Wednesday, July 31, 2019

“Eveline” By James Joyce and “Samphire” by Patrick O’Brian Essay

Both of these stories tell of women wanting to break away from dominating male influences in their lives. Eveline is fed up of working at home and of looking after her father where as Molly wants a life away from Lacy. But at the end of each story, neither woman is nearer to her goal of a new life. The start of â€Å"Eveline† is very descriptive and gives the reader the impression of her life so far. Although Eveline works around the house, â€Å"in her nostrils was the odour of dusty cretonne†. â€Å"She was tired† and these three words set the tone of the story for the reader. In contrast, â€Å"Samphire† opens with the uplifting white cliffs and the vicious sea. â€Å"The wind †¦ brought the salt tang of the spray on their lips†. This opening is also very descriptive but in a different way to â€Å"Eveline† – the sheer power of nature and the quiet and simple home. But both of these openings are effective in setting the scene for the story. Eveline lives at home with her father as â€Å"her brothers and sisters were all grown up, her mother was dead.† This last fact obviously had a huge effect on Eveline and her father, possibly making her father become violent, â€Å"she sometimes felt herself in danger of her father’s violence†. And now Eveline wants â€Å"to go away like the others, to leave her home.† Molly’s problems or intentions about what she wants to do are not known about until near to the end. It is possible though to guess at what she is irritated about – her husband Lacey. â€Å"He had a high, rather unmasculine voice, and he emphasized his words.† He is very persistent, â€Å"three times he pointed it out†; patronising, â€Å"how he had even to be a little firm†; childish, â€Å"wagging his finger†; trying to be humorous, â€Å"made a joke about the shop being a house of ill-fume; but the tobacconist did not understand†; not attractive, â€Å"the thin, fluffy hair that covered his baldness†, and extremely image conscious, â€Å"and how the people would stare when they brought it back†. But it wasn’t all easy for Eveline either. She had to put up with her father who said that â€Å"she used to squander the money† and â€Å"that she had no head†. She had â€Å"hard work to keep the house together† and overall it was † a hard life†. But Frank was a totally different person, â€Å"very kind, manly, open hearted† compared to her violent father. Her relationship with Frank was going fine until â€Å"her father found out the affair and had forbidden her to have anything to say to him.† This is because he relies on her and that he doesn’t want to lose. There is also the possibility that he is quite a stubborn man and that Frank is intruding on his relationship with his daughter. Throughout the whole story, there is the doubt or guilt factor that is preventing Eveline from leaving and going off to Buenos Aires with Frank. â€Å"Now she was about to leave it (her life) she did not find it a wholly undesirable life†; â€Å"her time was running out†, and that â€Å"her father was becoming old lately, she noticed; he would miss her†. Then near to the bottom of the second page come the crucial facts about why she does not want to leave home: the promise to her dying mother, â€Å"her promise to keep the home together as long as she could†. The plot of â€Å"Samphire† is that Lacey sees â€Å"a clump of samphire† on the edge of a cliff and is determined for Molly to see it. Once she has seen it, there is a great satisfaction from Lacey as he knows that Molly is scared of heights, â€Å"heights terrified her, always had†, but he still forces her to look at the plant. The next day Molly â€Å"said she would like to see the samphire again† much to the joy of Lacy. She obviously does this to keep him happy and possibly to keep him quiet for a little while. As they reach the top of the cliff and turn the path, Lacey cries out, â€Å"it is still there. Oh jolly good. It is still there†. As he stretched over the cliff to try and reach the plant, Molly stepped forward and tried to push him off the cliff, â€Å"but as she pushed him she felt her arms weak like jelly†. It is almost as if in her heart she doesn’t want to push him off. â€Å"For a second the wind bore his body and the stick scrabbled furiously for a purchase on the cliff†. He gets up, screaming at her, â€Å"you pushed me Molly, you – pushed me, you – pushed me†. Lacey is in complete shock as he realises what Molly was trying to do. â€Å"Still she stood, stone – still† not listening to him. She marches off down the path, with Lacey following after her. Before he was leading the way, but now she is the dominant figure in their relationship. And still he is trying to believe that it was an accident but he was lucky that she didn’t push him all the way off. The end of â€Å"Eveline† results in her doing what her heart feels is best as well, just like Molly as she leaves Frank to stay with her father. † All the seas of the world tumbled about her heart†. It was a difficult decision but one that she had to make.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Battle of Monmouth

June of 1778, General Washington is planning to attack General Sir Henry Clinton and his troops as they march from Philadelphia to New York. Washington sent 5,000 men with Major General Charles Lee to attack the British rear guard. Lee is forced to retreat, but Washington is ready for the British with the main army. In the end the both sides had claimed victory. Near Monmouth County Courthouse, the battle was fought on June 28, 1778. The weather was so hot on the day of the battle that many soldiers suffered from heat stroke.Many of Washington’s officers favored his plans to attack General Clinton, but Major General Lee was against it. Lee felt that after their alliance with the French, that they shouldn’t attack the British unless they have overwhelming superiority. Washington decided to send 4,000 men to attack Clintons rear guard, Lee turned down command of the force. After Washington raised the amount of men to 5,000, Lee demanded to be given command. Lee was given strict orders to hold a meeting to determine the plan of attack with his officers.During the meeting, Lee told the officers to be alert for orders during the battle instead of planning it out. When they encountered the British, Lee quickly lost control. After this the British moved to flank Lee’s men, when Lee saw this he ordered a retreat. Washington had been bringing the main army up when he saw Lee’s forces retreating. Washington located Lee and dismissed him after not receiving a satisfactory answer as to what had happened. Washington rallied Lee’s men and held off the British just long enough to set positions in the west. After fighting till sometime in the late afternoon, the British retreated.Washington hoped to pursue but his men were exhausted from fighting all day in the heat. The Battle of Monmouth was the last major battle fought in the north during the war. After the battle the British had held up in New York and focused on the southern colonies. Le e requested a court martial to prove his innocence from any wrong doings after the battle. Washington then filed formal charges against Lee, where he was found guilty and suspended. During the Battle a woman who was bringing water to American artillery men is said to of taken over firing for her husband when he had fallen.

Succubus Shadows Chapter 7

â€Å"You're right,† said Roman the next morning, ruminating over what had happened with Gavin. â€Å"I didn't like that.† I was standing in the bathroom, going over my hair with a flat iron. It was a pain in the ass compared to shape-shifting, but I liked the challenge. Plus, I could always fine-tune the frizziness away afterward. â€Å"Not like it's the first time it's happened,† I pointed out, my eyes on the mirror rather than where he leaned in the doorway. â€Å"You used to never mind.† â€Å"Didn't I?† he asked dryly. â€Å"Well, being with him distracted me from wallowing in self-pity. Not that it made me feel that great either,† I admitted. â€Å"But it kept my†¦whatever†¦away. And hey, it couldn't have been as nasty as what you saw Simone do.† â€Å"True, but now that guy's just going to come trolling around all the time. He'll be showing up to borrow cups of sugar in the hopes he can score some more action.† â€Å"I'll deal with him. I've got a little practice in pushing guys away.† â€Å"Don't I know it.† I paused to shoot him a glare. â€Å"Will you lay off the attitude this morning? You're starting to sound like you're jealous or something.† Roman snorted. â€Å"Hardly. Why in God's name would I be jealous over the woman who got my sister killed and tried to unleash the forces of Heaven and Hell to destroy me?† Fair point. â€Å"It's a little more complicated than that.† â€Å"Oh, yes, I'm sure.† He crossed his arms and stared down at the floor. â€Å"But maybe the next time you're looking for distraction, we could rent a movie and microwave some popcorn instead of fucking the neighbors.† â€Å"You have horrible taste in movies,† I mumbled. But that closed the conversation, and Roman wandered off. A few moments later, I heard the TV turn on. I had to work today, but it was an afternoon shift. I was up and ready to go early because I wanted to visit Erik. I should have felt secure in Jerome's ability to figure out what was going on, as well as Roman's protection. But I'd had too much shit happen to me in the past to ever fully trust anyone. Erik had always proven a valuable resource. Roman went with me, covertly, but it took a while for me to actually get some quality time with Erik. He had customers in the store – which was great for him, but I could hardly discuss immortal affairs with others around. When the people finally thinned out, Erik turned his attention to me, ready with his typical friendly smile. His color looked better, and his movements weren't as jerky. He was still weak, just not as weak. â€Å"Your cold's cleared up,† I said. His smile grew. â€Å"Yes, I told you it was nothing. A mere cold isn't going to kill me off.† His voice was light, but I couldn't help a small frown. There had been something in his words – something I couldn't quite put my finger on – that made it sound like he did know what was going to kill him. A chill ran down my spine. I didn't like to think of those sorts of things. I sat down at his little table with him but declined tea. â€Å"I just wanted to see if you'd learned anything else.† It was a nervous impulse on my part. I knew he would have contacted me if he had discovered something. â€Å"No, but as I said, the information we have is vague enough for it to be any number of things.† â€Å"That's what Jerome said.† Erik looked pleased. â€Å"I'm glad he knows. I've always said that your own people are more likely to know better than me.† I couldn't help a small laugh. â€Å"Debatable. I might have something to make it a little less vague.† Briefly, I explained my recent encounter and how it had occurred to me that this force only visited when I was troubled and depressed. â€Å"It's like†¦it's like it's preying on my weakness. Trying to lure me in with promises of comfort.† â€Å"Then you must be careful not to give in.† If Roman had said that, I would have snapped at him for stating the obvious. â€Å"It's easy to say that now, in the cold light of logic, but when it happens†¦I don't know. I lose my grip on the world. Reason's gone. Hell, half the time I don't even know what's happening until afterward. It's like†¦sleeping. Sleepwalking. Whatever.† â€Å"And it always appears as a type of doorway?† I pondered this for several seconds. â€Å"I don't know†¦kind of. I don't know how to describe it – and I know I keep saying that. And how useless it sounds. I'm not sure if it's a door, exactly, but it's definitely trying to pull me into something.† Erik had made himself tea and sat for almost a minute sipping it, his brow knit in thought. â€Å"I'll think about all of this. In the meantime, I'd just advise†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hesitated. â€Å"Well, let me put it this way. You are a delight, Miss Kincaid, and I always enjoy my time with you. However, you are also – how can I say this – someone frequently given to darker moods.† â€Å"Is that your polite way of saying I'm always down?† I teased. â€Å"No†¦not exactly. But if this thing is seeking out those in emotionally depressed states, then I'd say you are particularly susceptible. If it's at all possible, you should try to stay away from those moods.† I thought about it. One of my best friends was marrying my ex – an ex whom I was starting to fall for all over again. An ex whose soul I had inadvertently damned to Hell and who was now being stalked by another succubus. My own soul had long since been Hell-bound, and I was committed to an eternity of sleeping with men whom I often didn't like. Oh, yeah. Let's not forget that my roommate was given to sociopathic tendencies and had me on his hit list. â€Å"That might be easier said than done,† I told Erik. â€Å"I can imagine,† he said ruefully. â€Å"But it may be the only way to protect yourself. That and your own willpower – the strength of which I firmly believe in.† Erik's faith in me warmed up a piece of my heart, even though the rest of today's insight hadn't been all that insightful. I thanked him for his time and headed off to work, grateful Roman offered no â€Å"witty† commentary during our drive. At the bookstore, Seth worked alone in the caf? ¦. Simone was nowhere in sight, which was one bonus. The fact that it was Maddie's day off also improved my mood. Maybe staying away from my usual glum state wouldn't be as hard as I thought. â€Å"Yo, Kincaid.† Doug found me putting stickers on our rack of clearance books. They mostly consisted of out-of-print coffee-table books, things like Stone Arches of Tuscany and The Complete Book of Bridal Cross-stitch. I wasn't entirely sure what that last one was, but maybe it'd make a good wedding present for Seth and Maddie. The price was certainly a bargain. We'd reduced it three times now, and still no one wanted to buy it. â€Å"What's up?† I asked. â€Å"I've got news that's going to rock your world. And make you think I'm even awesomer than you already do.† â€Å"That's a bold statement.† He paused, apparently trying to decide if he'd been complimented or insulted. â€Å"I just found out that Gabrielle's a fan of Blue Satin Bra.† â€Å"She never struck me as that type. I figured all of her lingerie would be black.† Doug gave me a withering look. â€Å"No, Kincaid. I don't mean that she wears one. I mean that she likes the group. Haven't you heard of them?† â€Å"There's a group called Blue Satin Bra?† I shook my head. â€Å"Sorry. I can't keep up with every new garage band in Seattle.† â€Å"They aren't a garage band! They're the hottest thing to hit the metal scene. They're going to make it big.† I tried to hide my skepticism. Doug himself was in a band called Nocturnal Admission, and whenever he spoke about local bands, it seemed like everyone was on the verge of making it big. â€Å"What's this got to do with Gabrielle again?† Doug was clearly growing frustrated with me. â€Å"She's a huge fan – and they've got a concert tomorrow night. Unfortunately, it's all sold out. She was pretty bummed about it.† Despite his annoyance with me, I could sense the smugness within him. â€Å"Here it comes†¦.† Pride lit his features. â€Å"I'm friends with the bass player and managed to score some tickets. If your pal Cody approaches her with them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I paused in my stickering. â€Å"You're right. You did just get awesomer.† â€Å"You've got to go too, you know.† â€Å"I – what?† Me trailing along didn't sound romantic in the least. Doug shrugged. â€Å"He can't just ask her out for an actual date. Not yet. He'll spook her.† â€Å"Then what exactly is he supposed to ask her out for?† â€Å"I do the asking. I'll just be all like, ‘Hey, Gabby, I got some extra tickets to the show. You want to go along with me and my friends?' Then she's off guard. She comes along, Cody's there, magic happens†¦.† â€Å"Wow,† I said. â€Å"Looks like you've got it all figured out. And I don't think she likes to be called Gabby.† â€Å"This is a good plan.† He was clearly very pleased with himself. â€Å"I've been around, Kincaid. When you get mad romantic skills like me, you'll understand.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"We can only hope. So how many friends are going along exactly?† â€Å"I scored four tickets. So: you, me, Cody, and Gabrielle.† â€Å"Sounds suspiciously like a double date. You trying your mad romantic skills on me?† It wouldn't be the first time. â€Å"Hell no. Do I look suicidal? You're already claimed.† For a minute, Seth came to mind, then Doug added: â€Å"I'm not getting on the bad side of that guy you're shacked up with. I mean, I can hold my own in a fight, but he looks like he could seriously fuck someone up.† â€Å"You have no idea,† I muttered. No doubt Roman – lingering nearby invisibly – was loving this. â€Å"But we aren't involved. He's just my roommate.† â€Å"For now,† said Doug ominously. He began a retreat. â€Å"I'll go invite Gabs. You tell Cody the deal and that you're going to be his wing-woman.† I shook my head after Doug left, wondering what I'd gotten myself into. His absurd comments about mad skills and wing-women aside, the whole casual group thing might be a gateway outing to get Gabrielle closer to Cody. I just hoped word of his Goth getup the other day hadn't gotten around to her. I also wondered what kind of experience I was getting myself into with Blue Satin Bra. Doug's bizarre industrial alternative music had grown on me over the years, but I had a feeling this concert would be a very different experience. About an hour later, I was in my office when some unexpected guests popped their heads in. Well, one wasn't entirely unexpected. I'd found that even when Maddie wasn't working, there was never any real security. You couldn't count on her absence, not when her boyfriend and brother were often in the store. I could feel some safety when we didn't have the same shift, but I'd long accepted that Maddie could really show up at any moment. No, the real surprise was that Maddie was in my office with Brandy Mortensen, Seth's niece. He had five of them, and she was the oldest. When Seth and I had dated, I'd grown pretty attached to that brood. My longing for children and the girls' total adorableness made it easy for me to love them. They'd grown close to me too. Of course, at fourteen, I suspected Brandy wouldn't appreciate being called â€Å"adorable.† She stood with Maddie, who was holding a garment bag on a hanger. Brandy wore a surprisingly sullen teen expression. She seemed taller to me than when I'd last seen her. Just like with Erik, time was passing quickly for these humans. â€Å"Hey, guys,† I said, setting my paperwork aside. â€Å"What's up?† â€Å"More wedding errands,† said Maddie cheerfully. â€Å"We just came by to pick up Seth. We went back to that shop and got a dress for Brandy. She's a bridesmaid too.† Maddie lifted the edge of the bag, revealing the same dress Maddie had bought me the other day. â€Å"How embarrassing,† I told Brandy. â€Å"We're going to show up in the same outfit.† She gave me the ghost of a smile but stayed silent. â€Å"We also went and talked to some florists but didn't really come up with any ideas on what to get. If I get something purple, will it be too monochromatic? And if I get a different color, will it look weird?† â€Å"Hard questions,† I said solemnly. Ones I didn't want to answer. â€Å"Maybe you can come back with me and take a look at some of their books?† Maddie was giving me that hopeful, cheery smile that was so good at inspiring guilt in me. â€Å"I don't know,† I said vaguely. â€Å"Depends on my schedule.† â€Å"Well, let me know. Let me go grab Seth – maybe he has some ideas.† Good luck with that, I thought. Seth was notoriously awful at offering opinions, and he'd seemed particularly non-committal about this wedding stuff, no pun intended. Maddie left Brandy with me, and I gave her a genuine smile. â€Å"So how's it been going?† I asked. â€Å"Did you have fun shopping?† Brandy crossed her arms over her chest and tossed her blond hair over one shoulder. She was wearing a formfitting Rocky Horror Picture Show T-shirt. Really, I thought. She was one step away from turning into her uncle. â€Å"No,† she said bluntly. I arched an eyebrow in surprise. Last I'd known, shopping and having people buy you clothes was pretty sweet when you were a teenage girl. Maybe I was out of touch. â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Because,† she said dramatically. â€Å"This wedding is a joke.† I cast an uneasy glance at the doorway. â€Å"Better not let them hear you say that.† Brandy looked unconcerned. She wasn't exactly scowling, but it was pretty close. â€Å"Uncle Seth isn't supposed to be marrying her.† â€Å"Why not? They've been dating for†¦well, a while.† That was kind of true, guilt-induced engagement or no. â€Å"He proposed. She accepted. Easy as that.† â€Å"She's not the one,† said Brandy stoutly. â€Å"He's supposed to be marrying you.† Yeah, I really wished the door was closed. â€Å"Brandy,† I said, pitching my voice as low as I could. â€Å"Your uncle and I broke up. That's how it is. People move on.† â€Å"You two weren't supposed to. You guys were in love.† â€Å"He loves her too.† â€Å"It's not the same.† This was not a discussion I'd ever expected to have. I'd known Seth's nieces still liked me, but I'd hardly thought I'd left this sort of impression. â€Å"Do you not like Maddie or something?† Brandy gave a half-hearted shrug and averted her eyes. â€Å"She's okay. But she's not you.† I didn't say anything for several moments. I wondered if Brandy's resentment toward the wedding was because she had greater devotion to me than Maddie – or if it was part of some romantic ideal girls her age often had about love and soul mates. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said. â€Å"Love in the real world doesn't usually work out the way stories make us think it should. We don't always get fairy-tale endings. People split up and move on. Just because you love someone doesn't mean you can't love someone else.† I shivered. This was remarkably similar to a conversation Carter and I had once had, shortly after the (first) break-up with Seth. â€Å"It's still not right,† said Brandy obstinately. Seth and Maddie retrieved her shortly thereafter, for which I was grateful. I really didn't want to have to play devil's advocate and defend a marriage that I was hardly thrilled about myself. I felt that sorrow that always seemed to plague me when I thought about them surface†¦and then remembered Erik's comments. Don't give in to it. Stay away from it – that was what kept leading me into trouble. Easier said than done, just as I'd told him. Distraction seemed to be the key to it all, and I just didn't feel up to another liaison tonight. I certainly didn't need the energy. â€Å"Distract me,† I murmured when I was seated in my car. â€Å"Annoy me with your ‘wit,' or just make me outright mad.† No physical evidence of Roman appeared – no signature, no physical appearance – but his voice answered me back just as softly. â€Å"Go see your friends. Aren't they going to that bar tonight? You need to tell Cody he's going on a double date.† â€Å"It's not a double date,† I growled back. But Roman had a point. I probably should let the young vampire know what was in store tomorrow. I was also kind of curious how Roman even knew about the bar outing. I'd received a voice mail message earlier today that one would think would have been out of Roman's hearing range. He'd either been standing really close, or nephilim just had superhuman hearing. And, well, seeing as they were superhuman, I supposed that wasn't too far off. Another idea suddenly came to mind about tonight's social gathering, one that would most definitely provide a distraction – and possibly take care of a nuisance. â€Å"The bar it is,† I declared. I drove down to Pioneer Square, Seattle's historic district, and sought out the Cellar, a dive of a bar located in a basement akin to its name. It was a favorite place for immortals – well, hellish immortals. Since most angels didn't drink – Carter being the exception – you didn't usually find them hanging out in bars. They were more likely to be found at upscale coffee shops. For inexplicable reasons, a number of them also liked to hang out at the restaurant on top of the Space Needle. Maybe they thought it was bringing them closer to Heaven. And, indeed, as I walked down the stairs into the Cellar, I felt Carter's signature, along with those of my usual clique. Best of all, there was an additional signature I'd been hoping to find. â€Å"Hot damn,† I said, striding toward the table where Simone sat with my friends. She burned with the glow of energy that succubi stole from their victims. I hated to admit it, but hers was brighter than the one I still sported. I assured myself that it was just because she'd probably bagged someone today, rather than last night. Hugh scooted to make room for me, and I pulled up a chair from a neighboring table. â€Å"Didn't think you'd show tonight.† I waved a waiter over and ordered a vodka gimlet. â€Å"You know I can't stay away from you guys.† â€Å"You're just in time,† said Carter. His face was neutral, but I caught a mischievous glint in his eyes as he sipped his bourbon. â€Å"Simone was just regaling us with tales of the Underground Tour. Did you hear that Seattle burned to the ground and was rebuilt a century ago?† â€Å"Only every time I take the tour,† I replied. Which had been about a dozen times. It was a tourist hotbed, and I'd taken friends and out-of-town victims on it often. I gave Simone a curious look. â€Å"Did you do that today?† She nodded. â€Å"Figured I should take in the city while I'm here.† She was still using that librarian voice, but I had to admit she looked more like a succubus than the last time I'd seen her. Her neckline was cut so low, it was a wonder her nipples didn't show. Her lips were fuck-me red, and unless I was mistaken, her hair was longer and more voluminous than before. I couldn't decide if she looked like an angel or a beach bunny. And speaking of angels†¦Simone had her chair pushed right next to Carter's, so close that she couldn't help but brush her arm against his each time she reached for her drink. I suspected her leg was pressed up to his as well. He glanced over, giving her a look that wasn't exactly romantic but filled with deep interest I felt certain was feigned. â€Å"I find Seattle's history fascinating. I haven't been here that long, so it's great to keep learning new things.† Simone beamed. Across the table, Hugh choked a little on his drink. Carter had been in Seattle for a couple hundred years. True – not that long for an immortal like him, but he'd most certainly been here for the Seattle fire. Hell, considering how he'd once accidentally burned down my Christmas tree, he might have been the one who set the city ablaze, for all I knew. My gimlet appeared, and I took a long drink of liquid courage. â€Å"From what I hear, you've been checking out some of our local celebrities too,† I said sweetly. Simone dragged her adoring gaze from Carter and fixed me with a frown. â€Å"I don't think I've run into many celebrities.† â€Å"Well,† I said, still smiling like a fool. â€Å"I guess it depends on how you define ‘celebrity.' I certainly consider best-selling authors celebrities. You've been chatting up one quite a bit.† Immediately, Cody, Hugh, and Peter eagerly snapped to attention. They could sniff female conflict a mile away and were undoubtedly bracing themselves for a cat fight. â€Å"Oh, that,† she said dismissively. â€Å"I thought you meant like an actor or something. Yeah, he's just someone on my radar. One of many. Pretty cute. Nice enough.† â€Å"And a friend of mine,† I said. My voice was still cheerful, but I could see in her eyes that she was well aware of the escalating tension. â€Å"Still, fair game,† she replied with a shrug. â€Å"And what do you care? His soul's already tainted. He's not that good a catch. Not like I can do much more damage.† That wasn't true. Seth might currently be Hell-bound, but he wasn't beyond redemption – even though the odds of that were allegedly slim. If by some crazy chance Simone got him to cheat on Maddie again, his soul would grow darker and kill any lingering chances to save him. Plus, sin aside, Simone would shorten his life – which was something I was definitely against. â€Å"So, he's just a random guy you scoped out?† I asked. The politeness was fading from me. It was disappearing from her too. So. Bland Simone wasn't quite as oblivious as she played. â€Å"The fact that he's a friend of mine and someone I used to date makes no difference?† â€Å"You make it sound like I'm trying to get you back for something. I don't even know you. I'm just here on vacation. Getting guys is part of our life – and you don't have any territorial control like them.† She nodded toward the vampires, who had very well-defined hunting grounds. â€Å"Unless,† she added smugly, â€Å"you've got some kind of arrangement with Jerome.† I certainly didn't. In fact, my boss had made it extremely clear that he didn't care about what happened to Seth. â€Å"No, but I'd think you'd do it as a courtesy when you're visiting someone else's city. It's the nice thing to do.† My smile returned, filled with ice this time. â€Å"And it ensures that your visit stays nice too.† Maybe using her favorite adjective would drive home my message. Simone stiffened, attention totally on me now. â€Å"What is this, some kind of warning that you'll come after me if I don't back off?† I shrugged and finished my drink. â€Å"Just friendly advice.† She stood up and slung her purse over her shoulder with such force that it nearly hit Carter in the head. Apparently, he wasn't on the radar anymore. Well, at least for now. â€Å"I'm not going to stay and listen to thinly veiled threats. Especially ones over inconsequential men. If I want him, I'll get him.† â€Å"You'll be missed,† I muttered as she stalked away. â€Å"Oh,† said Hugh brightly. â€Å"There is nothing I like better than when succubi fight. Puts Dynasty to shame. You could have cleaned the floor with Tawny, but Simone might give you a match.† â€Å"Hardly,† I said. â€Å"And she'll have about as much luck with Seth as Carter.† Carter raised an eyebrow, apparently not agreeing with my statement. â€Å"She's really hitting on Seth?† asked Cody. â€Å"Yup. In a shy, starry-eyed fan girl kind of way.† â€Å"Isn't that how you won him over way back when?† asked Peter. I shot him a glare. â€Å"It's irrelevant. It won't work.† â€Å"Then why worry?† asked Hugh slyly. â€Å"Because an ounce of prevention – oh, never mind,† I groaned. â€Å"I need another drink.† Hugh and the vampires were clearly amused by all this and weren't particularly concerned. I think they too believed Seth would prove immovable; they just liked the idea of me making another succubus irate. The sad part was that I'd probably just encouraged Simone to try even harder. Two drinks later, I decided to head home. I was sufficiently angry that I didn't fear the siren song's comfort. Before leaving, I informed Cody about his impending date. Unsurprisingly, he freaked out. â€Å"What? I†¦I can't. What will I say? What will I do?† â€Å"Frankly, my dear†¦Ã¢â‚¬  began Hugh in an undertone. â€Å"You'll be fine,† I said. â€Å"Just stop stressing and be yourself.† â€Å"Sounds like a double date,† said Peter. â€Å"I can get more black hair dye.† â€Å"No,† I warned. â€Å"Do not even think about it.† I could still see faint streaks that hadn't entirely washed out from Cody's blond mane. â€Å"Just dress like you are now. I'll meet you at the club.† I started to turn, and then a thought came to me. â€Å"Carter, can I talk to you?† His lips twitched slightly. If that was his sign of surprise, I couldn't say. â€Å"Anything for you, Daughter of Lilith.† He followed me outside the bar, where we stood amid all the Pioneer Square partygoers. Once clear of the building's non-smoking interior, he promptly lit a cigarette. â€Å"If you're jealous of my relationship with Simone,† he said, â€Å"I can assure you, we're just friends.† â€Å"Oh, be quiet. You know that's not what this is about. Look, she was lying, right? About Seth being a coincidence?† Carter took a long drag before answering. Angels could tell when others were lying. â€Å"Yep. But she seemed pretty sincere in the last comment about going after him regardless.† I grimaced. â€Å"Why? Why would she target Seth? Is it some kind of way to assert dominance over the local succubus?† â€Å"Not sure. The ways of succubi – and all women – are a mystery to me.† â€Å"Jerome originally thought she'd come to spy. He had Roman follow her, but nothing came of it. She never reported in or anything. He pulled Roman from her – † I paused, suddenly turning over the events and analyzing them in a way I hadn't considered before. â€Å"But it wasn't until I told him Simone was hitting on Seth. It seemed like that was the moment Jerome pulled Roman. He seemed pretty adamant about leaving her alone.† â€Å"Did he now?† Carter inhaled on the cigarette again, but I could see thoughts churning behind his eyes. â€Å"What?† I asked. â€Å"Just a musing,† he said. A half-truth, typical of angels. â€Å"Did Jerome do anything else after that?† â€Å"Yeah, he put Roman on me.† This elicited surprise. â€Å"Why?† Apparently, Jerome and Carter hadn't been hanging out recently. I gave Carter the rundown on my latest bizarre situation. â€Å"That is weird,† he admitted. â€Å"Do you know what it could be?† â€Å"Any number of things.† He spoke flippantly, but I knew I'd piqued his curiosity – maybe even his concern. I sighed. â€Å"I wish people would stop saying that. No one's really helping.† â€Å"I'll help you,† he said, dropping the cigarette and stamping it out. â€Å"I'll follow Simone.† That was not at all what I had expected. â€Å"Why would you do that? Are you going to stop her from making the moves on Seth?† This earned his amusement. â€Å"You know I can't interfere with that kind of thing. But I am curious about Simone's activities.† An uneasy feeling bubbled within me, one that had troubled me since I'd first met Seth, and Carter had begun taking an active role in my life. â€Å"Why? Why do you care so much about Seth? You've always been curious about what he does – and how we interact.† â€Å"I'm interested in the creative process of a great artist. It's fun to watch.† â€Å"Another half-truth.† Like always, he answered the question without really answering it. I was astonished at the desperation in my voice when I spoke next. â€Å"I'm serious. Why, Carter? How does Seth – and me being with Seth – concern you?† He chucked me on the chin. â€Å"You've got better things to do than worry about the goings-on of a curious angel. Besides, wouldn't you feel better if someone was reporting back to you on Simone?† â€Å"Well, yeah,† I admitted. â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"Then it's settled. You're welcome.† He turned quickly away and disappeared into a crowd of partiers. I knew better than to go after him because he'd probably literally disappear once no one was paying attention. I sighed yet again. Fucking angels.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Controlling Global Warming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Controlling Global Warming - Essay Example By implementing a set of clean energy initiatives at federal state and local levels, the US could reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by about 20 percent. The following are a few steps that could help towards controlling climate change. First create opportunities to lower emissions in many ways possible. Over the past decade, large resources have been channeled towards creating inclusive climate and energy laws at federal level. These legislatives will for good reason be crucial to generate emission reduction required to keep the US and other countries across the globe on track to curb the effects of climate change. However there are several extra opportunities to reduce emission using current federal laws and the chances presented by action at local and state levels. Certainly, time and again grand policy action by local and state governments has led to a precedent for great action at federal level, Murray & Burnett. (2009). Furthermore, as explained below local and state awareness campaigns can include citizens in means that the federal laws cannot achieve. Within appraise conditions these policies cannot offer real emission decline . Another strategy to control imminent global warming is to bring together the environmental community and new partners; forming partnerships with individuals who might not portray themselves as environmental specialist. There main concern might not be climate change. In reality it means concentrating on awareness campaigns for clean energy use and creation of sustainable economies and communities. There is no prospect in this approach for policies that create extreme environmental damage. Whether in terms of hazardous nuclear energy, mountaintop removal coal extraction and badly managed hydraulic fracturing for innate gas. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, (2010) energy

Sunday, July 28, 2019

SMEs Marketing Strategy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

SMEs Marketing Strategy - Case Study Example First, the availability of improved marketing intelligence has facilitated planning. Second, utilization of the computer and various mathematical models has made an impact. Third, managements are becoming more scientific and organizations are now more complex with a broader diversity of products. Fourth, business outlays are larger and risks are often greater, all of which factors necessitate planning. The company was opened in Washington in 1971. Its founders were jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker, Alfred Peer. Howard Schiltz joined Starbucks in 1982 and proposed a new marketing mix: the idea was that the company should sell coffee beans and espresso drinks on the national scale. In two years, Starbucks expanded its business and bought Peet's. In 1987, Starbucks opened its first outside store. Since 2000, Starbucks expanded its global presence and opened new stores around the world. Today, Starbucks has 8,505 stores worldwide. The company states that its mission statement is more than a strategy approach but a philosophy of the company. The mission is to "establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles while we grow" (Starbucks Home Page 2008). . While this freedom from any constraints may be attractive, it also creates challenges in tackling segmentation and targeting issues. One approach in this situation is to start with an examination of consumer motivations and goals in using a product category as a basis for identifying gaps in marketplace offerings. This consumer insight is the basis for developing a product or service that addresses unmet goals. Starbucks illustrates this approach. When Starbucks was conceived, coffee manufacturers were focusing on the rational benefits of their brands such as the superior taste attributable to a particular growing process as a way of competing in a declining market. In contrast, Starbucks created a coffee-based experience in which the range of preparations and atmosphere of the stores encouraged customers to view having a cup of Starbucks as a way of indulging themselves. In essence, Starbucks targeted people seeking an indulgence experience rather than simply coffee consumption (Starbucks Home Page 2008). Strategy and Success Factors Success of Starbucks is based on its unique approach to product mix and brand. On a more everyday level, Starbucks has built a powerful experiential brand. Starbucks stores are much more than a place to purchase a jolt of java (Starbucks Strategy n.d.). They offer a brief reprieve in a hectic day; a chance to inhale the rich aroma of fresh coffee and listen to relaxing music, while tasting a rich, specially prepared brew in the company of like-minded coffee addicts. One hallmark of the Starbucks' experience, and any great experience really, is consistency. Delivering a consistently good experience is a challenge in the retail coffee business. Making a consistently high-quality caf latt, for instance, requires, first, brewing two ounces of coffee. Starbucks' guidelines require this to be drawn in 18 to 23 seconds at 90 degrees Celsius and 9 bars of pressure to produce excellent espresso (Starbucks Home Page 2008). Second, the milk must be steamed to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Most

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Soc#3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Soc#3 - Essay Example parts, all of which serve a function together for the overall effectiveness and efficiency of society (http%3a//www.unc.edu/~kbm/SOCI10Spring2004/Structural_Functionalism.doc). Structural-functionalism is a consensus theory and to maintain the smooth functioning of the society as a whole, this theory sees the society built upon order, interrelation and balance among parts. The social conflict (SC) theorists see dominance by a subordinate group by power and authority. To the SF the norms and values are the basis of the society and social change occurs in a slow and orderly fashion. They acknowledge that change is at times necessary to correct some dysfunctions but it must be gradual allowing people to accept the changes without any disruptions. The SC theorists view social order as maintained by manipulation and controlled by dominant groups. The social change according to them occurs in a rapid and disorganized manner and the subordinate groups need to overthrow the dominant groups t o bring about equality and change in the system. Thus these two theories are exactly opposite of each other. The SC believe that oppression and exploitation by the dominant groups is the root cause of problems in the society and they consider this as wrong while the SF may consider this necessary for the smooth running and integration of the society (http%3a//www.unc.edu/~kbm/SOCI10Spring2004/Conflict_Theory.doc). The conflict theorists see change as inevitable, rapid and continuous. The SF argues that most talented people occupy the highest positions while the SC argues that the dominant groups monopolize the positions of power from generation to generation and keep the subordinate group out. While the SF believes that the most important position sin the society are the best rewarded, the SC believe that the dominant group gets the power to define the rewards. Apart from these, the two theories disagree on several issues like crimes, education and sports. Schools are powerful

Friday, July 26, 2019

Description of policy currently under force Essay

Description of policy currently under force - Essay Example The United States National Guards are a part of the United States reserve military force.The primary main function of the National Guards is to aid the armed forces during emergency and support the state government during war.Used both by the United States air force and the armed forces, the United States National Guards are federally controlled units of the state authorities under title ten and thirty two of the United States code. Mobilized through the means of either the president order or the governor's consent, the National Guards require voluntary transfers or temporary duty assignments to get in action.According to the current policy, the National Guards are to act as a first line defense for the United States. The force is divided into small units which are spread across the length and breadth of each of the fifty states and are governed by their territorial governors. The current policy also states that in case of an emergency such as a hurricane, flood or an earth quake, th e National Guards may be pressed into active service after getting a nod from the territorial governors. National Guards can also be commissioned into active or inactive services in the federally recognized armed forces if the need rises.For this, it is imperative that the authorities get a nod from the state governors. Likewise, the National Guards may be called up to assist the Federal services to suppress invasions, rebellion or to repel a proposed armed invasion of a foreign country. Likewise, in the case of any danger against the Federal authority or the inability of the president to execute the laws of the United States with the aid of the current armed forces, the federal laws require added assistance through the means of the National Guards. At present, with special regards to the war with Iraq, wherein tens of thousands of National Guards are being dispatched to the war torn country, the country is facing acute shortage in terms of both manpower as well as recourses when it comes to dealing with natural disasters. Since the year 2003, the National Guards have left sixty four thousand pieces of equipment, which include trucks and communication equipment valued over $1.2 billion in Iraq. (Pear) (Millett and Maslowski) Environments Of The Policy Currently In Force National guards comprise one half of the US ground forces and one third of the support forces. Since September 2001, over 140,000 guard members have been mobilized; of which 113,000 are one active duty. Of these over forty percent are currently deployed in the war torn Iraq and fifty one percent are involved to aid the global war on terrorism. (United States Office of the Federal Register) The Physical Factors The main physical factors which affect the origin, development and implementation of the current policy are the physical factors. The biggest setback to the National Guard came when the organization was commissioned to active service. Here, it was a complete transition from a force which was rarely deployed to a force which was always on active duty. Likewise the sudden transition of a soldier, who was earlier deployed for a short period of time to one who had to be on active duty for at least a year, led to unprecedented stress and physical discomfort. In accordance to the present operational tempo, the unparallel physical demands led to severe health problems. The need for health promotion programs to prevent soldier injuries on and off the battle field, led to the induction of new health policies (Eaglen). The problems include- 1) Lack of medical readiness program projections based on current and future assessments 2) Conditions, which are potentially preventable but affect the mission include orthopedic (56%), internal medicine (16%) and neurological disorders (8%). 3) Lack of mobilized medical units 4) Lack of enhanced medical readiness to ensure healthy and fit medical personnel. 5) Absence of medical facilities which aid in the conservation and restoration of a soldier's health and medical

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 10

Research Paper Example India’s involvement in space programs can be traced at the beginning of 1960s. Actually, it was just in 1962 that the authority that would control the relevant science projects established in India: reference is made to the ‘Indian National Committee for Space Research’ (Moltz 114). Since then, the country’s missions to space have been related to a particular target: to secure the social and economic environment of the country (Sadeh 303). More specifically, the space program of India has been based on ‘the needs of man and society’ (Moltz 114). However, if reviewed carefully, the particular program is proved as being far from its initial mission. One of the most important issues that should be taken into consideration when developing a space program is the program’s financing needs. In the case of India, this rule had not been followed. According to Sadeh (11) the gaps between the estimated cost of a space program and its final cost is a common problem in the specific sector. For this reason, the government of a country involved in such project needs to locate in advance potential sources of funds that could be used when the project would exceed its budget (Sadeh 11). In the case study it is explained that the cost of the whole project reached the level of $70m (page study, p.1), an amount that it is considered as extremely high if taking into consideration the current status of Indian economy. The review of the historical development of India’s space program shows that there has been no provision for covering extra costs during the project’s life cycle (Sadeh 303). On the other hand, the threat from neigbouring countries, especially of China, is often used as an argument for justifying India’s space program (Harding 107). According to the case study, India’s mission to Mars has been decided not so much for gathering information in regard to the planet’s ground and environment bu t mostly in order to verify the country’s technological advances especially compared to its key rival, i.e. China (page study, p.1). Of course, the potential use of space technology for securing the country’s safety in terms of national security cannot be ignored. However, such target would be in opposition with the program’s initial mission, i.e. to respond to the needs of the country’s social and economic environment (Sadeh 303). In other words, a contradiction appears between the targets on which the establishment of the program was based and the targets that appear today as the program’s priorities, such as the increase of India’s military strength towards its rivals, or the improvement of the country’s position in geo-political terms. The inappropriateness of India’s space mission, at least in regard to the current period of time, is also proved through the following facts: A) The status of India’s current infrastru cture seems to be quite low. In fact, it was a few days before the mission to Mars that due to severe damages the country’s power supply units stopped their operations; even if the problem caused by the weather the extension of the damage, about 825 electric poles had to be replaced, reveals the weakness of the country in maintaining its vital infrastructure (Salomi 2013). At this point, the following question appears: how the country could support a mission to space while facing such problems in regard to its energy infrastructure is a question that cannot be easily

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's speech Research Paper

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's speech - Research Paper Example   The present research has identified that the goal of Dr. King’s speech is to unite his African American audience with the dominant culture thereby implementing cultural change. In the 17 minutes speech delivered by the Nobel peace prize winner, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; he called for the end to racial segregation and discrimination. The word ‘negro’ in the second paragraph is associated with a history of slavery, discrimination, and injustice. When he refers to the state of Mississippi, which is the worst example of racism, he is identifying with his African-American audience. The South again is infamous as slavery was institutionalized there. When Dr. King says †I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , the word red creates the image of blood, implying pain, hurt and suppression. â€Å"Quest for freedom†-again for the African American community to identify with- so that a new day/hope dawns. â€Å"Battered by the s torms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality† and â€Å"Negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one† are easily identified by the â€Å"America’s citizens of color†. â€Å"The veterans of creative suffering† also refer to his African American audience. The masterpiece speech is the best example of rhetoric in the twentieth century. Dr. King calls the dominant culture ‘whites’.  

Report 501 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6500 words

Report 501 - Research Paper Example One of the widely used resource centre for efficient information service management is the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL). To be precise, hundreds of organizations all around the globe are encouraged to adhere to the practices outlined in the ITIL. In essence, different groups of stakeholders comprehend that to achieve top most success in information service management, then, it is essential that the key basics of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library are put into close consideration. The library offers the best platform for ensuring that an organization can efficiently achieve its set out operational goals. It further paves way for our organization to execute the right set of procedures towards creation of a successful and innovative business environment for the future (Mar 2013, 1). To be exact, the implementation of the ITIL in an organization is seriously a key subject not only in promoting our company’s competitive advantage but also in t he achievement of all our set out business goals. On this regard, this paper aims at delivering a well-designed report on the subject matter of issues related to the implementation of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library. In simple terms, the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) entails a comprehensive and well-designed set of information technology documents that define the finest practices and techniques to be applied in an information technology environment. That is, it contains a high quality set of guidelines that are widely used in the day-to-day operations of both public and private companies (Chen 2010, 5). This is by providing them with an advanced blueprint necessary for the organization and management of the operations of an information technology company. The Information Technology Infrastructure library has aided many companies in promoting their global competitive advantage and be

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Employee training Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Employee training - Essay Example The company does not have to arrange for extra resources for training. Employees also get to learn practically while remaining on the job. This makes them more productive. They also tend to interact with other employees, which is effective for their development as employees. In off-the-job training, the employee is not trained at the workplace, but is given training elsewhere (Draga, 2011). There are many methods in this type of training, such as the employee takes a day release to get off the job to attend a seminar or a workshop at some other place. He may be encouraged to take evening classes or courses at a local college. He may also be told to take computer classes at some academy. This way, he is trained while he is not at the workplace. A major advantage is that the employee tends to learn a greater set of competencies and qualifications (Duggan, 2012). He may get a degree or a certificate which may be beneficial for him in future. He learns from various professionals. This way, he is more confident while returning to the workplace. Draga, R. (2011). Welcome to the Trainingcenter Butzweilerhof: Off-The-Job-Training. Retrieved November 25, 2012, from

Monday, July 22, 2019

Country Living Versus City Living Essay Example for Free

Country Living Versus City Living Essay Since every person is unique they tend to live in different places depending on their taste. Some people prefer to live in big cities while some prefer countries. The bustling city is alive. The stimulation of crowds and traffic generate energy that challenges the human spirit. Perhaps that is why the city dweller reflects the image of an angry, stressed and unfriendly person. Even in Mongolia city dwellers are more stressed than country dwellers. People say life in the country is healthier Life in the city is challenging. Shopping is convenient everywhere you go you will easily find big and convenient stores. The presence of public transportation reduces the demand for private transportation which is the source of traffic gem. But there are a lot of facilities where you can spend you free time; cinemas, drama theatres, ski resorts etc. We have to remember that city life costs high and gives you much stress. Worst of all, the most expensive component of life in the city is the toll it takes on your body through stress. Also in big cities the air is not healthy. Smokes that go from massive number of cars and factors threaten our health. Another disadvantage of city is crime. Many people become the victims of crime and again they get stressed. Peaceful is the most succinct description of the country. The night is quiet the air is fresh, no bustle and hustle†¦ No heavy traffic, no sirens, no rush of the madding crowd. Life is simple and calming. Food is organic. In Mongolian country everyone knows each other and is very friendly. The country offers advantages of being unstressed. You don’t have to scared of robbers and pickpockets. You can just feel the fresh air and walk slowly. People who live in the city and country share many common lifestyle fundamentals such as jobs, commuting, and safety. You don’t need much money while you are in the country. But there are some disadvantages of living in the country. There are not many shopping centers, if you are a shopaholic you will be upset in the country. Also there are not many big facilities. Urban areas respond to emergency situations more efficiently. If to choose from these 2 life styles I would choose city living because I was born in the city and grew up here. Hustle and bustle seem close to me. Big  cities have a larger tax base which allocates more resources to public safety and health agencies such as police, firefighters, and ambulances. There are big department stores where you can buy everything you want. Although some people in cities are stressed and unfriendly city is a succinct place to have fun.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

The Limitations Of Activity Based Costing Accounting Essay

The Limitations Of Activity Based Costing Accounting Essay ABC Costing is a modern costing technique that is used to determine the cost of the product for the management reporting purposes. ABC Costing System is a tool that is used in decision-making process. However, it has some certain limitations. ABC Costing System is very costly to implement and maintain in a manufacturing and serving departments. Data concerning numerous activity measures must be collected, checked, and entered into the system. Which raise the labor requirement and need to be scrutinized on activity basis? ABC costing systems produces the reports that are different from the profit and loss reports produced through traditional costing systems. As most of the companies are using traditional costing systems, so because of the difference in the costing basis the costing and financial reports of the two companies of the same industry could not be compared for performance evaluation purposes. Adaptability of ABC Costing System is not suitable for all kind of companies because small companies have not many resources to adapt it and have too many activities but size of transactions is too low.   Data Produced through ABC Costing System can easily misinterpret and can lead towards wrong decisions. So manager should use the data produced through ABC Costing System with extreme care and should assign the costs that are relevant to the products, customers and should not consider the other cost objects that are irrelevant. ABC costing system does not comply with the GAAP and a company has to produce its reports for internal and external purposes by using traditional and ABC costing system both at a time. In ABC costing system costs are allocated on the base of cost drivers and activities undertaken to manufacture the product, definitely, it provides the accurate and proper allocation of the costs to the products but there is a danger of over or under costing of the products when irrelevant cost drivers or activities are assigned to the products or services produced. Q2) Please explain the differences between FIFO and Weighted Average Method in the process industry. How are units accounted for?   How are costs accounted for?   In periods of low inflation what method would make a difference? From a TAX point of view, does it make a difference? Differences in Weighted Average and FIFO Costing Systems: The main difference between FIFO and Weighted Average Costing systems is the method of calculation of the inventory and cost of goods sold in process costing system. Valuation Method: In FIFO costing method, costing department assumes that the goods that are sold earlier are the goods that are brought earlier and so on. The cost of goods sold is calculated on the base of the sequence of goods brought and sold. In Weighted Average costing method, goods are valued on the base of total goods available for sale and ignore the sequence of their arrival in inventory and sales to the customer. Formula of the cost of goods available for sale or cost of sale is as follows: Cost of total available for Sales ($) Per Unit Cost of Goods Sold = Total No. Of Units available for Sales Suitability: FIFO method can only be used where inventory can be separated easily and the cost of the inventory can be determined like computer, vehicles and other industries of the same nature. Weighted Average Method is the most commonly used method and can be applicable in all industries but the organizations engaged in those products that could not be separated like oil; Natural Gas and LPG etc use particularly weighted average costing method. In calculation of units accounted for FIFO method consider the units started and completed in the current period only and the beginning work in process units and its cost remain separate and it is considered that the opening work in process units are completed first and then new units started and completed in the same time period and units costs are calculated separately for beginning work in process units and units started in current period. While in average costing method, equivalent production is calculated and based on equivalent production the cost of unit is determined and allocated to the production. Q3) Can you explain the advantages and disadvantages of the Standard Cost system? Advantages / Benefits of Standard Costing System: Standards are the key factors that are used in management by exception approach. If costs remain within the standards, managers would be satisfied and would concentrate at routine activities but if it across the standards then it would be an alarming situation for the managers and they would try to analyze the reasons of inefficiency. Standards are the targets that have been set by the management to achieve and they compare the actual performance of the employees with the standards. Standard costs simplify the book keeping process as well by charging the standard cost to the job or product and by making the adjusting entry of the variance at the end of the period. Standard costs fit naturally in an integrated system of responsibility accounting. The standards establish what costs should be, who should be responsible for them, and what actual costs are under control. Disadvantages / Problems / Limitations of Standard Costing System: Frequency of reporting the variance is too low that make the prà ©cised and useful data useless due to its release too late when it became out of date. Labour variances consists mainly on labour quantity standards and labour efficiency variances and in both variances it is assumed that the production is highly labour intensive and the factor of machines performance is ignored. There are some cases where a favourable variance can be as bad as or worse than an unfavourable variance i.e McDonalds has a standard for hamburger meat that should be in a Big Mac. A favourable variance would mean that less meat was used than standard specifies. The result is a substandard Big Mac and possibly a unsatisfied customer. In standards costing system, meeting the standards of production and cost efficiency has more importance and other factors like quality of the products and satisfaction of the customer have been ignored. In standard costing approach, the standards are considered the final destination and improvement process become very slow or stopped. Q4) Please explain the following:   NET PRESENT VALUE CONCEPT.If the NET Present Value is   Then the PROJECT ISPositive .Acceptable since it promises a return greater than the required rate of return! Net Present Value Approach: NPV is a technique used in the management accounting for the decision-making and covered under the head of capital budgeting. In NPV approach the present value of the net inflow and outflows are compared by taking the effect of inflation and other factors influencing the value of money. The present value of the cash outflow is adjusted against the present value of the inflows resulting from the investment and multiplying with the discount factor to equate it to the present value of this future inflow. Then the results are compared with the following table. If the net present value is Then the project is Positive Acceptable since it promises a return greater than the required rate of return Zero Acceptable, since it promises a return equal to the required rate of return. Negative Not acceptable, since it promises a return less than the required rate of return Q5) Please explain a comparison of the Net Present Value and the Internal Rate of Return Methods. Which method do you like?   What are the strengths of each.   Comparison between NPV and IRR Method: In most of the conditions, Net Present Value Approach and Internal Rate of Return Method provide the same results. However, some times these present opposite results. When we compare both methods, we consider the mechanism working behind both techniques. In internal rate of return, a rate of return is calculated based on the future net income arising from the investment by using given formula: IRR = Initial Investment Net Income Then this required rate of return is compared with the required rate of return from investment, if IRR of the investment is greater than the required rate of return then the project is accepted otherwise the project is rejected. This method is much better than payback period and other old methods, because it considers the income of the projects to evaluate the project and also take account the inflows after the completion of payback period. In NPV method the present value cash outflow is matched with the present value of the cash inflows arising from the projects and if the NPV is positive then the project is accepted otherwise rejected. NPV Approach is better approach then IRR because IRR completely ignores the time value of the money and just consider the net income arising from the project whereas NPV is based on the time value of the money by considering the inflation factors. Q6) Managerial Accounting can work in many fields manufacturing and in the service industry. Provide some examples of how Managerial Accounting can work in your industry using some of the tools you learned in this course?   If in the Health Field, Could Relevant Costs be of use?   Application of Managerial Accounting: Managerial Accounting has equal application in the service and manufacturing industry as well. There are three major an aspect for which managerial accounting is widely used. Decision Making Products Pricing Performance Evaluation Decision Making: One of the most important functions of the management is to make the right and timely decisions for the development and security of the going concern status of an organization. This function is required in all kind of industries whether services or manufacturing. Managerial Accounting tools are used to provide the basis for comparison and making the accurate decisions. Product /Services Pricing: Every business has been established in order to earn some financial benefit and every business whether it deals in goods or services have to charge a price from its customers for the use of products or clients against the services provided. So managerial accounting tools and techniques would be used in order to determine the price of the goods or services to achieve the targeted profit. Performance Evaluation: Performance evaluation is required in all business areas and managerial accounting techniques would be used to evaluate the performance of a particular organization by comparing it with the same kind of industry or performance of the departments and businesses could be compared but all of these tasks are accomplished by the effective use of managerial accounting. Relevant costing techniques are used in all industries and have application in the health field as well. The price charged to the patients should be formulated by keeping the factors of relevance in mind and historical costs should be eliminated when there are surplus capacity is available.

Systems Engineering: RTV Silicone Sealant Application System

Systems Engineering: RTV Silicone Sealant Application System Abstract As technology advances seemingly exponentially in the 21st century, the need for more and more complex systems grows too. Continuous improvement is key to a successful, growing business. This envelops everything within the organisation and engineered systems are no exception. Complex engineered systems require a level of control, this control is important for producing quality products and services. Considering advancing technology and continuous improvement, organisations need to explore ways in which the performance of engineered systems can be maximised. Multi-agent systems (MAS) are a relatively new theory which is put into practice when monolithic systems cannot solve the problem, so as systems become more and more complex, the need for MAS increase. Glossary of Terms FTT defined as the percentage of engines that pass a process first time. JPH the number of engines which pass through a process per hour. RTV room temperature vulcanisation silicone sealant. MAS Multi-agent systems 1. Introduction At the Engine Manufacturing Centre (EMC), Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) manufacture and assemble diesel and petrol engines. The author is a process engineer within the diesel assembly hall, whose main job role is to improve any assembly processes that negatively impact first time through (FTT) or jobs per hour (JPH). Currently, the issue that is causing the largest impact on said deliverables is the automatic application of RTV silicone sealant to the engine block to form a seal with the rear cover (Figure 1, below). This automated process has an average FTT of 61% and a value of 59 JPH over the past thirty days.ÂÂ   The target JPH value across the entire diesel assembly line is 68, which means this process is causing an average deficit of nine engines per hour causing considerable damage towards achieving production targets. The process itself is performed by two autonomous robots whereby one robot applies the sealant and the other robot holds the engine and moves it along a specified path. There are two HMIs present, one to program each robot. The robot holding the engine can be programmed with its position, its movement within the six degrees of freedom and its velocity. Whereas the only programmable functions are the start, end and speed and feed of the sealant. 2. Systems Engineering Life Cycle Stages The role of systems engineering is to ensure the success of a system, judged by how well its requirements and development objectives are met, its operation in the field and the length of its useful operating life. Systems engineering aims to establish a technical approach that will aid the operational maintenance and the eventual upgrading of the system. A system life cycle is a term used to encapsulate the evolution of a new system, where it begins with a concept and grows through development into production, operation and lastly, destruction. 2.1 Concept Development Where there is a desire for a new system, the concept development stage contains the planning and analysis required to affirm the need, the feasibility and the architecture for the new system to best satisfy the needs of the user. There are four main objectives of the concept development stage: Decide whether there is a market and need for a technically and economically feasible system. Design and confirm the system requirements after exploring different system concepts (see figure 3 below). This stage converts the system which has been derived from the needs analysis, into an engineering oriented view for the concept definition and development. When looking at performance requirements it is important to identify the major functions needed to complete the actions needed. In the case of this example, its functional elements should include, power robot, control movement, control speed, and apply RTV. To aid with this activity a systems engineer would use a function category versus functional media diagram (figure 4). Concept selection, agree on its characteristics and plan for the forthcoming stages of engineering, production and operation of the system. It answers the question what are the key characteristics of a system concept that would achieve the most beneficial balance between capability, operational life, and cost?[1]. Develop and validate any technological developments required by the new system. 2.2 Engineering Development Figure 4 (below) shows three stages of engineering development. Firstly, the advanced development stage incorporates two important purposes. One being the identification and reduction of risks, the second being the development of system specifications. Secondly, the engineering design phase is considerably more detailed than any stages preceding it. Usually, this stage offers an opportunity for potential customers to get an early look at the product, who can, in turn, provide valuable feedback to the developers. Lastly, the integration and evaluation phase is where the new system is installed and subsequently checked to ensure that it meets customer requirements. 2.3 Post Development Within the post-development phase there are two sub-phases; the production phase and the operations and support phase. The system is now being produced, for example, for a manufacturing environment. Occasionally there are unexpected issues that arise within the production of the system which requires a systems engineer to solve to prevent disruptions in the production schedule. Once the system is live, system support is critical. Maintenance personnel should be sufficient until more complex problems arise, where they need to call on the experience of systems engineers. 3. Function Block Diagram 4. Control Architecture 4.1 Centralised Control The centralised control system architecture has one component designated as the controller which is responsible for managing the execution of other components. The term architecture is used to suggest a focus on the relationship between the major structural elements in a system. This architecture falls into two classes depending on the execution of the controlled components, either sequentially or in parallel. These are the call-return model, only applicable in sequential systems, and the manager model, used in concurrent systems [3]. The main reasons to use centralised control architecture is that it is simple to conceive and due to its omniscience it can make optimal decisions which take all factors into account. However this architecture does have drawbacks, most notably the expense in which is required to create the control architecture, the control algorithm needs to be very complex. Furthermore, the degradation of any signal path can cripple the function of the entire system, so they can be fragile. 4.2 Hierarchical Control Organised in a hierarchical tree, this control system decomposes the problem and allocates it to separate controllers which take control of a subset of the system functions. This can exist over a number of levels, meaning each function could be controlled individually. Optimal control is still possible within a hierarchical architecture as there is always a path to a top-level node; however, not all information can travel through every path. Commonly some filtering of data occurs between levels. In contrast to centralised control, the control algorithm is much simpler due to decomposition. This means the time and cost of implementation are much lower. Between the different branches of the structure, there is a degree of independence, reducing the effect of system degradation. However, there is usually delay in the processing of each algorithm and in the feedback loop. 4.3 Heterarchical Control Heterarchical control architecture is more robust than hierarchical control and is very flexible and extensible. Additional system functions, such as manufacturing processes and equipment, can be added with almost no added system control cost. However, heterarchical architecture lacks centralised visibility of the system as a whole which means planning can be sub-optimal; this control system is sometimes referred to as being short sighted. Though this does mean that short-term decision making is very good. [4] 4.4 RTV Robot Cell Control System Centralised control is not suitable for the RTV robot cell system. The reason for this being the fact that it is too expensive to create and change. Additionally, the fault tolerance of the control system must be taken into account. A manufacturing line with such high demand for machine availability must not be crippled by the loss of just one signal. The most suitable and, as it happens, the current control system architecture for this system would be hierarchical. The main downside to this architecture is its response time when there are lots and lots of levels. However, its strengths are combines the strengths of the other two control architectures discussed, albeit slightly diluted. Heterarchical control has strengths that would be fantastic for an automated cell in a manufacturing environment, but its weaknesses deem it unacceptable. If one could combine hierarchical and heterarchical architectures and take away the myopic nature of heterarchy, it could be a system which improves how automated cells are controlled. 5. Multi-Agent Systems A multi-agent system is a system composed of multiple interacting intelligent agents. For problems that are too difficult or even impossible for an individual agent to solve, multi-agent systems can be used. Commonly thought of as being computerised, the agents within a multi-agent system could also be robots, humans, human teams or a combination of humans and robots. There are three different types of agents: Passive agents, agents without goals. Active agents, agents with simple goals. Cognitive agents, agents containing complex calculations. Agents can also be reactive or deliberative, this can be represented by the BDI model (figure 6- below). BDI stands for Belief, Desire, Intention where belief is knowledge of the environment, desire is the need to satisfy an objective and intention is the ability to command action(s). Deliberative agents extend the BDI model to include a symbolic model of the external environment- including data and relationships, memory, the ability to plan and the ability to choose between alternative actions. One could make a case to incorporate multi-agent systems within an automated robot cell at the present time. There is a need for configurability, for example, when a new derivative of engine is introduced and the robot has to be programmed to function differently. The system will need robustness, so if one agent is lost it does not compromise the whole system. However using a hierarchical architecture provides a sufficient degree of configurability and robustness with less cost and complexity. Multi-agent systems provide dynamic task allocation rather than pre-planned schedules, for an automated robot cell this is not needed, automation needs efficiency in static conditions [5]. 6. Conclusion The automated RTV application robot cell is currently in the operational phase of the system lifecycle, it is in need of improvement however it is not the system that needs improving. The system works as it is meant to, however, it is the incorrect system that is in place which is causing the problems. As automotive technology moves towards electrification and autonomous behaviour there will be a need to include more and more multi-agent systems within the vehicles themselves but also within manufacturing systems. There will be a need for greater flexibility, adaptability, reconfigurability and collaboration.ÂÂ   Unfortunately, incorporating a multi-agent system in this instance would not have a positive impact on this system. 7. References [1] Kossiakoff, Sweet, Seymour, Biemer. (2011). System Life Cycle. In: Sage, A. Systems Engineering Principles and Practice. 2nd ed. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons, Inc.. 77. [2] Lecture provided PowerPoint slides. [3] Ian Sommerville. (2008). Centralized Control. Available: https://ifs.host.cs.st-andrews.ac.uk/Books/SE9/Web/Architecture/ArchPatterns/CentralControl.html. Last accessed 14/02/17. [4] J.M. van de Mortel-Fronczak and J.E. Rooda. (1997). Heterarchical Control Systems for Production Cells. . 1 (1), 213-217. [5] Various. (). Multi-agent system. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-agent_system. Last accessed 20/02/17.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Service Learning and ESL Students :: ESL Students

School, when some people hear the word, they usually think that school is learning new things in a room. However, it is something that cannot be described only in the textbook. Service learning is â€Å"an union of community service and formal learning. It involves students going out into their communities and using that which they learn in class to help people, and then bringing that which they learn in their community service back into the classroom to enhance their learning.†(Minor, 2001) Diane Murakami who is an ELL (English Language Learners) teacher at Queen Ka’ahumanu Elementary School in Honolulu. She gave CP 4 (college preparatory) students at Hawaii Internal College a chance to service learning at Queen Ka’ahumanu Elementary School. Service learning is a good effect way to learn about new cultures and also to communicate with local people for ESL students. Studying abroad is a wonderful opportunity, but it is not easy to spend time in a new culture, and communicating with people is difficult. Natalie M. Russell is an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher at Omaha South High School, and she realized that when she was teaching ESL students, they often felt alienated from their school and communities. Therefore, they tended to make friends only in school, so they did not make friends outside of school. In â€Å"Teaching More Than English†, Natalie M. Russell said, â€Å"they avoided interacting with mainstream students and getting involved in school activities† (Natalie M. Russell, 2007, para 1). Natalie M. Russell tried to make her class communication with mainstream people, and she decided that service learning was a good way to communicate with mainstream people because she said, â€Å"students not only learn during service learning activities, but also they also reflect on their service and its value to the community. This reflection helps build a sense of civic responsibility and caring for others.†(Natalie M. Russell, 2007, para 3) In Natalie M. Russell’s case, she said, â€Å"the student population of the high school in which I taught was approximately 60% Hispanic, and my ESL classes that year were 100% Hispanic. In deciding what our service project would be, my students concluded that the community’s primary problem was the language barrier that divided the immigrants from the local population.† (Natalie M. Russell, 2007, para 4) In town, Spanish/English dictionaries were available to buy, but Spanish/English phrasebooks were not, so she and her students decided to make Spanish/English phrasebooks and distributed it free in the community.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Essay --

Introduction Arcor est une socià ©tà © argentine fondà ©e en 1951 par Fulvio Salvador Pagani à   Arroyito, Cordoba. La socià ©tà © est dans l'industrie alimentaire, dans ses produits, nous pouvons trouver de la nourriture, biscuits, crà ¨mes glacà ©es, bonbons et chocolat. Son objectif comme socià ©tà © est d'à ©laborer des produits de qualità © accessibles à   tous les consommateurs dans tout le monde. Arcor est le premier producteur de bonbons dans le monde et la plus grande socià ©tà © argentine avec le plus ouvert marchà ©s, il y a des usines en Argentine, au Pà ©rou, au Mexique, au Brà ©sil et au Chili, l'exportation vers 120 pays sur les cinq continents. Aussi, Arcor fait son propre emballage et il est le premier producteur de cartons en Argentine. Ses revenus sont d'environ 3,300 millions de dollars (C.A) et compte environ 20,000 employà ©s. En 2005, Arcor fait un partenariat avec Danone, ils faisant la plus grande entreprise de biscuits et de cà ©rà ©ales en Amà ©rique du Sud, Bagley Latinoamerica SA. En 2006, une alliance stratà ©gique avec Bimbo au Mexique pour la distribution de chocolats et de bonbons sur le Mexique et le reste du monde a à ©tà © fait. Depuis 2004 Arcor dà ©cidà © participer à   la RSE, et en 2009 ce concept de la RSE passer à   un concept plus abarcative et complà ¨te de la durabilità © et soutenabilità ©. Dans son plan de dà ©veloppement durable Arcor a dà ©fini cinq à ©tapes ils respecter pour rendre leur entreprise, ils sont; 1. Utilisation rationnelle de l'eau. 2. L'efficacità © à ©nergà ©tique et la minimisation des impacts qui contribuent au changement climatique mondial. 3. Utilisation rationnelle de l’emballage. 4. Une alimentation saine. 5. Respect et la protection des droits des travailleurs. Ajoutà © à   cela, les actions groupe Arcor rend les actions plus humani... ...ccà ¨s dans toutes les rà ©gions. En 2012 est effectuà ©e à   la production de cà ©rà ©ales, un marchà © du monde en pleine croissance et hautement concurrentiel. Fournisseurs La relation d'Arcor avec ses fournisseurs est une relation dans laquelle cherche un dà ©veloppement durable et soutenu à   travers d'une relation à   long terme qui supportera ceux-ci à   à ªtre intà ©grà © encore plus à   la chaà ®ne de valeur d’Arcor. Arcor veut porter cette forte relation avec ses fournisseurs à   ses produits pour qu'elle les soit transmise à   ses consommateurs puisque son objectif est d'obtenir l'excellence et la qualità © en ses produits et les services. Le but d’Arcor avec ses fournisseurs dans leurs mots  « Nous avons besoin d'Arcor fournisseurs qui partagent la philosophie de l'entreprise donc cherchà © à   à ©tablir des relations de confiance à   long terme. Grà ¢ce à   une gestion durable de la chaà ®ne de valeur  » Essay -- Introduction Arcor est une socià ©tà © argentine fondà ©e en 1951 par Fulvio Salvador Pagani à   Arroyito, Cordoba. La socià ©tà © est dans l'industrie alimentaire, dans ses produits, nous pouvons trouver de la nourriture, biscuits, crà ¨mes glacà ©es, bonbons et chocolat. Son objectif comme socià ©tà © est d'à ©laborer des produits de qualità © accessibles à   tous les consommateurs dans tout le monde. Arcor est le premier producteur de bonbons dans le monde et la plus grande socià ©tà © argentine avec le plus ouvert marchà ©s, il y a des usines en Argentine, au Pà ©rou, au Mexique, au Brà ©sil et au Chili, l'exportation vers 120 pays sur les cinq continents. Aussi, Arcor fait son propre emballage et il est le premier producteur de cartons en Argentine. Ses revenus sont d'environ 3,300 millions de dollars (C.A) et compte environ 20,000 employà ©s. En 2005, Arcor fait un partenariat avec Danone, ils faisant la plus grande entreprise de biscuits et de cà ©rà ©ales en Amà ©rique du Sud, Bagley Latinoamerica SA. En 2006, une alliance stratà ©gique avec Bimbo au Mexique pour la distribution de chocolats et de bonbons sur le Mexique et le reste du monde a à ©tà © fait. Depuis 2004 Arcor dà ©cidà © participer à   la RSE, et en 2009 ce concept de la RSE passer à   un concept plus abarcative et complà ¨te de la durabilità © et soutenabilità ©. Dans son plan de dà ©veloppement durable Arcor a dà ©fini cinq à ©tapes ils respecter pour rendre leur entreprise, ils sont; 1. Utilisation rationnelle de l'eau. 2. L'efficacità © à ©nergà ©tique et la minimisation des impacts qui contribuent au changement climatique mondial. 3. Utilisation rationnelle de l’emballage. 4. Une alimentation saine. 5. Respect et la protection des droits des travailleurs. Ajoutà © à   cela, les actions groupe Arcor rend les actions plus humani... ...ccà ¨s dans toutes les rà ©gions. En 2012 est effectuà ©e à   la production de cà ©rà ©ales, un marchà © du monde en pleine croissance et hautement concurrentiel. Fournisseurs La relation d'Arcor avec ses fournisseurs est une relation dans laquelle cherche un dà ©veloppement durable et soutenu à   travers d'une relation à   long terme qui supportera ceux-ci à   à ªtre intà ©grà © encore plus à   la chaà ®ne de valeur d’Arcor. Arcor veut porter cette forte relation avec ses fournisseurs à   ses produits pour qu'elle les soit transmise à   ses consommateurs puisque son objectif est d'obtenir l'excellence et la qualità © en ses produits et les services. Le but d’Arcor avec ses fournisseurs dans leurs mots  « Nous avons besoin d'Arcor fournisseurs qui partagent la philosophie de l'entreprise donc cherchà © à   à ©tablir des relations de confiance à   long terme. Grà ¢ce à   une gestion durable de la chaà ®ne de valeur  »

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Historical Analogy of the Democratic Party’s position in the Southern Region of America Essay

America’s Democratic Party is one of the country’s two major political parties. The organization has a long history, but when compared to the Democratic Party of 1792, today’s party is very different. The Democratic Party was founded in the 1790’s by Thomas Jefferson, who was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson became the first Democratic President of the United States in 1800. Over next 70 years, as the organization grew, so did its support in the South. After the end of the Civil War in 1865, African Americans favored the Republican Party and its anti-slavery views, while the Democratic majority was Southern Whites, who were not in favor of political rights for former slaves (Grantham, 1992). In 1868, Ulysses S. Grant, a Republican, was elected President with the help of African American Republicans, who were voting in a presidential election for the first time. During Grant’s presidency, the Radical Republicans introduced the15th Amendment, which stated that a right to vote could not be denied because of â€Å"race, color, or previous condition of servitude† (Carnes & Garraty, 2006, p. 434) Over the years, the Democratic Party has left behind many of its old principles and ideals, especially with today’s presence of African Americans in the party. The Democrats once maintained the support of White Southerners by backing Jim Crow laws and supporting racial Historical Analogy 2 egregation, but today, the majority of African Americans vote for the Democratic ticket (Aldrich, 1995). African Americans began to shift from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party in the 1940s, despite the Democrats opposition to 14th Amendment, which granted citizenship to â€Å"all persons born or naturalized in the United States† (Carnes & Garraty, 2006, p. 430). In the election of 1940, Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, added ci vil rights to his party platform. As a result, Roosevelt and the Democratic Party gained support from African American voters (Aldrich, 1995). Today, the majority of African Americans are registered as Democrats. John Kerry carried 89% of the African American vote in the 2004 presidential election, and African Americans continue to gain more political position in the Democratic Party (Wenner, 2004). In 2008, the Democrats nominated Illinois Senator Barack Obama, as its presumptive presidential nominee, solidifying Obama’s place in history as the first African American to be a major political party’s presumptive nominee for President of the United States. For almost a century after the end of the Civil War, the Democratic Party had a strong presence in the Southern region of America. From 1880 to 1960, the region was known as the â€Å"Solid South† because Democrats won by large margins in the area (Grantham, 1992). The Solid South began to come apart when President Harry S. Truman, a Democrat, began supporting the civil rights movement (Black & Black, 2003). Following Roosevelt’s path, civil rights was a part of Truman’s 1948 Democratic platform, used at the Democratic National Convention. Historical Analogy 3 As a result of Truman’s endorsement of the civil rights movement, which included adopting a resolution to condemn the Ku Klux Klan, many conservative Southern Democrats walked out of the National Convention and left the Democratic Party (Aldrich, 1995). The Democratic support of the civil rights movement significantly reduced Southern support for the Democratic Party and allowed the Republican Party to step in and gain a little success in the South. In the 1950s, the Southern Democrats, who opposed the Democratic Party’s support of the civil rights movement, formed the Dixiecrat Party, which was led by then-Governor of South Carolina, Strom Thurmond. When the Dixiecrat Party proved to be unsuccessful, Thurmond and many other former Southern Democrats switched to the Republican Party. â€Å"Thurmond, a tenacious champion of unreconstructed conservatism, abandoned the Democratic Party to become the first Republican senator from the Deep South in the twentieth century† (Black & Black, 2003, p. 1) The Republican Party’s strength in the South grew during the election of 1964. Although Lyndon B. Johnson, a Democrat won the election, he did not carry the five states of the Solid South, which included Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama (Aldrich, 1995). The Deep South states provided an electoral victory to the Republican candidate, Barry Goldwater. It was the first time since Reconstruction that a Republican carried the South in a presidential election (Carnes & Garraty, 2006). Johnson and the Democrats continued to lose support in the South by supporting the Civil Rights Act of 1964. After signing the landmark legislation, Johnson said to his aide, Bill Moyers, Historical Analogy 4 â€Å"I think we just delivered the South to the Republican Party for a long time to come† (Grantham, 1992, p. 12). As support for the Democrats in the South dwindled, in 1968 election Republican candidate Richard Nixon used â€Å"Southern Strategy,† to capitalize in the election (Carnes and Garraty, 2006, p. 810). Nixon used a method that attracted the former Southern Democrats, who were still conservative and supported segregation. With his strategy, Nixon defeated the Democratic candidate, Hubert Humphrey, in the election. The era of the Solid South proved to be over, with the Democratic candidate only carrying one Southern state in 1968 election (Dewey, 1992). The Republican’s strategy to win voters in the South alienated African American voters from the Republican Party and pulled in more Southern Whites, who did not support integration, which was favored by the Democratic Party. Over time, Southern White voters continued to support the Republican Party. Today the Democratic Party is no longer the dominant party in the South. The South is now considered a stronghold of the Republican Party. In 2000, presidential candidate Al Gore received no electoral votes from the South, and neither did John Kerry in the following election in 2004 (Wenner, 2004). As the Democratic Party‘s strength weakens in the South, the opposite is happening in the Northern region of America. The Democratic Party was weak in North from the 1880s to the 1960s, when the organization controlled the South, but it is now strongest in the Northeast (Black and Black, 2003). In the 2004 election, all nine Northeastern states, from Pennsylvania to Maine, voted for the Democratic ticket of John Kerry and John Edwards (Wenner, 2004. Historical Analogy 5 From supporting slavery in the 1800s to supporting its first African American presidential candidate in 2008, the Democratic Party has evolved. Despite going through name changes, leaders and incarnations over the years, the Democratic Party has retained its same basic values. It prides itself on being the party for the working people, but as Americaâ₠¬â„¢s view of who was entitled to be a referred to as the working people has changed, so did the views of Democratic Party.

The duty and role of the producer

As off the beaten track(predicate) as the trade is implicated, there is the existence of a several(a) range of products that ar meant for the purposes of human consumption. The office and role of the producer is to come up with a product to be sell through the attend of marketing to the cr stimulateing(prenominal) consumer. By so doing the goals as vigorous as the objectives of the producer is the generation of profit.It thence applies that the question of the safety as intimately as the health issues of the product is non the concern of the producer but a matter of personal issue of the decisiveness of the side effect as nearly as the wrong that may be associated with the consumption of the product.Majority of the products in the market that are meant for consumption are gener onlyy asthmatic as vigorous as a cause of death to the human beings. In the consideration of the range of the products that poses health guess to the consumer from the range of fast foods t o the tobacco products, the lean can only be considered to be endless.However, all these products are usually promoted in the market through the process of advertising, high spot the best side of the product tour the knowledge about the harmful personal effects is in or so cases concealed. However the sequel moveions of the consumer are entirely blamed on the advertisement.Advertising is generally understood as the act as well as the convention of creating the awareness of the product to the consumer in look out of influencing the behavior of the consumer in favor of the product. It is purely wrong to place the blame of the actions of the consumer on advertising.This kind of function can be equated to blaming an individual who is entitled to his or her own views. The advertising agencies and the product owners should instead, take the blame. across the volume of cultures and especially the United States the tariff of the personal preference has been eroded and heap o therwise point fingers in preference directions (Fox 98).The concept of advertising forms a major segment in as off the beaten track(predicate) as the society is concerned. Through advertising, the customary attention with regard to the existing products, the call for as well as the serve is sensitized. There exists no boundary as to the effects aroused by the rule of advertisement with regard to the potential harm inflicted on the body of the individual.The advertising companies push the harmful products to the disposal of the user. It should however be remembered that the ultimate use reserves the concluding judgment with regard to the use or abstinence from the use of the product. In melody to this fact, it has been evident that majority of the people become laid the poor choices made by the consumers on the advertising companies.The tobacco as well as the alcohol industries is among the most nonable industries that have been the target in as far as the blames of this household are concerned. The concept of personal responsibilities among the majority of people have been eroded, a situation that has resulted to the consideration of the advertising industry as a scapegoat for the poor associated with the consumers (Goodrum 145).It is an evident fact that the majority of the individuals will be adamant in as far as the issue of admitting to the reality is concerned but all in all connecting advertisement to the wrong judgment of the consumer is not justified.This can only be taken as the absence of the potential competency of the individual to exercise personal responsibility with regard to the choices that the individual is in a position to take as well as implement. To exonerate themselves, the poor choice of the consumer is pegged on advertising as the scapegoat.It is a common practice for people with adynamic willpower to blame others for the poor judgments that they make. The process of making coherent decisions is rooted in the potential capacity for the people to berm their personal responsibilities.The fact that an advertisement has been aired is not an implication that it should be solely embraced but rather the individual is at liberty to enjoy or reserve the product targeted by the advertisement (Fox 158).