Strategic Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Strategic Analysis - Essay Example In the modern scenario, to maintain sustainability in the global market, every organisation tends to form a basic company objective, vision as well as mission. Organisational culture has certainly created the need of following certain principles for attaining predetermined targets. These principles often help the employees to reap varied significant benefits like improved level of operational performance of the personnel. By taking into concern the present business market conditions, it can be affirmed that two vital factors including organisational culture and leadership are deemed to be quite important for any company that can assist in fulfilling desired objectives. A correct form of organisational culture and varied leadership practices may contribute in securing the future of the companies by a considerable extent (Wilson, 2005). Harley-Davidson (H-D) is a renowned American based business corporation, which deals with manufacturing motorcycles. It is regarded as one the oldest brands as a motorcycle manufacturer. It can be apparently observed that the company has strived to maintain organisational culture for fulfilling its desired targets. One of the main objectives of H-D is identified to offer quality products at a promised value. From the preceding few years, the company focused on changing its product design to gain more customer attention. In its long journey, H-D faced numerous difficulties in terms of finance. This can be justified with reference to the fact that the company experienced tremendous fall in market share due to the reason of having certain problems with one of its Japanese manufacturer. By taking into concern the trend of organizational culture prevailing within H-D, it can be ascertained that the company has produced new models with the increased level of improved operational performan ce of its employees. In the year 2003, H-D faced the challenge of severe decline in product demand, due to which, its share price

Teenage Pregnancy Essay Example for Free

Teenage Pregnancy Essay Challenges of Teenage Parenthood A. Parenthood Options B. Continuing Education C. Financial Problems V. Conclusion Teenage pregnancy is a major concern in todays society ;there are many ways to prevent teenage pregnancy, many people to get advice from, and many decisions a teenage parent must make. The statistics tell that the U. S. has the highest rate of teen pregnancy Teen Pregnancy Teen Pregnancy ; Parenting You sit there tense, your face is turning cherry red, your eyes are fixed on the little white machine, and you feel like the suspense is and births. More than 4 out of ten young women become pregnant at least once before they reach the age of 20-nearly one billion a year(Teen Pregnancy Facts and Stats 1). Teenage pregnancy has declined slowly but steadily. These recent declines reverse the 24-percent rise in the teenage birth rate from 1986 to 1991 (Teen Pregnancy Facts and Stats 1). Usually only one-third of teenage mothers receive a high school diploma. The rest of the mothers usually end Teen Pregnancy You sit there tense, your face is turning cherry red, your eyes are fixed on the little white machine, and you feel like the suspense is killing you, two minutes p on welfare. A majority of both boys and girls who are sexually active wish they had waited. Eight in ten girls and six in ten boys say they wish they had waited (Teen Pregnancy Facts and Stats 1). Many people are concerned about the problems teenage parents and their children face. The health risks for a teenage girl who becomes pregnant increase sharply. One of the concerns of teenage mothers is the health risk. Usually young women have Teen Pregnancy Teen Pregnancy Over the past two decades, the rates of teen pregnancy have grown dramatically. According to the Prevention of Teen Pregnancy, approximately every thirty-one seconds teenage pregnant in the more complications in pregnancy than older women. The most hazardous complication is low birth weight. One out of seven babies born to teenage mothers have a low birth weight (Hildebrand 88). Poor eating habits, smoking, or using alcohol or drugs, cause low birth weight. Premature babies and babies with low birth weights often have organs that havent fully developed, such as lungs, heart and brain. These babies get sick easier than normal weight babies. As a result Teen Pregnancy The situation is as follow: A teen girl (anywhere from the age thirteen to eighteen) finds herself in a sexual relationship with a male. The end result is from what was motioned above, teenage mothers are considered to be in the high-risk health category. They need good prenatal care as soon as they find out they are pregnant. A doctor, nurse, or other medical practitioner gives most of the information about nutrition. Prenatal care can help prevent pregnancy complications and improve ones chances of having a healthy baby. The best way to prevent teenage pregnancy, which is 100% effective, is abstinence. Most teenagers have a whole Teen pregnancy Teen Pregnancy There are a lot of teen mothers growing up in this world wondering, what if I would have stayed in school? What could I have become? life ahead of them and having a child will cause a lot of complications in your goals. Its not impossible for teenage mothers to complete high school, or try to reach their goals in life, but having a child could very well interfere with these goals. Another way of protection is condoms. There are a lot of protections out there, but these protections are not 100-percent reliable. There are a lot of places and people to go to Teen Pregnancy Teen Pregnancy There are a lot of teen mothers growing up in this world wondering, what if I would have stayed in school? What could I have become? for support and advice. In addition there are many organizations and hotlines a teenage mother can contact for advice and assistance. Parents and family are one alternative. There are a lot of teenagers that are afraid of their parents reactions. However, most parents are calmer and more supportive than teenagers expect. Most parents are shocked when the teenager comes and tells them that they are pregnant. Just give the parents time and they will try to give their Teen pregnancy Teen Pregnancy There are a lot of teen mothers growing up in this world wondering, what if I would have stayed in school? What could I have become? teenager the best advice that they know. The school nurse or counselor is another place to get advice. The counselor usually can gather up pamphlets and brochures about pregnancy. The counselor can also help the teenager remain in school. They are very supportive and understanding. Doctors and clinics are very important for a teenage parent to go to. There are a lot of home pregnancy tests available, but the doctor is a lot more reliable and gives

The Sarbane-Oxley Act (SOA) Essay -- Corporate Governance

INTRODUCTION "The Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act" was signed into law by President Bush on July 30, 2002. The law is now known as The Sarbane-Oxley Act (SOA). The SOA has eleven titles within the act and numerous sections, pertaining to ethics, accounting, financial reporting, responsibilities of officers, whistleblower protection, and increased criminal penalties built upon prior securities laws. SOA is the most comprehensive securities legislation written since the 1940s. In the early part of the twentieth century companies did not have the sophistication and abilities of the modern company in regard to information technology, number of accountants, advisors and analysts. This legislation is a big step toward keeping U.S. law up to date with modern business practices. The Sarbane-Oxley Act was necessary to protect the U.S. economy and restore investor confidence after the many years of dishonest business practices by ENRON, WORLDCOM, TYCO and other companies. The practitioners of shady accounting and greed brought about a collapse in stock prices, shook investor confidence and hurt the credibility of all publicly traded companies. A mass "bail-out" by large stockholders ensued; however the average small investor held on, hoping that the stock would stabilize and believing the reassurances of companies, that claimed they were financially well-off when they were actually worth less than what they owed. In the end, investors and lower-rung employees of these companies were devastated financially. The underhandedness and greed of these corporate officers had the potential to hurl the U.S. economy out of control. The small investors, who are registered voters demanded action. This paper will review the sections of The Sarbane-Oxley Act, highlight their broad implications and discuss compliance. Compliance will cost all publicly traded companies a great deal of money. ?Deloitte's Point of View? will be used to illustrate that compliance, when embraced properly and approached positively can bring rewards for companies in the long term. SECTIONS The sections that follow are a simplification of the Sarbane-Oxley legislation. There are many niches that will require attorneys, accountants and advisors. Keep in mind all prior SEC (securities exchange commission) legislation such as (The Securities Act of 1933, Securiti... ...s Point of View, Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance. (Online). 8 Pages. Retrieved January 16, 2003 from: http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/section_node/0%2C2332%2Csid%25253D5601%2C00.html PriceWaterhouseCoopers. (2003). Key Elements of Antifraud Programs and Controls, A White Paper. 29 Pages (Online). Retrieved January 16, 2003 from: http://www.pwcglobal.com/Extweb/NewCoAtWork.nsf/docid/D0D7F79003C6D64485256CF30074D66C Securities and Exchange Commission. (2002). Proposed Rule: Certification of Disclosure in Companies? Quarterly and Annual Reports. 6 Pages (Online). Retrieved January 17, 2003 from: http://www.sec.gov/rules/proposed/34-46300.htm Securities and Exchange Commission. (2003). The Laws That Govern the Securities Industry. 5 Pages, (Online). Retrieved January 17, 2003 from: http://www.sec.gov/about/laws.shtml#secact1933 Securities and Exchange Commission. (2003). Summary of SEC Actions. 3 Pages, (Online). Retrieved January 17, 2003 from: www.sec.gov/news/press/2003-89a.htm Worthen B. (2003, December 1). A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Compliance. CIO Magazine, Retrieved January 15, 2003 from: http://www.cio.com/archive/120103/oxley.html

Chapter 21 The House-elf Liberation Front

Harry, Ron, and Hermione went up to the Owlery that evening to find Pigwidgeon, so that Harry could send Sirius a letter telling him that he had managed to get past his dragon unscathed. On the way, Harry filled Ron in on everything Sirius had told him about Karkaroff. Though shocked at first to hear that Karkaroff had been a Death Eater, by the time they entered the Owlery Ron was saying that they ought to have suspected it all along. â€Å"Fits, doesn't it?† he said. â€Å"Remember what Malfoy said on the train, about his dad being friends with Karkaroff? Now we know where they knew each other. They were probably running around in masks together at the World Cup†¦.I'll tell you one thing, though, Harry, if it was Karkaroff who put your name in the goblet, he's going to be feeling really stupid now, isn't he? Didn't work, did it? You only got a scratch! Come here – I'll do it -â€Å" Pigwidgeon was so overexcited at the idea of a delivery he was flying around and around Harry's head, hooting incessantly. Ron snatched Pigwidgeon out of the air and held him still while Harry attached the letter to his leg. There's no way any of the other tasks are going to be that dangerous, how could they be?† Ron went on as he carried Pigwidgeon to the window. â€Å"You know what? I reckon you could win this tournament, Harry, I'm serious.† Harry knew that Ron was only saying this to make up for his behavior of the last few weeks, but he appreciated it all the same. Hermione, however, leaned against the Owlery wall, folded her arms, and frowned at Ron. â€Å"Harry's got a long way to go before he finishes this tournament,† she said seriously. â€Å"If that was the first task, I hate to think what's coming next.† â€Å"Right little ray of sunshine, aren't you?† said Ron. â€Å"You and Professor Trelawney should get together sometime.† He threw Pigwidgeon out of the window. Pigwidgeon plummeted twelve feet before managing to pull himself back up again; the letter attached to his leg was much longer and heavier than usual – Harry hadn't been able to resist giving Sirius a blow-by-blow account of exactly how he had swerved, circled, and dodged the Horntail. They watched Pigwidgeon disappear into the darkness, and then Ron said, â€Å"Well, we'd better get downstairs for your surprise party, Harry – Fred and George should have nicked enough food from the kitchens by now.† Sure enough, when they entered the Gryffindor common room it exploded with cheers and yells again. There were mountains of cakes and flagons of pumpkin juice and butterbeer on every surface; Lee Jordan had let off some Filibuster's Fireworks, so that the air was thick with stars and sparks; and Dean Thomas, who was very good at drawing, had put up some impressive new banners, most of which depicted Harry zooming around the Horntail's head on his Firebolt, though a couple showed Cedric with his head on fire. Harry helped himself to food; he had almost forgotten what it was like to feel properly hungry, and sat down with Ron and Hermione. He couldn't believe how happy he felt; he had Ron back on his side, he'd gotten through the first task, and he wouldn't have to face the second one for three months. â€Å"Blimey, this is heavy,† said Lee Jordan, picking up the golden egg, which Harry had left on a table, and weighing it in his hands. â€Å"Open it, Harry, go on! Let's just see what's inside it!† â€Å"He's supposed to work out the clue on his own,† Hermione said swiftly. â€Å"It's in the tournament rules†¦.† â€Å"I was supposed to work out how to get past the dragon on my own too,† Harry muttered, so only Hermione could hear him, and she grinned rather guiltily. â€Å"Yeah, go on, Harry, open it!† several people echoed. Lee passed Harry the egg, and Harry dug his fingernails into the groove that ran all the way around it and prised it open. It was hollow and completely empty – but the moment Harry opened it, the most horrible noise, a loud and screechy wailing, filled the room. The nearest thing to it Harry had ever heard was the ghost orchestra at Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party, who had all been playing the musical saw. â€Å"Shut it!† Fred bellowed, his hands over his ears. â€Å"What was that?† said Seamus Finnigan, staring at the egg as Harry slammed it shut again. â€Å"Sounded like a banshee†¦Maybe you've got to get past one of those next, Harry!† â€Å"It was someone being tortured!† said Neville, who had gone very white and spilled sausage rolls all over the floor. â€Å"You're going to have to fight the Cruciatus Curse!† â€Å"Don't be a prat, Neville, that's illegal,† said George. â€Å"They wouldn't use the Cruciatus Curse on the champions. I thought it sounded a bit like Percy singing†¦maybe you've got to attack him while he's in the shower. Harry.† â€Å"Want a jam tart, Hermione?† said Fred. Hermione looked doubtfully at the plate he was offering her. Fred grinned. â€Å"It's all right,† he said. â€Å"I haven't done anything to them. It's the custard creams you've got to watch -â€Å" Neville, who had just bitten into a custard cream, choked and spat it out. Fred laughed. â€Å"Just my little joke, Neville†¦.† Hermione took a jam tart. Then she said, â€Å"Did you get all this from the kitchens, Fred?† â€Å"Yep,† said Fred, grinning at her. He put on a high-pitched squeak and imitated a house-elf. â€Å"‘anything we can get you, sir, anything at all!' They're dead helpful†¦get me a roast ox if I said I was peckish.† â€Å"How do you get in there?† Hermione said in an innocently casual sort of voice. â€Å"Easy,† said Fred, â€Å"concealed door behind a painting of a bowl of fruit. Just tickle the pear, and it giggles and -† He stopped and looked suspiciously at her. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Nothing,† said Hermione quickly. â€Å"Going to try and lead the house-elves out on strike now, are you?† said George. â€Å"Going to give up all the leaflet stuff and try and stir them up into rebellion?† Several people chortled. Hermione didn't answer. â€Å"Don't you go upsetting them and telling them they've got to take clothes and salaries!† said Fred warningly. â€Å"You'll put them off their cooking!† Just then, Neville caused a slight diversion by turning into a large canary. â€Å"Oh – sorry, Neville!† Fred shouted over all the laughter. â€Å"I forgot – it was the custard creams we hexed -â€Å" Within a minute, however, Neville had molted, and once his feathers had fallen off, he reappeared looking entirely normal. He even joined in laughing. â€Å"Canary Creams!† Fred shouted to the excitable crowd. â€Å"George and I invented them – seven Sickles each, a bargain!† It was nearly one in the morning when Harry finally went up to the dormitory with Ron, Neville, Seamus, and Dean. Before he pulled the curtains of his four-poster shut. Harry set his tiny model of the Hungarian Horntail on the table next to his bed, where it yawned, curled up, and closed its eyes. Really, Harry thought, as he pulled the hangings on his four-poster closed, Hagrid had a point†¦they were all right, really, dragons†¦. The start of December brought wind and sleet to Hogwarts. Drafty though the castle always was in winter. Harry was glad of its fires and thick walls every time he passed the Durmstrang ship on the lake, which was pitching in the high winds, its black sails billowing against the dark skies. He thought the Beauxbatons caravan was likely to be pretty chilly too. Hagrid, he noticed, was keeping Madame Maxime's horses well provided with their preferred drink of single-malt whiskey; the fumes wafting from the trough in the comer of their paddock was enough to make the entire Care of Magical Creatures class light-headed. This was unhelpful, as they were still tending the horrible skrewts and needed their wits about them. â€Å"I'm not sure whether they hibernate or not,† Hagrid told the shivering class in the windy pumpkin patch next lesson. â€Å"Thought we'd jus' try an see if they fancied a kip†¦we'll jus' settle 'em down in these boxes†¦.† There were now only ten skrewts left; apparently their desire to kill one another had not been exercised out of them. Each of them was now approaching six feet in length. Their thick gray armor; their powerful, scuttling legs; their fire-blasting ends; their stings and their suckers, combined to make the skrewts the most repulsive things Harry had ever seen. The class looked dispiritedly at the enormous boxes Hagrid had brought out, all lined with pillows and fluffy blankets. â€Å"We'll jus' lead 'em in here,† Hagrid said, â€Å"an' put the lids on, and we'll see what happens.† But the skrewts, it transpired, did not hibernate, and did not appreciate being forced into pillow-lined boxes and nailed in. Hagrid was soon yelling, â€Å"Don panic, now, don' panic!† while the skrewts rampaged around the pumpkin patch, now strewn with the smoldering wreckage of the boxes. Most of the class – Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle in the lead – had fled into Hagrid's cabin through the back door and barricaded themselves in; Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, were among those who remained outside trying to help Hagrid. Together they managed to restrain and tie up nine of the skrewts, though at the cost of numerous burns and cuts; finally, only one skrewt was left. â€Å"Don' frighten him, now!† Hagrid shouted as Ron and Harry used their wands to shoot jets of fiery sparks at the skrewt, which was advancing menacingly on them, its sting arched, quivering, over its back. â€Å"Jus' try an slip the rope 'round his sting, so he won hurt any o' the others!† â€Å"Yeah, we wouldn't want that!† Ron shouted angrily as he and Harry backed into the wall of Hagrid's cabin, still holding the skrewt off with their sparks. â€Å"Well, well, well†¦this does look like fun.† Rita Skeeter was leaning on Hagrid's garden fence, looking in at the mayhem. She was wearing a thick magenta cloak with a furry purple collar today, and her crocodile-skin handbag was over her arm. Hagrid launched himself forward on top of the skrewt that was cornering Harry and Ron and flattened it; a blast of fire shot out of its end, withering the pumpkin plants nearby. â€Å"Who're you?† Hagrid asked Rita Skeeter as he slipped a loop of rope around the skrewt's sting and tightened it. â€Å"Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet reporter,† Rita replied, beaming at him. Her gold teeth glinted. â€Å"Thought Dumbledore said you weren' allowed inside the school anymore,† said Hagrid, frowning slightly as he got off the slightly squashed skrewt and started tugging it over to its fellows. Rita acted as though she hadn't heard what Hagrid had said. â€Å"What are these fascinating creatures called?† she asked, beaming still more widely. â€Å"Blast-Ended Skrewts,† grunted Hagrid. â€Å"Really?† said Rita, apparently full of lively interest. â€Å"I've never heard of them before†¦where do they come from?† Harry noticed a dull red flush rising up out of Hagrid's wild black beard, and his heart sank. Where had Hagrid got the skrewts from? Hermione, who seemed to be thinking along these lines, said quickly, â€Å"They're very interesting, aren't they? Aren't they. Harry?† â€Å"What? Oh yeah†¦ouch†¦interesting,† said Harry as she stepped on his foot. â€Å"Ah, you're here. Harry!† said Rita Skeeter as she looked around. â€Å"So you like Care of Magical Creatures, do you? One of your favorite lessons?† â€Å"Yes,† said Harry stoutly. Hagrid beamed at him. â€Å"Lovely,† said Rita. â€Å"Really lovely. Been teaching long?† she added to Hagrid. Harry noticed her eyes travel over Dean (who had a nasty cut across one cheek). Lavender (whose robes were badly singed), Seamus (who was nursing several burnt fingers), and then to the cabin windows, where most of the class stood, their noses pressed against the glass waiting to see if the coast was clear. â€Å"This is o'ny me second year,† said Hagrid. â€Å"Lovely†¦I don't suppose you'd like to give an interview, would you? Share some of your experience of magical creatures? The Prophet does a zoological column every Wednesday, as I'm sure you know. We could feature these – er – Bang-Ended Scoots.† â€Å"Blast-Ended Skrewts,† Hagrid said eagerly. â€Å"Er – yeah, why not?† Harry had a very bad feeling about this, but there was no way of communicating it to Hagrid without Rita Skeeter seeing, so he had to stand and watch in silence as Hagrid and Rita Skeeter made arrangements to meet in the Three Broomsticks for a good long interview later that week. Then the bell rang up at the castle, signaling the end of the lesson. â€Å"Well, good-bye, Harry!† Rita Skeeter called merrily to him as he set off with Ron and Hermione. â€Å"Until Friday night, then, Hagrid!† â€Å"She'll twist everything he says,† Harry said under his breath. â€Å"Just as long as he didn't import those skrewts illegally or anything,† said Hermione desperately. They looked at one another – it was exactly the sort of thing Hagrid might do. â€Å"Hagrid's been in loads of trouble before, and Dumbledores never sacked him,† said Ron consolingly. â€Å"Worst that can happen is Hagrid'll have to get rid of the skrewts. Sorry†¦did I say worst? I meant best.† Harry and Hermione laughed, and, feeling slightly more cheerful, went off to lunch. Harry thoroughly enjoyed double Divination that afternoon; they were still doing star charts and predictions, but now that he and Ron were friends once more, the whole thing seemed very funny again. Professor Trelawney, who had been so pleased with the pair of them when they had been predicting their own horrific deaths, quickly became irritated as they sniggered through her explanation of the various ways in which Pluto could disrupt everyday life. â€Å"I would think,† she said, in a mystical whisper that did not conceal her obvious annoyance, â€Å"that some of us† – she stared very meaningfully at Harry- â€Å"might be a little less frivolous had they seen what I have seen during my crystal gazing last night. As I sat here, absorbed in my needlework, the urge to consult the orb overpowered me. I arose, I settled myself before it, and I gazed into its crystalline depths†¦and what do you think I saw gazing back at me?† â€Å"An ugly old bat in outsize specs?† Ron muttered under his breath. Harry fought hard to keep his face straight. â€Å"Death, my dears.† Parvati and Lavender both put their hands over their mouths, looking horrified. â€Å"Yes,† said Professor Trelawney, nodding impressively, â€Å"it comes, ever closer, it circles overhead like a vulture, ever lower†¦ever lower over the castle†¦.† She stared pointedly at Harry, who yawned very widely and obviously. â€Å"It'd be a bit more impressive if she hadn't done it about eighty times before,† Harry said as they finally regained the fresh air of the staircase beneath Professor Trelawney's room. â€Å"But if I'd dropped dead every time she's told me I'm going to, I'd be a medical miracle.† â€Å"You'd be a sort of extra-concentrated ghost,† said Ron, chortling, as they passed the Bloody Baron going in the opposite direction, his wide eyes staring sinisterly. â€Å"At least we didn't get homework. I hope Hermione got loads off Professor Vector, I love not working when she is†¦.† But Hermione wasn't at dinner, nor was she in the library when they went to look for her afterward. The only person in there was Viktor Krum. Ron hovered behind the bookshelves for a while, watching Krum, debating in whispers with Harry whether he should ask for an autograph – but then Ron realized that six or seven girls were lurking in the next row of books, debating exactly the same thing, and he lost his enthusiasm for the idea. â€Å"Wonder where she's got to?† Ron said as he and Harry went back to Gryffindor Tower. â€Å"Dunno†¦balderdash.† But the Fat Lady had barely begun to swing forward when the sound of racing feet behind them announced Hermione's arrival. â€Å"Harry!† she panted, skidding to a halt beside him (the Fat Lady stared down at her, eyebrows raised). â€Å"Harry, you've got to come – you've got to come, the most amazing thing's happened – please -â€Å" She seized Harry's arm and started to try to drag him back along the corridor. â€Å"What's the matter?† Harry said. â€Å"I'll show you when we get there – oh come on, quick -â€Å" Harry looked around at Ron; he looked back at Harry, intrigued. â€Å"Okay,† Harry said, starting off back down the corridor with Hermione, Ron hurrying to keep up. â€Å"Oh don't mind me!† the Fat Lady called irritably after them. â€Å"Don't apologize for bothering me! I'll just hang here, wide open, until you get back, shall I?† â€Å"Yeah, thanks!† Ron shouted over his shoulder. â€Å"Hermione, where are we going?† Harry asked, after she had led them down through six floors, and started down the marble staircase into the entrance hall. â€Å"You'll see, you'll see in a minute!† said Hermione excitedly. She turned left at the bottom of the staircase and hurried toward the door through which Cedric Diggory had gone the night after the Goblet of Fire had regurgitated his and Harry's names. Harry had never been through here before. He and Ron followed Hermione down a flight of stone steps, but instead of ending up in a gloomy underground passage like the one that led to Snape's dungeon, they found themselves in a broad stone corridor, brightly lit with torches, and decorated with cheerful paintings that were mainly of food. â€Å"Oh hang on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Harry slowly, halfway down the corridor. â€Å"Wait a minute, Hermione†¦.† â€Å"What?† She turned around to look at him, anticipation all over her face. â€Å"I know what this is about,† said Harry. He nudged Ron and pointed to the painting just behind Hermione. It showed a gigantic silver fruit bowl. â€Å"Hermione!† said Ron, cottoning on. â€Å"You're trying to rope us into that spew stuff again!† â€Å"No, no, I'm not!† she said hastily. â€Å"And it's not spew, Ron -â€Å" â€Å"Changed the name, have you?† said Ron, frowning at her. â€Å"What are we now, then, the House-Elf Liberation Front? I'm not barging into that kitchen and trying to make them stop work, I'm not doing it -â€Å" â€Å"I'm not asking you to!† Hermione said impatiently. â€Å"I came down here just now, to talk to them all, and I found – oh come on, Harry, I want to show you!† She seized his arm again, pulled him in front of the picture of the giant fruit bowl, stretched out her forefinger, and tickled the huge green pear. It began to squirm, chuckling, and suddenly turned into a large green door handle. Hermione seized it, pulled the door open, and pushed Harry hard in the back, forcing him inside. He had one brief glimpse of an enormous, high-ceilinged room, large as the Great Hall above it, with mounds of glittering brass pots and pans heaped around the stone walls, and a great brick fireplace at the other end, when something small hurtled toward him from the middle of the room, squealing, â€Å"Harry Potter, sir! Harry Potter!† Next second all the wind had been knocked out of him as the squealing elf hit him hard in the midriff, hugging him so tightly he thought his ribs would break. â€Å"D-Dobby?† Harry gasped. â€Å"It is Dobby, sir, it is!† squealed the voice from somewhere around his navel. â€Å"Dobby has been hoping and hoping to see Harry Potter, sir, and Harry Potter has come to see him, sir!† Dobby let go and stepped back a few paces, beaming up at Harry, his enormous, green, tennis-ball-shaped eyes brimming with tears of happiness. He looked almost exactly as Harry remembered him; the pencil-shaped nose, the batlike ears, the long fingers and feet – all except the clothes, which were very different. When Dobby had worked for the Malfoys, he had always worn the same filthy old pillowcase. Now, however, he was wearing the strangest assortment of garments Harry had ever seen; he had done an even worse job of dressing himself than the wizards at the World Cup. He was wearing a tea cozy for a hat, on which he had pinned a number of bright badges; a tie patterned with horseshoes over a bare chest, a pair of what looked like children's soccer shorts, and odd socks. One of these, Harry saw, was the black one Harry had removed from his own foot and tricked Mr. Malfoy into giving Dobby, thereby setting Dobby free. The other was covered in pink and orange stripes. â€Å"Dobby, what're you doing here?† Harry said in amazement. â€Å"Dobby has come to work at Hogwarts, sir!† Dobby squealed excitedly. â€Å"Professor Dumbledore gave Dobby and Winky jobs, sir! â€Å"Winky?† said Harry. â€Å"She's here too?† â€Å"Yes, sir, yes!† said Dobby, and he seized Harry's hand and pulled him off into the kitchen between the four long wooden tables that stood there. Each of these tables, Harry noticed as he passed them, was positioned exactly beneath the four House tables above, in the Great Hall. At the moment, they were clear of food, dinner having finished, but he supposed that an hour ago they had been laden with dishes that were then sent up through the ceiling to their counterparts above. At least a hundred little elves were standing around the kitchen, beaming, bowing, and curtsying as Dobby led Harry past them. They were all wearing the same uniform: a tea towel stamped with the Hogwarts crest, and tied, as Winky's had been, like a toga. Dobby stopped in front of the brick fireplace and pointed. â€Å"Winky, sir!† he said. Winky was sitting on a stool by the fire. Unlike Dobby, she had obviously not foraged for clothes. She was wearing a neat little skirt and blouse with a matching blue hat, which had holes in it for her large ears. However, while every one of Dobby's strange collection of garments was so clean and well cared for that it looked brand-new, Winky was plainly not taking care other clothes at all. There were soup stains all down her blouse and a burn in her skirt. â€Å"Hello, Winky,† said Harry. Winky's lip quivered. Then she burst into tears, which spilled out of her great brown eyes and splashed down her front, just as they had done at the Quidditch World Cup. â€Å"Oh dear,† said Hermione. She and Ron had followed Harry and Dobby to the end of the kitchen. â€Å"Winky, don't cry, please don't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But Winky cried harder than ever. Dobby, on the other hand, beamed up at Harry. â€Å"Would Harry Potter like a cup of tea?† he squeaked loudly, over Winky's sobs. â€Å"Er – yeah, okay,† said Harry. Instantly, about six house-elves came trotting up behind him, bearing a large silver tray laden with a teapot, cups for Harry, Ron, and Hermione, a milk jug, and a large plate of biscuits. â€Å"Good service!† Ron said, in an impressed voice. Hermione frowned at him, but the elves all looked delighted; they bowed very low and retreated. â€Å"How long have you been here, Dobby?† Harry asked as Dobby handed around the tea. â€Å"Only a week. Harry Potter, sir!† said Dobby happily. â€Å"Dobby came to see Professor Dumbledore, sir. You see, sir, it is very difficult for a house-elf who has been dismissed to get a new position, sir, very difficult indeed -â€Å" At this, Winky howled even harder, her squashed-tomato of a nose dribbling all down her front, though she made no effort to stem the flow. â€Å"Dobby has traveled the country for two whole years, sir, trying to find work!† Dobby squeaked. â€Å"But Dobby hasn't found work, sir, because Dobby wants paying now!† The house-elves all around the kitchen, who had been listening and watching with interest, all looked away at these words, as though Dobby had said something rude and embarrassing. Hermione, however, said, â€Å"Good for you, Dobby!† â€Å"Thank you, miss!† said Dobby, grinning toothily at her. â€Å"But most wizards doesn't want a house-elf who wants paying, miss. ‘That's not the point of a house-elf,' they says, and they slammed the door in Dobby's face! Dobby likes work, but he wants to wear clothes and he wants to be paid. Harry Potter†¦.Dobby likes being free!† The Hogwarts house-elves had now started edging away from Dobby, as though he were carrying something contagious. Winky, however, remained where she was, though there was a definite increase in the volume other crying. â€Å"And then, Harry Potter, Dobby goes to visit Winky, and finds out Winky has been freed too, sir!† said Dobby delightedly. At this, Winky flung herself forward off her stool and lay face-down on the flagged stone floor, beating her tiny fists upon it and positively screaming with misery. Hermione hastily dropped down to her knees beside her and tried to comfort her, but nothing she said made the slightest difference. Dobby continued with his story, shouting shrilly over Winky's screeches. â€Å"And then Dobby had the idea. Harry Potter, sir! ‘Why doesn't Dobby and Winky find work together?' Dobby says. ‘Where is there enough work for two house-elves?' says Winky. And Dobby thinks, and it comes to him, sir! Hogwarts! So Dobby and Winky came to see Professor Dumbledore, sir, and Professor Dumbledore took us on!† Dobby beamed very brightly, and happy tears welled in his eyes again. â€Å"And Professor Dumbledore says he will pay Dobby, sir, if Dobby wants paying! And so Dobby is a free elf, sir, and Dobby gets a Galleon a week and one day off a month!† â€Å"That's not very much!† Hermione shouted indignantly from the floor, over Winky's continued screaming and fist-beating. â€Å"Professor Dumbledore offered Dobby ten Galleons a week, and weekends off,† said Dobby, suddenly giving a little shiver, as though the prospect of so much leisure and riches were frightening, â€Å"but Dobby beat him down, miss†¦.Dobby likes freedom, miss, but he isn't wanting too much, miss, he likes work better.† â€Å"And how much is Professor Dumbledore paying you, Winky?† Hermione asked kindly. If she had thought this would cheer up Winky, she was wildly mistaken. Winky did stop crying, but when she sat up she was glaring at Hermione through her massive brown eyes, her whole face sopping wet and suddenly furious. â€Å"Winky is a disgraced elf, but Winky is not yet getting paid!† she squeaked. â€Å"Winky is not sunk so low as that! Winky is properly ashamed of being freed!† â€Å"Ashamed?† said Hermione blankly. â€Å"But – Winky, come on! It's Mr. Crouch who should be ashamed, not you! You didn't do anything wrong, he was really horrible to you -â€Å" But at these words, Winky clapped her hands over the holes in her hat, flattening her ears so that she couldn't hear a word, and screeched, â€Å"You is not insulting my master, miss! You is not insulting Mr. Crouch! Mr. Crouch is a good wizard, miss! Mr. Crouch is right to sack bad Winky!† â€Å"Winky is having trouble adjusting, Harry Potter,† squeaked Dobby confidentially. â€Å"Winky forgets she is not bound to Mr. Crouch anymore; she is allowed to speak her mind now, but she won't do it.† â€Å"Can't house-elves speak their minds about their masters, then?† Harry asked. â€Å"Oh no, sir, no,† said Dobby, looking suddenly serious. â€Å"‘Tis part of the house-elf's enslavement, sir. We keeps their secrets and our silence, sir. We upholds the family's honor, and we never speaks ill of them – though Professor Dumbledore told Dobby he does not insist upon this. Professor Dumbledore said we is free to – to -â€Å" Dobby looked suddenly nervous and beckoned Harry closer. Harry bent forward. Dobby whispered, â€Å"He said we is free to call him a – a barmy old codger if we likes, sir!† Dobby gave a frightened sort of giggle. â€Å"But Dobby is not wanting to, Harry Potter,† he said, talking normally again, and shaking his head so that his ears flapped. â€Å"Dobby likes Professor Dumbledore very much, sir, and is proud to keep his secrets and our silence for him.† â€Å"But you can say what you like about the Malfoys now?† Harry asked him, grinning. A slightly fearful look came into Dobby's immense eyes. â€Å"Dobby – Dobby could,† he said doubtfully. He squared his small shoulders. â€Å"Dobby could tell Harry Potter that his old masters were – were – bad Dark wizards!† Dobby stood for a moment, quivering all over, horror-struck by his own daring – then he rushed over to the nearest table and began banging his head on it very hard, squealing, â€Å"Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!† Harry seized Dobby by the back of his tie and pulled him away from the table. â€Å"Thank you. Harry Potter, thank you,† said Dobby breathlessly, rubbing his head. â€Å"You just need a bit of practice,† Harry said. â€Å"Practice!† squealed Winky furiously. â€Å"You is ought to be ashamed of yourself, Dobby, talking that way about your masters!† â€Å"They isn't my masters anymore, Winky!† said Dobby defiantly. â€Å"Dobby doesn't care what they think anymore!† â€Å"Oh you is a bad elf, Dobby!† moaned Winky, tears leaking down her face once more. â€Å"My poor Mr. Crouch, what is he doing without Winky? He is needing me, he is needing my help! I is looking after the Crouches all my life, and my mother is doing it before me, and my grandmother is doing it before her†¦oh what is they saying if they knew Winky was freed? Oh the shame, the shame!† She buried her face in her skirt again and bawled. â€Å"Winky,† said Hermione firmly, â€Å"I'm quite sure Mr. Crouch is getting along perfectly well without you. We've seen him, you know -â€Å" â€Å"You is seeing my master?† said Winky breathlessly, raising her tearstained face out of her skirt once more and goggling at Hermione. â€Å"You is seeing him here at Hogwarts?† â€Å"Yes,† said Hermione, â€Å"he and Mr. Bagman are judges in the Triwizard Tournament.† â€Å"Mr. Bagman comes too?† squeaked Winky, and to Harry ‘s great surprise (and Ron's and Hermione's too, by the looks on their faces), she looked angry again. â€Å"Mr. Bagman is a bad wizard! A very bad wizard! My master isn't liking him, oh no, not at all!† â€Å"Bagman – bad?† said Harry. â€Å"Oh yes,† Winky said, nodding her head furiously, â€Å"My master is telling Winky some things! But Winky is not saying†¦Winky – Winky keeps her master's secrets†¦.† She dissolved yet again in tears; they could hear her sobbing into her skirt, â€Å"Poor master, poor master, no Winky to help him no more!† They couldn't get another sensible word out of Winky. They left her to her crying and finished their tea, while Dobby chatted happily about his life as a free elf and his plans for his wages. â€Å"Dobby is going to buy a sweater next, Harry Potter!† he said happily, pointing at his bare chest. â€Å"Tell you what, Dobby,† said Ron, who seemed to have taken a great liking to the elf, â€Å"I'll give you the one my mum knits me this Christmas, I always get one from her. You don't mind maroon, do you?† Dobby was delighted. â€Å"We might have to shrink it a bit to fit you,† Ron told him, â€Å"but it'll go well with your tea cozy.† As they prepared to take their leave, many of the surrounding elves pressed in upon them, offering snacks to take back upstairs. Hermione refused, with a pained look at the way the elves kept bowing and curtsying, but Harry and Ron loaded their pockets with cream cakes and pies. â€Å"Thanks a lot!† Harry said to the elves, who had all clustered around the door to say good night. â€Å"See you, Dobby!† â€Å"Harry Potter†¦can Dobby come and see you sometimes, sir?† Dobby asked tentatively. † ‘Course you can,† said Harry, and Dobby beamed. â€Å"You know what?† said Ron, once he, Hermione, and Harry had left the kitchens behind and were climbing the steps into the entrance hall again. â€Å"All these years I've been really impressed with Fred and George, nicking food from the kitchens – well, it's not exactly difficult, is it? They can't wait to give it away!† â€Å"I think this is the best thing that could have happened to those elves, you know,† said Hermione, leading the way back up the marble staircase. â€Å"Dobby coming to work here, I mean. The other elves will see how happy he is, being free, and slowly it'll dawn on them that they want that too!† â€Å"Let's hope they don't look too closely at Winky,† said Harry. â€Å"Oh she'll cheer up,† said Hermione, though she sounded a bit doubtful. â€Å"Once the shock's worn off, and she's got used to Hogwarts, she'll see how much better off she is without that Crouch man.† â€Å"She seems to love him,† said Ron thickly (he had just started on a cream cake). â€Å"Doesn't think much of Bagman, though, does she?† said Harry. â€Å"Wonder what Crouch says at home about him?† â€Å"Probably says he's not a very good Head of Department,† said Hermione, â€Å"and let's face it†¦he's got a point, hasn't he?† â€Å"I'd still rather work for him than old Crouch,† said Ron. â€Å"At least Bagman's got a sense of humor.† â€Å"Don't let Percy hear you saying that,† Hermione said, smiling slightly. â€Å"Yeah, well, Percy wouldn't want to work for anyone with a sense of humor, would he?† said Ron, now starting on a chocolate eclair. â€Å"Percy wouldn't recognize a joke if it danced naked in front of him wearing Dobby's tea cozy.†

Ethics Paper

Ethics Paper MGT/498 Professor: The primary purpose of ethics and social responsibility is imperative to the way we do business and live amongst society. Ethics most commonly know as the rights and wrongs are principles and standards that establish what is know as acceptable conduct within an organization. Organizations have moral and legal duties to implement ethics when developing a strategic plan while considering stakeholders and consumers, they do not want to be lied to or cheated into buying a false product.Unethical companies will use aggressive sales tactics and mischievous ways, of doing usiness to sell, promote and profit from vulnerable consumers. Unethical organizations believe in these tactics not realizing that ethical and honest companies tend to be more profitable, reputable and operate amongst less stress from employees to managerial position. Social responsibilities are Just as important as ethics but pertain to a greater scale; it's an organizations obligation to m ake a positive impact rather than a negative one on society and the environment.An example of a company that overstepped ethical and social responsibility boundaries s the oil and gas company BP p. l. c. In 2010, a massive oil spill broke out in the Gulf of Mexico that was caused by oil drilling conducted by this Company and its key contractors. This oil spill caused the death of eleven individuals and cost the company and its partners tens of billions of dollars in order to contain a blowout of the well, mitigate the damages caused and compensate all the individuals and businesses impacted by the spill. The Telegraph). As a result of this oil spill, the US Government established an Oil Spill Commission hich was put in place to investigate the reasons for this disaster. The report concluded that a number of separate factors contributed to the spill which included oversights and outright mistakes from BP and its contractors, Halliburton and Transocean, however that the underlying rea son was a failure from management (National Commission).Management, in an effort to minimize the loss of returns, made concessions for a series of cost-cutting measures that included the quality of the materials used, short cuts in testing processes and the reliance on fewer esources which ultimately contributed to the oil spill. The Commission also concluded that the overall industry nad deficiencies in its internal controls; decision making protocols, training and corporate culture.As a result, the short falls in this disaster were a combination of oversights and negligence from multiple parties thus extending the ethical and social responsibility among internal and external stakeholders (National Commission). As part of the remedy process for the disaster, BP was required to take actions to urther enhance the safety of its drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico.These actions included improved risk management processes such as auditing and verification from third-parties, impro ved training for its employees, and the implementation of more efficient and safer equipment for well drilling (BP, Investigations and Legal Proceedings). Additionally, the company's sustainability report for 2012 includes a letter from the Group's Chief Executive which states that the Organization's strategy going forward is to create value for its shareholders and upply energy throughout the globe in a safe and responsible manner.The statement goes on to use other key phrases such as becoming a safety leader in the industry, a responsible corporate citizen and a good employer. The strategy also emphasizes the need to enhance safety and risk management and earn back the trust and value of the Organization (BP, Sustainability Review 2012). All indications are that the Company's behavior pre oil spill was irresponsible and negligent and was potentially driven primarily by a focus to provide strong returns on heir investments while compromising the integrity and internal controls of t he operations.Post oil spill, the Company has had to learn from the consequences of a very costly disaster in order to stay in business and thrive. The Organization appears to understand now the need for effective communication, transparency and detailed due-diligence in all their efforts. In collusion ethics and social responsibilities' within an organization take on an imperative role to the success of a corporation or company. Society must also be ware and educate themselves from scams, aggressive business tactics and do their part to prevent these unethical organizations from preying on vulnerable consumers. Ethics Paper Ethics Paper MGT/498 Professor: The primary purpose of ethics and social responsibility is imperative to the way we do business and live amongst society. Ethics most commonly know as the rights and wrongs are principles and standards that establish what is know as acceptable conduct within an organization. Organizations have moral and legal duties to implement ethics when developing a strategic plan while considering stakeholders and consumers, they do not want to be lied to or cheated into buying a false product.Unethical companies will use aggressive sales tactics and mischievous ways, of doing usiness to sell, promote and profit from vulnerable consumers. Unethical organizations believe in these tactics not realizing that ethical and honest companies tend to be more profitable, reputable and operate amongst less stress from employees to managerial position. Social responsibilities are Just as important as ethics but pertain to a greater scale; it's an organizations obligation to m ake a positive impact rather than a negative one on society and the environment.An example of a company that overstepped ethical and social responsibility boundaries s the oil and gas company BP p. l. c. In 2010, a massive oil spill broke out in the Gulf of Mexico that was caused by oil drilling conducted by this Company and its key contractors. This oil spill caused the death of eleven individuals and cost the company and its partners tens of billions of dollars in order to contain a blowout of the well, mitigate the damages caused and compensate all the individuals and businesses impacted by the spill. The Telegraph). As a result of this oil spill, the US Government established an Oil Spill Commission hich was put in place to investigate the reasons for this disaster. The report concluded that a number of separate factors contributed to the spill which included oversights and outright mistakes from BP and its contractors, Halliburton and Transocean, however that the underlying rea son was a failure from management (National Commission).Management, in an effort to minimize the loss of returns, made concessions for a series of cost-cutting measures that included the quality of the materials used, short cuts in testing processes and the reliance on fewer esources which ultimately contributed to the oil spill. The Commission also concluded that the overall industry nad deficiencies in its internal controls; decision making protocols, training and corporate culture.As a result, the short falls in this disaster were a combination of oversights and negligence from multiple parties thus extending the ethical and social responsibility among internal and external stakeholders (National Commission). As part of the remedy process for the disaster, BP was required to take actions to urther enhance the safety of its drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico.These actions included improved risk management processes such as auditing and verification from third-parties, impro ved training for its employees, and the implementation of more efficient and safer equipment for well drilling (BP, Investigations and Legal Proceedings). Additionally, the company's sustainability report for 2012 includes a letter from the Group's Chief Executive which states that the Organization's strategy going forward is to create value for its shareholders and upply energy throughout the globe in a safe and responsible manner.The statement goes on to use other key phrases such as becoming a safety leader in the industry, a responsible corporate citizen and a good employer. The strategy also emphasizes the need to enhance safety and risk management and earn back the trust and value of the Organization (BP, Sustainability Review 2012). All indications are that the Company's behavior pre oil spill was irresponsible and negligent and was potentially driven primarily by a focus to provide strong returns on heir investments while compromising the integrity and internal controls of t he operations.Post oil spill, the Company has had to learn from the consequences of a very costly disaster in order to stay in business and thrive. The Organization appears to understand now the need for effective communication, transparency and detailed due-diligence in all their efforts. In collusion ethics and social responsibilities' within an organization take on an imperative role to the success of a corporation or company. Society must also be ware and educate themselves from scams, aggressive business tactics and do their part to prevent these unethical organizations from preying on vulnerable consumers. Ethics Paper Ethics Paper MGT/498 Professor: The primary purpose of ethics and social responsibility is imperative to the way we do business and live amongst society. Ethics most commonly know as the rights and wrongs are principles and standards that establish what is know as acceptable conduct within an organization. Organizations have moral and legal duties to implement ethics when developing a strategic plan while considering stakeholders and consumers, they do not want to be lied to or cheated into buying a false product.Unethical companies will use aggressive sales tactics and mischievous ways, of doing usiness to sell, promote and profit from vulnerable consumers. Unethical organizations believe in these tactics not realizing that ethical and honest companies tend to be more profitable, reputable and operate amongst less stress from employees to managerial position. Social responsibilities are Just as important as ethics but pertain to a greater scale; it's an organizations obligation to m ake a positive impact rather than a negative one on society and the environment.An example of a company that overstepped ethical and social responsibility boundaries s the oil and gas company BP p. l. c. In 2010, a massive oil spill broke out in the Gulf of Mexico that was caused by oil drilling conducted by this Company and its key contractors. This oil spill caused the death of eleven individuals and cost the company and its partners tens of billions of dollars in order to contain a blowout of the well, mitigate the damages caused and compensate all the individuals and businesses impacted by the spill. The Telegraph). As a result of this oil spill, the US Government established an Oil Spill Commission hich was put in place to investigate the reasons for this disaster. The report concluded that a number of separate factors contributed to the spill which included oversights and outright mistakes from BP and its contractors, Halliburton and Transocean, however that the underlying rea son was a failure from management (National Commission).Management, in an effort to minimize the loss of returns, made concessions for a series of cost-cutting measures that included the quality of the materials used, short cuts in testing processes and the reliance on fewer esources which ultimately contributed to the oil spill. The Commission also concluded that the overall industry nad deficiencies in its internal controls; decision making protocols, training and corporate culture.As a result, the short falls in this disaster were a combination of oversights and negligence from multiple parties thus extending the ethical and social responsibility among internal and external stakeholders (National Commission). As part of the remedy process for the disaster, BP was required to take actions to urther enhance the safety of its drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico.These actions included improved risk management processes such as auditing and verification from third-parties, impro ved training for its employees, and the implementation of more efficient and safer equipment for well drilling (BP, Investigations and Legal Proceedings). Additionally, the company's sustainability report for 2012 includes a letter from the Group's Chief Executive which states that the Organization's strategy going forward is to create value for its shareholders and upply energy throughout the globe in a safe and responsible manner.The statement goes on to use other key phrases such as becoming a safety leader in the industry, a responsible corporate citizen and a good employer. The strategy also emphasizes the need to enhance safety and risk management and earn back the trust and value of the Organization (BP, Sustainability Review 2012). All indications are that the Company's behavior pre oil spill was irresponsible and negligent and was potentially driven primarily by a focus to provide strong returns on heir investments while compromising the integrity and internal controls of t he operations.Post oil spill, the Company has had to learn from the consequences of a very costly disaster in order to stay in business and thrive. The Organization appears to understand now the need for effective communication, transparency and detailed due-diligence in all their efforts. In collusion ethics and social responsibilities' within an organization take on an imperative role to the success of a corporation or company. Society must also be ware and educate themselves from scams, aggressive business tactics and do their part to prevent these unethical organizations from preying on vulnerable consumers.

Bad Reporting VS Government Cover

Bad Reporting VS Government Cover Bad Reporting VS Government Cover-up Essay Bad Reporting VS Government Cover-up Upon the signing of the Constitution, the American people were given many rights and liberties. One of those rights is the right of freedom of speech. Americans tend to think that they also have the right to receive full, correct information from the media. Yet this idea has become seemingly absurd. Even Thomas Jefferson, one of the main contributors of the American Constitution and the third president of the United States once said, â€Å"The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers.† This proves that even long ago the public had the understanding that the media readily edits the type, amount, and content of the â€Å"facts† they reveal. The series of events that the media reported during the terrorist attacks of September 11 2001, greatly demonstrate the media’s ability to edit and negotiate facts. Some of the main information that the media reported that day was about the hijacked airplanes. It all star ted at 8:00 am with American Airlines Flight 11 that was carrying 92 people, it departed from Boston and headed for Los Angeles. Just a few minutes after the plane departed, it was hijacked and subsequently redirected towards New York. At 8:14 am, Flight 175 from United Airlines also departed from Boston, but only carrying 65 people, and within five minutes the plane’s identification transponder had been shut off it was also being hijacked and turned away from Los Angeles and towards New York. Next, at 8:21 am, American Airlines Flight 77, carrying 64 people, took off from Washington and also was originally headed towards Los Angeles but was forced to change its course and was redirected toward New York too. Yet, it was not until 8:40 am, that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) notifies the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) about the first â€Å"suspected† hijacking of American Flight 11. It took them an astounding 40 minutes to notify the proper authorities. Then at 8:41 am United Air Lines Flight 93, Boeing 757 with 44 people on board, it takes off from Newark with a destination of Los Angeles. It was not until 8:43 am that the FAA notified NORAD about the second â€Å"suspected† hijacking this time of United Flight 175. Sadly, at 8:46am, Flight 11 slams into the North Tower at the World Trade Center, between floors 93 and 99. The aircraft struck the north side of the tower. Continuing at 9:03am the South Tower at the World Trade Center was plunged into, from the south, by Flight 175. By this time, America was in complete devastation and a contributing factor was that there were many conflicting and confusing â€Å"Breaking News† reports being broadcasted. 9:24 am the FAA notified NORAD about another â€Å"suspected† hijacking of American Flight 77. Tragically, at 9:40 am American Flight 77 crashes into Pentagon. Next, United Flight 93 crashes in a field in Pennsylvania at 10:03 am after passengers rus h the hijackers. South towers collapsed at 9:59 am followed by the North tower at 10:28 am. The collapses were massive, with tons of smoke and dust, and watched by an audience of millions. However, the information that the media reported that day was not exactly the whole story. Proven by a statement made by firefighter Louie Cacchioli, who was assigned to Engine 47 in Harlem, reported to the media that, â€Å"We were the first ones in the second tower after the plane struck... On the last trip up a bomb went off. We think there was bombs set in the building. (People Magazine, para.12)† Many of the first reports and the most of the people being interviewed on that day were all saying the same thing, that there were many explosions heard that sounded like bombs. There is even footage of the planes hitting the towers, in slow motion, showing evidence of visible explosions that happen before the planes even make contact with the towers. So what exactly are the reasons for trying to cover-up this information? A

The Mystery of North Americas Black Wolves

The Mystery of North America's Black Wolves Despite their name, gray wolves (Canis lupus) are not always just gray. These canids  can also have black or white coats; the ones with black coats are referred to, logically enough, as black wolves. The frequencies of the various coat shades and colors prevailing within  a wolf population often vary with habitat. For example, wolf packs that live in open tundra  consist mostly of  light-colored individuals; the pale coats of these wolves allow them to blend in with their surroundings and conceal themselves when pursuing caribou, their primary prey. On the other hand, wolf packs living in boreal forests contain higher proportions of dark-colored individuals, as their murky habitat enables darker-colored individuals to blend in. Of all the color variations in Canis lupus, the black individuals are the most intriguing. Black wolves are so colored because of a genetic mutation in their K locus gene. This mutation causes a condition known as melanism, an increased presence of dark pigmentation which causes an individual to be colored black (or nearly black). Black wolves are also intriguing because of their distribution; there are significantly more black wolves in North America than there are in Europe.   To better understand the genetic underpinnings of black wolves, a team of scientists from Stanford University, UCLA, Sweden, Canada, and Italy recently assembled under the leadership of Stanfords Dr. Gregory Barsh; this group analyzed the DNA sequences of 150 wolves (about half of which were black) from Yellowstone National Park. They wound up piecing together a surprising genetic story, stretching back tens of thousands of years to a time when early humans were breeding domestic canines in favor of darker varieties. It turns out that the presence of black individuals in Yellowstones wolf packs is the result of deep historical mating between black domestic dogs and gray wolves. In the distant past, humans bred dogs in favor of darker, melanistic individuals, thus increasing the abundance of melanism in domestic dog populations. When domestic dogs interbred with wild wolves, they helped to bolster melanism in wolf populations as well. Unraveling the deep genetic past of any animal is a tricky business. Molecular analysis provides scientists with a way to estimate when genetic shifts could have occurred in the past, but its usually impossible to attach a firm date to such events. Based on genetic analysis, Dr. Barshs team estimated that the melanism mutation in canids arose sometime between 13,000 and 120,00 years ago (with the most likely date being about 47,000 years ago). Since dogs were domesticated around 40,000 years ago, this evidence fails to confirm whether the melanism mutation arose first in wolves or domestic dogs. But the story does not end there. Because melanism is far more prevalent in North American wolf populations than it is in European wolf populations, this  suggests that the cross between domestic dogs populations (rich in melanistic forms) likely occurred in North America. Using the data collected, study co-author Dr. Robert Wayne has dated the presence of domestic dogs in Alaska to about 14,000 years ago. He and his colleagues are now investigating ancient dog remains from that time and location to determine whether (and to what degree) melanism was present in those ancient domestic dogs. Edited on February 7, 2017, by Bob Strauss

The Many Uses of Carbon Fiber

The Many Uses of Carbon Fiber In fiber reinforced composites, fiberglass is the workhorse of the industry. It is used in many applications and is very  competitive  with traditional materials such as wood, metal, and concrete. ​Fiberglass products are strong, lightweight, non-conductive, and the raw material costs of fiberglass are very low. In applications where there is a premium for increased strength, lower weight, or for cosmetics, then other more expensive reinforcing fibers are used in the FRP composite. Aramid fiber, such as DuPonts Kevlar, is used in an application that requires the high tensile strength which aramid provides. An example of this is body and vehicle armor, where layers of aramid reinforced composite can stop high powered rifle rounds, due in part to the high tensile strength of the fibers. Carbon fibers are used where low weight, high stiffness, high conductivity, or where the look of the carbon fiber weave desired. Carbon Fiber In Aerospace Aerospace and space were some of the first industries to adopt carbon fiber. The high modulus of carbon fiber makes it  suitable  structurally to replace alloys such as aluminum and titanium. The weight savings carbon fiber provides is the primary reason carbon fiber has been adopted by the aerospace industry. Every pound of weight savings can make a serious difference in fuel consumption, which is why Boeings new 787 Dreamliner has been the best-selling  passenger  plane in history. The majority of this planes structure is carbon fiber reinforced composites. Sporting Goods Recreational sports is another market segment which is more than willing to pay more for higher performance. Tennis rackets, golf clubs, softball bats, hockey sticks, and archery arrows and bows are all products commonly manufactured with carbon fiber reinforced composites. Lighter weight equipment without compromising strength is a distinct advantage in sports. For example, with a lighter weight tennis racket, one can get much faster racket speed, and ultimately, hit the ball harder and faster. Athletes continue to push for an advantage in equipment. This is why serious  bicyclists ride all carbon fiber bikes and use bicycle shoes that use carbon fiber. Wind Turbine Blades Although the majority of wind turbine blades uses fiberglass, on large blades (often over 150 ft in length) include a spare, which is a stiffening rib that runs the length of the blade. These components are often 100% carbon, and as thick as a few inches at the root of the blade. Carbon fiber is used to provide the  necessary  stiffness, without adding a tremendous amount of weight. This is important because the lighter a wind turbine blade is, the more efficient it is at creating  electricity. Automotive Mass-produced automobiles are not yet adopting carbon fiber; this is because of the increased raw material cost and  necessary  changes in tooling, still, outweighs the benefits. However, Formula 1, NASCAR, and high-end cars are using carbon fiber. In many cases, it is not because of the benefits of properties or weight, but because of the look. There are many aftermarket automotive parts being made out of carbon fiber, and instead of being painted, they are clear-coated. The distinct carbon fiber weave has become a symbol of hi-tech and hi-performance. In fact, it is common to see an aftermarket automotive component that is a single layer of carbon fiber but has multiple layers of fiberglass below to lower costs. This would be an example where the look of the carbon fiber is actually the deciding factor. Although these are some of the common uses of carbon fiber, many new applications are seen almost daily. The growth of carbon fiber is fast, and in just 5 years, this list will be much longer.

A Business Plan for the Important, Sale, and Eventual Production of Essay

A Business Plan for the Important, Sale, and Eventual Production of MDMA - Essay Example For the Love of Molly: A Business Plan for the Important, Sale, and Eventual Production of MDMA This has encouraged even those that might otherwise have a moral compunction against such an activity to engage in the sale and trafficking of illegal substances. In this dystopian world, one in which executive decree hearkens back to the divine right of kings and a simple suspicion of possible future crime can have one indefinitely interred in a maximum security zone, the following analysis will seek to provide the reader with an informed way in which this author would seek to establish a United States ecstasy enterprise. In such a way, a focus upon seeking first to develop imports of the drug into a robust network of suppliers, then seeking to shift from importation to domestic production as a means of serving the demand that has been created will be discussed. Finally, a level of analysis will be put forward with regards to the best way of seeking to distribute and retail these products to the end consumer. Firstly, in order to base a level of business upon the importation of ecst asy, it must be realized that almost all trade and business development is based upon trust and personal connections with individuals that business is being performed with. As such, seeking to foster connections within South East Asia with government officials, mafia kingpins, and military juntas is a good first step in forging the personal connections that will be required in order to create a U.S. import economy for ecstasy. Due to the fact that ecstasy’s prime ingredient, sassafras oil - also known as camphor oil, can only be harvested from sassafras trees, seeking to develop close ties with individuals that have access to camphor oil supplies internationally is a logical and intelligent first step (Singer 112). The supply of ecstasy around the world generally originates within South East Asia; an area of the world that is notoriously corrupt and if one is in fact arrested for a crime, a bribe can easily be paid in order to have the individual released and the â€Å"crime forgotten† (Cherry 18). The enterprising young business person from the United States would do well to remember that the legal system within these far flung reaches of the world, although just as Draconian as the United States on the surface, does not have the severity as far as punishment goes as long as an individual has ready cash on hand to buy out the correct officials. As such, in seeking to establish a resilient import economy for ecstasy, once these personal relations are solidified, it is necessary to begin to insure that the delivery mechanisms for the drug will not be challenged. Numerous individuals seeking to import raw MDMA from South East Asia have been foiled by hit or miss US Customs enforcement. Random searches and seizures of entire vessels laden with MDMA worth untold millions on the street have occurred in the recent past. As such, seeking to integrate with the supply chain by importing the drug the old fashioned way is both foolish and highly dangerous. A far more effective approach would be to leverage what few others have considered can be done; the bribery of US Customs officials. Naturally, with the current state of propaganda that exists within the American media, such a thought is not even presently in the mind of anyone within society (Fitzgerald 201). Individuals have been led to wrongly believe that bribery within the United States is something that merely cannot exist. However, with the ever increasing hardship that the

Marketing Intelligence Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Marketing Intelligence Report - Essay Example They should devise suitable plans and choose appropriate methods in order to gain high quality marketing information to analyse and evaluate. To this end, the process of Marketing Intelligence is essential. This paper will identify appropriate marketing intelligence requirements for business decision-making that are required to design, plan and implement a marketing intelligence programme. This will be done by focusing on how quantitative and qualitative information can be interpreted and coherently presented with the appropriate intelligence that leads to effective marketing and business decisions. The process, quality and outcomes of a marketing intelligence project will be evaluated to substantiate the report. The paper will examine the marketing intelligence issues relative to financial institutions in the UK. The Marketing Concept and Marketing Intelligence Marketing is the procedure through which an organization plans and executes the creation, promotion, pricing and distribution of goods and services to sell and create satisfaction for consumers and to meet organizational objectives. It is thus required for the organization to focus on consumers in order to understand their needs and to make them satisfied in the shortest possible time and in the most efficient ways that prove to be beneficial for both consumers and the organization. This implies that any organization has to get involved in gathering information relative to consumer needs and collect marketing intelligence in order to efficiently meet the given needs. Marketing research is a crucial element of marketing intelligence and helps in improving the management’s decision making process through the availability of timely, specific and authentic information. All decisions taken by the management create specific needs for information without which the pertinent strategi es cannot be developed. In the context of financial institutions in the UK, market intelligence implies the ability of the institution to collect market information in objective and systematic ways and to effectively analyze and interpret the same. This information should be applied in the right context to come up with strategic proposals and action strategies. The application of the information in the right context is the element that differentiates marketing intelligence from market research. It essentially refers to the aspect of information gathering relative to the wider market intelligence processes. A market intelligent financial institution has the ability to ascertain the kind of efficient marketing research tools that are most applicable to resolve its current problems. It implements the most efficient strategies in ensuring outcomes that are reliable and of high quality. Eventually, such institutions are able to incorporate the outcomes of the research to develop efficien t strategies (Kim and Mauborgne, 2004 ). The process of gathering marketing intelligence The process of gathering marketing intelligence for financial institutions is characterized with a gap in terms of tools that enhance their operations. In most cases, the research outcomes are not fully scattered across the entire institution, which prevents them from being effectively included in the business operations. Mostly, marketing research is an isolated effort that does not allow the results to be acted upon effectively. In addressing this issue, it is important to develop a systematic strategy that takes the institution through the complete procedure of marketing activities from designing to implementing and applying. The institution should determine the objectives and

Bowl Championship Series Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bowl Championship Series - Research Paper Example The United States Bowl Championship Series is one area that is increasingly becoming notable for its agenda for money other than living up the original dream of breeding great future sports personalities. Ironically, the fracas with the Bowl Championship Series is so tactical that one needs special scrutiny to come to terms that the series has now become a money-making venture for some people. It is therefore the aim of this research paper to take up the task of the scrutiny to expose what is likely to be a future mayhem if not checked What is the Bowl Championship Series The Bowl Championship Series, commonly referred to as BSC is a five-game showcase of college football in the United States of America (BCS Official Website, 2010). The system is referred to as a five-game showcase because it is made of five different bowl games at five different venues among which various colleges battle for the ultimate of two top-rated teams in the series. These top two teams are honored by taking part in the National Championship Game and at the National Championship Games the two top-rated teams are made to play each other. ... History of the Bowl Championship Series The Bowl Championship Series was born out of existing college based football competitions. According to Ours (2007), ‘The first intercollegiate football contest was played on November 6th, 1869, at New Brunswick, New Jersey.’ The system of competitions however kept changing from time to time. The new national bodies in charge of bowl kept coming in place to regulate and regularize the activities of college football. The current bowl game system was formed in 1902 in Pasadena, California and by 1906, there was the formation of the NCAA which oversaw the affairs of bowl games in the country (Billingsley, 2010). The involvement of various college football conferences started in the 1940s as by that time there was the existence of many bowl games across the country such as Cotton Bowl Classic, Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl. The current college football games followed the system of playoffs as used by the NCCA to select yearly champions un til 1998 when the Bowl Championship Series was introduced (Cummings, 2008). According to Cummings, The new system was necessitated ‘to avoid the controversy created by the 1997 split national championship’. Has the Bowl Championship Series failed on its aims? Controversies and Monetary Accusations. What is the Relevancy of Non-BCS Schools in the BCS System According to the official website of the Bowl Championship Series, it series was ‘designed to ensure that the two top-rated teams in the country meet in the national championship game, and to create exciting and competitive matchups among eight other highly regarded teams in four other bowl

Analyzing the present state of Jamaica Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Analyzing the present state of Jamaica - Essay Example However, the founding of Jamaica was officially articulated to the discovery made by the Spanish explorer called Christopher Columbus in the 15th century1. He discovered that Jamaica comprised of over 200 hundred villages of the indigenous population in the southern part of the country. Thereafter the British proclaimed the Jamaican colony and Spanish conceded defeat, as they were militarily weak to engage in a battle with the British. Therefore, Henry explored further into the northern parts and established British settlements after realizing that the colony had rich soils that would promote agricultural projects. From a critical analysis of the book â€Å"The present state of Jamaica†, the following discussion explains on the tremendous exchanges in the Jamaican history that resulted to distinct cultures, political systems, economic practices, and social exchanges through demographic dimensions. Spanish colonies were the most established in the Caribbean islands since their founding by Christopher Columbus in the early 1450s. On occupying Jamaica, the Britons realized that all the surrounding colonies belonged to the Spanish and were prosperous in all their economic, social and cultural environments. The Britons lacked financial capabilities to ensure that all activities ran in accordance to the desired set of plans. This period whereby the British tried to weigh out the surrounding circumstances and the possible methods of achieving success in the colony is directly relative to invasions they made in the Spanish rich territories. A young Henry Morgan engaged in the military in his early age, gained experience and turned out to be an aggressive privateer, and through him most of the Britons in Jamaica benefited from the ambushes he laid against the Spanish territories the Spanish. He owned ships and privateers who reflected aggression in all expeditions that Henry termed as profitable2. The book referred to as the present Jamaica is a reflection of the activities aged before 1665 in Jamaica and the extent at which they shaped the subsequent environment in the country. These intercultural relations are born of Captain Morgan’s invasions, and the British military slavery practices in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Jamaican colonial masters traded in slavery in order to yield enough manual labor for farming. Most of the slaves were from the African continent while the rest comprised of the South Americans, Asians, and the indigenous population of Jamaica3. Throughout the past 6 centuries, Jamaica has been a hub for many of the world’s notorious pirates, a factor articulated to the practices of Henry Morgan. Ancient practices continually passed through generations and the country’s current culture of Jamaica is comprised of notorious and aggressive individuals, many of whom are youths. The rise in crimes and indulgence in drugs, and the considerable praise heaped on the legendary Captain Morgan reflect to the c urrent practices. In the 15th century, the British were well established and had begun to rear a wide variety of domestic animals ranging from fowl, flocks of sheep, horses, mules, and wild birds of whose products would be of vital use at their homes. The masters argued out that all the present animal and food variety were of better quality compared to those present in their homeland, Britain. As the colony continuously amassed strengths and engaged in worthwhile economic activities, their Spanish predecessors would make surprise attacks, but all were combated by the military

Sacred Rite - Roman Catholic Christian Sacramental Worship Research Paper

Sacred Rite - Roman Catholic Christian Sacramental Worship - Research Paper Example This paper will discuss the sacred rites around the Catholic Christian worship. Catholic catechism helps it followers understand the deep mysteries of the Church. It purports to be the only church left by Jesus Christ, and they state this in the creed the decreed the church as one, holy, Catholic and apostolic. To Catholics, a sacrament is a sacred procedure through which God uses to express his grace to humankind. In addition, sacraments depict Gods presence. Before Jesus Christ left earth, Catholics believe he celebrated seven sacraments, which they hold dear in their faith. These include baptism, confirmation Eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick, matrimony, and religious orders. Eucharist is a vital sacrament that holds most of the Catholic faith. They believe that it completes a new believer’s initiation to the church. It is the only sacrament that is celebrated daily as Catholic faithful congregate for their prayers that they call â€Å"mass.† Eucharistic sacrifice includes prayers, reading parts of the bible, singing of hymns, and priests present. The wheat and wine in some peculiar glasses are lifted to God, and the priest chants some words to invite God to do the transformation. After these prayers, Christians partake of the bread as the body of Jesus and wine as the blood of Jesus. In this, they celebrate his death and resurrection on the cross, which they believe to have washed their original sin caused by Adam and Eve. Not all Catholic Christians participate in the Eucharist in a celebration. Eucharist is sacred and therefore, Christians living in sin will not partake of it. Such Christians include married couples who did not have their union blessed in church and people who have not gone for atonement for some time and thus have accumulated sins. In the Catholic faith, ordination to the priesthood is a sacrament on its own. Every Christian has the right to choose to marry or spend a celibate life.  

Chinese Christian History Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Chinese Christian History - Research Paper Example There is a current interest in Chinese Christianity studies owing to what many quarters see as an upsurge in the number of Christians in the country in recent times, with some estimates putting the number of Chinese Christians at anywhere between 25 million to 200 million, said to be the highest those numbers have ever been in China, with prospects for more growth in the number of new entrants to Christianity moving forward. This, in spite of a history of Christian persecution and persecution and suppression of religious expression by the government authorities in China through time, making it difficult to come up with accurate assessments of the state of Christianity in the country at any given time. The implication is that the persecution must drive some of the Christian activities underground, so that at any given time in history, one can say that the official numbers belie an even larger underground population of Chinese Christians who choose to remain incognito rather than face the wrath of the Chinese bureaucratic machine. That said, the history of Chinese Christians is interesting, given that at even today’s conservative estimates, the number of Chinese Christians attending Sunday service now dwarf the total number of European Christians, with a large potential upside. This paper basically traces the historical roots of this present-day phenomenon of the meteoric rise in the numbers of Christians in China (Gardam; Kelman; BillionBibles.org; Liqiang and Yinan; Christians in China; Moll; Orso; Yao). II. Chinese Christian History A. How Chinese Christianity Developed The earliest form of Christianity that took root in China had its origins in what is called Nestorian Christianity, which is a form of Christianity introduced by Alopen, a Nestorian \Christian from Syria, who came into China in 635 during the time of the Tang Dynasty. The religion was perceived and received by the local Chinese Buddhists as a variant of Buddhism itself, and via this asso ciation was received positively by the Chinese at the time, calling the religion of Alopen a brilliant religion worthy of admiration. The Chinese from the Tang period had a curious stance towards Western religion at the time, and this version gained some traction and toleration for some period of time, before it was rooted out of mainland China during the purge of the 9th century, when its perceived association with Buddhist precepts made it a candidate for purging. Several other waves of Christianity met with some mild success but failed to take root as well, from the 13th all the way to the 18th centuries, before a fourth Christianity wave that occurred during the 19th century developed sturdier roots in Chinese society. During this time, coercion on the part of the western powers allowed Christianity as advanced by missionaries to gain ground even with the corresponding advance of western economic and political interests resulted in Christianity being perceived as part of this dr ive, and so was resisted in some measure by the Chinese. The backlash from all this was the targeting of Christian groups in China in 1919, and the further withering of the roots of Chinese Christianity in the ensuing years due to the pressures exerted on it by the budding Communist Party. During this tim

Sacred Rite - Roman Catholic Christian Sacramental Worship Research Paper

Sacred Rite - Roman Catholic Christian Sacramental Worship - Research Paper Example This paper will discuss the sacred rites around the Catholic Christian worship. Catholic catechism helps it followers understand the deep mysteries of the Church. It purports to be the only church left by Jesus Christ, and they state this in the creed the decreed the church as one, holy, Catholic and apostolic. To Catholics, a sacrament is a sacred procedure through which God uses to express his grace to humankind. In addition, sacraments depict Gods presence. Before Jesus Christ left earth, Catholics believe he celebrated seven sacraments, which they hold dear in their faith. These include baptism, confirmation Eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick, matrimony, and religious orders. Eucharist is a vital sacrament that holds most of the Catholic faith. They believe that it completes a new believer’s initiation to the church. It is the only sacrament that is celebrated daily as Catholic faithful congregate for their prayers that they call â€Å"mass.† Eucharistic sacrifice includes prayers, reading parts of the bible, singing of hymns, and priests present. The wheat and wine in some peculiar glasses are lifted to God, and the priest chants some words to invite God to do the transformation. After these prayers, Christians partake of the bread as the body of Jesus and wine as the blood of Jesus. In this, they celebrate his death and resurrection on the cross, which they believe to have washed their original sin caused by Adam and Eve. Not all Catholic Christians participate in the Eucharist in a celebration. Eucharist is sacred and therefore, Christians living in sin will not partake of it. Such Christians include married couples who did not have their union blessed in church and people who have not gone for atonement for some time and thus have accumulated sins. In the Catholic faith, ordination to the priesthood is a sacrament on its own. Every Christian has the right to choose to marry or spend a celibate life.  

A Worn Path Eudora Welty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

A Worn Path Eudora Welty - Research Paper Example The old woman’s eyesight is fast failing her but she had to make it to the hospital in the city for the sake of her grandson. Welty gave her work rich symbolic meanings in her attempt to pass her message to her readers. The title itself ‘A Worn Path’ is symbolic of the old woman’s sufferings and determination to have her grandson healed (Deakins 14). The woman must have made repeated journeys to the hospital without giving up on her hope that one day, her grandson would get well. In Phoenix, the writes captures the spirit of perseverance in desperation, the story presents the theme determination and courage through characterization of Phoenix. Nothing other than determination is what inspires the old frail woman to make repeated journeys to the city on foot to seek for a relief for her ailing grandson. Through the actions and treatment of Phoenix by other characters, the theme of courage becomes clear to readers. Eudora Welty has used different literary sty les in achieving her purpose in writing the story. This paper shall focus on her use of symbolism, characterization, and setting to develop the theme of courage in ‘A Worn Path’. Characterization There are several characters in the short story in whose reception and treatment of the old Phoenix portrays her resilient character traits. She is determined to ensure that she gets the medication for he ailing grandson. On her way to Natchez city, the old woman with a failing vision encounters a White Hunter, Black American children, a pedestrian in the city, attendant at the hospital, a nurse at the hospital, and her ailing grandson whom she has lefty back at home. Her courage is seen when she is determined to go through all the hurdles that are presented by nature on her path that passes through the jungle. Phoenix says on her way â€Å"out of my way you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbits, coons, and wild animals†¦.† (Welty para 3). When the old woman was trudgi ng through the path uphill, she pauses and looks backs and says â€Å"Up through the pines. Now down through the oak.† (Welty para 5). The woman’s journey is largely tormenting but she is courageous that she would eventually reach the city to get medication for her grandson. When the White Hunter tells her to stay home where there is safety for her frail figure, the old woman says that she must reach Natchez city. Her main goal is to get to the city undeterred by the thorny bushes, steeps, and creeks of the jungle. Her abilities to keep trudging despite her numerous challenges brings her fourth as a very determined old woman who would not bow down to anything other than achieving her desires. Phoenix resilience helps the author in building the theme of courage in the story (Wampler para 1). Phoenix is treated condescendingly by the White Hunter that picks her from a ditch where she fell into. Due to the fact that Christmas holiday was just looming, the White Hunter pre sumes that the old black woman was making such a long journey just to lay her eyes on Santa Claus. He tells Phoenix â€Å"I know you old colored people! Wouldn't miss going to town to see Santa Claus!† (Welty para 19). This statement insinuates some kind of racial bias. The White Hunter is presuming that old black people are such obsessed with Santa Claus to an extent that the woman would just make many miles of a perilous journey just to see Santa Claus. Even when the White Hunter points his gun at her, Phoenix seemed unperturbed by the threat of the gun. At the clinic from

Response for Case Datril Essay Example for Free

Response for Case Datril Essay 1) What course of action should Datril take? It should solidify its position in the analgesic market and gain share in the rapidly growing acetaminophen market. It should target both Tylenol Users and Aspirin Users. On one hand, it should explain to customers that Datril’s effect is identical to Tylenol and use low-price promotion. On the other hand, it should leverage Bristal-Myers’s name to facilitate its market penetration. Generally, it should focus on advertisement and promotion. 2) What are the pros and cons of targeting Tylenol Users? Pros: Datril is a substitute of Tylenol, but compared to Tylenol, it’s cheaper. Besides, Tylenol almost controls the market of acetaminophen and it controls nearly the whole potentials customers for Datril. Cons: Tylenol dominated the acetaminophen market for a long time. On one hand, many customers have strong loyalty to Tylenol. On the other hand, since it’s a new drug, many people neither know it nor trust it, Datril has to spend a lot of time and money in advertisement. Besides, its effect is identical to Tylenol, which means in quality it doesn’t have any advantages over Tylenol. In this way, low price becomes a big attraction for customers. But the low-price strategy means lower profit per unit. 3) What are the pros and cons of targeting Aspirin Users? Pros: Datril’s effective element is acetaminophen, which has the same function as Aspirin but less side effects. In contrast, acetaminophen analgesics raised the pain threshold and reduced fever without having the anti-inflammatory effect of aspirin, thus meeting the needs of people who suffered from upset stomach. The data shows that acetaminophen’s market almost doubles while Aspirin’s only increases by 9%. It means that more and more people prefer to use acetaminophen. Targeting acetaminophen users apparently is a very promising action. Cons: Datril, Bufferin and Excedrin all belong to Bristal-Myers. And Bufferin and Excedrin are both very successful leading brands in Aspirin market. Datril absolutely can borrow some positive association from these two brands if Bristol-Myers tries to leverage its name to facilitate Datril’s rapid market penetration.

Is Was Unfortunate That AIDS Hit The Gay Community First :: Gay Lesbian Issues Essays

Is Was Unfortunate That AIDS Hit The Gay Community First If the United States had known 20 years ago what it knows now about the transmission and progression of HIV, it would have most likely taken greater steps to contain the spread of the virus. However, it was then unknown that each diagnosed case of AIDS represented hundreds of cases of undiagnosed HIV in the greater population. It was also unknown that HIV's eight-year incubation coupled with its mode of sexual transmission would rapidly result in one of the worst epidemics in modern history. In hindsight it is unfortunate that AIDS first broke out among a sector of american society which was as marginalized and sexually liberated as was the gay male sector of american society. Despite all the positive measures taken by the gay community to promote AIDS awareness and research after the epidemic broke out, the adversarial relationship they had with the Reagan administration and the promiscuity associated with their sexual revolution contributed towards the spread of AIDS. In the HBO movie, And the Band Played On, adapted from Randy Shilts's best-selling book of the same title, it is suggested that the spread of the AIDS epidemic could have been contained had the health issue been given appropriate attention and funding from the outset. This may not be true. Whether or not AIDS could have been contained may have depended on the population it was affecting. If so, the fact that AIDS hit the homosexual population first may have been particularly unfavorable for two reasons. First, according to the best information on the risk of transmission associated with certain behaviors made available by the CDC, anal sex is the act mostly likely to transmit AIDS. Anal sex is practiced in the male homosexual population far more than in any other sector of american society. Second, the gay male population was considerably promiscuous in the early 1980s as a result of their recent sexual revolution. Sexually transmitted disease such as syphilis, gonorrhea, and HIV ran rampant through public bath houses, where gay men would engage in anonymous sex with other men. These two factors contributed significantly to the spread of AIDS. While it is impossible to know if the AIDS epidemic could have been completely contained, it is certainly true that an earlier understanding of the HIV virus and its modes of transmission would have dissuaded some people from engaging in the types of high-risk behaviors associated with HIV transmission, and hence saved lives.