Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintaintenance Essay Example For Students

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintaintenance Essay The book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values is a novel that makes you really reflect on life. If the reader is not fully engaged in the book all they will notice is the one narrator who tells stories about his journeys on his motorcycle. However, if the reader actually focuses on the writing they will realize that the book has actually two narrators and explains life more thoroughly. The book actually points out other things rather than just telling the somewhat boring stories of a man, his son, and his motorcycle. The author expresses his thoughts in a different way, the narrator tells the story from actually two different points of view. The narrator speaks from his current self while telling his motorcycle stories, but also from the mind of his pre electroshock therapy personality, which he calls Phaedrus, who was previously a teacher and a very intellectual man. Throughout the majority of the book the reader is led to believe that Phaedrus was insane, however, after resuming reading the story he really is not. We will write a custom essay on Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintaintenance specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now This causes some confusion and leads us to question the reliability of the two personalities: which is more reliable? The novel begins with the unnamed narrator describing the world as he experiences it from his motorcycle journeys. He describes what the experience of riding on a motorcycle is like and how you can make full use of all senses. The narrator feels like you are more connected to nature when freely riding on a motorcycle rather then crammed into a car and stressed. Not long after the beginning we are informed of a â€Å"ghost† named Phaedrus, who spent so long hunting a ghost, â€Å"that he became a ghost himself†. At first we assume Phaedrus was an old friend of the narrator, however, we soon learn all about how Phaedrus is actually the name the narrator has given to his pre electroshock therapy self also known as his other personality. It is at this point the reader feels some inaccuracy and confusion in the reading. What the narrator is saying doesn’t always add up or necessarily make sense. Basically what I am saying, he is unreliable. Though the novel the narrator says that Phaedrus is the one who was insane but I feel it is actually the other way around. Based off of the narrator’s view of Phaedrus may, at first, seem absolutely crazy. His ideas are quite different from the norm including his obsessive attitude. He obsesses over things such as quality and theories and the scientific method, and focusing on the littler things in life. Phaedrus’s ideas are just different, not crazy. In our society the terms are often confused to mean the same thing. Phaedrus wasn’t insane; he just had ideas that were different and told everyone about them even if they thought he was crazy. Phaedrus said what he felt and wasn’t afraid of what other people thought because he stuck to what he believed in. his ideas were similar to the ideas of Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton but people could not understand what Phaedrus was â€Å"preaching. † His theories were so far out there that people could not understand them and that is why he was assumed to be crazy. He was known as this because we are afraid of change so society was afraid of Phaedrus’ ideas that were crazy and different. This is what was evident in the end of the book. Phaedrus wasn’t crazier than any of us are; he just had some different ideas. Others couldn’t understand his philosophies, which is what led him to eventually believe he was insane. Phaedrus was actually completely reliable; it was those around him that were not. The story leads us to believe that Phaedrus was the crazy one, while the narrator was supposedly a completely different person. .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69 , .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69 .postImageUrl , .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69 , .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69:hover , .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69:visited , .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69:active { border:0!important; } .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69:active , .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69 .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uaf1d7ca1dfe748df26aa7323c455fe69:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Art: The Ultimate Expression EssayThe truth is actually that it was not Phaedrus who was crazy, but the narrator. The narrator was completely unpredictable and unreliable and at times he seemed perfectly sane and normal, but would have random episodes where he just became absolutely obsessed with what and who Phaedrus was. He became consumed with it and believed things that were false. His body had been altered to basically depend on Phaedrus, which is what led to his unreliability. But Phaedrus was a normal person who happened to have some amazing ideas that were â€Å"different† which made him very reliable.

immigrants essays

immigrants essays Why the immigrant group chose to leave their homeland Many Europeans decided to immigrate to the United States. Most Europeans left their home countries because of crop failure, land and job shortages, rising taxes, or famine. They came because they believed the United States was the land of economic opportunity. While other Europeans came seeking personal freedom or relief from political and religious persecution. The immigrants journey was terrible; they had to endure weeks of being on the deck of a ship even when it rained. They had to bring their own food and make it last because sometimes the trip took longer than expected. And if they did run out of food the ship would have food for sale but it would be real expensive. And some people couldnt afford it because they spent their last penny on the boat ride. When they first seen the statue of liberty they were filled with joy because for them that statue stood for freedom and opportunity. Experiences when they first arrived Most Europeans came in trough the east coast in Ellis Island and had to pass a physical to be allowed into the United States, those that didnt pass were deported back to their home countries. Many states, especially those with small populations, attracted immigrants by offering jobs or land for farming. But a lot of immigrants wanted to settle where there were other settlers from their homeland. They wanted to do so because many didnt know the language and others wanted to feel like they were at home. Once settled immigrants needed to find a job, but there were never enough jobs and employers often took advantage of them. The men immigrants were paid less then the other workers and the women immigrants were paid less then the men immigrants. Social tensions were also a part of the immigrant experience. The immigrants were stereotyped and discriminated, and many immigrants su ...

Exploring the need for Department of Homeland Security in USA Essay

Exploring the need for Department of Homeland Security in USA - Essay Example This directorate is responsible to bring the operations of the major border security and transportation under one command , including: office of the domestic preparedness, Us customs service, immigration and naturalization service, federal protective service, federal law enforcement training center and animal and plant health inspection service. This directorate was made responsible to overseeing the preparedness for domestic disaster training and coordinating government response to disasters. This directorate was also responsible to bring the federal emergency management agency, the national disaster medical system and strategic national stockpile under unitary command. This directorate was made responsible to seek and utilize all scientific and technological benefits when the need for securing the homeland of USA is felt. The following assets accrued to this directorate included from the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (Energy), National BW Defense Analysis Center and Plum Island Animal Disease Center of Agriculture. This Directorate is made responsible to analyze intelligence and other relevant information from agencies, including the CIA, FBI, DIA and NSA. That involved threats to homeland security. This directorate was to bring together the federal computer incidence response centre, national infrastructure protection centre, national security and assurance program and critical infrastructure assurance office. Directorate of Secret Service and Coast GuardThis directorate had to be located in the headquarters of the department of homeland security and to remain directly reporting to the secretary of the department. The coast guards were responsible to protect the US maritime boundaries. The Secret Service had to remain intact and its fundamental mission would remain to be the safeguarding the President and other key government officials. The Secret Service was also to continue to consistently provide security for important national events. This is interesting to know that the DHS is a strong bureaucracy within itself. The functions performed by the directorates within DHS have to go through a lot of red taps. The emergency response and preparedness, remains, so often, questionable (Noam, Chomsky, 2005).The mission statement, objectives and real functions can only be realized, when there is democratic decision making process and, swift and easy response process. After establishment of the DHS, no

The Kite Runner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Kite Runner - Essay Example Amir always keeps up his dignified position of being the master’s son where as Hassan is as loyal as one can be. Their relationship is bound to several social factors associated with the culture prevailed during that period in Afghanistan. The love and care of two fathers namely Baba and Ali highly influences the relationship of Amir and Hasan. The objective of this essay is to critically analyze the relationship between Amir and Hasan. The essay tries to identify the elements which are influential in their relationship. The changing living environments that the characters face in the story are considered closely while analyzing the relationship status of the characters .The cultural factors has been considered as a background for the analysis. Their characters are totally contrasting yet justifiable owing to the social system of that time. This contrast is confirmed by Clapssadle (2005), as Amir has been described as a Protagonist and Hasan as a Protagonist. The dominating behaviour of Amir is quite natural as he is born and brought up in the lap of luxury. This should be read together with the fact that Baba, the father of Amir, lived almost like a king of the area. Added to this is the fact that Hassan was a Hazara, one of the socially marginalized communities in Afganistan. The author of the story has ensured to add background information on the social setup of the period and has explained in detail the evolutionary facts on the Hazara community. These facts has been confirmed by authentic literatures on Afghanistan’s history (ACS, 2009) With this information, the loyal nature of Hassan is justified. Adding to these is the fact that Ali, has an obligatory nature and had been the servant of Amir’s family f or long. Many instances it has been found in the story that Ali insists Hasan to be obliged and loyal to the family. Hassan is expected to do the will of his

English Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

English - Research Paper Example In this paper, I will seek to prove that Franz Kafka’s work has been to some extent influenced (directly or indirectly) by A Thousand and One Nights (Kafka, The Metamorphosis 67). The Research To come up with this, I had to do a lot of in depth research on all books and writers. This required me to re-read the book, A Thousand and One Nights, first. Next, I researched on the themes of the various books and the stylistic devices employed by the two writers in their books. I read reviews, journals, documentaries and watched movies made from all of the books mentioned above. While most of what I read seemed to confirm my idea, most materials did not share this idea, and I had to differ from them. The main challenge I encountered in my research is that no previous material has been written regarding this topic. As such, I had to start my research from scratch to confirm my ideas. This required extensive and intense reading which kept me awake for days. Luckily, the two books have many reviews on themes and stylistic devices, and I was lucky to refer to them (Foulkes 23). The comparison Transformation as the main theme In my research, I discovered that transformation has been employed in changing the behavior and attitude of the characters. In A Thousand and One Nights, the story of The Merchant and Hind has transformation as a major theme. This is observed when the witch’s wife goes on a journey leaving his witch-wife with the adopted son. The witch-wife, who is extremely ungrateful, uses her witchcraft to transform the adopted son into a calf. She also goes ahead to transform her husband’s other wife into a cow. When the husband returns, the witch informs him that his adopted son disappeared while his slave woman passed on. In the next eight months, the woman remained in the state of a cow without the husband having any idea about it. During the feat of Bairam, the husband asked the servant to choose any fat cow for their sacrifice. The cow he chose turned out to be her beloved wife. Although the woman was now transformed into a cow, she still possessed human consciousness. She lowed piteously in a bid to beg for mercy. â€Å"With eyes streaming with tears†. The husband tried to kill her but was unable. The servant killed her. Upon slaughtering her, they discovered that she was nothing but bones and skin, despite looking so fat. In Metamorphosis, the main character, Gregor Samsa wakes up to find himself transformed into an insect (Kafka 13). This transformation serves to change his entire family. Prior to this, they all depended on him for their financial needs. However, when he becomes an insect and can no longer work, they are forced to start working to earn their own money. The similarity between this transformation and the transformation of the woman in the story above shows that Kafka borrowed from A Thousand and One Nights (O'Neill Pp. 408-409). Use of animal characters One of the aspects used in poetry is t he use of animal characters. This helps to criticize human characters in a more acceptable and friendly way (Sperling Pp. 70-84). â€Å"The Husband and The Parrot† is one of the stories in A Thousand and One Nights that uses animal characters. In the story, the wife offends her good husband. The parrot is aware of this and tells the husband of this offence. The husband scolds the wife. To revenge this act, the woman lies to the parrot that it was raining. The parrot informs the

Discussing The Challenges Faced In Business

Discussing The Challenges Faced In Business Most top management executive today are faced with challenge of creating better ways of doing business in doing this , the customers have becomes the direct focused .In fact ,most organisation today, opine that a companys success depend effectively on managing relationship with customers . In achieving this companies have adopted distinct electronic business application that would generally suit its mission and objective, E-business OBrien state is the use of the internet and other network application, to process data of customers and business partner within a new worked enterprise (OBrien, 2005) .Customer relationship management application has becomes a key element within e-business system which most organisation have already adopted. The Customer relationship management application has been developed by most software companies like oracle, Sales force ,SAP and Seibel .The focused of this paper though is greatly on CRM application called SAPCO developed by SAP and how a UK top home improvement companies ,BQ has been able to use it to develop that relationship with customers . 1.1 AIM AND OBJECTIVES The analysis is this paper will show amongst other thing, how this application has accounted in many ways for the success and grow of customers loyalty of BQ over the years ,it will also look at the business challenge associated with the use of the system within BQ and by extension, the use of similar Customer relationship management systems supports by SAP in other organisation and importantly too, analyzing the ethical issues associated with technology. 1.2 METHODOLOGY A lot of recent articles and text books played a significant role in this work .Internet sources too ,cannot be underestimated alongside comments ,by way of interview conducted with some with some BQ staff who were there when the system was introduced and other who have been using the system for years now. 2.0 CRM TECHNOLOGY AND SAP Customer relationship management technology can up in the mid twentieth century as a result of the most management executive identifying the need to improved relationship with customer and in that way improve business efficiency. The general maxim that the customers are always right seemed to take a more descriptive place as companies were now committed on doing whatever it takes to deliver the promise made (Nguyen et al 2007) .This is where technology comes into pay to create this needs business value. This is also where to business executive brainstorming on aborting the best application that would enhance better control over their operation. Customer relationship management application help organisation assess customers loyalty and profitability on measures such as repeat purchase, dollars spent and longevity (Popovice et al 2003) It is important to note that Customer relationship management is like other E-commerce application, a combination of people, process and technology that seek to understand a companys customers . (Chen et al 2003) SAP happens to be one of the leading vendors for enterprise resource planning system, ERP. ERP systems are software package that permit companies to have more actual control over their operation. A typical CRM application will encompass the entire element in the diagram in figure 1 below Sale Market and fulfillment -Cross sell -Up-sell Customer Service and support Contact and Account Management Fax e-mail Telephone web Prospect or customer sales (OBrien, 2005) The diagram in figure 1 above show clearly that indeed ,the customer is the focus and all other aspect revolved around it ,aimed at marking the customer happy and by extension the business gaining repeat visit through customer loyalty . Now, in this SAP major strength in this application, includes the extensive capability of the softwares functional these and many other reason may have formed that reason why a large organisation like BQ picked sap to provide application . 2.1 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1.1 NEED FOR CRM As the power of the seller shifts to the buyer (Watson, 2002) organizations are realizing that competing with cheaper, better or different products is not sufficient, and competitive advantage cannot be achieved by purely differentiating products alone, but through enhanced customer relationships .At the same time, customers are experiencing low switching costs and could easily redirect their loyalty from one company to another (Holcom, 2001). Their expectations have also risen in recent years, making Customer relationship management a necessity in todays customer-driven business environment (S.L. Pan, J.N. Lee, 2003). Previous research has shown that it costs more to attract new customers than retain customers because of advertising and marketing costs .This means that, instead of differentiating products, organizations should differentiate customers (M. Nykamp, 2001) and they should shift their emphasis on market share to customer share (M. Rogers, 1993). Research has also indicated that organizations must not only retain their customers but also expand the useful lifespan of customers with the organization ( Zeithaml, 2002 ) by means of IT. Through such technologies, one-to-one relationships (D. Peppers and M. Roger, 1993).Value creation (Barnes, 2001) customer value analysis, product and website customization are possible on a scale that was not possible in the past (M. Nykamp, 2001). According to the 80/20 rule, 20% of customers provide organizations with 80% of sales (Ryals and Knox, 2001). This further emphasizes the need for organizations to retain and engage in long-term relationships with profitable customers to maximize profits (J. Galbreath, 1998). SAP IN BQ. SAPCO is an acronym in BQ that stands from SAP Custer ordering system .it is a system being used by BQ to process customers orders, monitor customer transaction and enhance better customer relationship. BQ China, part of Kingfisher Group plc, is one of the top three global decorations and building materials groups. The group employs the equivalent of more than 10,000 full-time staff, serving a marketplace worth around $40 billion. Just like all customer relationship system, SAPCO enable BQ to answer question around: what product or service are customer? How should we communicate with our customers? What are my customers favourite colours or what is my customers size? (Popovvich, 2003). With SAPCO these question would be answered within minutes from customers transaction histories and processes. Businesses and individuals working on refurbishment projects are prime sales opportunities for the Decoration Centers service at BQ China. However, the workflow designed to track these opportunities relied on paper-based notes of project requirements, status, sales and value, and staff kept diaries to make follow-up calls. Total contract sales data was collected and collated manually, a process that took months, before central departments could analyze the results of marketing campaigns (http://www-01.ibm.com). Before BQ introduced SAPCO, orders where made via paper and ink .And when I interviewed BQ staff they confirmed that it was and herculean task. Mistake and long queues were that order of the day the employees found it very difficult with the stress associated with manual way of taking order from customers. The introduction of SAPCO has made all this problem history, customer can now go any of B Q store through to the UK and have their orders complete within a few minutes. 3.1 THE SAPCO PROCESS A potential customer who wants to buy goods from any BQ stores across the UK come in to the shop and meet with a customer adviser who will help the customer to look for what hi want and help the customer to process the order in the system .before the can be done the customer must have a user name and password unique to the individual alone this what the employer will us in logging into the SAPCO application .in the case of the first time customer the customer adviser with request the customer to provide some personal details like name in full, house address, postcode, phone number these information will be keyed into the system after that ,the item number or the barcode number is keyed into the system and an order places . SAPCO will run through the system and identify where the item is, if it is in stock or needs to be ordered from outside the store and if so this process begins immediately. At this point again, the customer is asked about the quantity of goods to be ordered which i s entered into the system. A quotation is also prepared by SAPCO if required by customer. Once the order has been done successfully, the order is checked by both the BQ staff and the customer to make sure the order is correct. The place of delivery of the item is then confirmed from the customer. The charges of delivery are automatically calculated by SAPCO. Then after the customer is issued a sales advice note which he takes to the checkout stand to make payment. If the item is not in store, SAPCO automatically orders the item and also states the date of delivery. This most times takes between four to six weeks (www.diy.com). It also uses the sales confirmation to control its finances effectively. This is done by clients payment for items in BQ can automatically and payments to supplies are included in the central cash flow furcating reports generated by the SAPCO financial application. Again, if the customer had done business with BQ before then and wants information about his earlier order or make a new one the staff need just ask for the postcode and customer number which would be used in locating the transaction history of the customer. Queries if any are spotted and sorted. Another angle to this system is once the order has been picked up, the BQ staff must go back to the system, click on the item across the individuals name. He then goes to the collection section and confirms after which he prints two copies of the collection note. A copy of the collection note is kept by BQ and the other unsigned is given to the customer. This affirms to both BQ and the customer that item has been picked and transaction completed. One of the key benefits of SAPCO is that it links up all the departments in BQ so a customer can walk to any sales advisor and ask about an order. The necessary information is taken off the customer at the nearest computer system available and the order is immediately displayed. 3.2 BENEFIT OF SAPCO AS A CRM TOOL It has greatly improved the ordering system in BQ. The ordering of products is done faster thereby enhancing business. It has also enabled BQ to measure its customers loyalty better through the awareness of the history of customer transaction. It also manages customers documents better as it is fully integrated in the companys business system. Prior to the use of SAPCO customer details were held on paper records, with key project milestones used as the triggers to remind customers to return to the stores. It was difficult to share information between different departments, such as keeping a record of product recommendations and noting project status, and potential opportunities are not always pursued. Angela Dong, Senior Project Manager, comments, A customer usually spends some time consulting with BQ staff, and may visit other shops to compare prices or consider alternatives. With customer information held on paper, it was all too easy to miss the follow-up sales opportunity to invi te them to select BQ. Through this system and via the internet, customers have 24 hours access to their account. This enables them easily assess their account anytime. This has also helped reduced cost for the company. The usual logistics of making orders manually has been greatly reduced. Delivery of items and tracking of goods has improved greatly improved. This system works in a way that staffs handling delivery immediately see an order has been made and paid for; hence they are aware that there is another order waiting to be delivered. With all customer and project data captured electronically, BQ is able to identify the right time to follow up with customers and maximize sales opportunities. BQ central management is able to adjust marketing campaigns in response to actual sales made, respond to demand for specific products, and monitor payments and cash flow. The result is that BQ is able to tailor its business more closely to the needs of customers, creating a genuine competitive advantage. It also a solution that that would serve customers better by providing detailed knowledge of stock levels and replenishment times, and, of course, accurate pricing, across all our stores. Customers are the most valuable assets of any company especially during this present economic situation and which SAPCO helps improves the volume of customers. According to Ian Anthony, Technical Infrastructure Programme Manager, BQ the customer ordering system in particular we have seen a huge increase in the volume of customer orders going through since the systems been implemented. The data gathered from SAPCO helps BQ to track projects status and ensure high quality which ultimately helps to improve customer satisfaction level. Due to the implementation of SAPCO information is completely transparent and managers are able to adjust sales and marketing strategies depending on actual data from current purchasing trends rather than having to wait for data to be complied by hand at the store level and later sent to the head office which normally take up to three months. (http://www-01.ibm.com). There is also an immediate visibility of the number of orders or contract which in other words means that SAPCO has improved both management and customer efficiency. 3.3 CHALLENGES OF SAPCO IN BQ The challenges of SAPCO differ from staff to staff. While some staffs believe is to be a total disaster others feel that there are ups and downs associated with its effective use. Some of which are listed below: The speed of the internet which mainly depends on the network providing the connection as been identified as one of the major challenges. There are some times a completion of order could prove a difficult task as it could take up to ten minutes to move from one page to another. This customer is made in this instance to wait for an undue period of time. For the system to work efficiently a stable and secure internet network must be available. Another big issue is the human side associated with it. Most have not come to properly appreciate the system so sometimes information is incorrectly entered. This is properly due to lack of enough training on the system or the staffs personal decision not to imbibe proper procedure. Data Collection And Processing Management Perspective Business management most times is centred on decision making. However, this aspect within most organisations is the central role of managers. Managers are faced daily with the challenges of coming up with processes that would enhance the effective running of the business. The use of information systems like the CRM technology has formed a critical role of this responsibility and to a large extend has improved this role. Most of the decisions managers have to make now have become web based either through the internet or networking applications which foster the information processing. According to Loudon, managers can now automate certain decision procedure (for example , determining the highest price that can be charged for a product to maintain market share or the highest amount of materials to maintain in inventory to maximise efficient customer response and product profitability). Loudon Loudon 2002 pg. 404). Organisations have a hierarchy of decision makers. This hierarchy in many ways enhances the smooth running of companies. Within the organisation there are the following: Strategic Management The manager here are concerned with decision around the long time value of the company and most times described as unstructured (George Steiner). Tactical Management- Managers here are concerned with medium term planning. They monitor the performance of the organisation, control budget, allocate resources and set budget (Bocij 2003 pg.18). Operational Management- Manager here directly handles the running of the business. Decisions here are highly structured as they affect the business directly and are felt at the moment it is taken. Managers here implements budget and apply them to business. For instance the decision by BQ to adopt SAPCO as a customer relationship management tool for such a large organisation would have been exclusively strategic. However, setting out the budget and planning ahead for the system would have been tactical and implementation would have been by the operation managers. Most CRM application has failed due to poor business management. However, BQs SAPCO has been in use for more than seven years and it is still recording success on a daily basis. Managers can now ascertain the items that are in great need and hence proactively stock them. SAPCO greatly supports operational and tactical decisions in BQ. This SAP enabled system also provides report, giving managers a comprehensive view of the firms performance. It also features corporate performance metrics, simulations and planning tools. (Loudon Loudon 2002 pg 423). Through this system, management can easily view their performance level and also the areas that need to be improved upon. As an enterprise resource planning system, SAPCO brings all the units together into one entity and thereby having a better control of operation. This ultimately provides a better link with their supplier and distributors hence the main goal of servicing the customer is achieved. The integration of business systems has enabled management reach beyond their own corporate walls to better connect with suppliers, distributors and end customers. (Gupta 2000). Sales are better managed especially with the use of the internet although this could also be a shortcoming since it means the system is dependent on the internet connection which it has no power over. However, the internet greatly supports the application. Managers at different levels can track sales at different locations and this gives them a better understanding of the business irrespective of how large the organisation maybe. The rewards of an effective CRM technology like SAPCO are indeed enormous. Steve Gilman, BQI director and BQ UK board director BQI has described the benefits of adopting SAP Retail as better customer availability and cost reductions. Gilman says, We can record sales and margin accurately and as a result have boosted our margins. We have given ourselves a lead over our competitors.(www.ciber.com.au/). Business chief executives can now stay ahead of the competition with greater focus on the customer than the competitors. On the management side cost are reduces and more revenue is made from increased sales. Ethical Challenges In Customer Relationship Management When a new technology is introduced into a business, it comes with its challenges. Its use even creates more challenges which in many ways affect its users. Ethics is one area of great concern to effective business management and information technology most effectively. Ethics refers to the principles of right and wrong that individual, acting as free moral agents, can use to make choice to guide their behaviour. (Laudon Laudon 2002 pg 468) Business ethics is crucial especially to management. It is something managers confront with everyday and have to deal with as the situation presents itself. OBrien speaks of a situation in which he states that as a business professional, you have a responsibility to promote ethical uses of information technology in the workplace. (2005 pg.380). In todays business world, issues of ethics range around privacy, intellectual property, security and even safety issues. Managers must make sure that its stakeholders interests are well protected when issues of this sort arise. 5.1 Information Systems And Ethics 5.1.1 Privacy- The issues of privacy have become one of growing concern as regards information systems in todays business environment. Alter identifies two crucial areas in this: personal privacy, which talks about the ability of an individual to avoid unwanted instructions into personal time. Space and property (2002, pg.287), and the information privacy which deals with the the ability of the individual to determined when, how and to what extent personal information is communicated to others (2007, pg 287). Privacy issues generally can be spotted in a lot of areas, today organisations, through use of the intranet within offices, can monitors mails that staff send across the organisation and also find out the sites they are visiting. This in a lot of ways infringes on their rights of privacy as individuals. That is why most individuals how prefer to send all private mails from their homes. However, the CRM technology is one area that this becomes very crucial. Companies in the process of conduction business with customers, gather a lot of personal information of its customers, for instance BQ, with its SAPCO system. Most of customers personal details are taken by the system. It now dwells on managers and staffs alike to make sure that this information of customers are well protected from abuse. However, over the years there had been codes like the code of fair information practices (Alter 2002, pg.290) created in the US to ensure that customers are to large extent in control of information released from being used for other things without their consent. 5.1.2 Health Issues- This is a very critical issue especially as information technology in the work place raises a variety of health issues. Heavy use of computer is reportedly causing health problems like job stress, damaged arm and neck muscles, eye strain radiation exposure and even death by computerised caused death. O Brien 2005, pg 395). There are times when placing an order for customers on the system can take ages and these in cases are linked to a slow system of internet and how voluminous the order is. In tackling this issue, what BQ has done is making sure that staffs have at least two breaks within a particular working day to ease of the stress that could be associated with this. A day off in the week is also given to staff. In this way, they probably foreseen the issues greatly minimised. 5.1.3 Property Issue- In information technology, this is often referred to as intellectual property which literally links to ownership of an idea or a product. This is very important in business. However, the internet raises some new challenges (Rowley 2002, pg. 244). Issues to be considered in terms of this include trade secrets, copyright and patents. a. Trade secrets- These are very crucial corporate issues as most times. They are associated with companys brand image and identity. They are often regarded as assets that if infringed upon can be sued in the court of law. In 2007, Oracle sued and accused SAP of hacking into its computer networks and stealing vital product information (BBC News 2007). Prevention this now, companies who own products must find ways of making sure that employees protect these from competitors and public generally. b. Copyright- These refer to a law or statutory grant that protects creators of intellectual property from having their works copied by others for any purpose for a period of 28 years. Laudon Laudon 2002, pg. 479). Despite the fact that companies like Oracle, Siebel, Sap, Salesforce all developed CRM. However, there are particular areas which are unique to this companies that cannot be taken from them. Also companies that use SAP products like BQ (SAPCO) and Virgin cosmetics (MYSAP) all have customised products which are peculiar to their companies which must be protected. 6.0 Security Management In Information System It is not enough to create systems within organisation, management must put certain measures in place to ensure that these information are well secured.

Animal Testing Essay -- Science Experiments, Animals, Guinea Pigs

Canary in the kitchen detects carbon monoxide! Animal testing must be banned for unnecessary tests. Animals should not be guinea pigs. Animals still feel the pain when they are injected with medicine just like humans. Humans can defend themselves and stop the pain, but the animals get strapped down and cannot move. It is better to have tests run on animals because animals will help find cures faster. Animal testing must be banned for unnecessary tests because a lot of animals are dying for no reason. Ninety-four percent of animal testing is done to determine the safety of cosmetics and household products (Animal Testing 1). That only leaves six percent for medical research (1). Ninety percent of all animals used in research are rats and mine (Animals Used in Experiments 4). Cosmetic testing is banned in Belgium, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom (1). The United States has many companies that continue to legally perform horrible tests on animals (1). The United States Food and Drug Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission do not require animal testing for cosmetics or household products (1). The Animal Welfare Act is the only federal law to require basic standards of care, housing and treatment to the animals that are kept in the labs for testing (4). The LD50 test is one of the worst tests that was developed back in 1927 and is still used today (1) . Groups of animals are dosed with different amounts of a test substance in order to determine the does which kills half of the animals (1)! Animals are force-fed this substance (1). Why would we want to put poor animals in this kind of pain for no reason? Animals to the society can be their world. Animal lovers in the society would probably g... ...and are just like humans (3). Scientists on the other hand feel like there is a need to endanger the animals because they are trying to find a cure for the human population to all the diseases that are out in the world(3). Animal testing should be banned for unnecessary tests because why would the government want to put human through the same thing that the animals go through. Animals should not be guinea pigs to the horrible tests that the scientists run on them. The animals should be able to be free and not have to be strapped down and forced-fed. Animals feel the pain just as well as a human would, but a human can walk away from the pain and say â€Å"no†. Sometimes it is better to run tests on animals to find a cure for cancer, HIV, and other diseases but the government and the scientists should find a different way to do this with out killing so many animals.

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 27

While I'd been pretty confident in telling Seth that Dante had likely skipped town, I nonetheless stopped by his shop the next day. It had never been very prosperous looking to begin with, but now the signs of abandonment were clear. The neon PSYCHIC sign was gone. The blinds were also gone, showing a room even barer than before. The FOR LEASE sign on the door was probably the most telling clue that Dante was gone for good. In the wake of what had happened with Seth, it was hard to know what to think about Dante. My heart almost didn't have the energy for it. I had cared about him, absolutely. He'd suited my decadent phase, and despite his blackened soul, there were parts of him that were likeable. And above all, it appeared that he'd cared about me, misguided or not. I wasn't happy about the deal he'd made with Grace, but I was glad he hadn't been there to face Jerome and Mei's punishment. No one deserved that, not even Dante. I hoped wherever he was, he'd try to start a new life-maybe one that could lighten his soul a little. I well knew, however, that humans with damned souls rarely recovered. Later that evening, I drove over to Capitol Hill. Peter and Cody were hosting a cocktail party to celebrate Jerome's return, though I half-suspected they simply wanted to drink away the sorrows of losing the sun. â€Å"How can we celebrate Jerome being back when he's not even here?† Tawny wanted to know. She was back to her normal, Amazonian blond self and was holding her martini glass in a precarious way. Peter couldn't take his eyes off it. I was nursing a gimlet out of politeness. The vampires had gone out of their way to get Grey Goose and fresh lime, but truthfully, I was a little burned out on alcohol. It seemed like I'd been perpetually drunk these last four months. I was not burned out on cigarettes yet, but I was trying very hard to break the habit once more. â€Å"Jerome's got plenty to keep himself busy,† I said. â€Å"We're just drinking in his honor.† â€Å"But he is staying, right?† asked Cody. We all turned to Hugh. Like the rest of us, Hugh'd had his abilities restored, and I'd honestly expected him to be a lot happier having his imp vision back. Instead, he seemed very serious, and I could have sworn he was watching me when I wasn't looking. â€Å"Yep. He and Mei schmoozed the corporate guy pretty good and pulled in enough favors to get backing from others. Cedric and Nanette both swore up and down that no one else was better qualified to run Seattle than him.† â€Å"Nanette finally caved, huh?† I swirled the ice around in my glass. â€Å"Of course, knowing Jerome owes her now probably makes her feel secure in her territory.† Cody shook his head. â€Å"Still. Grace went through an awful lot to try to pull this off, between the Canadians and all the wheeling and dealing. And Dante.† He shot me an apologetic look that I waved off. â€Å"I don't know,† said Peter. He finally seemed convinced that Tawny wasn't going to ruin his upholstery. â€Å"She's a middle management demon with so-so power. Doing what she did-seizing the opportunity when she thought Jerome looked weak-was probably the closest she'll ever get to ruling over an area like this.† â€Å"What do you mean? Would she be stuck forever? Never have her own domain?† asked Tawny, frowning. â€Å"She might have eventually gotten assigned control of some nonexistent town in middle America, but I doubt much more.† Hugh still looked oddly speculative. â€Å"Clearly, she didn't want to. Neither does Mei, from the looks of it.† â€Å"So much for it being better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven,† I said, pleased with my own wit. â€Å"Of course, I think we're going to see a lot more in Mei's career. She might be so-so in power, but she's got a plan.† â€Å"Have you noticed how she's a lot less scary alone?† asked Cody. â€Å"It was the matching clothes,† said Peter sagely. â€Å"When they dressed alike, it was too much like those girls from The Shining .† More laughter and conversation ensued, though I eventually grew quiet and simply listened. Maybe I could be the life of the party, like Seth had said, but this group could do okay without me. I took a certain amount of contentment by being back with them and having our lives returned to normal-such as they were. I could never be human again, but these were the people I wanted to be damned with. At one point, I got up to trade my empty glass for water and discovered Hugh had followed me into the kitchen. He still looked troubled. The others were laughing and talking, providing cover for our conversation. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked. â€Å"I thought you'd be happy.† â€Å"I am, I am,† he said. â€Å"Believe me, I am. God, that was miserable.† I couldn't help a smile. Hugh had hit his stride with being a lesser immortal. He was past the novice stages of Cody and Tawny and could fully reap the benefits of his position. However, he wasn't old enough to have acquired all the jaded centuries Peter and I had. Out of all of us, I didn't doubt that Hugh had suffered the most. â€Å"Then what's going on?† He hesitated, and again, I was struck by how out of character he was behaving. â€Å"Georgina, has Seth done anything†¦bad lately? Rob a bank? Cheat on taxes?† â€Å"Of course not,† I said, more confused than ever. â€Å"Has he†¦or well†¦did he do anything, uh, bad with you?† To my chagrin, I blushed. You'd think nothing would make a succubus self-conscious, but I still tried to maintain that line between my private and business sex lives. My silent response was enough for Hugh. â€Å"Fuck.† â€Å"What?† I asked. â€Å"We did it when I was in stasis. I didn't take any of his energy. I didn't shorten his life. And we haven't done it since Jerome came back. It's over. He's back with Maddie.† Hugh raised an eyebrow. â€Å"Oh?† â€Å"I realized how impossible it was for us and convinced him to go back to her. I really laid on the guilt.† Just mentioning what had happened made me ache all over again. â€Å"I'm sure you did,† Hugh said dryly. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Georgina†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He sighed. â€Å"There's no easy way to explain this. When I first met Seth, his soul was like†¦a supernova. It lit up a room. That guy had such a generous spirit, it was insane.† Had. â€Å"And now?† The answer was slowly creeping in on me. â€Å"Now, there's a shadow on him. A stain on his soul. He cheated on Maddie with you†¦and is back with her, keeping that from her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The room started swaying, and I forced myself to focus on Hugh. â€Å"What we did, it wasn't sleazy. We are†¦were†¦in love. It was sweet-that is, it meant something.† â€Å"Maybe it did, sweetie. Maybe the planets aligned when you made love. But regardless of what happened between you, he wronged her-and he feels it now. That sin is darkening his soul.† â€Å"How dark?† I asked, my voice almost a whisper now. â€Å"If he were a hit by a car right now†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hugh's face was both hard and sad. â€Å"He'd head right to Hell.† â€Å"Oh my God.† I collapsed back against the counter. â€Å"I didn't think†¦didn't realize†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Since I hadn't been a succubus, I hadn't been thinking like one. I hadn't worried about shortening his life or exhausting him because there was no need. While I'd known we were both deceiving Maddie and had felt a fair amount of guilt over it, I'd never considered it in terms of damnation. I'd turned off that part of my life, the part of being a succubus that counted and tallied souls-the main part of my job. Which was stupid of me. Humans didn't need us to sin. They did it all the time on their own and did just as good a job-if not better-than we could. I didn't have to be a succubus to make Seth sin. I could have been any woman, any woman he'd had an affair with. Sin was subjective, too, and different people would feel it differently. For someone like Seth, doing what he did would leave a harsh mark-and me making him feel guilty about it hadn't helped. â€Å"This is worse,† I said. I laughed, but it was the kind of hysterical laughter that could segue to tears at any moment. â€Å"It would have been better if we'd had sex when we were dating. I'd have taken years off his life, but his soul would have stayed pure-and that's what matters in the long run. Instead, I was so adamant about refusing to do it†¦and now look. Look what I did.† Hugh caught my hand and squeezed it. â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"Is there†¦is there any way he can undo it?† â€Å"You know the answer as well as me. Sure, he can eventually swing the pendulum the other way. But it's hard. Very hard.† â€Å"He's a good person,† I said stoutly. â€Å"Maybe, but that may not be enough anymore.† â€Å"He'd need a deal with God,† I muttered. I stared at the floor, studying the tiles absentmindedly. What had I done? How could I have been so stupid? Had I been so blinded by love and lust that I'd been oblivious to the principles that had dictated my immortal vocation these long centuries? â€Å"Georgina,† Hugh said hesitantly. I looked at him. â€Å"There's something else†¦just a heads up. You know this as well as I do. When upright people screw up like this†¦they do try to rebound in their way. The guilt's got to be eating him. People like that try to do things to make up for it. Rash things. Something tells me he'll be like that.† â€Å"Thanks for the warning,† I said. â€Å"Though I can't imagine he'd do something that could make this any worse.† The imp cut me a look. â€Å"Sweetie, he's human. Don't underestimate him.† Hugh was right. The next day, I went to the condo builder's office and talked more in-depth with the real estate agent that handled their sales. We chatted for a while and talked numbers, though I still couldn't shake the feeling that I was doing this without thinking it through. The pictures were nice, the floor plan was nice, and the options were nice. Yet, I didn't know if this was just some impulsive reaction to the ups and downs in my life. Then, when he took me to the unit itself and showed me the balcony, I knew. It was a beautiful day, one that wasn't true summer yet but could give us enough hope that winter was just about finished. Puget Sound was deep blue, and the downtown skyline gleamed in the sun against a cloudless sky. To the west, the Olympic Mountains were visible for the first time in over a month, their peaks still heavy with snow. As often happened with this kind of weather, people turned out in droves, treating it like it was high summer. Families came out, shorts came out. This part of Alki didn't have a true beach-that was at a park a little farther down-but the water was still just a stone's throw away from my building, separated only by the small road and narrow strip of grass. I watched the waves break against the shore and realized this was where I needed to be. â€Å"I want to make an offer,† I told him. I knew Maddie would want to know, so I made sure she was the first one I told when I ended up back in Queen Anne later that night. It was early evening, my last day before returning to a real full-time schedule, and I swung by the store to catch her and tell her. Only, she sought me out first, with news of her own. â€Å"Georgina!† I'd barely entered when she grabbed my arm and pulled me off into the cookbooks. â€Å"Hey,† I laughed. â€Å"Glad you're in a good mood. I've got news.† â€Å"Me too!† Her face was radiant, and after all that had happened, it made me happy to see her like this. I couldn't help a return grin. â€Å"What's up?† She glanced around covertly, then lowered her voice. â€Å"You were right.† â€Å"About what?† â€Å"About Seth needing time-about him being preoccupied.† Oh lord. He'd finally slept with her again, now that things had ended with us. I can't say I was happy to have this news delivered to me, but for her sake, I was at least glad she could stop worrying. â€Å"Wow, that's great, Mad-â€Å" â€Å"He was waiting to propose!† She shot her hand up to my face so quickly that for half a moment, I thought she was going to punch me. But, no, there was no impact-unless you counted the brilliant glitter of the engagement ring dazzling my eyes. â€Å"Oh my God. But it†¦it's so soon†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I know,† she said, breathless from her excitement. â€Å"I can't believe it. And I mean, yeah, we've only been going out for about four months, but Seth says we can have a long engagement, that he just wanted to commit things between us.† Of course he did. When upright people screw up like this†¦they do try to rebound in their way. The guilt's got to be eating him. People like that try to do things to make up for it. Rash things. How could I be surprised? I'd become a succubus because I'd cheated on my husband and been caught. I'd sold my soul in an effort to blot that act out, to make him and everyone else I knew forget me. Why was this any different? â€Å"You don't think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Maddie turned uneasy, once more seeking my approval and advice. â€Å"You don't think it's too fast, do you? Have I made a mistake? I mean, even if we wait awhile for the wedding†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I kept smiling. â€Å"It's fine, Maddie. There's no time frame that's set for everyone. If it's what feels right to you, then you've got to do it.† Her grin lit back up. â€Å"Oh, thank you. I'm so glad to hear you say that. I mean, I said yes, and I've been excited†¦I just didn't want it to seem like I was rushing in.† She glanced back down, admiring the ring. I realized something. â€Å"It's a diamond.† She gave me a curious look. â€Å"Of course. Why wouldn't it be? Most engagement rings are.† Last year, I'd teased Seth about getting married, and he'd said that if he ever did, he'd give his bride-to-be a ruby because he thought diamonds were ordinary, and getting married was extraordinary. I stared into the stone's glittering facets, puzzled. â€Å"Did you pick it out? Had you told him you wanted a diamond?† â€Å"Nope. It had never come up. He just got it for me. Why?† I shook my head and tried to look happy for her. â€Å"No reason. It's beautiful. Congratulations.† I turned to leave. â€Å"I'll see you tomorrow.† â€Å"Georgina, wait.† I paused and looked back. â€Å"What was your news?† â€Å"Wh-oh. Yeah. I'm buying the place in Alki.† â€Å"Seriously?† I swear, she almost seemed more excited about that than the engagement. â€Å"When will it be done?† â€Å"July.† â€Å"Oh, wow. That's great. You could have such great summer parties.† â€Å"Yep. Let's hope it gets finished on time.† She sighed happily and gave me a quick hug. â€Å"Isn't this a great day? Good news for both of us.† â€Å"Yeah,† I agreed. â€Å"Great.† I walked home, too stunned over the engagement news to process it much. Considering Hugh's prediction, there wasn't much to process. I'd convinced Seth that he and I were a fantasy, that he needed to settle into reality and take what good he had with Maddie. Seth had believed me and tried to make it up to her-make it up to himself, even-with this hasty engagement. He was not a rash person usually, but the extreme circumstances had turned him into one. My phone rang about half a block from the store. I could recognize Vancouver's area code by now, but I didn't know the number. For all I knew, Evan wanted me to smuggle them some spray paint across the border. To my relief, it was Kristin. â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"How's it going?† â€Å"Fine. Well, better than fine. Great actually.† There were a few awkward seconds of silence. â€Å"Me and Cedric†¦we're†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The first spark of enthusiasm I'd felt in a while leapt up in me. â€Å"Really? You guys are a†¦thing?† â€Å"Yeah.† There was wonder in her voice, like she could hardly believe it. â€Å"He told me that you were the one who said that he should go out with me.† â€Å"Oh, well. I†¦just suggested he was looking in the wrong places.† â€Å"Georgina, there is no way I can thank you enough for this.† Her voice was brimming with emotion, something I wouldn't have thought possible of the businesslike imp. â€Å"This is†¦I've wanted this for so long. Loved him for so long. And he never noticed me until you made him just pause and look. That's exactly how he said it too. That he'd been so busy chasing everything else that he'd never seen what was in front of him.† I thought I might get choked up too. â€Å"I'm glad for you, Kristin. Really. You deserve it.† She laughed. â€Å"Most would say us damned souls don't deserve anything.† â€Å"We're like anyone else, deserving both good and bad. I'm not sure being damned has anything to do with it.† She was quiet for a moment, and when she spoke again, her voice was low, almost hard to hear. I actually stopped walking and stepped off down a side street to get away from the din of traffic. â€Å"It's funny you mention that,† she said slowly. â€Å"Because†¦well, I did something for you.† I suddenly had an image of Tim Horton's donuts showing up on my doorstep. â€Å"Er, that's really not necessary. I didn't do that much.† â€Å"You did, though. To me, at least. And so†¦I wanted to do something just as big for you. I, uh, went and looked at your contract.† I caught my breath. â€Å"What?† â€Å"We've had a lot of paperwork to file, and I managed to work in a corporate trip.† â€Å"Corporate trip† was a nice way of saying she'd visited the inner offices of Hell. â€Å"Kristin†¦if you'd been caught†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I wasn't,† she said proudly. â€Å"And I found your contract and read it.† I'd come to a complete stop now. The world around me didn't exist. â€Å"And?† â€Å"And†¦nothing.† â€Å"What do you mean nothing?† â€Å"I mean, there's nothing wrong with the contract. I went over and over it. Everything's in order.† â€Å"It can't be! Niphon was trying so hard to mess with me†¦to get me recalled. Hugh was certain it meant he was trying to shift attention from the contract.† â€Å"I don't know about any of that,† said Kristin, sounding truly sympathetic. â€Å"All I know is what I read. You sold your soul and took on standard succubus servitude in exchange for every mortal you knew forgetting who you were. That sound right?† â€Å"Yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"That's what it said. All the language was exactly as it should be.† I didn't really have any response, so I gave none. â€Å"Georgina, are you still there?† â€Å"Yeah†¦I'm sorry. I just thought†¦I'd been so certain†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It had been a foolish hope, that maybe somewhere there was a loophole for me. But then, I seemed to fall for those things all the time, just like I had with Nyx's dream and the impossible chance of getting pregnant while in stasis. I was as naà ¯ve as Dante had said. â€Å"Thanks. I really appreciate you looking.† â€Å"I'm sorry you didn't get what you wanted. If there's anything else I can do for you-that doesn't involve breaking into records-let me know.† â€Å"Thanks. I will.† We disconnected, and I stared bleakly at my surroundings, at the quiet residential block I'd stepped off onto. â€Å"There is no way,† I said out loud, â€Å"that this day can get any worse.† A rustle behind me made me jump, and I spun around. I had thought I was alone and now felt like an idiot getting caught talking to myself. I saw no one, though. Then, a bush by the sidewalk twitched a little. I took a few steps toward it and knelt down. Yellow eyes peered out at me, followed by a piteous meow. I made the clicking sound that's universal to cat owners, and after a few moments, my observer emerged. It was a cat, a very scraggly one-and a cat I was pretty sure I'd seen before. It was smaller than Aubrey, maybe younger, and I could see its ribs poking out underneath the fur, which was matted and dirty. When I petted the cat's head, I noticed a dry texture to the fur that often indicated fleas. The cat seemed unsure of me-but not enough that it ran away. It mostly seemed curious for now, like it was trying to figure me out-and maybe score some food. Which was fine, because I was trying to figure it out too. Clearly, this cat had no owner, or if it did, that ownership needed to be revoked. I studied its yellow eyes and every frail line of its body. The cat looked so different and yet†¦I was certain it was the one. And in a musing that was worthy of Carter, I suddenly wondered if the universe might not be done with me after all. I let the cat sniff my hand a bit longer, and then I reached out and picked it up. It was a she. She didn't fight me as I held her to my chest and walked home. In fact, she started purring. Maybe she knew me. Maybe she was just weary of fighting all the time too. When I shouldered open my door, Aubrey's head immediately jerked up from where she'd been napping. She made no noise, but all the fur on her back stood on end as she studied our new visitor with narrowed eyes. Roman, lying on the couch as usual, also studied us. He looked at the cat, taking in her orange and brown patched coat. Then, he looked up and met my eyes. I'm not sure what he saw, but it made him smile. â€Å"Let me guess. That's a tortie.† â€Å"Yes,† I agreed. â€Å"This is a tortie.†

The United States and Its Policy of Promoting Democracy

The United States and Its Policy of Promoting Democracy Promoting democracy abroad has been one of the main elements of US foreign policy for decades. Some critics argue that it is harmful to promote democracy in countries without liberal values because it creates illiberal democracies, which pose grave threats to freedom. Others argue that the foreign policy of promoting democracy abroad fosters economic development in those places, reduces threats to the United Staes at home and creates partners for better economic trade and development.  There are  varying  degrees of democracies ranging from full to limited and even flawed. Democracies can also be authoritarian, meaning that people can vote but have little or no choice in what or whom they vote for. A Foreign Policy 101 Story When rebellion brought down the presidency of Mohammed Morsi in Egypt on July 3, 2013, the United States called for a quick return to order and democracy. Look at these statements from White House Press Secretary Jay Carney on July 8, 2013. During this transitional period, Egypts stability and democratic political order are at stake, and Egypt will not be able to emerge from this crisis unless its people come together to find a nonviolent and inclusive path forward. We remain actively engaged with all sides, and we are committed to supporting the Egyptian people as they seek to salvage their nations democracy. [W]e will work with the transitional Egyptian government to promote a quick and responsible return to a sustainable, democratically elected civilian government. We also call on all political parties and movements to remain engaged in dialogue, and to commit to participating in a political process to hasten the return of full authority to a democratically elected government. Democracy in US Foreign Policy Theres no mistaking that promotion of democracy is one of the cornerstones of American foreign policy. It hasnt always been that way. A democracy, of course, is a government which invests power in its citizens through the franchise, or the right to vote. Democracy comes from Ancient Greece and filtered to the West and the United States through such Enlightenment thinkers as Jean-Jaques Rousseau and John Locke. The United States is a democracy and a republic, meaning that the people speak through elected representatives. At its start, American democracy was not universal: Only white, adult (over 21), property-holding males could vote. The 14th, 15th, 19th  and 26th Amendmentsplus a variety of civil rights actsfinally made voting universal in the 20th century. For its first 150 years, the United States was concerned with its own domestic problemsconstitutional interpretation, states rights, slavery, expansionmore than it was with world affairs. Then the United States focused on pushing its way onto the world stage in an era of imperialism. But with World War I, the United States began moving in a different direction. Much of President Woodrow Wilsons proposal for a post-war Europethe Fourteen Pointsdealt with national self-determination. That meant imperial powers like France, Germany and Great Britain should divest themselves of their empires, and former colonies should form their own governments. Wilson intended for the United States to lead those newly independent nations into democracies, but Americans were of a different mind. After the carnage of the war, the public wanted only to retreat into isolationism and let Europe work out its own problems. After World War II, however, the United States could no longer retreat into isolationism. It actively promoted democracy, but that was often a hollow phrase that allowed the United States to counter Communism with compliant governments around the globe. Democracy promotion continued after the Cold War. President George W. Bush linked it to the post-9/11 invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. How Is Democracy Promoted? Of course, there are ways of promoting democracy other than warfare. The State Departments website says that it supports and promotes democracy in a variety of areas: Strengthening democratic institutionsSupporting civil societyEnhancing the rule of law and judicial independencePromoting political pluralism and free, fair electoral processesProtecting independent mediaPromoting Internet freedomPromoting human rights for all, including women The programs above are funded and administered through the State Department and USAID. Pros and Cons of Democracy Promotion Proponents of democracy promotion say that it creates stable environments, which in turn fosters strong economies. In theory, the stronger a nations economy and the more educated and empowered its citizenry, the less it needs foreign aid. So, democracy promotion and US foreign aid are creating strong nations around the globe. Opponents say that democracy promotion is just American imperialism by another name. It binds regional allies to the United States with foreign aid incentives, which the United States will withdraw if the country does not progress toward democracy. Those same opponents charge that you cannot force-feed democracy on the people of any nation. If the pursuit of democracy is not homegrown, then is it really democracy?

Stalin and Mao essays

Stalin and Mao essays History has shown that strong individuals and revolutionary ideas can have a major impact on a country. Leaders are often driven by what they perceive as a desire to create a more perfect country. Frequently their egos and methods sway them from the realization of the ideals they set out to achieve. Every country has encountered a noteworthy leader at one point or another. Some countries realize this, and take advantage of the fact, while others let him or her pass slip away. A great leader has an impact on a country, an impact that lasts, one that can be looked upon as an example for future generations. Mao Zedong, of China, and Joseph Stalin, of the Soviet Union were great leaders of their time. Mao and Stalin had similar objectives, means, and influences on their country. Both Mao and Stalin had similar ideas at the base of their pyramid of goals. Both leaders believed that Communism was the best system for a their countries. Mao said If you want to know the taste of a pear, you must change the pear by eating it yourself. . . . If you want to know the theory and methods of revolution, you must take part in revolution. All genuine knowledge originates in direct experience. Mao believed that some ideas may work better in one country, and not at all in another. By taking a bite out of the pear, you are changing the pear itself. By changing how you achieve your goals, you change the final product. Mao had many different plans to help China recover. One of the most widely know plans was the Great Leap Forward. Mao encouraged people to work longer hours and even do work at home. This new plan called for the formation of large units called communes which incorporated agriculture and industry and were supposed to be self sufficient. This concept ch anged Maos original play on Marxist Communism. Mao believed that reforms, such as the Agrarian Reform; Campaigns such as t...

Business Plan Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Business Plan - Term Paper Example Other products include the production of irrigation equipments, Co2 detectors as well as bottles. Eco plastic and mould company concentrates in the manufacture of plastic products. It has been in operation in Taiwan for the lasts 12 years. In developing this business plan, the company wishes to introduce a new production unit. Recent technological advancement has ensured that manufactures of plastic use materials economically. Therefore, Eco- plastic and Mould Company provides new plastic containers that replace traditional metal containers. For the last 50 years, metallic containers have been important feature in industries. However, metallic containers are prone rust, require painting, and are difficult to recycle. With this in mind, the company provides drums with same structural strength but of plastic material (Luo, 2014). On the other hand, plastics have an ability to take various shapes through molding. Since plastic products are rust, proof, able to stand diverse climatic conditions, their use in Taiwan captures a wide market. In Taiwan, plastic products have gained acceptance with diverse consumers. The company uses advanced engineering on polymer to produce high impact materials, long lasting materials. Such engineering advances have made it necessary for the production of industrial drum products. The company enjoys a market opportunity for recycling plastic products. Taiwan’s growing population provides great market opportunity for Econ plastic and Mould Company. On the other hand, the greater Asian market provides a wide market opportunity for the company (Miltenburg, 2005). In terms of competition, Formosa Plastic corp. probably is the most competitive organization in the region. Eco plastic and Mould Company operate in Taiwan and within the Asian region. The company began its operations over 10 years ago. It specializes in producing quality plastic products as well as plastic

European union competition law practice and implementation Essay

European union competition law practice and implementation - Essay Example European competition law has been developed over the years to overcome these fears and provide legal guidelines for fair implementation of business practices. The European Union authority believes that open competition in Europe is important as it results in lower prices and also increases the choice for consumers across Europe. Competition within European Union is regulated by the European Commission, along with national competition Authorities. (Goyder : 2003). A fair set of norms has been evolved to include action to be taken against business practices which restrict competition, monitor mergers to ensure that these are not designed to reduce fairness and open competition in previously state run monopolies.(Lowe : 2004) The European Union has set out a very transparent competition policy, which is easily accessible. This paper attempts to examine the issues set forth in the European Competition policy as it affects growth of monopolies particularly that of public service providers. Services of general economic interest have been identified as those market services which discharge broad interest tasks and are therefore subject to specific obligations related to public service in respective member states. These services need to be of a universal nature such as postal and telecommunications services. It is therefore essential that these function effectively to provide continuous and responsive facilities to the community. These also have to be at an affordable price. Thus Article 16 of the Treaty has specified that these services, "Without prejudice to Articles 73, 86 and 87, and given the place occupied by services of general economic interest in the shared values of the Union as well as their role in promoting social and territorial cohesion, the Community and the Member States, each within their respective powers and within the scope of application of this Treaty, shall take care that such services operate on the basis of principles and conditions which enable them to fulfill their missions." The European Commission has a duty to ensure that these services are supported and duly fostered and that these are not subjected to the likely impact of markets which are open to competition and thus which act beyond the purview of public interest. (Whish: 2003). The European Commission has three main objectives which govern the functioning of the services of general economic interest these are to ensure that these function efficiently, that those which are not within the purview of SGEIs are not classified as such and that it does not have any adverse impact on markets which are open to competition but out side the ambit of public services. (Non Paper : 2002). Classification of the SGEIs has to be made very carefully to ensure when applied to services which are operated by private operators these are intended to meet an individual's general requirements and not a specific category of consumer. There has been a monetary ceiling which has since been laid down of payments of up to 30