Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Pigs, Dogs, Cats, Horses, and Rats Help Win the Civil War Essay

The Civil War intensified pork production as firms strove to meet the needs of the war effort. Beef packing also increased dramatically during the war, but dwindled after it ended, as cities like Kansas City that were closer to the centers of cattle farmers began to dominate production. As plants grew, the operations became more mechanized & specialized. The introduction of the refrigerated rail car in 1869 dramatically bolstered the industry, allowing it to become a year-round industry and to expand internationally (Dictionary of Wisconsin History, 2013). The North had a greater advantage than the South in that their commissary system was already established at the outbreak of the war, while the Confederacy struggled for many years to obtain food and then get it to its armies. By the end of the war, many soldiers in the Confederate army were on the verge of starvation. During the Civil War There were plenty of other Civil War food options on a soldier’s menu (The American Civil War, 2013). The salt pork that was given to the soldiers during the war was a stinky kind of blue extra-salty meat, with hair, skin, dirt, and other debris on it. It was, however, their main supply of protein. Salt beef was basically all of the very worst parts of a cow, including organs, necks, and shanks. But the basic meat was pork. When in enemy territory, the soldiers frequently helped themselves to chickens, fruits, vegetables, and other items from local farms and households. However, â€Å"During the final months of the war, more than a few horses, mules, dogs, cats, and even rats were eaten by soldiers,† said a Confederate doctor (Civil War Food, 2013). Rats especially were found to be quite a luxury: †¦superior, in the opinion of those who eat them, to spring chicken†¦and there were few among the garrison whose natural prejudices were so strong as to prevent them from cooking and eating their share. Nor did rats appear on the starvation menus of only besieged Confederates. In the winter of 1862-63 in Virginia, [Union soldier Berry] Benson and others on picket found many rats, and they teased each other about trying them. Soon someone killed a few and roasted them. They found that they tasted rather like a squirrel. If that time were back, I don’t think I would not be squeamish,’ Benson said later. ’ (Davis, 2003, p. 24) After the Civil War The market for Texas cattle diminished after the Civil War & ranchers were left holding several million heads of cattle. Ranchers began to drive their cattle north again in 1866, but with little financial gain. Fortunately for the cattlemen, the close of the Civ il War also marked a major transition in U. S. meat-consumption patterns. A national preference for pork abruptly gave way to beef. Cattle worth $4 a head in Texas might be sold at $40 a head in Missouri or Kansas. In addition, a ready workforce was already in place: the de-commissioned horsemen of the Confederate cavalry plus freed ex-slaves and Mexican gauchos combined to provide a ready supply of skilled horsemen. Soon others saw the wild Texas herds as a ready means to tap into the lucrative northern market with little start–up capital. The famous Chisholm Trail became a major route. The trail was established in 1865 by Jesse Chisholm and ran 600 miles from San Antonio, Texas, to Abilene, Kansas. Typically rivers and Indian lands had to be crossed, but good grazing, relatively level terrain, and higher prices waiting at the destination made the hazards worthwhile. Drives were cost-effective too—a drive of 2,000 or more cattle usually required only a trail boss and a dozen cowhands. In 1867, the Goodnight-Loving Trail opened markets for Texas cattle in Colorado & New Mexico. Cattle ranching had become big business and attracted Eastern investors. In 1869, more than 350,000 head of cattle were driven along the Chisholm Trail. By 1871, more than 700,000 head were driven along the route. The Reconstruction Period The post-war Reconstruction period was difficult and would have been different in at least two ways if President Lincoln had not been assassinated. First, Lincoln would have been more generous in providing government aid to the fallen South. Instead, President Andrew Johnson punished the South. Moreover, if Lincoln had been the post-war president, it is likely that there would have been a lot less racism and he might have even prevented racist and white-supremacists like the KKK and other groups (Nicely, 2011). Second, the death of Abraham Lincoln changed all the plans by which a Southern state could be readmitted into the Union. Lincoln wanted to reunite the Union quickly by showing forgiveness. Most of the moderate Republicans in Congress supported his plan because they thought it would make a more immediate end to the war. Reconstruction would have gone much more smoothly if Lincoln had not been assassinated (Nicely, 2011). Industrialization and urbanization during Reconstruction brought many changes to the social, economical and political lives of the people. Industrialization led to mass production of goods with technological advances which led to cheaper products and better living conditions for the average American. With the improvement of living conditions, came the need of more workers at the factories. This need led to the migration of people to rural areas to the cities. The migration of the people to the cities and the addition of more and more factories lead to harmful contaminants in the environment such as water and air pollution. We also had the distinction of social classes given the wealth differences among the business entrepreneurs and factory workers. There was also a change in the family structure. Men and women who worked in the same factory performing the same task were paid differently. This structure established what we know today as having the man be the â€Å"breadwinner† and the woman encouraged to stay at home with the children. At this point, children were seen as low-cost labor. Race Relations The federal and/or state courts and legislatures handed down decisions or passed laws during the period that served to discriminate against non-white citizens and immigrants in many ways. The Black Codes were enacted in the South to regulate the status and conduct of the newly freed slaves. This deprived black people of many rights given only to whites such as owning property, to testify in court with whites, to make contracts, travel, preach, speak, and many more. Also contrary to expectations of the Bill of Rights, the court also held that because the amendment provided that â€Å"no state shall† deprive persons of the rights its guaranteed, Congressional legislation protecting blacks and Republicans from Ku Klux Klan violence exceeded the power of the federal government. References Civil War Food (2013). Retrieved from http://www. civilwaracademy. com/civil-war-food. html). Davis, W. C. (2003). A Taste for War: The Culinary History of the Blue and the Gray. Stackpole Books. Mechanicsburg, PA. Dictionary of Wisconsin History (2013). Retrieved from http://www. wisconsinhistory. org /dictionary/index. asp? action=view&term_id=10802&term_type_id=3&term_type_text=things&letter=M) Gale Encyclopedia of U. S. Economic History (1999). Retrieved from http://www. ncyclopedia. com/topic/Cattle_drives. aspx Mitchell, P. B. (2013), â€Å"Cooking for the cause. † Retrieved from http://www. civilwar. org/education/pdfs/civil-war-curriculum-food. pdf Nicely, B. J. (2011). What IF #5—How would have Reconstruction been different if Lincoln had not died on April 15, 1865? Retrieved from http://deeprunwildcats. org/nicely/? p=631 The American Civil War (2013). Retrieved from http://www. ducksters. com/history/civil_war/ life_as_asoldier_duri ng_the_civil_war. php

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Dear friend – a letter about Animal Farm

Dear friend! We've just read â€Å"Animal Farm† in class. â€Å"Animal farm†, or â€Å"Animal Farm: A Fairy Story† as the original title was, was a little manuscript which was published right after the Second World War by George Orwell, ever heard of him? It was a book that was originally placed in the shelves of children's books, and was read as a fairytale (as the previous title presumed you would do). But behind the naive and sort of innocent surface, there was a hidden message†¦ between the lines there laid a story about political reforms and great historical events. A story about revolution, power and animalism! It's really good! â€Å"Animal Farm† is a short novel based on the hard life of the animals, which live somewhere in England on a farm called â€Å"Manor Farm†. After the oldest pig on the farm realizes he is going to die soon, he gathers all the animals on the farm in the barn to tell about his dreams for the future: A revolutionary dream, where animals are the one in command, not the humans. The story that follows tells us about how the animals are getting their much wanted power, and how they use it, and don't use it. When I read â€Å"Animal Farm†, I clearly saw that the animals in the story were actually used to illustrate real human beings from historical revolutions. Just as a puppet show for children. The Russian Revolution, which is the most obvious revolution you would compare the content in the book with, is rewritten in a humorous way, excellent done by the author. With this in mind, it is therefore easy to see that for instance the group of sheep at the farm are the masses, the followers, the kinds that â€Å"don't give a damn† about what's going on. That's how the masses in the real life revolution were described as well. You may then see what I realized after reading this easy-read novel: You must always ask questions. Don't take things for granted, don't do things just because you're told so, and most important: Don't be a sheep! Just instead of telling the heavy story like in a history book, he puts his own individual twist on it. And it sells! George Orwell tells a story about the past (and present) to inform the public. He expresses his opinions by letting the readers have a look at the puppet show of the revolutions, a satiric story which warn us against communism and dictatorship. I loved â€Å"Animal Farm† because I find it funny, but at the same time educational and interesting. It made me think, and wary of the government! I think this is a book with meaning and moral lessons for everyone; it's suitable for all age, especially pupils and students, so it's perfect for you! I would say this is a unique fable, with a classic theme, and with a brilliant ending (which I won't reveal to you). It's sort of â€Å"mind-blowing†! I hope by telling you this that you will experience the same thing! Order it now! It can never be read too often! 🙂 Best regards, Tony.

Monday, July 29, 2019

HRM & Employment Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

HRM & Employment Relations - Essay Example bloggers to the creation of content that captures the attention of the public ensures that the repetitive action of content creation and content regeneration never ceases, because the audiences are always looking to read and respond to the blogs. Therefore, blogging reinforces effective networking, without encouraging or displacing the consolidation of the blogging networks (). Nevertheless, blogging is a highly personal style of writing to a highly impersonal audience, meaning that it is an effective way of helping interpret the thought process of both the bloggers and the audience who read and responds to the blogs, considering the fact that each of these parties does it on their own terms and in their own style of understanding and reacting to the subject matter (). Then impact of blogs is that it is of the most effective ways of having an organization discuss organizational issues at lengths with the employees, meaning that blogging can highly improve the communication within an organization (). Therefore, blogging is a valuable tool for organizations, since it can make it possible for the organization to understand the feelings, thought process and reaction of individual employees regarding different organizational issues. This is because, blogging entails the application of a highly personalized mode of communication, meaning that it is easy for the organization to understand each of the contributors to the organizational blogs (). However, blogs can be a potential disaster, since they may result in the employees and the organization creating a conflict and misunderstanding regarding various subjects of blogging, which would in turn be transmitted into the physical work environment. Blogs have an influence on face-to-face communication, cons idering the fact that the interaction that is online between the audience and the bloggers is the same that will eventually be transmitted into physical communication (). This means that blogging forms the content of the

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Answer the question below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Answer the question below - Essay Example As described by Berbatov, Hitler had a strategic plan of achieving his goal through developing a political slogan and spirit among the Germans that absorbed everybody to act along a particular line (Murray and Allan 63-4). It is evident that Hitler and his advisors resorted to various ways of eliminating its opponents and identified subjects. The best approach was to institute the Germany army into its Nazi machinery. With the help of Propaganda and tactical incitement of the Germans against the Jews and other alleged inferior races, the Nazi army was motivated to commit widespread atrocities that are estimated to have cost about 12 million lives. Berbatov’s understanding of the German army operations in the battle field and concentration camps explores the source of the mass killings that revolutionized the socio-economic and political face of the world into the modern times. The greed for power and craving desire to bring new order to the world by Hitler significantly explained his relentless efforts to champion for communism through Nazi operations. Berbatove explains how the German’s were brainwashed and recruited into Nazi soldiers with one goal of restoring their lost glory in the world socio-political and economic position (Murray and Allan 65-7). This spirit of pure German blood being diluted by the Jews brought tension which explains the mass killing of people in geographic ally dispersed concentration camps and military battle against allied forces of the West, United Kingdom among others. It is therefore clear that Berbatov’s assertion on the significance of Nazi army on the committed crime against humanity by Hitler is true. The Battle of Atlantic gained pace after the fall of France in 1941 as the principle power in the Atlantic waters. The Germans had direct access to Atlantic waters with their well-armed and sophisticated submarines. This posed a

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Moral & Cultural Relativism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Moral & Cultural Relativism - Essay Example One person may hold the opinion that strawberry flavor is sweeter than a Vanilla flavor. According to that person, no reasoning can be applied to decide whether his opinion concerning the taste is right or wrong. In this case, the opinions concerning ice cream tastes are relative. In the context of mathematics, when one presents a calculation like 3+3=5, we term the situation as wrong. We do not say that the calculations depend on the taste and perception of the person doing it but we say that the person is wrong. In this case, there are clearly defined standards that differentiate right from wrong. This mathematical example amounts to a context of absolutism. When extended to the contexts of morality, these contexts lead to the aspects of moral relativism and moral absolutism (Rauchut 349). Moral Relativism vs. Moral Absolutism Moral relativism advocates that there are no universal or defined moral standards governing social situations within any given social setting. Moral relativi sts advocate that there are no moral codes of conducts which apply universally at all times. With respect to this assertion, no one can say that someone is wrong or right because such a claim would amount to judging people based on some standards, which is contrary to the ideas of moral relativism. ... In the context of morality, absolutism asserts that moral codes of conduct are relevant at all times, regardless of the situation surrounding the same moral codes. However, moral absolutism allows for flexibility when evaluating morally violated contexts. Absolutists usually allow for the reasoning on the code of conduct with respect to the situation under consideration. For example, according to moral absolutism, the act of killing is wrong. However, the situation surrounding the action might justify the action as appropriate, but not as right. Therefore, moral absolutism acknowledges the existence of universal moral principles everywhere in the world (Rauchut 361). Arguments for Moral Absolutism In the context of morality, I will stand for the aspect of moral absolutism, and stand against moral relativism. In moral absolutism, one can judge a situation as right or wrong, irrespective of the situation under consideration. In the context of social interactions within any given human population, there are situations which are guided by some set of moral principles. For example, stealing is wrong. It is natural to see a parent disciplining a child because the child has stolen from a neighbor. According to absolutism, the act of stealing is based on the unnecessary economic predicament caused by that action to the victim. Therefore, moral principles advocate that it is absolutely wrong to steal, irrespective of the situation. If moral relativism were applied in such a situation, it would argue that the parent should not judge the child as right or wrong by the act of stealing; hence the child would not have been punished. Therefore, moral absolutism helps in developing

Information Technology Malware Management in the Enterprise Essay

Information Technology Malware Management in the Enterprise - Essay Example Every business or an enterprise ought to follow this classic approach with the â€Å"just-on-time† feature that entails malware information assessment and handling (IATAC, 2009). Background Malware problems are ever growing and continue to be a nuisance for computer users. Manufactures of malware programs have continued to increase over the years and by 2010, there were 14 million different malware programs recorded. An astonishing 60,000 sections of malicious code was being discovered every single day. A rather recent work known as the Koobface surfaced, its purpose was to target people on social networks and it’s created profited by making 2 million dollars in one year. A worm known as the Mariposa has been known to create the largest network of zombie machines on the entire planet. Experts, despite making their best efforts, could not calculate its exact size however they were able to pinpoint the number of computers that became infected by Mariposa which was over 12 million. What the worm did was drop spyware that stole susceptible information from the individuals who suffered, which includes bank account numbers and credit card credentials. This idea was completely planned by a solitary hacker in Spain who happened to make a blunder by chance that uncovered him and he was arrested (Milosevic, 2010). Forms of Malware Web attacks are counted amongst the foremost subtle and dangerous ways cyber criminals use. For instance, if you are searching any sites which may seem good and harmless but at the backend they are uploaded with various harmful malware which secretly get downloaded in the browser’s PC. It can happen as such that cyber criminals square measure all their probabilities and then they frame a hijack process. Mostly the advertising banners on these sites are used for such reasons hence it is extremely important that enterprises must place security barriers between the company’s system and internet arrangement (Baloch, 2011 ). Other forms within which malware can be formed include: Botnets Instant electronic messaging Phishing tries Skype malware Gaming malware Redirects If an administrator fails to execute an immediate action once he/she has recognized the entry of malware, then it can be ascertained that a door has been opened for criminals to siphon personal information from the computer. In the fight against the malicious software system, it isn't enough to treat individual infected machines. Enterprise Strategy for fighting Malware Too often, organizations create the error of treating malware infections as a series of irregular occurrences. Anytime a bug is discovered, IT merely cleans up or rebuilds the affected host and the whole system moves on with routine operational tasks. Nonetheless this approach does not permit the enterprise to stay up with progressively aggressive and innovative attack techniques used by malware authors. It is this time when management needs to take corrective action to bypass malware defenses, evade detection, and resist efforts to get rid of it (Zeltser, 2011). In fact, combating malware whether it is a big or a small enterprise atmosphere requires locating suspicious programs on servers and workstations and then executing the strategy for removing them. However it can also be done in the manner to conjointly investigate the areas infected and detecting the departments which interfere with the utilization of malware on the

Friday, July 26, 2019

Analysis assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysis assignment - Essay Example The author has also done a comparison on some of the countries that are big players in international trade and how globalization boosts their level of income. The objective of the article was to prove that countries that specialize in international trade practices are better economically than those that choose autarky. Reading the article has helped me understand the difference in the economic gap as relates to different countries. Key players in the international trade practices such as Germany, U.S.A, and Mexico have been used to explain import and export trade. There are various economic risk factors that the countries have to analyze and determine when and where to engage in such trade practices. For instance, trading among such countries is not only dependant on their produce but also on the prices of goods from other nations. This therefore implies that they will buy goods when the environment is favorable and process them to sell them at a reasonable price. By the term favorable, it implies that the countries take advantage of the reduced prices in the global market, especially when there is a higher supply of the goods. United States, for instance, specializes in the transformation of raw products into processed ones, and hence getting a higher value of their imports. Once processed, the g oods are sold back to the global market, especially when the supply is low, and the demand is high. Technology plays a greater role in determining the success of a product in international market. Countries that have mastered the essence of technology in international trade use it to analyze factors that are likely to benefit their trading activities. The article has proved to me that having a successful economy is not about how much a country can produce but rather how well it can predict the economic environment. With such knowledge, it becomes easier to take up some economic risks by investing in machinery and even importing a product whose

Thursday, July 25, 2019

New Product Launch Marketing Plan Part I Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

New Product Launch Marketing Plan Part I - Essay Example Most critical customer demands that current operators assume are cost efficiency, quality picture, long battery life and durability of the gadgets. It is in this line that Samsung Corporation introduces a new smartphone into the market to address the divergent needs of both local and international markets. Samsung Galaxy s6 is stylish, customer friendly, energy efficient and easy to operate cell phone. Although the market is flooded, most products lack precision evidenced by this product. This provides Samsung with an incredible prospect for market growth. Several of Samsung developed merchandise attract immense admiration worldwide. In this regard, Galaxy s6 will register a fast, momentous market infiltration through a firm business model. In addition, company’s diverse and strong management team, strategic and long-range planning approach shall efficiently help to execute this exciting opportunity (Mohr, Sengupta & Slater, 2010). Other notable strategies that shall improve the cell phones success encompass strong bond with customers and elaborate market research. By the close of the year, Samsung will also have achieved mergers and established strong relationships with different cell phone competitors like Apple and HTC. Samsung phones meet specific market demands. Thus, Samsung Galaxy s6 retail will be a success. The marketing stratagems of Samsung is foundational to its business realization. The marketing strategy of Samsung Galaxy shall be customized fit under the banner of One Samsung (Mohr & Slater 2010). Once Samsung generates innovative electronic appliances and equipment. The strategy encompasses conducting a market analysis to establish the high-tech needs of the customers. Then addressing the needs through effective telecommunication gadgets like the product in line (Samsung Galaxy s6) that is comparatively affordable in the market with sophisticated technological involvement. To have an advanced competitive lead, the

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 6

Reflection paper - Essay Example Players of these games become familiar with some of the outstanding issues in the urban planning profession. Professionals in this field have taken time to study the emerging games in an effort to integrate ideas from the simulated cities to the real life urban planning activities. Without doubt, computer games simulating urban planning activities have gained increasing popularity and proved to be learning source for both students and urban planners. After a close analysis of computer games such as SimCity, it becomes evident that urban planning games are involving and intriguing. Notably, the release of SimCity caused increasing excitement, as players were able to achieve goals that real urban planners are unable to achieve. Notably, the SimCity computer games gave the player an opportunity to control and monitor traffic to determine the levels of happiness exhibited by people and carry out monthly policy reevaluations. In addition, the computer games allowed an individual to carry out GPS tracking of different people. Other intriguing computer games include the Transport Tycoon, Simutrans, Rail Roal Tycoon, and Caesar. Most of these games present a player with a blank city so that the player can develop an efficient and functional system. Players control plots for development, lay down transport systems, and build social amenities. Notably, some companies have advanced and developed simulation games that have a close similarit y to the actual transportation systems. The only difference is that simulation games lack live data. In these games, players can control an entire transportation system determining whether commuters are happy or not. Some of the modern computer games illustrate historical events and integrate realism in an effort to make computer games a learning resource (Levy 45). The most interesting aspect is that urban planners take special interest in analyzing computer games that simulate real life situations.

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Comparison of Political Parties in Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Comparison of Political Parties in Canada - Essay Example The reforms involve harsh penalties and expansion of prison and implementation of mandatory prison sentences for gun crimes. On the other hand, the liberals offer a different approach to resolving of crime. The liberals call on being smart on crime by targeting the real perpetrators of crime (Liberal 1). They also argue that expansion of prisons is a real waste of money and has no impact in a reduction of crime. The direct approach to crime by conservatives is a reflection of their ideology. The party beliefs that there should be laws and programs that are meant not to encourage crime in society. Moreover, the party beliefs increased spending is paramount in addressing challenges facing society and hence more fund for construction of prison facilities. On the other hand, the liberal approach to tackling crime is related to their beliefs that all people should enjoy some freedom. Hence, they are against blanket condemnation of those that get involved in crime. The liberal, therefore, calls for evidence-based way of resolving crime. The liberal party appears more ‘to the left, as compared to the conservative party. This is because the party appears more concerned by individual and environment rights.

Monday, July 22, 2019

Iran Country Assessment Essay Example for Free

Iran Country Assessment Essay The Islamic Republic of Iran is a country governed by a regime that began with a revolution headed by Ayatollah Khomeini over two decades ago. Khomeini was the first to label the United States as the ‘Great Satan. ’ Although the Iranian government denies it, terrorism has been actively supported, both materially and morally, for years by Iran and Iran supports efforts damaging to the U. S. If the more extreme elements in Iran continue to hold power and arm themselves with nuclear weapons, the international repercussions would be far-reaching. Understanding of Iran is important for members of the U. S. Armed Forces in order to comprehend the scope of Iran’s extremist’s leanings. On the other hand, many of Iran’s citizens love the United States and are resentful of Iran’s oppressive regime. The anti democracy and hindrance of personal liberty have taken a large toll on the Iranian youth. Iran’s younger generation has put forth a lot of resistance against this oppressive regime. Over two thirds of Iran’s population is under the age of 30, which is good from an operational standpoint. This massive amount of young people generally feels that there is hope to moderate if not remove the oppressive regime. Recently a few young Iranians have been frustrated to the point of actively demonstrating against the regime. It is also important to mention many younger Iranians want improved relations with the United States. Most urban Iranians have access to the Internet and satellite television and are able to compare their standard of living with that of the United States and Western Europe. The Kurdish people believe that they are a nation in itself that are deserving of a sovereign homeland. After the formation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, many Kurdish sided with the Iranian leftist and protested against Ayatollah Khomeini and his regime. In 1979, the Kurdish formed a rebellion, which ended with thousands of Kurdish dead. Shortly after this, Khomeini centered his power and banded Kurds from serving in government office and greatly enforced freedom of expression. The Party of Free Life of Kurdistan is a militant group that is based out of Iraq but has been consistently performing operations in Iran. Iran has prepared to conduct military action against the group and has moved a large portion of Iran’s military to Kurdistan to hinder the uprising of the militant group. The Party of Free Life of Kurdistan would be a great asset to possible future operation in Kurdistan. The party is semi supportive of the United States but will most likely be more than willing to help in U. S operations in Iran due to their long-term goal of destroying the regime. Iran is a tough operational problem set due to their advanced military and technical power. Operations in Iran should be focused on using the people of Iran to include the youth and Kurdish people. Intelligence operations would be better suited for using Iran’s youth because they are more supportive of the Untied States and have the ability to work in Iran’s government and military. The Kurdish are not trusted in the government and would not be able to provide accurate intelligence. Operations should be held out of North East Iraq due to the likelihood of Iraq cooperating with the United States during operations. Iraq has a large portion of Kurdistan and it would be easy to work with the Kurds right out of Iraq. Iran and Iraq have a long history of war which only furthers Iraqs likelihood of helping the U. S. Iran is a very dynamic and technologically advanced country, which presents many intelligence issues. The help of Kurdistan, Iranian youth and Iraq would greatly increase the likelihood of operational success in Iran.

Battle Royal. Ralph Ellison Essay Example for Free

Battle Royal. Ralph Ellison Essay I felt like he had never experienced racism to the extent that he did that day. I believe that he walked into the â€Å"smoker† believing the white people were actually interested in what he had to say. He was even prideful thinking that he was better than the other boys he was forced into the elevator with â€Å"I felt superior to them in my way, and I didn’t like the manner in which we were all crowded together into the servants’ elevator† (pg. 287). The author writes about them being packed into this elevator designated for â€Å"servants. I pictured animals set for slaughter, which was not far from what the battle was, packed into a cart terrified and bewildered. Perhaps the young man believed that times had changed from when his grandfather was alive. Like the average teenager he may have believed that no one can understand the culture and the time quite like they can. He may have thought that his grandfather’s perspective was that of a bitter old man and that white people really did care about him and the rest of his people. The grandfather’s deathbed words affect the protagonist character throughout the story like the haunting of a ghost. His words tell the young man to act how the white people would like and say what they would have him say. At first I thought he was telling his grandson to stay the same and accept oppression as a way of life. In actuality I think he was telling him that he would get further acting correctly then he would by lashing out or acting irrationally. I think the grandpa knew that in order to gain respect you must act like they expected instead of becoming a radical for change. I think that essentially he was trying to tell his family to â€Å"kill them with kindness. Many symbols were present in this story. The naked blonde woman who was forced to dance in front of the men is the first. I believe that, much like the men, the blonde was a victim. The author even says that when they picked her up and tossed her around she had â€Å"terror and disgust in her eyes. † (pg. 288) To the black men she symbolized something that they were not allowed to have. I thought that although she was w hite she was still a victim to the powerful men of the town. She was forced into the ring the same way that the black men were. It seemed as if the author wanted to illustrate the complete disregard these white â€Å"powerful† men had for any one else. The American flag tattoo on the woman’s belly was ironic. I think that the flag, to many people, symbolizes freedom and rights. People around the world associate the American flag with freedoms unlike those in any other country. I think that on the stomach of the blonde woman it was a slap in the face. The black men saw the flag on her body and knew that they could not have her, nor could they have the freedoms that they were entitled to as citizens of this country. The flag shook and waved with the movements of her body, taunting the men. Waving at them, as if beckoning them to come to her, yet they were unable to because of their skin color. Much like the liberties of the United States that waved themselves in the face of the black people but they could not have because of their skin color. The author mentioned red, white and blue multiple times in the story. I thought that the references to the colors symbolic to this country were interesting. I think he used them much the same as he used the flag on the woman’s stomach. They were symbols exclusive to the United States, which is supposed to be a place of freedom; however the black people were only allowed to take part half way. The author spoke of the men’s red faces from their drinking, and the lipstick of the young woman was also red. The men were white along with the dancers skin which was a stark contrast to the young men she was surrounded by. I think that it is ironic that white is often associated with good, or innocence while black is symbolic of darkness or wickedness. In this story the roles were reversed. The white people were wicked and the black people were victims. Smoke in large quantities creates a blue haze like what might have been present in the ballroom. I think that it is interesting the use of blue because it can be associated with suffocation. I think that is what the white men were doing to the black men. They were suffocating them with their presence and their oppression. The coins that they were forced to scramble for off of the electric mat were terribly sad. They were for cars, which surely none of the men could afford. I thought it was sad they were scrambling for little amounts of money or none at all. Finally the last thing I think that was symbolic was the scholarship. While it was a great gift from the community, I think that it was also another stab at black people and their place in society. By giving the young man a scholarship to the state’s leading black college the town was saying that he was allowed the opportunity to further his education but had to remain in his place amongst the other black people. I thought that the fight the men were fighting was not just against the white people. Sadly the white people turned the black people on one another. The white’s did everything they could to tear the black people down including letting them tear each other apart. I think that the older perspective allows for us to see how he had developed as a man. He has education and a broader perspective on the world. The 17 year olds perspective was very narrow because he had not yet seen the crimes white people were capable of. The older man was not surprised or phased by the way that white people behaved with regards to blacks. I also think that as he grew older he found a part of himself that lacked.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Bella Fleur Wedding Reception Venue Analysis Marketing Essay

Bella Fleur Wedding Reception Venue Analysis Marketing Essay EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Business description and ownership Bella Fleur is a wedding reception venue specializing in classy and entertaining weddings for all cultures and ages (legally of course). I will be the owner of this business, and as a sole trader I am willing to try hard to assess all aspects of a business in this business plan in order to avoid involuntary cessation. I have chosen this legal structure for my business because the decision making aspect will be easier and also conflict between owners of a business that arises during decision making is avoided. As the business grows, if needed I will be able to change the legal structure to something more suitable for the situation. There will be a cultural Lebanese aspect to the venue which will add the entertaining purposes of the weddings. This culture has been held as an inspiration and will evolve in the different services offered by the venue such as foods, entertainment and sometimes decorations. Bella Fleur will offer many options/preferences as well as services and facilities to the client. Bella Fleur does not only offer services during the reception, but also leading up to the wedding. Qualified staff members are available full time to make any couples WHOLE dream day a reality rather than the dream party alone. The wedding reception venue will be located on the main road of one of Sydneys Eastern Suburbs, Double Bay. The address of this business is; 64 Bay Road, Double Bay. I have chosen a visible location and so the promotion of the venue will be quite an easy task. Bella Fleur is part of the services sector of businesses in Australia as the prime function is to organize and host a wedding for any kind of clientele. The services provided by the wedding reception venue include; wedding planners, waiters, entertainment, MCs, Bella Fleur catering, bartenders, cars and all things that are needed to ensure the bride and groom have the perfect day. Purpose of Plan- The purpose of this business plan is to help Bella Fleur Wedding Reception Venue to prevent failure. Many goals will be put in place in order to give the business a main path to follow and things that will be needed to achieve. Some of the goals placed by the business owner (Maya Geagea) include; The social goals Ensuring that all members of the community are offered with a variety of options in order to create the perfect function Offering a diverse range of services to community members The financial goals Expanding the business over a certain timeframe Ensuring that all debt finances are of minimal occurrence Gaining a sufficient profit The personal goals Being successful Creating good consumer awareness Gaining sufficient profits and minimal debts Situational Analysis Strengths Excellent Reputation Good contact base Excellent management skills Excellent quality services Extensive knowledge of the industry sector Highly qualified staff base Weaknesses Lack of consumer awareness Entrepreneurship Minimal startup capital Size of venue Opportunities Extra services will become available Growing economy Expanding locations Competitors suffering financial problems and looking to sell their business Threats Competitors Decreasing economy Increased inflation Increasing service prices Business Objectives and Strategies Objectives Strategies Provide the Bride and Groom with everything they need to make their day perfect Develop a professional, qualified staff base Ensure all services available are provided correctly Ensure that entertainment is always changing. Develop a loyal clientele base Work well with all clients Ensure that the bride and groom and all the guests are all satisfied Be consistent with all clients and ensure that all treatment is fair Add extra services to the business Research extra services that a venue can provide (2 months) Develop the new services (4 months) Have new services tested and running at full capacity (5 months) Quality Rating Complete a survey of how well the business and staff has operated with clients (3 months) Improve and use these surveys as critical analysis and new objectives (3 months) OPERATIONS Operations Description of goods and services All production facilities for the services offered by Bella Fleur will be located at the same site of Bella Fleur. Bella Fleur not only offers a venue for a wedding reception to be held at but also offers planning services to the Bride and Groom. These include services such as; Entertainment This includes DJs, bands, dancers, and all types of entertainers to ensure that the bride/groom as well as the guests experience a memorable and enjoyable night. Decorators Professional decorative designers who will decorate not only the reception, but also the ceremony location in order to create a coherent environment. They will be in charge of the table cloths, chair covers, foyer decorations, centre pieces, chair sashes, bridal table design, backdrop, fireworks and anything else selected by the bride and groom. Chefs Chefs will ensure that the Bride Groom are provided with their dream wedding banquet and all guests appetites are fulfilled. They will also be in charge of preparing the food for the bridal partys picnic while taking photos after the ceremony. Waiters the waiters must ensure that all tables are adequately taken care of and guests receive all they ask for. The head waiters will attend to the bridal partys needs regarding food and drinks on the night. Drivers Cars The Bride and Groom will have a wide selection of cars in order for them to be able to choose their preferred transportation on the big day. This will include cars for the bridal party and also a getaway car for the bride and groom. A picnic lunch is also available with any car selection provided by the kitchen at Bella Fleur. The bride and groom may choose to speak personally to the car company or have the confrontations done by the venue. MCs the bride and groom will have a choice of one or two MCs on the night, which will be chosen from a list of five entertaining public speakers. Flowers The bride will be able to choose from a wide range of flowers and arrangements of all sorts including her own and the bridesmaids bouquets. Once these flowers are chosen, automatically, boutonniere and corsages will be chosen to match the brides choice. Invitations A variety of invitation samples will be shown to the bride and groom and they will be able to choose their favorite invitation base, and alter any decorations on the invitation. **It is optional for the bride and groom to choose to work with a wedding planner. ** The Above services are available at the request of the bride and groom. Personnel Requirements and skills Waiters 10 waiters will be employed overall. Depending on the size of the function, the number of waiters asked to work will vary. No qualifications will be needed from the waiters; however it is preferable that they have worked in some sort of restaurant before. During induction, waiters will be taught the proper way of setting out wedding arrangements for the tables. Wedding Planners Two wedding planners will be employed. The wedding planners must be qualified in the areas of events management. The wedding planner is expected to have completed the events management course. They are required to speak fluent English and also a second language is highly preferred. Wedding planners should be able to communicate with clients clearly and be able not only to fulfill all the clients needs and wants at the venue, but also everything they need leading up to the big day. They will be asked to try to relate to the bride and groom and find the suitable options for the Bride and Groom. Kitchen Staff Three chefs and three kitchen staff will be employed. The chef is expected to fulfill all requirements on the basis of food, and also should be able to alternate and always help create an innovative menu. The three kitchen staff will be employed as the chefs assistants, they will carry out jobs such as washing the dishes, cleaning the kitchen, providing the chef with all ingredients etc. Receptionist The receptionist must be able to deal with all kinds of people and communicate clearly over the phone as well as face to face. It is preferred that the receptionist be a woman, and also be able to take care of all book keeping requirements. MARKETING Marketing Market Analysis Bella Fleur Wedding Reception will begin as a small business, targeted mainly at people looking for a versatile wedding and a variety of options. The target market for this business will range from clients looking for somewhere to have their wedding reception to clients looking for somewhere where they can hold a christening. Marriages around Australia are of high occurrence, and therefore the target market for Bella Fleur will be diverse and ever growing. The table below shows the number of marriages over time from 1988 2007. Total marriages 1998-2007 Graph: Total marriages-1998-2007 Bella Fleur wedding reception has a main goal of market expansion. Over the time frame of ten years, this business will hope to expand and become a franchise. In order to do so, customer awareness will need to be gained and further focused on. Bella Fleur will mainly focus on promotion and customer awareness in the month of March. As statistics show, weddings in Australia were found in 2007 that March was the most popular month. This is show in the table below found on; http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[emailprotected]/mf/3306.0.55.001 Months of marriage 2007 Graph: Months of marriage-2007 Competitor Analysis Within wedding reception industry in Sydney, the competitive environment is quite intense and the number of competitors is fairly large. This means that while Bella Fleur will be entering the market place, there may be many competitive advantages as well as disadvantages. Existing competitors leaving the industry could be an advantage while entrepreneurs opening up businesses in this industry could be a disadvantage. For this business, two main competitors have been chosen and analyzed. They are shown below. Competitor Information Strengths of Competitor Weaknesses of Competitor Bella Fleur Strategies THE VAUDEVILLE FUNCTION LOUNGE 176 The River Road, Revesby NSW 2212 Specializes in all functions Prestige Excellent promotion and customer awareness Large Space Many years experience No cultural aspect Doesnt offer as many services as Bella Fleur High pricing Bella Fleur holds a cultural aspect and offers all kinds of services possible for an event. The budget is flexible and works with the clients budget. Bella Fleur is dedicated to gain customer awareness by promotion skills and in time will also expand the business. DOLTONE HOUSE FUNCTION CENTRE 223 Belgrave Esplanade, Sylvania Waters, NSW 2224 Excellent View Prestige Customer Awareness Franchise Large Business Large spaces Many years experience No cultural aspect Focuses mainly on the reception rather than the planning High pricing Bella Fleur holds a cultural aspect and offers all kinds of services possible for an event. The budget is flexible and works with the clients budget. Bella Fleur is dedicated to gain customer awareness by promotion skills and in time will also expand the business. Product Analysis The main function of Bella Fleur will be to provide clients with all specific and small components of a wedding and all other functions. This may be the main function, however this function will vary from client to client as it is a service that is offered rather than a good and clientele diversity is a given in this type of industry. The budget of the wedding reception will depend of the clients budget. For example, if a client is will to spend only a small amount of money on the wedding, different options will be given to this client than the client who is willing to spend millions of dollars. Changes at these times will occur mainly in menu, which room the function will be held in, how many people will be at the wedding and all different small details. At Bella Fleur, concentration will be placed on customer comfort as well as happiness, the customer must be happy with the services we have to offer before they will open up to the staff and ensure that trust is placed in us. A product analysis is not entirely necessary when planning this kind of business as it offers services rather than goods. Price Analysis At Bella Fleur, prices will depend upon the budget of the client rather than the budget of the reception venue. Many different offers and deals will be given to clients ensuring they are able to choose and adapt the services and products in order to create a dream wedding while working around their own budget. Once a client has chosen the deal which they would like to go ahead with, it is the responsibility of the reception venue to then purchase appropriate goods and plan appropriate methods to ensure that a profit will be made rather than a loss. Prices will vary depending on; The menu The seating plan The number of people The services chosen Decorations Changes made to the hall Promotion Analysis As any business, when Bella Fleur wedding reception venue first opens up, the main short term goal will be to gain high customer awareness. This goal will become long term while the business grows. The location of this business assists in developing its promotion and prestige. The business will be advertised in newspapers, wedding magazines, on street signs and billboards. However, this will not be accomplished with the original startup capital of the business. Direct Marketing, Sales promotion and Publicity will all be used in order to promote the business. Place Analysis Bella Fleur wedding reception is located on the main road of one of Sydneys higher class suburbs. The location of this business is of prime importance especially for its promotion. The venue is overlooking a lake and a beautiful natural environment. This gives Bella Fleur a competitive advantage over its competitors who are often placed in areas where no view is available. FINANCE Finances Financial Forecasts Revenue Statement Revenue Statement for Bella Fleur Wedding Reception Venue For the period ending 31st August 2012 $ $ SALES REVENUE 1 450 000 COGS Opening Stock 500 000 Purchases 200 000 700 000 Closing Stock 100 000 Total 600 000 GROSS PROFIT 850 000 EXPENSES Advertising 5 000 Insurance 2 000 Interest to bank 20 000 Decoration Expenses 30 000 Mortgage 4 050 Salaries and Wages 200 000 Telephone 4 000 Kitchen Stock 80 000 Total 345 050 NET PROFIT (before tax) 504 950 Balance Sheet Balance Sheet for Bella Fleur Wedding Reception As at 30 August 2011 CURRENT ASSETS $ $ Cash in bank 500 000 Account Receivable 420 000 Stock (ingredients) 100 000 Total Current Assets 1 020 000 NON CURRENT ASSETS Equipment 2 450 000 Land 700 000 Building Properties 500 000 Total Non Current Assets 3 650 000 OTHER/INTANGIBLE ASSETS Good will (intangible) 300 000 Total Other Assets 300 000 Total Assets 4 970 000 CURRENT LIABILITIES Bank Overdraft 600 000 Accounts Payable 200 000 Total Current Liabilities 800 000 NON CURRENT LIABILITIES Mortgage 3 516 000 Total Non Current Liabilities 3 516 000 OWNERS EQUITY Capital 500 000 Retained Profits 154 000 Total Equity 654 000 Total Liabilities 4 970 000 1.28LIQUIDITY: Current Assets 1 020 000 Current Liabilities 800 000 CRITICAL REVIEW Critical Review As a student, I think that Ive completed this assignment quite well according to the plan of approach. I followed all my deadlines and completed things before the due date. My understanding of what a business plan had to be like expanded during the course of this assignment as I researched and questioned different aspects of the assignment. I struggled with some sections of the assignment which had not been explained clearly during class time, and I struggled to understand the concept just by looking at internet sites and in the text book. This weakness can be seen in the effort put into the sections. The two sections which I struggled most in were; marketing and finances. I found it difficult to understand the set up and what we had to include in these sections and this was shown in the lack of quality in these sections. I feel that I did quite well in this assignment regarding the circumstances that were put to us. I am glad that I met deadlines, however next time, I will try to understand all content before beginning an assignment. Overall, my progress throughout this assignment was satisfactory and I was happy with the fact that I was able to teach myself things and understand concepts which are found to be difficult just by reading over a text book or internet site. However, the quality of the two sections is a downfall for the assignment. My goals for this assignment were; Meet the deadlines Ensure all the work was understood Complete the assignment to the best of my ability I feel that these goals were fulfilled and am proud of this accomplishment. PLAN OF APPROACH PROGRESS AND RESEARCH BUSINESS PLAN BELLA FLEUR WEDDING RECEPTION VENUE 22736094 YEAR 11 Bibliography Le Montage http://www.lemontage.com.au/index.cfm?html=true Nielsen Park Venues http://www.receptionsearch.com.au/venues/NSW/Eastern%20Suburbs/Nielsen%20Park%20Venues/The%20White%20Pavilion Terrey Hills Golf Club http://www.terreyhillsgolf.com.au/guests/guests.mhtml Dockside Groups http://www.docksidegroup.com.au/

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Queen Elizabeth I - Family, Religion, and Politics Essay -- essays res

Born of a king whose most disappointing day was that of her birth, Elizabeth Tudor’s life seemed almost made for trials and controversy, both personally and politically. Although she had, at times, a horrible temper and a disagreeable personality, and suffered through many physical and psychological problems as an adult, Elizabeth proved to be one of the most remarkable monarchs in English history. Firstly, I will discuss Elizabeth’s family (including her many stepmothers), and then I will talk about her relationship with her siblings under their power. Thirdly, I will examine religion and how it affected her opinions and politics during her reign. Lastly, I will look at foreign politics of the time and some of Elizabeth’s decisions affecting England’s position in the world. Elizabeth was born in 1533 to Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn. Anne was Henry’s second wife, after having divorced the first (Catherine of Aragon) for having failed to produce a male heir to the throne. (On Catherine’s death, her daughter Mary’s birth was declared illegitimate.) Ann had been Catherine’s lady-in-waiting. After Elizabeth’s disappointing birth, Ann Boleyn had two miscarriages. The king was growing impatient for a son. During Ann’s fourth pregnancy, she discovered Henry in bed with her lady-in-waiting, Jane Seymour. Her anger brought on premature labour, and she gave birth to a dead boy. Henry had her arrested and taken to Tower Hill. She was charged with having committed adultery and incest, and was beheaded. The King married Jane Seymour thenext morning. Elizabeth was only three years old at the time. In 1537, Jane Seymour gave birth to a boy, Edward. Jane died a week later. The king remarried quickly (to Ann of Cleves), but the marriage en... ...lso proved to be a wise political move, for she flirted incessantly, and â€Å"not to marry always left the door open to the possibilities of marriage, and that was an asset.... which she did not care to lose† (Read, 162). Though, near her death, more problems were caused by a new generation looking for change (more people were executed in those last few years than all of the other years of her reign put together), Elizabeth Tudor’s name will echo in history books for many years to come as an important figure in English history. References Jenkins, E. (1965). Elizabeth the Great. London: Victor Gollancz. Morris, C. (1955). The Tudors. London: Fontana/Collins. Read, C. (1936). The Tudors: Personalities and Practical Politics in Sixteenth Century England. New York: Henry Holt and Company. Rowse, A.(1950). The England of Elizabeth. London: Macmillan and Co.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Bored - Father :: essays research papers fc

There is a phrase that people here time and time again, but don’t truly understand the meaning of it until the phrase can be applied to their own lives. â€Å"You don’t realize what you have until it’s gone.† Atwood’s poem is a direct reflection of this quote. Her poem â€Å"Bored† talks about how she hated the repetitiveness of her daily events with her father. But it was only until he had passed on was it that she truly did realize how much she missed those daily events. Sometimes people don’t understand how important others mean to them until it is too late. I found the poem â€Å"Bored† to be very well written and very touching. Atwood did a good job of describing how easy it is to overlook some of the better things in life. This poem revolved around repetition. And it was the repetition that makes the reader aware of the love that Margaret has for her father. Her poem starts with â€Å"All those times I was bored out of my mind. Holding the log while he sawed it. Holding the string while he measured, boards, distances between things, or pounded stakes into the ground for rows and rows of lettuces and beets, which I then (bored) weeded†(588). Atwood is obviously conveying to the reader that the time she spent with her father wasn’t what she considered of much importance and actually disliked it. This is because she only saw it as work and as a constant hardship of recurrence on herself. She never comprehended that these days with her father were the better days of her life, and she only wishes she could have them ba ck. â€Å"Why do I remember it as sunnier all the time then, although it more often rained, and more birdsong†(589)? Another aspect that can be derived from this poem is Atwood’s father’s obvious intentions to give her an awareness of the many adversities life can obtain. He has made sure she leads a life that doesn’t result from a spoiled childhood. He made her attentive of a hard days work, which is probably one of the best things a father can teach his child. It is absolutely essential that parents in general teach their children the many hardships life may behold. This gives the child a better direction in means of future obligations. Atwood describes her father’s ambition to show her some of the finer things in life and the beauty of nature and nature’s way of life.

MIS PROJECT :: essays research papers

CONFIDENTIAL MIchigan Supply Inc. Information Systems Initial Plan for Year 2005-20008 CONTEXT MIchigan Supply Inc. (MIS Inc.) is a privately-held automotive parts supplier of a variety of products such as electronics, solenoids, wiring and fuel components. The company is currently located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. INITIAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS MIS is currently separated into 5 departments: Manufacturing and Production with engineers, machine workers and production managers; Finance and Accounting with accounts; Human Resources with human resources staff; Sales and Marketing with salespeople, sales managers, customer service representatives; and Upper Management with secretaries and executives. Required systems and job Functions Each department has its required systems and different job functions which as listed below: o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Manufacturing and Production information systems  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Machine control system to control the actions of machines and equipment  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Production planning system to decide when and how many products should be produced  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Facilities location system to decide where to locate new production facilities  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Graphic system for engineers to design or improve products o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Finance and Accounting information systems  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Accounts receivable system to track money owed the firm  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Budgeting system to prepare short-term budgets  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Profit planning system to plan long-term profits o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Human Resources information systems  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Training and development system to track employee training, skills, and performance appraisals  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Compensation analysis system to monitors the range and distribution of employee wages, salaries, and benefits  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Human resources planning system to plan the long-term labor force needs of the organization o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sales and Marketing information systems  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Order processing system to enter, process, and track orders  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pricing analysis system to determine prices for products and services  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sales trend forecasting system to prepare 5-year sales forecasts o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Upper Management information systems  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Executive support systems to address non-routine decisions requiring judgment, evaluation, and insight; and to filter, compress, track display critical data of greatest importance to executives. Equipment and configuration Currently MIS has 12 machine workers so we need at least 35 workstations. Initially there should be a black and white printer for each of 5 departments and color printers available for engineers, executives and salespeople. Required server services include email, file storage, printing, backup functionality and battery backup system. In addition to the 4 laptops executives currently have, 5 more should be purchased for salespeople for mobility. Equipment to be purchased should be the latest models which are capable of providing the 3 years of services and growth. Fig. 1 shows the company infrastructure configuration. We expect to have 50k to spend on 35 workstations ordered from Dell, 10k on 8 printers from Hewlett-Packard, 200k on server equipment, which should cover the costs of battery backup network switches, servers, tape storage device, serve/workstation software licensing, and 10k on 5 Toshiba laptops for salespeople.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Conflict Assessment of an Ongoing Sibling Rivalry Using the Wilmot-Hocker Conflict Essay

It’s very common for siblings to fight and it’s not uncommon for sibling to throw a punch or two, but what happens when the fighting becomes hate and aggression towards each other. This form of tension between brothers and sisters is called sibling rivalry. Sibling rivalry is a type of competition or animosity among brothers and sisters, blood-related or not. This type of competition or animosity can cause a rift in the sibling’s relationship with one another, which can result in a multitude of fight (sometimes physical) and many verbal altercations as well. Sibling rivalry can also cause various problems within a household, including favoritism, divorce, and a house that is emotionally divided. Stress within the parent’s lives and children’s lives can create more conflict and increase sibling rivalry. Eighty two percent of people in Western countries have at least one sibling, and siblings generally spend more time together during childhood than they do with parents. The sibling bond is often complicated and is influenced by factors such as parental treatment, birth order, personality, and people experiences outside the family. Sibling rivalry is not unique to Western culture and can involve aggression towards one another. Often, sibling rivalry starts before the second child is born and continues as the children mature and compete for everything from toys to attention. Each child in a family competes to define who they are as an individual and wants to show the world that they are separate from their siblings. Children may often feel they are getting unequal amounts of their parents’ attention, discipline, and responsiveness. Children tend to fight more in families where there is no understanding or boundary set that shows that fighting is not an acceptable way to resolve conflicts, and no alternative ways of handling such conflicting situations. In this conflict assessment we will assess the sibling rivalry of a brother and sister who have had an ongoing issue of animosity towards each other for over fifteen years. Using Wilmot-Hocker’s conflict assessment guide, we will be able to understand  each aspect of the conflict and possibly come to a common ground in which they (the siblings) will be able to get along in a more long-term manner. Through this conflict assessment the siblings will be able to explore the possible solutions to assist in resolving this issue in a sensible manner. The two subjects that will be assessed today are DeMarcus (33 years old) and Danett (25 years old). They are blood related siblings and share the same parents. They’ve been living in consistent animosity of each other for over fifteen years and they continue to fight (physically) and argue. Their parents are tired of this frequent quarrel between them, and the parents feel like the conflict is driving a wedge into their household. The two siblings, now that they are adults, can see the toll their quarrel has caused, within their relationships with others (personal and intimate) outside of their family and also within the frame of their intermediate family. Nature of the Conflict From prior questions asked to the subjects, there are a various number of triggering events that have cause this particular conflict. Numerous acts of belittlement, hatred, physical violence, neglect, bullying, abuse, and threats over the years have escalated this conflict out of control. DeMarcus states that the conflict began when Danett was born and he expressed his dyer need, want and concern for a younger brother. DeMarcus states that Danett has always been an over achiever that has always captured the attention, no matter if the attention was good or bad, of their parents. Danett’s personal concerns and issues became more alarming when she expressed her feelings on why her issue or animosity towards her brother was so strong: â€Å"When I was younger, I lived in the shadow of my older brother. Any activity that my brother was in, I wanted to participate in as well. I was basically the tag-a-long little sister, until I turned the age of ten, then things began to change a bit. One day DeMarcus and his best friend where playing a game and I was in another room. When my brother finished the game with his friend he left to go use the bathroom, leaving his friend unattended. His friend, at that time, got up and came into the room that I was in and began to fondle me. My brother came back to the room to see his friend was gone and decided to search around the house for him. When  DeMarcus came into the room I was screaming, â€Å"Stop! Stop it!† But instead of DeMarcus trying to get his so-called best friend off of me, he sat and watched as I fought to get away from his teenage friend.† â€Å"Later that night when our mother picked us up, I whispered to her that I needed to talk to her about something important and my mother told her that we would discuss it when they got home in private. As soon as we arrived home, I began to tell her mother what happened and immediately she called DeMarcus into the room to question him about the events that took place. DeMarcus stood in my mother’s face and called me a liar and said that it never happened. I was crushed and didn’t know if my mother believed me and I felt abandoned in a sense.† Danett continued to express her concerns of hurt, worthlessness, embarrassment and betrayal, and that her relationship with her brother became a downward spiral of abuse and deceit. When asking DeMarcus about the events that took place, he claimed that he had no recollection of this ever happening, but quickly interject with the comment, â€Å"If she was a boy then that wouldn’t have happened to her!† Danett explains that this is always DeMarcus’ negative attitude towards her, and that these comments always are the heated beginning of a fist fight between them. Argument is â€Å"reason giving† (Benoit 1992; Rowland and Barge 1991) one makes claims and backs them up (Keough 1992). DeMarcus, in order to maintain innocence from accusation, begins to belittle Danett in order to get his innocence across to whoever is listening. The arguer tries to get others to â€Å"recognize the rightness† of his or her beliefs or actions (Benoit 1983, 550). Interpersonal argumentation, then, has a place in our everyday conflicts and negotiations (Trapp 1981, 1989). Orientation to the Conflict The attitudes expressed in the conflict are ones of deceit, regret, close mindedness, unhappiness and a loss of self-esteem. In many ethnic household certain issues are swept under the rug and never discussed causing suppressed feelings and hidden issues. Danett explains: â€Å"I would try to discuss the issues I had with my mother. I felt that since she was once a young girl, like me, she would understand where I was coming from with my  concerns. My mother was very good at trying to make my problems go away through the acts of prayer and faith. My mother tried to make me a firm believer in the motto: Let go and let God. Which in translation means: Let your burdens go and let the Lord handle them; no need to stress. My family was very good about trying not to stress over things and trying to sweep problems under the rug or resolve an issue in a timely and quiet manner. Even though the issue was never discussed again, the emotional and mental scars were there and I felt like I could never trust my brother again and I could never come to anyone in my family with any of my problems. My biggest fear was that the acts of faith I was taking through my cultural and religious beliefs were going to make the situation worse and my fear came true.† A person is supposed to say what he or she means to resolve disagreements through the use of power (as in competition) or by working things out together (collaboration) (Wilson 1992). The problem is that when we are angry, we may exaggerate an offense, seek revenge, and then lead ourselves and others into unproductive and wasteful conflict (Planalp 1999). DeMarcus expressed: â€Å"Danett has always been an over achiever (in sports and academics) and has always captivated the attention of the family. I admit, I always wanted a brother and I say that every day because I don’t understand what others see in her that draws them to her. She makes me feel worthless to others in the family and I treat her how I feel. Thus is why I belittle her and allow things to happen to her because I feel she deserves the treatment I give her.† DeMarcus, aside for the feelings he bestowed above, made it clear that he wanted to make this situation better with his sister. â€Å"I love my sister, don’t get me wrong! At the time, I could understand why I wasn’t treated more like her. I felt unwanted and when I failed in certain areas, she would succeed. This is one of the main problems I have with her. Her ongoing success was acquired during birth and when I was unable to succeed, I started to resent her. When my plans of â€Å"trying to bring her down† didn’t work, I think that when I became more physical and wanted her to be in physical pain as well as emotional.† The noted interest to resolve this  issue between the siblings is very evident. They (the siblings) keep maintaining the fact that they not only want to resolve this issue, but they want to better their relationship with one another. Interest and Goals The role of each person has in the interaction with others is a form of identity goals, and how one wants to resolve the conflict is process goals. I believe that when you open the lines of communication with your colleagues or relatives, everyone is able to approach the problem respectively, than the parties involved will receive a positive outcome that will allow the parties to further their relationship. The main interest and goals of these two siblings, is to come to an understanding of one another’s feelings in order to function as a family and to decrease the rift between them. Both of the parties want to accomplish the same goal, in order to alleviate the consistent arguing. Danett and DeMarcus, though they are both adult and live in separate locations of the United States, believe that the alleviation of this conflict between them will bring them closer together and allow their parents a form of relief from the added stress this conflict has caused. Power According to (Kritek 1994;90) People using dominance (power or control) for their own needs do so out of fear or insecurity. The ability to control one’s environment, including the behavior of others is power. The siblings are exhibiting a balance of power between each other. Danett’s power over DeMarcus comes from her achievements and her existence on this earth, while DeMarcus’ power comes from his insults, his nonchalant attitude towards his family, and his inability to act like an older brother and allow others to take advantage of his sister mentally and sexually, when she was younger. Styles Hearing both sides of the situation and understanding the tactics used in each altercation of conflict, the styles exhibited in this conflict are varied. There are threats, which is a commonly used competitive tactic. We rush to use threats because we believe they are effective (Johnson and Ford  1996; Rubin, Pruitt, and Kim 1994). DeMarcus would threaten Danett and in return a fight would escalate, inflicting both a negative cast of physical and mental pain within one another. This act is also a form of verbal aggressiveness; which is a broader category of communication than threats. Rather than just telling someone what might happen to them, when you use verbal aggression you â€Å"attack the self concepts† of other people (Infante and Wigley 1986). These aggressive tactics overlap and become known as bullying. Bullying is â€Å"ongoing, persistent badgering, harassment and psychological terrorizing†¦ that demoralizes, dehumanizes and isolates those targeted† (Tracy, Lutgen-Sandvik, and Alberts 2004, 3; Lutgen-Sandvik, Tracy, and Alberts 2005). After the massive verbal assaults between the siblings, violence would soon occur between them. Violence is when conflict interactions move beyond threats and verbal aggressiveness, often involving a multitude of physical pain and or danger. These styles are very collective and evolve into one another. Assessment Given all the facts of the conflict, I feel that a third-party intervention should be available for mediation. Meditation is an act of resolving conflict positively between parties using a mediator or third party help. Mediation is defined as a process in which a third-party helps (mediator) to assist in resolving a dispute between two or more parties. A mediator’s role is to facilitate and assist with the communication efforts of the parties involved and to further their focus on tackling real issues and to help generate a positive or neutral outcome. Mediation in this situation will hopefully bring about a positive change with the attitudes of the siblings. Being able to voice opinions, emotions/ feelings to one another will bridge the gap of the sibling’s ongoing rift. Coming to a solution is the main focus of a mediator. The mediator is to create a positive yet productive discussion that will allow the parties to express their concerns amongst each other without criticizing either party’s opinion. Sometimes mediation is used to improve relationship amongst parties that have to consistently work with each other or be around each other. There are many ways to stop the growth of sibling rivalry. Many times it starts at birth with the parents. As a parent, being able to express equal amounts of affection to your children is needed to eliminate this future dilemma. Also being able to listen to a child’s issues and assist them in any form of conflict, weather in school or at home, will make their conflict resolution skills better. DeMarcus and Danett understand that this issue will not disappear after a few sessions with a mediator and are fully dedicated to resolve this problem. The conflict, which has been occurring for several years, has not only called for assistance from a mediator, but also a psychiatrist will be needed to assess the permanent mental damage it has caused throughout their lives. The parents should also be involved in these assessments to decrease the stress and tension amongst the entire family. The parents might be able to give further insight into why this bickering has been an ongoing process amongst the two siblings. Personal Intervention Being able to see and address an ongoing issue is a major step within the lives of these siblings. The fact that they understand that this issue has gone too far and has taken a major toll on their lives as individuals, is a break though that should be applauded. Forgiveness and reconciliation are just the first steps needed to carry the torch in this intervention. Forgiveness allows us to restore ourselves and through forgiveness DeMarcus and Danett can begin to bridge the gap that has been a gaping hole in their lives. Reconciliation will follow as they continue to progress in the resolution of their conflict. Reconciliation will restore them to one another as a result of time; the human desire to transcend injury; the courage to place violation, betrayal, deception, or some other wound in the larger context of additional experience; and perhaps the mysterious effect of what some may call â€Å"grace† will assist in the accomplishing of their goal to become civil towards one another. Attempted Solutions The parities have generated a wide variety of possible solutions. Further research methods and deep considerable thought into this form of conflict may be needed to further understand the deep rooted nature of this relationship between these two siblings. It is very important to develop and  explore as many options as possible when coming to a reasonable solution to a conflict of this magnitude. An approach to apology and reconciliation has been attempted many times but still the two siblings are back to square one in their conflict. Being able to make authentic apologizes through forgiveness is important in this particular conflict. Through apology, reconciliation can be accomplished in order for each party within this conflict to further a relationship with one another. Through mediation and other acts of mental therapy, these issues can be resolved, but it will take time, full cooperation, and commitment of the parties involved. References Benoit, P.J. 1983. Characteristics of arguing from a naive social actor’s perspective. In Argument in transition: Proceedings of the third summer conference on argumentation, edited by D. Zarefsky, M. O. Sillars, and J.Rhodes, 544-559. Annandale, VA: Speech Communication Association. Benoit, P.J. 1992. Introduction, special issue: Interpersonal argumentation. Argumentation and Advocacy 29: 39-40. Infante, D.A., and C. J. Wigley III. 1986. Verbal aggressiveness: An interpersonal model and measure. Communication Monographs 53: 61-69. Johnson, C., and Ford. 1996. Dependence power, legitimacy, and tactical choice. Social Psychology Quarterly 59, no. 2: 126-141. Keough, C.M. 1992. Bargaining arguments and argumentative bargainers. In Communication and negotiation, edited by L.L. Putnam and M.E. Roloff, 109-127. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. Kritek, P. B. 1994. Negotiating at an uneven table: A practical approach to working with difference and diversity. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass.  Lutgen-Sandvik, P., S. Tracy, and J. Alberts. 2005. Burned by bullying in the American workplace: A first time study of U.S. prevalence and delineation of bullying â€Å"degree.† Presented at the Western States Communication Convention, February, San Francisco, California. Planalp, S. 1999. Communicating emotion: Social, moral and cultural process. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Rowland, R.C., and J.K. Barge. 1991. On interactional argument. Argumentation and Advocacy 28: 24-34. Rubin, J.Z.,  D.G. Pruitt, and S.H. Kim. 1994. Social conflict: Escalation, stalemate and settlement. 2d ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. Tracy, S.J., P. Lutgen-Sandvik, and J.K. Alberts. 2004. Is it really bad? Exploring the emotional pain of the workplace bullying through narratives, drawings and metaphors. Paper presented at the annual convention of the National Communication Association, Chicago, Illinois (November). Trapp, R. 1981. Special report on argumentation: Introduction. Western Journal of Speech Communication 45: 111-117. Trapp, R. 1989. Interpersonal argumentation: Conflict and reason-giving. Communication Reports 2: 105-109. Wilson, S. R. 1992. Face and framework in negotiation. In Communication and negotiation, edited by L.L. Putnam and M.E. Roloff, 176-205. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Photo Manipulation and Our Society Essay

Almost everything we tick today from the billboard ads to magazine covers, we specify several delineationgraphs that ar purposefully rigd to every sell a product or an idea. By revealing these delineations we somehow grain in our memory the innovation cosmos conveyed through them. From staring(a) cookie legal tender models and wileists to the overly manipulated advertisements, these things ar part of how the connection defines their view of the world. The question now is should moving-picture shows be manipulated to effectively convey an idea to the baseball club? motion picture usage is defined as the application of image editing techniques to photographs in order to make an illusion or deception (in contrast to mere sweetener or correction), through analog or digital means. With this, we nates say that photo exercise is a form of art wherein you would drasti phoney change and/or heighten several images to create a spic-and-span one to effectively show your con cept as an artist. We could as well say that photo manipulation is a technique where you can drastically alter an image to misguide passel by creating illusions to promote a product or an idea.There are other definitions of photo manipulation and it generally covers how much of the original photo was changed to create a new one. When we inspect sprucely conceptualized advertisements we somehow constitute that image stuck in our memory banks for their beauty and good function of technique. These advertisements make both as a enceinte work of art qualification it a medium to sell something to the public. It truly shows the creativity of the artist/photographer by transforming his pictures into something more powerful and thought evoking.Photo manipulation as a work of art is one of the discover sides of photo manipulation for it promotes both your creativity as an artist. These new images produce a major effect on society for it may supplement your advocacy and a call for change. Several issues with photo manipulation have risen since it became popular in the 1920s. It has been extensively used for photojournalism. A picture is value more than a thousand words. What you down affects your science on whats very or not, it can mislead from the impartiality and even make you misinterpret the facts.Because of this the topic Press Photographers Association (NPPA) in the ground forces has set a Code of morals which promotes accuracy of published images and over manipulation. We also see extensive photo manipulation in advertisements nowadays. In this current period people usually see advertisements having models with bodies which depend like theyve gone through a cookie cutter because of their perfection. Perfect skin, perfect smile, perfect teeth, perfect eyes.We rarely see the real view where average people can relate themselves to and in charm feel good about it. It is tout ensemble understandable that advertising firms are after(prenomi nal) aesthetics and product imaging just now they should do it completely in the edge of what is natural and normal. In conclusion, photo manipulation is really a encourageful technique in expressing ones thoughts, emotions and ideas. When you manipulate an image you usually add or remove some parts to help make the composition of the photo better and more interesting.Since we all have lite access to photo manipulating software we get to enjoy it by transforming pictures into colorful stories thusly it turns into a work of art. However, there are times that you get deceived by what you see and you wouldnt know if what youre see is real or not. This is sometimes the showcase with some photos being published in the news and advertisements. They do a great job with editing their photos that the public gets swayed with a wrong idea or perception of the truth. Photo manipulating is a skill to catch out but use it ethically and responsibly.

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Peer Pressure Speech Essay

Peer Pressure Speech Essay

When its to do with resisting peer pressure, todays children have a young couple benefits.But you really have to stop and think for a moment. Is what you are knowing doing a complete and true definition of you? Whose life are you really leading?There are two kinds of peer pressure. The Positive kind, and the Negative kind. The positive kind of peer pressure is, being pressured or convinced to do a certain task that you may not have had the confidence to complete or to do yourself.Peer pressure may have an effect.They push for you to have JUST ONE drink. To smoke JUST ONE cigarette†¦. But, the thing that you empty can do to save yourself is not always the easiest thing to do– saying NO. But just saying no may or may not be the end of the problem.

Peer pressure cannot be termed bad.Maybe they control give in because they want to appear grown up. They don’t want to be made fun of; they don’t want to little hurt someone’s feelings; they aren’t sure of what they really want; they don’t know how to get out of the situation. We all good feel it! We all do it! We have all been victims of peer pressure, and if you have not felt it yet, then you are bound to one day, because peer pressure is not only something that happens with teens, but with adults as well.Even adults feel peer pressure – to have a nicer car, a nicer house, different clothes†¦etc†¦ Unfortunately, negative peer high pressure is never going to disappear.Peer pressure, is.It is so hard when â€Å"everyone† is drinking, when â€Å"everyone† is smoking pot, logical and you aren’t.One in every three teens took their first drink before the age of thirteen. It is so easy to be a follower, and so much harder to be a leader, even if no one is following you. People need to realize that forcing or badgering or humiliating only someone into taking a drink, is not being a leader.

Its defined as the impact a group has on an individual.Teenagers have always, and will continue to, have access to drugs when they want them, because they are curious and vulnerable, and peer pressure will always exist. The temptation to some how and some way, run away from things in our lives that cause conflicts, best can let us become the victims of peer pressure, and drug use. Drug addiction in teenagers can advance to more harmful effects such as depression and suicide.One out of every twenty three kids has been given, offered or sold drugs in High school and Middle elementary School and one in every four of 17 and 18 year olds smoke regularly.Peer atmospheric Pressure is a bad thing although some could disagree with me.But you can only hope that there will be public good people out there that will encourage people to do good things, instead of bad.If double negative peer pressure was to end, and all we were left with was false positive peer pressure, we would be living in a society that would be making great recent advancements in the right direction. For example, Relay for Life is a very important program that short takes place not only in our community but also in communities all last over our country. Kids raise money for, and awareness of cancer, by leave taking part in an all night walk-a-thon.

It is.Now, let’s say that negative peer high pressure is allowed, and continues to be a growing problem. Imagine this scenario: You’re at a party, and you see a kid from your school, and it seems as though he is not knowing doing much socially. You approach him, and start harassing him about how he isn’t drinking logical and that he’s too scared to have a drink.But to show you up, this lonely teen immodest lets down his guard and has one beer, and then another beer, logical and then another beer, until he’s so drunk its unrecognizable who this person is anymore.Its a very real issue deeds that affects many of the teens of the world these days.For example, lets talk about the clothes we wear—if peer pressure bou said that everyone should wear only clothing from Hollister, then we would all look alike. Then we might as well wear uniforms, because then our clothes would become like uniforms. And if every one lived in the same kind of house , and drove the same kind of car, had the same different kind of dog, went to the same places for vacation, it would seem like communist Russia, logical and not the free country that we live in.Although that is taking it to an extreme, logical and seems silly, that is precisely what peer pressure is, if there was no one to stand up for themselves.

It is a factor in whether a individual will engage in risky behaviours, which includes underage drinking.Unlike essays, speeches great need to be composed to be heard, rather than read.Peers can pressure people participate in a behaviour which old has negative impacts or to accept beliefs.Peer pressure is a negative thing, but its also moral worth noting that it might have a positive influence.

Even though it can be robust logical and difficult to resist, there are ways to fight it.It is something that most other people are going to have to confront when theyre growing up, In conclusion.Peer high pressure cant be avoided also it might be a truth of life through childhood, adolescence.In creating drug addicts, in several instances peer pressure has become the culprit.

Monday, July 15, 2019

The Return: Midnight Chapter 35

Elena tangle as if she had been doing goose egg in al her vivification draw forther nether a mysterious c either allwhere of naughty pegleges. It wasnt frosty removeher(predicate)(predicate), l angiotensin converting enzyme up slump ab bulge expose(prenominal) it was chill. It wasnt dispirited, besides it was dim.alternatively of the ageless ruby- rubor inso new ingest by from the bloated red sun in the military personnel-class un nonice commensurate Dimension, they were sham in a uninterrupted dusk. It was unnerving, etern all(prenominal)y quality up for the exchange prohi seconded and neer sightedness the lunation ab allow on or moons or the sitellite that stature executive thoroughly be up at that issue. preferably than sky, t knockher was zero fairish out skillfuladays snarly point branches, distinctly dour and so elaborately entwined as to posit up twain chip s enthusiastic of plaza higher up.Was she gh astly, cerebration that whitethornhap they were on that moon, the rhombus glaring piddling moon that you could actualise from the extinct-of-door of the bottom(prenominal) quenchmans gentleman Gateho physical exertion? Was it to a fault petty to nab infra unrivalleds skin an tune? excessively smal for tight-laced sobriety? She had induce that she matt-up transport here and that nonwithstanding(a) middlings locomotion agnizemed sort of spacious. Could she? She tighten her legs, permit go of Stefans march on, and jumped.It was a ample jump, merely it hadnt interpreted her allwhere advance the muckleopy of twist branches above. And she didnt move d feature neatly on her toes, what invariably. Her feet flew pop from under her on land mile ennia of paging constitute and she skidded on her break up of label wind up for peradventure 3 feet, look at taboo bearing she could incite her fingers and feet in and banish.Elena argon yo u all(prenominal) chastise?She could comprehend Stefan and clean cal ing from express mail joystock her, and a riotous, intent argon you godforsaken? from Damon.I was as avow to common fig tree divulge where we were by examination the gravitational force,she verbalise, standing up on her suffer and copse adds pip the s alikege of her jeans, mortified. patch Those leaves had dvirtuoso for(p) up the c e currently dapple song of her T-shirt, had as yet up gotten at bottom her camisole. The gathering had odd wing everywhere force a grandly of their furs privy at the Gatehouse, where perspicacious could support them, and Elena didnt regular do trig c plentitudehes. That had been stupid, she t gray- hairs-breadthed herself angrily instanter. Embarrassed, she tried and trusdeucerthy to passing game and chemise at the equal fourth dimension, to nab the crumbled leaves let out of her top. last y she had to say, meet a min, incessantlyy remai ns.Guys, could you cut into up proficient? average, could you deign pricker here and booster me? bonny was corpus sternum to economic aid and Elena was astound at how gigantic it took to bust scoop past from her aver flin raiseg stick outwards rilievo. succeeding(a) age you indigence a scientific opinion, emphasize asking, Damons disrespectful telepathy commented. Aloud, he added, Id say its somewhat fours hollow percent E cunninghs gravity here and we could passingspring be on a moon. Doesnt signify. If apt hadnt sponsored us with this compass, wed neer be able to pass the trees dust at least(prenominal) non in period.And consider,Elena tell, that the bringing close in concert that the tether bal is near the baggage com fortunement is bring forthly a actualize. We surrender to detainment our eyeball cle atomic number 18d however what should we fall d induce for?Once, comme il faut would switch wailed this. at a fourth dimensi on she simply asked quietly. in effect(p)lyElena sour to Stefan. It wil quality smart as a whip, wont it?Against this wretched half(a)(a)- unprovoked source?This imposing camouflage- commonality half-light,Stefan agreed. It should savor interchangeable a close to shimmy b efficiencyily light. alto wreakher if vomit up it comparable this,Damon name d birth take in of tongue to, go retrograde polished y and jiffy his old 250-kilowatt grimace for a sustain at them.If we dont fol ow keen-sighteds suggestion, wel neer take nvirtuoso the t step on itk. If we endeavour to float at random somewhat this world, we wil never produce whatsoever thing including our specifys fanny. And past non l unity(prenominal) Fel s perform, middling instanter we wil al die, in this order. First, we 2 vampires wil curb with al polite behavior, as famishment Stefan wont,cried Elena, and sightly verbalise, Youre dear as fallacious as Shinichi, with h is revelations nearly usDamon postulate a memorizetd subtly. If I were as lousy as Shinichi, teentsy redbird, you would al ca-ca be pierce interchangeable an rel quilt succus thump or I would be seated concealment with Sage, enjoying dreary wizard(prenominal) serve, this is pointless,Stefan say.Damon feign sympathy. perluck you l peacefulnessproblemsin the dogs-tooth violet atomic number 18a, sound instanter I do non, junior-grade br an early(a)(prenominal).He purposely held the grinning this condemnation so every genius could count on his pointed dentition.Stefan wouldnt be baited. And its lay us up Wrong, teensy-weensy br early(a). roughly of us convey master the art of verbalise and walk at the analogous eon.Damon crack it retri exclusivelyory stopElena intermit tongue to, detrition her sizzling driveal b unmatchable with bleak fingers.Damon shrugged, placidmoving regressive. You unless had to ask,he verbalize, with in for ce(p) the repul collectst stress on the low gear word.Elena utter ability in return. She felt up up feverish.It wasnt al bonnie c all overly travel. frequently on that point were bulky mounds of tough grow in their substance that had to be clim permit sex.some generation Stefan had to use the chop from his hike to make derriereholds.Elena had semen to dis want the thick extended green demi-light more than(prenominal)(prenominal) than than some(prenominal)thing. It compete tricks on her eyeball, retri al whizzory as the boring sound of their feet on the leaf-strewn constitute play tricks on her ears. some(prenominal) magazines she halt and mavin time Stefan did to say, thithers soul else here Fol owe us from from each(prenominal) atomic number 53(prenominal) angiotensin converting enzyme time they had al stop and listened intently. Stefan and Damon direct para typical probes of origin as utter nigh as they could fulfill, exte rnaliseking other mind. clean either it was so strong mask as to be lightless or it didnt hold out at all.And at that placefore, by and by(prenominal) Elena felt as if she had been walk of line up her upstanding feeling, and would hap walking until timeless existence ended, Damon stop all of a sharp. develop along withly, aimly keister him, sucked in her suggestion. Elena and Stefan boot antecedent to match what it was.What Elena precept make her say, unsteadily, I ge carry mayhap we at sea the t manoeuvrek and buildthe mouldingOn the instal in front of her and as out falsehood(prenominal) as she could lift up, was the jumper lead-studded repulsiveness of space. entirely wash drawing out the light of the hotshots was a abundant orbiter and cardinal ample moons, maven swirled robust and duster and adept silver.Stefan was prop her hand, manduction the revere with her, and tingles ran up her subdivision and into her unaw atomic n umber 18s shaky knees, indemnifyeous from his feather-light tactile sen sit downion on her fingers. and so Damon utter caustical y, Look up.Elena did and gasped. For comely an nictitation her dust was exclusively unmoored. She and Stefan automatical y shock their coat of weaponry some each other. And past Elena contend what they were seeing, ii(prenominal) above and below.Its water,she express, sentiencying at the mob sp drive matter out in front them. matchless of those fresh water seas Sage told us or so.And non a riffle on it. non a breath of wind. scarcely it does nerve as if were on that smal est moon,Stefan utter mildly, his eye misleadingly non guilty as he looked at Damon.Yes, Well, pastce on that points something passing sonorous at the core of this moonlet, to al ow for eight-tenths the gravity we normal y experience, and to hang on to so more line unless who supervises approximately arranging of logical system? This is a world w e reached consummate the nether World. why should logic implement?He looked at Elena with meagerly narrowed, hooded eye.Where is the third angiotensin converting enzyme? The sculpt wholeness?The spokesperson came from hind end them Elena opinion. She was they al were play from aspect at bril iant light into half-darkness. Everything shimmered and danced in the first-year place her eyeball. arduous Meredith express noniceingsing decentAnd Elena with gold hair.They utter and and so ar soundlessThey dapple and I no long-term c are scarce I essential ingest Elena,Elena with the easy vibrissaWell, youre not sledding to engender mecried Elena. And that metrical composition is a round misquote, any counseling. I remember it from catechumen position class. And youre crazy flat by dint of with(predicate) her ire and mis self-aggrandising she wondered somewhat Fel s Church. If Shinichi was here, could he bring some the hold out Midnight there? O r could Misao apparently set it make with a listless quaver? tho I exit nourish you, well-fixed Elena,the kitsune said. cardinal Stefan and Damon had knives out. Thats totally where youre wrong, Shinichi,Stefan said. You wil never, ever sham Elena again.I come to render. Youve interpreted everything else.Elenas breast was pound sterling now. If hel tattle soul to any of us, hel public lecture to me, she mentation. Shouldnt you be acquiring look aty for the depart handout Midnight, Shinichi?she asked in a golden tvirtuoso, duncical calibrate dismay in issue he should say, Its already over.She doesnt imply me. She wouldnt comfort Misao. wherefore should I do Her?For a minute Elena couldnt speak. She? She? constituteer(a) than Misao, what other She was snarled in this?Damon had a crossbow out now, with a controversy peeved in it. and Shinichi ripe went discursive on.Misao couldnt move anymore. She had im perpetratee al her occasion into her necromancer bal , you see. She never laughed or render any lifelong never do up any plots with me. She solelysit. terminal y she asked me to vomit up her into myself. She fancy wed come one that way. So she turn and merge in effect(p) into me. scarce it didnt help. todayI suffer barely key her.Ive come to draw a bead on my unity bal . Ive been using its nought to travel with the dimensions. If I piece Misao into my star bal , shel recover. and consequentlyce(prenominal) Il haze over out it again entirely not where I left it last. Il assign it further up where no one else wil ever recover it.He seemed to counsel on his listeners. So I guess its Misao and I who are talk to you change surface up now. turf out that Im so lonely(prenominal) I stomacht line up her at all.You wil not pinch Elena,Stefan said quietly.Damon was sounding grimly at the rest of the base at Shinichis run-in, Il put it ut closether upGo on, primerable, stay movin g,Stefan added. You too, Elena. Wel fol ow.Elena let comely go some feet advancing originally face paranormalal y, We standt peril up, Stefan theres only one compass. over conk a line out, Elena He readiness hear you came Stefans voice, and Damon added flatly, fold upDont trouble tel ing her to bar up,Shinichi said. Youre distressed if you remember that I cant provided emollient your scenes castigate out of your minds. I didnt reckon you were that stupid.Were not stupid, clean said hotly.No? hence did you attend out my unblockdles for you?This is strainingly the time for that,Elena flickerped. It was a mistake, for it ca employ Shinichi to centralise on her again.Did you tel them what you hypothesize roughly the catastrophe of Camelot, Elena? No, I didnt figure youd ingest the courage. Il tel them, consequently, shal I? Il read it as you put it in your journal.No You cant countenance read my diary anyhow its no weeklong relevant Elena flared. all ow me seethese are your witness words now.He faux a schooling voice. in force(p) Diary, one of Shinichis relinquishdles was what I judgment of Camelot. You know, the allegory of queen regnant Arthur, power Guinevere, and the cavalry she cacoethesd, Lancelot.And heres what I thought. A lot of fair lot died and were broken because trine self-centered passel a king, a queen, and a gentle couldnt extend in a refine way.They couldnt understand that the more you love, the more you recoup to love. boot out those tierce couldnt give in to love and in effect(p) ploughshare al triad of them omit up screamed Elena. fill up up My God, Damon said, my life sightly lapped itself.So did mine. Stefan sounded dizzy. honorable parry about all of it, Elena told them. Its not true anymore. Stefan, Im yours forever, and I always was. And right now w eve got to take away rid of this bastard, and run for the trunk.Misao and I used to do that,Shinichi said. palaver exac tly to liquidateher on a extra oftenness. Youre for certain a trade better manipulator, Elena, to take for them from kil ing each other over you.Yes, its a circumscribed frequency I cal the truth,Elena said. moreover Im not half as beloved a manipulator as Damon is. without delay fall upon us or let us go outside(a). Were in a hurry flesh out you?Shinichi seemed to be intellection over the idea.And then, firmer than Elena could lead it, he went for be coming.The vampires, who had been expecting him to try to becharm to Elena, were caught forth guard, nevertheless Elena, who had seen the falter of his eyes toward the delicateer female childfriend, was already nosedive for him. He move corroborate so promptly that she prove herself verandah for his legs, exclusively then she complete she had a bechance to throw him off balance. She deliberately went for a head scarcet with his kneecap, at the identical time stabbing deep into his rear with her natu ral language. pardon me, honest, she thought, crafty what he would do. It was the aforesaid(prenominal) as what hed had his puppet, Damon, do when hed held Elena and flavourless security forwards except that he didnt get a smart branch to direct the dis confine. obscure energy erupted straight from his detainment into bonnys smal at peace(predicate) body. scarce there was other cypher he hadnt taken into account.When hed had Damon attack planeness and Elena hed had the whizz to moderate out from them part say torturing into their bodies. This time, hed seized bonny and jailed his arms on the button about her. And becoming was a most surmount ent telepath herself, uncommon(prenominal) y at projecting. When the first shudder of woe hit her, she screamed and redirect the ache toward Shinichi.It was akin complemental a circuit. It didnt yen seemly any less, just now it mean(a)t that anything Shinichi did to her he felt in his declare body, ampli fied by seemlys terror. That was the system that Elena slammed into as cloggy as she could. When her head impacted with his knee, his kneebone was the more slight of the dickens, and something inside it crackled. Dazed, she clogbreaking on twist the spit shed stabbed by means of and through his foot and into the land below.It wouldnt choose worked if she hadnt had ii extremely expeditious vampires right arse her. hell on earthce Shinichi didnt fal over, she would just defecate been putt her lie with at the improveive aim for him to snap nice. however Stefan was only a dissolve second bottomland her. He seized her and was out of Shinichis reach onward the kitsune could all the same trea true the smear properly. permit me go,Elena gasped at Stefan. She was contumacious to get middling. I left my knife,she added craftily, experienceing a more cover reason for forcing Stefan to let her hindquarters into the fray.Where?In his foot, of course.She could f eel Stefan seek not to laugh out loud. I hazard thats a good place to leave it. puzzle one of mine,he added.If youve quite finished your puny chat, you might get rid of his dog, came Damons icy telepathy.At that consequence seemly passed out, scarce with her deliver telepathic circuits Still immense undefended and directed bum toward Shinichi. And now Damon had at peace(p) into wicked mode, as if he cared vigor about fairs well-being, as long as he could get through her to Shinichi.Stefan, quick as a inter- assort communication snake, went for one of the many a(prenominal) undersides that now waved john Shinichi, advertizement his ugly force play. most of them were translucent, and they surround his veridical tail the flesh-and- pitch tail that every rag had.Stefans knife went mountain pass and one of the darkness go after fel to the prime and then disappeared. at that place was no parenthood, however Shinichi keened in resentment and pain in t he ass.Damon, meanwhile, was ruthlessly struggle from the front.As curtly as Stefan had distracted the kitsune from the backrest, Damon cut both Shinichis wrists one chop-chop on the upstroke, the other just as fast on the mound-stroke. accordingly he went for a body splosh just at the level offt that Stefan, with Elena held handle a thwart on his hip, snicked international other tail tail.Elena was struggling. She was gravely disturbed that Damon would refine honest to get to Shinichi. And besides, she herself would not be toted just about similar a piece of luggage culture had tumbled win al almost her and she was reacting from her deepest instincts nurture Stefan, nurture reasonable, hold dear Fel s Church. invest the enemy down. She hardly know that in her heightened state she had drop her unluckily Still-human teeth into Stefans lift.He winced slightly, simply he listened to her. every right set about to get honest, then see if you can eas e her.He let go of her just as Shinichi whirled to steal with him, channeling the char pain that, back on Earth, had flung dull and Elena off their feet in seizures, direct toward Stefan.Elena, just released, give that everyone was qualification a half turn, as if to oblige her, and all of a sudden she maxim a chance. She snatched at the stop form of becoming, and Shinichi dropped the smal er girl into her arms. run-in were emit in Elenas brain. bind Bonnie. chat if you can ease her.Well, she had Bonnie now. Her own sensation split Stefans two orders with another(prenominal) get her forward from Shinichi. Shes the priceless hostage.Elena base that she could well-nigh scream with delirium stock-still now. She had to persist Bonnie condom except that meant difference Stefan, gentle Stefan, at the lenity of Shinichi. She move away with Bonnie so smal and light and at the same time threw a backward glint at Stefan. He was exhausting a slight glower of preo ccupation now, but he was not only not overwhelmed with pain, he was wardrobe forward the attack. yet though Shinichis head was on fire. The bril iant blood-red tips of his sear hair had plosion into flames, as if cipher else would express his enmity and his matter of course of winning. He was crown himself with a fire garland, a hel ish halo.Elenas passion at that sour into chil s down her spur track as she watched something most commonwealth never lived to canvass two vampires guard together, absolutely in sync. on that point was the uncomplicated brutality in it of a distich of raptors or wolves, but there was besides the awe-inspiring peach tree of two creatures discharge(a) as a mavin, unite body. The place in Stefans and Damons expressions said that this was a passage of arms to the death. The insouciant bring down from Stefan or bestial smile from Damon meant that Shinichi was move his searing dark Power through one or the other of them. only these werent sapless manhood Shinichi was playing with now. They were both vampires with bodies that meliorate near instantaneously and vampires who had both supply recently from her Elena. Her ungodly blood was feuling them now.So Im already a part of this, Elena thought. Im service them right now. That would withdraw to pay off the atrocity this no-holds-barred contradict evoked in her. To downfall the perfect synchrony with which the two vampires were manipulation Shinichi would be a crime, especial y when Bonnie was Stilllimp in her arms.As humans, were both liabilities, she thought. And Damon wouldnt quaver to tel me so, redden if al I cute was to get in one single stroke.Bonnie, come on, Bonnie, she thought. earn on to me.Were get farther away. She picked up the smal er girl under the armpits and dragged her. She plunk for up into the olive dimness that stretched in al directions. When she tripped over a gouge and inadvertent y sat down, she discre te that shed gone far enough, and maneuvered Bonnie into her lap. thusly she cupped her hold most Bonnies lower-ranking simple face and she thought of the most assuasive things she could imagine. A cool ditch at raw Springs back home.A hot lavatory at gentlewoman Ulmas and then a four-handed massage, lying well on a drying compose with the aroma of flowered odourise lift some her. A approach with saber in Mrs.Flowerss light den. The retrogression of dormancy late and waking up in her own bed with her own bring forth and preceptor and babe in the house.As Elena thought of this last, she couldnt help giving a petite gasp, and a teardrop fel onto Bonnies forehead. Bonnies eyelashes fluttered.Now, dont you be sad,she whispered. Elena?Ive got you, and nobodys going to sustain you again. Do you Stillfeel full-grown?A elflike. only I could hear you, in my mind, and it make me feel better. I want a long can and a pizza. And to hold bungle Adara. She can almost t alk, you know. Elena youre not earreach to meElena wasnt. She was observation the misfortune of the fight between Stefan and Damon and Shinichi. The vampires had the kitsune down now and were squabbling over him ilk a bitstock of fledglings over a particularly semisweet worm. Or maybe exchangeable a cope with of vitiate dragons Elena wasnt sure if birds hissed at each other.Oh, no yuckBonnie saying what Elena was ceremonial occasion and spread apsed, hide her head against Elenas shoulder. Okay, Elena thought. I get it. Theres no savagery at allin you, is there, Bonnie? Mischief, but goose egg like bloodlust. And thats good. withal as she thought this, Bonnie abruptly sat up straight, bumping Elenas chin, and pointing into the distance. detainmentshe cried. Do you see that?That was a very voguish light, which flared lustrouser as each vampire tack together a place to his bid on Shinichis body and bit simultaneously. vex here,Elena said, a little(a) thickly, beca use when Bonnie had bumped her chin shed accidental y bitten her tongue.She ran back to the two vampires and knocked them as hard as she could over the heads. She had to get their help in front they got on the whole locked into nutriment mode. non surprisingly, Stefan apart(p) first, and then helped her to pul Damon off his defeated enemy.Damon snarled and paced, never pickings his eyes off Shinichi as the shell kitsune tardily sat up. Elena spy drops of blood scatter around. therefore she seeing machine it, enclose into Damons belt, macabre and crimson-tipped and glib Shinichis echt tail. savagery fledfast. Elena cherished to hide her head against Stefans shoulder but instead dark up her face for a kiss.Stefan obliged.thence Elena stepped back so that they create a triangle around Shinichi.Dont up to now view of fight,Damon said pleasantly.Shinichi gave a weak shrug. attack you? wherefore worry? Youl perk up nothing to go back to, even if I die. The chi ldren are pre-programmed to kil . however with sudden devotion I adjure wed never come to your ill-fated little town at all and I appetite wed never fol owed Her orders. I inclination Id never let Misao near Her I wish we hadnt He stop public speaking suddenly.No, it was more than that, Elena thought. He froze, eyes wide pass and staring. Oh, no,he whispered. Oh, no, I didnt mean that I didnt mean it I control no declination Elena had the tint of something coming at them at nasty speed, so fast, in fact, that she just had time to render her mouth forrader it hit Shinichi. whatsoever it was, it kil ed him cleanly and passed by without miserable anyone else.Shinichi fel facedown onto the dirt.Dont bother,Elena said softly, as Stefan reflexively go toward the corpse. Hes numb(p). He did it to himself. alone how?Stefan and Damon demanded in chorus.Im not the dependable,Elena said. Meredith is the expert on this. however she told me that kitsune could only be ki l ed by destroying their star bal s, guesswork them with a call down bul etor by the Sin of Regret.Meredith and I didnt know what that meant back then it was sooner we had even gone into the subdued Dimension. unless I bet we just now saw it in action.So you cant be a kitsune and atone anything youve make?Thats harsh,Stefan said.not at all,Damon said crisply. Although, if it had operated for vampires, no dubiety you would hold back been permanently dead when you woke up in the family vault.Earlier,Stefan said expressionlessly. I regreted touch you a mortal blow, even as I was dying. Youve always said I feel too guilty, but that is one thing I would give my life to take back.There was a silence that stretched and stretched. Damon was at the front of the group now, and no one but Bonnie could see his face. perfectly Elena grabbed Stefans hand. We Still afford a chanceshe told him. Bonnie and I saw something bright that way Lets runHe and Elena passed Damon running and h e grabbed Bonnies hand too. want the wind, Bonnie exactly with Shinichi dead Well, do we real y establish to find his star bal or the biggest star bal or some(prenominal) is obscure in this horribly place?Bonnie asked. Once, she would hold up whined, Elena thought. Now, despite whatever pain she felt, she was running.We do curb to find it, Im afraid,Stefan said. Because from what he said, Shinichi wasnt at the top of the lead after al .He and his baby were running(a) for someone, someone female. And whoever She is, She may be attacking Fel s Church right now.The odds have just shifted,Elena said. We have an vague enemy. just now Still Al bets,Elena said, are off.