Saturday, August 31, 2019

Pygmalion Review

Lauren Conn 06/07/2012 Writer’s Workshop Bill Rubenstein Pygmalion Movie Review Based off of Shaw’s 1913 stage comedy, Pygmalion is the story of two mismatched lovers Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle. The story centers on Henry Higgins’ mission to change Eliza Doolittle from a street vendor to a lady. It would be frivolous to comment on the treatment of women, as we are forced to take into account the period in which this play was written. Pygmalion is just another reflection of the objectification of women during those times, a representation on how women can be â€Å"changed† to the whim of man and the society man governs.Nevertheless, my intent is not to apply modern value judgments to non-contemporary fiction. I have dissected the play and made an attempt to understand the context in which it was written and presented. All I came to find was a story about a young woman who lost her identity. Henry Higgins is a wealthy phonetics professor who makes a b et with his friend Col. Pickering that he can transform Eliza Doolittle, an uncouth Cockney flower girl, into a lady in three months. Henry compares her to a â€Å"squashed cabbage leaf†.During her lessons she’s put through ridiculous tasks to perfect her elocution, such as speaking with marbles in her mouth. Higgins seems relentless, an example being when Eliza swallows a marble and he states, â€Å"That’s alright, we have plenty more. † Eliza’s first test comes when she takes tea with Henry’s mother – during which becomes a blunder when Eliza rambles about her father’s drinking and the whereabouts of her deceased aunt’s straw hat. Throughout these odd experiments one has to question why Doolittle proceeds to let Higgins treat her as he does.One can be Freudian and claim that it is her drunkard father, who holds no more regard to her than an inanimate object, in which provides evidence enough to Eliza’s decrepit state of self-worth. By the end of these trials Doolittle becomes a success, a lady – but not without losing the essence of who she is. By becoming a lady, Eliza has thrown herself into a state of limbo. She is no longer a Cockney flower girl, but calling herself a lady would be a lie. Instead, Eliza has been transformed into a shell – a canvas to which Higgins painted the portrait.Shaw makes a vain attempt into transforming Eliza into a self-empowered woman by the end of this. We are expected to believe that at some point, the hapless street vendor surpasses Higgins – the master professor. In a way, this almost seems like Shaw’s justification to Eliza’s harsh treatment. For me personally, I was not swayed. I did not believe in her strength by the end of Pygmalion. To me, Eliza’s self-empowered identity as a new â€Å"phonetics† master is just a mask to hide the lack of identity within.

Friday, August 30, 2019

The Long Telegrams Impact on the Truman Doctrine

pThe long Telegram and It’s impact on the Truman Doctrine George Kennan’s long telegram had many impacts on the American foreign policy. Its influence can be seen directly through the Truman Doctrine in 1947. The Long Telegram influenced Truman’s doctrine of containment, and it opened the eyes of many Washington officials as to how dangerous the Soviets and more specifically communism was. George Kennan’s Long Telegram was a reply as to why the Soviets weren’t supporting the World Bank and the International Money Fund.At the time, the  American view of the  Soviet was friendly, yet cautious because the  Soviets had been  allied with the US in  WWII. The long telegram, which wasreleased to the public in 1947, basically created the foundation on which the Cold War stood from the US’ point of view. By claiming that the Soviets were completely against capitalism, would side with Marxists, and separated from reality, Kennan set up a stan dard system of beliefs  that the US would follow throughout the Cold War, and even gave ideas as to how to combat the Soviets if need be.The Long Telegram gave the US clear reason to consider war with Russia inevitable. It fostered further fear in America of the Soviets by talking  about how  Russia couldn’t be trusted and great lengths should be taken to ensure the absence of Soviets and their influence  in America. The Truman Doctrine was a contribution made to foreign policy by Harry Truman in 1947, after the Long Telegram had come into being. Truman declared, kind of like Wilson’s Moral Diplomacy, that it was the US’ duty to spread democracy and battle communism.Truman asked Congress to send aid to Greece and Turkey. After being ravaged by Germany in WWII,  Greece had been about to lose aid from Great Britain; Turkey had also depended greatly on the help of the US and Britain. The US would  have been  in danger of losing power over the Soviets and in Europe and Asia had Russia gained the two countries. This proves that what George Kennan wrote helped Truman realize that he needed to help other nations and create the foreign policy.Kennans telegram greatly impacted many other aspects of the Truman doctrine, for example the truman Doctrine all but promised that the United States would resist any Soviet expansion. This refects Kennan’s advise that the United States must carefully choose its points of resistance. Kennan's notion of containment which was expressed in the Long Telegram was also illustrartes in the Truman Doctrine. George Kennans writings inspired America and thanks to the Long Telegram and the Truman Doctrine, America opened their eyes and did what was necessary to not allow themselves to be over ruled by the soviets.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Art History: Filippo Brunelleschi Scuptor and Architect of the Renaissan

Filippo Brunelleschi was one of the greatest sculptors and architects of the Renaissance. His architectural achievements consist of some of the most well known and impressive structures not only of the Renaissance, but today. Not only were his structures amazing, but during his time he also invented new technology that would allow for his structures to be built. What would happen if Brunelleschi never designed architecture? We would have lost his inventions, his structures, and all of the work he inspired in other artists. Brunelleschi’s career path changed from sculpture to architecture after his loss to Ghiberti during the competition for the Eastern Doors of the Florentine Baptistery. If Brunelleschi had won that competition, architecture and art in the Renaissance, and even today would have been negatively affected. To understand how Brunelleschi came to be the artist he is, you need to look back to his childhood. Brunelleschi, during his youth, was showing that he was already capable of great things. His great-great-grandfather was a master physician, so there we can see evidence of technical skills being passed down. Brunelleschi’s father tried to push him into various career paths which didn’t involve art, such as being a physician, and a notary, but Brunelleschi showed little interest and was more drawn to manual labor, art, and things of greater utility. Utility by definition is the quality or state of being useful. We will eventually see several useful things come from Brunelleschi. His father realized that his son was going to do what he wanted, so he introduced him to a goldsmith where he learned to set stones and work with metal, which he quickly mastered and moved away from. He then moved... ... middle of paper ... ...ay have never discovered the secret to linear perspective, which was later used by not only architects, but painters as well, such as Masaccio's Holy Trinity fresco in 1427. All of the art that was ever inspired by Brunelleschi wouldn’t be here today. Brunelleschi barely lost the competition for the eastern doors of the Baptistry, and that may have been the most defining moment of the Renaissance. Annotated Bibliography Paatz, Walter. The arts of the Italian Renaissance: painting, sculpture, architecture. New York: H.N. Abrams, 1974. Partridge, Loren W.. The art of Renaissance Rome, 1400-1600. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1996. Turner, Richard. Renaissance Florence: the invention of a new art. New York: H.N. Abrams, 1997. Vasari, Giorgio. Lives of the painters, sculptors architects. London, Toronto: J.M. Dent, 1927.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Compare Jane Austen's work ( themes, plots, characteristics, style, Essay

Compare Jane Austen's work ( themes, plots, characteristics, style, politics) to some aspects of her life - Essay Example Jane was 5th born in the family of Rev. George Austen at the Hampshire and lived in the area for most of her life. She never married. She was briefly educated by her relative in Southampton, currently Oxford in 1783 and later at Reading Ladies boarding school. Generally, her education was only based on superior education given to girls of the time. In addition, she started writing her first tale as early as 1789. Jane Austen’s life was not happy especially in love and tranquil because she was simply uneventful. The movement of her family to Bath gave her scene to many episodes used in her different writings. There was a time she received a marriage proposal from a wealthy young man but turned it down the next day, reasonably that she did not love him. In her work, Austen anonymously published her tales in order to contemporary adhere the convention of the female authors. Fortunately, her publications continued to achieve the popularity and esteem although she could not lead the literally circles due to her anonymity. Her choice of writing the stories of love in the career, which coincided with the movement of romance contrasted with her life since she personally unromantic. The emotion of passion created in her novels moderates’ rational exercise in finding the real happiness than eloping with a lover. Austen became famous for her mature works in socializing the manners of the comedies. For example Emma, was cited to be perfected in the form, which the critics continue to approach in a perspective of the predicament of English women who were not married (Scott, 58-69). During this period (1800s), the customs and the laws of inheritance determined the fortunes of the families to the male partners. The literary styles of the Jane Austen relied on the combination of the irony, parody, free indirect speech, realism and the burlesque. The usage of burlesque and parody

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Economic growth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Economic growth - Essay Example However, the index is limited in that it ignores the relationship of the attributes that are used to construct it. As such, two countries can have the same HDI but have different levels of education standards or health care. In order to eliminate the limitations of the HDI and traditional models that are used to measure human development, the article proposes a new model. The model is constructed based on stochastic dominance. The stochastic model used compares different variables according to the preferences of rational economic decision makers and ordering them in a stochastic manner. The model has not been used because it can only be tested pair-wise. The article contends that the stochastic model weights are explicit which leads to the creation of the scenario that represents the most optimistic development. The model gives more weight to the dimension that is realized much higher in the countries than other dimensions. The article uses the HDI index as a benchmark and uses the stochastic dominance model to get weights that are assigned to the sub-indices. The article asserts that this move helps to maximize the distribution distance which occurs between the used indices. As such, the article uses stochastic dominance to measure the factor that has the major contribution to the development using the HDI index. The article uses the biased literature review which reveals the weakness of the traditional methods of measuring development. GNP and GDP are cited as the main traditional methods of measuring development. The articles espouses that GDP and GNP per capita uses the income to analyses development while there are other factors that cannot be owned or produce by individuals that lead to the development. HDI was development to remedy these shortcomings, however, HDI is criticised in using poor source of data to construct its constituents. There is also a lack of conserves

Monday, August 26, 2019

Media portrayal of plus size women causes young men to believe that Essay

Media portrayal of plus size women causes young men to believe that overweight women are lazy, unattractive, and ignorant - Essay Example I immediately drop the magazine and start doing sit-ups. Can you blame me?† (Maine 90) This woman is not alone. These images do more damage then many people understand. Women who wear large sizes are judged based on their body, not on other attributes. It does not matter how smart, or how funny they are, what kind of person they are, or even how beautiful their face is. What counts is their size, and they will constantly be judged by that. Often the most painful judgment comes from men; they scorn, they catcall, and they chose to ignore women who do not meet the beauty standard. It is through the media, men learn that women must meet the ideal, or they are not valuable. By looking critically at two media forums, television, and magazines, it is clear that the impact media has on men’s understanding of female beauty and value is directly linked to the false image media has imposed upon society. On of the best loved shows on television has had one of the strongest impacts on men’s understanding of beauty. For ten seasons Friends was adored by fans, and still today is on television everyday. Yet time and again comments were made about weight, and even at nine months pregnant Rachel was not allowed to look over a size eight! One of the most shocking moments comes when they do a clip back in history, and the viewer is taken to watch a scene between Ross, Monica and Chandler. When Chandler first meets Monica, Ross introduces her as â€Å"his little sister.† Chandler, noticing her weight comments, â€Å"yeah, okay.† Later, at a different meeting, when Monica has lost weight, he then finds her incredibly attractive. Although she is the same person, what matters is her outside, not her inside. Another show, discontinued in 1997, was Married†¦with Children. About families, the main character, Al Bundy, works as a shoe salesman, and has particularly negative views of large women. There are constant, negative quotes from the show,

Science lab 3.11 Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Science 3.11 - Lab Report Example This paper outlines a procedure for cleaning up oil spills in the sea. All the four methods helped in cleaning up the water. The feather dipped in oil and water mixture was different from the one dipped in the oil spill cleaned water. There were challenges of what to do with the oils spill after it was collected from the water. The cotton balls absorbed water as well as the oil. The dish detergent only broke the oil and it does not remove the oil from the water while use of Styrofoam is time consuming, and they also act as pollutants. The home clean-up process is easier as compared to the one in the ocean since there are wind and currents in the ocean which causes the oil spill to move and at times mix with the water making the clean up difficult. Use of paper towels in cleaning up oil spills is more effective as compared to other methods. They absorb the oil without absorbing water as compared to the cotton balls. They are also faced with the challenge of what to do with the collected oil spills, which may be broken down using the dish detergent. Oil spill in oceans and seas is a universal tragedy that is causing environmental pollution and death of marine creatures. There is a need to adopt an oil cleaning procedure that will clean oil spills as soon as they occur and prevent their adverse impacts. I would recommend modification of the paper towel to enable application in large ships and water vessels to enable clean up which will not only be cheap but also

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Statistical Process Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Statistical Process Control - Essay Example ld, therefore, ensure that there is use of the most proper management approach, for an effective problem-solving and improvement of the process of production or allowance of service by the company. This ensures that the company runs smoothly without chaos. In this paper, discussion will be made on a U.S based giant company by the name Walmart. This corporation was started in the year 1962, with its first store in Rogers, Arkansas. The corporation started as a small discount retailer but has since expanded internationally. By embracing innovations, the corporation has allowed its customers to shop online. Presently, Walmart operates more than 11,000 retail units in 27 countries and employs 2.2 million associates globally, out of which 1.3 million of the associates come from the U.S alone (Fishman, 2006). Walmart being a large shopping corporation deals in consumer end products ranging from clothing to groceries. Specifically, focus will be given on the entire shopping service that it provides. To increase sales especially in foreign countries, it uses the campaign â€Å"everyday low prices.† This has however not worked in all states. A reference point is what happened in Japan when Walmart bought a share in the Seiyu Company, but the successful strategy of the campaign failed. This is because the shoppers in Japan did not respond like the shoppers in the U.S. The Japanese shoppers associated the low prices with low quality and thus avoiding shopping there. Despite the continued success of Walmart especially in the U.S, there are areas that need to be improved especially in the foreign markets to ensure success globally. The fact that Walmart has failed to replicate its success in some of the foreign markets could be attributed to the lack of the corporation to fine-tune its shopping experience to the local culture. For instance in South Korea, the corporation should have agreed to the needs of the shoppers, who prefer goods in small packages, thereby forcing the

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Wind Energy (Is wind energy really that cheap Is it effective Is it Research Paper

Wind Energy (Is wind energy really that cheap Is it effective Is it practical) - Research Paper Example Wind is also a form of solar energy, because winds are mainly produced because of the temperature irregularities in the atmosphere caused by the sun, the unevenness of the earth’s surface and its rotation. Then this energy is used to turn the turbines and produce electrical energy. Basically the wind turbines are used to convert this wind energy into mechanical energy, which is later on used to transform it into electrical energy via generators or alternators. If we go through a brief history of electricity generation from wind turbines, Denmark was the first one to do it, who was able to produce 5 to 25 kW by 1910. Then in around 1925, wind-electric plants ranging from around 200 W to 3 kW were commercially available in the American market, and then in that era, the largest wind turbine was made in 1941 by Palmer C. Putnam with a capacity of 1250 kW. It was a hybrid hydro-electric capacity, in which, wind was the main source of energy, but in the absence of wind, water could also be used to turn the turbines. ... y unlike conventional power plants, which usually use furnace oil, diesel and coal, emitting a lot of pollution, thus badly affecting the environment. In 1990, according to the US Energy Department, the production of electricity using wind energy reduces the production of about 2.4 billion pounds of carbon dioxide and around 14.9 billion pounds of other pollutants. The cost of wind energy is reduced up to much of the extent in last 10 years, but still, it requires higher initial investment as compared to fuel generators. But the main cost is the machinery cost, which is around the 80% of the total cost. Whereas the running cost is almost free as compared to other sources of generating energy. So if we examine the total overall initial and total cost of the wind systems with other fossil fuel systems, then the cost of wind systems is quite competitive with other systems because on one hand where it saves the running cost or reduces it to the minimal, it also saves the fossil fuels, wh ich are reducing in the earth’s crust day by day. Thus the energy produced from the wind also provides a soft edge against the increase in electric power prices as the prices of fossil fuels are increasing gradually. Another major issue, that we have to face while using wind as a power source is that wind is an intermittent source, for it is sometimes available at the required rate and sometimes it is not available. So it may or may not work, whenever electricity is needed, or at places where electricity is needed at every time. Though electrical energy produced by the wind mills can be stored in batteries, but wind itself cannot be stored anywhere to be available at the timing of electricity demands. And usually wind blows at faster rate in remote locations, which are usually far away

Friday, August 23, 2019

The giving tree summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The giving tree summary - Essay Example The boy no longer gleamed with happiness, and this hurt the tree that had no choice but to inquire if there is anything she could do help the boy and make him happy once again. The boy, now an adolescent, desired money; therefore, the tree offered him her apples to go sell so that she could see him happy again (Silverstein, 1964). Time passed, and the boy grew into an adult and his state of unhappiness returned, and the tree inquired once again what she could do to make the boy happy. The boy responded by saying he would like to make a house and raise his family; therefore, the tree gave him her branches and both were happy again. Time passed, and the boy returned to the tree sad. Once more, the tree asked what she could do for him to make him happy and the boy told her that he needed a boat that would enable him to sail far away. Therefore, the tree offered the boy her trunk to build his boat. Both were happy, and the boy sailed off into lands unknown and never returned until he was very old (Silverstein, 1964). The tree was so happy when the boy returned in his old age, but her happiness was soon short-lived when she realized she had nothing left to give the boy. The tree explained the situation to the boy who told her that he only needed a place to sit and rest for he was old and tired. Therefore, the tree offered him her stump, and both were once again happy (Silverstein,

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Soft Drinks India Essay Example for Free

Soft Drinks India Essay According to the ‘Product Insights: Soft Drinks in India’ report, The global soft drinks market grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3. 45% from 2005 to 2009 and was valued at $494. 5 billion in 2009. New product launches in the global soft drinks market increased by 8. 59% in 2009. The US was the top country by retail sales as well as by number of new product launches, followed by Japan which ranked second in both categories. Globally, India ranked 25th in terms of retail sales and 13th in terms of the number of new product launches in the soft drinks market in 2009. In spite of India’s huge population and the fact that around 47% of the population is composed of persons below 30 years of age, the per-capita consumption of soft drinks in India remains very low, at approximately at 5. 2 liters against the world average of nearly 85. 22 liters. Developed countries such as the US, Germany, Italy and Spain all have per-capita consumption in the range of 280-400 liters, showcasing the huge potential for market growth in India. Coca-Cola remains the market leader in the carbonates category with a market share of more than 60% in the Indian market, followed by Pepsi with around 35%. In the bottled water category, Parle’s Bisleri and Kinley from Coca-Cola are the leading players. The packaged juices market in India continues to be dominated by Maaza and Frooti, followed by brands such as Slice, Tropicana and Real which have registered good growths in their market shares in the past few years. Red Bull with its strong dominance of the energy drinks’ category, which is the largest segment in the functional drinks category, is the market leader in the functional drinks market. Considering the overall development of the Indian soft drinks market, a comparison can be drawn between various soft drink categories based on the major consumer segment for each category using age and economic status as the two judging criterion. For instance, while carbonates are consumed by consumers from almost all economic segments and ages in the India, considering the various packaging sizes and price points for these products, segments such as energy drinks and sports drinks are mainly consumed in the age group of around 24 years who are on the higher side in terms of economic status, i.e. working executives and the affluent class. Based on these trends, a comparison chart can be drawn between the different soft drink categories in India as given below: 60 years Juices 40 years Carbonate Nutraceutic al Drinks Carbonate X-Axis: Consumer Economic Segment Y-Axis: Consumer Age Group Juices 24 years Carbonate 15 years Middle Working Executives/Upper Middle Class Energy Drinks and Sports Drinks Affluent. Current Situation: According to the ‘Product Insights: Soft Drinks in India’ report from Datamonitor, With improving literacy rates, consumers have become increasingly aware of health and fitnessrelated issues. Additionally, due to greater disposable incomes, particularly in urban areas, consumers are seeking healthier beverages even if they are relatively more expensive, due to their positioning. Raising awareness levels with regard to obesity and other weight related health issues in the last decade, especially amongst teenagers and young adults, has helped push sales of non-carbonates. Sales of noncarbonated drinks also got a boost from the pesticide controversy which led some consumers to switch loyalties from carbonates to juices, functional drinks etc. Products such as Juice are now fast becoming as an essential part of breakfast table with urban families. Leading beverage corporations such as Cocacola and PepsiCo have identified this trend and are adopting strategies to benefit from this development. Previously, product strategy of these large corporations was largely Cola based; given that a large part of their product volumes would come from the carbonates segment. However, in the last few years, with the strong growth in the non-carbonate sector and tapering of growth within the cola segment companies such as PepsiCo have announced plans of moving towards a well diversified portfolio by increasing the volume share of other soft drink segments including juices, functional drinks and other products with health benefits etc. This is evident from the strong marketing campaigns which preceded the launch of brands such as Tropicana and Minute Maid. Growing consumer awareness about the harmful effects of artificial ingredients in food and beverages has fueled the demand for ‘natural’ or ‘free from’ products over the last few years. According to Datamonitor’s latest consumer survey, 62% of respondents globally are influenced by the claims of ‘no artificial additives including colors, flavorings and preservatives’ when making food and beverage choices. The survey further reveals that the ‘natural/organic’ claim influences the major proportion of consumers in developing countries like Brazil and China, and a significant proportion in developed economies like the US and the UK. In line with the trends as reflected in the report, several new brands such as Nimbooz, Minute Maid Nimbu Fresh, and Cocojal (from Jain Agro) have been launched in the past few years in the Indian market. These recent entrants have used the ‘natural’ claim to market their product with consumers, with products being modeled on traditional Indian drinks. For instance, Nimbooz is based on the traditional lemon drink consumed in homes and the ads reflect the natural flavors and the ‘homemade like’ taste of the product. Product Launches/Marketing Strategies: As per the ‘Product Insights: Soft Drinks in India’ report from Datamonitor, US, followed by Japan were the top countries in terms of new product launches as well as by market value. India was ranked 13th by new product launches and 25th by market value. India had the third highest percentage growth (11%) in global soft drinks market in 2009 in terms of value. The figure below depicts the top 10 countries based on number of new products launched in the soft drinks market in 2009. Figure 1: 2009 20% 18% 16% 14% 12% % contribution 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0% Top 10 countries based on number of new soft drinks product launches, Rank 1 Rank 2 Rank 3 Rank 4 Rank 5 Rank 6 Rank 7 Rank 8 Rank 9 Rank 10 US Japan China UK Germany Russia France Canada Italy Brazil Rank 13 India Source: Datamonitor’s Product Launch Analytics DATAMONITOR In addition to health related product launches, manufacturers are also using innovative marketing strategies to reach out to a larger consumer base. For example, Real juices used Disney characters for the promotion of its fruit juices amongst school going kids. Booster Juice, an international company which manufactures smoothies has used an innovative marketing initiative by signing the only Indian ‘Ultraman’ athlete (Ultraman is a title conferred for completion of a combination of high endurance athletic events such as long-distance triathlon etc. ), Anu Vaidyanathan as its brand ambassador for its smoothies promoting the importance of nutrition and fitness through its brands. Similarly, Dabur has signed Zaheer Khan, a leading Indian cricketer as the brand ambassador for its energy drink brand, Dabur Glucose. Coca-Cola in its recent Ad campaign used a traditional Indian art form, Warli to capture the mood of the festive season of Diwali. It also has several marketing initiatives such as offers of free home trips to participants from any part of the country etc. Considering that the soft drinks sector in India is seasonal and sales pick up a bit after during the festive season, most players in the market are actively campaigning to capture this demand. On-Trade: Apart from the retail market, foodservice or on-trade sector appears to be another lucrative avenue for manufacturers to cash in on the growing demand for soft drinks in India. Segments such as carbonates, energy drinks, bottled water etc. already enjoy a high share from the on-trade segment. However, for categories such as juice, which is in its nascent stage in the country, the on-trade sector promises a huge potential for growth. The juice bar model is similar to the cafe outlets such as Barista and Coffee Day chains and these enterprises aim to replicate the success of the latter to provide a healthier alternative. Figure consciousness being the latest fad, these juice bars appears to be the ideal place to visit after a grueling work-out at the gym for students and executives. This model is already a big hit in the western markets with players such as ‘Jamba Juice’ and ‘Smoothie King’ garnering good volumes in the US market. Currently, places with large footfalls such as shopping malls, office complexes and convention centers have juice bar joints in India. Apart from these, there are a few independent juice bar chains that are coming up in different parts of the country. Retail outlets such as ‘Amorettos’ in Delhi, ‘HAS Juice bar’ in Mumbai and ‘Bloom Juices’ in Mohali and multinational chains such as ‘New Zealand Naturals’ fall under the juice bar category. Apart from offering the regular fresh fruit juices, these outlets also offer exotic options such as ‘Fresh Wheat Grass’, ‘Fat Free Smoothies’ and ayurvedic herb based natural fruit juices in their menu. The benefits with each of these different juices are clearly explained so that the customers have greater awareness about the ideal juices for themselves. Similarly, other categories such as RTD teas, coffees etc. can be a hit with consumers in the on-trade sector. While the foodservice establishments offer the advantage of more information and hygienic conditions they are still far behind when it comes to price competition with the unorganized sector outlets such as road side juice shops. The price in these outlets as compared to the unorganized sector for a product like juice is higher by 3-4 times. This becomes a critical factor for the success amongst the price conscious Indian consumers. This sector has to come up with initiatives which increase awareness levels amongst consumers regarding the health benefits etc. offered through their products in order to gain acceptance in the Indian market. ENDS – This is based on Datamonitor’s analysis and inputs from Datamonitor’s latest report ‘Soft drinks in India. ’ For further information on this title, please contact Aartee Sundheep on +91 40 6672 9586 or [emailprotected] com.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Bsa 375 Week 2 Dq Essay Example for Free

Bsa 375 Week 2 Dq Essay Week 2 DQ DQ1 1.How were the problems with the system missed? Problems were missed by failing to complete the SDLC. The application was developed based on information gathered from agents, but doesn’t seem that it was modified during the system implementation phase. 2.How might these problems have been foreseen and possibly avoided? The problem could have been foreseen and possibly avoided by creating use cases. Use cases will help develop detailed requirements along with expectations, and error handling. 3.In perfect hindsight, the widespread availability of such systems on the internet today, what should the company have done? The company should have taken some time to redesign or retool the application at the first sign of user displeasure. DQ2 1.What is the purpose of developing use cases during systems analysis? How do use cases relate to the requirements stated in the requirements definition? The purpose of developing use cases during system analysis is to help develop the practical requirements, and help understand exceptions, special cases and error handling requirements. Use cases will provide a comprehensive understanding of user interfaces. DQ3 1.A system development project may be approached in one of two ways: as a single, monolithic project in which all requirements are considered at once or as a series of smaller projects focusing on smaller sets of requirements. Which approach seems to be more successful? Why do you suppose that this is true? Be specific. You can answer from your experience or the reading in chapter 3 of this week’s materials.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Jean Baudrillards Disneyworld Company Theory Analysis

Jean Baudrillards Disneyworld Company Theory Analysis In his essay Disneyworld Company (1996), Jean Baudrillard suggests that we are living within an immediate synchronism of all the places and all the periods in a single a-temporal virtuality. Please explain this statement, referencing at least two contemporary digital examples. In his statement ‘an immediate synchronism of all the places and all the periods in a single a-temporal virtuality‘, Baudrillard is addressing the gap between what we can see as the known and the experienced (Baudrillard, 1996). It is in this sense that Baudrillard is writing against the notion of human nature and revealing only experience as the real and knowledge as merely the imagined. It is due to this gap that Baudrillard is then able to show that virtuality has begun to replace our real perceptions. To understand this in full we must investigate his and other philosopher’s thoughts regarding the digital age in greater detail. Informed primarily by the role that intelligence and sensual perception plays as it is applied to experience and knowledge, Baudrillard looked at the role of subjectivity as it related to both the objective and the phenomenological world. Beginning his enquiry into humanity and reality and its relationship to the world, Baudrillard focused upon the condition of the free world and its growing technologies with an emphasis that its Medias had placed upon commercialisation, imagery and art consumption. Baudrillard spoke of the new emphasis on the philosophy of self fulfilment suggesting that, ‘Through planned motivation we find ourselves in an era where advertising takes over the moral responsibility for all of society and replaces a puritan morality with a hedonistic morality of pure satisfaction, like a new state of nature at the heart of hyper civilisation’ (Baudrillard, 1968, p.3) After prescribing this current philosophical and moral reality that he believed informed the condition for humanity in the west, Baudrillard then turned to a notion of subject / object consciousness in an attempt to define a link between our knowledge and our experience. Detailing a consumer-able condition that pertained very strongly to post modern, capitalist living, Baudrillard concluded that the relationship between the subject and object now formed the living consciousness of an abstracted life between what he/she identifies with and what is signified in the actual consummation of any chosen object, such as an image, by stating that, ‘We can see that what is consumed are not objects but the relation itself signified and absent, included and excluded at the same time it is the idea of the relation that is consumed in the series of objects which manifests it.’ (Baudrillard, 1967, p.11) What Baudrillard does here is implement the idea of a simulated code acting as our knowledge, rather like that of a robot with artificial intelligence, that works by replacing the old humanised ideological frameworks that once informed society and acted as the gel between experience and knowledge / subject and object. These driving forces once born of experience communicated through culture and language in the forms of social exchange and communal ideology were seen by Baudrillard as being the premise of the image. In this we see that Baudrillard is showing how this simulated code informs a new humanity, devoid of natural origin, that does not live out a life according to cultural meaning that is supported by a communal language, but instead acts out an imagined life that can be understood and identified by its relationship to the values apparent within the code or what Bakhtin called the ‘relationship of the other’ essentially, placing life itself as a simulated relati onship to a tructural code of knowledge. (Bakhtin, 1993). Writing on the subsequent implications of this reality that he defined as hyper-reality and documenting the cultural shift that supported the change from registering external behaviour of a subject as an indication of a subjective response to the recognition of the other as an objective image of simulated experience, Baudrillard suggested that, ‘A whole imagery based on contact, a sensory mimicry and a tactile mysticism, basically ecology in its entirety, comes to be grafted on to this universe of operational simulation, multi-stimulation and multi response. This incessant test of successful adaptation is naturalised by assimilating it to animal mimicry. , and even to the Indians with their innate sense of ecology tropisms, mimicry, and empathy: the ecological evangelism of open systems, with positive or negative feedback, will be engulfed in this breach, with an ideology of regulation with information that is only an avatar, in accordance of a more flexible patter.’ (Baudrillard, 1976, p.9) With this we can see that all cultures have become divorced from a natural reality born of experience and that the ideas of a structured culture have become replaced by a gap that is filled with the virtual. In this sense, life, according to Baudrillard, is one of virtual imagery that is then rationalised against a simulated code rather than an intrinsic relationship with nature. Essentially, this ideological code acting as virtual knowledge informs us of linear time and space and so distorts our experience of life and existence. The virtual imagery presented to us via global technology and media, such as the internet, then reinforces our application to this reality and gives us our user identity that replaces the old systems devised of actual or phenomenological reality. Scepticism towards global medias, technologies and the growing dependency that humanity and society had begun placing upon the cultural apparatus of the globe was put forward by Marxist philosopher Seigfried Kracaue rs in his concerns about the mass consumption of art. This indicated that reality of the working masses was hidden under the illusion (or virtuality) of mass produced, distributed and unrelated art (Kracauer, 1963). Expanding upon the ideas of mass consumption and art put forward by Kracauer, contemporary Walter Benjamin introduced the notion of time and space to this idea. Focusing upon the history of technological progression and its relationship to art and social reality, Benjamin suggested that, ‘Even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element its presence in time and space, its unique existence as the place where it happens to be. This unique existence of the work of art determined the history to which it was subject throughout the time of existence. This includes the charges which it may have suffered in physical condition over the years as well as the various changes of its ownerships. The traces of the first can be revealed only by chemical or physical analysis which it is impossible to perform on a reproduction; changes of ownership are subject to a tradition which must be traced from the situation of the original’ (Benjamin, 1935, p.1) Bringing the role of time and space into the capitalist reproduction of art, Benjamin was able to expand upon Kracauer’s notion that this art was resistant to nature, the individual, the nation and the community. What Benjamin was then able to suggest was that firstly, any one piece of culture belongs to the mass production of art that determines it, and that secondly, every cultural artefact cannot stand free of the time and space in which it was presented as without its mass, it has no meaning or cultural apparatus from which it can be signified or understood (Benjamin, 1935). We can see from this that both Kracauer and Benjamin devised a rationale that applied to the placing of the ideological and virtual conceptual framework within the technological reality of global production. More contemporary thinkers and writers that have concerned themselves with this role of global media and their advancing technologies in the current global condition, hae often supported these view s providing evidence for the onus placed upon imagery in the process. For instance, in his text War and Peace in the Global Village writer Marshall McLuhan commented directly upon the growing dependency of western cultures mass media technologies. The global village mentioned in the title referred to the relationship between the people of the global cities and the mass culture that they consumed and were informed by. In particular, this text observed the actual impact that new technologies such as television and news had on cultural perception and indicated how it affected the perception of time within that perception, suggesting that it was being used to artificially construct a regional global identity based upon a virtual history and world based upon linear time and imagined geographies. For instance, information readily received from actual and real events in the world made the concept of a world and its state of being a direct part of one’s own naturalised condtion and e xperience. Essentially, as this mass of information could be freely accessed by anyone among the global village at any time, then the information could be seen as a virtual universalising reality. Furthermore, using an example of contemporary war coverage, McLuhan was able to demonstrate a clear biasness that was present in the then contemporary manipulation of mass technologies so that invading troops could be portrayed as ‘military contractors‘. He termed this as ’dichotomization’, which would offer two points of view both pertaining to the culture / counter culture of the presiding mass (McLuhan, 1963). This is the gap between knowledge and experience that Baudrillard was referring to, in which he believed synchronisation could flood the space now rendered free of actual time and actual space and portray the virtual as the real. Although we can see that both Kracauer and Benjamin’s theories of mass reproduction and McLuhan’s findings on the perceptions of technological medias are still relevant and apply to the presentation of the global world that we now find ourselves deeply immersed in, other theorists have offered another approach, implying that Kracauer and Benjamin’s theories contained a fatalistic scepticism that was born of the early twentieth century western modernist perspective. For instance, concerned with the notion of technological expansion, mass culture and the effects of globalisation, contemporary cultural theorist Homi Bhabha engaged in a global perspective that aimed to critique the notion of mass reproduction and its over riding condition. Considering Kracauer and Benjamin’s conceptual analysis of the reproduction of the mass and observing the colonial effects placed upon other cultures, Bhabha positioned this dimension in the conemporary sense by emphasising that it also formed a part of the dichotomy of the mass. Having placed their theory of mass reproduction as one of global scepticism, that was bound by the cultural historicity of their western heritage as is represented by Baudrillard’s positioning of Disney Land as a producer of virtuality within the contemporary age, Bhabha then suggested a third way approach that stood outside of the virtual mass and could observe it organically, either as individual or as a community. Having positioned Kracauer and Benjamin’s theories as part of the dichotomy of the mass, Bhabha was then able to indicate that the essence of a true global perspective was born of organic community that could be found somewhere outside of the global mass; somewhere away from the ‘imaginary’ virtual debates of global inter-national territories and free of their dependencies upon linear and grand concepts of history and time elase (Bhabha, 1994). He suggested that the location of this else where was within the unbound psychology of the individual and not in the construct of their ideological positioning within the virtual time and space created by global media, technology and information. Engaging with Benjamin’s notion of time and space in this cultural reproduction, Bhabha reasoned that, ‘The temporality of negotiation or translation has two main advantages. First, it acknowledges the historical connectedness between the subject and object of critique so that there can be no simplistic, essentialist opposition between ideological misrecognition and revolutionary truth. The progressive reading is crucially determined by the adversarial or agonistic situation itself; it is effective because it uses the subversive, messy mask of camouflage and does not come like a pure avenging angel speaking the truth of a radical historicity and pure oppositionality. If one is aware of this heterogeneous emergence (not origin) of radical critique, then and this is my second point function of theory within the political process becomes double edged. It makes us aware that our political references and priorities the people, the community, class struggle, anti-racism, gender difference the assertion of an anti-imperialist, black or thir perspective are not there in some primord ial, naturalistic sense. They make sense [only] when they come to be constructed in the discourses of feminism, Marxism.’ (Bhabha, 1994, p.23) It is from this idea of mass, global communication and its accessible depictions of regionalism and linear time that Baudrillard states that there is a synchronism. This synchronism is understood by Baudrillard as the thing that is manipulated by Disneyland to enforce and reinforce an idea of what is real and what is not that as part of the process negates the actual experience of the object itself. Essentially for Baudrillard, through image Disneyland is set within an ideological and conceptual framework reinforced by mass imagery and perceived as being real rather than being virtual. Through the mass image, the reality of Disneyland appears to us as real as it accords to the simulated code that acts and has replaced our naturalised and cultured knowledge structures, without the real experience itself being captured within an experiential temporality. Therefore, it is through the ideology of image that we view the notion of Disneyland as being fixed and constant and not in a transie nt state of natural and ultural change as pertains to objects of the organic or civilised worlds. Essentially, it is through a display of established imagery that Disneyland can synchronise all the places and all the periods of the virtually known globe, and its many cultures, in a single a-temporal virtuality and replace any reality in the process. Bibliography Bakhtin, M., (1993) Toward a Philosophy of the Act. Ed. Vadim Liapunov and Michael Holquist. Trans. Vadim Liapunov. Austin: University of Texas Press Baudrillard, J., (1968) The System of Objects Taken from: The Order of Simulacra (1993) London: Sage. Baudrillard, J., (1976) Symbolic Exchange and Death Taken from: The Order of Simulacra (1993) London: Sage. Benjamin, W., (1935) The Work of Art in the Mechanical Age of Reproduction London: Harcourt. Bhabha, H., (1994) The Location of Culture New York: Routledge Kracauer, S., (1963) The Mass Ornament London: Harvard University Press. McLuhan, M., (1968) War and Peace in the Global Village Washington: Washington Post. Web Links Baudrillard, J., (1996) Disneyworld Company Paris: Liberation. Taken from: www.ctheory.net/articles.aspx?id=158 Jean Baudrillard

Monday, August 19, 2019

Are You Sick, or Do You Just Want Attention? :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Are You Sick, or Do You Just Want Attention? Most of us, in our youth, were probably asked this question in some form or another at least once by our parents; and most of us would probably admit to having faked being sick at least once in our lives. It is interesting, then, to note that there seems actually to be a pathology associated with this kind of behavior known as Munchausen syndrome. What, technically, is Munchausen syndrome? According to the Merck Manual, it is "Repeated fabrication of physical illness - usually acute, dramatic, and convincing - by a person who wanders from hospital to hospital for treatment." (1) People suffering from this disorder will even go so far as to inflict physical harm upon themselves in order to get the attention they want. Generally, it is associated with a past history of severe neglect and abuse inflicted upon the subject. It is important at this point to differentiate between Munchausen and two other pathological behaviors for which it might be mistaken: unlike hypochondriacs, Munchausen sufferers are conscious of the fact that they are not genuinely sick (2); unlike malingerers (people who fake or induce the symptoms of illness for some external gain, such as the prescription of painkillers (3)) the behavior of an overwhelming majority of Munchausen sufferers cannot be attributed to conscious motives. (1) A far more alarming variant of this disorder, known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy, has also been documented. In these cases, the subject fabricates the existence of physical illness in another person, usually the subject's child. The same sorts of behaviors occur - faking or simulating the symptoms of illness, resorting to physical harm in order to induce those symptoms. Even though the parent - the Munchausen sufferer - will always appear to be deeply concerned for the child's welfare, her actions will not infrequently result in the child's being severely deformed or even dying. (2) Both variants of this disorder are highly uncommon. At present, people with either Munchausen syndrome or Munchausen syndrome by proxy are seldom, if ever, treated with drugs. Standard methods of management and treatment include early recognition of the disorder and years of intensive counseling; many doctors believe that the disorders are not treatable, inferring from the nature of the disorders that giving the subject medical attention would in fact heighten the severity of their pathology. (2) Munchausen syndrome and Munchausen syndrome by proxy are rarely treated successfully.

Community Service Gives Purpose to My Life :: Community Service Essays

During my last year of high school, I was looking for something productive to do. I didn’t know many people because I had just moved to town and everything was new to me. Searching for opportunities to get involved and make new friends I decided it would be a good idea to make an appointment with my student counselor and discuss what was available for me to do. While speaking with my high school counselor, she asked if I had an interest in performing community service. She then explained the advantages of community service, but I wondered to myself, â€Å"what can volunteering teach me and why would I not be paid for doing work?†. I began to investigate organizations where I could perform community service. I soon discovered the â€Å"Hispanic Cultural Center† , I immediately became interested because I am Hispanic myself and I thought it would be nice to learn some more about my culture and meet more people. I made a call for an interview, and I committed myself to begin as soon as possible. As the school year began to unravel I knew it would be difficult to spend my afternoons helping because of all the homework and assignments I had to do in order to pass all of my classes. For a second I doubted I could handle school and volunteering, but I embraced the risks and proceeded to do both. My volunteering hours consisted of endless office work, organization of events and decorating. I liked it, it was something I enjoyed doing and I felt competent of doing. I didn’t know this until later but doing all these things made me realize that at the same time I was working I was having fun, after all, vol unteering was teaching me a lesson. One day during November the lady I was working with and I went out to get lunch, we had become good friends and she seemed to enjoy my company. As we were having lunch and talking about different subjects she said she was thankful for people like me, I didn’t understand what she had just said but I knew it had made an impact in me. I felt proud of her words but I didn’t know why, until I finally decided to ask her when we were both in silence. The question escaped my mouth before I had anticipated or formulated what I had meant to ask. Community Service Gives Purpose to My Life :: Community Service Essays During my last year of high school, I was looking for something productive to do. I didn’t know many people because I had just moved to town and everything was new to me. Searching for opportunities to get involved and make new friends I decided it would be a good idea to make an appointment with my student counselor and discuss what was available for me to do. While speaking with my high school counselor, she asked if I had an interest in performing community service. She then explained the advantages of community service, but I wondered to myself, â€Å"what can volunteering teach me and why would I not be paid for doing work?†. I began to investigate organizations where I could perform community service. I soon discovered the â€Å"Hispanic Cultural Center† , I immediately became interested because I am Hispanic myself and I thought it would be nice to learn some more about my culture and meet more people. I made a call for an interview, and I committed myself to begin as soon as possible. As the school year began to unravel I knew it would be difficult to spend my afternoons helping because of all the homework and assignments I had to do in order to pass all of my classes. For a second I doubted I could handle school and volunteering, but I embraced the risks and proceeded to do both. My volunteering hours consisted of endless office work, organization of events and decorating. I liked it, it was something I enjoyed doing and I felt competent of doing. I didn’t know this until later but doing all these things made me realize that at the same time I was working I was having fun, after all, vol unteering was teaching me a lesson. One day during November the lady I was working with and I went out to get lunch, we had become good friends and she seemed to enjoy my company. As we were having lunch and talking about different subjects she said she was thankful for people like me, I didn’t understand what she had just said but I knew it had made an impact in me. I felt proud of her words but I didn’t know why, until I finally decided to ask her when we were both in silence. The question escaped my mouth before I had anticipated or formulated what I had meant to ask.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Globalisation and the Australian Economy Essay -- essays research pape

The Impact of Globalisation on the Australian Economy Globalisation is not new. Australia has been involved in trade, investment, financial flows, technology transfers and the migration of labour since its foundation as a colony. What has changed is the size, direction and influence of these transfers, especially since 1980. There are a number of factors that have aided this transformation. They include: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The expansion of new markets – foreign exchange and capital markets are linked globally. They operate 24 hours a day with dealings any where in the world possible in real time. Financial deregulation and the floating of the Australian dollar since 1983 intensified the impact of globalisation on the Australian economy. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New technology and the tools of globalisation – the internet, email, mobile phones, media and communication networks have all sped up the process of globalisation. They have increased the spread and speed of knowledge transfer and communication. Australian consumers can buy products from any nation in the world, transfer funds between accounts or purchase shares in any major market. Australian businesses can market their products at a fraction of the cost and be exposed to a global market place of competition. This potentially is the closest we will ever come to the perfect market. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New institutional players – The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has growing authority over national governments, as does the IMF with its restrictions and controls it can impose on nations requiring assistance. Multinational corporations have more economic power than many nations. Hedge funds and financial dealers are able to manipulate financial flows and subsequently exchange rates, leaving nations helpless in their wake. This in turn renders traditional economic policy tools virtually useless. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New rules and restrictions – Multilateral agreements on trade, services and intellectual property rights, backed by strong enforcement mechanisms, reduce the scope for national governments to develop their own economic policies. What is Globalisation? Globalisation is the growing economic interdependence among nations as reflected in increasing actual movement across nations of: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Trade †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Inv... ...ly be quite effective at pushing the Australian dollar down by selling the currency, it is very limited in pushing it up. The RBA only has its limited foreign reserves to buy the Australian dollar. The value of Australia's foreign reserves fell from $22billion US in December 1999 to $16billion US in September 2000. The amount of Australian dollars traded in one day in Australia's foreign exchange market exceeds its total foreign reserves. As was seen in the Asian crisis in 1997 in Thailand, running down foreign reserves will not always halt a currency decline. The US Federal Reserve is probably the only central bank that can strongly influence the decisions of fund managers. The financial traders and dealers seek a low inflation, low interest rate, low current account deficit, high growth, budget surpluses and small public sector. If the Government does not achieve these policies, the markets will punish it. If they do achieve them, the markets may still punish them. Any way you look at it, Australia is integrated into the globalised world economy and is dependent on the activities and policies of globalisation. Australia’s future will move with the ebb and flow of globalisation.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Hiring an Accredited Administrator Essay

Several registered ISO certified companies are providing services to develop your standards according to the ISO. An ISO certified accredited administrator guides you throughout the entire process of standardization. For instance, in writing company’s policy statement, and sometimes even in complex operating procedures. A firm can hire ISO accredited registrar who has knowledge and background about the firm’s business. Nonetheless, the price of accredited administrator and registrar depend on numerous factors like nature and size of business. Objectives of ISO 9000 Design control, quality system, management responsibility, documentation and data control, process control, order entry, training, inspection of test status, delivery, handling, storing, packing, servicing, measurement and test equipment, statistical techniques, and internal quality audit are some of the main objectives of ISO 9000 Quality Management Systems. Cost of ISO 9000 The cost of implementing ISO 9000 standards in any type of company depends on several factors. Usually, gap analysis is employed when evaluating implementation cost. However, the factors which make an outline about cost focus on the following questions: how long will it take to develop your company’s quality management system working with ISO team? Registrar charges vary from country to country. What is the size of your company? Does it conduct business on international level or domestic level? How many people will be involved in setting up the standards whether you hire a person from outside or not? Normally, in gap analysis, companies calculate two kinds of costs: external and internal. Both include services and consultancy professional charges that include gap analysis, system documentation, system developing, training and awareness, system modifications, internal auditing services and so forth. Registrar fees like, application and registration fees, Product cost includes software and publication. Advantages and Disadvantages of ISO 9000 Advantages. The advantages of ISO 9000 are numerous such as maintenance of quality; opportunity to compete with bigger companies; clarity of customer focus; verification of the company; enhancements in facility performances and superiority as a result of implementing and maintaining the process; and increase in customer confidence and satisfaction. According to Ridley, â€Å"in organizations that are registered to ISO 9000 standards, the impact on control systems is significant. Besides, all your business partners agree that your company is producing product in highly standardized environment, which is not a small benefit. (Ridley, 1997) â€Å"The ISO 9000 registration process requires so much documentation and self-assessment that many businesses that undergo its rigors cite increased understanding of the company’s overall direction and processes as a significant benefit. † Moreover, the ISO 9000 certification process emphasis on self-analysis and operations management issues encourages various internal areas or departments of company to interact with one another in hopes of gaining a more complete understanding of the needs and desires of their internal customers†. (ISO 9000: Encyclopedia of Small Business). In addition, small business owners and large firms’ owners have agreed that ISO 9000 standard certification may be a good tool, which ensures funding from joint venture capital firms. According to another researchers Brewer and Mills, â€Å"ISO provides consistency for the end-customer and traceability for the company itself† (Brewer and Mills, 1994) Disadvantages of ISO 9000 Despite the advantages, there are some disadvantages as well. According to Sadiq, â€Å"senior management’s lack of understanding of the benefits they can derive by effectively implementing the standard also plays a role in creating this negative perception. In many situations top management– not understanding the standard or not having been trained in it-starts to view the standard`s requirements as a non-value– adding burden. † (Sadiq, 2002) Business executives and proprietors who are familiar with the ISO 9000 registration process know that this process may take several months to complete. Moreover, too much time is lost in proper documentation, which sometimes looks a hazardous job. According to Bibby â€Å"it virtually ignores the formulas of modern quality management: there is no mandate to reduce cycle time, cut inventories, speed up deliveries, and increase customer satisfaction†. (Bibby, 1996) Nonetheless, to achieve maximum advantage from this standard, standard languages are required for documenting good procedures. A well-managed system that implements practices can be applied throughout the organization. The documentation procedure should cover all parts of the organization within a certain limit and scope of registration in order to insure that quality objectives are met. A third party may be hired to measures audit models and to verify the certification of organizations. Future of ISO. The ISO 9000 is finally being modified according to the growing needs of the business community all around the world. The family of ISO 9000 and 2000, known as the family of Quality Management System standards, was finalized on 2000. According to Meyer, â€Å"the pressure for companies to become ISO 9000-certified is absolutely increasing and will continue to increase†. (Meyer, 1998) Nowadays, these standards are being distributed to the institute of ISO’s worldwide membership. In this regard, the three final draft international standards, which have been published, are as follows. †¢ â€Å"ISO/FDIS 9000, Quality management systems – Fundamentals and vocabulary †¢ ISO/FDIS 9001, Quality management systems – Requirements ISO/FDIS 9004, Quality management systems – Guidelines for performance improvements†. (What’s the Future of ISO? ISO 9000:2000) â€Å"The ISO Action Plan for Developing Countries defines a number of actions intended to mobilize its members, regional organizations and donor agencies. The actions are aimed at promoting developing country participation in ISO, building capacity through technical assistance programmes and enhancing interactions at regional and international levels. † (What’s the Future of ISO? ISO 9000:2000) ISO has planned some points for the developing countries for the period of 2005-2010, which includes the following: †¢ Intensify awareness among shareholders in developing countries for standardization of economic growth, global trade, and reliable development. †¢ Increase domestic and international cooperation in order to share training, experience, communication, technology, and communication †¢ Expand electronic communication and expertise in information technology tools to take part in global standardization †¢ Enhance participation in technical and governance work of international standard organization to voice priorities. Economic Benefits of ISO As most of the domestic and multinational organizations adopted ISO standards, it increased economic growth and played a fundamental role in globalizing the business world. Certainly, standards create environment for economic success. Equal sets of standards throughout the business world provide business partners an opportunity to trade globally without hesitating about product quality. In this regard, the primary objective behind setting one global standard is to reinforce the global business as a channel of economic activity. The fair market value of small firms registered with ISO 9000 in the year 1994 increased dramatically up to 0. 75 percent. International large firms have experienced more than 0. 80 percent worth of their business. As product quality has improved, public limited companies’ share prices have increased. â€Å"In the UK, the DTI commissioned research revealed the following facts: †¢ Standards make an annual contribution of ? 2. 5 billion to the UK economy; †¢ 13 per cent of the growth in labor productivity is attributed to the role of standards; †¢ Standards are an enabler of innovation and facilitator of technological change; and †¢ The economic return from investment in standards makes sound business sense at both the macro and the micro-economic level†. (TC_211_Newsletter_08. doc) Conclusion In today’s world of economy, the barriers of international trade have been knocked down. Domestic and multinational companies have enhanced their level of performance in order to survive in today’s global world. Today, ISO 9000 standards are globally accepted. They help companies achieve cost effectiveness and quality assurance methods. Many small- and large-scale firms around the world have been adopted ISO standards. According to Ingman, a resercher in this area, â€Å"most organizations will not stop with ISO as their â€Å"only† main quality initiative, but rather will continue to work toward the broader concept of total quality management (TQM)†. (Ingman, 1994) References Brewer Peter C. , Mills Tina Y, (Feb, 1994), Journal Article, ISO 9000 Standards: An Emerging CPA Service Area – International Organization For Standardization. Bibby, Thomas, (Apr 1996), ISO 9000, A Catalyst, Not A Solution, Manufacturing Engineering, EPA – Environmental Management Systems/ISO 14001 http://www. epa. gov/OWM/iso14001/isofaq. htm Accessed, May 12, 2007 How to Pursue ISO Certification http://www. isixsigma. com/library/content/c000917c. asp Accessed, May 12, 2007 ISO 9000 †¦ for better or worse,( Sept 25, 1997) American Metal Market, ISO 9000: Encyclopedia of Small Business http://business. enotes. com/small-business-encyclopedia/iso Accessed, May 12, 2007 ISO – International Organization for Standardization http://www. iso.org/iso/en/iso9000-14000/understand/basics/basics9000/basics9000_2. html Accessed, May 12, 2007 Meyer Harvey R, ( March, 1998 ). Journal Article, Small Firms Flock To Quality System – Intl Organization For Standards’ ISO 9000 Certification – Includes Related Articles, Nation’s Business Not Available www. geog. leeds. ac. uk/staff/m. blake/magis/glossary/esriglos. htm QUALITY MANAGEMENT WITH ISO 9000 http://www. bioingegneria. uniba. it/bollettino/qualita/q_management. html Accessed, May 12, 2007 Ridley Jeffrey , (August, 1997), Jounal Article, Embracing Iso 9000 – Generic, Organizational, Quality-System Standards. Sadiq, Naeem, (Oct 2002), Jounal Article, ISO 9000 Standards: Where’s The Value? Ingman, Lars, Journal Article, (Jan 1994), Life After ISO 9000 TC_211_Newsletter_08. doc http://www. isotc211. org/Outreach/Newsletter/Newsletter_08_2005/TC_211_Newsletter_08. doc Accessed, May 12, 2007 What’s the Future of ISO? ISO 9000:2000 http://www. isixsigma. com/library/content/c000917e. asp Accessed, May 12, 2007 Where ISO 9000 came from and who is behind it http://www. iso. ch/iso/en/iso9000-14000/understand/basics/basics14000/basics14000_1. html Accessed, May 12, 2007.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Thomas Jefferson

As stated in the instructions under the navigation link, â€Å"Papers/ Projects,† a historical analogy Is to â€Å"compare/contrast† two historical events. You should choose two historical events In which you compare and contrast two important historical events such as two battles, two laws, two presidential administrations, etc. You should begin on this assignment as soon as possible. This assignment is very important and is worth 300 points! You must submit your historical analogy no later than OCTOBER 19th!This assignment Is worth a total of 300 plants It Is due no later than the last day of class Please submit your Historical Analogy to the instructor, using the † Here is a detailed description of what a â€Å"Historical Analogy† is for the purposes of this course: Historical Analogies are essays that compare/contrast two or more historical events, issues, and/or ideas. Analogies help to increase understanding by dealing with relationships and compariso ns – the new to the old, the unknown to the known.That is, analogies help us to understand unfamiliar Ideas, things, and situations by showing how these matters are similar to something we already know. The instructions below should give you an idea of what the skeleton of a historical analogy essay might look like: You would write a brief Introduction that states your thesis (central Idea, whatever – however you learned It) and previews how your essay will be constructed: [Then you would write the body of your paper:] You would then tie it all together with a well-written conclusion.So, the Idea Is to compare/contrast two historical events/issues from the same era, or one historical event/lessee from one era with a scalar historical event/lessee from another era, or a current event with a historical event we have read about or discussed. Thus, Historical Analogy assignment is essentially an essay discussing and analyzing what you have learned In a way that makes histo ry meaningful to us In our present Analogies should be a MINIMUM length of 4 double spaced pages. REMEMBER, this is the minimum. You should go beyond the minimum if you expect to receive higher Han minimum points for this assignment.You must use AT LEAST three sources OTHER THAN your textbook. You should send your analogy to the instructor via the MESSAGES center (as an attachment). The Dropped can be found under the † Tools† navigation button. Be sure to cite all sources that you use! You must also provide a list of your sources/ references at the end of your paper. This should be the last page of your paper. This is a must! Use the Epistyle and format. Sample Analogy Essay: This is an example of an Analogy essay from one of my previous classes.Although his analogy is not as long as four (double spaced typed) pages, this should give you a good idea regarding the style and form your essay should take. I hope it is helpful. 🙂 In this analogy, I will compare parti san politics of the early United Gastroenteritis to today's political parties. Prior to 1789 there was basically one party in American politics. In approximately 1792 due to differing opinions on the direction the United Statehood take in terms of commerce, and trade two separate parties began to form. The Federalist party headed by Washington, but whose financial policy was set byAlexander Hamilton, believed that the economic success of the United States lied in trade, and commercial interests. Their power base was in the New Mistranslated where there was less of an emphasis on agriculture due to poor soil. The Republican party began around 1792. Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison became convinced that Hamiltonians policies favored the wealthy commercial interests at the expense of agriculture. Their belief was that Hamilton and the Federalists were bent on forming an aristocratic government in the United States.Although the names have changed we still have two main political part ies in the United States. Today we have the Republican, and the Democratic parties. As in the late sass's both of our present day parties claim to be the party of the people. Like early politics both of our parties continually blame the other for the problems that our society experiences. In the assess citizens complained when the United Stateside not remain neutral in European politics, and the same holds true today. Currently we are mired in problems in Bosnia, and most U. S. Citizens would probably rather not see our U.S. Troops involved in something we consider not to be our fight. The last thing that I would compare is how our U. S. Politics were nasty back in early look at Aaron Burr, and Alexander Hamilton. Aaron Burr after being thwarted by Hamiltonian his bid for president challenged Hamilton a duel. Burr was upset at Hamiltonian Hamiltonians comment that Burr was too dangerous, and unfit to hold office. The end result was that Hamiltonian shot and killed by Burr in this du el. While today our politicians do not shoot each other, they do find other ways to kill ACH other politically.In today's politics no aspect of a public figures private life is exempt from public scrutiny. Our politicians even go as far as to hire private investigators to dig up dirt on each other. While I do not have a fix for the evils, and divisiveness that our two party system brings about, I do think that it does have its redeeming qualities. Having two parties keeps the ruling party semi-honest. With the threat of losing an election should you go against the will of the people, a two party system allows voters a choice come election time.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Marketing communications plan

Trends in the pub industry The British pub industry includes approximately 60,000 pubs that fall into three categories: managed (operated by a manager), leased/tenanted, and individual (operated by the owner) pubs (Mitchells & Butlers, 2005).   The British Beer & Pub Association reports that â€Å"in the last 10 years food sales in Britain's 30,000 managed pubs have risen by 165%†, with smaller increases posted by the smaller 30,000 pubs (Bowers, 2005). The British pub has traditionally fulfilled a variety of roles, serving both as a point for informal communication, a social venue for watching sports games or playing indoor sports, or even a family get-together. Although recent scandals concerning â€Å"binge drinking and town centre rowdiness in 2004† attracted the attention to the pub as a source of such antisocial behaviour, its role in British society has traditionally been much broader (Mintel, 2004). In any case, exposure of pubs to negative publicity has led to strengthening of governmental regulations concerning the sector. The current fight in the pub industry is against â€Å"the government's health bill exempting non-food pubs from a proposed smoking ban† (Bowers, 2005). This supposedly creates an uneven playing field for bars that serve food since they have to restrict smoking on their premises. At the same time, the proportion of pubs offering food service rose from about 50% in the 1990s to roughly 80% (Bowers, 2005). Owners and operators of bars subject to the smoke ban point to the fact that it will disadvantage food-serving bars, since the proportion of smokers among pub visitors is estimated by the British Beer & Pub Association to be in the range of 40-50% – about â€Å"twice the national average† (Bowers, 2005). The economic landscape in the UK is favourable for spending since consumers feel confidence in the economy. At the same time, pubs can be affected by the growing popularity of healthy lifestyles that includes a greater number of people â€Å"who simply want a quiet (or lively) drink in the comfortable, friendly type of pub that is permanently attractive for foreign tourists as well the British themselves† (Mintel, 2004). More and more people will treat bars not simply as venues for drinking; on the contrary, they want to have meals there. Pubs begin to dissociate with rowdiness that tainted their image and emerge as credible eating establishments can be attributed to the industry’s attempts to appeal to a wider section of the market due to competition from supermarkets, government regulation and societal changes including a more health conscious consumer. Bright, open interiors and smoke free environments make them more appealing to such consumers and the female audience. However, alcohol sales remain the driving force of profitability in bars. In this area, consumers now seek a higher quality experience. One of the trends is increase in wine sales, attributable in part to the simple addition of ice to the drink (Solley, 2005). According to the National Office of Statistics, champagne is now one of the most regular purchases in the UK, particularly non-vintage and rosà © lines. The growth has been attributed to younger drinkers who treat champagne as less a drink solely for special occasions (Bill, 2006). Still, the British Beer & Pub Association (2003) reports that â€Å"in the UK 28 million pints of beer are consumed every day, which equates to 100 litres per head each year – compared to 20 litres of wine per head†. Positioning – A bar with a difference The proposed bar on Lisburn Road will seek to differentiate itself from other bars in the city by offering   a high quality customer experience catered to the tastes of a more exclusive clientele. The competitive advantage of the facility will be the provision of excellent service and superior food and drink not available in other establishments; focusing on these features, the bar will not engage in price competition. The wide assortment of traditional drinks will be complemented by a meticulously selected wine list including champagne varieties, locally produced cider and ale and a selection of less common malt whiskeys. Customers will be informed of the wide variety of drinks through wine and whiskey tasting promotions. The bar will appeal to health-conscious consumers with by offering low-cost meals from a standard menu prepared with the finest locally sourced ingredients. The emphasis on social experience, quality food, and large choice of drinks will be distinctive features of the new bar. Segmentation The new bar will target the following groups in the target market: Professionals coming in after work to have a few drinks and chat with colleagues after a long working day Couples looking for a pleasant social experience, dinner and sometimes a bottle of wine Students occupying the bar in the day-time and in the evening to enjoy a get-together and discuss class assignments WOOFS (well-off older folks) enjoying their post-retirement life and spending some of their time in local bars to have a pleasant dinner DINKS – couples without children but with a high income that permits them to allocate a large portion of their income to dining. Overall, the target audience will include individuals with high disposable income, high expectations of service, food quality and drink variety, and preference for establishments with style. References Bowers, S. (2005, October 28). Smoking ban is unworkable, says pub industry. Guardian. Retrieved April 29, 2006, from http://society.guardian.co.uk/health/news/0,,1602801,00.html British Beer & Pub Association (2003). Beer and Pub Facts. Retrieved April 29, 2006, from http://www.beerandpub.com/content.asp?id_Content=704 Mintel International Group Ltd. (2004, August 1). Pub Visiting – UK. Retrieved April 29, 2006, from http://www.marketresearch.com/product/display.asp?productid=1037778&g=1 Mitchells & Butlers. (2005). Pub Operating Models. Retrieved April 29, 2006, from http://www.mbplc.com/index.asp?pageid=425

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

You Suck: A Love Story Chapter 9~10

Chapter Nine It's Like Time Travel, Only You know, Slower†¦ THE CHRONICLES OF ABBY NORMAL: Tortured Victim of the Daylight Dwellers So here I am again, to open my veins and spill my pain onto your pages. My dark friend, after sixteen years of totally boring existence, I come to you at last with a glimmer of hope to break through the gloomth that is my miserable life. OMG! I have found him! Or I should say, he has found me. That's right, my Dark Lord has found me. A for-real vampyre. He is called the vampyre Flood, and he didn't say, but I think he is descended from European royalty – a viscount or a discount or one of those. I was in Walgreens with Jared when we saw him – and OMFG he's so hot, in a totally stealth way. I would have thought he was just a totally mainstream geek or something, with his flannel shirt and jeans, but he asked us about buying syringes and I totally saw his fangs come out. So, I was like, â€Å"I can hook you up with my dealer,† like that, and then he looked at my T-shirt and saw Byron's picture on it and he quoted â€Å"She Walks in Beauty,† which is like my favorite poem next to the one by Baudelaire about his girlfriend being nothing but worm food, except that Lily called that one first because Baudelaire is her fave poet and so she got the shirt with him on it, even though Byron is way more scrumptious and I would do him on sharp gravel if I had the chance. So I went home and changed my clothes and fixed my makeup, and when we got to Glas Kat we breezed by the door like we were twenty-five or something. Jared made our IDs himself at Kinkos and we both look so mature in our pictures, although I think he overdid it with the mustache. Anyway, we were there like ten minutes, and this song came on that I really like – â€Å"Boning You in the Ossuary,† by Dead Can Dub – which is so cool and macabre. And I tried to get Jared to dance, but this guy comes by and grabs Jared's cape and says, â€Å"Blacks fade much?† and that was it. Jared went into a level-five freak-out, and turned into a total fuckwit, trying to get me to hide him and stuff, and then just saying he couldn't take it anymore and he had to go home and redye right then. So he abandoned me to the dank loneliness that is the night and I bought a bottle of water and some chips and got ready to grieve my lost youth, when HE showed up. OMG! Check it, he actually knew Byron and Shelley! He used to party with them in Switzerland when they were all young. They all did laudanum and read ghost stories and stuff, and then they actually invented Goth, right there in this villa on some lake. He is like THE SOURCE! He took me for coffee and I wanted to give myself to him right there in Starbucks. Lily will be totally jealous. So he said I have to wait. He is connected to some ancient Celtic vampire countess and I'm supposed to find them an apartment in the morning. He even gave me the name of a rental agent to call and a big wad of cash. I have to prove myself worthy of his trust, otherwise there's like no way he'll bestow the dark gift on me, and I'll totally have to finish my sophomore year and probably end up in junior college or working at Old Navy or something. So, since we're off for Christmas break, I'm going to call this woman and go find an apartment for the vampyre Flood and the Celtic vampyre countess. And when Flood rises from the grave at sunset, I will get my reward. I'm totally freaked about meeting the Celtic vampyre countess. Flood says she has a temper. What if she hates me? Flood says he's not really into her – it's not like that. It's like, she's his vampyre sire, and they've been together for like five hundred years, so, you know, they have history, and I can respect that. Note: Make sure to find out if I need to move their native soil to the new apartment before we move their coffins. Note: Do I need to have a coffin made? Is it okay if it's purple? Oh yeah, my sister Ronnie has head lice. Chapter Ten Red, White, and Blue, Not Necessarily in That Order Snow White, thought Blue. With the seven to look after me, and me them, I could be just like Snow White. Granted, the Animals weren't exactly dwarves, Jeff Murray, the ex-high-school-basketball star was at least six five, and Drew, their resident pharmacologist, was pretty close to that height, but she wasn't exactly Snow White either. Still, they were all kind to her, considerate, and basically respectful of her, within their limits as a bunch of pot-head punani hounds. They did seem to have a decent work ethic, were loyal, didn't fight among themselves, and were relatively clean, as guys this age went. In a few days, she'd have the rest of their money, she knew it, and they knew it, but then what? It was a ton of money, to be sure, but it wasn't fuck-you money. (Defined as having so much money that you can say â€Å"fuck you† to anyone, anywhere, anytime, and not have to worry about the consequences.) She'd have to find something to do, somewhere to go. As the possibility of her getting out of the life finally loomed large, she realized that she was going to need a new life to live, and frankly, it was scaring the hell out of her. Time isn't kind to a girl living on her looks, and she'd already extended her sell-by date by going blue, but what now? Who knew that the future she'd been hoping for would show up with such sharp teeth. So Blue asked herself the question†¦ Can a fallen Cheddar princess of Fond Du Lac make a life with seven perpetually adolescent party animals from the Bay Area? Maybe it could happen, but she had her misgivings about dwarf number seven: Clint. In her experience, it took a lot of work to fuck the Jesus out of a guy, and even then, he was prone to come down with a bad case of the guilts a day or two later. Not really a problem when you were working outcall, but if you were going to high-ho a whole pack of dwarves on a semipermanent basis, one of them having a high-maintenance, holy-ghost haunting was going to be a problem. â€Å"Whore of Babylon,† Clint said as the Animals led her into the Safeway like they were presenting her at the palace. She paused in the automatic doors, despite the fact that she felt like she was turning blue under her blue, dressed as she was in a silver lam minidress and six-inch clear Lucite heels, none of it protecting her from the frigid wind coming off the Bay, whipping through the Marina Safeway parking lot. Thinking she'd probably spend most of her time naked, she hadn't packed for San Francisco weather. â€Å"I've never even been to Babylon,† she said. â€Å"But I'm open to new experiences.† She licked her lips and stepped to where her breasts were within an inch of Clint's chest. He turned and bolted to the office, chanting, â€Å"Get thee behind me, get thee behind me, get thee behind me,† the whole way. â€Å"However you want it, baby,† said Blue. She decided she'd think of him as Freaked, the paranoid dwarf. â€Å"Barry will show you to the break room,† Lash said. He'd become the new leader of the Animals, mainly because he tended to be the most sober. â€Å"Jeff, send the limo back and lock the doors. Drew, make some coffee. Gustavo, see what the situation is on the floors. We may need you to throw stock on the shelves.† They stood there, looking at him. Stoned. Drunk. Baffled. Blue would think of Barry, the little, prematurely bald guy, as her special dwarf, Baffled. She smiled. Clint peeked over the three-quarter wall of the office. â€Å"Hey, you guys. You should know that the Emperor was here last night. He says that Tommy Flood is a vampire.† â€Å"Huh?† Lash said. â€Å"He's a vampire. That girl of his, she didn't leave town. She changed him.† â€Å"Get the fuck outta here,† said Jeff. Clint nodded furiously. â€Å"It's true.† â€Å"Well, fuck,† said the others, in an unsynchronized chorus. â€Å"Meeting,† Lash announced. â€Å"Gentlemen, take your seats.† He looked apologetically to Blue. â€Å"This shouldn't take long.† â€Å"I'll make coffee,† she said. â€Å"Uh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lash seemed concerned. â€Å"Blue, we're kind of on a budget from here on out.† â€Å"Coffee's free,† Blue said. She turned and started heading to the back of the store. â€Å"I'll find it.† The Animals watched Blue walk away and, when she turned the corner, gathered by the registers. Clint unlocked the office door and came out. â€Å"So, we have to notify those cops, so they can help us hunt him down.† Lash looked at the Animals, who looked back. Lash raised an eyebrow. The others nodded. Lash put his arm around Clint's shoulders. â€Å"Clint, the guys and I have discussed it, and we'd all like to do something for you.† Clint ran back in the office and slammed the door. â€Å"No! We have to destroy the agents of Satan.† â€Å"Right. Of course. We'll get right on that. But first I'd like you to ask yourself something, Clint. And I'd like you to answer not as the born-again man that you are now, but from that little boy that's inside of all of us.† â€Å"Okay,† Clint said, peeking over the office door. â€Å"Clint, haven't you ever wanted to bone a Smurf?† Jody heard Tommy come in the security door downstairs and met him on the stairs with a big hug and a backbreaking kiss. â€Å"Wow,† Tommy said. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"I'm really good now. I was just checking on William. I think he pooped himself.† â€Å"I'm so sorry, Tommy. I shouldn't have left you on your own this soon.† â€Å"It's okay. I'm okay. Hey, you have something on your dress.† Jody was still wearing the little black dress. Some of the dust that was James O'Mally was still clinging to it near the hemline. â€Å"Oh, I must have bumped up against something.† â€Å"Let me get that for you,† Tommy said, brushing at her thigh, then starting to raise the dress up past her waist. Jody caught his hand. â€Å"Horndog!† Chet the huge shaved cat looked up for a second, then put his head back down on William's chest and went back to sleep. â€Å"But you left me on my own,† Tommy said, trying to sound sad, but smiling too much to make it work. â€Å"You're fine.† She looked at her watch. â€Å"We only have about forty minutes till sunup. We can talk while we get ready for bed.† â€Å"I'm ready for bed now,† Tommy said. She led him up the stairs into the loft, through the great room, the bedroom, and into the bathroom. She grabbed her toothbrush off the sink and tossed Tommy his. She pasted, then chucked the tube to him. â€Å"Do we still have to floss?† Tommy asked. â€Å"I mean, what's the point of being immortal if we have to floss?† â€Å"Yeah,† Jody said, through a mouthful of pinkish foam, â€Å"you should just go lie in the sun and get it over with, rather than suffer the torture of flossing.† â€Å"Don't be sarcastic. I didn't think we could get sick at all, but your hangover proved that to be wrong.† Jody nodded and spit. â€Å"Don't swallow any when you rinse. The water will come right back up.† â€Å"How come your foam is pink? My foam isn't pink. And I went last.† â€Å"My gums might be bleeding,† Jody said. Jody wasn't ready to tell him that she'd taken someone tonight. She would tell him, just not now. So, to change the subject, she summoned her superhuman strength and pantsed him. â€Å"Hey!† â€Å"When did you get skull-and-crossbones boxers?† â€Å"I bought them tonight, when you were getting Christmas presents. I thought they would seem dangerous.† â€Å"You bet,† Jody said, nodding furiously to keep from laughing. â€Å"And you'll blend in – in case you're ever caught with your pants down in the pirate locker room.† â€Å"Yeah, there's that,† Tommy said, a little toothpaste foam dribbling down his chest as he looked at his boxers. â€Å"I have the whitest legs in the universe. My legs are like great white carrion worms.† â€Å"Stop, you're making me horny.† â€Å"I've got to use that tanning lotion we bought. Where is it?† Jody moved with catlike speed out to the kitchen, snatched the lotion off the counter, and was back sitting on the edge of the bed in only a couple of seconds. If she could just keep Tommy from asking any questions until sunup, she was sure she'd figure out a way to tell him about the old man. â€Å"Come over here, worm legs, let me put some lotion on you.† To emphasize her commitment to lotionization, she stood, pulled the straps of her dress off her shoulders, and let it fall to the floor at her feet. She stepped out of her dress and stood there, in just her pumps and a silver necklace with a tiny heart that he had given her. Tommy hopped out of the bathroom – his pants still around his ankles – one long hop, and he stood in front of her. Jody smiled. Give a geek supernatural agility and speed, and what you get is a superagile, speedy geek. â€Å"You went out commando, in that dress?† â€Å"Never again,† Jody said, grabbing the waistband of his boxers and pulling him toward her. â€Å"These are mine, now. I want to be dangerous.† â€Å"That's so, so slutty,† he said, lisping a little, his fangs coming out now. â€Å"Yep. Where do you want to start with the lotion?† He pulled her close and kissed her neck. â€Å"We have to be careful not to break the furniture this time.† â€Å"Fuck it, less to move,† she said, her own fangs coming out now. She raked them down his chest. â€Å"If we figure out a way to get a place before someone kills us.† â€Å"Oh, yeah, I found us a minion,† he said as she bit into his side and tore his boxers off in a single swift pull. â€Å"What?† But Tommy was finished talking for a while. Blue watched as the Butterball rocketed by her and slammed into a triangle of two-liter soft-drink bottles – the front bottle burst, sending a cola-brown eruption of foam across the floor by the meat case. â€Å"Strike!† Barry shouted. He danced in a tight circle among the Animals, pointing and chanting, â€Å"I own you, and you, and you,† to each as he passed. Blue looked to Lash, and raised a cobalt eyebrow. Lash shrugged. â€Å"It happens. That's why we use diet soda. It's not as sticky.† He had decided that they all needed to sober up some more before they started stocking the shelves; thus the turkey bowling. â€Å"Can someone bring a mop?† Clint said. Because he would not gamble, he was the designated pin setter. He was scrambling around trying to retrieve soda bottles even as Jeff Murray was warming up at the other end of the aisle, swinging a Foster's Fresh Frozen Homestyle in each hand. He believed that he got better pin action off the Foster's because of the savory gravy packet stuffed in its center. He claimed that Foster's had mastered superior poultry technology, and was, in fact, working on an oversized titanium turkey. The other Animals were forced to point out to him that he was completely full of shit as they sprayed root beer on him. â€Å"So you guys hunted vampires?† Blue asked Lash. She had come back to the front with coffee for everyone just in time to hear Lash lay out the scenario for the Animals. She'd held off asking any questions until now. A Fresh Frozen meat missile zipped down the aisle between them. Lash didn't even blink. â€Å"Yep. We didn't kill him. We just blew up his yacht and took his art. That's where we got the money.† â€Å"Yeah, right,† said Blue. â€Å"I got that part. It's the vampire part I'm not clear on. Like a real vampire. A real, blood-drinking, can't-go-out-in-the-day, live-forever vampire.† â€Å"We figured he had to be at least six hundred years old,† Troy Lee added, joining in the conversation. â€Å"Blue, you wanna skid the buzzard?† He nodded to the end of the aisle, where Jeff was offering his spare Fresh Frozen turkey like a sacrifice. â€Å"So you guys, who work in a grocery store, have seen a vampire?† â€Å"Two of them,† Lash said. â€Å"Our night-crew leader, Tommy, was living with one of them.† â€Å"She was hot,† Troy Lee added. â€Å"Vampire hunters?† Blue couldn't believe it. â€Å"Well, not anymore,† Lash said. â€Å"Yeah,† Troy Lee said. â€Å"Clint says that Tommy's a vampire now. We're not going to mess with him.† â€Å"Spawn of Satan!† Clint shouted from the end of the aisle. Drew, who Blue had decided to think of as Doc, because he always carried the pot, ran down the aisle and shot-putted a twelve-pound self-basting at Clint's head. â€Å"Shut the fuck up!† Clint ducked and covered. The turkey went over the meat counter and stuck in the drywall by the window at the back of the meat department. To Blue, Drew said, â€Å"Sorry, couldn't be helped.† â€Å"Well, that's gonna take all night to patch,† said Clint. Lash looked at Troy Lee. â€Å"Could you kill him?† â€Å"On it,† Troy Lee said, falling into a fighting stance, before taking off and chasing Clint around the corner. â€Å"Prepare to die, White Devil!† â€Å"So,† said Blue. â€Å"You were saying?† â€Å"Well, Clint says Tommy is a vampire now, and we should go stake him out or something, but he's one of us, so we've decided to pursue a policy of Buddhist tolerance.† Just then Troy Lee dragged Clint back around the corner in a headlock. Despite being six inches shorter and forty pounds lighter than Clint, he'd studied martial arts since he was six and that took size out of the equation. â€Å"Should I hypnotize the chicken?† Troy asked. â€Å"Make it so,† said Lash. Troy Lee adjusted his chokehold on Clint. The larger man's eyes bugged out, his mouth moved like a gasping fish out of water, and he went limp in Troy's arms, who then dropped him in the puddle of diet soda on the floor. â€Å"He'll come around in a second or two.† Lash leaned into Blue to explain. â€Å"We used to call it choke the chicken, but that sounded kind of gayish.† â€Å"Of course,† said Blue. That trick would come in handy in her work. She'd have to ask Troy Lee to teach it to her. â€Å"And you think that your friend and this girl are really vampires.† â€Å"I suppose. Clint said he heard it from the Emperor, and he was the one that turned us on to the old vampire guy in the first place. Either way, they're not our problem.† â€Å"What if I said they were?† Blue said. Her mind was putting it together like a sewing machine on crack. It was insane, but for once she could see a future stretching out before her, welcoming her. â€Å"What if I said I wanted you to go after them?† Lash blinked at her like she was speaking Klingon. â€Å"Huh?† He looked at the other Animals, who had stopped bowling and moved into range of the conversation. They stood there with frosty gobblers steaming in their hands like they were on wet-nurse duty for a group of headless infant snowmen. â€Å"Flood is our friend,† Lash said. â€Å"I don't want you to kill him,† Blue said. â€Å"Just catch him.† Lash looked to the others, who looked away – at the floor, at the cabbage and lettuce counter, at the turnips, at their frozen charges. â€Å"I'll make it worth your while,† Blue said. Jody lay on the bed watching Tommy turn slowly, back and forth in the air like a pale white-boy mobile. The loft had twenty-foot ceilings with open, industrial-style beams, and sometime during their lovemaking, they had both ended up hanging from them. Jody dropped to the bed after she came, but Tommy still hung by one hand. The bright side was that with the exception of the set of shredded sheets upon which she lay, they had kept the destruction to a minimum. The downside – well, she really could have gone a couple of lifetimes without seeing him from this angle. â€Å"We did good,† Jody said. â€Å"Hardly anything broken.† â€Å"You think that monkeys really do it that way?† Tommy replied. â€Å"I always thought you were just using that as an expression.† She'd thought she could remain detached enough about their lovemaking to stay in control – to enjoy it, but to use it, as it were – but since Tommy had changed, it wasn't like that anymore. She lost herself in it, she didn't just make love with him, she fucked him like a crazed monkey girl. It was good, but disconcerting. She had liked being in control. â€Å"You look amazing from this angle,† Tommy said. â€Å"You look like a man-shaped fluorescent lightbulb,† Jody said, grinning at him, then noticing a change. â€Å"Do not get wood, Thomas Flood. You will not get wood, do you hear me?† â€Å"You sound like my mom,† Tommy said. â€Å"Ewwwww,† Jody said, shuddering and covering her eyes. â€Å"Ewwwww,† Tommy said, realizing what he had just said and about what and whom. He dropped to the bed and bounced. â€Å"Sorry. Quick, put the self-tanning lotion on me, we only have a few minutes before sunup.† â€Å"Okay, but just the lotion.† â€Å"Right, go.† Jody took the lotion and squirted some on her hands. â€Å"Turn around, I'll get your back.† â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"Just point that thing the other way, writer boy, you have had all the monkey love you're going to get tonight.† She said it, but she didn't mean it – she'd go another round if he wanted, if they had time before sunrise. Then she remembered. â€Å"Did you say you found us a minion?† â€Å"Yeah, I did. She's going to start tomorrow – er, today. I gave her money to get us an apartment. Told her what we needed.† â€Å"Her?† â€Å"Yeah, you remember that girl we saw in the drugstore?† Jody stopped rubbing, grabbed his shoulders, and spun him around. â€Å"You gave our deposit money to a nine-year-old?† â€Å"She's not nine. She's sixteen.† â€Å"Still, Tommy. You trusted our secret to a sixteen-year-old girl?† â€Å"She already knew.† â€Å"Yes, because you let your fangs show like some doofus of the night. You could have explained that somehow, or better yet, never seen her again.† â€Å"Look, she's smart, and she'll be loyal. I promise.† â€Å"You could have just gotten us killed.† â€Å"What would you have done? Huh? You have to trust someone.† â€Å"But a sixteen-year-old kid?† â€Å"I'm only nineteen, and I was a great minion. Besides, she thinks I'm her dark lord.† â€Å"Did you even tell her about me?† â€Å"Of course, she knows all about you. Knows that you're my sire – that's what they call the vampire who made you. I even told her that you were older, that you had vast experience.† â€Å"Vast? Vast experience sounds like I'm a slutty old divorcee. How old does she think I am?† â€Å"Five hundred.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"But you look great for five hundred. I mean, look, you got my attention. Do my front.† â€Å"Do your own front.† She threw the lotion bottle at him and he snatched it out of the air. â€Å"Love you,† Tommy said, slathering self-tanning goo all over his face and chest. â€Å"I'm going to lock the bedroom door,† Jody said as the alarm on their watches started beeping, signaling ten minutes before sunrise. She'd gotten the alarm watches for both of them, just in case. â€Å"You didn't give her keys, did you?† â€Å"Not to the bedroom.† â€Å"Great. What if she finds William in the stairwell and stakes him out? You could have given our key to a Buffy wannabe – â€Å" â€Å"This stuff is supposed to take like eight hours to work, so by sundown I'll be sexy bronze.† â€Å"There's a bronze vampire in the living room. Why don't you go ask him how that's working out for him?† â€Å"He's impersonal bronze, not sexy bronze like I'll be.† â€Å"Come to bed. And put on a T-shirt. I don't want a sexy bronze stain on the sheets, even if they are torn up.† Tommy sniff-tested a half-dozen shirts, finally decided on one, climbed into bed, and was kissing Jody good morning when the sunrise put them out.