Rhetorical Analysis OfI Have A Dream By Martin Luther King

I found â€Å"i have a Dream† by Martin Luther King to be the most compelling speech, because I think Martin Luther KIng was very convincing and had great ponts/statements. The speech was talking about how everyone should have the same right and same amount of freedom as everyone else like it says in the Declaration of Independence First of all, he talks about how colored should have the same rights as everyone else. IN his speech he says â€Å"This note was a promise that all men,yes, Black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the â€Å"unalienable Rights† of â€Å" Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness†Ã¢â‚¬ (King paragraph 4). This is talkin about how all mn should get Life, Liberty and the same rights meaning he believes only the rich white†¦show more content†¦King also said â€Å" And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a Dream. It is a Dream deeply rooted in the American Dream†(King Paragraph 14). In this he is saying that even though at that moment colors arent getting the same respect as everyone else but he believes that the future will get much better. Finally, Martin Luther King talks about how he nor anyone will not be satisfied/happy until people get their rightful freedom.He said in his speech â€Å"Justice rolls Down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream†Ã¢â‚¬ (King Paragraph 11) I think he is saying that he will never give up until he gets his rightful freedom. He also stated â€Å"We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies,heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities† ( King Paragraph 11). I think this is saying that they will not be satisfied until Colored will be treated the same as a white man in a public place and they have the same right as everyone else going to public places without being judged. He also said in he speech â€Å"we can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality†¦.we cannot he satisfied as long

Micro Economics Energy Industry - 1327 Words

MICRO ECONOMICS: ENERGY INDUSTRY By (Student’s Name) Professor’s Name College Course Date MICRO ECONOMICS: ENERGY INDUSTRY Introduction The topic chosen for this discussion is the micro economic especially Australian Energy Industry. It is acknowledged that this industry needs urgent policy reformation in regards to climate and energy. To achieve the reformation, four areas have been earmarked: supply reliability, price control and adequate demand and fixing COAG Energy Council (Pears 2017). Article Discussion Industry Discussion The main focus on the article relates to how long-festering energy policy challenges can be addressed in 2017. The article recognizes the Australia Energy Industry operates on†¦show more content†¦2017). The body that makes decision (COAG Energy Council) of state and federal energy as well as minister for resources, have officially acknowledged the essential linkage amid climate and energy policy. The world’s governments have as well as brokered the Paris climate agreements with the Australia whereby it was promised that emissions would be cut to 26-and 28% beneath 2005 by the year 2030. Nevertheless, such a need for transformation wholesomely evolved at a time where the policy structures of Australia are already battling to uphold the affordable along with reliable electricity delivery, following the lost momentum of 1990s reforms in 2000s. It has well evolved at the lapse of a 3-year duration whereby the Coalition government’s undertakings to speak to such challenges triggered unassertive advancement at best. The carbon price has been repealed, Renewable Energy Target has been wound and Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) has been established by the administration of Tony Abbott. The above reforms have contracted for over 100 million tonnes of Carbon (IV) Oxide emissions reductions below than ASD$14 a tonne. 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Scope And Evlution Of Business Management â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Scope And Evlution Of Business Management? Answer: Introducation The article is by author Oscar Barros on Business Process Architecture, week 4 article. For the common understanding of the organization a blueprint is provided of the enterprise and is used to align the strategic objective and techniques demanded is known as the Business Process Architecture. This article provides the background knowledge in understanding what constitutes risk and emphasized on how Business Process Reengineering (BPR) remains an agent that triggers risk in many organizations. In order to develop the proposed model that will assist analysts in identifying and mitigating these risks, the authors of this article have fused two existing actor-dependency diagrams; strategic dependency (SD) model, strategic rationale (SR) model and SCOR model. However, the authors (Oscar Barros 2007) explained the role of general architecture, Business development corresponds to the macro-process Business planning, design chain, enabling processes the support resource management. The consumer chain and supply chain together are equivalent to the value chain. Market and Sell Products and Services, Deliver Products and services and manage customers services, which together are equivalent to value chain and management (Jeston and Nelis 2014). This support services are closely related to the Support Resource Management. This article compliments the objective of identifying potential hazards to an organization. The crucial limitations to the methodology used and risk identification of a project and the relevance of the frame work for managing these risks (Rosemann and vom Brocke 2015). The article is quiet beneficial for identifying and analyzing the relationships of strategic dependency, strategic rationale and business process reengineering. Business Process Management The article that has been chosen is by Alessandro Margherita, week 6 article. This article presents Business Process Management (BPM) represents the set of activities that an organization can perform to optimize the adapt or business processe, for new and better organizational need. It can be considered as an extension of classical workflow management system. The process aim is basically at optimizing and standardizing the activities of the organization. It is vital to keep the process up-to-date and as much flexible as possible, in order to meet the value requirements and business objectives. BPM has a life cycle: 1. Goal Specification, Environment and Organizational Analysis; 2. Process Design; 3. Process Implementation; 4. Process Enactment; 5. Process Monitoring; 6. Process Evaluation. The main purpose of this article is to analyze the Business Process Management of an organization and to analyze the background to business processes in historical perspective and its advantages an d disadvantages of BPM in IT strategies. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate a system view of BPM and presents an actionable body of knowledge to enhance process-related decisions and actions within organizations (Dumas 2013). According to the authors of the article a framework was designed for modeling the early-phase requirement of the organizational risk management. Business process can also be defined as sets of activity and tasks which once completed may destine to accomplish an organizational goal. This process must involve the clear input and a single output. These inputs are made up of factors which may contribute directly or indirectly to the added value of product or services (Chang 2016). We can conclude from here that BPM systems are recommended to increase the business efficiency and transparency for the process involvement. By unique creation and delivering customers and shareholding values the industry leaders can view BPM as a way to achieve competitive advantages and hence aligning people, process and technologies are essential part of BPM system. This article highlights the project implementation planning. Incorporating the framework into the planning and implementation of the encompass determining the model, methods and technical technology. We can get the reflection of how planning is required to determine the risks and consecutively working accordingly. Business Process Modeling The chosen articles by Fu-Ren Lin, Meng-Chyn Yang and Yu-Hua Pai on A generic structure for Business Process Modeling, week 8 article This is a kind of historic management approach that will develop business effectiveness and technology. This helps in meeting and anticipating the demands of the customers. Optimizing the business with Business Process Modeling Software in present day is used to determine the business process of any organization, for improvement and optimization. It is not to be mistaken that business process management, business process modeling are most often makes use of a standardized business process modeling notation (BPMN). BPM software is designed to be used by the business people to oppose the IT professionals. There are several benefits of BPM like Cost decreasing, Increase in revenue, Improved Agility. BPM delivers the same major benefits as traditional enterprise application technology like ERP. This results in workforce productivity. According to the author, Factors are categorized into management processes, support business process and organizational processes. The operation of a particular organization system is governed by the management process. And the core business is hence constituted by operational processes. Supporting process like human resources and accountancy supports the core business processes (Harmon 2015). The processes that are used to make the components to work cohesively and effectively, for the development of the company require skillful management. BPM helps businesses to respond on changing consumers, markets and hence regulated the demands much quicker than then competitors that create competitive advantage. The article helps us to know the different views of the organization and the various business strategies by which the economical activates can be controlled. It also sheds-light on the relationship between business strategies and business design (Hammer 2015). The article is by author Oscar Barros on Business Process Architecture, week 4 article. For the common understanding of the organization a blueprint is provided of the enterprise and is used to align the strategic objective and techniques demanded is known as the Business Process Architecture. This article provides the background knowledge in understanding what constitutes risk and emphasized on how Business Process Reengineering (BPR) remains an agent that triggers risk in many organizations. In order to develop the proposed model that will assist analysts in identifying and mitigating these risks, the authors of this article have fused two existing actor-dependency diagrams; strategic dependency (SD) model, strategic rationale (SR) model and SCOR model. However, the authors (Oscar Barros 2007) explained the role of general architecture, Business development corresponds to the macro-process Business planning, design chain, enabling processes the support resource management. The consumer chain and supply chain together are equivalent to the value chain. Market and Sell Products and Services, Deliver Products and services and manage customers services, which together are equivalent to value chain and management (Jeston and Nelis 2014). This support services are closely related to the Support Resource Management. This article compliments the objective of identifying potential hazards to an organization. The crucial limitations to the methodology used and risk identification of a project and the relevance of the frame work for managing these risks (Rosemann and vom Brocke 2015). The article is quiet beneficial for identifying and analyzing the relationships of strategic dependency, strategic rationale and business process reengineering. Business Process Management According to the authors of the article a framework was designed for modeling the early-phase requirement of the organizational risk management. Business process can also be defined as sets of activity and tasks which once completed may destine to accomplish an organizational goal. This process must involve the clear input and a single output. These inputs are made up of factors which may contribute directly or indirectly to the added value of product or services (Chang 2016). We can conclude from here that BPM systems are recommended to increase the business efficiency and transparency for the process involvement. By unique creation and delivering customers and shareholding values the industry leaders can view BPM as a way to achieve competitive advantages and hence aligning people, process and technologies are essential part of BPM system. This article highlights the project implementation planning. Incorporating the framework into the planning and implementation of the encompass determining the model, methods and technical technology. We can get the reflection of how planning is required to determine the risks and consecutively working accordingly. Business Process Modeling The chosen articles by Fu-Ren Lin, Meng-Chyn Yang and Yu-Hua Pai on A generic structure for Business Process Modeling, week 8 article This is a kind of historic management approach that will develop business effectiveness and technology. This helps in meeting and anticipating the demands of the customers. Optimizing the business with Business Process Modeling Software in present day is used to determine the business process of any organization, for improvement and optimization. It is not to be mistaken that business process management, business process modeling are most often makes use of a standardized business process modeling notation (BPMN). BPM software is designed to be used by the business people to oppose the IT professionals. There are several benefits of BPM like Cost decreasing, Increase in revenue, Improved Agility. BPM delivers the same major benefits as traditional enterprise application technology like ERP. This results in workforce productivity. According to the author, Factors are categorized into management processes, support business process and organizational processes. The operation of a particular organization system is governed by the management process. And the core business is hence constituted by operational processes. Supporting process like human resources and accountancy supports the core business processes (Harmon 2015). The processes that are used to make the components to work cohesively and effectively, for the development of the company require skillful management. BPM helps businesses to respond on changing consumers, markets and hence regulated the demands much quicker than then competitors that create competitive advantage. The article helps us to know the different views of the organization and the various business strategies by which the economical activates can be controlled. It also sheds-light on the relationship between business strategies and business design (Hammer 2015). References Lin, F.R., Yang, M.C. and Pai, Y.H., 2002. A generic structure for business process modeling. Business Process Management Journal, 8(1), pp.19-41. Harmon, P., 2015. The scope and evolution of business process management. InHandbook on business process management 1(pp. 37-80). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Hammer, M., 2015. What is business process management?. InHandbook on Business Process Management 1(pp. 3-16). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Barros, O. and Julio, C., 2011. Enterprise and process architecture patterns. Business Process Management Journal, 17(4), pp.598-618. Jeston, J. and Nelis, J., 2014.Business process management. Routledge. Rosemann, M. and vom Brocke, J., 2015. The six core elements of business process management. InHandbook on business process management 1(pp. 105-122). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Elia, G. and Margherita, A., 2016. A Collective Intelligence Platform for Developing Technology Entrepreneurship Ecosystems. In Creating Technology-Driven Entrepreneurship (pp. 195-220). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Dumas, M., La Rosa, M., Mendling, J. and Reijers, H.A., 2013.Fundamentals of business process management(Vol. 1, p. 2). Heidelberg: Springer. Chang, J.F., 2016.Business process management systems: strategy and implementation. CRC Press. Lin, F.R., Yang, M.C. and Pai, Y.H., 2002. A generic structure for business process modeling. Business Process Management Journal, 8(1), pp.19-41. Harmon, P., 2015. The scope and evolution of business process management. InHandbook on business process management 1(pp. 37-80). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Hammer, M., 2015. What is business process management?. InHandbook on Business Process Management 1(pp. 3-16). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Barros, O. and Julio, C., 2011. Enterprise and process architecture patterns. Business Process Management Journal, 17(4), pp.598-618. Jeston, J. and Nelis, J., 2014.Business process management. Routledge. Rosemann, M. and vom Brocke, J., 2015. The six core elements of business process management. InHandbook on business process management 1(pp. 105-122). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Elia, G. and Margherita, A., 2016. A Collective Intelligence Platform for Developing Technology Entrepreneurship Ecosystems. In Creating Technology-Driven Entrepreneurship (pp. 195-220). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Dumas, M., La Rosa, M., Mendling, J. and Reijers, H.A., 2013.Fundamentals of business process management(Vol. 1, p. 2). Heidelberg: Springer. Chang, J.F., 2016.Business process management systems: strategy and implementation. CRC Press.

Tragedy-Romeo and Juliet Essays - Characters In Romeo And Juliet

The American Heritage Dictionary defines tragedy as "a dramatic or literary work depicting a protagonist engaged in a morally significant struggle ending in ruin or profound disappointment." Tragedy engages our hearts and minds and helps us to understand our world. Tragedies make you think about the things that you have and cherish them. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is one of his many respected tragedies. The qualities of fate, impulsiveness, and death told through an entertaining love story make Romeo and Juliet a superb tragedy. Fate plays an important role in making Romeo and Juliet a good tragedy. It was destiny that the Capulet servant was not able to read the list of people who he was supposed to invite to a party and had to ask a Montague for help. Romeo and Juliet fell in love by chance; they could not help that their families were feuding. Friar John was quarantined, leaving him no control over the circumstances that made him incapable of delivering Friar Laurence's letter, which told Romeo that Juliet was waiting for him in a grave. Cruel twists of fate helped to determine the conclusion of Romeo and Juliet. Romeo's tragic flaw of impulsiveness is a key part of the story. If he had not been so hasty in falling out of love with Rosaline and into love with Juliet, the story would not have happened at all. When he decided to marry Juliet after knowing her for less than a day, Romeo acted foolishly. He killed Tybalt when he didn't think through and control his feelings. At the conclusion of the story, Romeo took his own life because he thought that his beloved was dead. Most of the disasters that took place in the story would not have happened if it weren't for Romeo's reckless decisions. Death is another crucial element of a well-written tragedy. Tybalt got into a brawl with Mercutio and killed him, which infuriated Romeo to the point that he revenged his friend's fatality by murdering Tybalt. After Romeo discovered that his precious Juliet had been killed, he rushed to her tomb and slew Paris when he found him there. Romeo went into Juliet's grave and drank a deadly poison when he saw his love and believed her to be dead. Once Juliet awoke and found her beloved deceased, she proceeded to commit suicide. Lady Montague was so grief-stricken that she died when she heard of the passing of her son. A requirement for a good tragedy is for it to end with the demise of the protagonist, and Romeo and Juliet follows that rule well. What really makes Romeo and Juliet a good tragedy is how quickly and easily it is to be drawn into the main characters. It seems that all odds are against Romeo and Juliet. The reader of this tragedy is rooting for them to overcome all of the trials that they face together. When Romeo and Juliet start to see that they won't be able to suppress all of their problems, the reader feels genuinely sorry for them. This one factor has the greatest impact on making Romeo and Juliet a good tragedy. Even the names Romeo and Juliet are one and the same with great love because the story has been captivating to its audience even though it ends tragically.

Black Death Essays (689 words) - Plague, Second Plague Pandemic

Black Death In the 1340's, approximately one third to one half the population of Europe was wiped out by what was called ?The Black Death?. The people of the time were armed with little to no understanding of why and how the plague happened and how to control it; and this allowed for the vast destruction that occurred in little more than three years time. The origin of the epidemic has, with little doubt, been identified as Lake Issyk-Koul in what is now a part of Russian Central Asia. A flood, or some other natural disaster, drove various rodents from their habitats around the lake; and with them they carried fleas infected with the plague. A species of wild rodents normally isolated from humanity spread the plague to the more common black rat, which has been riding on board ships since man first set sail. The plague then followed the trade routes all over Europe. ?Ships arrived from Caffa at the port of Messina, Sicily. A few dying men clung to the oars; the rest lay dead on the decks... Ships that carried the coveted goods of the fabled East now also carried death. The Pestilence had come to the shores of Europe? (Wark). The accounts of the plague tell of the symptoms being ?tumors in the groin or the armpits' and ?black livid spots on the arm or thigh', typical symptoms of Bubonic plague. However, Bubonic plague normally takes several days to kill, and many accounts tell of victims falling dead inside one day of contracting the disease. The variance in the cases of the Black Death are the workings of three strains of the plague: the plague proper; a pulmonary (air-borne) version, characterized by the vomiting of blood; and a septicaemic variant, capable of killing in several hours, before typical symptoms can even develop. The people the plague threatened knew neither the source of the disease, nor how to protect themselves from it. ?It was said that the cause of the Pestilence or The Great Mortality -- 14th-century names for the contagion -- was a particularly sinister alignment of the planets, or a foul wind created by recent earthquakes. Other theories existed. ?Looks,' according to one medieval physician, ?could kill' ? (Wark). They believed their best recourse for avoiding the plague, was to run from it. When flight was not an option, they attempted to purify the air by burning aromatic woods and powders. They remained inactive, almost vegetative, holed up in their homes; if one had to move, he ought to move slowly. Love, anger, and hot baths were to be avoided; and, based on the belief that bad drove out bad, potential victims would spend a half-hour daily crouched over a latrine to build up their resistance. Once one contracted the plague, death was only a question of time. Physicians stopped visiting the infirm out of fear and the obvious futility of their efforts. They claimed the plague must be punishment from God, and therefore beyond their control. Priest still came to deliver the last rights, and consequently, they died in droves. The effects of the plague went far beyond the obvious death toll, into the souls of men and women. ? ?Some people callously maintained that there was no better or more efficacious remedy against a plague than to run away from it. Swayed by this argument, and sparing no thought for anyone but themselves, large numbers of men and women abandoned their city, their homes, their relatives, their estates and their belongings, and headed for the countryside. They maintained that an infallible way of warding off this appalling evil was to drink heavily, enjoy life to the full, go around singing and merrymaking, gratify all of one's cravings whenever the opportunity offered, and shrug the whole thing off as one enormous joke.' -Giovanni Boccaccio, The Decameron? (Wark). Still, some people took a different view of the situation. Germany was the center for two phenomena spawned by the plague the Flagellant movement, and a wave of anti-Semitism. The Flagellants believed that by chastising themse lves they could avert the wrath of European History

Hate Crime Legislation essays

Hate Crime Legislation essays Much of society today revolves around people's differences. We are confronted on a daily basis by issues such as Affirmative Action, Gay rights, and Women's rights. Race, religion, sexual orientation, and gender can affect your working and social lives in a very serious way. People seem to be getting more and more determined to get more acceptance and tolerance for differences. Common catch phrases of the last few years have included "Equal Rights For All" and "Celebrate Diversity." The celebration of diversity is an interesting concept. Society tells us to be proud our differences. If you are gay, straight, Jewish, Shinto, Ethiopian, Indonesian, or an interesting combination somewhere in the middle, celebrate it, because having differences is what makes our society strong. This is where hate crime legislation comes in. Hate crime legislation punishes people who refuse to tolerate difference and express their refusal in violent or nonviolent illegal ways. Hate crime legislation is essentially the idea that hate crimes should carry harsher penalties than other crimes. The same crime committed with different motives would hold different consequences. Under this premise, hate crime legislation should be realized to be unconstitutional and should not be permitted. Congress defines a hate crime as "a crime in which the defendant intentionally selects a victim, or in the case of a property crime, the property that is the object of the crime, because of the actual or perceived race, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation of any person"(Congress). After reading it once, it seems to make sense. A closer look with reveal the dangerous ideals behind it. First, it must be understood how a crime is determined a hate crime. When involving a crime, the line between hate-related or not comes down to evidence supporting a prejudice or bias on the part of the perpetrator. If evidence can b...

Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Marketing - Assignment Example The spa will offer massage in different variety of styles including traditional massage, deep tissue work, hot stone massage, pregnancy, reflexology, sports and others. (Bplans, 2010). Treatments on body and face using the best products such as Pevonia’s Anti Free Radical Treatment a...... Turnover will be a major consideration in formulating which marketing strategies to be used. Their type and their numbers are also equally important so as to bring a variety of the products to fit in the various types of customers. It will target potential clients both male and female within ten mile radius within our location at a busy plaza in the city. Both individual employees/self employed and non employed employees are also placed in the plan. In order to acquire clients, the spas will implement a very aggressive marketing and networking in the business community through advertising in the media and going to the business premises to carry out presentations, followed by offering the best services in the health spa business. Skilled therapists and trainers include the personnel. Their prices are also competitive in the area so will give a better financial advantage. Pricing approach includes; penetration pricing, promotional pricing and premium pricing. Penetration pricing is nor mally put first and includes setting the prices very low to gain market share. Promotional pricing comes in order to enable the business to buy for long term. Premium pricing will be used lastly which involves setting a very high price of the unique product to gain competitive advantage from the other competitors in the market. Social sites like face book, twitter, you\tube will be of great marketing help, and also in the company’s website. Sales promotion using short term incentives to encourage business to respond and undertake some activity and personal contact between Bodywise Health spa and prospective business clients through face to face meetings and tele-marketing will help maintain they spas competitive edge. The success of the business is

Financial Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6500 words

Financial Report - Essay Example Canada was one of the signatories to the 1997 protocol for stronger greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the year 2000 and beyond. This protocol drafted in Kyoto was as a result of a meeting held to review the progress on the Rio Convention. Many countries did not sign this agreement, significantly the USA. At the moment of writing this report another convention is being held in Bali, with greenhouse gas emissions forming a part of the agenda. Transportation, which accounts for more than a quarter of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions, will be an important component of Canada's long-term, multi-faceted climate-change strategy. The federal government is considering options for more sustainable transportation and working with industry to develop improved vehicle technologies and alternative transportation fuels. Currently rail is generally accepted as the most sustainable form of mass transport in the UK [1 and any movement of passengers from less sustainable modes onto the rail system is therefore a net benefit to the UK. Indeed over the past 10 years rail passenger and freight kilometers have both increased by more than 40%. These increases have been achieved with proportionately low levels of additional resource, and hence have significantly enhanced rail's sustainability position [2]. This report attempts to analyze the perf... s a much diversified company, with interests in many spheres, Railpower is confined to the area of development of hybrid rolling stock for the railways across the world. The current market scenario is discussed in light of the historical background and projected performances, corporate strategies, and impacts of the rise in fuel prices, changes in interest rates, the overall Canadian economy and the global milieu in which these Companies operate. 2.0 Market Analysis (Part - A) The United States is the largest economy in the world and any changes there will be reverberated in all major economies - note the recent drastic slump in the world's stock markets. Six months into the most serious financial crisis which originated with sub-prime mortgages has laid the American economy low by a debilitating credit crunch. The situation has been aggravated due to the phenomenal rise in world fuel prices, and the other major economies have to bail out the US from the present crisis (Lynch, 2007). Rogoff (2007), on the other hand, warns "If it is a really steep downturn, it's going to pull everyone into its vortex." The Canadian economy, specifically, is largely dependent upon its largest trading partner - the US; and is thus most exposed to a turndown in US economy. However, effects of the struggling US economy have not been felt so far in 2007. If the United States manages to avoid a recession in 2008 one can be reasonably optimistic about global prospects. But with U.S. growth in the final quarter of this year expected to be very poor (Lynch, 2007), oil prices hovering above $80 a barrel and resurgent inflation in developed and developing economies alike, there are plenty of reasons to believe that the worst is yet to come. Borders have become insignificant in the financial

Mental and Physical Abuse of Institutionalized Mentally Retarded Research Paper

Mental and Physical Abuse of Institutionalized Mentally Retarded Children - Research Paper Example The method of data analysis used in the study is the deductive data analysis method. This method is appropriate considering that it is straight to the point and that it saves a lot of time during data analysis. With the adoption of the study, children will have a higher probability of getting treated appropriately and more effectively. Cases of physical and sexual abuse will be minimal and hence ensuring that they receive the rights that they are entitled. They will realize better health care as they will be given all the attention they need from their parents and the community at large. Thus justifying why mentally retarded institutions for children should be abolished. The time for not institutionalizing mentally retarded student has come. Mentally retarded children exposed to severe conditions that worsen the fact that they have disabilities. The harsh conditions they face at institutions make life for them unbearable. This arises from the fact that institutions are under budgeted , under staffed, poor services offered at the institutions, and that they are exposed to physical and sexual abuse (Lillis, 1997). New types of amenities must be built, based on the existing knowledge of the potential in developmental of the mentally retarded institutions. ... In this study, it is highlighted why institutionalizing of mentally retarded children should be dealt away with. Retarded children get exposed to harsh conditions that worsen their situation; they do not get the necessary attention that they require since managing many retarded children is quite a task (Tizard, 1994). The study was done in a number of mentally retarded children institutions with the aim of highlighting the challenges that they face at these institutions, their living conditions at the institutions and the various ways in which they can be helped. The study aims at proving why removing mentally retarded students from this institution will be a plus for the mentally retarded children (Thompson & Brown, 1997). This study will contribute important knowledge in essence that it will highlight the plights of the mentally retarded children and expose the challenges that they face at institutions. It will vividly show why removing mentally retarded children from the instituti ons has a higher probability of them getting treated well and appropriately. The study reveal that families are bound to show more care to their mentally retarded children as compared to institutions, considering that institutions deal with a lot of children and managing all of them to ensure that they have the best conditions is not an easy task. The experimental design used was the Group, Post-test Comparison, reason being that this design offers randomization. The post-test comparison using randomized subjects controls aimed at the key effects of history of the institutions, pre-testing, and maturation; and that the design can be stretched to comprise more than two institutions if essential. The sampling design used in this research is the clustered

Consumers Behaviour Shaped By The Media Advertising Media Essay

Consumers Behaviour Shaped By The Media Advertising Media Essay The mass media in todays society has shape the way we act, think and react to certain outcomes in our lives. It has such an impact on the choices we make and the choices that are available for us to make, that we sometimes dont even know its there. This often creates an awareness of the roles and attitudes we are expected to react to through commercialism. Advertising is the art of convincing people to spend money they dont have for something they dont need (Rogers, 2004 ) and these desires of wanting these certain products are largely the results made by the mass media. Perhaps, marketers should look at a different way of targeting consumers without having to mould their minds in such a way that has changed our uniqueness as an individual living in todays global world. Consumer behaviour is often described as the way we make decisions in purchasing specific products. Factors such as economic, demographic, psychological and social influences have played a major role in influencing our behaviour as consumers (Quester McCarthy, 2001). However, as we go into depth, the long term consequences of commercialism are much more serious than we imagine. So are we to blame the firms and organisations for manipulating our minds as consumers? Or are we too fragile to resist such temptation. According to the American Marketing Association (AMA), consumer behaviour is defined as the dynamic interaction of affect and cognition, behaviour, and environmental events by which human beings conduct the exchange aspects of their lives (American Marketing Association 2006). While another definition has defined consumer behaviour as The study of individuals, groups, or organizations and the processes they use to select, secure, use, and dispose of products, services, experiences, or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society (Hawkins, Best, Convey Koch, 2004). So we ask, is this definition still effective in this scenario, especially when our attitudes and perceptions are being tampered with? Some people feel that they are not affected by advertising, but they are. The media not only advertises directly, but they also try to appeal to people on an unconscious level Its harder to persuade them when theyre thinking (The Ad and the Ego, 1997) shows just how manipulative the media can be. For example, in 2001 the tobacco industry tried persuading its customers by using terms such as light to mislead smokers into believing that those brands are safer. They also made it seem like smoking is a part of everyday life. In many ads that promote tobacco, smoking is introduced as a natural part of having a good time. This as a result encourages consumer into supporting tobacco companies by purchasing their light cigarettes. Advertising is the means by which goods or services are promoted to the public (Petley, 2003). The advertisers goal is to increase sales of these goods or services by drawing peoples attention to them and showing them in a favourable light (Petley, 2003). According to (Arens in Ayanwale, Alimi and Ayanbimipe, 2005), the mission of advertiser is to reach prospective customers and influence their awareness, attitudes and buying behaviour. They spend a lot of money to keep individuals interested in their products. To succeed, they need to understand what makes potential customers behave the way they do. Advertising is a marketing function, and Kotler (in Bokor, Werner and Richardsson; 2004) claims that advertising can have a number of different, possible objectives. One objective can be to inform customers about new product or a price change, while another objective can be to persuade. In this sense advertising is a phenomenon that aims to persuade or influence people (Bjurstrà ¶m, 199 4). Most of the critics today believe that the use of commercialism has dramatically changed the way consumers behave and the way they carry out their lifestyle. Looking at the examples present in todays society, its possible to say that these theories may be pretty accurate. For example, Advertisers often emphasize sexuality and the importance of physical attractiveness in an attempt to sell products. They often emphasise thinness as a standard for female beauty, and the bodies idealized in the media are frequently atypical of normal, healthy women. You are continually competing with everyone around you to be noticed, to be seen, to be admired, to be successful. Ads urge us to become what we behold. It is advertising which defines physical beauty for women. Modern advertising conditions women to strive for an unattainable standard of beauty all in the service of selling products. Women frequently compare their bodies to those they see around them, and researchers have found that exposur e to idealized body images lowers womens satisfaction with their own attractiveness (Magazine Models Impact Girls Desire to Lose Weight, Press Release, 2008). As a result, the depiction of thin models has adversely impacted womens body image, which has led to unhealthy behaviour as women and girls strive for the ultra-thin body idealized by the media. Advertising images have also set unrealistic ideals for males, and men and boys are beginning to risk their health to achieve the well-built media standard. Advertising that pushes people to be small and eat large supports eating disorder thinking and behaviour. The continual onslaught of emaciation, body surgery, and diet publicity actually convinces many people that the lifestyle being portrayed is normal. Such media portrayal validates starvation, cutting behaviors and binge and purge cycles. Plus, this portrayal can delay recovery work. If a person with an eating disorder is subjected to a barrage of images and messages celebrating the symptoms of her illness, she may believe she is living well and wisely and will not seek treatment. This is a cultural phenomenon that is tragic. It contributes to people taking pride in their illness, proselytizing eating disorders, destroying their health, ruining relationships and, in far too many cases, shortening their lives. So do advertisers see such an impact theyve done to consumers? The main objective of advertising is to convince the consumer to behave in a certain manner which is most favourable for the advertiser. It may influence the consumer in different ways, because the advertiser spends an enormous amount of money to sell his product in the most creative and persuasive manner possible. Before 1900 advertising was mostly informational. Ads described products and appealed to consumers logic and judgement. World War I and the 1920s saw advertising shift from text to more emotional and image-centered modes. Advertising became less about products and more about the emotional and social lives of the people buying the products. The growing industrial economy dictated that not only goods but also markets for goods needed to be mass-produced. Soon, advertisements began to promote anxiety, discomfort, and inadequacy among the population. Youre not OK the way you are, You need help. You need salvation Ads generate anxiety and doubts making us feel uncomfortable in our skins. This we call the production of discontent (Hawkins, Best, Convey Koch, 2004). Advertising sells more than products, it sells values, images, concepts, and above all, normalcy it tells us who we are and who we should be. Advertising teaches us above all to be consumers. It teaches us that happiness can be bought, that there are instant solutions to lifes complex problems, and that products can fulfil us and meets our deepest human needs. We live in a consumer culture, saturated with mass media images. Much of our physical, informational, and cultural space is for sale billboards, TV, magazines, newspapers, even the area behind home plate. All of these spaces pitch products promising to improve our lives. We are all, sometimes consciously, sometimes unconsciously, affected by this advertising, often in very subtle ways. Whats important is not our experience of any one ad but that of living in an advertising environment which repeats certain messages again and again. We dont see it very well because we re-surrounded by it all the time. Like Richard Pollay (in Pollay, W; 1979) explains that just as a fish dont think about the sea, we dont think much about ads because we are surrounded by this ad environment from birth to death. He argues that one of educations goals ought to be to get the fish to think about the water. In order to understand modern society, he concludes, advertising is the best place to look. Humans are meaning-making creatures, always wondering who i am? and why do things work the way they do? After a century of experience, advertisers understand the power of symbolism and strive to discover symbols that make people react in predictable ways. Advertisers try to create stimuli to make individuals salivate if you can grab people their emotions, you can get them to follow. We have a cultural disposition to believe what we see. The human brain processes images and words differently. What we reflect on, consider, and even argue with logical appeals built on words, but we dont talk back to images. Advertisers realize that people are more easily influences by images than words. Seeing advertisements on the television, billboards or hearing them on our favourite radio stations has become a part of our daily lives whether we like it or not. Being exposed to numerous advertisements do affect our behaviour in some way what so ever. As a consumer myself, I strongly believe that advertising has a detrimental effect to peoples behaviour in many ways. We tend to follow our primary instincts and forget the real values in life. By acting on our insecurity and self-consciousness advertising makes us more inclined to products we are once happy with. We covet and envy our friends. We become greedy and are never satisfy with what we have. Advertising has created consumerism which affects our ability to communicate with each other. Most people nowadays prefer sharing their thoughts through electronic mail or latest cell phones than personal contacts. We have definitely become more distant from one another and consumerism is probably the main cause of this social alienatio n. On the other hand, while advertising have a negative impact on our personality it may also have a positive impact on economy. The fewer commercials we see, the less amount of money we spend. For a large company and its competitors, advertising has become the only way of introducing products to the customers and for us sometimes it is the only way to learn about what they sell. One of the main indicators of a healthy and strong economy is the money flow or how much money is spent, in other words how much money advertising has succeeded to get out of our pockets. This results in low unemployment rate and increase in our standards of living. Despite the fact that advertising will be thriving on our weaknesses in the years to come, we should try not to become slaves to material things and do our best to retain core values which after all distinguish us as human beings.

Abstract Paper Co-Curricular Education Essay

The school is â€Å"in a verandah in his father’s palace; Gautama Buddha being instructed, with three other boys, by a Brahmin teacher. On their laps are tablets†¦ caged birds, musical instruments, a battle-axe, bows. Gautama, a prince, was given, along with literary education, education in music and military arts like archery. The making of man was regarded as an artistic and not a mechanical process. Indeed, the aim of education is to develop pupil’s personality, his innate and latent capacity. The academic curriculum has never been all that schools and colleges offer to their students. Often a range of other classes and activities are available to students in class routine and even after school. These are referred to as the co-curricular activities and they are mostly voluntary for students. Examples would include sports, musical activities, debate, Model United Nations, community service, religious study groups, charitable fundraising, Young Enterprise projects, military cadet activities, drama, science clubs, and hobbies such as gardening, crafts, cookery and dance. Co-curricular activities prepare students practically for the future. CBSE refers to Work Experience, Health and Physical education, games, painting, music and art education as Scholastic subjects. Then why importance of these subjects is negligible as compared to Mathematics, Science, Social Science and languages? But, most of the teachers teaching in various schools have no idea about art education, games and other similar subjects. As a result, there are unplanned and un-interesting instructions in the classroom because the teacher has no clue or inclination towards these subjects. There is no plan, criteria or syllabus in schools for these subjects. If you ask an art teacher who has studied art – whether a tree is green or purple? They would say colours show moods, depends which kind of painting you are making both colours could be used. Other teacher who has not studied art would rebuke students and make them colour the tree only brown trunk and green leaves. CCE activities are also a point of discussion amongst the teachers. Cutting and pasting pictures from somewhere is the most common activity done as a part of CCE. Bloom’s taxonomy is taught as a part of B. Ed. education but not implemented. Without effective activities children are not able to create, analyze, solve real life problems, express and innovate. They are scared to take risks and make decisions. If co-curricular activities are coupled with CCE activities then both important aims can be achieved. In-service teachers should be taught to integrate activities of Health, Physical education, games, painting, music and art, craft or dance in their lesson plans. Teachers should know how to include available resources in their everyday lessons but, because teachers are not trained to include co-curricular activities in everyday classroom teachers are not able to use these periods effectively. Most of the teachers are not even aware about what kind of activities could be done in the class, directions and purpose for doing an activity are not clear as a result the main aim of having these activities is defeated. These activities do not need report card to certify because they prepare you for life and not merely for a forthcoming competitive exam. Education requires concentration. Children are thrilled; the day they know they have a routine breaking activity or sports period or even if they get to cut paper, fold paper, sing a jingle, share a joke etc. The activity has to be planned well and then executed. The main concern is that teachers do not use their creativity to build activities according to the level of students. We have to teach students to learn instead of studying, do useful work instead of hard work and develop self-discipline instead of discipline, work voluntarily instead of assigned work*. This can be done only when teachers are trained to do so. According to the changes brought about in CBSE curriculum, changes should be brought about in B. Ed. curriculum. Everybody encourages practice of Yoga. But we do not realize even if students sing they are practicing kind of yoga. They regulate their breath, concentrate and think creatively. They try to create a balance between their bodies, mind and attain self-enlightenment. This is healthy and ensures that students are exposed to practical tasks, not just what is taught in class. Kids don’t come to know how much time they pass while they get lost in their hobbies. Schools cannot make Painters, Sports persons, Dancers etc. but they can help kids to decide their field of choice. The joy of creating something gives happiness. Concentration in a particular activity is like meditation which relaxes students from repeated reading, writing and arithmetic activities. The happiness children get from playing instruments, helping others, dancing or running makes them lively. Most co-curricular activities are physically ctive, getting the student out from behind their desk and making them try new things. All those things which break the monotony of class routine are welcome by kids. It could be an action song, small classroom game, managing the school garden, painting a poster for school competition, modelling clay etc. It teaches students to work in groups, think, take responsibilities, develop social skills, soft skills etc. Schools make infrastructure available to teachers but teachers have no clue how to use it. For example IT infrastructure. In olden days, education systems included Martial arts, drawing, singing, painting, sports and debate etc. as a tool for gaining wisdom, insight, concentration, compassion, mental piece, creativity, stamina etc. For example Buddhist mandala serves as a tool for guiding individuals along the path to enlightenment. Monks meditate upon the mandala, In service teachers when given duties for club activities they are clueless to the new tasks assigned. Even if they know one form of art concretely, they can teach it to students as a part of education. Teachers should concentrate on learning one form of art during their B. Ed. education. When teachers learn one form of art, they will not have to run to Art or Dance teacher every now and then for small ideas. Among the teachers many problems can get solved, school functions can be organized in a better way. Art teachers can get more time to complete their art syllabus in classrooms. In service teachers should be asked to plan activities with their lesson plans. Currently, it is observed that cut-and-stick pictures related to the topic is the most common activity done by teachers. Education must therefore promote and nourish as wide a range of capacities and skills in our children as possible. The gamut of such skills include the performing arts (music, dance, drama, and so on), painting and crafts, and literary abilities (weaving, stories, wielding language to portray different aspects of life, a flair for metaphorical and poetic expression etc. ). Also, skills as diverse as some children’s special capacity to bond with nature – with trees, birds, and animals-need to be nurtured.

Maricalum Mining Corporation (MMC)

Maricalum Mining Corporation (MMC) in south Negros. Having 2,673 claims on mining in Barangays Cansauro, Hinablan, Tao-angan and Hinablan, of the towns of Cauayan and Sipalay, Negros Occidental. Actually I had gone into the place and had seen the impact of the mining in the people and to its natural habitat. Especially on Sipalay, I saw dead mountains, white ones. Waters sources and the rivers covered with the area are not portable therefore the people would go to the lowlands to buy fresh water to drink. Crops productions are cut into halves and the villagers experience skin diseases. Poisoning and many fish kills are reported before. People would always complain about the air pollution brought by it causing suspended sandstorms and dust particles. 2. One of the government policies was REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7942 or also known as â€Å"PHILIPPINE MINING ACT OF 1995†. This policy states that the all the private and public mining land are owned by the state. Therefore the government and other private sectors are responsible to the development, utilization and conservation of the place. Protecting the rights of affected communities and limits the land that are available for mining. Section 7, Article X of the constitution provides that LGU or Local Government Units are responsible to protect and co-manage the environment and to enhance the right of the people. Both RA belongs in the EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 79 created by state.

Ideas Of The Parthenon Essays - Acropolis Of Athens, Free Essays

Ideas Of The Parthenon Essays - Acropolis Of Athens, Free Essays Ideas Of The Parthenon Ideas of the Parthenon The Greek people of the 5th century BC created a culture that was deeply rooted in philosophy and the arts. Their endless search for their place in the grand scheme of the universe and in nature around them influenced everything in their lives especially their love of the arts. Their drama, sculpture, and even architecture are all shining examples of the ideas that were so dominant in the minds of the Greek people. What could be considered the crown jewel of Greek architecture, the Parthenon, is one such of these examples. It brings into form the three principal ideas of humanism, rationalism, and idealism of the 5th century Greek people through not only its structure, but its ornamentation and sculpture as well. The basis of humanism can be summed up in the words of Protagoras, Man is the measure of all things. Humanism is the idea that human beings are the yardstick by with to measure all things in the universe, including Greek gods and goddesses. The Parthenon stands for this very idea through the fact that it is a human organization of space. It brings an understandable order into a chaotic space that would otherwise be incomprehensible to a human being. It allows a human to see the space and recognize it as something that is real. It also consists of repeated patterns and distance intervals throughout its structure that add to this order. The metopes, for example, are set in an alternating pattern with the triglyphs around the entire building at distinct intervals bringing a clear order to the entablature of the Parthenon. The columns that support the Parthenon are also placed in certain distance intervals from each other and coincide with the pattern formed by the metopes and triglyphs. These columns, however, are not in a perfect pattern of equal distances around the entire Parthenon. The columns on either side of the doorway to the Parthenon are placed a little farther apart than the rest to show a clear entrance to the building. Also the corner columns of the building are positioned slightly closer to their neighboring columns in order to compensate for the human eye. Without this compensation the columns would give the illusion of leaning outward and being farther apart than the rest of the columns because of the distortion of such a large structure to the human eye. The stylobate that the columns rest on is also built to allow for this optical illusion of the human eye. It has a gentle arch to it that prevent the human eye from believing the building to be concave or sagging toward the middle. This effect, known as entasis, can be seen throughout the Parthenon from the curve of the stylobate and entablature to the slight bulging of the columns that gives the impression of bearing the load of the structure. Another example of humanism in the Parthenon can be seen in it ornamentation and sculpture. The Parthenon is a temple to the goddess of wisdom, Athena, and has many references to her though its decorative art work. For example, the East pediment of the Parthenon depicts the birth of Athena from the head of Zeus. All of the figures in the pediment are in a human form, including the gods and goddesses and Athena herself. This is a way of bringing the gods down to a level that can be recognized and understood by humans who worship them. This is true of all the Greek statues of gods and goddesses such as the gold and ivory statue of the goddess Athena that stood in the Parthenon itself. Another idea of the 5th century Greek people that can be recognized in the Parthenon is that of rationalism. Rationalism is the idea of eternal principles or basic truths that are inherent in the universe and in the human mind. An example is that of Pythagoras right triangle theory that a+b=c, which cannot be total proven but yet has never been disproved either. This same theory can be seen in the Parthenon through its rectangular shape which, if cut in half diagonally, would be two right triangles. As it is plain to see, rationalism had

Running Free, But Still Fenced essays

Running Free, But Still Fenced essays A look at the evolution of Chinese womens Tradition When a person sees a horse running in a field their first thought is, it would be nice to be that free. A horse in a field gives the impression of having no problems no boundaries. This is a sad misjudgment. If people would just look at the fence surrounding the field, they would see that the horse is only given the appearance of being free. This statement seems to summarize the plight of Ning Lao Tai-tai, in Ida Pruitts book A Daughter of Han. Pruitt shows the evolution of Ning from a common, traditional, Chinese woman into what some would see as a very independent one in Chinese standards. Through chronicling the many stories told by Ning, Pruitt is able to show the life of a woman that has lived to see early and late imperialism come and go. The purpose of this essay is to show that Nings progression of independence was no more Ning was born in the city of Penglai to a family of three children. At the beginning of her life Ning clearly did not have a good out look on her future. The destiny determined for me by Heaven was not a good one (Ida Pruitt, 12).1 Her father was an educated man, but did not posses the skill necessary to be a successful businessperson. Ning clearly gained her first knowledge of womens place in society from her father. She explained this is a peculiar way; They did not begin to bind my feet until I was seven because I loved so much to run and play (Ida Pruitt, 22).2 This is the first example given by Pruitt that shows the pain and suffering a Chinese women had 1 Ida Pruitt. A Daughter of Han, (Stanford University Press, Stanford, California, 1967), Foot binding is a horrible process in which the feet were wrapped with bandages. These bandages were wrapped so tight that it actually broke bones in the feet. In China beaut...

Falkland Islands War Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Falkland Islands War - Research Paper Example Even though the war ended eventually in favour of England, there Argentine claim continues to remain over the sovereignty of the region. This paper will analyze the Falkland Islands War at global level by examining the political and military engagement of both Argentina and England in the conflict and interpret the reasons why it still remains an unsolved international issue for the stakeholders. The Falkland Islands War was one of the most short-lived wars in the history. Like in any other war, the political interest of acquiring the authority over the island groups encouraged Argentina to occupy the region with its air force and navy. However, the retaliation by the British force was quick and the war ended with England defeating Argentina within seventy four days. Irrespective of its length and the number of casualties, the war is known for the impact of its result on the political conditions in both Argentina and England. Despite the sudden rise of nationalism and sympathy across Argentina, the fall of the military government was quickened by the defeat. On the other hand, England’s Conservative Party retained trust and continued through a second term after the success in the war. As per the BBC News, records of the history refers that Argentina entered the remote British colony of Falkland Islands with its military troop on 2 April 1982, and the invasion resulted in a short but fierce war between Argentina and the United Kingdom. The crisis has to be seen as a conflict of claims of both the countries over the sovereignty of the region in a critically interesting way. While Argentina wanted to establish that it had inherited the region from Spain and that they lay close to South America, it made a quick march to the islands with a view to expand the territorial regime. However, Margaret Thatcher, then Prime Minister of England chose a fight which made meaning for

Economy analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economy analysis - Assignment Example People find it more convenient to order books from online vendors than to go out to bookstores to look for books the way they did before the digital revolution. The second point is that in addition to Amazon, there are now many avenues through which people access eBooks, hence the loss of the need to visit libraries. The final point he makes is that copyright laws are lagging behind, since they were developed in an era where the current potential for digitization did not exist. It is important to have a balance between access to published material bearing the cost of production in mind, and to retain the â€Å"incentive to create† for writers (Posner). There are two key strengths in Posner’s article. The article communicates very clearly the relationship between the demise of the bookstores and libraries in relation to the emergence and development of the digital revolution. The issues in it focus on the purchasing behavior of individuals and how the internet is affecting consumer behavior. The second strength of the article is that it identifies the legal problems that existing copyright laws have which will only make the process more difficult to manage. The article argues that there is need for action to update existing laws to make it easier for creators of literature to enjoy more protection because of the increasing cost of policing the internet to prevent online piracy. The key weakness of the article is that it does not offer any radical solution, but struggles to find a way around the existing problems based on the current laws. It does not pay attention to the fact that it is now almost impossible to stop online piracy by using legal means only. The internet is universal, and it is almost impossible to start developing laws which every country will accept. This is because different countries derive different benefits from the internet hence the laws may impede

Financial markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial markets - Essay Example So an in-depth analysis has been done to determine if debt or equity will be a good option for raising capital from the market. The data revealed that due to the environment of uncertainty it is better to maintain a portfolio of both debt and equity instruments. The different debt and equity options are discussed in the report so that companies can maintain tradeoff between risk and return and design the financial plans accordingly. ABC is an Australian company listed in Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). The company is in service sector and enjoys a high credit rating. It has been found that ABC enjoys sound financial structure as well. At present the company is planning to undertake expansion strategy and for that it has to raise capital. Before finalizing any decision, the management would be interested to evaluate the future of Australian Interest rates in coming months. For determining the future interest rate, a thorough analysis of Australian market needs to be done; taking into consideration all those factors which directly or indirectly influence the interest rate. Emphasis should be given on both domestic as well as international market conditions. This paper will also research to determine the appropriate financing instrument for the company as per the future interest rate condition. The main aim of the management is to develop a balance between cost of capital and risk factors. The research information and data is documented under different section. The first section provides an in-depth analysis of present and future market condition in Australia. The future prospect of interest rate is forecasted undertaking all the factors which influences it. In the second phase a strategy will be developed that helps ABC to finance their business according to the future market scenario and finally in the last section a discussion to support the recommended strategy and how the

Structural Theories Essay Example for Free

Structural Theories Essay Motives are believed to be the reason behind the action of people. Whether negative or positive, they are the cause of an individual’s action. Since motives help us better recognize why a person would do something, a lot of research has been committed to understanding the pattern of people or group of peoples motives. Knowledge of patterns is crucial to many aspects of human behavior but especially those relating to crime. Knowing a pattern helps one to predict, and hopefully help educate others on future crimes. The research of crime is so extensive that researchers have created not only theories but also various subculture theories of crime. Subculture theory of crime is a set of theories arguing that certain groups or subcultures in society have values and attitudes that are conducive to crime and violence. Subcultural theories of Cloward and Ohlin, Wolfgang and Feracuti, Elijah Anderson, and Walter Miller offer a great deal of insight on why different groups of people choose to engage in the crimes that they participate in. Although these theories are broad and shed light on what certain groups will attribute to crime, it is not an exact science. A lot of these theories come along with critiques that question the basic points the researchers are trying to prove. Cloward and Ohlin theorized illegitimate opportunity structures, which argues that in order for someone to obtain and take advantage of the most rewarding illegitimate opportunities, aspiring delinquents often need an â€Å"in†. Within the illegitimate opportunity structure there are different subcultures and cub cultures. Cloward and Ohlin go on to split people into different subcultures of criminals who do not have an â€Å"in†. The subcultures of the criminal structure that are offered are Conflict subculture, conflict gang, retreatist gang, and retreatist cub culture. Those who fit in Conflict subculture turn their frustration at failure in both the legitimate and illegitimate opportunity structures into violence and those that are in gangs aim to make money through a variety of illegitimate avenues. While conflict gangs engage in violent activities, doing whatever is necessary to maintain their status in the streets and finally retreatist gangs are considered â€Å"double-failures† no success in either legitimate or illegitimate opportunities turn to drugs. Some critiques to Cloward and Ohlin have been that they fail to realize that the different subcultures can overlap. For example, gangs involved in conflict subculture often deal in and use drugs, and make large sums of money in the process. Unlike Cloward, Ohlin, Wolfgang and Feracuti, Walter Miller argued that crime is simply an extension of normal working class values, not a distinctive set of alternative values. Miller argued that the lower classes create their different value system as a response to the monotony of working –class jobs and a life of poverty. Working-class subculture is a mechanism full of processes, which allow working-class people to cope with their situations. He termed this focal concern. These focal concerns are fate, autonomy, trouble, excitement, smartness, and toughness. Due to the fact that these characteristics can be distributed throughout society, Walter Millers theory is thought to be too fixated on working class values. His theory also has too much of a focus on boys. Wolfgang and Feracuti argue the subculture of violence; they believe that violence is a product of conformity to a pro-violent subculture that is in direct conflict with the dominant culture. They suggest that violent reactions to perceived threats to reputation or honor are culturally prescribed, given that a failure to react defensively may result in life-threatening consequences. These researchers even go on to apply this theory outside of disadvantaged neighborhoods, such as the American south, athletes, and postal workers. Still critiques feel as though Wolfgang and Feratuci infer the existence of subcultures of violence based on statistical indicators of high rates of violence in poor racialized neighborhoods. Another important critique is that not everyone follows the values and norms of violence. This critique was then explored in Anderson’s study. He revealed â€Å"street† and â€Å"decent† value orientations among families in Philadelphia neighborhood. In Elijah Anderson’s â€Å"code of the street† he proposes that the high  rates of violence amongst inner-city residents can be attributed to a â€Å"code of the streets.† This code, he notes, functions as a â€Å"set of informal rules governing interpersonal public behavior† that encourages the use of violence for the purposes of maintaining honor and defending reputation. Just like Cloward and Ohlin’s Conflict gang subculture and Wolfgang and Fercuti’s subculture of violence, Anderson believes that crime occurred in certain neighborhoods in order to maintain status and respect. However new improvements on this contemporary theory were added when Anderson included the variations of families that lived within this pro-violent culture. He concluded that while both contingents experience the hardships of race and class oppression, â€Å"rather than dwelling on the hardships and inequities facing them,† Anderson argues, â€Å"civilâ₠¬  individuals tend to â€Å"accept mainstream values more fully than â€Å"street families† and make the best of what they have (Anderson, 1999: 38). Although this theory goes on to prove that not everyone in a pro-violent environment upholds the same values, it fails to clarify the specific processes that had led the residents of Germantown Avenue’s inner city to embrace pro-violent values and attitudes. Subcultural theories do not adequately explain racial disparities in crime. All these theories have a focus on African-Americans in impoverish areas. The subcultural theories offered also have a concentration on street crime. No theory seems to offer reason as to why the elite commit white-collar crimes. Furthermore these various subcultures that focus on pro-violent cultures do not give insight on how the pro-violent cultures came to be in the first place.

Analysis of Ceremony, by Leslie Marmon Silko :: Ceremony Essays

People often feel that their opinions do not matter, that they cannot make a difference. This is untrue, one person does have the ability to change an outcome, halt or finalize a decision, and even build or destroy a culture. In the novel Ceremony, by Leslie Marmon Silko, this is witnessed in the character Auntie, a dominating, selfish woman who will do anything to gain a respectable status in the community. In an attempt to gain acceptance from both Native and Western societies, Auntie metaphorically "kills" her own child which in turn destroys the Native American culture. Auntie has a deep desire for belonging, not only in Western civilization, but in her own Native world as well. She is constantly preoccupied with the image of which she projects to the community, often worrying that the rumors of her family will bring about shame and dishonor. Although the community has far more important issues to deal with, Auntie feels that is necessary to escape the "alleged," judgment that is derived from her sister promiscuous behavior and her brother's affair. Her belief is that if she is acknowledged in Western culture, than her past will cease to follow her. To acquire respect from Western society, Auntie strongly encourages her son, Rocky, to pursue non-traditional ways yet in the process fails to realize that she is pushing him considerably away from his heritage. Rocky is an adolescent that other students would envy; he is intelligent athletic and competitive, a perfect example illustrating the effects of Western culture. Of course his school supports his so called success, but his mother is the real culprit in stripping him of the pride he should posses toward his treasured past. Silko explains, "All that summer, while Josiah and Tayo watched the cattle and the sheep camp, and Robert worked in the fields each day, Rocky read magazines and ran laps at the baseball diamond. Auntie made it clear to everyone that it was all necessary if Rocky were to keep his football scholarship to the University.

Marketing Plan for MarryBrown Essay

INTRODUCTION Ms Ponnoraliza says that Marrybrown is Malaysian home-grown restaurant chain. Founded in 1981, they have more than 350 outlets serving fried chicken, burgers, finger food, desserts and drinks. Marrybrown has extended the menu that includes seafood, rice based tproducts, noodles and porridge and they also offer a famous local Malaysian dish: Nasi Lemak (offered as â€Å"Nasi Marrybrown†). The restaurant’s one of the biggest advantage is offering halal food, to dominate halal based countries, and preventing weak direct competition with some larger fast food chains. In the 1980s Marrybrown became the first fast food chain to franchise in Malaysia (Marry Brown). Marrybrown is the largest home-grown quick service restaurant chain with a global reach of over 400 outlets in Asia, Middle East, and Africa. Marrybrown is a global food service organization and a worldwide brand. Currently, Marrybrown is in different countries such as Dubai, India, China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Saud i Arabia, Kuwait, Kingdom of Bahrain, Syria, Republic of Tanzania, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Malaysia and Maldives (Marry Brown, 2012). According to Marrybrown’s official website Marrybrown is a winner of numerous awards, Malaysian International Home-grown Franchise of The Year, Malaysia Franchise of The Year, First Malaysian fast food franchise, Most Promising Franchise of The Year, pioneer member of the Malaysia franchise association and The Brandlaureate SMEs best brands Award 1007- Food and Beverage, fast food. As Marrybrown does provide franchise, the numbers of franchisees has currently increased upto 82. Marrybrown has great opportunities for both domestic and international markets. The concept of Marrybrown is to be business of the future, fast growing market, wider reach to the customers, high brand recall, cash business, lower investment and better returns and serve the food to the customers at petrol pumps, highways, and large railway stations. CURRENT MARKET SITUATION Marrybrown is a well-known as fast food restaurant internationally where they draw in clients by staying on the objectives like enhancing their position in the home-developed market and building their brand and in the meantime concentrate on the high quality of food serving by customers well.  Marrybrown’s main target is to improve their reputation amongst Malaysian’s customers, and to be recognized on what the restaurant is offering to attract more customers’ attention. On the other side, Marrybrown’s missions (2007) are to achieve a better standard in customer services, and increase sales and profits of the company. According to the official website of Marrybrown, their success is based on the high quality of foods, fast service and great value for money. Their products are prepared based on Malaysia’s Halal requirements. According to Ms Ponnorlize (2014) they provide fresh food in order to satisfy customers’ needs and make them enjoy wit h Marrybrown’s products. Furthermore, the restaurant likewise gives a brilliant, stylish and fresh look that supplements the lifestyle of today’s customers. This system attracts the attention of a certain group of customers such as kids and teenagers. Marrybrown is an example of overcoming adversity based on extraordinary tasting formulas that are unique and truly Malaysian. They work on approaches to make food, services, and establishment operations better to convey the highest standards of value. Secured in 1981, they have over 400 outlets internationally. Marrybrown has expanded the menu that offers exotic local delights such as seafood, noodles, rice based products and porridge. Nasi Lemak is one of the famous local Malay rice dish, based on the menu it is called as Nasi Marrybrown. Nowadays, Marrybrown offers a wide choice of unique, innovative products that focused on fast-food loving customers. Still, chicken presents the basic of the menu, including the signature Lucky Plate, Chicken Porridge, Nasi Marrybrown. Moreover, Marrybrown Sdn Bhd has turned into the first international company that opens an outlet in Myanmar. In three years Marrybrown has also targeted to set up 15 outlets in Southern Thailand, while this year from June until December it aims to open 15 new outlets in Malaysia. For now, there are more than 400 Marrybrown outlets in Malaysia, China, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Tanzania, the United Arab Emirates, Kuw ABOUT THE COMPANY SWOT Analysis Malaysian based fast food chain started back in 1980s, Marrybrown is the nation’s largest fast food chain with 400 outlets in 11. Half of its outlets  are in Malaysia and others in abroad. It is the only fast food chain that satisfies halal food customers (Marrybrown.com.my, 2012). Marrybrown serves the food at affordable price and is the first Malaysian fast food franchise in the country. Marrybrown’s core values are high quality food, fast service, clean environment and great value for money. Marrybrown is expanding internationally to become a global fast food industry. Soon it will open in Syria, Azerbaijan and Iran. Marrybrown has been awarded Malaysia International Home grown Franchise of The Year in the years of 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and promising franchiser award in India. Strength a) High quality food b) Halal food c) Unique fast food concept-Marrybrown carries a unique concept which brings about a fun and exciting eat-out experience. d) Adaptability to the market. Weakness a) Niche target market b) Intense competition c) Competitors quality of products and services Opportunities a) Growing market b) Improve the infrastructure for the society around it. c) Job opportunities for more. Threats a) Competition b) Consumers looking for better deal. OBJECTIVES To make a successful marketing plan, firstly have to plan the objectives of  marketing plan. Followings are the objectives of Marrybrown’s marketing plan on the new product Nasi MarryBrown (Nasi Lemak). To make the traditional recipe as well-known and penetrate into international market. To increase sales by 50% in upcoming 6 months. To increase brand awareness among targeting customers. To cover the whole target market. To increase the number of new customers. To increase the visibility and memorability of brand identity. To create value and make a difference MARKETING STRATEGIES Planning the marketing strategies is the most important for a company in introducing the new products. To penetrate the new product into market, it is vital to plan the marketing strategies. There are 4 types of marketing tools in a marketing plan; which is called 4 Ps. In order to introduce Marry Brown’s new product Nasi MarryBrown (Nasi Lemak), the company decide to apply 4 Ps to contribute into a marketing mix. PRICING STRATEGY Pricing strategy is the chase of classifying the ideal price for a product. Pricing strategy in marketing combines with other principles which are known as product strategy, place strategy and promotion strategy so that a new set of product can penetrate into market in a short period of time and build customers’ satisfaction. Marrybrown decided to use three types of pricing strategy to introduce our new product: Nasi MarryBrown (Nasi Lemak). We decided to apply discount pricing, skim pricing and market penetrating pricing systems. Marrybrown applies discount pricing in order to increase traffic and attracting new customers. This discounted pricing magnets attention to the product and can be used as a catch to bring in customers who will possibly obtaining other items. We use the skim pricing system to find the ideal price point for our product, which is unique item with unknown consumer demand. Our goal is to maximize potential profits layer by layer until the ideal price is reached. The appliance of market penetrating plan is to gain market share early for Marry Brown. The introduction of Nasi MarryBrown to the market is provided at low end prices in hopes to gain the  attention, loyalty, and market share of the customer base. PRODUCT STRATEGY The product offering, the heart of an organization’s marketing program, is usually the starting point in creating a marketing mix. As a fast food restaurant Marrybrown offers variety of fast foods and other type of food which are uncommon for fast food restaurants. The products are not much different from its competitors like McDonald’s and KFC in Malaysia, especially products are much similar to KFC. The products offered are burgers, desserts, soft drinks, rice, chicken and sea food based menu. As it is mentioned above that Marrybrown operates its restaurants chains in mostly Asia, therefore Marrybrown’s new Nasi Marrybrown is segmented more for Asian customers. This is one of the reasons what makes Marrybrown stand out from its competitors. Especially, following its slogan: â€Å"Something different† which offers offers our new introduced product, despite that Marrybrown fast food restaurants, also offers different menu which are not common for fast food restaurants. The â€Å"Something different† menu are rice and noodle products, and specifically include the new introduced dish: Nasi MarryBrown. The reason for offering Nasi Marrybrown is because it is one of the local favourites and attracts Asians since the restaurants chain mainly operate in Asia. (Yuvaraj S, 2011). Zazali M. (2012) reports that Chan, the restaurant chain owner, says they had to be different, so instead of offering only fried chicken and burgers they also offer locals’ main diches such as Nasi Goreng, Nasi Lemak (Nasi MarryBrown) and Chicken and Satay. She continued claiming that their competitors from US started copying their business module. Moreover, Marry Brown’s the advantages on its products over its competitors offering only halal food in Muslim countries would help the newly introducing product to become marketable as they are halal food. The picture below is the newly introduced product DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY One of the important part of marketing is distribution or place some may say. Without it marketing would be almost impossible. Place or distribution, strategies are concerned with making products available when and where customers want them. Would you rather buy a kiwi fruit at the 24- hour  grocery store within walking distance or fly to Australia to pick your own? We have conducted an interview with an outlet operator of Marrybrown namely Ms Ponnorliza (2014). According to her, Marrybrown has tough time with distribution. Its outlets are not placed in much places needed, which means not many customers are accessible to Marrybrown restaurants. As she mentioned that one of its competitors, McDonalds, is placed almost every 5 kilometres while Marrybrown is hard to find. The picture above also proves that Marrybrown is not popular in many parts of Malaysia compared to its close competitors which are easily accessible. However, making Marrybrown more popular would cost time and more money. Therefore, we came out with the idea that Marrybrown should offer home delivery. Marrybrown does not offer home delivery service now, this is its one of downsides of it. Home delivery to near locations is good choice to customers who find inconvenient to go to nearest Marrybrown restaurants. Usually, restaurants accept orders via receiving calls from customers for delivery services. While Marrybrown should offer online sale which can be used by customers who have a little more time. Online order is more convenient than ordering by calling, because customers can easily choose which product to offer from online menu and they will have unlimited time to choose as well. PROMOTION STRATEGIES As we most of us know that promotion includes advertising, public relations, sales promotion, and personal selling. Promotion’s role in the marketing mix is to bring about mutually satisfying exchanges with target markets by informing, educating, persuading, and reminding them of the benefits of an organization or a product. Ms Ponnorliza (2014) says in the interview that Marrybrown does not do much about advertising on TVs or any other places. However, advertising new product (Nasi Marrybrown) heavily can help to draw attention to them. Since many people watch TVs, commercials on TV would be one of the best choices. Marrybrown should place more commercials on TV about Nasi  Marrybrown in order to attract more customers. Commercial timing is also important, therefore Marrybrown should consider it too. Placing its commercial about the new product before every meal time is the best choice, since people are feeling hungry and they need to eat. In today’s day, as it is information century people use internet, it is also a good opportunity to place web advertisement of the new product on most used websites, especially, social networks like Facebook, YouTube, Tweeter, Instagram and so on. This method helps Nasi Marrybrown to become more noticed. Road banners are also an effective way of advertising. Marrybrown should not forget about this too, placing its banners on the roads where traffic jam is more frequent is a good choice. Because when people are stuck in traffic jams there is more chance that they are paying attention to the advertisements. Especially, traffic jam where occur when people are coming back from their word, due to the fact that most people are hungry when they are coming back from work. Moreover, Ms Ponnorliza (2014) said that they visit and conduct different activities in different places in order to promote their products. This method is also useful and effective in promotion strategy. Additionally, telling about your about the product door to door is also one of effective ways of promoting. It can be done by mailing people’s mailboxes, mails which may include menus of the restaurant and pictures of the new promoted product. CONCLUSION According to our new marketing plan for Marrybrown product, we are planning to make it successful our plan within six months following by our objective. In our marketing plan, we are planning to apply our 4Ps marketing strategies properly so that our product can be selling well and increasing sales 50% in upcoming 6 months. Nowadays Marrybrown is using franchise system and open branches in other countries. So that we hope our marketing plan is going well not only in local market but also penetrating the international market. In conclusion, we hope our new product Nasi Marrybrown to be a best-selling product of Marrybrown in whole Malaysia and even internationally with suitable price. References Academia.edu (2014). Marketing research for Marrybrown. [Online] Available at: https://www.academia.edu/4918251/MARKETING_RESEARCH_FOR_MARRYBROWN [Accessed 18 July 2014] All Free Papers (2012). Missions, goals and values of Marrybrown. [Online] Available at: http://www.allfreepapers.com/English/Missions-Goals-Values-Marry-Brown/26848.html [Accessed 18 July 2014] MARRYBROWN. Awards. [Online] Available from: http://marrybrown.com.my/company/awards/. [Accessed: 29th July, 2014]. MARRYBROWN. Company History. [Online] Available from: http://marrybrown.com.my/company-history/. [Accessed: 29th July, 2014]. MARRYBROWN. Introduction. [Online] Available from: http://marrybrown.com.my/company/introduction/. [Accessed: 29th July, 2014]. PONNORLIZA. (2014) About Marrybrown. [Interview]. 23rd July 2014. YUVARAJ S. (2011). Marry Brown. [Online] Available from: http://www.scribd.com/doc/ 62773399/Marry-Brown. [Accessed: 24th July, 2014]. ZAZALI M. (2012) Marrybrown chain prospering after many trials and tribulations. The Star. [Online] Available from:http://www.thestar.com.my/Story/?file=%2F2012%2F3%2F28%2 Fmetrobiz%2F10997466. [Accessed: 24th July, 2014].

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 18

Ella Micha won't text me back and it's eating away at my mind. I need to find out where he is, but Caroline's making it difficult. She's a photographer and wants to take pictures of the different views of our town. I take her to the lake first because it's the sunnier side of town, and pull over in a few different turnouts that give her various views. When we reach the bridge, she gets really enthusiastic and wants pictures of it too. â€Å"It has so much history to it,† she says. â€Å"And it probably carries a lot of memories for people.† I wonder if Caroline is a mind reader on top of a photographer. A thin cloud of dust surrounds us as I tap the brakes and park the car just at the brink of the bridge and she hops out with her camera bag on her shoulder. Lila and I trek after her, taking our sweet time, but I halt at the line that splits the road from the bridge. â€Å"So is this the bridge?† Lila asks, watching me through her sunglasses. I stare at the spot on the ground where Micha and I stood kissing in the rain. â€Å"Yeah, this is the bridge.† With a quiver in my heart, I step onto the concrete and walk up to the railing. Gripping the bar, I gaze out at the lake, glistening in the sunlight, so much brighter than that rainy night. Caroline clicks her camera, getting the lake at every angle while Lila roams to the other side. The wind blows through my hair and I shut my eyes, going back to that night. I'd been cleaning out my mom's medicine cabinet earlier that morning and had come across the bottle of pills she'd taken to keep her delusions under control. I'd wondered if they'd worked for her and how they made her mind see life. So I took one to see for myself and then headed off with Micha to a party. As soon as I'd climbed in his car, he'd sensed something was off with me. â€Å"You look out of it,† he said. â€Å"Maybe we should just stay in tonight.† I shook my head and motioned for him to drive. Frowning, he drove us to the party, but he kept a close eye on me almost the entire night, following me like a puppy. Usually, I didn't mind, but I grew restless with the desire to figure out what the hell my mother was thinking. So when Micha got preoccupied by a girl, I cornered Grantford and asked him to drive me to the bridge. He had happily obliged, thinking he was going to get some. When we arrived at the bridge it was raining buckets of water. I thanked him politely and told him he could go. He was pissed and started yammering something about why the hell did he drive me out here. I shrugged and slammed the door shut, stepping out into the rain. He spun away from the bridge, the tires of his pickup kicking up gravel and mud all over my boots. I walked over to the railing and stepped up onto the curb, observing the water through the veil of rain. But it wasn't close enough, so I stepped up onto the beam just like I remembered her doing. It still didn't make sense why she did it – why she thought she could fly and I don't think it ever will. I jerk away from my reminiscing and concentrate on Caroline, who's still snapping pictures, with the long lens of her camera close to my face. â€Å"You're a deep thinker,† she remarks and clicks her camera again. â€Å"And you photograph well.† I shake my head. â€Å"No, I'm not. Not really.† She snaps another picture and moves the camera away. â€Å"As a photographer I get to see through a totally different eye. I think it makes me see people differently – more clearly.† â€Å"Like a mirror?† â€Å"Yeah, kind of.† She turns the lens toward the lake and starts snapping pictures of it. I recline against the railing and scroll through my messages. I only have one, Micha's voicemail from a few weeks ago. I decide maybe it's time. I press dial and put it up to my ear. â€Å"Hey Ella, it's Micha,† he says nervously, unlike himself, and sighs â€Å"Well, that was a stupid opening line, so pretend you didn't hear that.† A smile tugs at the corners of my lips. That sounds more like him. â€Å"Anyway, I'm kind of irritated that you just took off and haven't called.† He pauses and I can hear Ethan in the background. â€Å"Actually, I'm fucking pissed off. I don't even know what to say. You just bail after everything we've been through. Do you know how crazy I've been wondering where you were or if you were even alive? My heart compresses in my chest. I've never heard him so upset. â€Å"You just bailed out on everyone and people need you, even if you don't think so. Grady's sick – he has cancer and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He inhales a shaky breath. â€Å"I still love you†¦ I don't know what else to say and there's probably not even a point of saying anymore†¦ you won't call me back.† It clicks and the message ends. It's not what I was imagining. I'd never once looked at it from his side – how worried he must have been. I send him another text, but again, he doesn't respond. *** One week passes and I still don't hear from Micha. He won't call me or answer my texts, and his phone is going straight to voicemail. His mom has no idea where he is either and she's starting to get really worried. Ever since I returned from the bridge, little images of what happened when Micha picked me up that night have been flickering through my head. Something infinite happened that night, not with Micha, but with me. I arrive at the conclusion, while I'm sitting out on my porch, staring at his vacant driveway, that it's time to get to the bottom of what's going on with Micha. There is only one person I could think of who might know where he is. Ethan. And I need backup. â€Å"What are we trying to get out of him?† Lila asks as I drive up to the shop Ethan works at. â€Å"Where Micha is.† I tell her, putting the shifter into park. â€Å"And I think Ethan might know.† Her forehead scrunches as she eyes the open garage door. Ethan is behind a car being worked on, tossing a screwdriver and catching it like a baseball. â€Å"But why am I here?† â€Å"Because you're my backup.† â€Å"And what exactly is it you want me to do?† â€Å"I'm not sure yet.† I bite my nail, assessing the situation. Ethan is dressed in a nice pair of jeans and plaid button-down shirt, not his work clothes, which means he can leave if he wants to and he probably will, making this as difficult as possible. Especially if Micha told him not to tell me. He tips his head back and laughs at something his dad said. Then his eyes find my dad's Firebird and his expression drops. I open the door and he throws down the tool and runs through the shop. I jog across the gravel and swing open the front door, leaving Lila behind. Sitting behind the counter is Mrs. Gregory, Ethan's mother who has the same dark hair and brown eyes as Ethan. She looks up quickly from a magazine and her eyes brighten. â€Å"Ella, is that you?† She gets up from the stool and rounds the counter to give me a hug. â€Å"I didn't know you were back, honey.† â€Å"For the summer, I am.† My eyes skim the room and the shop. â€Å"Is Ethan in there?† She points over her shoulder. â€Å"He just ran back into the storage room. You want me to go get him?† â€Å"Would you mind if I did?† I ask politely. â€Å"Sure, hun.† She steps aside and lets me behind the counter. The storage room is lined with rows and rows of shelves holding parts for cars. It's quiet, dark, and the sink has a drip. â€Å"Ethan,† I say, shutting the door quietly behind me. â€Å"I know you're in here.† â€Å"I hear a shuffle from the back corner diagonal from me. I hurry down the tire aisle, peeking through the shelf, and catch him running up the other side. I skitter backwards, hoping to cut him off at the end by the door. â€Å"Ethan will you please talk to me?† My voice echoes back at me. Looking left then right, I exit the aisle. â€Å"Look, I know he told you where he went, so will you please just tell me†¦ or at least tell me if he's okay.† He suddenly reveals himself from an aisle a few rows down. â€Å"He told me not to tell you where he was.† I press my lips together at the sting in my heart. â€Å"I need to know. I'm worried about him.† He props his elbow on the edge of a shelf. â€Å"Well, now you know how he's felt for the last eight months.† The painful feeling of reality sinks in. â€Å"Please, please, will you just tell me where he is. It's killing me not knowing.† He eyes me over, like he's hunting for my sincerity. â€Å"He went to see his dad.† My jaw almost hits the floor. â€Å"When did he find out where his dad was?† Ethan sighs and leans against the shelf. â€Å"He started calling the house a few weeks ago, asking to talk to Micha. Micha wouldn't talk to him, but then a few days ago, he finally decided it was time to go see him.† â€Å"Is he still with his dad?† I ask. He hesitates. â€Å"No†¦ Let's just say the visit didn't go very well.† I force the lump in my throat down. â€Å"Is he okay?† â€Å"I'm not sure†¦.He was staying with some of our old friends over at Farrows Park the last time I talked to him.† â€Å"Is he coming back?† â€Å"Again, I'm not sure.† I sink to the cold concrete floor and let my head fall into my hands. â€Å"Why didn't he tell me?† Ethan puffs out a loud breath and sits down beside me. â€Å"Because he didn't want you dealing with his problems on top of your own. He worries about you all the time. It's kind of annoying.† I raise my head and scowl at him. He chuckles and nudges me with his elbow. â€Å"What? I'm the one who's had to listen to him talk about you for the last eight months. At one point, I almost stabbed my ears out just so I didn't have to hear it.† I give a gentle pat to his knee. â€Å"Pretend all you want. You're not as bad of a guy as you want people to think.† He comprehends the deeper meaning to my words. â€Å"Yeah, yeah, say what you want, but deep down, I'm just your average douche bag, like every other guy out there.† Laughing, we get up and go out to the lobby, where there's a guy waiting at the front counter. He walks me to the door and stares out at Lila sitting out on the hood of my car examining her watch. â€Å"So what are you going to do?† he asks as I push open the door. â€Å"I'm not sure yet,† I say. â€Å"I doubt you're going to tell me where the house is that he's staying at.† â€Å"I don't think it'd be a good idea for you to go there. He needs to clear his head.† He backs up toward the register with his hands stuffed into his pockets. â€Å"I got customers to take care of.† I meet Lila at the car and she slides off the hood. â€Å"Did he tell you anything?† We climb in the car and I quickly explain to her the vague details of what happened. â€Å"So where are we going?† she asks, buckling her seatbelt. The sunlight sparkles through the windshield and into my eyes. â€Å"We're going home.† *** A couple more days drag by and I still don't hear anything from Micha. It baffles me how much I miss him, but I do my best to keep busy, not wanting to get sucked up in the loneliness and worry. Dean and Caroline went home about a week ago. Caroline told me they'd come back to visit before the summer was over or she would at least see me again at the wedding, which is in October. Lila is out for the day with Ethan, not on a date, something they both insisted when I brought it up. My dad is locked in his room. He had a rough night and got into a fight. I received a call from Denny at two o'clock in the morning telling me to come pick him up. Deciding I need a break from my house, I peek in on my dad who is fast asleep, and then drive over to Grady's house. Amy's car is parked in front of the trailer and the front door is wide open, swaying in the wind a little. I hop out of the car as she walks outside with a bag over her shoulder and a box of Grady's stuff in her arms. I fear the worst has happened. â€Å"Is everything okay?† She sighs, transferring the box to the side of her hip to free her hand so she can get the car door open. â€Å"He caught a bad case of pneumonia and he's been taken to the hospital over in Monroe.† I brace my hand on the trunk of the car for support. â€Å"Is he okay?† Shaking her head, she sets the box on the seat and slams the door shut with her hip. â€Å"His body's already fightin' cancer. This just makes things worse.† â€Å"I need to go see him,† I mumble and turn for my car. â€Å"He can't have visitors right now, Ella,† she says empathetically. â€Å"His immune system's too low.† I frown. â€Å"Will you let me know when he can?† She gives me a small smile, but there's something in her eyes I don't like. â€Å"Yeah, hun. I will.† As I back down the driveway, watching her lock up, I feel helpless and out-of-control. I want to run away, back to Vegas, or somewhere else equally as far away, so I won't have to feel it. But I don't. *** I try not to stress too much about Grady, but my thoughts keep drifting to him. Whether he's in a hospital bed with sterilized walls? Or did Amy take a box of his stuff to fix it up for him? â€Å"What song is this?† Lila is lying on her stomach in my bed, flipping through the pages of a magazine. â€Å"‘Black Sun' by Jo Mango,† I say, sharpening one of my charcoal pencils over the garbage in my bedroom. â€Å"It's sad.† She frowns, resting her chin in her hand. â€Å"It makes me want to cry.† â€Å"It's a good song to draw to.† I return to my drawing on the floor. The dark lines of it form pieces of a shattered mirror and I start sketching a picture of a guitar inside one of them. When I'm done, each piece will hold something about my life, but it might take me a while to finish it. Lila raises her head away from her hand and glances at the window. â€Å"Did you hear that?† There's shouting coming from outside, loud enough to be heard over the music. I shade one of the corners with my pinky. â€Å"It's probably just the neighbors.† The yelling gets louder and Lila sits up nervously and draws back the curtain. â€Å"Ella, there's a man and a woman fighting out in front of the driveway.† I set my pencil down on the floor and go over to the window. There's a short, fat man and a tall, slender woman yelling at each other just outside the boundaries of my front yard. â€Å"That's the Anderson's,† I explain. â€Å"They always do that.† â€Å"We should stop it,† she says worriedly. â€Å"He might hurt her.† â€Å"I'll take care of it,† I tell her. â€Å"You stay here.† I pad down the stairs, barefoot and in my boxer shorts and tank top, and poke my head out the door, but the Anderson's have vanished from the street. The lyrics and music of â€Å"Behind Blue Eyes† by The Who is blasting from the stereo in Micha's room next door. It's his sad mood song, the one he lets play over and over again when he's depressed. The lights aren't on in the house, but the one in the garage shines brightly into the night. Sticking out of the open door is the back end of his Chevelle. There's a large dent in the bumper that wasn't there when he left and a scratch on the corner of the fender. Walking down the steps the concrete is ice-cold against my bare feet. I spot him through the window of the garage, searching the shelf for something with a cigarette in his mouth. I watch him move, my pulse instantly speeding up, and I have to work to keep breathing. As he pulls away from the shelf with a box in his hand, he turns his head toward the window, like he senses me out here. Our eyes lock and collide. He sets the box down and disappears out of my view. A few seconds later he walks out of the garage. His jeans ride low on his hips and the porch light hits his chest, highlighting his well-defined muscles and the cursive font of the tattoo on his rib. â€Å"When did you start smoking again?† I inquire from my driveway. He takes the cigarette out of his mouth with his eyes on me. â€Å"I slipped up a few days ago†¦ There's just too much going on, I guess.† I take a few small steps across the driveway and my heart thuds in my chest. â€Å"Is it because of your dad?† Micha reaches the grass, just before the fence divides our houses. â€Å"How do you know about that?† I stop just short of the fence and wrap my arms around myself to keep warm. â€Å"Ethan told me.† He shakes his head, annoyed. â€Å"He's worse than a girl.† â€Å"Hey.† I feign offense, attempting to lighten his mood. â€Å"Not all girls are bad. I've always been an excellent secret keeper. You know that.† He places his hands on the fence and clutches at the links. â€Å"I don't know if that's true anymore.† He gestures his hand at me. â€Å"Maybe this was who you always were. Maybe this place was just getting in the way of you.† He's upset and I need to get to the bottom of why. â€Å"You could have told me about your dad.† â€Å"Could I of?† The front of his thighs push against the fence. â€Å"I don't think you can handle it right now – you can barely handle your own problems.† I reduce the small gap left between the fence and myself. â€Å"Try me.† His eyes examine my face, looking for something deep within me. Then his head falls down, defeated, and he lets out a slow breath. â€Å"It was almost as painful as that day you ran off. I mean, he has a whole other fucking family†¦.† His voice cracks and he clears his throat. â€Å"Like we weren't good enough or something.† The ache in his voice nearly kills me. I close my eyes and tell myself I can do this – that I'm the strong one at the moment. My eyes open and I put my finger under his chin, forcing him to look at me. His eyes are glassy, like he's about to cry, and he tries to look away. I place an unsteady hand on his cheek and maintain his gaze. â€Å"I know it hurts right now,† I say, grappling my voice even. â€Å"But it will get better. It'll just take some time and I'll be here for you this time. I promise.† He looks unconvinced. Not knowing what else to say, I stand on my tiptoes, lean over the fence, and lightly graze my lips across his. Heat caresses my mouth and skin. â€Å"I need you right now,† Micha murmurs against my lips with so much desire in his eyes that my knees buckle. â€Å"I need this right now.† His hand cups around the back of my neck, much gentler than the intensity in his voice, and he crashes my body against his. He tempts me with a soft brush of his lips and every ounce of sexual tension between us explodes. I can't help myself – I fall into him. My lips part willingly, lost in the mind-numbing moment as he slips his tongue deep inside my mouth, devouring me thoroughly. He tastes like cigarettes mingled with mint and the scent of his cologne is intoxicating. My hands trace up the front of his bare chest, and I loop my arms around his neck. The links of the fence dig into my skin as we crush it between our bodies, trying to bury ourselves into one another. Micha pulls away for a second and my lips falter in protest, but he lifts me up over the fence and encourages my legs around his waist. My inner thighs burn as they graze his hips. Every part of him touches me and it makes my body flame. I arch into him, moaning as his lips return to mine even more ravenously. â€Å"Oh my God, this feels so good.† He groans, before heading toward his house. â€Å"What are you doing?† I whisper against his lips, knowing where he's going, but I'm not sure I'm ready for it yet. â€Å"Shh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His warm tongue slips deep inside my mouth and I forget about arguing. His hands hold me up by the ass as he kicks the back door open and stumbles into his kitchen. He knocks over a lamp and bumps into the wall as he carries me blindly down the hall and into his room. Then we collapse on the bed, tangled together. The music is loud and he reaches over to the stereo and turns it down so it filters through the room softly. â€Å"Ow,† I squeal, squirming. â€Å"Something just poked me.† â€Å"I'm pretty sure that's supposed to happen,† Micha jokes with feral eyes. I swat his chest and reach underneath me, retrieving a drumstick. He snatches it from my hand, laughing softly as he chucks it over his shoulder and it lands somewhere in the dark. His face turns serious as he smoothes my hair back, looking into my eyes so passionately, my nerves crack through. â€Å"Do you know I realized I loved you when we were like sixteen? But I didn't want to tell you because I was afraid you'd run away.† I prop up on my elbows, making our faces inches away. Strands of his hair hang in my face. â€Å"But I was normal back then. Or at least partly normal.† He lets his forehead rest against mine. â€Å"Yeah, but I thought that's how things were supposed to happen when people were in love.† I realize how bad I must have hurt him when I ran off after he tried to tell me he loved me. â€Å"Micha, I'm sorry.† His jaw spasms and he tips his head back up. When he kisses me again, it feels different somehow – more intimate. My apprehension starts to emerge, but I choke it down and let my head fall back against the pillow. His lips follow mine and he kisses all the fear out of me. My chest presses into his as my neck arches against his trail of kisses along my skin, sucking and nipping at it all the way down. â€Å"Fuck,† he groans when his mouth reaches the curve of my breast. The fabric of my tank top is thin and I don't have a bra on. Hesitantly, his tongue lightly slides between my breasts. Instantly, my nipples harden and an irrepressible moan escapes from my lips as desire takes over my body. I sit up, stunning him, and he moves back. â€Å"What's wrong?† he asks. Sucking in a deep breath of air, I shut my eyes and wiggle my shirt off. My chest heaves, bare and exposed, as my lungs strain for air. I've never been this far with a guy before – never wanted to. Getting close to someone meant getting attached and getting attached has only brought me hurt in the past. But Micha's different. He always has been. I just didn't realize it until now. He takes me in deliberately and then covers his body with mine, colliding our bare chest together as we collapse back onto the mattress. My fingers tangle in his soft hair as his hands travel down my shoulders to my breasts. My back bows up, seeking to feed a starvation inside my body, but unsure how to do it. Pausing, I curve my hips and rub up against him. A shot of ecstasy swells through my body and a gasp fumbles from my lips. Hearing the unrestrained noise sends me into a state of anxiety and I fall back to reality. I'm not sure if my mind is ready to go where my body obviously wants to – whether I can allow myself to completely let go. â€Å"Micha wait,† I say in a strained voice. He jerks back quickly, his hand still cupping my breast. â€Å"What is it?† â€Å"I'm sorry. I just can't†¦ I don't think I'm ready yet.† He kisses my forehead tenderly and boosts up on his elbows, his body still hovering over me. With his fingertip, he sketches a line from my temple to my jaw and my eyelids flutter. â€Å"Will you let me try one more thing?† I open my eyes, dazed from his touch. â€Å"I'm not sure if I can go any farther tonight.† â€Å"Just trust me, okay?† he says. â€Å"And if it gets to be too much, just say and I promise I'll stop.† I bite at my lip, knowing where he's going with this. â€Å"Okay.† Unhurriedly, with his eyes fastened on mine, he moves his mouth and kisses the hollow of my neck, sending shivers over my skin. His lips move downward and linger just above my breast. My eyes shut as his mouth touches my nipple and his tongue slips out over it. He sucks on it hard and I swear to God I can't breathe. My legs vice-grip around him and the longer he devours me, the fiercer his mouth gets. With each movement of his tongue, my thighs burn hotter. I need†¦ something. â€Å"Micha, I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Shh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he whispers and trails rapturous kisses up my neck. â€Å"I'll take care of it.† His fingers slide down my bare stomach and to the bottom of my shorts, leaving a path of heat along my skin. As his lips find mine again, his finger slips deep inside me. The lyrics of the music fade away as my panic bursts into a thousand blissful pieces. Micha When Ella screams out my name, with her head tipped back, her eyes lost, it's unlike anything I've ever experienced before. She trusted me enough to do things to her that no one else has and it makes me feel alive again. Of course, my dick is so hard it actually hurts. â€Å"Behind Blue Eyes† by The Who is stuck on repeat and fills up the moment. It's the song I turn on when I feel down, but I don't think it's going to be that anymore – not after tonight. I brush her hair away from her forehead. â€Å"Are you okay?† Her green eyes are glazed over as she nods her head up and down. There's a look on her face that brings a smile to my lips. â€Å"I'm better than fine.† She leans up and kisses me. I draw her in, intensifying the kiss, then let her go, needing to cool down. â€Å"You should stay here tonight.† I expect her to protest, but she nods as she tugs her shirt back over her head. â€Å"Okay, but I'll have to use your phone to text Lila. I didn't bring mine with me.† I kiss her forehead, then her temple, breathing her in. â€Å"I'm gonna go take a shower. I'll be right back.† Confining a laugh, she reaches for my phone on my nightstand. â€Å"A cold one?† I grab some clothes out of my dresser and back out the doorway. â€Å"You better watch it, Ella May. Or I may decide against it and you'll just have to deal with me for the rest of the night.† She flops back on the bed as she sends a text. â€Å"Maybe that's what I'm hoping for.† Shaking my head, I throw my clothes on the floor and jump onto the bed, putting a knee on each side of her. She laughs as I playfully trap her arms above her head. I move my lips next to her ear and gently take a nip at her. I breathe on her neck, letting my warm breath cause her to shudder, teasing her and driving both our bodies crazy. She lets out a moan and I feel her legs start to move around me. Sighing, I pull away before I get even more wound up. â€Å"Okay, I have to go take a shower.† I climb off the bed, watching her all the way to the door. Once I'm out of the room, all of the pain I've been feeling about my dad smothers me again, but all I can do is keep breathing.