Isolation of Aspirin

Once the aspirin is prepared, it is isolated from the reaction solution and then it is purified. The aspirin is insoluble in cold water, and it is isolated by filtering the chilled reaction solution. Purification is essential to remove any unreacted salicylic acid and acetic anhydride as well as the acetic acid product and phosphoric acid. Acetic anhydride is caused to decompose by the addition of water once the formation of aspirin is complete. C4H6O3 (Acetic anhydride) + H2O (Water) ————————-> 2C2H4O2 (Acetic Acid) The acetic acid and phosphoric acid are water soluble and it is removed by washing the aspirin with chilled water. Salicylic acid is only slightly soluble in water and is not completely removed in the washing steps. Phosphoric acid can be used instead of sulphuric acid if desired to obtain the higher yield, as sulphuric acid reacts more readily with the organic molecules involved in the reaction than phosphoric acid. However, phosphoric acid does not absorb water in the reaction; therefore it may be a slower process. Final purification is completed by the process of Recrystallisation. By recrystalising the crude aspirin slowly, it was possible to obtain large crystals with an exact structure by allowing the aspirin molecules to join together in a precise way. The regular molecular crystal structure of the final product makes it more difficult for impurities to be included, eliminating impurities present in the formless crude product. The impure aspirin is dissolved in warm ethanol. The solution is then cooled slowly, and the aspirin crystallises out of solution leaving the salicylic acid and other impurities behind. In my experiment, pure aspirin was obtained after filtering out the impurities and excess reagents through the filter paper. A method to check a solid compound’s purity after recrsytallisation is to check its melting point. The melting point of a compound can be used to identify it and also to estimate its purity. Normally an impure compound will show a melting point which is lower than that of a pure compound. Therefore, if the sample of aspirin melts at a temperature below the accepted melting point two possibilities can exist; either the sample is impure or it is not aspirin. A pure substance will melt sharply at 1-20C per minute when nearing the expected melting point in order to get a more accurate range. An impure compound will melt over a wider temperature range.

Change Initiative Paper Essay

Introduction Perhaps one of the greatest triumphs in United States history, World War II was essentially ended upon the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The boom heard around the world was not the only important outcome but rather what came after which was the baby boom. Many weary husbands that were coming home to eager wives caused one of the biggest statistical jumps of birth rates following the war. Often referred to as the â€Å"baby boomers†, this generation becomes especially important to the medical field in the present day. This is where hospice comes into play, allowing individuals the choice of obtaining this benefit upon reaching a 6 month or less terminal diagnosis. Hospice gives the individual a chance to die comfortably in a nursing facility, a general impatient hospital, or their own home. As an individual who used to work for Vitas Innovative Hospice, I ran the Telecare department which was responsible for the after-hours phone lines available to the patients and families. Patient Care Secretaries were assigned to handle calls and create tickets based on the customer needs whether it is a symptom or equipment failure. Nurses were similar, however, they were to receive the call from the secretary or call back the patient in order to triage the symptom properly. Vitas Telecare must adapt to be ready for the incoming flux of new patients from not only the baby boomers but from future generations to come. The Need for Change The change to be delivered is not a specific target but rather a broad change to efficiency to maximize profits while still maintaining Vitas’ core values â€Å"patients and families come first†. In the past decade, hospice in general has been coming under fire for keeping patients too long in their services should their prognosis improve. According to the Union Tribune, it was announced on February 13 of 2013; San Diego Hospice had filed bankruptcy and closed due to the Medicare audits that investigated patient eligibility. This type of publicity not only brought a negative light upon San Diego hospice but all across San Diego including Vitas. While the change may not come too easily, steps must be taken toward reshaping the public view in order to regain their trust to put their loved ones into Vitas services. Additionally, with the economy still not in a great state, lack of efficiency is costing the company. As the Patient Care Administrator of Telecare, I was responsible for maintaining a smooth flow of calls without tying up the customers on hold for too long. One of the biggest flaws that contributed to high call volume was the lack of both communication and following of scheduled breaks. Too often, employees were all taking lunches or breaks around the same time creating a heavy back up of calls as the only remaining employees could not handle them all. Vitas recently implanted a break management system called Workforce Management that not only observes peak and down call flow, but also manages break times accordingly to maximize efficiency. The problem, however, is the lack of employee discipline to follow the suggested break times. Several changes must be enacted including following of Workforce Management, focus on customer service, and continued efforts towards preparing for the future. The Change Model One of the most influential men today, John Kotter from Harvard Business School developed the Kotter’s Eight-Step Change Model as the most effective way to implement a change within an organization. The eight steps in order is as follows: create urgency, form a powerful coalition, create a vision for change, communicate the vision, remove obstacles, create short-term wins, build on the change, and anchor the changes in corporate culture. Kotter believed following these steps in the correct order created long lasting and successful change in any business if done correctly. This change model was selected based on several factors including success rate, concrete order of directions, and its ability to build upon existing success. The Role of the Leader in the Change Initiative In order for this success to commence, there are several leaders that must be in place during this re-creation of the Telecare department. The most important idea to realize is that everyone plays a part and that the leaders are just there to lead by example. This must be reiterated time and time again to assure the employees that everyone is included regardless of position. Sometimes during change, individuals feel left out just purely out  of their position in the matter or not being notified of everything going on. In order for employees to buy in initially, a sense of belonging must be established. The several leaders other than the Patient Care Administrator (PCA) would include supervisors under the PCA, a senior Patient Care Secretary (PCS) and a senior triage Registered Nurse (RN). The supervisor would walk around throughout the shift to make sure breaks and lunches are being followed as well as address any concerns of any of the employees. The senior PCS and senior RN would be in charge of holding a pre-shift meeting prior to taking the phone calls making sure to reiterate important do’s and do not’s of the job. Anytime employees of the same discipline would have a question, they could address it to their senior. Finally, the role of PCA is to assist the supervisors or seniors in any way or if any individual needs additional help. Meetings lead by the PCA must be held monthly to address progress and award individuals for their hard work. Process of Change As mentioned above, adopting Kotter’s Eight Step Change Model requires a strict following of the steps in order to generate long term change success. The first order of business is to establish a sense of urgency among all the employees in Telecare. A meeting would be called by the PCA in order to introduce the concept of the change and the reasons behind it. The meeting will be mandatory but also offer food and beverages or even encourage a potluck to involve them. Several concerns for the company would start broad pointing out how hospitals are starting their own hospices and continue to threaten the current status quo of Vitas. A good example would be Scripps Hospice or Sharp Hospice. Additionally, address the economic downturn that has not improved too much over the last decade and that job security is a must due to the depleting social security funds. Lastly, ask individuals one by one why they work this job, what is important to them and what can they do to help it. Next is to create a guiding coalition to direct others in the right direction towards the change. Change can be chaotic but when directed others will follow. As stated earlier, there is no hierarchy of bosses but rather a string of leaders to drive and lead by example. Employees must know that the supervisors and seniors are there to encourage them and address any problems they may come across during a phone call. For example, a PCS receives an angry caller and ends up becoming frustrated themselves so they put the caller on hold. Rather than allow the PCS to continue the call, the senior PCS could take the call and allow the PCS to take a short break to gather their thoughts. The beginning of the change is all about employee buy in. After the initial shock of starting the change, another meeting would be called to describe and communicate the vision, hoping that previous efforts have started to get employees to buy into the change. The main purpose of the change is to keep Vitas strong and competitive among other rising hospices by superior customer service and employees that we ll taken care of especially for their hard work. The next step requires others to empower the broad based change, meaning that every individual must feel like they are always involved and an important aspect of the process. The constant reiteration of this by the seniors and supervisors should continue this effort. If a pre-shift is finished early, the seniors may ask individuals about their daily lives and allow them to connect with each other. Working alone is a preference for some but being able to come to work with friends just gives them another incentive. Kotter’s next step is planning for and creating short-term wins. If there is something that causes an individual to work hard, it’s something they want. The PCA should create an incentive system based on an individual’s consistency and dedication. This all depends on the discipline since a PCS does not handle the medical work of a RN. An example of an incentive for a PCS would be a small raise for having a consistently high calls answered through several months. Additionally, an RN would receive a small raise based on customer satisfaction surveys or recommendation from a supervisor for observation of great work. The last two steps involve improving on previous successes and maintaining a bar by addressing the state of the call center every monthly meeting. Awards should be continued to recognize individual efforts but also continued awareness of each employee’s efforts. Overcoming Barriers to Change and Sustaining Change There will be always some resistance to change despite the hardest efforts but there are several ways that will encourage a shift. One reason a person works is for the money to pay and enjoy the lifestyle they have chosen. With the incentive already addressing this through incremental raises, employees should continue to look for ways to be consistent and work hard. Additionally, many people have families, personal days or things they would  like to do on certain days. Vitas may address this through hiring of employees in order to be flexible with schedules. Lastly, in order to feel involved, the PCA should look to meet with individual employees to communicate the vision and address any concerns they may have. Sustaining change requires the efforts of everyone including the PCA. Continued reinforcement means fixing problems as they appear or prepping for future conflicts. Conclusion Despite the new technology to save more and more lives daily, so too does the technology to destroy them. E-cigarettes and processed foods are just to name a few. Vitas Hospice should be ready for the many years to come and the health problems that cause terminal diagnosis’ to arise. With this change in place, Vitas will be ready. References Sisson, P. (2014). SD Hospice to Close; Scripps Steps in. Union Tribune. Retrieved September 9, 2014, from http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/feb/13/san-diego-hospice-closing/Webster, M. (2014). Successful Change Management – Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model. Retrieved September 9, 2014, from http://www.leadershipthoughts.com/kotters-8-step-change-model/

Team and leadership ip5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Team and leadership ip5 - Essay Example To achieve these objectives in business’s working environment, managers, employees and supervisors should understand several internal factors in the business and their importance. In addition, managers and supervisors should be able to apply their leadership skills to solve employee issues like poor relations, selfishness, communication breakdown and technological differences. Tuckman theories are very important for any group company to solve its problems. These theories help the company to face it problem and draw long time solutions to those problems. It is also difficult for some employees to work as a team in an organization. These organizations need to employ Tuckman theories to solve the problem. Tuckman theories enable a group to grow and achieve its objectives. Tuckman model has five stages. The first stage in the Tuckman model is forming. This stage involves building or creating a group. An individual idea is driven by the others to avoid creating conflicts in the business. Serious issues are ignored and the group focuses on the important issues in the business. It helps to reduce conflicts within the business. Being the conflict avoidance stage means that nothing much is done in this stage. The teams are usually encouraged to hold meetings in this stage and outline the challenges while, at the same, them outlining how to tackle those problems. In this stage interaction between members is emphasized. Therefore, they can make friends and can help one another in case of a problem (Tuckman 20). The second step involves storming. Groups have different ideas in this stage. The group usually discusses the best form of leadership that they are going to accept. The team shares many ideas and solutions. Some teams tend to stay on this stage while other teams may take a very short time to come out of this stage. Some other groups usually will stay in this stage forever. This stage works or functions as the best stage

Managing patient on antipsychotic medication Essay

Managing patient on antipsychotic medication - Essay Example Since that decade more than twenty of the antipsychotic agents have been introduced in United States. The antipsychotics used during the 1980s are collectively called conventional antipsychotics and the drugs that were introduced in the 1990s are called the atypical antipsychotics. Antipsychotics, unfortunately, have the tendency to be misused if the practitioner has sound knowledge about the psychopharmacological aspects of the drugs. Elderly patients are also at an increased risk of developing drug-induced motor or movement disorders as compared to the younger population (Saltz, Robinson, & Woerner, 2004). It is crucial to understand the pharmacological aspects of the antipsychotic drugs as improper management can lead to adverse drug reactions, drug-drug interactions, drug resistances and poor patient compliance. The second generation antipsychotics (SGA) are different from the first generation antipsychotics (FGA) because they also block the serotonin receptors. SGAs also have lesser extrapyrimidal symptoms as compared to the FGAs, however, SGAs ae associated with an increased risk of obesity, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. According to studies only two SGAs cloazipine and olanzipine has been proved to be more effective than the FGAs. Antipsychotics are approved by the FDA for use in schizophrenia as well as some other psychiatric conditions and non-psychiatric disorders. They are also indicated in the treatment of bipolar disorders, autism, generalized anxiety disrder, major depressive disorder, perioperative nausea, preoperative restlessness, severe behavorial probles, severe nausea and vomiting, and refractory tourette syndrome and for the management of neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia (Moore, DeJoseph, & Simmons, 2014). Both SGAs and FGAs are associated with risk factors and it is important to carry out a detailed assessment of the patient

Answering the given questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Answering the given questions - Assignment Example Venezuela mainly adopted capital controls so as to protect its domestic economy from the volatile or unpredictable capital movements. The sole aim of doing so was to allow full domestic employment and maximizing of social welfare, saving of foreign exchange  and keeping both international and domestic finances under the national control. Generally, the motivations at the back capital controls often ranged from the rising revenues, buying time for managing a speculative aggression, and the international monetary transformation.   On the other hand, controls were adopted in Venezuela due to its provision of a substitute for insufficient solvency supervision regarding banks and all the other financial firms, reduction of the amount of unstable temporary foreign credits with regards to the prevailing economy, and the aspect of limitation with regards to international financier’s power (Knight & Satchell, 2007).   From the Venezuela’s case, there can be a cognitive distinction between the black and gray market. Black market is often not a physical region or place, but is rather a fiscal activity whereby goods and/or services are transacted illegally. On the other hand, gray market refers to a commodity trade through the distribution channels in which, as much as they can be legal, they are unofficial, unintended, or unauthorized by the primary manufacturer (Knight & Satchell, 2007).  The Santiago’s financial analysis is based on its choices and can be summarized in a simple manner. The entire financial mishap was due to the attempt of trying to meet the U.S Dollar obligation. This was after a transaction that saw the disbursement of $30000 worth products from a U.S based vendor to a specific customer who went to the extent of reselling it. He then opted for a dollar exchange through a gray market whereby there was an involvement in a deposit of up to 20%. This deal was hence s ealed after two business days. The un-official gray market

5 friends ad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

5 friends ad - Essay Example This article analyses how the producers of this advert use the ethos, logos, and pathos appeals in marketing their product. In addition, the article analyses the use of appeals such as the need for guidance, the need aesthetic sensations, and the need to feel safe in appealing to the emotions of the voters on the need to vote for their political leaders. Advertisers use ethos, which is the appeal to authority to convince the audience to use their product or service. Essentially, what appeal to authority does is that it relies on the credibility of the person presenting the message in the advert. Therefore, when advertisers make use of ethos in an advert, they are sure to incorporate influential personalities who are bound to convince the audience. The 5 friends advert is a star-studded affair which includes almost all American celebrities urging people to vote (5 Friends, 2014). According to Fowles, approximately 15% of every advertisement makes use of celebrities, particularly from the fields of entertainment or sports (87). The 5 friends advert features A-list celebrities such as Leonardo Di Caprio, Jamie Fox, Sarah Silverman, and Jonah Hill, among many others (5 Friends, 2014). Considering that the primary target for audience for his advert is the young generation, the presence of all these celebrities is a guarantee that many youths are bound to watch it. According to Fowles, producers are usually use celebrities in commercials in order to appeal to the need for aesthetic sensations which keep the audience interested in the advert (85). Accordingly, although the celebrities in the 5 friends advert are not experts in terms of politics, they influence most decisions made by young people. Since most young people look to these celebrities as heroes and role models, a product being advertised by them would most definitely sell. The use of

Critquing the movie Mahhattan by Woody Allen Thesis

Critquing the movie Mahhattan by Woody Allen - Thesis Example The bustling of the city exemplifies the same intensity and restlessness of the people that flock its streets. Woody Allen’s ‘Manhattan’ is not a romantic comedy, it is not a drama or a theme film, it is by the very epitome a homage to New York City. Anyone who would watch this film would begin to realize by the first ten seconds that what you are watching is not limited to a peek at the lives of New Yorker’s because you realize by the very beginning that the main character is the city and the characters are just breathing in the very life of the Big Apple. It is easy to fathom that the film, as written and directed by Woody Allen, contemplated of Manhattan through his perspective and idealization. Seen through the eyes of twice divorced 42-year-old Isaac Davies, it is imperative that Allen categorically played himself and the natural register of many of the character’s quirks are his own. At the outset, Isaac was not a complex character because he was above all adjectives deeply neurotic. But this was not far removed from all the other characters of the film. They just mostly vary in degree but all of them are destructive and broken and easily subjects of Freudian psychoanalysis that one could figure them out it in a matter of moments. His ex-wife narrowed him down in her book by saying that â€Å"He was given to fits of rage, Jewish male paranoia, male chauvinism, self-righteous misanthropy and nihilistic moods of despair† (Manhattan). But this of course would be a delineation and reduction of the entirety of a human being which is impossible and derogatory. The same must be taken in the context that the book that she wrote titled ‘Marriage, Divorce and Selfhood’ was her subjective attempt to encapsulate their relationship most geared to her advantage and led to his infamy. This book was mostly the cause of his neurosis as portrayed in the film a nd perhaps his wariness in the beginning of the film was most justified

How far does (A Common Word) mark a new beginning in Muslim attitudes Essay

How far does (A Common Word) mark a new beginning in Muslim attitudes towards Christian scripture - Essay Example His remarks instigated demonstrations by the Muslim community all over the world (Muhammad, Volf, and Yarrington 2010, p3). Arguably, it is because of this speech that â€Å"A Common Word† was born, and a letter addressed to Christian leaders across the world titled â€Å"A Common Word† written by a group of prominent Muslims. The letter has led to immense debate from both the Muslims and Christians and thus the paper will discuss the extent to which â€Å"A Common Word† marks a new beginning in Muslim attitudes towards the Christian scripture. The paper will also discuss the extent to which â€Å"A Common Word† makes use of the Biblical texts and the level to which it rejects tahrif (that is, falsification in the Bible). The paper will discuss Muslim scholars’ attitudes toward Christian scripture before the inception of â€Å"A Common Word†. Definition of â€Å"A Common Word† and its Purpose A month after the speech of Pope Benedict X VI, 38 leading Muslim scholars from different countries wrote an open letter to the Pope. In the letter, Muslims scholars voiced their apprehensions concerning the speech. On 13th October 2007, 138 prominent Muslim leaders, scholars, authors and intellectuals from all over the world delivered an open letter to Pope Benedict XVI and other major Christian leaders. The letter was titled â€Å"A Common Word between Us and You.† The phrase â€Å"A Common Word between Us and You† was derived from the Holy Quran and it called on all Christians and Jews (as people of the Scripture) to respect and live in peace with Muslims (Muhammad, Volf, and Yarrington 2010, p3). The phrase is drawn from Aal ‘Imran 3:64 which states: Say: O People of the Scripture! Come to a common word between us and you: that we shall worship none but God, and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside God. And if they turn away, then say: Bear w itness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him). Based on the Holy Bible and Holy Quran, the letter proposed that Christianity and Islam share the golden directives of the principal significance of loving one’s neighbour and loving God. Through this common ground, the open letter called for harmony and peace between Muslims and Christians worldwide. A Common Word was and is a comprehensive universal handshake of interreligious fellowship, friendship, and goodwill and subsequently of universal peace. A Common Word (ACW) has generated a considerable debate, numerous conferences, and articles and led to the rise of other initiatives. However, this has not resulted in peace between the Christians and Muslims (the goal of the ACW open letter). Instead, it has resulted in the reduction of tensions between the Christians and Muslims who make up over 55 percent of the global population. It is a document, which utilizes religion as the solution or answer to the issue of interr eligious tensions. The document finds its foundation in the scriptures and traditions of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism and is grounded on the commandments to love the neighbour and to love God (The Royal Aal Al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought 2012, p9). ACW has established to the Muslims and Christians that they possess a particular common ground notwithstanding their intricate theological differences. It has also shown that both religions need them to possess

International Business Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International Business - Case Study Example The immediate industry response to deregulation was increased competition in the market as new entrants sought to take advantage of the new investment opportunities. Further, increased competition was perceived as having a negative outcome for the industry particularly as price wars resulted in reduced prices. The low cost of travel, although favorable to consumers, resulted in increased pressures on the bottom lines for the companies operating in the airline industry. Government ownership provided protection and capacity enhancement to national carriers to ensure they offered services in targeted markets. However, this protection from home countries does not exist, which implies the adoption of private arrangement between companies is important for expansion and improvement of quality of services (Forsyth, Button and Nijkamp, 2002). Additionally, global airline networks results in reduction of competition in the market. Strategic alliances between airline companies allow partners to overcome various entry-level restrictions imposed by authorities on markets and routes. Motivation for global is as a result of provisions in Article 1 of the Paris Convention of 1919 which grants power over regulatory activities pertaining to air traffic to authority under which the airspace falls (Cento, 2008). Countries have been granted exclusive power to control airspace to the extent that they see fit depending on their internal perception of issues such as economic contribution and security matters. A sovereign state, therefore, has all the right to decline request for an airline company to operate from their territory. Forming global alliances is an effective strategy for airline companies to overcoming challenges that result from this legal impediment top their operations. Therefore, partners involved in this arrangement will have

Relationship is an exploratory journey Essay Example for Free

Relationship is an exploratory journey Essay Janie grew up to find herself through each of her relationships. Her subdued lifestyle with her grandmother, her subdued and rather painful existence with her first husband Logan, her disillusionment after her initial enchantment with her second husband Jody, and her unfortunate killing of the husband she so loved, Tea Cake, all help her to recognize her for who she is and by the end of the novel, she is at peace with herself. This inner peace comes about by several twists and turns. She recognizes the various aspects of her own personality through her interactions in each of her relationships. She begins to understand that she might be more than a young girl whose responsibility has to be transferred from the matronly care of her grandmother to matrimonial bond to a unsympathetic husband during her first marriage. She realizes that she is more than an enchanted woman who wants be more than a socially acceptable companion to an ambitious and ruthless man during her second marriage. In her last marital relationship she begins to understand and appreciate her own need to be vivacious, lively and have good times with good company without the need to be apologetic or the need to be unaware of her partner’s shortcomings. In the death of her last husband Tea Cake at her own hand, she realizes that Life does not offer any linear solutions to the problems of relationships. Besides, she also understands that as a person she values her own individual survival is basic for her pursuit of happiness. Her confidence at having endured life’s trials and tests and having coming out not unscathed but with her individuality intact is mistaken for aloofness by her townsfolk. Finally, her revelations to her old friend Pheoby about her life finally give her a sense of fulfillment. Janie grows up in life through her relationships and that is why she has the confidence to tell her friend that â€Å"Ah been a delegate to de big’ssociation of life. Yessuh! De Grand Lodge, de big convention of livin’ is just where Ah been†(10) Janie started off in her childhood with a blind confidence that she was entitled to everything like everyone else. She did not realize she was colored till she saw herself in a photograph and could not recognize herself. When, the rest of the children and the people of the house pointed her out in the photograph, she exclaimed â€Å"Aw, aw! Ah’m colored! †(p. 13) She was taught by her nanny before she was married to Logan Killicks that â€Å"De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see. †(p. 20) Her completely subjugated relationship with Logan who was far older than her made her realize that perhaps she wanted more out of life. She wanted to feel a wanting in her heart and her body for a man, a true companion. That is what drove her into the arms of Jody, an ambitious, would-be politician. He was enchanting and had a manner that befitted his yet-to-acquire status. What she did not realize was Jody wanted her to be performing a particular role in his life. There was no fun in Jody because he always looked at life as a mission to be accomplished. She had to tell Jody that he was no fun to be with â€Å"Everybody can’t be lak you, Jody. Somebody is bound tuh want tuh laugh and play†(p. 76) She was so offended by Jodie’s denying her right to be herself, which she began to realize slowly with growing years and experience, she did not even care to be polite to a dying man. In fact Jodie’s death filled her with a sense of relief. Her realization that any relationship can come to the end of its utility and can fill a person with an unmentionable need for it to end came with Jodie’s death. \ After this growing distancing from Jody and his loftiness, which prevented Janie from living the life as a tribute to all possibility of happiness, Tea Cake entered. â€Å"Janie looked down on him and felt a self-crushing love. So her soul crawled out from its hiding place† (p. 122) Though Tea Cake gave her a brief scare by running away from her with her money, he returned to confess and begin their new life. His vivaciousness and his love for life was something that Janie had always wanted. For her the sweet pain and the all encompassing love she experienced under a pear tree were realized in her years with Tea Cake. But as all good things it also had to come to an end. The fearsome hurricane that they fled, the rabid dog that bit Tea Cake and its ill-effects on his personality and character were all revelations of the uncertainties of life. Janie had to kill Tea Cake in self defense and was acquitted in a trial consisting of all-male, all-white jury – yet another affirmation that Life had its strange ways of indicating its endless possibilities. Now, women forget all those things they dont want to remember, and remember everything they dont want to forget. The dream is the truth. Then they act and do things accordingly. †(3) The final place she comes back to is her hometown Eatonville. There, the act of sharing her life’s story with her friend fills her with a sense of completeness. Her relationship with her friend when she interacts very minimally with the townsfolk, allowing them to imagine all kinds of negative things about her, is a final revelation. The narration of the story was a necessity to herself as it was for Pheoby to know the facts. Her growth as a woman and a human being through her four major relationships in life is given a chance to be framed in perspective by her relationship with her friend –somebody with whom she shares no burden of expectation Works cited Hurston, Zora Neale and Jerry Pinkney Their eyes were watching God. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1991

A bibliography of John Lennon

A bibliography of John Lennon Encomium about John Lennon Introduction Many of us disagree with moves taken by governments on specific political issues and thus choose to air our opinion as constitution permits. One of the major wars listed in history is the Vietnam War of the sixties and seventies that recounts in the history of United States of America. Most Americans were strongly against U.S. involvement in Vietnam War. John Lennon, one of the famous artists in America has ever wrote, produced and performed a song Give Peace a Chance to denounce this war (Marie 1). This is one of his major influences as a musician that reflected his views on war in general. This was one of the political influences of music during that time. He was outspoken and never shy of his opinions. His famous song Imagine where he sings I hope someday youll join us, and the world will live as one has up to date been his best worldly known song. The song is also an international anthem of peace. This proposal will show that John Lennon was such a great musician due to his outst anding imagery and involvement in social activism. Body John Lennon was born in 1940 in Liverpool, England. He was born and brought up in a working class family thus giving him an exposure to current music. This research will show that he was a character who got fascinated by musical styles like Elvis Presley. He managed to enter in a duet group that enabled him to work with Paul McCartney. He was the founder of the famous group the Beatles. His desire for music and profound artistry is seen after Beatles broke up in 1970. He proved how talented he was by producing duet albums with Yoko, his wife and other solo performances. He was a musician who presents eras of both history and music mainly because of his involvement with Beatles, his beliefs and attitudes. He managed to produce music that today helps us personify the 1960s and 1970s typical characteristics (Associatedcontent.com 1). As many would comment, they like music that has a message. John Lennon would always speak about everything that was in his mind through music. This will represent the typical feature of stoners, peace-lovers and hippies of that time (1970s). He was a shameless musician of whatever he felt. This is the prime reason why he is admired even today. Through expressing his opinions, he showed just how important these opinions were to him and this was to tell others that they could do the same. His opinions were expressed through actions, interviews and music. Apart from his song Give Peace a Chance he also decided to fight for peace when he lay in bed naked together with his wife for a month (Arkawy 1). The Beatles is one of the worlds greatest bands. Its through their work that the world changed its view on lyrics and musical styles. All these achievements are credited to John Lennon. He not only founded the band but also co-wrote and wrote most of its lyrics. He spearheaded major media relations as he was outspoken on his opinions and beliefs. At one time, there was a nationwide burning of their albums due to Lennons offensiveness in an interview. He however managed to keep the group together and strong by writing more songs. This shows how persevering he was. His 1970s lyrics up to date still inspires and influences. One such remarkable song was Imagine that he used in expressing his vision of peace, hope and a poverty free world. The 1970 plastic Ono band was a solo album that had songs that were so emotionally raw. This was the time when he built a sonic environment that had bass, occasional piano, guitar and drums. Imagine was a 1971 album that again shows how plainspoken he was but had more additions of textural elements like strings in order to create sense of beauty in his music. The title track in this album has ensured its historical importance. Since then, this track has provided inspiration and solace in moments of humanitarian and social crisis. This paper will show that one of the major contributions in rock and roll in the 70s actually came from Lennon. Through his work and partnership with Paul McCartney, he presented himself as a singer, an instrumentalist and a political activist. He was a man with a knack for introspection and a cynical edge. It is important to pay tribute to such artists like John Lennon and others who had to voice their political concerns through music (Ringo 1). Buffalo Springfield, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Bob Dylan are others who were like him. From time to time they would express their views through music so that they are heard by the public. Perhaps it is because of John and other artists that wars like the Vietnam War came to an end. Conclusion Lennon was a musician whose works warrants more research as he demonstrated how strong he was as a musician. He will be remembered as one of the best activists, husband, musician, a father and most of all a source of inspiration. This is a man who spent the very last years in his life devoting it to spreading of love and peace to the youth. Through his music, he changed the world. He forced the whole world to question war and thus work towards a world of peace. Somebody like Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered for his contributions in the civil rights movement. John Lennon also left a significant impact in music as for sure, he is one of the rock stars. His songwriting partnership is one of the most successful in the 20th century. In rock and roll history, we cant mention popular music in this genre without tracks of John Winston Ono Lennon. Works cited Arkawy, Amy. Still Imagining Peace: John Lennons Legacy, 2009. Retrieved from http://newsjunkiepost.com/2009/12/08/still-imagining-peace-john-lennons-legacy/ Associatedcontent.com. John Lennons Influence on Rock and Roll, 2008. Retrieved from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1125638/john_lennons_influence_on_rock_and_pg2.html?cat=33 Marie. Political influence on music in the 60s and 70s, 2008. Retrieved from http://mariepoetryofsong.blogspot.com/2008/10/song-analysis-of-give-peace-chance.html Ringo, Sofia. Make October 9 National John Lennon Day! 2008. Retrieved from http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/213565590

Ratification of the American Constitution :: American America History

Ratification of the American Constitution With the Constitution, the elite society protected rights for every American that would secure and ensure our nation's existence for hundreds of years. Under the Articles of Confederation, the United States' government was in a state of chaos. To end the existing chaos and build a stronger democratic society for the future, the government would need to be more powerful and centralized. Thus, the elite class established the rules and boundaries that would protect the rights of all citizens from a suppressive government. The Articles created a weak, almost nonexistent national government that was in complete control by the states. The newly formed government had neither an executive or judicial branch, which meant that it lacked enforcement powers. There were three problems that existed under the Articles of Confederation that would spawn an act of change. First, under the Articles of Confederation the government could not protect property and other rights of the citizens. Second, the society created under the Articles of Confederation lacked a means of advancing commerce and interstate trade. Third, government lacked the money and power to provide an adequate national defense. Traders and commercial men found their plans for commerce on a national scale impeded by local interference with interstate commerce. The currency of the states and the nation were hopelessly muddled. Creditors everywhere were angry about the depreciated paper money which the agrarians had made and were attempting to force upon those from whom they had borrowed specie. Poor, small landowning farmers could not sell or trade goods that they produced on their land to other states. The "muddled currency" in 1786, led to the loss of land in Massachusetts. During this time Continental army veterans were unable to pay their debts with the paper money that they were supplied with by the Continental Congress. This bankruptcy led to the loss of land and a great rebellion led by Daniel Shays. The Shay's rebellion was ended easily enough but it was the lack of national government that frightened people. Had Daniel Shays gathered a larger number of people and had more fire power the small amount of farmers and townspeople might not have been able to squash this rebellion. Anarchy in the States could not be tolerated. However it was James Madison that stated that the way to abolish the rule by faction is to abolish liberty but that liberty is essential to a faction Ratification of the American Constitution :: American America History Ratification of the American Constitution With the Constitution, the elite society protected rights for every American that would secure and ensure our nation's existence for hundreds of years. Under the Articles of Confederation, the United States' government was in a state of chaos. To end the existing chaos and build a stronger democratic society for the future, the government would need to be more powerful and centralized. Thus, the elite class established the rules and boundaries that would protect the rights of all citizens from a suppressive government. The Articles created a weak, almost nonexistent national government that was in complete control by the states. The newly formed government had neither an executive or judicial branch, which meant that it lacked enforcement powers. There were three problems that existed under the Articles of Confederation that would spawn an act of change. First, under the Articles of Confederation the government could not protect property and other rights of the citizens. Second, the society created under the Articles of Confederation lacked a means of advancing commerce and interstate trade. Third, government lacked the money and power to provide an adequate national defense. Traders and commercial men found their plans for commerce on a national scale impeded by local interference with interstate commerce. The currency of the states and the nation were hopelessly muddled. Creditors everywhere were angry about the depreciated paper money which the agrarians had made and were attempting to force upon those from whom they had borrowed specie. Poor, small landowning farmers could not sell or trade goods that they produced on their land to other states. The "muddled currency" in 1786, led to the loss of land in Massachusetts. During this time Continental army veterans were unable to pay their debts with the paper money that they were supplied with by the Continental Congress. This bankruptcy led to the loss of land and a great rebellion led by Daniel Shays. The Shay's rebellion was ended easily enough but it was the lack of national government that frightened people. Had Daniel Shays gathered a larger number of people and had more fire power the small amount of farmers and townspeople might not have been able to squash this rebellion. Anarchy in the States could not be tolerated. However it was James Madison that stated that the way to abolish the rule by faction is to abolish liberty but that liberty is essential to a faction

Coiled Tubing :: coil tube coiled tubing

First of all, what in the world is coiled tubing? Otherwise referred to as CT, coiled tubing is a manufactured product used in field operations such as well service, workover applications (petroleum industry well work), and drilling and completion applications. Just as is sounds, CT is essentially a continuous tube with a diameter of .75 inches up to 4.5 inches that is reeled onto a spool, which has a core diameter of approximately eight to twelve feet. The tubing is made from rolling strip metal, usually a carbon based steel, into cylindrical form and weld along its entire length. The longitudinal weld is made using a high-frequency induction electrical resistance method. The welding process produces a small amount of weld flash on both the inside and outside of the tube. This is removed from the outside diameter of the tube after welding by a carbide cutting tool contoured to the diameter of the tube being produced. The weld vein is instantly re-heated to re-crystallize the w elded zone to match the grain composition of the base metal. So in other words, you have this extremely long steel tubing coiled up like a garden hose on reel without any visible end welds. The entire length is non-destructively inspected, then gauged and hydrostatically tested to assure the pipe meets customer specifications prior to shipment. A single spool can carry an average length of approximately 15,000 feet but have been fabricated up to 30,000 feet depending on the diameter of the tubing. Tubing continuously wraps and unwraps over its spool and over the tubing directional arch (â€Å"gooseneck†) as it goes in and out of the well. This bending and straightening causes an extreme amount of wear and tear. This process is known as cyclic bending and along with the internal pressure may result in a life expectancy of less than 100 cycles. Another downfall is the tendency for the walls to thin, thus increasing the diameter of the tubing as cycles increase. Tests have shown up to 30% increase in the diameter. This plastic type growth is sometimes referred to as ballooning. This effect is worse on the tubing that does not rotate during deployment and the walls thin more on one side that the other. Elongation is another effect that results from the forces of fieldwork, with reports stating up to ten feet of permanent elongation per trip!

The History of Puerto Ricans Migration to the United States Essay exam

The History of Puerto Ricans' Migration to the United States Immigration to the United States has been occurring for centuries now. For years people from all different parts of the globe have dreamed of living in the United States, which is known to many foreigners as the land of opportunity. There are so many ethnic groups that exist in the United States that it has become known as the melting pot of the world. The Puerto Rican's migration to the United States was not an easy process. The Puerto Ricans faced discrimination in many walks of life in the USA. They were taken advantage of because they were naive and vulnerable to this new life. Eventually, in the twentieth century, the Puerto Ricans realized that they could stand up for themselves and what started out as class politics ended up giving rise to ethnic politics. The Puerto Rican's first migrated to the United States in the1860s. It wasn't until the US domination of the island economically that the numbers of migration to the US started to grow. The Unites States found it necessary to implement a capitalistic way of life, which in turn brought about the problem of overpopulation. A way for the US to handle this situation was to ship many Puerto Ricans to the United States. Once they reached the mainland the Puerto Ricans were in need of work and willing to work for low wages. Puerto Ricans had absolutely no say in what their salary would be. They only received $.05 above the minimum wage for agricultural workers in New Jersey. For more history on Puerto Ricans and their migration to the United States read Paul Alfonso's paper. His paper describes the Puerto Rican history and struggle in migrating to the United States. Puerto Ricans also f... ...rea resented the constantly growing Puerto Rican population...at times the fights in the neighborhood bars would become serious. After the disturbances up in Harlem, this situation got even worse. Hardly a day went by that a Puerto Rican child didn't come home from school with a black eye. Mothers lived in constant fear. (Vega p.151) These organizations that were formed in the 60s and 70s helped better the life of Puerto Ricans in the United States. Puerto Ricans are now fully recognized as citizens of the United States. Although the struggle still exists Puerto Ricans have come a long way and have many people in politics that represent a strong voice for many of the Puerto Rican communities. Cruz helped stand up for ethnic politics and paved the way for many soon to be Puerto Rican-American leaders.

How Actors Contribute to Film Essay

The very goal and essence of acting is to represent a certain character or figure and portray his or her ideas and personality. The goal of acting is to be another person entirely and play their character and their life as if they were your own. It is a beautiful art form and its target is to make the writer’s characters and story come to life. The skills, dexterity and prowess needed in order to fulfill such goals are, certainly, determination, as needed in the hearts of all people who are striving to achieve their dreams. It may not be considered as a skill but it is truly and absolutely a mandatory quality in every dreamy person. One also needs creativity and uniqueness in order to make the film’s â€Å"dramatis personae† come to life and be a real living and breathing person in the eyes of the audience. Also, for the role of the actor to come alive, the actor would need to be in possession of a strong power of influence and, in a way, control and manipulation for the reason that their acting needs to be fantastically believable and have a sense and aura of reality. This quality of believability will strike the audience and will cause a conflict in his or her mind, which would be sinking into the fantasy of the film and holding onto the reality of the world. You will need to be extremely professional and comfortable in front of the camera in order to lose the audience in the story and cast. These are only some of the many skills you will need in order to perform with beautiful finesse and accomplish the very purpose of acting. An actor who executes his job well, complete with panache, professionalism, believability, creativity, humility to accept the words of fellow actors or the director himself, and so much more are marks of good actors. They have to attain the goals of an actor and they have to know how to get into complete character. They have to know how to improve on themselves and make it their objective to reach out to their audience and convey their emotion and influence them to their advantage. As the audience, I would know good acting if I truly feel and believe in the words and actions of the actor. On the other hand, a bad actor is, naturally, the opposite. He is not professional in what he does and does not communicate enough feeling through his acting. The audience would not feel any passion from the actor and the actor does not achieve the exact impact he expected from the audience. The director is the individual who confronts the actor’s wrongdoings, suggests particular improvements, helps the actor understand his role and he is the one who directs the flow of the film, itself. He is a very vital part of the film industry. Since he knows the story and the cast very well, the director’s influence on an actor’s performance is crucial. The director has to know how to take charge and should know what to expect of his actors. He has to be a good communicator because if the actor misunderstands his words, it will absolutely affect the film development process. The actor should know how to follow his director but at the same times, they should have the respect due each other and the actor should know when he should speak up about certain topics. He should also regard the director as his mentor and so I believe the director’s influence may deeply affect the performance of the actor and the director’s words will surely be embedded in his mind. Since he is one of he heads of the film development process, the actor would know that the director knows best and so the effect and impact of the words of the director will affect the performance of an actor. Negative or negatively said words may offend the actor or it may even be taken constructively. Positive or even positively said negative words, may affect the actor more successfully because it will raise the actor’s confidence. Directors, though, should not control the every movement of an actor because he should allow a space for creative freedom, which actors are definitely entitled to. Actors should have creative freedom so that it will practice the mind of the actor to generate more creative, original and spontaneous ideas. Also, in order to make their own individual mark on the film and they will, somehow, feel more accredited for the film because they have contributed their own approaches in their acting. This will also help the director and ease his burdens of continuously managing the actor’s movements. Creative freedom is essential. But, it should not be used abusively liberal. The actor should give space for the director’s words as the director gave space for the actor’s creative freedom. Te film industry makes stories in order to influence or inspire their audience, let them enjoy books or lives of people in a more animated and different light and perspective, make them laugh, smile, inspirit or galvanize them, even for simply a moment. They could even be making these films because it is their most efficient or only outlet of their emotions. There are many reasons for creating films and creating stories because people have different minds and have different ways of thinking. We watch such films because we, as humans, are inclined to become very curious and become interested in many things. We may also sometimes, subconsciously, yearn for a better life and so we watch the movies that portray those with better lives that we want, movies with people with worse lives that will make us appreciate our present life or even some sort of nonsensical farce or slapstick comedy and that will make us laugh and lift our spirits. We also, may have different reasons of watching films that range from just wanting to have a get-together with friends or it is your way of cheering yourself up. Films are a very big part of our world’s culture because they can poison your mind and offend people or it can also make you laugh, inspire others and change people for the better and make you make a change and a difference.

The Legacy of Dr. Kaoru

The Legacy of Dr. Kaoru The Legacy of Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa was a Japanese consultant and father of the scientific analysis of causes/ problems in industrial processes. The purpose of this paper is to recognize the life works and address the impacts of Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa’s works on the world. The focus will help the reader understand his background, key ideas, influence on quality practices, and the correlation to total quality management (TQM). Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa was born in 1915 and died in 1989 (Lindsay & Evans, 2007).He was born in Tokyo and was the eldest of eight sons by Ichiro Ishikawa (Business and Companies). In 1943 Ishikawa graduated from the Engineering department at the University of Tokyo with a major in applied chemistry (De La Salle University, 2002). According to Business and Companies, â€Å"His first job was as a naval technical officer (1939-1941) then moved on to work at the Nissan Liquid Fuel Company until 1947. Later that year he was mad e assistant professor at his Alma Mater. He later received his Doctorate of Engineering and was promoted to professor and worked at the university for many years (De La Salle University, 2002).Ishikawa was also on the editorial review board for the Japanese journal: Quality Control for Foremen (Lindsay & Evans, 2007). The quality guru also presented some key ideas which had a major impact on Quality Control. Two of his major accomplishments were the Ishikawa Diagram (aka Fishbone Diagram) and Quality Circles. According to the book, Guide to Quality Control, in 1943 Ishikawa first used the Fishbone Diagram to help explain to a group of engineers at Kawasaki Steel Works how a complex set of factors could be related to help understand a problem (Ishikawa, 1986).The diagram is a tool used to identify all possible causes of a particular problem (Maze-Emery, 2008). Figure 1. illustrates the Fishbone Diagram. Figure 1. Cause and Effect diagram of incorrect deliveries. Later in the 1960â₠¬â„¢s Dr. Ishikawa developed Quality Circles. These circles of members represented the first types of teams that exclusively focused on quality (Lindsay & Evans, 2007). During this period Dr. Ishikawa became Chief Executive Director for QC Circle Headquarters at the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) (Lindsay & Evans, 2007).It was through JUSE that Ishikawa developed a companywide participative bottom up approach to quality thus becoming the standard for the Japanese approach to quality management (Lindsay & Evans, 2007). Quality circles grew tremendously and today over a million workers are involved. This standard also traveled to the western states. Companies such as Toyota, Lockheed Martin, General Electric, and Coors Brewing Company have established quality circles (Lindsay & Evans, 2007). The quality philosopher’s influence on practices has given him plenty of accolades.He has been awarded the Deming Prize and the Nihon Keizai Press Prize, the Industrial S tandardization Prize for his writings on Quality Control, and the Grant Award in 1971 from the American Society for Quality Control for his education program on Quality Control (Center for ISO 9000). Dr. Ishikawa was also named honorary member of ASG in 1986. In addition, during 1993 the ASQ established the Ishikawa medal to recognize the human side of quality leadership. Lastly, Dr. Ishikawa has written several books including, Guide to Quality Control (1971) and What is Total Quality Control?The Japanese Way (1986). In conclusion, Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa was a quality control guru who helped the Japanese as well as many other countries to improve their quality performance. With his educational and professional background, key ideas, and influence on quality, Dr. Ishikawa provided major contribution to TQM. Ishikawa once stated, â€Å"The results of these company-wide Quality Control activities are remarkable, not only in ensuring the quality of industrial products but also in their gr eat contribution to the company’s overall business. Center for ISO 9000)† References Business and Companies. (n. d. ). BusinessPME : Internet gate for the leaders of small and medium-sized companies PME PMI. Retrieved May 12, 2010, from http://www. businesspme. com/uk/articles/economics/12/Kaoru-Ishikawa. html De La Salle University – Manila E-quality. (n. d. ). E-quality. Retrieved May 10, 2010, from http://quality. dlsu. edu. ph/chronicles/ishikawa. html Ishikawa, K. (1986). Guide to Quality Control (Industrial Engineering & Technology) (Second Revised ed. . Tokyo: Asian Productivity Organization. ISO 9000 and Quality Gurus. (n. d. ). Center for Iso 9000. Retrieved May 10, 2010, from www. iso-9000. ro/eng/9001/gurus. htm Lindsay, J. R. , & Evans, W. M. (2007). Philosophies and Frameworks. Managing for Quality and Performance Excellence (7th ed. , p. 112). Mason, Ohio: Cengage Learning. Maze-Emery, E. (2008). Knowing the cause is half the battle. T & P: Tooling & Production, 74(11/12), 28-29. Retrieved from Business Source Premier database.

The panama canal

Since the United States began to feel an upcoming conflict with Spain, we were prepared to go to war. They decided to send the US Oregon from California to Cuba only there was one issue.. The voyage would take over 60 days and 14000 miles to land on Cuba. Not only that but in this process the US Oregon had to stop in South America multiple times to fuel up on coal. At this point the U. S new it was time for a change. They found a way to cut their voyage nearly in half by making a canal that connected the Atlantic to the Pacific.This makes transporting goods, and essential supplies a much quicker process. Incidents leading up to the event†¦ The French were really the masterminds behind this constructions. They started the entire process towards making the canal but in the process, they ran into some issues and went bankrupt. Later on the U. S decided to pick up were the French left off. After getting everything approved in the U. S, Colombia denied us of any right to the property on which the construction was being done. This led up to the Panamanian people rebelling and winning their independence. This now allowed theU. S to finally get a start on completing the canal. What occurred during the construction? The construction finally began in 1904 with over 40,000 workers on the construction site. These workers had to deal with not only Jungle weather but as well as all the dangerous Jungle wildlife there was out there. There was very high temperature, unstable land, and very frequent rain. Sometimes if would rain so often that the river would flood; making construction very difficult. Therefore they built a dam to help with the over flow of water and this defiantly but them back on track with the construction.Despite the numerous accounts for trying to make work conditions safer, over 5,000 workers died due to diseases and accidents on the Job. Results of the Canal†¦ The construction of the canal cost America over $375 million dollars, only now their v oyage was only 40 miles to their destination. They cut the trip by 8,000 miles which is more than half of watt it would have been before. This canal helped the U. S move about much quicker and we had the full support of Latin America. Although in 1914 (official opening) the canal was guarded by the U. S military, it now belongs to the Panamanian but is still used as a trade route for the U. S.

The Golden Lily Chapter 1

MOST PEOPLE WOULD FIND being led into an underground bunker on a stormy night scary. Not me. Things I could explain away and define with data didn't frighten me. That was why I kept silently reciting facts to myself as I descended deeper and deeper below street level. The bunker was a relic of the Cold War, built as protection in a time when people thought nuclear missiles were around every corner. On the surface, the building claimed to house an optical supply store. That was a front. Not scary at all. And the storm? Simply a natural phenomenon of atmospheric fronts clashing. And really, if you were going to worry about getting hurt in a storm, then going underground was actually pretty smart. So, no. This seemingly ominous journey didn't frighten me in the least. Everything was built on reasonable facts and logic. I could deal with that. It was the rest of my job I had a problem with. And really, maybe that was why stormy underground trips didn't faze me. When you spent most of your days living among vampires and half vampires, ferrying them to get blood, and keeping their existence secret from the rest of the world†¦ well, it kind of gave you a unique perspective on life. I'd witnessed bloody vampire battles and seen magical feats that defied every law of physics I knew. My life was a constant struggle to hold back my terror of the unexplainable and try desperately to find a way to explain it. â€Å"Watch your step,† my guide told me as we went down yet another flight of concrete stairs. Everything I'd seen so far was concrete – the walls, floor, and ceiling. The gray, rough surface absorbed the fluorescent light that attempted to illuminate our way. It was dreary and cold, eerie in its stillness. The guide seemed to guess my thoughts. â€Å"We've made modifications and expansions since this was originally built. You'll see once we reach the main section.† Sure enough. The stairs finally opened up to a corridor with several closed doors lining the sides. The decor was still concrete, but all the doors were modern, with electronic locks displaying either red or green lights. He led me to the second door on the right, one with a green light, and I found myself entering a perfectly normal lounge, like the kind of break room you'd find in any modern office. Green carpet covered the floor, like some wistful attempt at grass, and the walls were a tan that gave the illusion of warmth. A puffy couch and two chairs sat on the opposite side of the room, along wit h a table scattered with magazines. Best of all, the room had a counter with a sink – and a coffee maker. â€Å"Make yourself at home,† my guide told me. I was guessing he was close to my age, eighteen, but his patchy attempts at growing a beard made him seem younger. â€Å"They'll come for you shortly.† My eyes had never left the coffee maker. â€Å"Can I make some coffee?† â€Å"Sure,† he said. â€Å"Whatever you like.† He left, and I practically ran to the counter. The coffee was pre-ground and looked as though it might very well have been here since the Cold War as well. As long as it was caffeinated, I didn't care. I'd taken a red-eye flight from California, and even with part of the day to recover, I still felt sleepy and bleary-eyed. I set the coffee maker going and then paced the room. The magazines were in haphazard piles, so I straightened them into neat stacks. I couldn't stand disorder. I sat on the couch and waited for the coffee, wondering yet again what this meeting could be about. I'd spent a good part of my afternoon here in Virginia reporting to a couple of Alchemist officials about the status of my current assignment. I was living in Palm Springs, pretending to be a senior at a private boarding school in order to keep an eye on Jill Mastrano Dragomir, a vampire princess forced into hiding. Keeping her alive meant keeping her people out of civil war – something that would definitely tip humans off to the supernatural world that lurked beneath the surface of modern life. It was a vital mission for the Alchemists, so I wasn't entirely surprised they'd want an update. What surprised me was that they couldn't have just done it over the phone. I couldn't figure out what other reason would bring me to this facility. The coffee maker finished. I'd only set it to make three cups, which would probably be enough to get me through the evening. I'd just filled my Styrofoam cup when the door opened. A man entered, and I nearly dropped the coffee. â€Å"Mr. Darnell,† I said, setting the pot back on the burner. My hands trembled. â€Å"It – it's nice to see you again, sir.† â€Å"You too, Sydney,† he said, forcing a stiff smile. â€Å"You've certainly grown up.† â€Å"Thank you, sir,† I said, unsure if that was a compliment. Tom Darnell was my father's age and had brown hair laced with silver. There were more lines in his face since the last time I'd seen him, and his blue eyes had an uneasy look that I didn't usually associate with him. Tom Darnell was a high-ranking official among the Alchemists and had earned his position through decisive action and a fierce work ethic. He'd always seemed larger than life when I was younger, fiercely confident and aweinspiring. Now, he seemed to be afraid of me, which made no sense. Wasn't he angry? After all, I was the one responsible for his son being arrested and locked away by the Alchemists. â€Å"I appreciate you coming all the way out here,† he added, once a few moments of awkward silence had passed. â€Å"I know it's a long round-trip, especially on a weekend.† â€Å"It's no problem at all, sir,† I said, hoping I sounded confident. â€Å"I'm happy to help with†¦ whatever you need.† I still wondered what exactly that could be. He studied me for a few seconds and gave a curt nod. â€Å"You're very dedicated,† he said. â€Å"Just like your father.† I made no response. I knew that comment had been intended as a compliment, but I didn't really take it that way. Tom cleared his throat. â€Å"Well, then. Let's get this out of the way. I really don't want to inconvenience you any more than is necessary.† Again, I got that nervous, deferential vibe. Why would he be so conscientious of my feelings? After what I'd done to his son, Keith, I would've expected rage or accusations. Tom opened the door for me and gestured me through. â€Å"Can I bring my coffee, sir?† â€Å"Of course.† He took me back into the concrete corridor, toward more of the closed doors. I clutched my coffee like a security blanket, far more frightened than I'd been when first entering this place. Tom came to a stop a few doors down, in front of one with a red light, but hesitated before opening it. â€Å"I want you to know†¦ that what you did was incredibly brave,† he said, not meeting my eyes. â€Å"I know you and Keith were – are – friends, and it couldn't have been easy to turn him in. It shows just how committed you are to our work – something that's not always easy when personal feelings are involved.† Keith and I weren't friends now or then, but I supposed I could understand Tom's mistake. Keith had lived with my family for a summer, and later, he and I had worked together in Palm Springs. Turning him in for his crimes hadn't been difficult for me at all. I'd actually enjoyed it. Seeing the stricken look on Tom's face, though, I knew I couldn't say anything like that. I swallowed. â€Å"Well. Our work is important, sir.† He gave me a sad smile. â€Å"Yes. It certainly is.† The door had a security keypad. Tom punched in a series of about ten digits, and the lock clicked in acceptance. He pushed the door open, and I followed him inside. The stark room was dimly lit and had three other people in it, so I didn't initially notice what else the room contained. I knew immediately that the others were Alchemists. There was no other reason they'd be in this place otherwise. And, of course, they possessed the telltale signs that would have identified them to me even on a busy street. Business attire in nondescript colors. Golden lily tattoos shining on their left cheeks. It was part of the uniformity we all shared. We were a secret army, lurking in the shadows of our fellow humans. The three of them were all holding clipboards and staring at one of the walls. That was when I noticed what this room's purpose was. A window in the wall looked through to another room, one much more brightly lit than this one. And Keith Darnell was in that room. He darted up to the glass separating us and began beating on it. My heart raced, and I took a few frightened steps back, certain he was coming after me. It took me a moment to realize he couldn't actually see me. I relaxed slightly. Very slightly. The window was a oneway mirror. He pressed his hands to the glass, glancing frantically back and forth at the faces he knew were there but couldn't see. â€Å"Please, please,† he cried. â€Å"Let me out. Please let me out of here.† Keith looked a little scragglier than the last time I'd seen him. His hair was unkempt and appeared as though it hadn't been cut in our month apart. He wore a plain gray jumpsuit, the kind you saw on prisoners or mental patients, that reminded me of the concrete in the hall. Most noticeable of all was the desperate, terrified look in his eyes – or rather, eye. Keith had lost one of his eyes in a vampire attack that I had secretly helped orchestrate. None of the Alchemists knew about it, just as none of them knew about how Keith had raped my older sister Carly. I doubted Tom Darnell would've praised me for my â€Å"dedication† if he'd known about my sideline revenge act. Seeing the state Keith was in now, I felt a little bad for him – and especially bad for Tom, whose face was filled with raw pain. I still didn't feel bad about what I'd done to Keith, however. Not the arrest or the eye. Put simply, Keith Darnell was a bad person. â€Å"I'm sure you recognize Keith,† said one of the Alchemists with a clipboard. Her gray hair was wound into a tight, neat bun. â€Å"Yes, ma'am,† I said. I was saved from any other response when Keith beat at the glass with renewed fury. â€Å"Please! I'm serious! Whatever you want. I'll do anything. I'll say anything. I'll believe anything. Just please don't send me back there!† Both Tom and I flinched, but the other Alchemists watched with clinical detachment and scrawled a few notes on their clipboards. The bun woman glanced back up at me as though there'd been no interruption. â€Å"Young Mr. Darnell has been spending some time in one of our Re-education Centers. An unfortunate action – but a necessary one. His trafficking in illicit goods was certainly bad, but his collaboration with vampires is unforgiveable. Although he claims to have no attachment to them†¦ well, we really can't be certain. Even if he is telling the truth, there's also the possibility that this transgression might expand into something more – not just a collaboration with the Moroi, but also the Strigoi. Doing what we've done keeps him from that slippery slope.† â€Å"It's really for his own good,† said the third clipboard-wielding Alchemist. â€Å"We're doing him a favor.† A sense of horror swept over me. The whole point of the Alchemists was to keep the existence of vampires secret from humans. We believed vampires were unnatural creatures who should have nothing to do with humans like us. What was a particular concern were the Strigoi – evil, killer vampires – who could lure humans into servitude with promises of immortality. Even the peaceful Moroi and their half human counterparts, the dhampirs, were regarded with suspicion. We worked with those latter two groups a lot, and even though we'd been taught to regard them with disdain, it was an inevitable fact that some Alchemists not only grew close to Moroi and dhampirs†¦ but actually started to like them. The crazy thing was – despite his crime of selling vampire blood – Keith was one of the last people I'd think of when it came to getting too friendly with vampires. He'd made his dislike of them perfectly obvious to me a number of times. Really, if anyone deserved to be accused of attachment to vampires†¦ †¦ well, it would be me. One of the other Alchemists, a man with mirrored sunglasses hanging artfully off his collar, took up the lecture. â€Å"You, Miss Sage, have been a remarkable example of someone able to work extensively with them and keep your objectivity. Your dedication has not gone unnoticed by those above us.† â€Å"Thank you, sir,† I said uneasily, wondering how many times I'd hear â€Å"dedication† brought up tonight. This was a far cry from a few months ago, when I'd gotten in trouble for helping a dhampir fugitive escape. She'd later been proven innocent, and my involvement had been written off as â€Å"career ambition.† â€Å"And,† continued Sunglasses, â€Å"considering your experience with Mr. Darnell, we thought you would be an excellent person to give us a statement.† I turned my attention back at Keith. He'd been pounding and shouting pretty much nonstop this whole time. The others had managed to ignore him, so I tried as well. â€Å"A statement on what, sir?† â€Å"We're considering whether or not to return him to Re-education,† explained Gray Bun. â€Å"He's made excellent progress there, but some feel it's best to be safe and make sure any chance of vampire attachment is eradicated.† If Keith's current behavior was â€Å"excellent progress,† I couldn't imagine what poor progress looked like. Sunglasses readied his pen over his clipboard. â€Å"Based on what you witnessed in Palm Springs, Miss Sage, what is your opinion of Mr. Darnell's state of mind when it comes to vampires? Was the bonding you witnessed severe enough to warrant further precautionary measures?† Presumably, â€Å"further precautionary measures† meant more Re-education. While Keith continued to bang away, all eyes in my room were on me. The clipboard Alchemists looked thoughtful and curious. Tom Darnell was visibly sweating, watching me with fear and anticipation. I supposed it was understandable. I held his son's fate in my hands. Conflicting emotions warred within me as I regarded Keith. I didn't just dislike him – I hated him. And I didn't hate many people. I couldn't forget what he'd done to Carly. Likewise, the memories of what he'd done to others and me in Palm Springs were still fresh in my mind. He'd slandered me and made my life miserable in an effort to cover up his blood scam. He'd also horribly treated the vampires and dhampirs we were in charge of looking after. It made me question who the real monsters were. I didn't know exactly what happened at Re-education Centers. Judging from Keith's reaction, it was probably pretty bad. There was a part of me that would have loved to tell the Alchemists to send him back there for years and never let him see the light of day. His crimes deserved severe punishment – and yet, I wasn't sure they deserved this particular punishment. â€Å"I think†¦ I think Keith Darnell is corrupt,† I said at last. â€Å"He's selfish and immoral. He has no concern for others and hurts people to further his own ends. He's willing to lie, cheat, and steal to get what he wants.† I hesitated before continuing. â€Å"But†¦ I don't think he's been blinded to what vampires are. I don't think he's too close to them or in danger of falling in with them in the future. That being said, I also don't think he should be allowed to do Alchemist work for the foreseeable future. Whether that would mean locking him up or just putting him on probation is up to you. His past actions show he doesn't take our missions seriously, but that's because of selfishness. Not because of an unnatural attachment to them. He†¦ well, to be blunt, is just a bad person.† Silence met me, save for the frantic scrawling of pens as the clipboard Alchemists made their notes. I dared a glance at Tom, afraid of what I'd see after completely trashing his son. To my astonishment, Tom looked†¦ relieved. And grateful. In fact, he seemed on the verge of tears. Catching my eye, he mouthed, Thank you. Amazing. I had just proclaimed Keith to be a horrible human being in every way possible. But none of that mattered to his father, so long as I didn't accuse Keith of being in league with vampires. I could've called Keith a murderer, and Tom would have probably still been grateful if it meant Keith wasn't chummy with the enemy. It bothered me and again made me wonder who the real monsters were in all of this. The group I'd left back in Palm Springs was a hundred times more moral than Keith. â€Å"Thank you, Miss Sage,† said Gray Bun, finishing up her notes. â€Å"You've been extremely helpful, and we'll take this into consideration as we make our decision. You may go now. If you step into the hall, you'll find Zeke waiting to take you out.† It was an abrupt dismissal, but that was typical of Alchemists. Efficient. To the point. I gave a polite nod of farewell and one last glance at Keith before opening the door. As soon as it shut behind me, I found the hallway mercifully silent. I could no longer hear Keith. Zeke, as it turned out, was the Alchemist who had originally led me in. â€Å"All set?† he asked. â€Å"So it seems,† I said, still a bit stunned over what had just taken place. I knew now that my earlier debriefing on the Palm Springs situation had simply been a convenience for the Alchemists. I'd been in the area, so why not have an in-person meeting? It hadn't been essential. This – seeing Keith – had been the real purpose of my cross-country trip. As we walked back down the hallway, something caught my attention that I hadn't noticed before. One of the doors had a fair amount of security on it – more so than the room I'd just been in. Along with the lights and keypad, there was also a card reader. At the top of the door was a deadbolt that locked from outside. Nothing fancy, but it was clearly meant to keep whatever was behind the door inside. I stopped in spite of myself and studied the door for a few moments. Then, I kept walking, knowing better than to say anything. Good Alchemists didn't ask questions. Zeke, seeing my gaze, came to a halt. He glanced at me, then the door, and then back at me. â€Å"Do you want†¦ do you want to see what's in there?† His eyes darted quickly to the door we'd emerged from. He was low-ranking, I knew, and clearly feared getting in trouble with the others. At the same time, there was an eagerness that suggested he was excited about the secrets he kept, secrets he couldn't share with others. I was a safe outlet. â€Å"I guess it depends on what's in there,† I said. â€Å"It's the reason for what we do,† he said mysteriously. â€Å"Take a look, and you'll understand why our goals are so important.† Deciding to risk it, he flashed a card over the reader and then punched in another long code. A light on the door turned green, and he slid open the deadbolt. I'd half-expected another dim room, but the light was so bright inside, it almost hurt my eyes. I put a hand up to my forehead to shield myself. â€Å"It's a type of light therapy,† Zeke explained apologetically. â€Å"You know how people in cloudy regions have sun lamps? Same kind of rays. The hope is that it'll make people like him a little more human again – or at least discourage them from thinking they're Strigoi.† At first, I was too dazzled to figure out what he meant. Then, across the empty room, I saw a jail cell. Large metal bars covered the entrance, which was locked with another card reader and keypad. It seemed like overkill when I caught sight of the man inside. He was older than me, mid-twenties if I had to guess, and had a disheveled appearance that made Keith look neat and tidy. The man was gaunt and curled up in a corner, arms draped over his eyes against the light. He wore handcuffs and feet cuffs and clearly wasn't going anywhere. At our entrance, he dared a peek at us and then uncovered more of his face. A chill ran through me. The man was human, but his expression was as cold and evil as any Strigoi I'd ever seen. His gray eyes were predatory. Emotionless, like the kinds of murderers who had no sense of empathy for other people. â€Å"Have you brought me dinner?† he asked in a raspy voice that had to be faked. â€Å"A nice young girl, I see. Skinnier than I'd like, but I'm sure her blood is still succulent.† â€Å"Liam,† said Zeke with a weary patience. â€Å"You know where your dinner is.† He pointed to an untouched tray of food in the cell that looked like it had gone cold long ago. Chicken nuggets, green beans, and a sugar cookie. â€Å"He almost never eats anything,† Zeke explained to me. â€Å"It's why he's so thin. Keeps insisting on blood.† â€Å"What†¦ what is he?† I asked, unable to take my eyes off of Liam. It was a silly question, of course. Liam was clearly human, and yet†¦ there was something about him that wasn't right. â€Å"A corrupt soul who wants to be Strigoi,† said Zeke. â€Å"Some guardians found him serving those monsters and delivered him to us. We've tried to rehabilitate him but with no luck. He keeps going on and on about how great the Strigoi are and how he'll get back to them one day and make us pay. In the meantime, he does his best to pretend he's one of them.† â€Å"Oh,† said Liam, with a sly smile, â€Å"I will be one of them. They will reward my loyalty and suffering. They will awaken me, and I will become powerful beyond your miniscule mortal dreams. I will live forever and come for you – all of you. I will feast on your blood and savor every drop. You Alchemists pull your strings and think you control everything. You delude yourselves. You control nothing. You are nothing.† â€Å"See?† said Zeke, shaking his head. â€Å"Pathetic. And yet, this is what could happen if we didn't do the job we did. Other humans could become like him – selling their souls for the hollow promise of immortality.† He made the Alchemist sign against evil, a small cross on his shoulder, and I found myself echoing it. â€Å"I don't like being in here, but sometimes†¦ sometimes it's a good reminder of why we have to keep the Moroi and the others in the shadows. Of why we can't let ourselves be taken in by them.† I knew in the back of my mind that there was a huge difference in the way Moroi and Strigoi interacted with humans. Still, I couldn't formulate any arguments while in front of Liam. He had me too dumbstruck – and afraid. It was easy to believe every word the Alchemists said. This was what we were fighting against. This was the nightmare we couldn't allow to happen. I didn't know what to say, but Zeke didn't seem to expect much. â€Å"Come on. Let's go.† To Liam, he added, â€Å"And you'd better eat that food because you aren't getting any more until morning. I don't care how cold and hard it is.† Liam's eyes narrowed. â€Å"What do I care about human food when soon I'll be drinking the nectar of the gods? Your blood will be warm on my lips, yours and your pretty girl's.† He began to laugh then, a sound far more disturbing than any of Keith's screams. That laughter continued as Zeke led me out of the room. The door shut behind us, and I found myself standing in the hall, numbed. Zeke regarded me with concern. â€Å"I'm sorry†¦ I probably shouldn't have shown you that.† I shook my head slowly. â€Å"No†¦ you were right. It's good for us to see. To understand what we're doing. I always knew†¦ but I didn't expect anything like that.† I tried to shift my thoughts back to everyday things and wipe that horror from my mind. I looked down at my coffee. It was untouched and had grown lukewarm. I grimaced. â€Å"Can I get more coffee before we go?† I needed something normal. Something human. â€Å"Sure.† Zeke led me back to the lounge. The pot I'd made was still hot. I dumped out my old coffee and poured some new. As I did, the door burst open, and a distraught Tom Darnell came in. He seemed surprised to see anyone here and pushed past us, sitting on the couch and burying his face in his hands. Zeke and I exchanged uncertain looks. â€Å"Mr. Darnell,† I began. â€Å"Are you okay?† He didn't answer me right away. He kept his face covered, his body shaking with silent sobs. I was about to leave when he looked up at me, though I got the feeling he wasn't actually seeing me. â€Å"They decided,† he said. â€Å"They decided about Keith.† â€Å"Already?† I asked, startled. Zeke and I had only spent about five minutes with Liam. Tom nodded morosely. â€Å"They're sending him back†¦ back to Re-education.† I couldn't believe it. â€Å"But I†¦ but I told them! I told them he's not in league with vampires. He believes what†¦ the rest of us believe. It was his choices that were bad.† â€Å"I know. But they said we can't take the risk. Even if Keith seems like he doesn't care about them – even if believes he doesn't – the fact remains he still set up a deal with one. They're worried that willingness to go into that kind of partnership might subconsciously influence him. Best to take care of things now. They're†¦ they're probably right. This is for the best.† That image of Keith pounding on the glass and begging not to go back flashed through my mind. â€Å"I'm sorry, Mr. Darnell.† Tom's distraught gaze focused on me a little bit more. â€Å"Don't apologize, Sydney. You've done so much†¦ so much for Keith. Because of what you told them, they're going to reduce his time in Re-education. That means so much to me. Thank you.† My stomach twisted. Because of me, Keith had lost an eye. Because of me, Keith had gone to Re-education in the first place. Again, the sentiment came to me: he deserved to suffer in some way, but he didn't deserve this. â€Å"They were right about you,† Tom added. He was trying to smile but failing. â€Å"What a stellar example you are. So dedicated. Your father must be so proud. I don't know how you live with those creatures every day and still keep your head about you. Other Alchemists could learn a lot from you. You understand what responsibility and duty are.† Since I'd flown out of Palm Springs yesterday, I'd actually been thinking a lot about the group I'd left behind – when the Alchemists weren't distracting me with prisoners, of course. Jill, Adrian, Eddie, and even Angeline†¦ frustrating at times, but in the end, they were people I'd grown to know and care about. Despite all the running around they made me do, I'd missed that motley group almost the instant I left California. Something inside me seemed empty when they weren't around. Now, feeling that way confused me. Was I blurring the lines between friendship and duty? If Keith had gotten in trouble for one small association with a vampire, how much worse was I? And how close were any of us to becoming like Liam? Zeke's words rang inside my head: We can't let ourselves be taken in by them. And what Tom had just said: You understand what responsibility and duty are. He was watching me expectantly, and I managed a smile as I pushed down all my fears. â€Å"Thank you, sir,† I said. â€Å"I do what I can.†

Accounting Basics for Managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Accounting Basics for Managers - Essay Example In the financial year 2012, Home Depot shows impressive growth both financially and operationally. In the financial year 2011, Home Depot revenue increased by 3.53% to a striking $ 70,395 million which has resulted in the operating profit increased by 14.08%. Following its operational growth strategy, Home Depot has introduced diversity in its business. The company is showing interest in covering all the horizons of the globe by opening more and more stores in various areas of the globe as it planning to serve a diverse range of customers. Gross profit margin is one of the key profitability ratio indicators which indicate how well a company is in the process of utilizing its working capital in earning the desired level of profit. In order to calculate the gross profit margin ratio, the gross profit (i.e., sales less the cost of sales) is divided by the revenue of the company. As apparent, the gross profit of the company has increased slightly from the previous financial year which co uld be due to the fact that the cost of sales of the company increased with a bigger percentage as compared to the percentage of the revenue of the company. This could be due to increased raw materials prices from the supplier which the company could not recover from the customers through increased selling price. The next profitability indicator is the net profit margin. The net profit margin is calculated by dividing the net profit (i.e., gross profit less administrative and selling expenditure) with the total revenue.

Strategy and Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strategy and Marketing - Essay Example Economic conditions as well as lifestyle needs demand that consumers invest in their housing to ensure asset value growth and require adequate transportation and computer systems to facilitate effective and demanded lifestyle quality. Many of these industries do not require a strong market-oriented strategy, since the competitive environment does not mandate being ultra-sensitive to buyer needs (Walker & Mullins, 2011). Companies such as The Home Depot and Lowe’s offer rather standardized products that are in demand due to economic conditions and widespread consumer need for asset protection. In this oligopoly market structure where there are limited competitors, the business can avoid high costs associated with customer relationship management systems and other market-oriented models of doing business. The mid- and long-term factors of high performance are credit availability, limited competition in certain high-performing industries, pricing structures, and high consumer dem and. No, it would be difficult to make the assumption that some industries are inherently more profitable than others. Some have operational models that consume a great deal of cash or credit that are not widely understood without examining annual reports or market studies on business strategy and growth. They may offer higher prices, however the cost of goods sold in these industries could be substantially higher than other competitors that have leaner models of production. There are many factors associated with promotions, brand positioning, or even expensive information technology and support that could erode profitability. Walker & Mullins (2011) identifies that market success requires examination of external trends that impact the industry long-term. Ineffective market research, either qualitative or quantitative, as well as a poorly-developed promotional strategy could greatly undercut profitability as compared to more efficient competitors at these activities. Automobile Manu facturing Performance Automobile manufacturer sales volumes are strongly influenced by consumer demand and also short-term economic conditions in key target markets in their desired segments. Morningstar (2012) identifies rather poor mid- to long-term performance at Nissan, but rather high performance at General Motors. Both of these companies offer mid-sized to larger-sized vehicles and operate in generally the same socio-economic market segments. Walker & Mullins (2011) identifies the importance of positioning, which is establishing a product that will emphasize consumer needs and help to differentiate the brand from other competition. General Motors conducts considerable market research on consumer attitudes, behaviors and needs which assists this business in gaining more customers. Psychographics is only one method of establishing connections with buyers. Nissan, on the other hand, might have less developed promotional and advertising strategies that do not stand out from compet ition. While GM would be positioned as a lifestyle-relevant product line, Nissan might be ineffective at successfully differentiating the product. Though this is only one factor, it does indicate why some companies perform better financially than others due to the importance of successful marketing strategy implementation and control. The automotive industry is also reliant on consumers that conduct a great deal of

The impact of internet marketing in retailing Essay

The impact of internet marketing in retailing - Essay Example The information would be sent to the grocery shop through Internet and the grocery would be delivered at our doorsteps. The concept of E- com goes even beyond this; various firms would float their needs, projects and tenders through Internet web. The management consultant, vendors, engineering consultants and other business groups would come online to discuss various aspects of the project. All mandatory information relating to costing, engineering details calculations, and prices would also be shared here on- line. The orders would be discussed and then placed on-line. And the executions would also be done through Internet. The various aspects of information transfer would involve management and engineering information then all types of text, graphics, tables and figures. The process of E-com is getting a big momentum in global industry as a whole unit after globalization. Currently, the most serious application of Internet is in the area of internet marketing. E-mail services are v ery cheap and are used by businessmen and individuals worldwide for information transfer. ... ng the creation of a national information backbone, which would be used for national information infrastructure and for the promotion of Internet services. We must get out of the agricultural age and must jump on to information technology bandwagon. The possibilities on Internet marketing are endless. For example, it would be possible to have marketing through voice transmission via Internet. All the major national streams—defense, industry, software development and exports, international trading, bilateral agreements, information exchange and information needs for daily usage—would benefit from this latest technological marvel (Cotter, 2002). Today, there is a lack of a good data transmission networks. According to a survey, there is likely to be a demand of 50, 00,000 Internet connections in the metropolises. Internet Marketing Strategies The major strategies used for internet marketing is as follows: Web design First of all we must have a good web site where we shoul d display the articles to sell. Since there are billions of web pages are there in internet, one should design his web site to catch attention from the customers. The customer should be able to know the various features of the product he wants to know. So, one should be able to display the web site well in style to catch good customers (Armistead & Keily, 2003). Free publicity As internet is a plat form where all the buyers and sellers meet, it offers ample scope to market his products and services. So we can use all social marketing tools for the same. We have face book, twitter and a number of web related plat forms are there to interact with the customers and buyers. Sending effective e- mails is the powerful tool as far as the internet marketing is concerned (Hoffman & Novak, 1996). SEO Search