Pygmalion Poetry Deconstruction

Poetry Deconstruction: The Story of Pygmalion and the Statue (1713 translation) The poem â€Å"The Story of Pygmalion and the Statue† was originally written in Greek by Ovid, and is found in Book Ten of his work, Metamorphoses. It was translated into English in 1713, and this translation employs techniques to appeal to the readers of the day, and reveals their views on a variety of topics, including obsession and narcissism. Pygmalion, a sculptor, shunned all women for their frivolity, instead turning to his art. He created a sculpture out of ivory of a woman so perfect that he grew to love her, and wished for his ‘ivory virgin’ to be real. The goddess granted his secret desire, and blessed the couple with a son. The readership of the poem would have consisted predominately of eighteenth century upper class males, so the poem is, in many parts, structured to interest this group of individuals. The eighteenth century gentleman would have identified with the line â€Å"Well pleas’d to want a consort of his bed†, as a mistress was the only thing that was not provided instantly for them. Pygmalion, a man who is able to function without this, would have been held in high esteem by the reader, and perhaps would have inspired them to follow his example in being independent. The line, â€Å"Yet fearing idleness, the nurse of ill†, shows the society of the time’s attitude towards inactivity, in that it is, or leads to, a sickness. This metaphor relates to the saying, ‘idle hands are the devil’s playthings’, which would have been the view of the community at the time of the translation. Another quote that shows the opinion of the people of the eighteenth century is â€Å"the pow’rful bribes of love†, indicating that love could be bought. In 1713, this would not have been an oxymoron, as many married someone to gain their wealth, making this statement ring true to the eighteenth century reader. The poet also refers to the birth of Pygmalion and the statue’s child, as a way that they â€Å"crown their bliss†. This metaphor signifies a very happy ending, especially to the gentleman reader, as procreation was a very important issue; an heir was necessary. Note also that the child is male. This engineers a perfect close to the story of Pygmalion. ‘Crown’ could also be a symbol of the patriarchal values present, as it was rare for a woman to rule (wear the crown). A question to pose it what the eighteenth century gentleman thought of Pygmalion’s obsessive nature and narcissism. The fact that he â€Å"Abhorr’d all womankind† makes it appear as if he thinks he is above women, as he has lumped them all into the same, generalised bracket, including those who do not follow the lifestyle choices he disapproves of. The alliteration used in â€Å"loathing their lascivious life† emphasises Pygmalion’s misogyny, and therefore his very high opinion of himself. His narcissistic nature is further explored through the use personification; â€Å"Nature could not with his art compare†. Here, he is praising his own amazing skill for creating something better than Nature, or God, could make. The line â€Å"Pleas’d with his idol†, reminds on of Genesis, where God is pleased with himself after he creates the world. Pygmalion is comparing himself to God, revealing his large ego. The poet delves into his obsessive nature with the caesura in the line, â€Å"he commends, admires, Adores;† forcing the readers to pause and examine the depth of Pygmalion’s obsession towards the statue of his creation, and by extension, himself. This is emphasised again in the repetition in the lines â€Å"And all the sparkling stones †¦ and od’rous green†. The word ‘and’ is repeated five times in these four lines, highlighting the excessiveness of his gift giving and his over the top behaviour. Due to the positive finish, where Pygmalion’s ‘bliss is crowned’ with the birth of a son, and the lack of consequences for his terribly high opinion of himself, one might conclude that over-extravagant pride was considered commonplace in the eighteenth century, and obsessiveness was not considered unhealthy, perhaps because it served to combat idleness. The various ideas in the poem support this. The translation of â€Å"The Story of Pygmalion and the Statue† effectively utilises techniques and devices in order to appeal to its readership, the upper class gentleman of 1713 and onward. 715 words

African American Injustice Essay

â€Å"In the eyes of white Americans, being black encapsulates your identity. † In reading and researching the African American cultural group, this quote seemed to identify exactly the way the race continues to still be treated today after many injustices in the past. It is astonishing to me that African Americans can still stand to be treated differently in today’s society. In reading â€Å"Blacks in America†, Andrew Hacker states that â€Å"being black in America has consequences in areas of: wealth, identity, raising children, occupational opportunities, place of residence, and treatment in the criminal justice system. † To be honest, and I feel bad saying that I already knew this was happening to African Americans. I have heard stories of blacks not getting jobs; regardless of how qualified they are for the position, because of the color of their skin. I have heard stories, and even witness black children getting picked on in school because of the simple fact that they are black. I watched a video in school where a black family moved into a white neighborhood, and before long all the white families had moved out because they didn’t want a black family in their neighborhood. This was confirmed by Hacker in my research in the quote, â€Å"Almost all residential areas are entirely black or white. † I have also seen videos of African American men getting beaten by white arresting officers, and have heard stories of many black men being stereotyped by policemen. This must be why Hacker states â€Å"When white people hear the cry, â€Å"the police are coming! † it almost always means, â€Å"Help is on the way. † However blacks cannot make the same assumption. † These are all reports and events that I think the average American has seen before, but yet most people, including myself, continue to just shrug of and ignore. I guess it’s something that I might have subconsciously accepted, or maybe refused to think more deeply about. In reading and researching, I reaffirmed knowledge that I refused to take a greater note of. I wouldn’t say I learned anything new, because I knew what I wanted to focus on. A quote from Andrew Hacker’s article summarizes the above best, â€Å"In the eyes of white Americans, being black encapsulates your identity. † It may be easy to tell how I am going to focus this anthology. I am going to focus it on the injustices that African Americans continue to face in the United States today. That being, I know exactly what I need to get out of my interviewees, but it is probably a sensitive subject for some of the people I need to interview. I am not black, and I don’t know what it feels like to face this discrimination in everyday life. I can understand the tenderness that African Americans must feel then, when revealing and talking about their experiences with discrimination. I would think then, that it must be especially sensitive to talk about with a person from the race that they receive this everyday discrimination. It will be interesting to hear all the different types of prejudice that my interviewees have received throughout their lives. I would imagine that it ranges from just a look, or the way white Americans act around them, to voiced and physical altercations between themselves and white Americans. Hacker at times seems to be speaking directly to African Americans as he describes these altercations, â€Å"So many of the contacts you have with them (white Americans) are stiff and uneasy, hardly worth the effort. † But to me, that is exactly what the problem is. Why would it not be worth the effort? The first step to take for the uneasiness between the two races to cease to exist is for us (all people) to stop seeing color because once we act differently around the other is where all the problems seem to start. The second step is to make these contacts worth the effort. If we choose to continue to stay in our own comfortable circle of race, when is the problem ever going to end? The answer is never. My opinion as a white 18 year old is that most of the blame lies on the white race. Imagine being eyed every time you go into a store, having your car searched for no reason, or greeted warily at restaurants all because the color of your skin is different. We ignore this daily discrimination because no cares enough anymore to take notice that it happens every hour, every day somewhere in the United States. Will it ever stop? Not until we each take the steps to make it. A recent census commercial I’ve seen said â€Å"We (United States) can’t move forward until you mail it back. † I believe that our country can’t move forward and truly be great until we make sure these daily discriminations are eliminated from our society. In this project, I will interview African Americans on their personal experiences with discrimination, how they handle it, and if they think anything can be done about this problem. Sources: Andrew. 1999. â€Å"Blacks in America. † Pp. 160-168 in The Meaning of Sociology, 6th ed. , edited by Joel Charon. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. A Time to Kill. Dir. Joel Schumacher. 1996. â€Å"African American History. † University of Washington Libraries. Web. 02 Apr. 2010. .

A Vine on the House

A Vine on the House Ambrose Bierce Ambrose Bierce has a special talent of keeping readers alert on their toes and holding their breaths till the very last word. I believe Mr. Bierce wanted to allow others to understand that circumstances and events are not always what they appear to be. The words Mr. Harding expressed and the reality of the situation were two complete opposites. He kept a secret of his wife’s â€Å"disappearance† and also picked up everything and left, leaving no signs behind, leading to believe he was very secretive and suspicious.Secrets are kept in every household, things that could kill if it was leaked. I feel like the writer’s purpose was to keep the reader guessing and inferring. This story could also be an account of his life and a cry for help. Mr. Bierce grew up in a troubled family. His two sons died early on and he found out about his wife’s infidelity. This could be his way of plotting revenge on his wife. It is a cry for help because he mentions Mr. Harding disappearing, which is exactly what Bierce did a few years later.The intended audience is for those who enjoy getting goose bumps, those who seek a thrill and love being kept in the dark. It is not however for the uneasy sleeper. The main theme of this story and connection on a universal level is that in every family, there is a fair share of secrets. Everyone can relate to this one way or another because we all have issues we wished no one would find out. The Harding family as a whole must’ve had a few problems of their own. A family doesn’t just all of a sudden fall apart. It takes time to disintegrate.In the story, like in real life, it shows that there are unhappy couples out there, ones who have stopped loving each other and instead find pleasure in hurting their significant other. The Harding family is just one example of a relationship that is unhealthy, both physically and emotionally. The author has quite a few tricks up his sl eeves to grasp the reader’s attention. First of all, Mr. Bierce is an expert in the suspense category. He keeps readers guessing and wondering what will happen next. For example, Mr.Harding mentions his wife went to â€Å"visit relatives† but his tone of voice allowed no further questioning. This makes me curious because he seems like he’s hiding a dark secret. He also later on flees the country, which gathers even more curiosity. Mr. Bierce describes the â€Å"haunted house† as not actually haunted, making me wonder what truly happened for it to deserve such a title. He also pulls in elements from his life. This story is loosely based on his own family matters. He could also be a â€Å"revenge† for finding out about his wife’s sinful actions.A Vine on the House has supernatural aspects but because the events were pulled from his life, it makes the story seem more realistic and feel like it could potentially be a true story. Another aspect t hat I enjoyed was that, yes this story is gothic, but the gothic elements were all very subtle and mind boggling but not gory. There was no mentions of diseases, a small brush on incense and only one inferred death. This gives the story a different twist to the normal classical gothic tales. The author uses foreshadowing well. He describes Mrs.Harding in detail and left her disappearance very shocking and sudden leading to her inferred murder by her husband. He also described the wine along the house as a sign of the supernatural that was partly concealed, which indicated before hand that something out of the ordinary was going to happen. These are all red flags, leading to the discovery of the vine’s unnatural root formation. I enjoyed this short story very much. It was intriguing and kept me on my toes at all times. I enjoyed the suspense and the feeling of wanting to know what happens next.The one part that I was disappointed in was that I found the part where people were witnessing the phenomenon of the tree dragged on for a long time. My interest was lost during that time. However, I really enjoyed the idea that things are never what they appear to be and words spoken could just be a slur of lies. I find that this is completely true in today’s society. People don’t always show their true colours. The part I love was the cliff-hanger ending. It makes me wonder, could this all be a coincidence or could it truly happen in real life? If it could, then it was surely explain the phenomenon of a shaking leaf on a still tree.

The success of Apple with the application of Porter's strategy theory Essay

The success of Apple with the application of Porter's strategy theory - Essay Example In 1996, Jobs arrived on Apple's campus for the first time in nearly 11 years, becoming interim and then permanent CEO† (Kanter, 2010). Many commentators therefore separate Apple’s history under Jobs as â€Å"Jobs I† and â€Å"Jobs II,† with the latter being his re-introduction to the company. Apple, during its early years, was quick to establish a core competence. As one group of authors states, â€Å"A company’s core competence can relate to any of several aspects of its business: expertise in building networks and systems that enable e-commerce; speeding new or next generation products to market; good after-sale service; skills in manufacturing a high-quality product; (and) innovativeness in developing popular product features;† these authors also stress the importance of â€Å"speed and agility in responding to new market trends and changing competitive conditions; know-how in creating and operating a system for filling customer orders ac curately and swiftly; and expertise in integrating multiple technologies to create families of new products.†(Thompson and Strickland, 1997). ... â€Å"We are living through extraordinary times for the music business. One of the great success stories of the 20th century is turning unpleasantly sour in the 21st† (Cook, 2003). From this perspective, it is fairly impressive that Apple has been able to capitalize in a market where it is essentially competing with a free product by putting its own 99 cent downloads up against it, successfully. â€Å"Apple has sold more than 500 million songs in 19 countries since it introduced iTunes in the United States over two years ago. While iTunes by itself is not viewed as a big money maker for Apple, it has helped drive sales of its wildly popular iPod portable music player† (Apple, 2005). From this perspective, the service is selling the hardware. Another major issue facing Apple is that if consumers do not see what they want aligned with their needs in a retailer, they are likely going to go someplace else to hire the product they are seeking. â€Å"The record companies hav e never had it so bad. The world is still saturated with popular music, but somehow its very omnipotence has taken the shine off its profitability: as popular as pop stars are, many of us have had enough of them† (Cook, 2003). Porter’s framework applied Porter’s Five Force analysis has achieved wide credibility as a form of industry analysis. Also, some of Porter’s key concepts can be applied to Apple. â€Å"The intensity of industry competition and an industry’s profit potential are a function of five forces of competition: the threats posed by new entrants, the power of suppliers, the power of buyers, product substitutes, and the intensity of rivalry among competitors† (Schmalnese, 1985). Porter’s Five Forces model of industry analysis is, stemming rationally from the

Chinese Accounting Standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chinese Accounting Standards - Essay Example China is world's second largest economy. Over a period of liberalization Chinese accounting standards have shifted from a centrally control economy to an open market economy. But the developments of Chinese accounting standards have been highly influenced from the political environment of the country. Because of these constraints there are still major differences between Chinese accounting framework and FIRSs of International Accounting Standards (IAS). In PRC, Ministry of Finance sets out accounting standards. These government-defined standards are often less value relevant as the government has its own political compunctions [5]. This situation is again complicated due to weak capital market infrastructure. The main areas where there is appreciable difference between PRC GAAP and IFRS includes the valuation of fixed assets over a period of time i.e. depreciation measurements and the amortization of intangible assets, the methods of accounting for income taxes, measuring goodwill and intangible assets, amortization of goodwill and intangible asset, mineral rights, the expenditure to explore develop and extract minerals, and research and development costs [2]. Though Ministry of Finance (MOF) of Peoples Republic of China is trying to fill in the gaps between Chinese GAAP and IFRS there are still many areas where these two accounting standards are differentiate... areas of inventory and temporary investment valuation, provision for bad debts, depreciation and revaluation of fixed assets, and amortization of intangible assets. Chinese GAAP rules require the inventories for an organization to be calculated at historical costs whereas IFRS rules evaluate the inventories according to lower of cost and market (LOCAM) principles. According to Chinese GAAP long-term investment companies having less than 50% share holding can choose among cost and equity methods for their financial auditing. Chinese GAAP is followed for managerial opportunistic purposes though it is quite similar to IFRS in practice. Chinese GAAP allows unrestricted use of accruals by capital expenses for operating leases and unsymmetrical allocation of costs between finished and running work processes. Ways in which Chinese rules differ from IFRS There are many differences between Chinese GAAP and IFRS arising due to non-accounting government regulations. Financial Rules for Enterprises framed by MOF of PRC defines the rules for cost depreciation, residual value and useful life of different fixed assets. Chinese GAAP accounting practices are more practical in measuring depreciation of assets; it is based on historical cost of assets or measures the inventory at a planned price, which is in contrast to fare value oriented valuation of IFRS standards [2]. Financial Rules for Enterprises stases that assets of certain categories should be amortized over a period of minimum ten years, which may be an impractical dictate as these assets needs more than ten years to yield any economic benefits. Many industries related to welfare, pension and other special reserves generally require more than ten years to give any tangible economic benefits. The way Chinese accounting

Problems and issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Problems and issue - Essay Example As will be noted in the following analysis, the choice of sovereignty as the premier definition and explicate her of what a state truly is will be predicated upon the understanding of the fact that without a degree and level of sovereignty, no control or direction could be provided to either the population, territory, or government within such a system. In such a way, by defining sovereignty as the primary and fundamental compound of statehood, it is the hope of this author that the reader will gain a further understanding of why challenges to sovereignty account for the lion’s share of all conflict that takes place between states within the current world. In such a way, it is necessary for the reader to understand that sovereignty is the most important metric and defining the way in which the territory of state is appreciated and understood. Within such an understanding, one can realize that without a sovereign level of governance, it would be impossible to definitively demarcate borders and regions of control; due to the fact that without any control whatsoever (sovereignty) such a territorial understanding and definition would be meaningless. Similarly, with regards to the population, a level of sovereignty is absolutely required due to the fact that without this, no definitive goals or programs can be affected (Lewis, 2010). Finally, the issue of sovereignty is perhaps most specific with regards to the government of the state. Without an overall level of sovereignty over the territory and people to which the state intends to govern, the entire idea, definition, an understanding of statehood evaporates. Although it should not be understood that sovereignty in and of itself is the only determinant to statehood, it must be realized and appreciated that this determinant impacts strongly and primarily upon all of the

Business & Project Creation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business & Project Creation - Essay Example This before time analysis will make one more conscious of company's strengths and weaknesses and progress chances of gaining an aggressive benefit and increasing market share. The Market Analysis Team has foundation abilities in performing market assessments and public strategy impact assessments using an analysis model. Any cost-effective model - which reproduces a detailed nominal cash flow for fresh products - estimates earnings, cash flows, and debt payment to estimate a project's leveled cost-of-launch, nominal Internal Rate of Return, and annual Debt-Service-Coverage-Ratios. The Market Analysis Team encourages and facilitates greater acceptance of new technologies in the market by functioning with services and other stakeholders to recognize suitable technologies and to deal with system incorporation matters. The Market Analysis Team fosters improved understanding of the role of markets by identifying market barriers and opportunities, and promoting market-based solutions, when possible, to achieve greater development. The Market Analysis Team informs and guides the key conclusion makers in order to optimistically manipulate progress decisions. This contains developing the establishment of nationwide and regional electorates through work with a range of interest groups, and given that support to client and stakeholder groups to widen and execute market-based plans for its products. The Market Analysis Team gives modified help to state agencies and other stakeholders to assist meet their product investigation needs. The Market Analysis Team carries out assessments of the insinuations of industry reorganization for its new products technologies. One has to execute analyses of diverse suggestions for a normal, transmission pricing, and autonomous system operators; as well as analyses of retail access programs and system benefits arraigns when doing comprehensive market analysis for any product. Therefore, the Market Analysis Team executes analyses of markets to augment understanding of associated subjects. The Market Analysis Team as well does Policy Analysis of its manufactured goods and the marketplace of its product. The Market Analysis Team carries out analyses of federal and state policy alternatives to widen market prospects for its fresh products. Amongst the policies that marketers have examined are incorporated resource planning, competitors externalities, aggressive bidding, and market infiltration of its product. Market Analysis - Identifying Potential Opportunities While having the Market Analysi

Network virtual servers Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Network virtual servers - Research Paper Example Similarly, VMware supplies numerous virtualization systems that are mainly host based. In the hypervisor market, the developer mainly offers two somewhat similar softwares, the ESX and ESXi (Finn & Lownds 23). The ESX is the company’s customary release and it entails the hypervisor and a developed management operation while ESXi is the firm’s latest release, and it is a hypervisor-only version. Both the Hyper-V and ESXi do not demand an OS accompaniment since they connect directly on the hardware; however, their integration structure varies. The VMware has a direct driver structure where the application’s lines install on hardware, hence, linking the hardware and virtual gadgets servicing the server. As such, the structure incorporates the hardware drivers in the hypervisor. Similarly, the Hyper-V installs on the hardware but a structured application that propels the Window Server, directs all functions and hardware’s access. Considering this connection structure, the Hyper-V system is regarded to have an indirect driver structure (Finn & Lownds 134). The simpler the structure of a hypervisor, the easer is its management. Management entails adopting and structuring hardware, installing virtual accompaniments, configuring the network among others. Software that incorporates and adjusts to these demands comfortably is easier to manage. The Hyper-V and the VMware incorporate and associateswith these structures in varying ways. The Hyper-V control entirely depends on a root partition plan done through a central Hyper-V manager. This plan is somewhat similar to other Microsoft management applications and demands little skills to launch. This tool, hence, controls basic virtual functions associated with the hardware. Importantly, an operator can control some hardware setups in the root partition using ordinary OS tools. Indeed, the tool is manageable remotely

The U.S. Policy toward Native Americans in the 19th Century Article

The U.S. Policy toward Native Americans in the 19th Century - Article Example Similarly, President Jackson instigated forced resettlement of Native American tribes from the Southeast to the west of the Mississippi River. He ensured the aggressive enforcement of the Indian Removal Act. On the other hand, in 1953, President Grant declared that if Native Americans were not forced upon Whites, they would be harmless and his most remarkable activities as President include policies for the protection of African Americans and Native Americans in the West. His policies advocated for their education and wellbeing (Danzinger). Indian removal refers to the policy forced by the government of the United States for the relocation of Native American tribes from the east of the Mississippi River to its west. On the other hand, an Indian reservation refers to an area of land administered by Native American Tribes and by the end of the 19th century there were 300 reservations established in the US. Some tribes ignored the relocation orders and forcing them back onto reservations resulted in a number of Native American massacres. The Indian allotment act allowed the President to divide reservations into separate lands for individual members. Its major aims were to civilize Native Americans and to acquire use of Native-American lands for non-Natives (Gunn) Wounded Knee was the last battle of American-Indian wars which occurred on December 29, 1890, near Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota, the United States of America where, after the demise of Sitting Bull, General Custer's old regiment rounded up about 350 Sioux. The Native Americans were asked by the soldiers to surrender their weapons. Around 300 Native Americans were murdered and their dead bodies were left to freeze on the ground ("The Wounded Knee Massacre.").

Interaction of Ethnic, National or Cultural Influences Essay Example for Free

Interaction of Ethnic, National or Cultural Influences Essay All around the world people are organised in societies differentiated ethnically, nationally and culturally. In our mind under the interethnic relations are traditionally understood subjectively experienced relations between people of different nationalities, between ethnic communities, which are manifested in attitudes and orientations of interethnic contacts in various areas of cooperation, national stereotypes, attitudes and behavior, and the actions of people of specific ethnic communities. It is in this area in the first place are projected economic, social and political issues. They acquire an ethnic form and deliver a lot of trouble to society, leading to inter-ethnic tensions, local ethnic conflicts, the growth of ethnic migrations. Ethnic tensions, the state of hostility, distrust, mutual complaints and dissatisfaction arises or may arise from time to time between any nations that are permanently or temporarily in contact with each other. Ethnic tensions depend on several factors: 1) The history of international relations, the historical memory of the nature of relations between the peoples at different stages (often these relationships take the form of ongoing ethnic tension); 2) the level of economic development of the parties, among representatives of different nations’ place in the system of production and property (industrial specialization, predominance of members of certain nationalities in professional and social groups, the dominance of different forms of ownership, quality of life, etc.); 3) the structure of the cultural development of the nation the predominance of rural or urban population, the level of education and professional qualifications. There are allocated the following phenomena and processes that significantly affect the formation and strengthening of interethnic tension: 1) the lack of a consistent policy of condemnation and suppression of national manifestations of violence; 2) the possibility of negative attitudes towards representatives of the people associated in the eyes of other nations with the administrative-command apparatus; 3) the position of people who have been persecuted and mass deported during the repression, particularly those that have not been returned to their places of origin; 4) a sense of national enmity against those nationalities that, in terms of population in many regions, live better than we do. These representations are caused by a variety of reasons, including the identification of the people with the most frequently identified by its representatives. According to M. Walzer, positive ethnic identity is a balance of tolerance for their own and other ethnic groups, which allows us to consider it, on the one hand, as a condition of an independent and stable existence of an ethnic group, on the other as a condition of peaceful intercultural multi-ethnic world, interactions, excluding ethnic phobias and confrontation. According to N. M. Lebedeva on ethnic tolerance, defined as the adoption of ethno-cultural differences, and the exclusion of ethnophobia and ethnic confrontations have effects such socio-psychological factors as: 1) the degree of ethnic and cultural competence; 2) psychological readiness for intercultural dialogue; 3) The experience and skills of intercultural understanding and cooperation. All these parameters are amenable to the formation and development and in need of professional development by education and socio-psychological training of intercultural interaction. Violation of a positive image of their own group tends to reduce ethnic tolerance (YA Gayurova, TG Stefanenko, AN Tatarko, FM Malhozova). 9/11 After Twins being attacked Americans stopped helping Irish Republican Army (IRA Nationalist violent group in Northenr Ireland) when they understood what the terrorism is and what the causes and result are. After the terrorist attacks marked a surge of crimes against people from the Middle East, and other people who looked similar. Suffered even some Sikhs who wear turbans, traditionally associated with Muslims. Reported insults,attacks on mosques and other religious buildings (including the burning of a Hindu temple), and attacks on people, including one murder, September 15, was mortally wounded by Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh who was mistaken for a Muslim. [130] Rating of President Bush after the attacks rose to 86%. [131] September 20, 2001 the President spoke to the nation and a joint session of Congress, regarding the events of 11 September, following the rescue and recovery operations, as well as the response of the U. S. governments intentions. In addition, the important role played by New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who deserved the appreciation of the public, both in New York and at the national level. Deportations 1941 in USSR. After the publication of the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR On the resettlement of Germans living in the Volga region of 28 August 1941 has been eliminated Autonomous Republic of the Volga Germans and produced total deportation of Germans from ASSR. For this purpose, in advance on the territory of the Autonomous Republic of NP were introduced NKVD troops. Germans were ordered within 24 hours to prepare for resettlement and a limited number of its assets to arrive at the collection points. German inhabitants of the republic were taken to remote areas of Siberia, Kazakhstan and Central Asia. According to this decree in September and October 1941 were deported 446,480 Soviet Germans (according to other sources 438 280). In September 1941, many military service persons of German nationality were sent from the front to the rear. In subsequent months, the deportation has touched almost the entire German population living in European Russia and the Caucasus that were not occupied by the Wehrmacht. The resettlement of Germans made gradually and was completed by May 1942. Totally during the war were moved up to 950 thousand Germans. 367,000 Germans were deported to the east: the republic of Komi, in the Urals, Kazakhstan, Siberia and the Altai. Babi Yar Estimate between 100 and 150 thousands jewish people were killed during WW 2 in Babi yar. There were a lot of interactions in different influences during many different events and specific situation that caused a lot of deaths of innocent people. Sometimes many cultures, nations and ethnoses are discriminated or even eliminated because of misunderstanding. It will happen untill people do not understand that there are more other non-violent ways of solving problems.

Managing Hospitality Enterprises Human Resource Management Recruitment Selection Business Essay

Managing Hospitality Enterprises Human Resource Management Recruitment Selection Business Essay Introduction The main purpose of recruitment and selection process is to select the right candidate for the job (Dale 2001). In a hospitality industry, it is often said that our people are the greatest asset (Hayes and Ninemeier 2009). People are a critical component in this industry as they are the ones that have the most interaction with the guests. Many successful hospitality leaders has this perception that by giving outstanding guest services it will lead to the company excelling and making profits. There is also a point in mind to take note as there is a need to identify the talented people in the organization and coming out with methods to train and retain them. These people must be kept satisfied and committed to the organization goals. At any one time people will be trying to either change their job or acquire a job and employers at the same time will be looking for employers (Nickson 2007). This indicates that all the workers in the external market are competing for jobs all the time. Due to the impact of the recent economic recession, employers would find it difficult to retain their top-performing employees as during this period the employees do not enjoy much benefit. Employers fear that employees would leave their current job and getting a better job. In a Hospitality Industry, it is often seen that attracting the locals to work are often more difficult to work. Among the many areas of the Human Resource Management, I feel that the most basic step in the Hospitality Industry is to recruit the right people for the Industry. Definition of Recruitment and Selection Recruitment is the process of attracting a pool of candidates for a vacant position, and selection is the technique of choosing a new member of the organization from the available candidates (McKenna and Beech 2008). Recruitment is the process of finding and engaging the people the organization needs and selection is that part of the recruitment process concerned with deciding applicants or candidates should be appointed to jobs (Armstrong 2009). According to this author there are four stages of recruitment and selection are as follows: Recruitment and selection stages Defining requirements preparing role profiles and person specifications; deciding terms and conditions of employment. Planning recruitment campaigns. Attracting candidates- reviewing and evaluating alternative sources of applicants, inside and outside the company: advertising, e-recruiting, agencies and consultants. Selecting candidates- sifting applications, interviewing, testing, assessing candidates, assessment centres, offering employment, obtaining references; preparing contracts of employment. The overall aim of the recruitment and selection process should be to obtain at minimum cost the number and quality of employees required to satisfy the needs of the company (Armstrong 1998). According to the same author there are only three stages of recruitment and selection which are: Defining requirements preparing job descriptions and specifications; deciding terms and conditions of employment. Attracting candidates reviewing and evaluating, alternative sources of applicants, inside and outside the company, advertising, using agencies and consultants. Selecting candidates sifting applicants, interviewing, testing, assessing candidates, assessment centers, offering employment, obtaining references; preparing contracts of employment. Among these three authors above, each of them gives different definition to what recruitment and selection is. The first author talks about just filling up the vacancy of any particular position in the company and choosing a new member without any consideration of whether that person is capable of doing the job. However the second author does resolve the issue of this by basically trying to see whether the persons goals is on the same track with what the organization is trying to achieve at the same time and after that selecting whether the person goals can fit into that particular position. The last author is basically trying to use the minimum resources available to achieve the maximum productivity of the company to gain profits. Out of all these three authors, the second author definition should be considered by Human Resource Managers as having the person with the same goals as the organization would help the company yield better results and as well as retention of the employees without worrying about them changing or quitting their jobs. Process of Recruitment and Selection The recruitment and selection process typically comprises of 4 stages. The first stage is to plan, the second is to recruit, the third is to select and the last stage is to induct (Peragamon Flexible Learning 2005). The first three stages of this process are very important. Being a HR manager, he/she needs to determine whether recruitment is necessary, the job specifications and writing a job description. After this, the most appropriate application methods are determined, deciding how to attract applicants and marketing the job. The next is to sift and shortlist applications, holding selection interviews, making a decision to offer and taking up references. The recruitment and selection process has 3 steps. The first step is to plan, the second is to recruit and the last is to select (Ingram et al. 2009). The recruitment and selection process is a complex process. There are four important identifiable phases in this process which are pre-recruitment, recruitment, select and induct (Lock 1998). The three authors point of view for the recruitment and selection process are basically the same except for the second author who only has 3 stages instead of 4 comparing with the other two authors. From this, the second author stopped at the point of selection of the applicants but do not do anything to further to evaluate the employee being selected. This should not be the case for any organization. After the employee is selected, all aspects of an organizations recruitment and policy should be known and clearly conveyed to the employee (James 2005). In a hospitality industry, the HR manager has to know the countrys HR policy before implementing the recruitment and selection process, this is so as not to make any unnecessary mistakes. For example, employing more foreigners than locals would mostly likely cause an outrage. Orientation is given to the new employees that are being selected by the HR. On the first day of employment, the employee is being shown the different parts of the Hotel to meet the different managers and the employees to get familiarize with the various departments. The employees are also shown the different facilities of the hotels as well in the process. Contact should always be maintained with the new employees until it becomes apparent that they have settled down and become part of the team. Every aspect of the recruitment and selection process should be implemented and executed perfectly so that the employee can perform better. Implementation of Effective Recruitment and Selection The recruitment and selection process serves only as a model of how an employee should be recruited and selected. Greater efforts are made to improve by having a sharper competitive edge so that good candidates are not lost to the competitors. This can be done in several ways which are E-recruitment, Technology; Streamlining, Screening and Keeping in closer touch (Rankin 2003). By the beginning of the twenty-first century, an increasing number of managers had become aware that attracting and selecting the best candidates is not an easy task, nor is it risk fee. The organization when I doubt, should not hire and keep looking so that resources are not wasted (Banfield and Kay 2008). Effective recruitment and selection of personnel should attempt to ensure that an individuals aspirations and capabilities are not too divergent (Sharma 2003). The three authors have different views about what is effective recruitment and selection, the first author view is basically to use the minimum costs possible to get the right employee for the job, the second author basically means to wait for the right candidate to appear for the job. The last author basically means that the employees goals and objectives are somewhat similar to what the organizations have. The best option would be the combination of the first and last author by using the minimum number of resources to get the employee which has the same goals and objectives as the organization. This would enable the company to save costs as well as getting the suitable employee for the job. In the hospitality industry, the image of it has been skeptical towards many people due to the fact that people has the misperception of this industry. The misperception includes factors such as the low salary, long working hours, long standing hours and giving service to customers. Basically anybody with a diploma or less can work in the hospitality industry such as being a waiter, a front office staff, a housekeeper, etc. With a bit of training, anyone is capable of the doing the job. Many people do not wish to serve people as most of them enjoyed being served. The best effective way now normally is through word of mouth by referrals or contacting hospitality schools to get students for internship and if possible get the graduates to go back to the hotel to work. This saves the hotel of wasting resources and effectively recruiting the graduates as they have already work in the hotel and no basic training is required for him/her. For any organizations, normally those well-known of that particular industry would receive more job applicants than others. For example, Hyatt Hotel would receive more applicants than other hotels. Therefore, what it can do is to have a group of people on the spot for selective recruitment and selection, out of 5 people, the best candidate would be selected by the manager. Lastly, the recruiter plays a very important role to ensure that the recruitment and selection is being implemented effectively. Outcomes of Recruitment and Selection The final outcome of the recruitment and selection stage is to consider and implement a carefully organized, systematic recruitment and selection process that qualifies candidates in ways that reduces the cost outlay overall (Thompsen 2010). Keeping costs low is paramount, but the senior management team should avoid going overboard with its cost-cutting efforts. For some highly qualified individuals, the experience of a low-budget recruiting process might be a deal-breaker. So the most successful companies seek a balance. For the median prospects, the cost outlay must remain low. The company should then reserve the most expensive recruiting techniques for the most highly qualified prospects. The above might seem an overly simplified list of desired outcomes, but it all points to one overarching outcome: Develop a fair, efficient, and effective recruitment and selection process. The outcomes list sets up the essential target of having a legally sound recruitment and selection process that also produces the perception of fairness. And in the end, the company that reaches all of these desired outcomes will be left with a high-powered, highly effective and low-cost recruiting strategy. Recruitment and selection can be an expensive activity and it is important that some attempt is made to evaluate the effectiveness of the methods used and to justify expenditure (Simms 2005). One of the difficulties is that is difficult to quantify the contribution that the newly recruited individual is making to the organization and the benefits. Even if this is possible, it is difficult to identify how different aspects of the procedure contribute to the recruitment and selection of a particular individual. For example, if a different, less expensive method had been used, the same individual might still have been appointed because they happened to be looking for a change of job at that particular point in time in that particular area of work or location. Although there may be too many contingencies and variables to evaluate in a meaningful and tangible way, recruitment and selection should nevertheless be evaluated and the outcome of the evaluation used to inform and revise future activities. Measures of the number and suitability of applications received through a particular recruitment method can provide information about the continuous appropriateness of a particular method. This sort of information can also be useful in evaluating other aspects of the process, for example, a usually large number of unsuitable applicants may indicate a poorly written advertisement or a very general person specification which needs to be revised for the future. It can be also useful to seek and evaluate feedback about the process from applicants, new recruits, managers and other staff involved in the process, and during exit interviews. Conclusion Recruitment and selection is a vital function of HR in the organization (Pattanayak 2005). The slightest mistake will lead to a square peg in round hole. In the long run, this would prove to be problematic as these people would pull the organization down. An organization periodically needs to attract applicants for their existing or future staffing needs (Pynes 2009). There are many methods of recruitments available. Recruitment Strategies should be planned in advance of the organizations needs. Strategic job analysis and audits of positions and employee skills should be updated on a regular basis to determine which incumbent employees are qualified for promotions or newly created positions. For some positions, depending on the qualifications and experience needed, HR may need to find applicants from the external labour market. In any organization, efforts should be made to recruit and select a diverse workforce by including individuals with disabilities, older employees and different types of races. Lastly, after recruitment and selection, the best recruitment and selection method should be pointed out and used for subsequent use. Evaluation of the employee is very important after that so that the organization knows how well the employee is doing or coping with the job. This will determine whether the choice of selecting this employee has been a correct decision. Retention of employees in the hospitality industry is very important even after recruitment and selection so that the employer do not repeat this process of recruiting and selecting a new employee and training the employee from scratch.

Bakery Business Plan Jollys Java And Bakery

Bakery Business Plan Jollys Java And Bakery Jollys Java and Bakery (JJB) is a start-up coffee and bakery retail establishment located in southwest Washington. JJB expects to catch the interest of a regular loyal customer base with its broad variety of coffee and pastry products. The company plans to build a strong market position in the town, due to the partners industry experience and mild competitive climate in the area. JJB aims to offer its products at a competitive price to meet the demand of the middle-to higher-income local market area residents and tourists. The Company JJB is incorporated in the state of Washington. It is equally owned and managed by its two partners. Mr. Austin Patterson has extensive experience in sales, marketing, and management, and was vice president of marketing with both Jansonne Jansonne and Burper Foods. Mr. David Fields brings experience in the area of finance and administration, including a stint as chief financial officer with both Flaxfield Roasters and the national coffee store chain, BuzzCups. The company intends to hire two full-time pastry bakers and six part-time baristas to handle customer service and day to day operations. Products and Services JJB offers a broad range of coffee and espresso products, all from high quality Columbian grown imported coffee beans. JJB caters to all of its customers by providing each customer coffee and espresso products made to suit the customer, down to the smallest detail. The bakery provides freshly prepared bakery and pastry products at all times during business operations. Six to eight moderate batches of bakery and pastry products are prepared during the day to assure fresh baked goods are always available. The Market The retail coffee industry in the U.S. has recently experienced rapid growth. The cool marine climate in southwest Washington stimulates consumption of hot beverages throughout the year. JJB wants to establish a large regular customer base, and will therefore concentrate its business and marketing on local residents, which will be the dominant target market. This will establish a healthy, consistent revenue base to ensure stability of the business. In addition, tourist traffic is expected to comprise approximately 35% of the revenues. High visibility and competitive products and service are critical to capture this segment of the market. Financial Considerations JJB expects to raise $110,000 of its own capital, and to borrow $100,000 guaranteed by the SBA as a ten-year loan. This provides the bulk of the current financing required. JJB anticipates sales of about $491,000 in the first year, $567,000 in the second year, and $655,000 in the third year of the plan. JJB should break even by the fourth month of its operation as it steadily increases its sales. Profits for this time period are expected to be approximately $13,000 in year 1, $36,000 by year 2, and $46,000 by year 3. The company does not anticipate any cash flow problems. Company Summary JJB is a bakery and coffee shop managed by two partners. These partners represent sales/management and finance/administration areas, respectively. The partners will provide funding from their own savings, which will cover start-up expenses and provide a financial cushion for the first months of operation. A ten-year Small Business Administration (SBA) loan will cover the rest of the required financing. The company plans to build a strong market position in the town, due to the partners industry experience and mild competitive climate in the area. 2.1 Company Ownership JJB is incorporated in the state of Washington. It is equally owned by its two partners. 2.2 Company History JJB is a start-up company. Financing will come from the partners capital and a ten-year SBA loan. The following chart and table illustrate the companys projected initial start-up costs. Products JJB offers a broad range of coffee and espresso products, all from high quality Columbian grown imported coffee beans. JJB caters to all of its customers by providing each customer coffee and espresso products made to suit the customer, down to the smallest detail. The bakery provides freshly prepared bakery and pastry products at all times during business operations. Six to eight moderate batches of bakery and pastry products are prepared during the day to assure fresh baked goods are always available. Market Analysis Summary JJBs focus is on meeting the demand of a regular local resident customer base, as well as a significant level of tourist traffic from nearby highways. 4.1 Market Segmentation JJB focuses on the middle- and upper-income markets. These market segments consume the majority of coffee and espresso products. Local Residents JJB wants to establish a large regular customer base. This will establish a healthy, consistent revenue base to ensure stability of the business. Tourists Tourist traffic comprises approximately 35% of the revenues. High visibility and competitive products and service are critical to capture this segment of the market. 4.1.1 Market Analysis The chart and table below outline the total market potential of the above described customer segments. 4.2 Target Market Segment Strategy The dominant target market for JJB is a regular stream of local residents. Personal and expedient customer service at a competitive price is key to maintaining the local market share of this target market. 4.2.1 Market Needs Because Washington has a cool climate for eight months out of the year, hot coffee products are very much in demand. During the remaining warmer four months of the year, iced coffee products are in significantly high demand, along with a slower but consistent demand for hot coffee products. Much of the days activity occurs in the morning hours before ten a.m., with a relatively steady flow for the remainder of the day. 4.3 Service Business Analysis The retail coffee industry in the U.S. has recently experienced rapid growth. The cool marine climate in southwest Washington stimulates consumption of hot beverages throughout the year. Coffee drinkers in the Pacific Northwest are finicky about the quality of beverages offered at the numerous coffee bars across the region. Despite low competition in the immediate area, JJB will position itself as a place where customers can enjoy a cup of delicious coffee with a fresh pastry in a relaxing environment. 4.3.1 Competition and Buying Patterns Competition in the local area is somewhat sparse and does not provide nearly the level of product quality and customer service as JJB. Local customers are looking for a high quality product in a relaxing atmosphere. They desire a unique, classy experience. Leading competitors purchase and roast high quality, whole-bean coffees and, along with Italian-style espresso beverages, cold-blended beverages, a variety of pastries and confections, coffee-related accessories and equipment, and a line of premium teas, sell these items primarily through company-operated retail stores. In addition to sales through company-operated retail stores, leading competitors sell coffee and tea products through other channels of distribution (specialty operations). Larger chains vary their product mix depending upon the size of each store and its location. Larger stores carry a broad selection of whole bean coffees in various sizes and types of packaging, as well as an assortment of coffee- and espresso-making equipment and accessories such as coffee grinders, coffee makers, espresso machines, coffee filters, storage containers, travel tumblers and mugs. Smaller stores and kiosks typically sell a full line of coffee beverages, a more limited selection of whole-bean coffees, and a few accessories such as travel tumblers and logo mugs. During fiscal year 2000, industry retail sales mix by product type was approximately 73% beverages, 14% food items, eight percent whole-bean coffees, and five percent coffee-making equipment and accessories. Technologically savvy competitors make fresh coffee and coffee-related products conveniently available via mail order and online. Additionally, mail order catalogs offering coffees, certain food items, and select coffee-making equipment and accessories, have been made available by a few larger competitors. Websites offering online stores that allow customers to browse for and purchase coffee, gifts, and other items via the Internet have become more commonplace as well. Strategy and Implementation Summary JJB will succeed by offering consumers high quality coffee, espresso, and bakery products with personal service at a competitive price. 5.1 Competitive Edge JJBs competitive edge is the relatively low level of competition in the local area in this particular niche. 5.2 Sales Strategy As the chart and table show, JJB anticipates sales of about $491,000 in the first year, $567,000 in the second year, and $655,000 in the third year of the plan. Sales Forecast 2001 2002 2003 Unit Sales Espresso Drinks 135,000 148,500 163,350 Pastry Items 86,000 94,600 104,060 Other 0 0 0 Total Unit Sales 221,000 243,100 267,410 Unit Prices 2001 2002 2003 Espresso Drinks $3.00 $3.15 $3.31 Pastry Items $1.00 $1.05 $1.10 Other $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Sales Espresso Drinks $405,000 $467,775 $540,280 Pastry Items $86,000 $99,330 $114,726 Other $0 $0 $0 Total Sales $491,000 $567,105 $655,006 Direct Unit Costs 2001 2002 2003 Espresso Drinks $0.25 $0.26 $0.28 Pastry Items $0.50 $0.53 $0.55 Other $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Direct Cost of Sales Espresso Drinks $33,750 $38,981 $45,023 Pastry Items $43,000 $49,665 $57,363 Other $0 $0 $0 Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales $76,750 $88,646 $102,386 Management Summary Austin Patterson has extensive experience in sales, marketing, and management, and was vice president of marketing with both Jansonne Jansonne and Burper Foods. David Fields brings experience in the area of finance and administration, including a stint as chief financial officer with both Flaxfield Roasters and the national coffee store chain, BuzzCups. 6.1 Personnel Plan As the personnel plan shows, JJB expects to make significant investments in sales, sales support, and product development personnel. Personnel Plan 2001 2002 2003 Managers $100,000 $105,000 $110,250 Pastry Bakers $40,800 $42,840 $44,982 Baristas $120,000 $126,000 $132,300 Other $0 $0 $0 Total People 10 10 10 Total Payroll $260,800 $273,840 $287,532 Financial Plan JJB expects to raise $110,000 of its own capital, and to borrow $100,000 guaranteed by the SBA as a ten-year loan. This provides the bulk of the current financing required. 7.1 Break-even Analysis JJBs Break-even Analysis is based on the average of the first-year figures for total sales by units, and by operating expenses. These are presented as per-unit revenue, per-unit cost, and fixed costs. These conservative assumptions make for a more accurate estimate of real risk. JJB should break even by the fourth month of its operation as it steadily increases its sales. Break-even Analysis Monthly Units Break-even 17,255 Monthly Revenue Break-even $38,336 Assumptions: Average Per-Unit Revenue $2.22 Average Per-Unit Variable Cost $0.35 Estimated Monthly Fixed Cost $32,343 7.2 Projected Profit and Loss As the Profit and Loss table shows, JJB expects to continue its steady growth in profitability over the next three years of operations. Pro Forma Profit and Loss 2001 2002 2003 Sales $491,000 $567,105 $655,006 Direct Cost of Sales $76,750 $88,646 $102,386 Other $0 $0 $0 Total Cost of Sales $76,750 $88,646 $102,386 Gross Margin $414,250 $478,459 $552,620 Gross Margin % 84.37% 84.37% 84.37% Expenses Payroll $260,800 $273,840 $287,532 Sales and Marketing and Other Expenses $27,000 $35,200 $71,460 Depreciation $60,000 $69,000 $79,350 Utilities $1,200 $1,260 $1,323 Payroll Taxes $39,120 $41,076 $43,130 Other $0 $0 $0 Total Operating Expenses $388,120 $420,376 $482,795 Profit Before Interest and Taxes $26,130 $58,083 $69,825 EBITDA $86,130 $127,083 $149,175 Interest Expense $10,000 $9,500 $8,250 Taxes Incurred $3,111 $12,146 $15,650 Net Profit $13,019 $36,437 $45,925 Net Profit/Sales 2.65% 6.43% 7.01% 7.3 Projected Cash Flow The cash flow projection shows that provisions for ongoing expenses are adequate to meet JJBs needs as the business generates cash flow sufficient to support operations. Pro Forma Cash Flow 2001 2002 2003 Cash Received Cash from Operations Cash Sales $491,000 $567,105 $655,006 Subtotal Cash from Operations $491,000 $567,105 $655,006 Additional Cash Received Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Received $0 $0 $0 New Current Borrowing $0 $0 $0 New Other Liabilities (interest-free) $0 $0 $0 New Long-term Liabilities $0 $0 $0 Sales of Other Current Assets $0 $0 $0 Sales of Long-term Assets $0 $0 $0 New Investment Received $0 $0 $0 Subtotal Cash Received $491,000 $567,105 $655,006 Expenditures 2001 2002 2003 Expenditures from Operations Cash Spending $260,800 $273,840 $287,532 Bill Payments $143,607 $186,964 $237,731 Subtotal Spent on Operations $404,407 $460,804 $525,263 Additional Cash Spent Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Paid Out $0 $0 $0 Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing $0 $0 $0 Other Liabilities Principal Repayment $0 $0 $0 Long-term Liabilities Principal Repayment $0 $10,000 $15,000 Purchase Other Current Assets $0 $0 $0 Purchase Long-term Assets $0 $20,000 $20,000 Dividends $0 $0 $0 Subtotal Cash Spent $404,407 $490,804 $560,263 Net Cash Flow $86,593 $76,301 $94,744 Cash Balance $156,593 $232,894 $327,637 7.4 Balance Sheet The following is a projected Balance Sheet for JJB. Pro Forma Balance Sheet 2001 2002 2003 Assets Current Assets Cash $156,593 $232,894 $327,637 Other Current Assets $12,000 $12,000 $12,000 Total Current Assets $168,593 $244,894 $339,637 Long-term Assets Long-term Assets $65,000 $85,000 $105,000 Accumulated Depreciation $60,000 $129,000 $208,350 Total Long-term Assets $5,000 ($44,000) ($103,350) Total Assets $173,593 $200,894 $236,287 Liabilities and Capital 2001 2002 2003 Current Liabilities Accounts Payable $14,574 $15,438 $19,907 Current Borrowing $0 $0 $0 Other Current Liabilities $0 $0 $0 Subtotal Current Liabilities $14,574 $15,438 $19,907 Long-term Liabilities $100,000 $90,000 $75,000 Total Liabilities $114,574 $105,438 $94,907 Paid-in Capital $110,000 $110,000 $110,000 Retained Earnings ($64,000) ($50,981) ($14,544) Earnings $13,019 $36,437 $45,925 Total Capital $59,019 $95,456 $141,381 Total Liabilities and Capital $173,593 $200,894 $236,287 Net Worth $59,019 $95,456 $141,381 7.5 Business Ratios The following table represents key ratios for the retail bakery and coffee shop industry. These ratios are determined by the Standard Industry Classification (SIC) Index code 5812, Eating Places. Ratio Analysis 2001 2002 2003 Industry Profile Sales Growth 0.00% 15.50% 15.50% 7.60% Percent of Total Assets Other Current Assets 6.91% 5.97% 5.08% 35.60% Total Current Assets 97.12% 121.90% 143.74% 43.70% Long-term Assets 2.88% -21.90% -43.74% 56.30% Total Assets 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% Current Liabilities 8.40% 7.68% 8.42% 32.70% Long-term Liabilities 57.61% 44.80% 31.74% 28.50% Total Liabilities 66.00% 52.48% 40.17% 61.20% Net Worth 34.00% 47.52% 59.83% 38.80% Percent of Sales Sales 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% Gross Margin 84.37% 84.37% 84.37% 60.50% Selling, General Administrative Expenses 74.74% 71.43% 71.39% 39.80% Advertising Expenses 0.49% 1.76% 6.87% 3.20% Profit Before Interest and Taxes 5.32% 10.24% 10.66% 0.70% Main Ratios Current 11.57 15.86 17.06 0.98 Quick 11.57 15.86 17.06 0.65 Total Debt to Total Assets 66.00% 52.48% 40.17% 61.20% Pre-tax Return on Net Worth 27.33% 50.90% 43.55% 1.70% Pre-tax Return on Assets 9.29% 24.18% 26.06% 4.30% Additional Ratios 2001 2002 2003 Net Profit Margin 2.65% 6.43% 7.01% n.a Return on Equity 22.06% 38.17% 32.48% n.a Activity Ratios Accounts Payable Turnover 10.79 12.17 12.17 n.a Payment Days 27 29 27 n.a Total Asset Turnover 2.83 2.82 2.77 n.a Debt Ratios Debt to Net Worth 1.94 1.10 0.67 n.a Current Liab. to Liab. 0.13 0.15 0.21 n.a Liquidity Ratios Net Working Capital $154,019 $229,456 $319,731 n.a Interest Coverage 2.61 6.11 8.46 n.a Additional Ratios Assets to Sales 0.35 0.35 0.36 n.a Current Debt/Total Assets 8% 8% 8% n.a Acid Test 11.57 15.86 17.06 n.a Sales/Net Worth 8.32 5.94 4.63 n.a Dividend Payout 0.00 0.00 0.00 n.a

My Ascent Into 8th Grade Stardom :: essays research papers

My Ascent into 8th Grade StardomIt was very hard moving to a new town in the summer of 1994. This event meant having to attend a new middle school and reestablish myself in a new environment. Even though I had moved about every two years of my entire life, that did not make this time any easier. I still had to make new friends and ground myself all over again.Middle School, like most other middle schools, had an "in" crowd. At Crossroads, it was mainly the football players. After I started school at Crossroads, football tryouts were being staged. I saw this as a most significant event on my path through adolescence, a chance to get recognized by my new school, as well as a chance to make some friends and gain some glory along the way. Getting up at one Saturday morning and going up to the school, I was very nervous about whether I would make the team or not. I've always had athletic ability, but since this was a new town, I was unsure about how my skills would compare with the other kids. Football tryout was a grueling event. When tryouts started, it was explained to all of us that the coaches would run drills in order to gauge our skills, and then place us in specific position groups. After the drills, which I did exceptionally well in , Coach Jones placed me in the running back group. He told me that I was extremely strong and fast, and that I would make a good tailback. It felt so good, not only making the team, but being singled out by Coach Jones as possibly one of the better players on the squad.Throughout the next couple of weeks, the Crossroads Vikings held football practice every day after school from 2:45 until 5:00. We always started with some team stretching and then we moved onto our positional drills. We running backs always had drills such as running through ropes and practicing plays. It was fun. As the days and practices went by, I made many new friends. All the starters, me being the starting tailback, just began to hang out together, in and out of school. That is just the way it went. Chad, Rick, Bill, Derek, Ben, and I were hanging out together all the time. Eventually, they introduced to me to all the "cool" kids in school and the feeling of being the "new kid" went away.

education Essay -- essays research papers

Education in contemporary American society is one aspect in the process of socialization in which people learn how to act correctly in society and learn specific behaviors needed to be able to function in today’s society. In the United States schools teach what it means to be American and the traits that go along with it. For example children are taught the English language, learn the common heritage shared by all Americans, and are reiterated the basics of society. The education system also attempts to give children from different cultural backgrounds the same Anglo education. The education system also acts as an intergrator of the lower class children into the mainstream of the rest of the children. Also the education system acts as a type of screening process by finding which students are best suited for certain jobs. The education system by issuing diplomas, degrees, and other credentials, determines which student will have access to the more financially gratifying positi ons in society. In a way schools also prepare children for day-to-day work by going through the same routines everyday. The system of grades parallels the wage system in society as well. The education system in the United States is primarily used for the preparation of the young child’s socialization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prejudice refers to attitudes of aversion and hostility toward the members of a group simply because they belong to it and hence are presumed to have the objectionable qual...

Management development review notes

To manage Is to forecast and plan, to command, to co-ordinate and to control Management Is a social process which consists of planning, control, co-ordination and motivation Kenton & online 1976 – Managing Is an operation process Minimally best dissected by analyzing the managerial functions.The essential managerial functions are planning, organizing, staffing, directing and leading, controlling. Classical School Payola's 14 principles of management – many still true but was very structural and paternalistic. Scientific Management FEW Taylor 1911 – the principles of scientific management. Breaking the job down into movements and timing how long it took. Criticized for turning workers into automatons. Concept of Bureaucracy Max Weber 1947 – The theory of social and economic organizations – describes the bureaucratic organizationA bureaucracy is based on rational-legal authority which arises out of the office or position of the person in authority. We ber believed that bureaucracy Is the most efficient means of organizing for the achievement of formal goals. Elton Mayo 1927-1936 Hawthorn Studies/experiments – social relations at work are as Important as monetary Incentives and good physical working conditions Human Relations School.

The advertising world Essay

The youths are highly influenced when they hit their transitional period from adolescence to the teenage years. They are dealing with the changes in their bodies and minds. Businesses are cashing in on the ability to target these children with their products; companies have focused advertising their products to young girls. The advertising world is also using younger models to sell their products. They are using the youth to sell anything from candy to underwear for their companies. The federal government should ban advertisers from allowing young girls to model as grown women. Advertising companies has used women to model as early back as the 1890’s The ideal of a beautiful woman has changed over the decades. Women and young girls look at magazines, movies, and movie stars and they desire to look like them. This may not be a problem for some women, but it has become a problem for the young girls today. The advertising world should be limited to how the youths are used in advertising. The writer remembers a story, which was overseas, a young model about ten years old was hired to model underwear, and she had on so much make up that it made her look like she was in her twenties, and she was wearing underwear that was for a grown woman. Neither the make-up nor the underwear was appropriate for this young girl to wear and/or to be advertising for other young girls to want to purchase. Young girls should not be exploited in this manner. A lot of young girls have a negative body image of themselves. When they desire to be something or somebody, they are not can or will cause the girls to develop eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia or binge eating. The young girls want to be beautiful and thin because of the ideal body image that the advertising world is demonstrating in their ads, this how they are supposed to look to be accepted within a glamorous world. The perception of a better life is you are beautiful and thin. Most people are aware of anorexia, and bulimia is eating disorders were a person eats food, and then they use laxatives or force themselves to vomit to become and stay thin. The person who has anorexia or bulimia sees themselves as fat, and they may be very thin. Most people, such as the writer have not heard of binge eating as an eating disorder. Our nation is concerned as being obese. The writer has not heard of binge eating being explained as a cause for some people may be overweight. On the House of Thin website, it talked about binge eating and suggested there is help for these people through a support group. Another eason why advertisers should not use young girls to model as grown women, they put all this make-up on a young girl and have them pose as if they are grown women. There are predators out in the world, and young girls are their targets. The writer believes young girls should look like young girls (youthful and innocent appearance) and should not look like grown women, there may be less of this problem. There are numerous website that is exploiting young girls in various ways. The writer was in disbelief while doing my research. The police are also online looking for these predators of the children. Advertising is big business, and our nation operates on a Capitalism system. The writer likes, the statement from our textbook, â€Å"Citizens are entitled to protection from harmful actions by others† (Lunsford 2010). Using young girls to advertise merchandise like they are grown women is a harmful action. Body image and the media has become big business at the expense of the youth. The children are not happy with themselves, and parents are allowing this to happen. When is enough, enough? Stop exploiting our children for the price of a dollar. Adults have the responsibility to ensure children keep their innocence, and children don’t become an adult before their time. Children must be talked to about themselves, and children should be encouraged to increase their self- esteem. A positive and nurturing environment is what children need to help fight the advertising world. The writer knows that advertising to the young is not going to change overnight, just like the problem didn’t start overnight. Parents do have a voice and can make a change within our households. Parents also need to be aware of what their child is doing. Growing up back in the 60-70’s children was always watched by somebody, whether it was a teacher, parent, family member or just the neighbor. Somebody was involved with the children; parents need to become more involved. Today, adults lead a very busy life, demands on the job, making sure to work hard and not make mistakes for fear of losing a job. The time invested in the children will make difference. The influence of the television, magazines, movie stars or their peers on the youth we will have more and more youth with eating disorders and vulnerable to predators. The United States economic system is a Capitalistic and people will say that the advertiser has the right to make money. People can argue that the parents are responsible for managing their children spending habits. Base on a survey in 1994; found that 40% of 9 years old have been on a diet (Derenne, and Beresin). Parents should limit the amount of time children are exposed to various forms of media. Monitoring the children and talking about what the children are seeing is another method to use with media. Parents are not responsible, and the federal government needs to look out for the well-being of the youth. Every society has a way of torturing its, women, whether by binding their feet or by sticking them into whalebone corsets. The American culture has come up with its designer jeans (Derenne, and Beresin). Nothing else can say it better than this statement.

Animal Abuse Summary

Every day in the United States animals are beaten, neglected, and forced to struggle for survival. They are left in horrible conditions, ones without any food and or water. Some are lucky, they are found and rescued, being given a chance to survive by being cared for in a shelter or even given a new home. But others, aren’t so lucky. We must fight for these animals’ rights and punish the heartless owners. Its up to us to speak up for these creatures who don’t have a voice. The first step, protecting them and creating effective laws.There are actually two categories: passive cruelty and active cruelty. Passive is acts as a result of neglect or lack of action. Even though it may seen less serious, but its not true. It can lead to pain and suffering, and sometimes death. Examples, starvation, dehydration, untreated infections, improper shelter, and failure to get medical care. Passive cruelty is mainly due the owners ignorance. Active cruelty on the other hand, is m ore well known. This type of abuse involves purposefully inflicting harm on an animal.This kind of cruelty should be taken very seriously. These people who commit these crimes might get worse and move on from animals to something else, other humans per say. Its hard to tell what drives people to harm animals for sure. Animal abusers are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against people and four times more likely to commit property crimes than are those who have no history of animal abuse. (â€Å"A 1997 study done by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals† â€Å"pet abuse. com†).Most who abuse animals find a sort of fulfillment or power because they know they can’t fight back. I mean yeah, not all who commit animal abuse become serial killers or rapists, its still important to take every case seriously. Examples of this though would include, Carroll Edward Cole was a west cost killer who killed as many as 35 women in the 1 970s and 80s, and was executed in 1985. Based on Cole's testimony, his first violent act was strangling a puppy. The Columbine school shooting is another example of animal abuse as a precursor to human violence.Before killing 12 classmates and then turning the guns on themselves, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebod had bragged to friends about mutilating animals. If these acts had been reported to authorities and taken seriously, these two young men might have been put in a proper facility and helped, possibly avoiding the horrific massacre. Given these examples, it's hard to imagine why all states don't take animal cruelty seriously. Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Mississippi, North Dakota, and South Dakota have no provisions for cruelty to animals.According to the Humane Society, a good felony law should protect all animals, apply to first-time offenders, carry large fines and lengthy prison time, have no exemptions, require convicted abusers to get counseling at their own expense, and prohibi t abusers from owning or living among animals. Along with these laws we need officials who will strongly enforce them. Police, psychologists, and even the FBI recognize the link between animal cruelty and violence against people. To better protect communities, all states should institute strong penalties and work to increase public awareness of these crimes.It's not only up to the legal system to make sure that communities across the country are aware and educated about animal cruelty. There are plenty of things everyday citizens can do. The simplest action is for people to take care of their own pets and learn the facts so they can educate others on proper animal care. Another easy way to help is by donating to or volunteering at a local animal shelter. Contrary to popular belief, volunteering doesn't require a lot of time; simply going in a few hours a week helps tremendously.Finally, by writing letters you can remind your local lawmakers that animal abuse is a real problem that n eeds to be addressed. Taking a few minutes to support this worthy cause not only helps animals, it allows you to feel proud about standing up for something so important to society. It is our job to be the voice for creatures who cannot speak up for themselves. As a nation we need to make it our priority to come together and ensure the safety of our beloved pets. As Margaret Mead once said, â€Å"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. †

Succubus Shadows Chapter 8

Knowing Carter was on the job with Simone made me feel mildly better, but there was something about him that always unnerved me when it came to Seth – and, well, my love life in general. He was too interested. I'd gotten used to an angel hanging out with my friends, but sometimes I wondered if I was being lulled into some kind of trick. Heaven had its own agenda, just as we did, and their motives were often harder to figure out. I had a morning shift the next day. It passed by easily until Doug delivered some bad news to me about ten minutes before I was going to leave. â€Å"Can't go with you tonight, Kincaid.† I looked up from my spreadsheet in disbelief. â€Å"What?† He shrugged, hovering near the door to my office. He'd had the same shift as me today, and I had a feeling he was telling me at the end to save himself from hours of anger. Kind of like how people who get fired are told at the end of the day on Friday. â€Å"There's this girl I met†¦and I can't really turn down the chance to go out with her. Oh, man. She's smokin'. She's got this body that – â€Å" â€Å"I don't need the details,† I interrupted. â€Å"Can't you just take her instead of me? Cody was starting to get into this idea†¦he'll be really down if it gets canceled.† â€Å"No need to cancel. Just go without me. I couldn't bring her instead of you – Cody needs you.† I groaned. â€Å"Yeah, but the safety of a group is gone, and I become the third wheel.† â€Å"Find someone else to go, then.† It was then that Maddie appeared beside her brother. She was relieving him for the next shift. â€Å"Go where?† My next words made me cringe, but I did not want to go alone with Cody and Gabrielle. â€Å"Do you want to go to a, um, metal concert tonight?† At least having another woman along would kill the double date insinuations. This clearly wasn't an invite that she'd been expecting. â€Å"Well†¦I would, except I've got to close, and then I'm supposed to meet a friend.† I had serious doubts about the â€Å"I would† part and this so-called friend. Metal was not Maddie's scene. She suddenly brightened. â€Å"You know what? You should bring Seth.† â€Å"I†¦what?† I asked. â€Å"Mortensen?† asked Doug, sounding as baffled as me. â€Å"I don't think that's his thing,† I said uneasily. I knew for a fact it wasn't. â€Å"Yeah,† agreed Doug. â€Å"Probably not a good idea.† I hid a frown at Doug's words. With as much as he wanted to get out of this and see his smokin' woman, I figured he'd be willing to push anyone off on me. Maddie was oblivious. â€Å"No, really. He's been cooped up for weeks with the book, and I think it'd be good for him to go out. I think the wedding stuff is stressing him out.† Yeah, that made two of us. â€Å"Oh, I don't want to, um, push him outside of his comfort zone,† I said lamely. She laughed. â€Å"Like I said, it'd be good for him. I'll go ask him now.† She was gone before either Doug or I could protest. Several moments of silence hung between us. â€Å"Well,† he said at last. â€Å"She can talk him into almost anything. I guess you're set.† â€Å"I guess so.† He walked off, and I found it intriguing that neither of us was excited about this prospect. It drove home the double date thing even more and also made me feel guilty about Maddie's blind trust. On the bright side – kind of – I supposed it would take some balls for Simone to crash the concert and continue her â€Å"seduction† of Seth. As Doug had predicted, Maddie did indeed convince Seth to go. It was a late show, and the four of us had agreed to meet outside the club around 10:30 so that I could distribute our tickets. Once we were all there, I glanced at the three faces before me, trying to decide whether it was all comical or pathetic. Seth was doing the averting-his-eyes thing, clearly uncomfortable that Maddie had pushed him into this. Cody was paler than usual for a vampire and looked ready to bolt at any moment. In fact, I wouldn't have been surprised if both men teamed up to formulate an escape plan. Gabrielle was the only one who looked excited to be there, her eyes alight and eager. She was also the only one really dressed for the scene, all in black, with her hair spiked up and makeup done to dramatic levels. Cody and Seth wore their usual street clothes, and I'd dressed somewhere in the middle: black jeans and a black bustier top, adorned with heavy silver jewelry. It was clearly too designer for this place, however. â€Å"Thanks so much for letting me come along with you guys,† she said. â€Å"I didn't know any of you liked Blue Satin Bra.† â€Å"What's not to like?† asked Seth, face innocent. I kept my eyes away from him because I had a feeling I'd start grinning. I handed out the tickets, and we headed inside, surrounded by a crowd that I decided I'd want on my side if I was ever in a street brawl. We managed to snag a high-top table in the back. It meant standing the whole time, but at least we had a surface to put our glasses on. â€Å"Offer to buy her a drink,† I hissed to Cody. The nice thing about playing Cyrano to a vampire was that his enhanced hearing meant I could keep my voice far below levels that Gabrielle could pick up. The noise in the room – even before the band started – also furthered the covert nature of all this. Cody dutifully obeyed, and when Gabrielle started to dig out cash, he assured her the first round was on him. The smile she gave him seemed to boost his confidence as he headed off. Seth leaned toward my ear. He stood on the opposite side of me from Gabrielle, and she was too entranced by the sights to even notice us. â€Å"This might be crazy enough to work,† he murmured. â€Å"Don't get carried away,† I responded back, trying not to think of his proximity. â€Å"The night is young. Any number of wacky mishaps might ensue.† He smiled. â€Å"Those are your specialty, aren't they?† â€Å"Unfortunately, yes.† Cody returned with the drinks, earning more approval from Gabrielle. She wasn't showing any romantic attraction to him whatsoever, but at least she knew he was alive. While I still stood firm that he shouldn't overdo the vampire/Goth thing, I realized we were going to have to work hard to get past the â€Å"ordinary† facade she saw. â€Å"Talk to her,† I told him. He'd slipped back to his place between me and Gabrielle. â€Å"Once they start, it's probably going to be impossible.† â€Å"What do I say?† Seth, overhearing, leaned across me, and I wished I'd covered up more skin. His arm brushing up against me sent thrills through my body. â€Å"Ask her if she's ever seen them live before,† Seth said. â€Å"If she says no, tell her about this one time you saw them at†¦I don't know. A private party. If she says yes, ask her what she thought.† Cody gave an uneasy nod. He leaned toward her, and while I only caught bits and pieces of the conversation, she grew animated as she spoke. I leaned back to Seth. â€Å"When did you become an expert in dating advice?† I asked incredulously. â€Å"It's what O'Neill would do.† I scoffed. â€Å"You're using fiction to further Cody's love life?† â€Å"Life imitates art, and art imitates life.† â€Å"That statement is ridiculous. And, you know, I've never really seen you utilize that advice.† â€Å"Well, that's O'Neill's advice. I have lots of characters I can draw from.† â€Å"Funny, I don't remember any introverted, stammering writers in your books.† â€Å"I don't stammer,† he said defensively – though there was a smile under his words. â€Å"Besides, maybe there'll be someone like that in the new series.† â€Å"Ooh,† I said, mocking his melodrama. â€Å"What's with the ‘maybe'? I thought you had the premise for this whole fantastic new thing figured out.† â€Å"I do. But it can always be improved along the way.† â€Å"Introvert authors improve everything.† â€Å"Damn straight.† Laughing, I remembered that I should have been helping Cody, but he was talking to Gabrielle on his own, which I took as a positive sign. I turned back to Seth. â€Å"So does this mean you've figured out the ending to Cady and O'Neill?† â€Å"No.† He still held his good humor, despite a small frown on his brow. â€Å"One of these days, I'll have to – â€Å" His words were cut off when the eardrum-splitting screech of a guitar ripped through the room. Blue Satin Bra had come onstage while I was talking (flirting?) with Seth. I hated stereotypes, but truthfully: they looked like what you'd expect from an all-guy metal band. Black clothing, piercings, and hair that ran in extremes: shaved or super long. The one thing that differentiated them was, well, the fact that they were wearing blue satin demi bras over their clothes. Even above the deafening music that followed, I could hear Gabrielle shrieking, â€Å"Oh my God!† Her face was ecstatic, and when Cody said something to her, she lit up further and nodded eagerly at the band. My guess was – whether it was true or not – he was reaffirming how awesome they were. The music forced Seth and me to lean close in order to talk. â€Å"You know,† he said, â€Å"I'm pretty sure the bass player stuffed his bra.† â€Å"Nah,† I teased back. â€Å"It's a push-up bra, so it just seems that way. They do amazing things for cleavage.† All things considered, Blue Satin Bra wasn't that bad. Metal might not be my favorite music, but I was still open to a lot of types. The setting and craziness that ensued throughout the night gave Seth and me lots of material to joke over. We were both in really good moods when the show finally ended and we walked out with Gabrielle and Cody. â€Å"That was awesome,† she exclaimed. â€Å"Thank you so much for sharing the tickets.† â€Å"No problem,† I said. My ears were ringing, and I wasn't sure if I was still shouting. â€Å"I think that was the best show I've ever seen,† said Cody nobly. Gabrielle clutched his sleeve, and his eyes widened. â€Å"I know! Which was your favorite song?† Silence. â€Å"Mine was that one were they kept saying ‘My Armageddon scales will burn your post office,'† said Seth deadpan. â€Å"Oh, yeah. That's one of their greatest,† she said. â€Å"It's called ‘Plywood Fuck.'† â€Å"That's my favorite too,† said Cody. I somehow doubted he'd heard any of the music tonight. His senses were all on Gabrielle. Perfectly in sync, Seth and I glanced at each other and exchanged secret smiles, both of us amused at Cody's love. I wasn't as far gone as he was, but when our group finally split up, I found myself walking on air too. â€Å"Interesting night,† Roman told me when we got home. He'd been along in spy mode. â€Å"I think Cody might actually have a chance.† â€Å"Maybe,† I said. â€Å"He's clearly smitten, but she only seems mildly interested. In a friendly way, though.† Roman rummaged through the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of Lucky Charms. â€Å"He's not the only one who's smitten.† I sighed and collapsed onto the couch. â€Å"Let it go, okay? We all know I'm a long ways from getting over Seth.† Roman gave me a sly look. â€Å"I wasn't talking about you.† I stared at him for a moment, my vodka-addled brain trying to make sense of his words. â€Å"Wait†¦you're talking about Seth? He's over me.† â€Å"Oh my God, Georgina. Could you be any more delusional?† â€Å"He's getting married.† â€Å"That means nothing. If it did, guys wouldn't catch chlamydia at their bachelor parties.† â€Å"But he does love Maddie. And no matter what you think about his feelings, he'll be out of my reach once they're married.† â€Å"The fact that they're dating means he should already be out of your reach – but past evidence shows that's not true.† I scowled and kicked off my shoes. â€Å"Don't bring that up. I feel bad enough – and so does he. If you're just going to taunt me, then I'm going to bed.† But to my surprise, Roman didn't wear that mocking look that had become so typical for him since returning to Seattle. His eyes were serious, his expression – almost – concerned. â€Å"I'm not trying to taunt you. I'm just stating the facts. No matter what happens, you and Seth can't seem to stay away from each other. You should put in a transfer request.† â€Å"What, out of Seattle?† I asked incredulously. â€Å"I love it here.† â€Å"You'll learn to love some other place. Honestly, it's the only way you're going to be able to move on – the only way either of you can move on. You're in a situation where you see him every day – tonight being a prime example. He broke up with you, and then you broke up with him for some ‘greater good' kind of goal. But if you keep hanging around each other, it won't matter. You'll never heal. You're just going to get your heart ripped out every day.† I was so stunned that I couldn't even respond for several seconds. The old taunt danced in my head: circles and circles. â€Å"I†¦why do you say that? Why do you care?† â€Å"Because I already see it happening every day. You are getting your heart ripped out over and over, and it kills me to watch it happen.† Again, I fell speechless for a moment. â€Å"I thought†¦I thought you hated me. I thought you wanted to destroy me.† He finished his cereal and set the bowl down. I didn't have the will to shoo the cats away. â€Å"I don't hate you, Georgina,† he said wearily. â€Å"Am I upset about what happened to Helena? Absolutely. Am I upset about you lying about loving me? Yes. Do I want some kind of revenge? Maybe. Honestly, my feelings change from day to day. Some days I do want something awful to happen to you. Some days†¦well, I know you did what you did out of some misguided sense of†¦I don't know. You thought you were doing the right thing.† I wanted to tell him that I had loved him, in a way. But that probably wouldn't be useful right now. â€Å"Well, watching this Seth drama unfold is probably giving you lots of material when it comes to something awful happening to me.† â€Å"No,† he said, with a weary head shake. â€Å"I don't like this. Like I said, I'd rather see you leave and start a new life. Every time I see you now, it's like†¦it's like watching you die. Over and over.† I stood up, suddenly wanting to sleep. â€Å"Yeah,† I said softly. â€Å"That's kind of what it feels like.† I hesitated. â€Å"Thanks for listening. And understanding.† â€Å"Anytime,† he said. This also caught me by surprise. Somewhere in these last few crazy months, I realized, Roman and I had become friends again. â€Å"I hate to ask you this, but, well, I'm not doing a very good job with keeping an upbeat mood tonight. Would you – â€Å" He rose as well. â€Å"Yup. I'll watch you sleep. If you can handle the creepy factor.† â€Å"It's an acceptable trade,† I said with a smile. â€Å"Thanks.† And maybe it was the vodka, but I stepped forward and hugged him. He was stiff for a moment, clearly caught off guard, but then he relaxed and wrapped his arms around me. I rested my head against his chest, taking small comfort in someone warm and alive who wasn't a stranger. He smelled like I remembered, the clean, sharp scent of his cologne surrounding me in a way very different from Seth's woodsy smell. I was just thinking I should pull away when a voice asked, â€Å"Am I interrupting anything?† I jerked away from the embrace and found Carter standing in the living room, arms crossed and one eyebrow arched. Roman seemed equally flustered and took a few steps back as well, getting as far away from me as he could. â€Å"Don't you ever knock?† I asked. â€Å"Not sure you'd answer,† said Carter good-naturedly. â€Å"Especially with the news I've got.† I groaned. â€Å"That was fast. Does it have to do with Simone?† He nodded. â€Å"Afraid so. She met up with Seth again.†

Details, Dilemma and Decision Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Details, Dilemma and Decision - Assignment Example If she does agree to be part of the trial phase, would there be a guarantee that this will not trigger her ailment that may cause her life to be shortened even more? Or could there be a hope that in the process something might be discovered eventually that she may also benefit from it after all? As for Dr. Blake, the offer that he made to Mrs. Wilkins may defy the principle of non-maleficence. It can jeopardize his career and credibility as a professional and his relationship with his patients. As a doctor, he may influence the decision that Mrs. Wilkins will take though it will not be what the patient would really want. People in the medical field do take note of non-maleficence principle which means not to do harm and is considered to be an overriding principle to everyone who undertakes the care of the patient. (Butts and Rich, 2005, p.13) With this in mind, it is just appropriate for Mrs. Wilkins to become a part of the trial phase that Dr. Blake is offering her. As a doctor, Dr. Blake has studied his patient’s medical history and would not risk the safety of Mrs. Wilkins just to get facts and data for a certain project. Mrs. Wilkins, being terminally ill, may not even think of her own self. It may be true that Mrs. Wilkins will not benefit from the drug at all. That is just the start of the study, there could still be a little hope or possibility that the patient may benefit from it. If the study will be completed, it is not just for the benefit of one but maybe for the benefit of a lot of patients that will be taking it eventually. The decision of one should not just be based for the good of one. Yet it should be for the good of many. In the long run, as people start using the drug, the users will be thankful to those people who tested the drug first, this includes Mrs. Wilkins. The life that she may have right now is bound to end at any stage, however with her actions and her decision to