, 2017). From the beginning, Supermicrohas always tried to initiate effective strategies for achieving competitive advantage in the market. Presently, Supermicrohas to face immense competition from the organizations like Concurrent computers, Cray Inc, Fitbit Inc and Omnicell Inc in sustaining its position in the global market. For that reason, it has also has tried to include advance technology solutions for providing maximum support to the customers. Moreover, organizations like Apple and HP has able to set the trend in the computer hardware equipments globally. Therefore, Supermicrois to estab lish its presence in the global market, it has focused on developing effective supply management strategies. In fact, Supermicro also have focused on evaluating different departments including production, marketing and financial department for handling all the business activities appropriately. It has also focused on developing specific strategies related to inventory management for minimizing the possibility of waste in the operational process. The Interfaces: According to Islam et al. (2013), using pattern of supply chain network also can influence business activities of other departments as well. Specifically, globalization has made supply chain process of the organizations extremely complex, which also has influenced other departments like production, marketing and finance to change their activity accordingly. The impacts of Supermicros supply chain management on other departments are as follows: Production: As per the article by Stadtler (2015), efficient use of supply chain management can ensure required amount of raw materials reach to all the production facilities consistently. Now, Supermicro produce networking and computer hardware equipments that require specific superior quality of raw materials. Otherwise, the provided quality of the hardware or networking products will not able to satisfy the customers effectively. Furthermore, effective supply chain management would allow organizations to maintain the quality of raw materials, as it would develop strong relationship with distributors. As a result, it would help production unit of Supermicro in maintaining its produced quality continuously. On the other hand, supply chain management can create direct impact on the distribution cost. Therefore, if Supermicro can able to reduce the distribution cost, it would allow manufacturing unit to reduce direct sales and overhead cost in a major way. It has been assessed that Supermicro tri ed to utilize advance technologies for reducing the required lead-time in a major way (Wisner, Tan Leong, 2014). Furthermore, effective utilization of supply chain require well-developed organizational structure, which would also help production unit to maintain strong coordination with other departments. For that reason, it has helped Supermicro to fulfil all the business activities within the given timeframe. Marketing: As highlighted by Fawcett, Ellram and Ogden (2014) supply chain management can also have huge impact on the marketing activities of the organizations. It has been assessed that effective utilization of supply chain management can allow organizations to provide required amount of products at the desired destination effectively. As a result, it helps organizations to increase the convenience level of the customers. On the other hand, one of the prime objectives of marketing department is to increase the sales volume of the provided products and services in a major way. Now, higher convenience will increase the satisfaction level of the customers, which will eventually create positive impact on the overall sales volume. Therefore, if Supermicro can able to initiate proper logistics management strategies, it would definitely help marketing team in fulfilling their aims and objectives. Moreover, supply chain network also play crucial role in returning diffective products from the customer s in a short period of time (Schnsleben, 2016). Therefore, if Supermicro can able to reduce the required time for providing the right product to the right customers, it will help to enhance the sales volume in a major way. Thus, effective utilization of supply chain management is necessary for providing assistance to the marketing department in fulfilling their goals and objectives. Finance and Accounting: As opined by Mangan, Lalwani and Lalwani (2016) logistics and supply chain management also can have major impact on the financial performance of the organizations. It has been assessed that effective utilization of supply chain management will allow Supermicro to provide optimum amount of products to the customers. As a result, it would help Supermicro to reduce the waiting the time of the customers in a major way. Moreover, effective use of supply chain management will allow Supermicro to eliminate all the intermediaries in an effective way. As a result, it would help financial department to keep track of all the activities associated with supply chain procedure in a much easier way. Order Cycle: It has been assessed that organizations like Supermicro will have to deal with huge number of customers for fulfilling all the business objectives effectively. For that reason, it had to systematic order supply process for providing right amount of products to the right place at the right time. Now, order supply process of Supermicro desired as follows: Figure 1: Order cycle (Source: Fernie Sparks, 2014) From the above figure, it can be assessed that supply chain management process of Supermicro can has three components including manufactures, retailers and distributors. It has been assessed that distributors and manufacturers of Supermicro collaborate to fulfil the requirements of each placed orders. However, the logistic chain begins from supply of raw materials for developing proper computer hardware and networking products. Supermicro has focused on developing long-term relationship with all the suppliers in order to maintain the quality of raw materials at the desired order (Tayur, Ganeshan Magazine, 2012). Moreover, it also has focused on providing specific benefits to all the suppliers for ensuring the required amount of raw materials are present at all the time. As highlighted by Dyckhoff, Lackes and Reese (2013) ordering cycle of Supermicro has different steps, which allow organizations to fulfil all the requirements effectively. Firstly, order cycle of Supermicro focuses on tracking the placement of orders from the different geographical areas. It allow Supermicro to assess the amount of product need to be delivered at different locations. Moreover, it also helps Supermicro to assess the present trend of the market regarding specific products and services. Secondly, Supermicro focuses on receiving the orders from customers. This step is essential for confirming the sales of that particular unit. Moreover, confirmation provides customers to become more relax, as they will receive the desired product within the given timeframe. Thirdly, Supermicro focuses on processing the order from inventory department for ensuring right amount product would be provided at the given period of time. For that reason, Supermicro has tried to develop strong li nk up between inventory department and distributors so that it do not have to wait for processing the products. Thus, it actually would help Supermicro to reduce the required lead-time in an appropriate manner. Fourthly, credit department focuses on verifying the processed products in order to ensure right products will be delivered to right destination. Moreover, it also focuses on assessing the amount of products have to be delivered within near future (Coyle et al., 2016). As a result, it allows organization to manufacture required amount of products in an effective manner. Fifthly, Supermicro focuses on shipping the products to specific retail outlets so that customers can purchase without facing any difficulties. As a global organization, Supermicro has tried to utilize different transportation tools for ensuring required amount of products has been delivered to the desired destination. Finally, Supermicro also has focused on collecting back the products from the customers in c ase of any complaints regarding improper functioning. Here, Supermicro try to provide replacement to the customers with 24 hours time limit so that satisfaction level of the customers remain at the optimum level. Inventory Management: As per the article by Waters and Rinsler (2014) effective utilization of inventory management strategies are crucial for maintaining the profit level at the desired rate. For that reason, Supermicro has focused on developing inventory management strategies carefully so that it can fulfil all the business objectives. For instance, it has focused on reducing the amount of obsolete products in order to ensure the cost required for operational process remains at the optimum level. For that reason, it has focused on introducing new advanced technologies warehousing management system in the inventory management procedure. Supermicro also has used all these advanced technologies to maintain continues track of all the products. It has also focused on developing strong relationship with the distributors so that they select right product to take out from the inventory process. For that reason, it has allowed Supermicro to achieve success in maintaining the profit level at the desired rate. Mor eover, it has also focused on utilizing requirements planning for handling all the challenges associated with the inventory management procedure. It has been assessed that Supermicro has made a conscious effort in managing the inventory level effectively. However, there is still scope for improvement for Supermicro, which will allow the organization to achieve competitive advantage in the market. For instance, Supermicro can focus on using systematic procedure for handling all the responsibilities associated with inventory management. Firstly, Supermicro would have to focus on fastening the supplier lead-time, which will help to reduce cost related inventory process. Moreover, it would also help Supermicro to follow quick replenishment model. Secondly, Supermicro needs to focus on eliminating all the obsolete products from the stock. As a result, it would help Supermicro to simplify inventory management procedure in an effective manner. It has been assessed that with time different networking and computer hardware products become defected or obsolete (Sarkis, 2012). Therefore, keeping track of all these defected products will not add value to the inventory management procedure. For that reason, it is necessary to eliminate all the obsolete products immediately. Thirdly, Supermicro will have to focus on optimizing order size and frequency of purchase in order to have an idea about the future demand. Therefore, it would help Supermicro in formulating strategies for handling all the future challenges related to inventory management. Fourthly, Supermicro needs to focus on centralizing the inventory control so that it can handle all the requirements effectively (Beske, 2012). Now, advanced technologies are required for utilizing centralized system in dealing with inventory management perspective. Now, Supermicro has already initiated different software applications for handling inventory activities. Thus, it needs to focus on multi-echelon planning models for handling all the requirements in an efficient way. Conclusion: The above discussion has highlighted the fact that supply chain management plays an important role in providing higher profit level to the organizations. The study has highlighted the fact that Supermicro has focused on covering all possible aspect related to supply chain procedure for delivering right product at the right time. It has also highlighted the fact that effective utilization of supply chain concept can also help organizations to provide support to other business departments. Specifically, supply chain management can help production, marketing and finance department to fulfil their objectives in an effective way. Moreover, it has also highlighted the significance of maintaining proper inventory management procedure for fulfilling all the requirements related supply chain concept. References: Beske, P. (2012). Dynamic capabilities and sustainable supply chain management.International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management,42(4), 372-387. Christopher, M. (2016).Logistics supply chain management. Pearson UK. Coyle, J. J., Langley, C. J., Novack, R. A., Gibson, B. (2016).Supply chain management: a logistics perspective. Nelson Education. Dyckhoff, H., Lackes, R., Reese, J. (Eds.). (2013).Supply chain management and reverse logistics. Springer Science Business Media. Fawcett, S. E., Ellram, L. M., Ogden, J. A. (2014).Supply chain management: from vision to implementation. London: Pearson. Fernie, J., Sparks, L. (2014).Logistics and retail management: emerging issues and new challenges in the retail supply chain. Kogan Page Publishers. Islam, D. M. Z., Meier, J. F., Aditjandra, P. T., Zunder, T. H., Pace, G. (2013). Logistics and supply chain management.Research in Transportation Economics,41(1), 3-16. Mangan, J., Lalwani, C., Lalwani, C. L. (2016).Global logistics and supply chain management. John Wiley Sons. Ross, D. F. (2013).Competing through supply chain management: creating market-winning strategies through supply chain partnerships. Springer Science Business Media. Sarkis, J. (2012). A boundaries and flows perspective of green supply chain management.Supply Chain Management: An International Journal,17(2), 202-216. Schnsleben, P. (2016).Integral logistics management: operations and supply chain management within and across companies. CRC Press. Stadtler, H. (2015). Supply chain management: An overview. InSupply chain management and advanced planning(pp. 3-28). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. supermicro.com. (2017).Supermicro.com. Retrieved 13 February 2017, from https://www.supermicro.com Tayur, S., Ganeshan, R., Magazine, M. (Eds.). (2012).Quantitative models for supply chain management(Vol. 17). Springer Science Business Media. Waters, D., Rinsler, S. (2014).Global logistics: New directions in supply chain management. Kogan Page Publishers. Wisner, J. D., Tan, K. C., Leong, G. K. (2014).Principles of supply chain management: A balanced approach. Cengage Learning. garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-49693368009828222592020-03-22T09:33:00.001-07:002020-03-22T09:33:02.603-07:00Venezula Essays - Socialist International, Rmulo Betancourt Venezula Venezuela The history of Venezuela has been a long and often turbulent one. It is filled with exploration, religion, and shifts of government. But, the movement from dictatorship to democracy is the most significant. The move from dictatorship to democracy is the most significant point in Venezuela's history because of the people's extreme opposition of the dictators, the time period when the first election of a democratic president, and the election of Romulo Betancourt. If the people of a country are opposed to the government, it will not be successful. A main reason why dictatorship didn't work was because of the people's hate of the form of government and the dictators that run it. Between 1908 and 1935, General Juan Gomez ruled by repression and terror. The government had been a dictatorship since the 19th century (?Gomez died in 1935. Venezuelans danced in the streets when they heard of his death.? Johan Kohen Winter, 24). Nineteen thirty-six through 1948 marked the first time the country of Venezuela was ruled democratically. These years were times of political unrest. Then from 1950 to 1958 another dictator, General Marcos Perez Jimenez, came into power. His term is remembered by corruption and brutal suppression of the opposition as well as taking a step back in the progress toward democracy. This is great because it marked the first time that the people began to organize to oppose and try to change the government (?For the first time, between the 1930's and 50's the people began to organize themselves into unions and political parties, uniting in opposition to Jimenez.? Marion Morrison, 48). The election of Romulo Betancourt was the most important move toward democracy. This set the stage for democratic presidents as well as the countries' first major political party, Accion Democratica. This party, along with the Christian Democratic party, are the only political parties that have ever had candidates elected. Despite a coup in government (military takeover) in 1948, the Accion Democratica had one of its candidates in office for the next ten years (?This was a significant point in Venezuelan history. For the first time, a political party-Accion Democratica-was in government, together with a group of military officers and backed by the support of the Venezuelan people.? Morrison, 48). The history of Venezuela has been long and hard. Through it all, though, democracy came through. When a government has the backing of the people, it works and is successful. This is just another instance of the tried-and-true government idea of democracy. American History Essays garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-42153652066380295862020-03-05T22:09:00.001-08:002020-03-05T22:09:03.239-08:00Zheng He and the Treasure Fleet TimelineZheng He and the Treasure Fleet Timeline Zheng He is justly famous as the commander in chief of seven voyages of Ming Chinas treasure fleet, between 1405 and 1433. The great Muslim eunuch admiral spread the word of Chinas wealth and power as far as Africa and brought countless emissaries and exotic goods back to China. Timeline June 11, 1360- Zhu Di born, fourth son of future Ming Dynasty founder. Jan. 23, 1368- Ming Dynasty founded. 1371- Zheng He born to Hui Muslim family in Yunnan, under birth name of Ma He. 1380- Zhu Di made Prince of Yan, sent to Beijing. 1381- Ming forces conquer Yunnan, kill Ma Hes father (who was still loyal to the Yuan Dynasty) and capture the boy. 1384- Ma He is castrated and sent to serve as a eunuch in the Prince of Yans household. June 30, 1398-July 13, 1402- Reign of the Jianwen Emperor. August 1399- Prince of Yan rebels against his nephew, the Jianwen Emperor. 1399- Eunuch Ma He leads Prince of Yans forces to victory at Zheng Dike, Beijing. July 1402- Prince of Yan captures Nanjing; the Jianwen Emperor (probably) dies in palace fire. July 17, 1402- The Prince of Yan, Zhu Di, becomes the Yongle Emperor. 1402-1405- Ma He serves as Director of Palace Servants, the highest eunuch post. 1403- Yongle Emperor orders the construction of a huge fleet of treasure junks at Nanjing. Feb. 11, 1404- Yongle Emperor awards Ma He the honorific name Zheng He. July 11, 1405-Oct. 2 1407- First voyage of the Treasure Fleet, led by Admiral Zheng He, to Calicut, India. 1407- Treasure Fleet defeats pirate Chen Zuyi at Straights of Malacca; Zheng He takes pirates to Nanjing for execution. 1407-1409- Second Voyage of Treasure Fleet, again to Calicut. 1409-1410- Yongle Emperor and Ming army battle the Mongols. 1409-July 6, 1411- Third Voyage of Treasure Fleet to Calicut. Zheng He intervenes in a Ceylonese (Sri Lankan) succession dispute. Dec. 18, 1412-August 12, 1415- Fourth Voyage of the Treasure Fleet to the Straits of Hormuz, on the Arabian Peninsula. Capture of the pretender Sekandar in Semudera (Sumatra) on return trip. 1413-1416- Yongle Emperors second campaign against the Mongols. May 16, 1417- Yongle Emperor enters the new capital city at Beijing, leaves Nanjing forever. 1417-August 8, 1419- Fifth Voyage of the Treasure Fleet, to Arabia and East Africa. 1421-Sept. 3, 1422- Sixth Voyage of the Treasure Fleet, to East Africa again. 1422-1424- Series of campaigns against the Mongols, led by the Yongle Emperor. Aug. 12, 1424- Yongle Emperor suddenly dies of a possible stroke while fighting the Mongols. Sept. 7, 1424- Zhu Gaozhi, the eldest son of the Yongle Emperor, becomes the Hongxi Emperor. Orders a stop to the Treasure Fleet voyages. May 29, 1425- The Hongxi Emperor dies. His son Zhu Zhanji becomes the Xuande Emperor. June 29, 1429- The Xuande Emperor orders Zheng He to take one more voyage. 1430-1433- Seventh and final Voyage of the Treasure Fleet travels to Arabia and East Africa. 1433, Exact date unknown- Zheng He dies and is buried at sea on the return leg of the seventh andà final voyage. 1433-1436- Zheng Hes companions Ma Huan, Gong Zhen and Fei Xin publish accounts of their travels. garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-8959817663823726622020-02-18T13:36:00.001-08:002020-02-18T13:36:02.693-08:00Discuss the importance of passion and love EssayDiscuss the importance of passion and love - Essay Example In line 2 of the poem, he states, ââ¬Å"Before my pen has glean'd my teeming brain,â⬠of which he is talking about his passion for writing, meaning before he has written anything that he can gather from the flood of thoughts in his head. In the last 4 lines of the poem, lines 9 through 12, he extends his fear to also include the potential loss of his love. However, in the last 2 lines, it seems he has come to terms with his fears and recognizes an unimportance of love, in the last line he says, ââ¬Å"Till love and fame to nothingness do sink.â⬠In ââ¬Å"The Eve of St. Agnes,â⬠by Keats, he takes the opposite perspective on love. He describes a character who is propelled into a situation, specifically a house, which contains noted dangers, ââ¬Å"Hyena foemen, and hot-blooded lords,â⬠to rescue an old, frail woman, out of love, ââ¬Å"Save one old beldame, weak in body and soul.â⬠Lord Byronââ¬â¢s poems, ââ¬Å"When We Two Partedâ⬠and ââ¬Å"She Wa lks in Beauty,â⬠are poems that discuss love in past-tense; it has been experienced, and has since vanished. He is talking about it in the present, reminiscing about his history. One example of past and present in ââ¬Å"When We Two Parted,â⬠is in stanza 2, ââ¬Å"The dew of the morning sunk chill on my browââ¬âit felt like the warning of what I feel now.â⬠By this, he is referring to how he felt in the past, compared to the same feeling in the present. garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-44450398519365677422020-02-03T21:07:00.001-08:002020-02-03T21:07:03.220-08:00Love your enemy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 wordsLove your enemy - Essay Example I was on my way to school and came across a group of young men sited on a bench talking animatedly. As I was passing by, one of them shouted offensively at me, making it seem like everyone of my kind was part of the ISIS militia group. The recent killings and beheadings in Syria and the Arab world were making it difficult for ethnical compatibility especially in the United States, which has suffered in the hands of terror groups. The society has turned to condemning anyone looking like a Muslim making them feel unwelcome. Before passing by this group of guys, I had not realized that which was happening in the Middle East was having a ripple effect across the world. I ignored them and walked away without giving it a second thought. However, I remembered that a friend of mine had told me of a similar incident and this all started to add up. We were an enemy even if we were not related to ISISââ¬â¢s actions in any way. We were labeled terrorists even if people had no evidence to thei r claims. Examining why most of the people were joining such radical groups, I realized it was partly because of what the society was doing to innocent people. The labeling theory was taking shape at the expense of the togetherness expected within the society. Despite the religious animosity across many parts of the world, it is quite simple to make good use of the situation at hand, and this implies having to deal with clouded emotions with sobriety. It will not be easy, but it is worthwhile. If the society did this often, the religious wars and crimes in the neighborhood would be minimized. Like the Holy Book commands, it is critical to be a witness of fair dealings even when people hate you for it. Despite oneââ¬â¢s religion, it is easy to extend an olive branch to the other party and feel happy for doing such. I learned that my reactions after this incident would determine whether I could look at my enemies and consider them as my friends. The brewing hatred is garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-53498334485583313122020-01-26T17:31:00.001-08:002020-01-26T17:31:03.694-08:00The Chimney Sweeper | AnalysisThe Chimney Sweeper | Analysis William Blake was a famous writer of the Romantic Age which took place in 1832. William Blake wrote two poems called The Chimney Sweeper. The first poem had to do with innocence. The second Chimney Sweeper poem by William Blake had to do with experience. Even though both poems have the same title doesnt necessarily mean that theyre the same. They have a few things in common, but also have a plethora of items that are different. In both poems called The Chimney Sweeper, they share similarities and differences between narration, rhyme scheme, tone, and theme. Blake also shows how both poems are influenced Romantically, he gives the reader a visual and represents many symbols that are used in todays society. As far as rhyme scheme, they both have words that rhyme at the end of each line and stanza. The boy says When my mother dies I was very young, and my father sold me while yet my tongue. (lines 1-2 p. 85) In songs of experience, Blake writes A little black thing among the snow Crying weep, weep, in notes of woe! (lines 1-2 p90) Both poems are also expressed romantically in a few ways. In the Romantic days, writers felt there was a new literature being birthed. The poetry had to do a lot with humanity and nature. Poets tended toward emotion and child like perspective. Poets also showed much regard for the natural scenes and used words like child, imagination, and nature because they thought they were popular. (Mellown p. 1) In Songs of Innocence the young boy tells his story. The boy is about six or seven years old. Much of the imaginative power of the poem comes from the tension between the childs naivetà © and the subtlety of Blakes own vision. (Mellown p.1) In the first stanza, he talks about his way of life. He talks about how his mother dies. He was sold as an apprentice by his father. His present life revolves around working, calling through the streets for more work, and at the end of the day sleeping on soot, a realistic detail since the boys did indeed make their beds on bags of soot they had swept from the chimneys. (Mellown p.1) The second stanza introduces a young boy named Tom Dacre, who comes to join the workers and is initiated into his new life by a haircut. Tom cries as he gets his hair cut off, but the speaker makes him feel better by saying Hush, Tom! Never mind it, for when your heads bare, you know that the soot cannot spoil your white hair (lines 6-7 p. 85). What that means is all of the dirt from sweeping chimneys wont get in his hair. Tom takes the advice and goes to sleep happily. (Mellown p. 2) The next three stanzas give the substance of the dream. Tom dreams that thousands of sweepers locked in coffins are released by an angel. Suddenly, they find themselves in a pastoral landscape where, freed from their burdens, they bathe in a river and then rise up to the clouds. There, the angel tells Tom, if hed be a good boy, / Hed have God for his father never want joy. The dream is an obvious instance of wish fulfillment, and its pathos rests on the fat that while it reveals the childs longing to escape, the opening and closing of the poem make it clear that his only ways of escape are dreams and death. (Mellown p. 2) What this means for Tom is that maybe when he is dreaming he can escape what he goes thorough in life and just be happy. The last quatrain opens with a brutal contrast. Having dreamed of playing in the sun, Tom awakes, and the sweepers begin their days work, a day to be spent in the total darkness of the cramped chimneys. Yet, restored by his dream, Tom is happy, and the poem ends with the pious moral, akin to the angels speech, So if all do their duty, they need not fear harm. (Mellown p. 2) So he goes through the rest of his life knowing that heaven was in his future as long as he was good. In The Chimney Sweeper, songs of experience, Blake talks about some of the things a little black boy goes through. Using the same rhyme scheme as songs of innocence he says A little black thing among the snow crying weep, weep in notes of woe! Where are thy father and mother? Say? They are both gone up to the church to pray. (lines 1-4 p. 90) In the next stanza Blake describes how his parents are at church praying for him because he is so happy on the outside but not showing his true pain. He sings and dances because he is happy and his parents think that everything is ok and no damage has been done. He says And are gone to praise God and his Priest and King, who make up a heaven of our misery. (lines 11-12 p.90) Blake could have possibly used a bit of sarcasm in songs of experience. In songs of innocence some themes and symbols were the bags, abandoned in the dream and picked up again with the brushes the next morning. This says that the terrible burden of the childs life, which is the good indicates the corruption of a society that uses and abuses him. The coffins are like a symbol of death. They represent the chimneys that he sweeps and the actual death to which he will soon come. In contrast, the sun, river, and plain express the joys that should be natural to childhood, which is also a symbol of the way nature is appreciated in the romantic age. Yet, even symbols associated with happiness intensify the harsh facts of existence. The bright key recalls imprisonment; the harmony of the leaping boys emphasizes their isolation in the chimneys; and the lamb, whose curling fleece Toms hair resembles, is often, as is the sweeper, a helpless victim. (Mellown p. 2) garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-85227235883255334782020-01-18T13:55:00.001-08:002020-01-18T13:55:05.123-08:00Succubus Revealed Chapter 12My brief conversation with Kayla tormented me for the rest of the evening as I corralled kids at the mall. I couldn't shake the image of her eyes as she told me about ââ¬Å"the Darkness.â⬠It was one of those times I both blessed and cursed her psychic abilities. If she hadn't had them at all, I never would've known anything was amiss in the Mortensen household. But with her imprecise understanding of her powers, I was left with too many questions about what she might have sensed. Erik would've known instantly. There was another thing for me to worry about. Erik. Murdered because of me. And if we were operating on the assumption that Hell had directly acted against him, then what was I supposed to think about Kayla? In the past, any unusual supernatural activity in the area had been the result of rogue forces outside of the Heaven and Hell system. After all, Heaven and Hell had certain rules they were supposed to follow. Milton was proof, however, that Hell wasn't above breaking those. So was it possible someone from my own side had been visiting Andrea Mortensen ââ¬â coincidentally during the times her condition worsened? And if so, why? That, as Roman had pointed out, was a question with an answer that would crack all of this wide open. My only pause in ruminating on immortal affairs came when I tried to coax Walter into doing a house call to the Mortensens. Two mothers had gotten in a fight in line, so we were all on an impromptu break while mall security sorted matters out. ââ¬Å"Santa doesn't do house calls,â⬠Walter told me. ââ¬Å"Last time I checked, that's exactly what Santa does,â⬠I countered. ââ¬Å"Every Christmas Eve.â⬠ââ¬Å"Santa can't just be hired out for entertainment. Children must either wait until Christmas morning or come visit the retail wonderland Santa's gazebo is in. Those are the rules.â⬠ââ¬Å"Of course you can be hired out,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"It's why you're working here to begin with! Come on, I'll pay you. I'll buy you a drink. Both, if you want. These are little girls who need to see Santa. Their mother has cancer, for God's sake. How can you not be moved by that?â⬠He peered at me through his spectacles. ââ¬Å"I'm very sorry for their plight, but I can't do it. Taking on this role is a commitment for the holiday season, a vow to stay true to the spirit of Santa. If I'm outside this mall while playing this role, and Bob is here playing the same role, then what does that say to the children?â⬠I stared at him incredulously. ââ¬Å"Well, unless these children are capable of breaking the rules of time and space, none of them would know there's a Santa here, in Lake Forest Park, or in any of the other thousands of malls in this country.â⬠ââ¬Å"I would know. I can't be Santa while Bob is playing Santa. It would break our sacred pact.â⬠â⬠ââ¬ËSacred pact?' It's just a job!â⬠I was seriously considering breaking the drinking rule. If I got him tipsy enough, surely he'd agree to what I wanted. ââ¬Å"Not to us, it isn't,â⬠he told me solemnly. Security finished up their intervention, and the line began moving again, bringing the discussion to a halt before I could point out that last I'd checked, liters of whiskey weren't part of the ââ¬Å"spirit of Santaâ⬠either. I might as well have been Grumpy for the rest of my shift. I appreciated Walter's dedication to the role, but honestly, it was kind of pushing absurdity. I stayed at Seth's place that night, in spite of my earlier plans to talk to Roman about what Kayla had told me. But when I called Seth on my way home, there was just something so sad and strained in his voice that I knew it was more important to be with him. Andrea's worsening condition had hit him hard. He and I spent the night chastely, but there was a desperation in the way he held me, a sense that I was all that was keeping him going in this madness. ââ¬Å"Oh, Thetis,â⬠he whispered, kissing my cheek as we snuggled in bed. ââ¬Å"What am I going to do without you?â⬠ââ¬Å"Don't worry about it,â⬠I said automatically. ââ¬Å"I'm still here for a while.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"But then . . .â⬠Silence. My heart lurched. ââ¬Å"I know,â⬠I said at last. ââ¬Å"I know you can't leave them. It's okay.â⬠ââ¬Å"At least until she gets better. . . .â⬠His words faltered for a moment. I could guess his emotions because I shared them. We were both worried about that looming, unspoken fear. That maybe Andrea wouldn't get better. And the really, really awful thing was that if she didn't, then eventually, Seth might be able to come to me in Las Vegas. But how could I live with myself knowing what the price of my happiness was? He finally managed to find his words again. ââ¬Å"I understand why you get so frustrated with the universe,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"I've never wanted anything so much as I've wanted to be with you. I finally got you . . . and now this happens. People talk about throwing everything away for love, but reality doesn't work out that way. And honestly, if I was the kind of guy who could ignore his family for his own selfish wants . . . well, then, I don't think I'd be worthy of you. So here we are.â⬠ââ¬Å"It's okay,â⬠I repeated, forcing more bravery than I felt. ââ¬Å"We'll be fine. They need you. Do what you have to do.â⬠ââ¬Å"Georgina.â⬠ââ¬Å"Seth.â⬠I brushed my lips against his. ââ¬Å"This is more important right now.â⬠ââ¬Å"Than us?â⬠he asked. It took me a long time to answer. But I did. ââ¬Å"Yes.â⬠The next day I had an early shift at the mall, working with Bob. I attempted the same bargain I had with Walter, in the hopes of arranging a visit to the Mortensen girls, only to be met with the same response. I'd kind of hoped that since Bob wasn't a blatant alcoholic, he'd be more reasonable. No such luck. He was full of the same nonsense about the magic and integrity of the Santa role. Fortunately, things improved when I found Roman at home afterward. We had bowling practice that night, but I'd wanted to talk to him in private. My other immortal friends could be coaxed on board with a lot, but as Hell's hand became more obvious in all of this, I was hesitant to get them involved. Roman didn't face the same repercussions, and I didn't mind exposing myself to the wrath of my employers. I was less excited about subjecting my immortal friends to that same wrath on my behalf. ââ¬Å"Did she say anything else about this ââ¬ËDarkness'?â⬠Roman wanted to know, once I'd recapped everything for him. ââ¬Å"Greater immortal, lesser immortal, outside deity?â⬠ââ¬Å"She doesn't understand what any of that is,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"She's only four. Five now, I guess.â⬠ââ¬Å"She needs to understand it,â⬠he said darkly. ââ¬Å"You should train her up.â⬠ââ¬Å"With everything else going on in her life? I think that's the last thing she needs.â⬠ââ¬Å"Not if some supernatural creature is making her mom sick!â⬠Roman perched on the edge of the couch, his sea green eyes both thoughtful and angry. ââ¬Å"And let's face it, Georgina. If something is, I really can't imagine it's because the powers that be have singled out that family by random. If something's targeting Andrea Mortensen, it's because of her connection to you.â⬠I felt ill. More consequences, laid at my feet. ââ¬Å"So Andrea suffers because of me,â⬠I said, sinking into a chair. ââ¬Å"Wonderful.â⬠ââ¬Å"It's Hell,â⬠said Roman. ââ¬Å"What do you expect? If they want back at you for something, then they're going to find creative ways to do it.â⬠ââ¬Å"Seems like there are more direct ways to make me ââ¬Ëpay,' â⬠I noted. ââ¬Å"Especially seeing as they own the contract on my soul. We're assuming a lot that this is Hell.â⬠Roman shrugged. ââ¬Å"Not really. We already know they're interfering with your life. And healing and injuring are specific powers given to angels and demons.â⬠ââ¬Å"Do you think Carter could tell what visited her?â⬠I asked. ââ¬Å"If he looked at Andrea?â⬠ââ¬Å"I think he could.â⬠Roman considered for a few moments. ââ¬Å"The question is if he would get involved with it at all. You know how he is. Heaven, at least, makes a pretense of playing by the rules.â⬠I nodded slowly, remembering my last conversation and how reluctant Carter had been to intervene. ââ¬Å"True,â⬠I murmured. ââ¬Å"Well,â⬠said Roman, straightening. ââ¬Å"You can ask him right now.â⬠ââ¬Å"Huh? How?â⬠ââ¬Å"He's coming to practice. I overheard him and Jerome talking about it yesterday.â⬠Apparently, Seth wasn't the only one with a perverse interest in watching Jerome's misfits bowl for his honor. I stood up as well. ââ¬Å"Then let's go. I'll drive.â⬠As we headed downstairs, I gave Roman a sidelong look. ââ¬Å"Have you ever wondered how you'd look in a white beard and Santa hat?â⬠Roman returned my look warily. ââ¬Å"No, I have not.â⬠I quickly explained how the Mortensen girls hadn't seen Santa yet this year. He was already shaking his head before I finished the story. ââ¬Å"Come on, Roman. They need to see Santa. And I know you don't have any of those hang-ups like Walter does about multiple Santas existing together.â⬠ââ¬Å"Nope,â⬠agreed Roman. ââ¬Å"My hang-up is about preserving my dignity, no matter how good the cause. Besides, I don't feel that guilty. If you really wanted them to see Santa, you could shape-shift and put us all to shame.â⬠I scowled. It was annoying because it was true. Roman and I were the last to arrive at the bowling alley, much to my dismay. I'd hoped to speak with Carter privately, but he and Jerome were already deep in conversation (and in their cups). The rest of the Unholy Rollers were waiting anxiously for their leader and gave me no end of grief for not wearing my shirt. ââ¬Å"I forgot,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"It's no big deal. I'll wear it for the real game.â⬠Peter sighed. ââ¬Å"But it helps build team solidarity now. And that sense of bonding and closeness will make us better.â⬠ââ¬Å"Actually,â⬠said Jerome, ââ¬Å"hitting more pins would make you better.â⬠ââ¬Å"Look,â⬠I told Peter. ââ¬Å"If I have to use the bathroom at some point, I'll shape-shift the shirt on.â⬠ââ¬Å"It's not the same,â⬠he grumbled. Fortunately, Jerome's impatience allowed little time for further debate on the matter. He hadn't seen how our last practice had ended and was anxious to know if we'd improved. We had, to be fair, but I think Jerome was expecting us to all be throwing strikes every time. When it was clear that wasn't the case, he grew impatient and angry. ââ¬Å"How can you do that?â⬠he demanded, after Cody made an impressive 9-1 spare. ââ¬Å"Why can't you just hit them all the first time?â⬠He glared at Roman. ââ¬Å"Do something.â⬠Roman eyed his father irritably, not liking his teaching skills questioned, especially since Cody was the best of us. ââ¬Å"Why don't you? Why don't you give it a shot, Pop?â⬠Jerome had been up pacing by the lane but wouldn't deign to actually touch a ball himself. ââ¬Å"Because it's not my job,â⬠Jerome retorted. Roman rolled his eyes. ââ¬Å"Then let me do mine.â⬠While they bickered, I leaned over to Carter. ââ¬Å"I need to talk to you. In private. Can you stick around after this?â⬠Carter had been watching the father?Cson exchange, but his eyes flicked briefly toward me when I spoke. He gave a small, barely perceptible nod. And when Jerome returned to his seat a few moments later, saying he wanted to leave and drink off his annoyance at the Cellar, Carter declined the offer. ââ¬Å"Nah,â⬠he said lazily, stretching. ââ¬Å"I think I'll see how this pans out. There's no way Peter can keep throwing splits like that every time. It defies all the rules of physics.â⬠Peter looked torn on whether he should be flattered or not by that. ââ¬Å"Fine,â⬠said Jerome. ââ¬Å"If you've got any miracles you can work to help them, now's the time to cash them in.â⬠ââ¬Å"Noted,â⬠said Carter, waving as Jerome left. My lesser immortal friends were agitated by our boss's disapproval, so I focused on the game and didn't bring anything up with Carter until we finished our practice. Jerome could criticize all he wanted, but Roman really was a good teacher. I think our greatest triumph was when Peter went four frames in a row without a split, thus returning the laws of physics back to their rightful state. True, he didn't get any strikes or spares either, but by that point, we were all so exhausted that we were willing to take what victories we could. Roman, Carter, and I let the others leave ahead of us ââ¬â once I'd promised I would definitely wear my team shirt next time, of course. As soon as we had relative privacy, I explained my problem to Carter. His face grew graver and graver as he listened. ââ¬Å"Daughter of Lilith,â⬠he said when I was done, ââ¬Å"you know I can't interfere.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm not asking you to,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Not exactly. I just want to know if you could tell if someone ââ¬â like a demon ââ¬â had made Andrea Mortensen sick.â⬠Carter's gray eyes were unreadable. ââ¬Å"Yes. I can tell.â⬠ââ¬Å"Will you go see her with me and tell me what you sense? That's it. I'm not asking you to break any rules.â⬠Well, I didn't think I was. Honestly, I didn't understand half of these ââ¬Å"rulesâ⬠he was always talking about. ââ¬Å"I just need the information.â⬠ââ¬Å"Okay,â⬠he said, after what felt like forever. ââ¬Å"I'll go with you. Giving you that information doesn't violate anything.â⬠ââ¬Å"I don't suppose,â⬠said Roman, ââ¬Å"that telling us why Hell would do this wouldn't violate anything either?â⬠I answered before Carter could. ââ¬Å"We already know. To get to me. I've pissed somebody off, and they're going to make me suffer by making those I love suffer.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah, but why Andrea?â⬠asked Roman. ââ¬Å"I mean, no offense, but there are other ways to hurt you more. Why not make Seth suffer?â⬠I couldn't help but scoff. ââ¬Å"Well. With this transfer, I kind of feel like he already ââ¬â â⬠I came to a screeching halt, once I realized what I'd been about to say. Roman was sitting opposite me in one of the worn leather chairs, and from the rabid look in his eyes, I thought he was going to reach over and shake me. ââ¬Å"What?â⬠he demanded. ââ¬Å"What did you just think of?â⬠ââ¬Å"Andrea's sickness is terrible,â⬠I said slowly. ââ¬Å"A horrible, unfair thing that could hurt her whole family. But there's something else. As long as she's sick, as long as the whole family needs help . . . Seth has to stay with them. He can't go to Las Vegas with me.â⬠ââ¬Å"And there it is,â⬠said Roman, wonder lighting his eyes. ââ¬Å"That's what this transfer is about. To get you out of Seattle, away from Seth, and to make sure he can't follow.â⬠ââ¬Å"Eventually . . .â⬠My stomach was twisting again, just like it always did when I thought of people being affected because of me. ââ¬Å"Eventually he'd be able to. Andrea will either get better, or . . . or she won't.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes, but how long?â⬠demanded Roman. ââ¬Å"How long will that take? Long enough for you to fall even more in love with your picture-perfect scenario ââ¬â the one that they handcrafted for you? Long enough for you to move on with some other artsy introverted mortal? By the time he's free, it won't matter.â⬠I was staring off at Roman but not really seeing him. Jerome had always been annoyed at my relationship with Seth, chastising me for being too attached to a mortal and letting it affect my job. Carter himself had said I was doing something that Hell didn't like. Was it possible this was it? That all of these forces were moving to keep Seth and me apart? ââ¬Å"If Hell wants me away from Seth, then why not just forbid it?â⬠I asked. ââ¬Å"Jerome's given me a hard time before. Or why not just drop me somewhere . . . anywhere . . . that isn't here? Why should they care that it's a place I'll fall in love with?â⬠ââ¬Å"So that you'll forget him,â⬠said Roman. ââ¬Å"So that you won't look back. If they ordered you apart, a teenage forbidden romance complex would kick in like that.â⬠He snapped his fingers. ââ¬Å"You'd never stop pining for him. But this . . . this is more subtle. And effective.â⬠ââ¬Å"It is,â⬠I agreed, still reeling. ââ¬Å"Even after all of Jerome's criticism, I never thought . . . I never thought Hell would be this upset over me being with a human.â⬠Roman had no answer for me but lifted his eyes to Carter. ââ¬Å"You're being awfully quiet.â⬠Carter shrugged, face neutral. ââ¬Å"You two have plenty to say. No need for me to chime in.â⬠ââ¬Å"Are we right?â⬠I asked the angel. ââ¬Å"Of course we are,â⬠said Roman. ââ¬Å"You've always known Hell thought you were too distracted by Seth. This explains everything.â⬠ââ¬Å"Doesn't explain Erik,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Are you sure you have nothing to add?â⬠asked Roman, gaze still on Carter. ââ¬Å"I think we should get to the Mortensens' before it gets much later,â⬠said Carter mildly. ââ¬Å"I'm sure those girls have respectable bedtimes.â⬠I stood up, knowing we'd get nothing else from him. ââ¬Å"I have to drop Roman off at home first. Then we can go over there.â⬠ââ¬Å"How are you going to get me in to see her?â⬠asked Carter. ââ¬Å"It'll be a little weird bringing in a stranger to a sick woman's bedroom. Do you want me to go invisibly?â⬠I'd been about to suggest that very thing when a new idea struck me. I gave Carter a once-over. ââ¬Å"Have you ever wanted to put on a Santa suit?â⬠ââ¬Å"I have always wanted to do that,â⬠said Carter gravely. Roman groaned. Once I explained the situation to Carter, however, he was totally on board. In fact, he told me not to worry about the costume arrangements and promised to meet me at Terry's in an hour, once I'd had a chance to drop Roman off. As soon as we were in the privacy of the parking lot, Carter vanished into thin air. ââ¬Å"I hope he doesn't get an outfit from wherever it is he normally does his shopping,â⬠I mused to Roman as we drove. ââ¬Å"We don't want a hobo Santa. Although, if Ian's there, he'd probably approve and say we were breaking out of the mainstream's iron grip.â⬠ââ¬Å"Goddamned hipsters,â⬠said Roman. He leaned his head against the car's window. ââ¬Å"You're rolling the dice a little with Carter, but something tells me he won't mess this up, not for a bunch of girls with a sick mother. He's an angel, after all. He's got to earn his keep somehow.â⬠ââ¬Å"And thank goodness he doesn't have any hang-ups about Santa being at more than one place at the same time,â⬠I joked. ââ¬Å"No space?Ctime contradictions there.â⬠Roman jerked up so fast, I nearly slammed on the brakes, thinking I was about to hit something. Half a second later, I realized whatever had startled him was in his own head. ââ¬Å"Oh God,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"What?â⬠I asked, acting like him earlier. ââ¬Å"What did you just think of?â⬠ââ¬Å"I think . . . I think I've figured this out.â⬠There was awe in his voice. ââ¬Å"What? This mystery we've been beating our heads against? We already figured it out.â⬠Roman shook his head, wide-eyed. ââ¬Å"No . . . oh, Jesus. Georgina, if I'm right . . . how do I even prove if I am?â⬠He leaned back in dismay. ââ¬Å"How do I get proof?â⬠ââ¬Å"Tell me what you're thinking,â⬠I demanded. ââ¬Å"No. Not yet. Just drop me off, and we'll talk when you're done. I have to figure this out.â⬠There wasn't much that was more infuriating than that. I hated having the lure of a secret being dangled before me. I hated the ââ¬Å"I'll tell you laterâ⬠stance. But no matter how much I badgered him, he refused to say any more. With Carter on his way to Terry's, I couldn't linger long over Roman. I had to get to Lake Forest Park first. With much grumbling, I left Roman to his machinations, after first warning him that he'd better be ready to spill when I got home later. When I arrived at the Mortensens' soon thereafter, I was relieved to see that Seth was around and that all the girls were still awake. Recalling Carter's joke, I'd worried on my drive over that it might be past the littler ones' bedtime. Most of them were in their pajamas, but it was clear from their excited reaction to me that sleep was the farthest thing from their mind. Returning their hugs, I couldn't help but imagine their response when the real act showed up. Only Brandy stayed on the couch when the others hugged me. She still smiled and nodded in greeting, but there was a haunted, hollow look that hadn't been there yesterday during our outing. My heart ached for her. After letting her have her night out, they must have told her the truth today about her mom. I sat down on the other end of the couch. ââ¬Å"Did you have fun last night?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"It was okay.â⬠ââ¬Å"Do you want to see the pictures?â⬠asked Kendall excitedly. She nudged Brandy. ââ¬Å"Show her!â⬠Smiling at her sister's enthusiasm, Brandy produced her cell phone and gave it to me to scroll through. It was filled with the kinds of pictures girls her age like to take, group shots of her and her friends crowded in, some with silly faces. I was pleased to see that it looked like any other school dance. I hadn't been sure what to expect from a church. The shots of her in particular were stunning. Margaret had done a good job with the French twist. One picture showed Brandy grinning next to a cute boy with sandy blond hair. He looked like a smart surfer. I glanced over at her and raised a questioning eyebrow. She nodded. ââ¬Å"Nice,â⬠I said. A knock at the door brought everyone's excited chatter to a halt. Terry looked up in surprise from where he'd been leafing through a picture book with McKenna. ââ¬Å"Who on earth is that?â⬠He glanced around the room, as though doing a head count to make sure anyone who might possibly stop by was already here. I suppose with that many daughters, there was always the risk of losing track of one. Ian, Margaret, Seth, and I were also accounted for. There weren't too many others who would drop in unannounced. ââ¬Å"I don't know,â⬠I said cheerfully. ââ¬Å"Seth, why don't you answer the door and see?â⬠Seth immediately picked up on the tone in my voice. He shot me a questioning look but walked over to the door anyway. He turned the knob and leaped back in astonishment when Carter burst in through the door. Well, I was taking it on faith that it was Carter, based on our earlier conversation. Because really, the man who entered the living room looked nothing like the disreputable angel I knew. In fact, he didn't look like any of the Santas I knew. He looked better. There was magic in the way he moved his round frame. His red suit seemed to shimmer, and his rosy cheeks looked like he'd just come in from the North Pole, not a dreary Seattle winter. He had out-Santa'ed Santa. ââ¬Å"Ho ho ho!â⬠he bellowed, in a voice that filled the entire house. ââ¬Å"Merry Christmas!â⬠Dead silence and wide eyes met him for a few moments. Then Kendall and the twins began squealing in delight as they ran over to him. ââ¬Å"Santa! Santa!â⬠ââ¬Å"What are you doing here?â⬠demanded Kendall. ââ¬Å"You aren't contractually obligated to come here until Christmas Eve.â⬠ââ¬Å"True,â⬠he said in a booming voice that I still couldn't believe was Carter's. ââ¬Å"But I have to find out what you want for Christmas, don't I?â⬠This was met with more oohs and ahhs, and the twins urged him to sit down on the couch. Brandy scrambled out of the way, and Kendall immediately took her turn first, claiming Santa's lap. Margaret and Terry looked like they were going to burst into tears. Ian looked dumbfounded. Seth caught my arm and pulled me to the side. ââ¬Å"Is that one of the guys you work with?â⬠he whispered. I grinned. ââ¬Å"In a manner of speaking. It's Carter.â⬠Seth did a double take, wearing the amazement I'd felt earlier. ââ¬Å"Really? But how . . . I mean . . . even his body . . .â⬠ââ¬Å"Mysterious ways,â⬠I replied. Kendall was rattling off a list of board games and economics books. Nearby, the twins stood quivering with excitement, eager for their turn but too well bred to show bad manners in front of Santa. After a few subscriptions to prominent business magazines and newspapers, Terry gently cut Kendall off and suggested she let her sisters take a turn. Kendall agreed eagerly, but not before throwing her arms around Carter and thanking him. ââ¬Å"Okay,â⬠said Seth, drawing me near. ââ¬Å"This was kind of amazing. Not that I should be surprised by anything you do anymore.â⬠He kissed my forehead. ââ¬Å"We definitely have to make the most out of your last month. If we're going to be apart for a long time, then we have to find a way to work around my schedule here.â⬠I started to protest and tell him not to change his plans with the family because of me but stayed silent instead. Some desperate part of me wondered, what did any of it matter? If Hell wanted us apart, then we couldn't stand against that. ââ¬Å"A long timeâ⬠would become ââ¬Å"never.â⬠Maybe I really should be trying harder to maximize these last precious days. And yet if I did . . . would that make Hell work harder against us? Glancing up, I saw Morgan had now replaced McKenna on Carter's lap. They were having a discussion on the virtues of two different kinds of pony action figures. Morgan wasn't sure what kind she wanted. ââ¬Å"Princess Ponies come in more colors,â⬠she told him seriously. ââ¬Å"True,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"But some of the Power Prism Ponies are unicorns. And you can do more stuff with their hair.â⬠Across the room, I saw Kayla curled up in a chair, watching Carter raptly but making no moves to talk to him. Slipping away from Seth, I walked over and knelt beside her. ââ¬Å"Are you going to tell Santa what you want?â⬠I asked in a very soft voice. It took Kayla several moments to tear her gaze from him. ââ¬Å"He's not Santa,â⬠she said. I was grateful she spoke as quietly as me. No one else heard. ââ¬Å"Of course he is,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Who else would he be?â⬠ââ¬Å"He's not Santa.â⬠She smiled and studied him again. ââ¬Å"He's beautiful. He's more beautiful than anything.â⬠No human could see an angel in his or her true form, unless the angel revealed it. Even then, a human would be destroyed by it. No, Kayla wasn't seeing Carter's true form, not exactly, but she was seeing something. Some piece of his true nature. I felt a moment of envy, wondering what it was she saw, what her senses allowed her that mine didn't. Whatever it was, I'd never know, but the enchanted look on her face made it clear it was wonderful. ââ¬Å"Beautiful,â⬠she repeated. She looked back at me. ââ¬Å"Can he stop the Darkness?â⬠ââ¬Å"He'll try,â⬠I said. Not the entire truth, but it would have to suffice. ââ¬Å"Can you pretend he's Santa? Tell him what you want for Christmas?â⬠She nodded solemnly, just as Morgan finished and Carter beckoned toward us. I walked Kayla over. I helped her onto his lap, and he glanced up at me with twinkling gray eyes. Those, if nothing else, were definitely Carter's. I stepped back and let them talk. Kayla continued staring adoringly at him, but no one except me knew what truly captivated her. She looked like any other child starstruck by Santa as she related her list, making no mention of his beauty or supernatural creatures prowling through her home at night. Leaving them to it, I quietly went upstairs and peered in Andrea's room. She was awake, reading a book. Dark circles hung under her eyes, and her face looked gaunter than last time. She nonetheless gave me a cheery smile. ââ¬Å"Georgina,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"I should've known you were the source of all that commotion.â⬠I laughed. ââ¬Å"Not all of that. A friend of mine is here, playing Santa for the girls. He's taking their Christmas orders right now.â⬠Her expression softened, resembling the near tears I'd seen on the others' faces. ââ¬Å"That's very sweet of him. And of you.â⬠ââ¬Å"Would you like to meet him before he leaves?â⬠I asked. Andrea grimaced and absentmindedly patted her hair. ââ¬Å"Yes, in theory . . . but Lord. I look terrible.â⬠ââ¬Å"Believe me,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"He doesn't care.â⬠When I went back downstairs, Kayla had finished, and Carter was trying to get a list out of Brandy who told him point-blank there was no way she was getting on his lap. ââ¬Å"I think you have plenty to work on with their orders,â⬠she told him good-naturedly. ââ¬Å"And there's nothing you want?â⬠he asked in his best echoing Santa voice. ââ¬Å"Nothing you can give, I'm afraid,â⬠she said. Her smile faltered. ââ¬Å"But thanks.â⬠Carter peered at her with that piercing look he sometimes used on me, the one that seemed to look right inside me. ââ¬Å"No,â⬠he agreed. ââ¬Å"You're right. But I can give you all my prayers. And my hopes for the best.â⬠Brandy stared at him, caught up in that gaze, and simply nodded. I don't think she knew what a powerful thing it was, for an angel to offer all of his prayers, but she most certainly sensed the sincerity and intention in his words. ââ¬Å"Thanks,â⬠she repeated. I caught hold of Carter's arm. ââ¬Å"Their mom wants to meet you, Santa.â⬠He stood up and followed me to the stairs. We passed Ian along the way, who watched us condescendingly. ââ¬Å"Aren't you going to ask what I want?â⬠Carter paused and looked him over from head to toe. ââ¬Å"Sorry. My workshop doesn't do shabby chic.â⬠Carter continued following me, despite Ian's protest that his style was ââ¬Å"vintageâ⬠and that ââ¬Å"shabby chic is for wannabes.â⬠If Andrea felt insecure at the thought of meeting a stranger, she did a good job of hiding it. Indeed, when Carter walked into her bedroom, a little awe passed over her face, reminding me of Kayla. Andrea couldn't see what her daughter had, but I think she sensed some of Carter's grace. He came to a halt at the foot of her bed and took of his red hat in a genteel style, revealing rows of white curls. ââ¬Å"This is my friend Carter,â⬠I said, after first making sure no one small had followed us. ââ¬Å"Mrs. Mortensen,â⬠he said, dropping the showmanship. ââ¬Å"It's very nice to meet you.â⬠She smiled, and the joy in it made her beautiful, despite her weary state. ââ¬Å"Nice to meet you too. Thank you for coming over and seeing the girls.â⬠Their exchange was brief. He said something nice or funny about each girl, making Andrea's smile grow and grow. She in turn couldn't stop thanking him. When the pleasantries were finally done, I bid her farewell and stepped outside the room with Carter. I closed the door and was about to head downstairs when he caught my hand. ââ¬Å"Did you see what you needed to?â⬠I asked quietly. He nodded, face grave, looking more like Carter than ever. ââ¬Å"You were right. Her condition was made worse ââ¬â by a demon.â⬠ââ¬Å"Can you tell which demon?â⬠I asked. I knew Jerome didn't have my best interests at heart, but it was a hard thing to think of him purposely harming those I cared about. ââ¬Å"No,â⬠said Carter. ââ¬Å"But it probably wasn't Jerome. It's the kind of dirty work a minor demon would do. I can also tell you that her illness, originally, was natural. Nothing gave this to her.â⬠ââ¬Å"They just made her relapse when she was starting to get better.â⬠To get to me. To keep Seth busy. Carter nodded. ââ¬Å"Okay. Thank you for coming here tonight. I appreciate it.â⬠I started to turn, and he again stopped me. ââ¬Å"Georgina . . .â⬠There was an odd, troubled note in his voice, one I didn't usually associate with confident, laconic Carter. ââ¬Å"Georgina, I've told you over and over that there are rules about what I can and can't do, how much I can be involved. As a general rule, I'm really not supposed to do too much active interference in mortal lives.â⬠ââ¬Å"I understand,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"But what happened to her . . .â⬠He frowned slightly. ââ¬Å"That was another breaking of the rules, something that shouldn't have happened. And in this situation, two wrongs can make a right.â⬠I stared up at him in amazement. ââ¬Å"What are you saying?â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm saying that I can heal her. I can't completely eradicate the cancer, but I can take it back to the level it was at before she was harmed this week. I can undo what they did to her and clean the slate.â⬠My jaw wanted to drop. ââ¬Å"That . . . that would be amazing !â⬠Carter still looked sad, and I couldn't figure out why. Did he feel like he was violating a rule, even if he was righting a wrong? ââ¬Å"What's the matter?â⬠He sighed. ââ¬Å"What you and Roman said earlier . . . about Hell wanting to keep you and Seth apart? About how her condition keeps him here? Well . . . it's possible, this is exactly what they want. She got better, then they made her worse again. Then, if she gets better on her own ââ¬â or because of me ââ¬â then everyone gets hopeful again, until they come back and make her worse. I'm not saying they will come back. But that they could. A limbo state like this ensures Seth stays around. If I heal her now ââ¬â and I will if you want ââ¬â I might be perpetuating that.â⬠There were two key things I pulled out of that. One was a very, very subtle acknowledgment that Roman and I were right. Oh, Carter wasn't saying for sure that Hell was after Seth and me, but he certainly wasn't denying it either. It was all part of that careful angel way of his. The other thing ââ¬â the most startling one ââ¬â was the implication that thwarting Hell meant keeping Andrea out of the limbo they wanted her in. Seth would always be tied to his family if she moved in and out of health. If she completely recovered, he would be free. And if she died . . . ââ¬Å"No,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"It doesn't matter. Heal her. I don't care if he stays here forever, so long as it keeps her alive.â⬠Carter nodded, and something shone in his eyes, something a little like pride . . . and sadness. ââ¬Å"I thought you'd say that.â⬠He knocked gently on Andrea's door before stepping back inside. ââ¬Å"Sorry to bother you,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"But I forgot to ask what you wanted for Christmas.â⬠Andrea laughed, eventually degenerating into coughing. Reaching for a glass of water beside her bed, she finally recovered herself. ââ¬Å"That's nice of you, but I'm too old.â⬠ââ¬Å"Never,â⬠said Carter. ââ¬Å"There must be something.â⬠Andrea was still smiling, but it grew a little wistful. ââ¬Å"There is something,â⬠she said. I wondered if she'd ask to be cured, which was obviously what Brandy had wanted as well. ââ¬Å"I want . . . I want my girls to be happy. No matter what happens to me, I want them looked after and cared for.â⬠Carter-as-Santa studied her with that soul-searching gaze, and it was as though something passed between them, something I wasn't part of. At long last, he said, ââ¬Å"I swear, it will be so.â⬠He walked over to her bedside and extended his hand to her. A chill ran down my spine as he did. I swear. Those weren't words an angel could say lightly. I'd thought what he'd said earlier to Brandy was powerful, but it was nothing compared to this. Tentatively, Andrea took Carter's hand. I saw nothing blatant, no blinding flash of light or anything like that. I didn't even feel anything with my immortal senses. But Andrea's face transformed, growing radiant and dreamy, as though she were seeing and hearing the most beautiful things in the world. When Carter released her hand, she smiled at him and closed her eyes, drifting into sleep. ââ¬Å"You healed her?â⬠I asked, deciding not to mention the promise. ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"She won't remember much of my visit.â⬠ââ¬Å"Probably just as ââ¬â ââ¬Å" My cell phone rang, and I hurried out of the room to answer it before Andrea woke up. It was Roman. ââ¬Å"Hey,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Hey, are you still with the Mortensens?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah, why?â⬠ââ¬Å"Because I think I've figured out how to prove my theory,â⬠he said, voice stern and strained. ââ¬Å"I still don't even know what your theory is,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"You will soon enough. Ask Seth how he feels about hypnosis.â⬠garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-88163971053997658262020-01-10T10:19:00.001-08:002020-01-10T10:19:05.052-08:00BP SWOT Analysis and future action planThe business was started in 1909 by one of the mega merger of Anglo-Persian Oil Company. It was renamed as British Petroleum in 1954. The head office is located in the city of Westminster, United Kingdom. It operates throughout the globe and owns approximately 93,000 employees. Today there are BP 2go, BP Castrol, BP Express, BP Shop, BP Connect and BP Travel Center. The business has diversified intensively across its core business.BP (British Petroleum) is one of the prevalent vertically integrated conglomerates in oil and gas sector. It explores and produces crude oil and different gases. The colossal business also participates in trading and marketing of power resources, liquid and natural gases. Research and Markets (2010) conducted the SWOT Analysis of British Petroleum as follows: Strength: â⬠¢ Prior to the oil spill catastrophe, the business owned leadership position in oil and gas sector and performed vertically integrated business operations â⬠¢ The business has well established plants which are widened geographicallyâ⬠¢ It performs business worldwide and has collaborated with retail brands and subsidiaries like AMPM, AMOCO, Burmah Castrol, ARCO, BP travel center, Express, Connect and many more â⬠¢ In 2007 the net profit improved by 83% due to the increase in oil and petroleum prices â⬠¢ It owns loyal and committed customers Weakness: â⬠¢ Over the past years the production of natural gas and crude oil has been reduced â⬠¢ Other than the oil spill disaster the business is faced with lots of internal criticism and controversies â⬠¢ The launch of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline resulted into large numbers of controversiesâ⬠¢ In 2005 BP refinery explosion in Texas resulted into 15 deaths and 100 injuries â⬠¢ The 2006 oil spill of 250 gallons in Alaskan Tundra has imposed different criminal charges â⬠¢ BP faced immense crisis of poor management due to toxic spill of about 2000 gallon of methanol in Prudhoe bay â⬠¢ The Alaskan oil well operations got seized â⬠¢ The business formulated unsound policies related to environment â⬠¢ Brand image might get worsened due to the recent oil spill crisis â⬠¢ The business lacks contingency plan in order to overcome major issues Opportunity: â⬠¢ Natural gas stipulation in North America has amplifiedâ⬠¢ Recently petrochemicals and refined product requirements has increased in China â⬠¢ Due to prevailing environmental issues more and more businesses are investing in alternative sources of energy â⬠¢ To a greater extent gas and oil exploration plants are being established specifically in developed countries â⬠¢ The business has decided to invest USD 8 billion in alternative energy comprising of hydrogen gas, solar power, wind energy and natural gas â⬠¢ It has decided to further expand in Post Soviet areas and acquire plants in North Sea â⬠¢ Flexible pricing policy will enable the business to compete with major rivalsThr eat: â⬠¢ Environmental regulations have imposed one of the chief threat on diverse business operations â⬠¢ In North sea alone resource has reduced to a major extent â⬠¢ Majority of the oil exploration and production areas have been faced with ups and downs â⬠¢ Major competitors like Chevron and Shell might adversely affect the business â⬠¢ USA government has filed major lawsuit against one of the recent BP oil spill crisis Action Plan for British Petroleum: A novel route: The business presentation reveals that it has adapted to changing environment and opted for sustainable future strategy.The top most priority highlighted includes reliability and safety and the business aims that the future business operations will specifically focus on personal safety. The 2015 forecast reveals immense opportunities in deepwater operations, gigantic fields and producing alternative energy sources. In contrary to this, although BP is not the only player responsible for the probl em, even then numerous issues have been surfaced and political influence has further threatened the operation by imposing strict regulations and control.It has incurred increase in cost due to political influence from USA and Brazil and safety measures criteria. It can be said that business itself destabilized, demoralized and weakened its future directions. Prior to this it was a world class corporation with premium brands and strong customer base and everything changed in three weeks (Rowell, 2010). Future growth strategy: Macalister (2010) states that the business has to recompense USD 20 billion as a liability for the oil spill issue.Nevertheless the business opted for the betterment and claimed that it will be establishing exploration and production plants in Libya, Egypt and Azerbaijan in the imminent years. The business came up with a comprehensive DRP (disaster recovery plan) which involves investigation, bringing changes at management level, looking into group performance a nd opting for future strategy formulation. The business introduced Bob Dudley as new face to clear up the business image. The strategy focuses on rehabilitation and compensation plan and improving the global image of BP and transforming into a good corporate citizenship across all over the globe.In order to gain confidence of stakeholders, the business particularly participated with communities in order to rebuild those areas which have been adversely affected by the crisis. The business stated that the crisis will have an impact on the future strategy in terms of liabilities but it aims in protecting and growth expansion of the business. The corporation collaborated with US agencies in order to pay off all the legitimate claims and deploy massive systems for the purpose of environmental restitution. About more than 15, 000 volunteers participated and committed to the appropriate strategy.Lesson learned as a future contingency plan: Winston (2010) analyzed philosophical, geopolitica l and corporate level strategy of BP and highlighted key learning points: â⬠¢ The conventional fossil fuel technology is disastrous for species, business and overall society. Rather than investing in carbon emitting fossil fuels the business must look into safety and minimizing risk. â⬠¢ Everything never goes right and there exist an element of uncertainty. The spreadsheet models being used in businesses only resemble positive numbers and they cannot forecast and formulate proactive measures.Oil companies found future success in deepwater oil exploration and they went for it and forget to look into clean up technologies and oil spill shielding measures. â⬠¢ One of the prominent examples was reflected by Johnson & Johnson who called back all the Tylenol medicines and established one of the prominent corporate behavior paradigms. In contrast to this, BP CEO Mr. Hayward always said that it was an insignificant issue in comparison to massive sea and it resulted into awful re sponse in the form of slow actions and took them three months to impede the leakage. Nonetheless Mr. Hayward has learnt a lot for future debacles.â⬠¢ Conventionally risk management was the primary concern however abiding to green provision will result into sustainability and decrease in risk. The poor risk management by BP reveals that it lost USD 70 billion market value within one week of the disaster. However the impact of its products on the overall ocean was massive and unquantifiable which killed precious species. Therefore BP will transform into green leader and further improve its supply chain so that it can perform socially and environmentally in an outclass manner. â⬠¢ Businesses spend decades to build brand equity and it takes small fraction of time for everything to be lost.BP invested in businesses beyond petroleum but major diminution can be highlighted in the case of renewable energy just because of slight decrease in current profits therefore the business must invest in renewable sources in future sustainability. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the business opted for a holistic approach. The demeanor remains with adapting to environmental changes and performing as a good corporate citizen. The business gained vast experience from the disaster and opted for finest outcome. It formulated an aggressive marketing strategy with business expansion in Azerbaijan, Egypt and Libya.Although there are political influences even then the business looked into personal safety and reliability measures. The future remains with deep water exploration and alternative energy resources. The corporation formulated a disaster management plan and worked in order to gain confidence from diverse stakeholders. Some of the lesson engrossed includes investing in renewable resources, including risk management in financial modules, opting for swiftness and responsiveness and taking proactive measures for different business processes and operations. References: Re search and Markets. (2010). British Petroleum Company: Company Analysis.Retrieved August 20, 2010, from http://www. researchandmarkets. com/reports/354859/ Rowell, A. (2010). BPââ¬â¢s Long Term Business Strategy in Chaosâ⬠¦ Retrieved August 20, 2010, from http://priceofoil. org/2010/06/29/bp%E2%80%99s-long-term-business-strategy-in-chaos/ Macalister, T. (2010). BP chief Tony Hayward to outline strategy that restores firm's fortunes. Retrieved August 20, 2010, from http://www. guardian. co. uk/business/2010/jul/21/bp-oil-spill-tony-hayward Winston, A. (2010). Five Lessons from the BP Oil Spill. Retrieved August 20, 2010, from http://blogs. hbr. org/winston/2010/06/the-bp-oil-spill-top-5-lessons. html garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-6764016832166166082020-01-02T06:43:00.001-08:002020-01-02T06:43:02.916-08:00How to Use Italian Reflexive Pronouns If you want to use reflexive verbs in Italian, then you have to be familiar with reflexive pronouns, too. Reflexive pronouns (i pronomi riflessivi) mi, ti, si, ci, vi, and si look just like direct object pronouns, except for the third-person form si (which is the same in the singular and in the plural). In a reflexive sentence, the action of the verb refers back to the subject. Examples: I wash myself. - Mi lavo.They enjoy themselves. - Si divertono. In reflexive sentences, Italian verbs, like English verbs, are conjugated with reflexive pronouns. Reflexive pronouns (i pronomi riflessivi) are identical in form to direct object pronouns, except for the third person form si (the third person singular and plural form). à The following table includes the reflexive pronouns in Italian. Italian Reflexive Pronouns SINGULAR PLURAL mi myself ci ourselves ti yourself vi yourselves si himself, herself, itself, yourself (formal) si themselves, yourselves (formal) Just like direct object pronouns, reflexive pronouns are placed before a conjugated verb or attached to the infinitive. If the infinitive is preceded by a form of dovere, potere, or volere, the reflexive pronoun is either attached to the infinitive (which drops its final ââ¬âe) or placed before the conjugated verb. Note that the reflexive pronoun agrees with the subject even when attached to the infinitive: Mi alzo. - Im getting up.Voglio alzarmi./Mi voglio alzare. - I want to get up. The pronouns Mi, ti, si, and vi may drop the i before another vowel or an h and replace it with an apostrophe. Ci may drop the i only before another i or an e: Voi varrabbiate facilmente. - You get angry easily.I ragazzi salzano alle sette. - The boys woke up at seven oclock.A casa, mannoio. - At home, I get bored. To see how reflexive pronouns work with reflexive verbs, see a sample conjugation of lavarsi (to wash oneself) in the table below. Lavarsi - To wash oneself Mi lavo ci laviamo ti lavi vi lavate si lava si lavano Italian Workbook Exercises Questions | AnswersReflexive PronounsA. Complete the following with the appropriate present indicative reflexive forms of the indicated verbs. Io ________ Enzo. chiamarsiQuelle ragazze ________ alle otto. alzarsiLoro ________ vicino alla porta. sedersiDaniele ________ lentamente. vestirsiNoi ________ facilmente. addormentarsiIo non ________ mai. arrabbiarsiVoi ________ sempre. lamentarsiFrancesco ________ di Teresa. innamorarsi Questions | AnswersB. Complete the sentences with one of the verbs given below.chiamarsi, diplomarsi, fermarsi, laurearsi, sentirsi, specializzarsi, sposarsi Io ________ Valentina. Tu come ________?Andate dal dottore quando non ________ bene?Maria frequenta luniversità . Vuole prima ________ in medicina, e pio ________ in cardiologia.Gli studenti italiani ________ alla fine del liceo. Poi vanno alluniversità .Ugo e Vittoria ________ se trovano una casa. Italian Language Study Resources: Italian Language LessonsItalian Audio PhrasebookItalian Language Audio Lab Related Articles: Understanding the Italian Present Conditional TenseGive Me a Hug! Understanding Italian Reciprocal Reflexive VerbsItalian Reflexive VerbsHow To Use Reflexive Pronouns in Spanish garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-56366633905987495282019-12-25T03:09:00.001-08:002019-12-25T03:09:04.094-08:00The Neurobiological Factors Associated with Depression Essay The Neurobiological Factors Associated with Depression Depression is a mood disorder that affects approximately ten percent of men and nearly twenty-five percent of women at least once in their lifetime (1). There are several types of clinical depression, such as unipolar depression and bipolar depression. Unipolar depression consists of primarily depressive states while bipolar depression involves a fluctuation between states of depression and mania (2). Some of the most common symptoms of depression include excessive feelings of sadness, guilt, or worthlessness, a significant change in appetite, insomnia or hypersomnia, energy loss, thoughts or attempts of suicide, and anhedonia (3), (4). While the symptoms of depression areâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦While some of the findings from these genetic studies are still preliminary, several investigations have indicated that the role of certain neurotransmitters, called monoamines, in depression is immense (7). Neurotransmitters are chemicals in the brain that bind to receptors in order to excite or inhibit the firing of neurons (6). The Catecholamine Theory of Mood was proposed as a major explanation for the cause of depression in the 1960s by Joseph Schildkraut (7). Schildkraut suggested that a deficiency of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine at receptor sites caused depression while increased levels of norepinephrine caused mania. Some evidence for Schildkrautââ¬â¢s account was established by the success rate of monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor drugs, which block the reuptake of monoamines and facilitate the release of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and serotonin (8). Further evidence has been established by studies that found decreased norepinephrine levels in the cerebrospinal fluid of deceased depressed patients (5). More recently, drugs have been developed that selectively block the reuptake of norepinephrine by the presynaptic cell. It has been found in preliminary st udies that the level of depression decreases in these patients, which provides further evidence for the role of norepinephrine in depression. While empirical support for the Catecholamine Theory of Mood has grown substantially, evidence from more recent studies highlights theShow MoreRelatedIntroduction to Addictions and Substance Use Disorders Essay646 Words à |à 3 PagesIntroduction to Addictions and Substance Use Disorders Cognitive-Behavioral Models The cognitive behavioral models say that incentives make way for the right conditions for the need for drug abuse. Drug use is associated with experiences such as self-exploration, religious insights, altering moods, escaping boredom or despair, enhancing creativity, performance, sensory experience or pleasure, and so on (Capuzzi Stauffer, 2012). 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This disorder has its roots in both neurobiological and social processes (Galizio Maisto, 2013), this essay will critically discuss both the biological and social catalysts in which substance misuse initiates and leads to substance misuse behaviour, with r eference to the psychopharmacology of garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-4462816164678210752019-12-16T22:57:00.001-08:002019-12-16T22:57:04.319-08:00History of Human Resource Management Essay - 1398 Words The History of Human Resource Management Human resource management is the strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organizations most valued assets - the people working there who individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the business. 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The strategy behind the approaches correlation is what leads to actually implementing and providing data to analyze on an ongoing basis to enhance the strategic plan of the organization. The garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-17363456355555108312019-12-08T19:41:00.001-08:002019-12-08T19:41:04.211-08:00Raise the drinking age free essay sample Allowing only adults of the age 25 or older to consume alcohol is a decision that could help prevent thousands of alcohol related fatalities every year. This is a controversial topic that is discussed and debated by many. One individual in particular is Andrew Herman, who argues this in ââ¬Å"Raise the Drinking age to Twenty-Fiveâ⬠. Herman does very well in addressing the rhetorical situation by presenting the audience with data from alcohol related accidents and deaths, this evidence is strong and makes his claim credible and logical. Herman does a tremendous job identifying his position on making the drinking age 25. He also does well separating the audience and speaking directly to them on his position toward the drinking age. Hermanââ¬â¢s argument is directed to an audience of anyone who has ever attended college or a college party. He provides the audience with evidence and data such as ââ¬Å"Every year 1,400 college students die from drinking too muchâ⬠or ââ¬Å"Every year 17,000 die from drunken drivingâ⬠(Herman 470). We will write a custom essay sample on Raise the drinking age or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Herman uses these to persuade his audience to agree. To continue, Herman uses excellent means of persuasion such as Logos and Ethos. He also uses a small amount of pathos to persuade his audienceââ¬â¢s emotions. For example throughout the article Herman uses the Logos technique to persuade the audience logically increasing the drinking age will decrease the amount of youth drinking, therefore preventing deaths due to alcohol consumption . Also, Herman gives annual numbers of alcohol accidents and deaths as a form of Ethos to persuade the audience. Last, he uses a small example of Pathos as he says ââ¬Å"For the sake of our friends, those we love and our futuresâ⬠(Herman 471). This appeals to the audienceââ¬â¢s emotions further persuading them to agree. Furthermore, Hermanââ¬â¢s Rhetorical strategies develop very well because of his organization, evidence and use of strategies. His organization helps identify his thesis and explains the principal reason behind his article. Also Herman uses great techniques of Ethos, Logos and Pathos to persuade the audience. Then Hermanââ¬â¢s evidence helps connect these ideas back together to a coherent claim. All in all, Andrew Herman addressed the Rhetorical Situation very well by identifying it and presenting his audience with credible evidence to back up his claim.à Because of this Hermanââ¬â¢s Rhetorical strategies were extremely effective in getting the interest of the audience. He had a specific claim and very strong evidence that supported his claim well. Raise the drinking age free essay sample Allowing only adults of the age 25 or older to consume alcohol is a decision that could help prevent thousands of alcohol related fatalities every year. This is a controversial topic that is discussed and debated by many. One individual in particular is Andrew Herman, who argues this in ââ¬Å"Raise the Drinking age to Twenty-Fiveâ⬠. Herman does very well in addressing the rhetorical situation by presenting the audience with data from alcohol related accidents and deaths, this evidence is strong and makes his claim credible and logical. Herman does a tremendous job identifying his position on making the drinking age 25. He also does well separating the audience and speaking directly to them on his position toward the drinking age. Hermanââ¬â¢s argument is directed to an audience of anyone who has ever attended college or a college party. He provides the audience with evidence and data such as ââ¬Å"Every year 1,400 college students die from drinking too muchâ⬠or ââ¬Å"Every year 17,000 die from drunken drivingâ⬠(Herman 470). We will write a custom essay sample on Raise the drinking age or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Herman uses these to persuade his audience to agree. To continue, Herman uses excellent means of persuasion such as Logos and Ethos. He also uses a small amount of pathos to persuade his audienceââ¬â¢s emotions. For example throughout the article Herman uses the Logos technique to persuade the audience logically increasing the drinking age will decrease the amount of youth drinking, therefore preventing deaths due to alcohol consumption . Also, Herman gives annual numbers of alcohol accidents and deaths as a form of Ethos to persuade the audience. Last, he uses a small example of Pathos as he says ââ¬Å"For the sake of our friends, those we love and our futuresâ⬠(Herman 471). This appeals to the audienceââ¬â¢s emotions further persuading them to agree. Furthermore, Hermanââ¬â¢s Rhetorical strategies develop very well because of his organization, evidence and use of strategies. His organization helps identify his thesis and explains the principal reason behind his article. Also Herman uses great techniques of Ethos, Logos and Pathos to persuade the audience. Then Hermanââ¬â¢s evidence helps connect these ideas back together to a coherent claim. All in all, Andrew Herman addressed the Rhetorical Situation very well by identifying it and presenting his audience with credible evidence to back up his claim. Because of this Hermanââ¬â¢s Rhetorical strategies were extremely effective in getting the interest of the audience. He had a specific claim and very strong evidence that supported his claim well. garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-39675674306542426382019-12-01T07:23:00.001-08:002019-12-01T07:23:03.254-08:00Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston Essay ExampleWoman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston Paper Asian American womens writing came of age in the 1970s and 1980s. Most of these women writers were middle- or upper-class, well-educated women. This fact is reflected in the development of Asian American memoir/fiction-as-theory and can be seen in the works of Maxine Hong Kingston. Maxine Hong Kingston utilizes the Chinese tradition of ââ¬Å"talking-storyâ⬠as a structuring device within her prose narratives. ââ¬Å"Talking-story,â⬠as its name suggests, is the female Chinese practice of telling stories, often from one generation to the next. One of such ââ¬Å"talking-storiesâ⬠is Maxine Hong Kingstons autobiography, The Woman Warrior, which embodies the search for identity in the narrative act. The Woman Warrior expresses the Chinese American experience through family history combined with memory, legend, and imaginative projection. Maxine Hong Kingston is writing about the writerââ¬â¢s Chinese American experience and the Chinese American experience, where Maxine has stressed the need for many voices to speak out and express the diversity and variety of Chinese American life. The Woman Warrior needs to be considered fundamentally as feminist text. As Kingston says quite simply, ââ¬ËGrowing up as I did as a kid, I donââ¬â¢t see how I could not have been a feminist. In Chinese culture, people always talk about how girls are bad. Right away, it makes you radical like anythingââ¬â¢ (Kubota 1998, p. 3). Clearly, The Woman Warrior partly concerns the narratorââ¬â¢s apprehension of, and rebellion against the misogynistic scenario. At the same time, however, she is quick to recognize its repressive complement in the sexual standards of America, where feminine submissiveness is prized in different ways. We will write a custom essay sample on Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Kingstonââ¬â¢s highly crafted reworking of mythological and biographical sources in the text as a whole is underpinned by a desire to move through and beyond these limiting constructions. In her reappropriation of the Fa Mu Lan mythology, particularly, she can be seen as attempting to construct a new narrative of femininity that is neither ââ¬Ëtraditionallyââ¬â¢ Chinese nor ââ¬Ëtraditionallyââ¬â¢ American, combining the assertion of female strength and resourcefulness with the celebration of passion and maternity. By equating the battles of her reappropriated Fa Mu Lan with the authorââ¬â¢s own struggles of writing, moreover, she explicitly seeks to identify her own use of story-telling as the weaponry of a contemporary woman warrior: The swordswoman and I are not so dissimilar. May my people understand the resemblance soon so that I can return to them. What we have in common are the words at our backs. The idioms for revenge are ââ¬Ëreport a crimeââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëreport to five familiesââ¬â¢. The reporting is the vengeance not the beheading, not the gutting, but the words. And I have so many words ââ¬â¢chinkââ¬â¢ words and ââ¬Ëgookââ¬â¢ words too that they do not fit on my skin. (p. 53) In Maxine Hong Kingstons family memoirs, The Woman Warrior is introduced as a complex legacy of family secrets, a repressed history that haunts the American-born narrator. Although The Woman Warrior seems to suggest that the narrators primary quarrels are with her parents and community, whose methods of socializing her seem too Chinese and out of step with the familys life in America, the grimness of that life is gradually revealed to be rooted in the Asian American past in America, the invisibility of that past to mainstream Americans, and its consequent resistance to narration. When Maxine Hong Kingston broke the silence that had been punishing her aunt in 1975, she shocked American readers into recognizing Chinese Americans as complex subjects, subtly changing the cultural landscape for those to follow, but many of her readers did not immediately understand that hers was an American story. The narrator in The Woman Warrior struggles to comprehend the legacy of craziness and conventionality, of curses and blessings, bequeathed her by her mother, who is at once a vessel of traditional culture and a courageous fighter in a harsh environment. The daughter, fearful that she has ââ¬Å"no stories of equal pain,â⬠avoids becoming merely the transmitter of her mothers stories: although The Woman Warrior begins with the mothers stories, it ends with the daughters. garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-90509885109094459592019-11-26T13:55:00.001-08:002019-11-26T13:55:05.067-08:00Hula Auana vs. Hula Kahiko essaysHula Auana vs. Hula Kahiko essays In the year 1893, the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown, marking the divergence of two styles of traditional hula. Both forms of the dance, the ancient Hula Kahiko and the modern Hula Auana, are choreographed to interpret a poetic text called mele. Although the two dances are both a form of hula, Hawaiis most popular art form, the two dances have many differences. The older, more indigenous form of hula, Hula Kahiko, is danced to chants in Hawaiian, which tunes tend to not be too melodious. The instruments are older indigenous percussive pieces, drums such as a ipu heke (a double gourd) and hula pahu (drum made of sharkskin and the trunk of a coconut). The hand motions describe the story which is told by the chants, and are simple, vigorous gestures. The feet in this form of hula are also very simple, basic movements, and facial expressions are more ritualistic. The modern form of hula, called Hula Auana, is the transformation of hula into general entertainment due to the huge rise in tourism. Hula Auana is in general a more flowing form of the dance, as compared to Hula Kahiko, the more stiff form. This modern form is danced not to chants, but to more lighthearted songs sung in either Hawaiian or English, which have a much more melodious tune than the chants.. The instruments are stringed instruments such as ukuleles and guitars. The hand gestures are embellished and tend to look more like swaying movements than precise formations. Feet movements are not only limited to simple steps but unrestricted, and facial expressions are more animated and dramatic according to the context of the song. Although both forms of this dance are very beautiful to watch, if I had to chose one to watch, I would chose Hula Kahiko, the older more traditional form. I have visited Hawaii a few times and each visit many Luaus offer shows with the modernized hula form Hula Auana, and it is hard ... garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-19912997601781586192019-11-22T21:18:00.001-08:002019-11-22T21:18:03.509-08:00What Is the IB Curriculum What Are IB Diploma RequirementsWhat Is the IB Curriculum What Are IB Diploma Requirements SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're reading this article, I assume you know a little bit about the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. If not, I encourage you to read our other article What is the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program? before reading this article. As a brief refresher, the IBO started this program in the 1960s to be a rigorous, internationally recognized diploma for entry into universities that students all around the world could earn. In the US today, there are 873 IB Diploma Programme High Schools. At these schools, some students complete the full IB curriculum in pursuit of an IB Diploma (which I will explain in-depth below). At some of the schools, students are allowed to take a couple of IB classes without being enrolled in the full IB curriculum (ask your local IB schoolââ¬â¢s IB coordinator if this is permitted, find their contact information in our article Complete List of IB Schools in the USA, by State). As an IB Diploma Recipient, I'll discuss what it entails to complete the full IB curriculum and receive your IB Diploma. What Are the Main Components of the IB Diploma Programme Curriculum? There are two main components of the IB Curriculum: the class requirements and the core. The Class Requirements: To earn an IB diploma, you have to take courses from six subjects, one each from groups 1-5, and either one from group 6 or a substitute from one of the other groups. Group 1: Language A: literature, Language A: language and literature, and Literature and performance. Group 2: Classical languages, Language B, and Language ab initio Group 3: Business management, Economics, Geography, History, Information technology in a global society, Philosophy, Psychology, Social and cultural anthropology, World religions, and Global Politics Group 4: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Design Technology, Environmental systems and societies, Physics, and Sports, exercise and health science Group 5: Mathematical Studies SL (known as Math Studies), Mathematics SL, Mathematics HL, and Further Mathematics HL Group 6: Dance, Film, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts For a full list of courses from each group with descriptions, check out our article on The Complete List of IB Courses and Classes. You must take at least 3 at a higher level (study 250 hours instead of 150 hours). Each class culminates in an exam. IB tests are graded on a scale of 1-7 with a 4 considered passing. For more information on this grading scale/score criteria, check out the IBOââ¬â¢s website. The Core To complete your diploma programme, you also need to complete what is known as the core in addition to the class requirements above. The core consists of 3 components: a class known as Theory of Knowledge, an essay known as the Extended Essay, and a project known as Creativity, Action, Service. Theory of Knowledge/TOK: This is a class that is a mix of philosophy, and IB says that the class "encourage[s] students to reflect on the huge cultural shifts worldwide around the digital revolution and the information economy." This class makes you think about what is important to you and think about big world issues. I LOVED this class! I think your teacher is critical to enjoying the class, and Mr. Fresco, you are the best! For the class, there is no exam. Instead, you write a paper and give an oral presentation. You can take it online through Pamoja Education. Extended Essay/EE: A 4,000-word mini-thesis. You choose a topic that needs to be approved by IB (which is not very difficult). You get an advisor (an IB teacher preferably at your school, although you can also get access to one at another school through the Pamoja Education). Write about something you enjoy because you will be spending a lot of time on it. I loved British theatre and ended up writing mine about a revolution in post-WWII British theatre. #theatrenerd. I really encourage anyone who pursues an IB Diploma to take the Extended Essay seriously. I ended up receiving a full-tuition merit scholarship to USCââ¬â¢s School of Dramatic Arts program, and in my interview for the scholarship, I spoke passionately about my Extended Essay. I genuinely think my Extended Essay helped me get my scholarship. Creativity, Action, Service/CAS: A three-part project that forces you to get involved in extracurricular activities. Creativity, getting involved in something creative, learning an instrument, acting in a play, writing a short story, etc. As long as you can argue it is creative (since you have to do a report), you can use it as your creativity part. I acted in a few plays, which counted for my creativity hours. Action: Generally sports-related activity, sports in a wide sense (could be anything outdoorsy like rock-climbing or hiking). I played on my schoolââ¬â¢s varsity tennis team and that counted for my activity hours. Service: Think of this as traditional community service, you can volunteer to feed the homeless, host a fundraiser for brain cancer research, host a drive to collect prom dresses for Beccaââ¬â¢s Closet, etc. Are Those All the Requirements to Get Your IB Diploma? No, you also need to hit certain score markers on your exams in order to get the diploma. You must score 24 points or more between all of your IB exams to get a diploma. If you score 24 points or more, you will receive your diploma if: All CAS requirements have been met. There is no "N" awarded for theory of knowledge, the extended essay, or a contributing subject. There is no grade E awarded for theory of knowledge and/or the extended essay. There is no grade 1 in any subject/level. There are no more than two grade 2s awarded (SL or HL). There are no more than three grade 3s or below awarded (SL or HL). Overall, there are no more than three grades 3 or below. At least 12 points have been gained on higher level subjects (for candidates who register for four higher level subjects, the three highest grades count). At least 9 points have been gained on standard level subjects (candidates who register for two standard level subjects must gain at least 5 points at standard level). The final award committee has not given the candidate a penalty for academic misconduct. How Difficult Is It to Meet These Standards? Well, the international IB Diploma Rate (The Diploma Rate is determined by the percentage of the students who receive IB diplomas out of those who were diploma candidates) is only 80%. So, about 20% of students, who complete the IB Curriculum outlined above, do NOT receive an IB Diploma. Also, the IB Diploma Rate varies drastically between schools (some have 95% diploma rates while others have less than 5% diploma rates), so I recommend contacting the IB school you are considering attending to find out their specific diploma rate. For more information on this, check out our article on Complete List of IB Schools in the USA, by State. Whatââ¬â¢s Next? Trying to figure out what extracurricular you should do? Learn more about participating in Science Olympiad, starting a club, doing volunteer work, and joining Student Government. Studying for the SAT? Check out our complete guide to the SAT. Taking the SAT in the next month? Check out our guide to cramming. Not sure where you want to go to college? Check out our guide to finding your target school. Also, figure out your target SAT score or target ACT score. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-64626706532213268332019-11-21T03:01:00.001-08:002019-11-21T03:01:03.467-08:00Reasons why scientist believe the global climate is in the state of EssayReasons why scientist believe the global climate is in the state of crisis - Essay Example Earthââ¬â¢s energy budget constitutes the shortwave radiation net flow into the earth from the sun and the long wave radiation out to space. The weather and climate experienced on Earth are determined by the amount and distribution of incoming radiation from the sun. For an equilibrium climate, outgoing long wave radiation (OLR) necessarily balances the incoming absorbed solar radiation (ASR). However, there is a great deal of fascinating atmosphere, ocean, and land phenomena that couple the two. Greenhouse gas warming is caused by a shift in this balance where OLR is reflected back to the surface by the atmosphere. This reflection is due to the presence of heat-trapping gases (greenhouse gases) in the atmosphere. These gases include: carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Naturally this reflection helps maintain the life sustaining surface temperature of the earth. Human activities have however increased the concentration of these gases; specifically carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere has been building up since the advent of the industrial revolution in the mid-1700s, mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) and the cutting down of forests. Human activities have also increased the emissions of other greenhouse gases, such as methane, nitrous oxide, and halocarbons. Halocarbon emissions come from the release of certain manufactured chemicals to the atmosphere. Examples include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were used extensively in refrigeration and for other industrial processes before their presence in the atmosphere were found to cause stratospheric ozone depletion. Methane concentration has increased mainly as a result of agriculture; raising livestock (which produce methane in their digestive tracts); mining, transportation, and use of certain fossil fuels; sewage; and decomposing garbage in landfills. About 70% garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-69069202074087984772019-11-19T12:22:00.001-08:002019-11-19T12:22:02.546-08:00Analysis of Surveillance Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 7Analysis of Surveillance Systems - Essay Example The views are largely othersââ¬â¢ views and The Economist, to a large extent, engages in reporting and discussing the features of the developments rather than criticising the systems. The other article discussed in this paper is ââ¬Å"Trading Liberty for Illusionsâ⬠by Wendy Kaminer published in the 2nd issue of the 22nd volume of the Free Inquiry Magazine. The focus of the article is broader than The Economistââ¬â¢s as it argues in general about all security measures and systems. The article rejects security systems as illusions and builds a strong argument against security systems on the basis that they are invasive and repressive and threats to civil liberties. The strategies used by The Economist makes its article argumentative to some extent and descriptive and expository to a large extent, whereas those employed by Kaminer makes her article more an argument. To illustrate, The Economistââ¬â¢s article on surveillance systems is largely a detailed account of the various developments in the ICT enabled surveillance systems, their features and how they promise to deliver greater and more effective security systems. An example it gives is of security systems capable of studying biometric features or physiological posture and movements. Another is of a system that can identify not only suspicious behavior but also correlate them to their contexts to help determine whether a particular action or a person is actually a threat. However, Kaminer uses examples of various security systems, both historical and current, not to focus on their description and development, but to use them as evidence to support her thesis and advance her argument tha t security measures have been only illusions and tramped on liberties. garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-73706341462524620162019-11-17T00:53:00.001-08:002019-11-17T00:53:06.536-08:00Competition Bikes Inc. Storyline Essay Example for Free Competition Bikes Inc. Storyline Essay To: Vice President The following is a summary report to recommend whether Competition Bikes should change its traditional costing method to activity based costing, and an analysis of the breakeven point with regards to sales units and dollars for both CarbonLite and Titanium bikes. It also discusses the impacts to the breakeven point. The cost-volume-profit evaluation and the traditional vs activity based costing method overhead analysis were used for the review and analysis. Traditional Based Costing vs Activity Based Costing Traditional Based Costing Method (TBC). TBC uses one rate, the overall cost of production, to estimate costs based on the revenue production created. Unlike ABC, manufacturing costs in TBC are only assigned to sold merchandises and do not account for nonmanufacturing costs such as administrative costs. This method is general not as accurate as ABC as it does not account for costs specifics to the level of products. For Competition Bikes, the company can see its manufacturing overhead is $239,020 for the Titanium bikes, and $232,380 for the CarbonLite bikes for a total of $471,400 in overhead costs. This means the unit cost for each is $713 for Titanium bikes, and $1359 for the CarbonLite bikes. Activity Based Costing Method (ABC). ABC determines and allocates cost by activities a company executes. This generally happens in four steps: identify each activity and its associated costs, both total and indirect; estimated cost driver and quantity; allocation computation; and cost allocation to the respective activity. ABC refines the way indirect costs are allocated to production and focuses on the costs of each individual activity. Costs are also further assigned to each product within the activities and each activity has its own cost driver. Because of theà specificity, active based costing provides a more accurate picture of the true costs. Direct material (DM), and direct labor (DL) are the same for each bike in using TBC or ABC. However, in using ABC, the company can break out the manufacturing overhead into factory setups, quality control, engineering services, product movements, utilities and services, and depreciation. The total for each bike using the ABC method is $590,715 for Titanium bikes, and $729,985 for CarbonLite bikes. Although the total is still the same $471,400 in overhead costs, the ABC method allows Competition Bikes to see that the Titanium bikes depreciate much faster than the CarbonLite and that it takes more utilities and services to make those bikes. Factory setups and quality control are much higher for CarbonLite bikes than those for Titanium ones. Per unit, the Titanium Bikes cost $656 each and the CarbonLite bikes cost $1460. Recommendation. It is recommended to use ABC to determine true costs associated with activities and products. This will give the company more knowledge of its finances and spending and in return by seeing a clearer picture of costs, make better decisions on funding and budget, and gain cost savings. Activity based management in Competition Bikes can use ABC to make decisions that increase profits while still meeting customer needs. Understanding where costs are going will help Competition Bikes to remove unnecessary costs and set fair price for the products. Overpricing products causes a lost in market sharing while underpricing products diminishes revenue. Better prices for consumers means more business for the company. With activity based costing, Competition Bikes will be able to determine the optimum sales units required with the sales mix of 9 Titanium bicycles produced for every 5 CarbonLite bicycles that will produce the bikes at San Diego at breakeven. The company will also be able to reevaluate activities on a regular basis to reduce future costs as well. Evaluating activities and setting sales prices are part of value engineering. Currently the company thinks it costs $1359 to make a CarbonLite bike and have set the selling price accordingly. In reality, the bikes cost $1460 to make. With a $101 difference, the company may want to adjust their selling price in future months. Using ABC also allows the company to use the Just in Time (JIT) system. This system allows ensures materials are purchased just in time to produce the products, and products are completed just in time for delivery. JIT uses the demand-pull system to receive the order, schedule production, delivered materials, and finished product delivered to the customer. This lessens the amount of excess parts and inventory saving the company money as well. Breakeven Point This analysis will evaluate the breakeven point for Competition Bikes Inc. Sales units and sales dollars will be identified for the breakeven point. These sales units and dollars will be broken down between CarbonLite and Titanium bikes. The breakeven point is used my companies to prevent loss. The Cost Volume Profit (CVP) is the tool in which to capture the breakeven point. Sometimes it is referred to as the breakeven analysis. The CVP assists the company in identifying future operation need, production costs, and expansion possibilities based on estimating costs, prices, and volumes. This profit response can help Competition Bikes determine the amount of needed sales, what products to manufacture, pricing policies, marketing strategies, and how much profit is actually needed. In this analysis we will assume that the fixed and variable costs remain constant, and that the number of units produced equals the number of units the company sells. CVP is defined by the equation Total Revenues ââ¬â Total Costs = Profit. The breakeven point is the point in which the CVP equals zero or, Revenues ââ¬â Expenses = 0. Meaning, the revenues cover all the costs, fixed and variable. Therefore, the CVP can be further broken down into Total Revenue ââ¬â Total Fixed Costs ââ¬â Total Variable Costs = Total Profit. The contribution margin is then identified by Total Revenue ââ¬â Total Variable Costs (leaving out the fixed costs). Contribution Margin is important to identify the differences in each productââ¬â¢s profits. For Competition Bikes, the contribution margin for the Titanium bikes is $900-$679=$221. Theà CarbonLite Bikes yield $1495-$1384=$111 each. Using the 450 Titanium bikes and 250 CarbonLite bikes sold, the total combined contribution margin for Competition Bikes is $127,000. Thatââ¬â¢s broken down like this: Titanium Bikes contribution margin of $221 per unit, 450 units equals $221*450, or $99,450. CarbonLite bikes contribution margin of $111 per unit, 250 units equals $27,750. Contribution margins $99,450 + $27,750 = $127,200 Total Contribution Margin. To determine the profits in more detail, we use the equation (Selling Price (per unit) * Quantity Sold) ââ¬â (Variable Costs (per unit) * Quantity Sold) ââ¬â Fixed Expenses = Breakeven Point (Zero). The fixed costs are the units sold * the weighted average contribution margin. The weighted average contribution margin is used to find the breakeven point and is essentially the average of contribution margin amounts per unit. The equation is Total Contribution Margin / Total Quantity Sold. For Competition Bikes, our combined weighted average contribution is $181.71. Thatââ¬â¢s $127,200/ 700 units sold (450 Titanium and 250 CarbonLite bikes) = $181.71. To establish the breakeven point, we also need to know the combined revenue and costs as well. So we calculate total revenue as the following. Titanium bikes are $900 each and 400 units sold, equals $405,000. The CarbonLite bikes are $1495 each and 250 sold which equals $373,750. Combine the $405,000 + $373,750 = $778,750 Total Combined Revenue. The variable costs for each are Titanium bikes: $679 in costs, 450 sold, which equals $305,550 or $679*450 = $305,550. CarbonLite bikes: $1384 in costs, 250 sold, which equals $346,000, or $1384*250= $346,000. The two together, $305,550 + $346,000 = $651,550 Total Combined Variable Costs. The total combined margin can also be calculated by taking $778,750 subtracting the $651,550 and it equals the same $127,200 Total Combined Margin we calculated earlier. We use this as a check and balance system here. To determine the breakeven units, we look at the fixed costs and weighted average contribution margin discussed earlier. The fixed cost for the company is $400,000. Divided by the weighted average contribution marginà 181.71, we get the breakeven units for the product sales mix of 2201. The contribution margin ratio is the percentage of contribution margin to revenue. To find the contribution margin ratio, we divide the total combined margin by the total revenue. This tells us by how much the price per unit exceeds the variable cost per unit. In this scenario, Total Combined Margin $127,000 divided by Total Revenue $778,750 which is .163, or $127,000 / $778,750 = .163 Contribution Margin Ratio. Since the bikes are not equal, we must calculate a product mix in addition to the weighted average. Using the weighted average, we can calculate the breakeven point in a proportionate way using sales units and sales dollars. For sales units, we take the breakeven units for the product sales mix and multiply it by the ratio of units sold divided by the total number of unit sold. So for Titanium, the sales units at the breakeven point is [450 / 700] * 2201, or 1415 units. For CarbonLite, [250 / 700] * 2201 = 786 units. To calculate the sales dollars, we multiply the sales units by the sales price. In this instance, Titanium is 1415 units multiplied by $900 cost for each unit or, 1415 * $900 = $1,276,500. CarbonLite is 786 units multiplied by $1495 price for each unit, or 786 * $1495 = $1,175,070. The combined total sales dollars is $2,451,570 To break even, the profit must be zero. Gains and losses are equal. For Competition Bikes, the breakeven point is 1415, or $1,276,500 in Titanium bikes, and 786 CarbonLite bikes, or $1,175,070. Impacts of the Breakeven Point A2b. Based on an evaluation of cost-volume-profit, Prepare a summary report that describes the impacts to the breakeven point if company management needed to increase the cost of direct materials by 10% cost increase and needed to add $50,000 in fixed costs to the production facility. Company management has asked for a report on the impacts of increasing theà cost of direct materials by 10% and fixed costs by $50,000 in relation to the breakeven point. The contribution margin and weighted average are based in part on direct materials, or variable costs. Raising the costs by 10% is significant and will have a great impact on the company. Total Revenue is $778,750 and variable costs now $681,800. This increase is broken down by variable cost per unit to $709 for Titanium bikes, and $1551 for CarbonLite. The Contribution Margin per unit is now 191 and 44 respectively lowering the total combined contribution margin to $96,950. CarbonLite bikes contribution margin decreased from $111 to $44 per unit, over a 60% decrease. Calculated by dividing the Total Combined Contribution Margin $96,950 by the Total Units of 700, the 138.50 weighted average contribution margin per unit also dropped by 24% from 181.71. This shows how significant a 10% can be to the contribution margin. Ten percent in one area can mean much larger impact in other areas. With an increase in fixed costs to $450,000 that now brings the breakeven units for the product sales mix to 3249. We calculate this by $450,000 fixed costs divided by the lower weighed average contribution margin 138.50. This continues to affect numbers as we calculate sales units and sales dollars. Titanium bikes sales units are 450 units divided by 700 total units, multiplied by the weighted average 3249 for 2089 units. CarbonLite bike sales units are 250 units divided by the 700 total units, multiplied by the weighted average 3249, totaling 1160 sales. Sales dollars are calculated as Titanium bikes 2089 units * $900 = $1,880,100 and CarbonLite bikes as 1160 units * $1495 = $1,734,200 for a total $3,614,300. The breakeven point is now increased. Sales for Titanium bikes is now up to 2089 units, or $1,880,100 and CarbonLite bikes up to 1160 units, or $1,734,200. By raising direct costs 10% and fixed costs 13%, Competition Bikes now has to sell 674 more Titanium bikes, and 374 CarbonLite bikes to break even. Thatââ¬â¢s a 48% increase. Based on this analysis, it would be in Competition Bikes best interest to try to keep costs low. Variable and fixed costs show that a small increase can significantly impact the companyââ¬â¢s breakeven point. Variable costs have a higher impact than fixed costs. Direct costs per unit should be specifically addressed in reducing costs as well as increasing sales. garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1560392849476790685.post-25091021604963043042019-11-14T13:25:00.001-08:002019-11-14T13:25:04.496-08:00Education Philosophy Essay -- Educating Educational Teacher Teaching EEducation Philosophy The purpose of public education is to enable students to be contributing members of society. Without it, the world would not be as we know it today in a very intelligent and complex society. Education is important in very many ways, probably too many to be listed. But I believe that among all other things that it allows students, by being educated, to live their lives in a way in which they can be successful in whatever they do. By learning about the trials and errors of those who came before us permits students to make well thought out decisions later on in their life. I personally hope to be able to better my students' lives by educating them about the overall curriculum and standards brought about today and also relating the curriculum to real life situations that they might one day take part in. I hope that my students will understand that it is necessary to complete their assignments and get an education in order to have a happy and successful life. Because using the same routine day after day can cause a loss of interest in students, I will be flexible in my ways of teaching. I will try to use many different types of learning techniques such as group work. As far as discipline in the classroom I plan on being a teacher that when a student breaks the rules he/she will be punished for it accordingly. I believe that by doing this it will help them once they are in the real world. Hopefully I will be able to install that there... garyjones1449http://www.blogger.com/profile/14883817662023182343noreply@blogger.com0