Saturday, August 31, 2019

Night World : The Chosen Chapter 5

Rashel froze. Her sword remained in the air, poised over the vampire's heart. â€Å"Well, what are you waiting for?† the vampire said. â€Å"Go on and do it.† Rashel didn't know what she was waiting for. The vampire was in a position to block her sword with his wooden handcuffs, but he didn't do any such thing. She could tell by his body language that he wasn't going to, either. Instead he just lay there, looking up at her with eyes that were as dark and empty as the depths of space. His hair was tousled on his forehead and his mouth was a bleak line. He didn't seem afraid. He just went on staring with those fathomless eyes. All right, Rashel thought. Do it. Even the leech is telling you to. Do it fast-now. But instead she found herself pivoting and stepping slowly away from him. â€Å"Sorry,† she said out loud. â€Å"I don't take orders from parasites.† She kept her sword at the ready in case he made any sudden moves. But all he did was glance down at the wooden handcuffs, wiggle his wrists in them, and then lie back. â€Å"I see,† he said with a strange smile. â€Å"So it's torture this time, right? Well, that should be amusing for you.† Stake him, dummy, came the little voice in Rashel's head. Don't talk to him. It's dangerous to get in a conversation with his kind. But she couldn't refocus herself. In a minute, she told the voice. First I have to get my own control back. She knelt in her ready-for-action crouch and picked up the flashlight, turning it full on his face. He blinked and looked away, squinting. There. Now she could see him, but he couldn't see her. Vampire eyes were hypersensitive to light. And even if he did manage to get a glimpse of her, she was wearing her scarf. She had all the advantages, and it made her feel more in command of the situation. â€Å"Why would you think we want to torture you?† she said. He smiled at the ceiling, not trying to look at her. â€Å"Because I'm still alive.† He raised the handcuffs. â€Å"And aren't these traditional? A few vampires from the south shore have turned up mutilated with stocks like these on. It seemed to have been done for fun.† Smile. Vicky's work, Rashel thought. She wished he would stop smiling. It was such a disturbing smile, beautiful and a little mad. â€Å"Unless,† the vampire was going on, â€Å"it's information you want.† Rashel snorted. â€Å"Would I be likely to get information from you if I did want it?† â€Å"Well.† Smile. â€Å"Not likely.† â€Å"I didn't think so,† Rashel said dryly. He laughed out loud. Oh, God, Rashel thought. Stake him. She didn't know what was wrong with her. Okay, he was charming-in a weird way. But she'd known other charming vampires-smooth, practiced flatterers who tried to sweet-talk or cajole their way out of being staked. Some had tried to seduce her. Almost all had tried mind control. It was only because Rashel had the will to resist telepathy that she was alive today. But this vampire wasn't doing any of the ordinary things-and when he laughed, it made Rashers heart thump oddly. His whole face changed when he laughed. A sort of light shone in it. Girl, you are in trouble. Kill him quick. â€Å"Look,† she said, and she was surprised to find her voice a little shaky. â€Å"This isn't personal. And you probably don't care, but I'm not the one who was going to torture you. This is business, and it's what I have to do.† She took a deep breath and reached for the sword by her knee. He turned his face to the light. He wasn't smiling now and there was no amusement in his voice when he said, â€Å"I understand. You've got†¦ honor.† Looking back at the ceiling, he added, â€Å"And you're right, this is the way it always has to end when our two races meet. It's kill or be killed. The law of nature.† He was speaking to her as one warrior to another. Suddenly Rashel felt something she'd never felt for a vampire before. Respect. A strange wish that they weren't on opposite sides in this war. A regret that they could never be anything but deadly enemies. He's somebody I could talk to, she thought. An odd loneliness had taken hold of her. She hadn't realized she cared about having anyone to talk to. She found herself saying awkwardly, â€Å"Is there anybody you want notified-afterward? I mean, do you have any family? I could make sure the news gets around, so they'd know what had happened to you.† She didn't expect him to actually give her any names. That would be crazy. In this game knowledge was power, with each side trying to find out who the players on the other side were. If you could identify someone as a vampire-or a vampire hunter-you knew who to kill. It was Batman and Catwoman all over. The important thing was to preserve your secret identity. But this vampire, who was obviously a lunatic, said thoughtfully, â€Å"Well, you could send a note to my adopted father. He's Hunter Redfern. Sorry I can't give you an address, but he should be somewhere down east.† Another smile. â€Å"I forgot to tell you my name. It's Quinn.† Rashel felt as if she'd been hit with an oak club. Quinn. One of the most dangerous vampires in all the Night World. Maybe the most dangerous of the made vampires, the ones who'd started out human. She knew him by reputation-every vampire hunter did. He was supposed to be a deadly fighter and a brilliant strategist; clever, resourceful†¦ and cold as ice. He despised humans, held them in utter contempt. He wanted the Night World to wipe them out, except for a few to be used for food. I was wrong, Rashel thought dazedly. I should have let Vicky torture him. I'm sure he deserves it, if any of them do. God only knows what he's done in his time. Quinn had turned his head toward her again, looking straight into the flashlight even though it must be hurting his eyes. â€Å"So you see, you'd better kill me fast,† he said in a voice soft as snow falling. â€Å"Because that's certainly what I'm going to do to you if I get loose.† Rashel gave a strained laugh. â€Å"Am I supposed to be scared?† â€Å"Only if you have the brains to know who I am.† Now he sounded tired and scornful. â€Å"Which obviously you don't.† â€Å"Well, let me see. I seem to remember something about the Redferns†¦. Aren't they the family who controls the vampire part of the Night World Council? The most important family of all the lamia, the born vampires. Descended directly from Maya, the legendary first vampire. And Hunter Redfern is their leader, the upholder of Night World law, the one who colonized America with vampires back in the sixteen hundreds. Tell me if I'm getting any of this wrong.† He gave her a cold glance. â€Å"You see, we have our sources. And I seem to remember them mentioning your name, too. You were made a vampire by Hunter†¦ and since his own children were all daughters, you're also his heir.† Quinn laughed sourly. â€Å"Yes, well, that's an on-again, off-again thing. You might say I have a love-hate relationship with the Redferns. We spend most of the time wishing each other at the bottom of the Atlantic.† â€Å"Teh, vampire family infighting,† Rashel said. â€Å"Why is it always so hard to get along with your folks?† Despite her light words, she had to focus to keep control of her breathing. It wasn't fear. She truly wasn't scared of him. It was something like confusion. Clearly, she should be killing him at this moment instead of chatting with him. She couldn't understand why she wasn't doing it. The only excuse she had was that it seemed to make him even more confused and angry than it did her. â€Å"I don't think you've heard enough about me,† he said, showing his teeth. â€Å"I'm your worst nightmare, human. I even shock other vampires. Like old Hunter†¦ he has certain ideas about propriety. How you kill, and who. If he knew some of the things I do, he'd fall down dead himself.† Good old Hunter, Rashel thought. The stiff moral patriarch of the Redfern clan, still caught up in the seventeenth century. He might be a vampire, but he was definitely a New Englander. â€Å"Maybe I should find a way to tell him,† she said whimsically. Quinn gave her another cold look, this time tempered with respect. â€Å"If I thought you could find him, I'd worry.† Rashel was suddenly struck by something. â€Å"You know, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say your first name. I mean, I presume you have one.† He blinked. Then, as if he were surprised himself, he said, â€Å"John.† â€Å"John Quinn. John.† â€Å"I didn't invite you to call me it.† â€Å"All right, whatever.† She said it absently, deep in thought. John Quinn. Such a normal name, a Boston name. The name of a real person. It made her think of him as a person, instead of as Quinn the dreadful. â€Å"Look,† Rashel said, and then she asked him something she'd never asked a Night Person before. She said, â€Å"Did you want Hunter Redfern to make you a vampire?† There was a long pause. Then Quinn said expressionlessly, â€Å"As a matter of fact, I wanted to kill him for it.† â€Å"I see.† I'd want to do the same, Rashel thought. She didn't mean to ask any more questions, but she found herself saying, â€Å"Then why did he do it? I mean, why pick you?† Another pause. Just when she was sure he wouldn't answer, he said, â€Å"I was-I wanted to marry one of his daughters. Her name was Dove.† â€Å"You wanted to marry a vampire?† â€Å"I didn't know she was a vampire!† This time Quinn's voice was quick and impatient. â€Å"Hunter Redfern was accepted in Charlestown. Granted, a few people said his wife had been a witch, but in those days people said that if you smiled in church.† â€Å"So he just lived there and nobody knew,† Rashel said. â€Å"Most people accepted him.† A faint mocking smile curved Quinn's lips. â€Å"My own father accepted him, and he was the minister.† Despite herself, Rashel was fascinated. â€Å"And you had to be a vampire to marry her? Dove, I mean.† â€Å"I didn't get to marry her,† Quinn said tonelessly. He seemed as surprised as she was that he was telling her these things. But he went on, seeming to speak almost to himself. â€Å"Hunter wanted me to marry one of his other daughters. I said I'd rather marry a pig. Garnet-that's the oldest-was about as interesting as a stick of wood. And Lily, the middle one, was evil. I could see that in her eyes. I only wanted Dove.† â€Å"And you told him that?† â€Å"Of course. He agreed to it finally-and then he told me his family's secret. Well.† Quinn laughed bitterly. â€Å"He didn't tell me, actually. It was more of a demonstration. When I woke up, I was dead and a vampire. It was quite an experience.† Rashel opened her mouth and then shut it again, trying to imagine the horror of it. Finally she just said, â€Å"I bet.† They sat for a moment in silence. Rashel had never felt so†¦ close to a vampire. Instead of disgust and hatred, she felt pity. â€Å"But what happened to Dove?† Quinn seemed to tense all over. â€Å"She died,† he said nastily. It was clear that his confidences were over. â€Å"How?† â€Å"None of your business!† Rashel tilted her head and looked at him soberly. â€Å"How, John Quinn? You know, there are some things you really ought to tell other people. It might help.† â€Å"I don't need a damn psychoanalyst,† he spat. He was furious now, and there was a dark light in his eyes that ought to have frightened Rashel. He looked as wild as she felt sometimes, when she didn't care who she hurt. She wasn't frightened. She was strangely calm, the kind of calm she felt when her breathing exercises made her feel one with the earth and absolutely sure of her path. â€Å"Look, Quinn-â€Å" â€Å"I really think you'd better kill me now,† he said tightly. â€Å"Unless you're too stupid or too scared. This wood won't hold forever, you know. And when I get out, I'm going to use that sword on you.† Startled, Rashel looked down at Vicky's handcuffs. They were bent. Not the oak, of course-it was the metal hinges that were coming apart. Soon he'd have enough room to slip them off. He was very strong, even for a vampire. And then, with the same odd calm, she realized what she was going to do. â€Å"Yes, that's a good idea,† she said. â€Å"Keep bending them. I can say that's how you got out.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† Rashel got up and searched for a steel knife to cut the cords on his feet. â€Å"I'm letting you go, John Quinn,† she said. He paused in his wrenching of the handcuffs. â€Å"You're insane,† he said, as if he'd just discovered this. â€Å"You may be right.† Rashel found the knife and slit through the bast cords. He gave the handcuffs a twist. â€Å"If,† he said deliberately, â€Å"you think that because I was a human once, I have any pity on them, you are very, very wrong. I hate humans more than I hate the Redferns.† â€Å"Why?† He bared his teeth. â€Å"No, thank you. I don't have to explain anything to you. Just take my word for it.† She believed him. He looked as angry and as dangerous as an animal in a trap. â€Å"All right,† she said, stepping back and putting her hand on the hilt of her bokken. â€Å"Take your best shot. But remember, I beat you once. I was the one who knocked you out.† He blinked. Then he shook his head in disbelief. â€Å"You little idiot,† he said. â€Å"I wasn't paying attention. I thought you were another of those jerks falling over their own feet. And I wasn't even fighting them seriously.† He sat up in one fluid motion that showed the strength he had, and the control of his own body. â€Å"You don't have a chance,† he said softly, turning those dark eyes on her. Now that he wasn't looking into the flashlight, his pupils were huge. â€Å"You're dead already.† Rashel had a sinking feeling that was telling her the same thing. â€Å"I'm faster than any human,† the soft voice went on. â€Å"I'm stronger than any human. I can see better in the dark. And I'm much, much nastier.† Panic exploded inside Rashel. All at once, she believed him absolutely. She couldn't seem to get her breath, and a void had opened in her stomach. She lost any vestige of her previous calm. He's right-you were an idiot, she told herself wildly. You had every chance to stop him and you blew it. And why? Because you were sorry for him? Sorry for a deranged monster who's going to tear you limb from limb now? Anyone as stupid as that deserves what they get. She felt as if she were falling, unable to get hold of anything†¦. And then suddenly she did seem to catch something. Something that she clung to desperately, trying to resist the fear that wanted to suck her into darkness. You couldn't have done anything else. It was the little voice in her mind, being helpful for once. And, strangely, Rashel knew it was true. She couldn't have killed him when he was tied up and helpless, not without becoming a monster herself. And after hearing his story, she couldn't have ignored the pity she felt. I'm probably going to die now, she thought. And I'm still scared. But I'd do it over again. It was right. She hung on to that as she let the last seconds tick away, the last window of opportunity to stake him while the cuffs still held. She knew they were ticking away, and she knew Quinn knew. â€Å"What a shame to rip your throat out,† he said. Rashel held her ground. Quinn gave the handcuffs a final wrench, and the metal hinges squealed. Then the stocks clattered onto the concrete and he stood up, free. Rashel couldn't see his face anymore; it was above the reach of the flashlight. â€Å"Well,† he said evenly. Rashel whispered, â€Å"Well.† They stood facing each other. Rashel was waiting for the tiny involuntary body movements that would give away which direction he was going to lunge. But he was more still than any enemy she'd ever seen. He kept his tension inside, ready to explode only when he directed it. His control seemed to be complete. He's got zanshin, she thought. â€Å"You're very good,† she said softly. â€Å"Thanks. So are you.† â€Å"Thanks.† â€Å"But it isn't going to matter in the end.† Rashel started to say, â€Å"We'll see†-and he lunged. She had an instant's warning. A barely perceptible movement of his leg told her he was going to spring to his right, her left. Her body reacted without her direction, moving smoothly†¦ and she didn't realize until she was doing it that she wasn't using the sword. She had stepped forward, inside his attack, and deflected it with a mirror palm block, striking the inner side of his arm with her left arm. Hitting the nerves to try and numb the limb. But not cutting him. She realized with a dizzy sense of horror that she didn't want to use the sword on him. â€Å"You are going to die, idiot,† he told her, and for an instant she wasn't sure if it was him saying it or the voice in her head. She tried to push him away. All she could think was that she needed time, time to get her survival reflexes back. She shoved at him–and then her bare hand brushed his, and something happened that was completely beyond her experience.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Critical analysis of the Lottery Essay

Overall Shirley Jackson discusses the movement of the setting, the unusual foreshadowing, and the outermost symbolism in â€Å"The Lottery† to give an overall point of view of the story. Even though a small village made seem peaceful, and a good place to raise a family, it is not always what it seems to be. The reader is about to enter a world with ritualistic ceremony and religious orthodoxy in â€Å"The Lottery.† The Lottery takes place on a clear and sunny summer morning around June 27 in a small village with about three hundred villagers gathering together in the central square for the annual lottery. As a child Shirley Jackson was interested in writing; she won a poetry prize at age twelve, and in high school she keeps a diary to record her writing progress. In 1937 she entered Syracuse University, where she published stories in the student literary magazine. Despite her busy life as a wife and a mother of four children, she wrote every day on a disciplined schedule. â€Å"The Lottery† is one of Jackson’s best-known works. In â€Å"The Lottery† Shirley Jackson will discusses the movement of the setting, unusual foreshadowing and outermost symbolism to give us an overall point of view from the story. When one thinks of a lottery, one imagines winning a large sum of money. Shirley Jackson uses the setting in â€Å"The Lottery† to foreshadow an ironic ending. The peaceful and tranquil town described in this story has an annual lottery every June 27 early part of 1800’s in a small village with 300 people (456). Setting is to describe time and place of the story. The story occurs â€Å"around ten o’clock† (456). This is an unusual time because in most towns all the adults would be working during mid-morning. In the lottery an ironic ending is also foretold by the town’s setting being described as one of normalcy. The town square is described as being â€Å"between the post office and the bank† (456). Every normal town has these buildings, which are essential for day-to-day functioning. Throughout the story little parts of setting are being told, to give a clearer picture for a better understanding of the story. Jackson foreshadows a surprise ending. Foreshadowing is to hint of something  that would follow with the story. As the story continues the reader is told that school has let out for the summer, and yet the â€Å"feeling of liberty sits uneasily with the children† (456), which is strange, for no normal kid would be anything less than ecstatic over summer break. Finally, the children are said to be building â€Å"a pile of stones in one corner of the square† (456), which is a very strange game for children to play. All of these hints indicate that something strange and unexpected is going to happen, and they all will make sense once we discuss the story’s final outcome. Symbolism is also a strong element of the story. The introduction of the black box carried by Mr. Summer (456) is a key turning point showing symbolism, which is anything in a story that represents something else, giving the awful ominous answers to all those foreshadowing hints. When the black box is brought in, it’s said to be a tradition that no one liked to upset. The villagers kept their distance from the box, as though they feared it (461). More and more the town’s peculiarity begins to become apparent. For an example, the names of certain residents hit at the irony and unfavorable events to come. From the author’s extravagant detailing of the town, one would expect this â€Å"lottery† to be a chance for one lucky family to win some money. Instead, the winner’s â€Å"prize† is death-by stoning In the story Tessie won the prize when Bill, her husband, forced the paper out of her hand (461). The portrayal of the residents at the end of the story is disturbing–they go about killing the â€Å"winner† ritualistically, trying to â€Å"finish quickly.† (461). They show no empathy at all–they’re simply following an ancient ritual. Overall Shirley Jackson discusses the movement of the setting, the unusual foreshadowing, and the outermost symbolism in â€Å"The Lottery.† The lesson in this story hits pretty hard. The Lottery’s relationship to real life is that sometimes we are presented with traditions that have been adhered to for as long as anyone can remember, and we forget the reason these customs were created in the first place. The problem is that circumstances can change and make these traditions outdated, useless, and even harmful. Overall the main point of the story is that ignorant and indulgent believers can bring death to an innocent person, so therefore we must re-evaluate our traditions; otherwise we’re just letting ourselves be stoned.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Marketing - Essay Example This marketing phenomenon of grouping the people is known as Market Segmentation. When speaking about market segmentation, the primary step before the segmentation takes place is determination of needs of the customers for which an extensive market research is essential. When one identifies the needs, masses then come under segregation into groups. In particular, segmentation can be based on various forms, out of which gender, price and interests are few of immense importance. Segmentation plays a prime role in facilitating the manufacturer to build the product to satisfy the demands of customers. If the segmentation is done efficiently, it will help in achieving huge gains compared to the budget set for marketing that will eventually result in success of the company (Croft, pp. 66-72, 1994). In addition, â€Å"the basis for market segmentation depends upon the type of product that a company is offering and may vary for business and individual customers. Segmentation can be possible in accordance to geography, demography, psychograph and behaviour, and the variables such as climate, region, population and population density come under geographic segmentation† (Cahill, pp. 35-59, 2006). ... 25-95, 1994) of the population; for example, standards of restaurants are set considering the financial statuses of the people. Individuals are also grouped depending on their lifestyles, attitudes, values, interests and activities (Weinstein, pp. 25-95, 1994) are a part of psychographic segmentation. It also refers to the hobbies and activities individuals are involved in their leisure time. In particular, behavioural segmentation comprise of usage rate, benefits sought and degree of loyalty/loyalty rate. This can be well explained via an example of mobile phone; people not only use this technology for its principal use that is to make calls but also use it as a device for entertainment and other features (Weinstein, pp. 25-95, 1994). With reference to the market segmentation and portraying a particular product for a group of individuals brought together, one of the important products that is of high importance in this era of technology is â€Å"A BlackBerry mobile phone†. Ac cording to some of the research studies, it has been an observation that this hi-tech versatile phone with a wide variety of applications in it has traditionally and explicitly been designed for business people who needed technology that could even work with wireless connectivity or internet connectivity whenever needed. Therefore, the demographic market segment should include the individuals of business community aging from 30 years to 50 years. The target audience with reference to geographical segmentation would include the developed countries like U.K. where the technology is of growing demand (Croft, pp. 75-83, 1994). Initially, it was not a common cellular phone but due to the recent popularity of the phone through its colourful applications and access to more social

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Evaluating Contracts Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Evaluating Contracts - Assignment Example Apart from the costs of the materials, the business will then have its markup, and the arrangement accommodates changes in the prices of materials (Gido & Clements, 2014, p. 87). The advantages of entering into a fixed-price contract for the business include that it will allow the business to secure and plan the execution of the contract fully, right from the beginning of the contract. The case for a cost-reimbursement contractual agreement is different, because the agreement limits the profits that the business could make from the execution, irrespective of the duration taken and the efficiency of executing the work. Secondly, this type of contracting will simplify the process of sales forecasting, because the profits to be drawn from the contract can be determined before starting the project, and that allows for more sales prospecting. The case is different in the case of entering into a cost-reimbursement contract, because disputes over the costs of materials and labor can affect the process of reimbursement and the profitability of the business – as a result (Gido & Clements, 2014, p. 87). The major risk arising from entering into this type of con tract is that, it is likely that the business will agree on a price which is too low, to the extent that it may not meet the costs of labor and materials adequately. Further, there is the risk that the increment of the prices (costs) of the materials needed for the execution of the contract may limit the business’ ability to make a profit from the contract, especially in the event that prices increase. The case is different in the case the business enters into a cost-reimbursement contractual arrangement, because it will allow the business the advantage of determining the profits to be made before starting the contract. This advantage is highly significant, where there is a risk of change (increment) in the costs of labor and materials. Arising

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

CALCULUS 3 (LAGRANGE MULTIPLIERS) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CALCULUS 3 (LAGRANGE MULTIPLIERS) - Essay Example It is possible to find the minima or maxima of a given function f of several variables given that the variables have restrictions. Langrage multipliers help us minimize or maximize functions with constraints that are points on a definite surface (Stewart, 67). Finding critical points of a function f (w, x, y) on a level surface or subject to the constraint g (w, x, y) = M. Solving this problem requires a solving the following series of simultaneous equations. ÃŽ » is a dummy variable known as a langrage multiplier. The most important variable in the equation are w, x, and y. After solving for the critical values, you insert them into the function to find the maxima and the minima. The critical points where the function is greatest are maxima while where it is smallest are minima (Stewart, 72). Solving the system equations can be a difficult task. In order to solve for the critical points in an easier way, one should consider the following tricks; Solve for ÃŽ » in terms of the variables w, x, and y to eliminate it from the equations. Solve any of the variables in terms of the other variables. Consider both the positive and negative square roots whenever using a square root (Courant,

Monday, August 26, 2019

Maria Full of Grace Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Maria Full of Grace - Movie Review Example In the scene when Maria is traveling to Bogota, the movie captures infrastructure development in the countryside as average. The road on which Maria is traveling on a motorbike is depicted as having only two lanes. The roads are narrow at various points where sharp turns occur along the overlooking valleys. There are a number of ramps along the road at such turns, though the rest of the road sections have no ramps on the side that face the valley. When they reach Bogota, the road network improves to three lanes. There are elements of improvement of infrastructure unlike in many developing countries. There is a flyover, which may be seen to easy traffic along the roads. The buildings on the right also seem modern, though they appear to be based on the 1960s engineering technology that was not so much advanced. The streets of Bogota seem to have been maintained close to the level of other developed countries. There is a zebra crossing and the houses in Bogota central business district are quite properly planned. They are neatly arranged in a line. There is also evidence of streetlights. However, there is evidence of informal settlement and structures within Bogota. There is a poorly constructed structure by the roadside, probably an eatery. The environment around the eatery is untidy. One can see papers lying all over the place in the grass. Some people have parked their cars by the roadside, an indication that probably there are no official parking lots. In one street, vendors have occupied part of the road with their carts, which they sell their grocery. Inside buildings, there is an evidence of poor planning in lighting. The corridor and the rooms, through which Maria walks are dark, almost like dungeons. Life in Bogota is generally lively. There is a little bit of pomp. People seem to mix freely. Much of the countryside in Colombia is quite impoverished, so is part of the urban dwellers. Survival mechanisms in urban areas include taking odd jobs such

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Ford Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ford Corporation - Essay Example On the other hand, strategic management deals with identification and description of the strategies that mangers carry out to attain better performance and a competitive advantage for their corporation. A corporation is recognized to have a competitive advantage if its profitability is larger than average profitability for all corporations in its industry. That being said, this paper focuses on Ford Motor Corporation in terms of business policy and strategic management since the year 2006. Throughout the account of Ford Motor Corporation, inclusion has been the key part of the corporation’s success as exceptional products. Ford is a leader inclusion and diversity, and both remain chief Ford business strategies. Ford is recognized to sustain diversity at all ranks of the company, from the boardroom to design studio level, form plant levels to the engineering bodies. The corporation diversity makes Ford be a better corporation, a stronger organization, by bringing in new ideas, perspectives, life responsibilities, and experiences, and also by fostering a genuine collaborative workplace. Ford Motor Corporation sells and offers purchase financing all around the world. Ford had generally made a determination to exploit on potential economies of scale attainable from its size, until in the early 2008 when CEO Alan Mullay revealed One Ford turnaround strategy. The strategy involved the Global Product Development system; a process of sharing designs and improvement worldwide and between markets, with the objective of creating global process more effective. Advancing world has grown wealthier, and higher energy prices have globally gone up for better fuel economy (Crumm, & Thomas 231). Ford strategy anticipated developing less automobile models that can be sold worldwide with few changes: coined world cars. Ford’s plan was to develop more world cars with the aim of making a similar vehicle proving in all of its market across the globe. Despite declining go vernment bailout, Ford came out stronger, and as lean as its bankrupt competitors. Ford’s chief advantage was that the corporation was able to take the benefit of the lenient economic and political climate meant for bankrupt US automakers such as GM and Chrysler (Brown, & Williams 119). Ford took this benefit while it was functioning under neither condition (government influence and bankrupt). As an outcome, the corporation was able to divest non-core brands, slash capacity, reserve treasured tax assets, renegotiate healthcare, and cut debt. All this items were simpler to do with US government and United Auto Workers more compliant to reserve the company rather than dealing with another bankrupt auto builder (Hiraide, & Chakraborty 53). Coming out of the TARP era, Ford Motor Company distorted itself into an intense and highly levered bet on the retrieval of US light vehicles. Ford Motor Company anticipated that the US automobiles will not be the gas-guzzling vehicles that wer e manufactured by auto builders such as Hummer for GM. Ford placed itself to take on impending government of up surging MPG and market desire for smaller cars (â€Å"2002 Ford Thunderbird world debut†). However, other international brands, particularly Honda and Toyota Company had a head start as they did not agonies the structural disaster that the other Big Three Auto companies experienced in the past

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Compare 2 Arguments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Compare 2 Arguments - Essay Example The internet has led to the emergence of the information society, whose mode of operation is purely based on information flow and access, (Lessig, 565-567). Technology has had a phenomenal impact on how people relate and carry themselves. This demands that information be available in a digital space or environment where it is fully accessible to all. This would make the world more innovative, (Lessig, 565-567). The idea of copyright laws has extremely restricted the used and flow of ideas. It is true that every person who comes up with a discovery should be appreciated in a way. The problem is when this appreciation goes to the extent of limiting the ingenuity. This is where the world is because of multiple copyright laws. The world is full of scientists who built on the discoveries of other scientists. People do not ask for permission from Professor Einstein or even Shakespeare before quoting their work as Lessig had used as examples. The result is that better discoveries have been made, (Cole 87-89). This means that, anyone who used that piece of work without the necessary permission does not have to be sued for it. What would happen if this was the case with every other creation or discovery? The world would be a better place. There is a growing concern that the world is becoming too commercial to nurture new and upcoming ideas. The reasoning behind copyright laws and patenting was to give the founders exclusive rights over the intellectual property. That is a bit different from trying to stifle development of intellectual property. The two contrasting opinions, must meet somewhere. The rationale behind protecting intellectual property must not exceed the need to give incentives for more discoveries. This is because advances and new creations are meant to make life better than it is or was. This is the real issue. Most copyright work comes from the derivative work, (Lessig, 565-567). Discoveries are built upon previous discoveries. According to the economics theory of property, property attracts less interest when it is freely available, (Cole 87-89). Indeed open source property does not attract a lot of attention as Julio Cole mentioned. Therefore, intellectual property laws create a situation where necessary ideas are monopolized so that they can be appreciated. That may be correct in some ways. Indeed, the introduction of intellectual property laws was meant to be a positive move to the young scientists and artists out there. However, this idea has mutated into something counter- productive altogether. According to Lawrence Lessig, the discoveries are made a very personal affair, as opposed to offering solutions. This can also be seen in newspapers and other forms of media which highlight lawsuits against people from musicians and other artists. As Cole says, free culture may not be the answer. Some people argue that ingenuity cannot be paid through money. If Einstein and Shakespeare were too concerned about intellectual property la ws, then they would have put a stop to the many upcoming scientists and writers who build on their work and ingenuity, (Lessig, 565-567). The critical question is, to what extent can copyright laws go? And are they absolute? Those who believe in a free culture push for the period of patents and copyright property to be lessened. If it is possible, then it can be done away with depending on the opinion of the innovator. Discoveries must be seen as a response to human global challenges,

Friday, August 23, 2019

The Lady Gaga Empire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Lady Gaga Empire - Essay Example It also includes mediums through which messages can be spread, such as radio, television, magazines, recorded music, associated media, newspapers, and movies (Rothenbuhler).  It can be said that Lady Gaga’s mass communication approach is unique in the sense she seemingly uses her status to initiate and propel positive ideas. Rarely do celebrities act with virtuous motive in the interest of those who put them on their pedestals. However, a perfect example of another artist who does illustrate similar characteristics is the actor, Academy-Award winning director, philanthropist, and "supporter of uncompromised creative expression," Robert Redford (qt. in Saunders).   While true, selfless actions by few other public figures have been promoted in the media, it is difficult to recognize authenticity and sincerity comparable to those of Lady Gaga’s.USING MEDIA FOR GOOD The Look to the Stars Website identifies several of Lady Gaga’s public recognitions of her work wi th various organizations. The author states, â€Å"Lady Gaga is a creative ‘win-win’ philanthropist, who throws the weight of her popularity behind donation projects† (â€Å"Look to the Stars: The World of Celebrity Giving†). Teaming with Virgin Mobile, Gaga gave free VIP tickets to Little Monsters who dedicated a specific amount of time and/or offered monetary donations to help homeless youth, which raised more than $80,000 and produced upwards of 30,000 community service hours. Her idea to have a â€Å"Gaga for Haiti† day on January 24, 2010, in the midst of the devastating earthquake, generated more than $500,000 for the small country of Haiti.4 By joining forces with former pop culture icon, Cyndi Lauper, and MAC Cosmetics, for the VIVA Glam Campaign,5 the group raised more than 160 million dollars to globally spread information and awareness about HIV/AIDS to women (â€Å"Look to the Stars: The World of Celebrity Giving†). In addition to Gaga’s many charitable projects, she was also at the forefront of