Compare and Contrast: Judith Ortiz Cofer’s “Catch the Moon” and W.D. Wetherell’s “the Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant” Essay

Compare and Contrast Essay Love is an emotion that deeply alters a person’s thought-process. This emotion can bring out the best of people or even make them question who they are and what they’re willing to give up for the person they love. In Judith Ortiz Cofer’s short story â€Å"Catch the Moon†, she suggests that love can change a person for the better by making them want to improve themselves. However, in W.D. Wetherell’s short story â€Å"The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant†, he suggests that love can make a person try to be someone they are not, ultimately leading in disappointment and regret. Although both authors center their stories on the topic of love, they differ greatly from their character conflicts, character changes, conflict resolutions, and their themes. In â€Å"Catching the Moon†, Luis Cintron and his father constantly argue and never get along very well. However, when Luis meets this girl named Naomi, he experiences an emotion that reconnects him with his dad. Meeting Naomi causes Luis to experience love—an emotion he hasn’t felt since the death of his mother—and causes him to want to develop better character because he knows that his mother would want him to be happy. In order to prove his improved character to both Naomi and his dad, Luis searches all night for a hubcap that will match the one that Naomi is looking for. After hours of searching, Luis finally finds the hub cap and rushes to bring it to Naomi. Cofer states that Luis, â€Å"†¦waited to give her [Naomi] the first good thing he had given any one in a long time† (Cofer, pg. 240). This quote demonstrates that because of his new love, Luis was ready to change his personality for the better and that love can truly reconnect old fla mes from within oneself. â€Å"The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant† portrays a different message than that of â€Å"Catching the Moon†. In this short story, the narrator faces an internal conflict between choosing over his two passions—Sheila Mant and fishing. The narrator has always dreamed about impressing Sheila Mant, but he wavers when Sheila criticizes fishing for being dumb and boring. Regardless of her opinion, the narrator continues his mission of impressing Sheila by taking her on a boat ride and going to a popular party. On the way to the party, a fish gets caught on the fishing line the narrator left out  on the boat, and by the struggle the fish puts up, he knows that it’s the bass he’s been waiting all summer to catch. Emotions rush through his head, and even though the narrator has waited all summer for this fish, he chooses Sheila instead. The narrator cuts the line, goes to the party with Sheila, and has his heart broken when she chooses to ditch him for another guy. From this experience, the narrator learns that there are plenty of fish in the sea and that he shouldn’t have changed himself just to get a girl to like him. He even goes on to say that, â€Å"There would be other Sheila Mants in my life, other fish, and though I came close once or twice, it was those secret, hidden tugging in the night that claimed me, and I never made the same mistake again† (Wetherell, pg. 150). This quote demonstrates the story’s theme of not changing who you are for love because it will only result in regret and disappointment. Love is a very complex emotion. There are a lot of rules and regulations to love, as well as a lot of exceptions to these rules. All in all, in order to have a happy relationship, one must do want makes oneself happy. If someone’s happiness is put in jeopardy just because of a relationship, then the relationship was definitely not meant to be. In other words, when entering a relationship, don’t choose the better boy or girl; choose the boy or girl that will make you a better person. Works Cited Cofer, Judith Ortiz. â€Å"Catch the Moon.† 2003. Holt Literature and Language Arts. 4th ed. Austin, Texas: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2003. 234-40. Print. W.D. Wetherell. â€Å"The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant.† 2003. Holt Literature and Language Arts. 4th ed. Austin, Texas: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2003. 245-50. Print.

Global Staffing Strategies and Starbucks Essay

Starbucks Corporation (Starbucks) is a specialty coffee retailer of hot and cold beverages, coffee-related accessories, complementary food items, teas, and other non-food related products. Starbucks has retail stores in 39 countries and about 146,000 employees. The company operates primarily in the United States (U.S.) with headquarters in Seattle, Washington (Starbucks, 2007). In the early 1970s, Starbucks was established and the first location was in Seattle’s Pike Place market in 1971. By 1982, Starbucks began supplying coffee to restaurants and coffee shops. Starbucks expanded the business in 1996 to new locations in Japan, Hawaii, and Singapore. Other locations in Taiwan, New Zealand, Thailand, and Malaysia were created in 1998. Starbucks continued to expand globally in 1999, by reaching locations in China, Korea, Kuwait, and Lebanon (Starbucks, 2007). In a hypothetical situation, Starbucks will acquire a similar business in Mexico. The company will explore locations within Mexico and identify the human resource (HR) challenges that will arise from this expansion. Mexico has unique cultural and regulatory factors that need consideration for the development of Starbucks stores. The organization’s effectiveness to succeed in Mexico is dependent upon solving any issues that result from the growth of Starbucks in a new country. Starbucks will address recruitment and selection practices to use in the newly acquired company. Another HR decision is determining the appropriate mixture of expatriates and nationals to ensure the acquisition is successful. The skill and abilities of employees, along with training and development practices, are an essential part of the company’s organizational strategy to achieve goals. The HR department of Starbucks has a considerable amount of research and decision making to ensure this acquisition successful. Mexico’s DemographicMexico is prepared to become the wealthiest country in Latin American between 2008 and 2010 in basic gross domestic product (GDP). The middle class is expanding with employment growth and rising incomes. Mexico has the second highest population in Latin America after Brazil. The  population is young, with the average age of 27.5 years in 2006 (Country Insight, 2007). A survey in 2006 found, in the United States, that 30% of new customers are college graduates and the average age of a new Starbucks customer is 42 (Harris, 2006). Retail investors view Mexico as a major attraction because of the large size of the Mexican market (Country Insight, 2007). Tourism in Mexico plays an important role in the economy. Past presidential elections and hurricanes have steadily declined tourism, but latest indications show that the industry is marketing toward higher-end tourists who are willing to spend more (Country Insight, 2007). The increase in tourism with high-end vacationers will produce a good market for Starbucks. Human Resource ChallengesUnder the Mexican labor laws, an employee’s daily minimum wage must be at least U.S. $4.50, and includes minimum statutory fringe benefits. Very few Mexican residents receive this low minimum daily wage. The fringe benefits include annual vacation compensation of at least six working days at 125% of the salary, an annual bonus of at least 15 days of salary, a profit sharing program that equals 10% of pre-tax earnings distributed among all employees except high officers, and variable payroll contributions for Social Security and worker’s housing. Social Security contributions can be as high as 22.57% of the payroll salary. Worker’s housing contributions are 5% of the payroll salary (Abogados, 2008). The basis for severance payments for termination cases is the actual daily salary of the employee. Salary can consist of any type of bonus, commissions, and any other payment that provides additional economic benefit and may include cars or club fees. To calculate the severance compensation, divide the total of all these services in the last calendar year by 365 or the actual period worked in the year. Severance payments are also dependent upon the type of termination (Abogados, 2008). The three types of termination are termination with fair cause, termination without fair cause, and termination by mutual agreement. Termination without fair cause allows the employee to collect three month’s salary, 20 days of  additional salary for each year of employment, a seniority premium equal to 12 days for every year of employment, prorated vacation, annual bonus, and profit sharing for the year of termination. These additional salary requirements continue to accrue after the date of termination until the date of payment. Termination with fair cause permits the employee to many of the same benefits except the three’s months salary and additional 20 days. Employees generally do not consent to a mutual agreement unless termination compensation exists. This payment usually equals less than the termination without fair cause (Abogados, 2008). Many of the employment laws in Mexico are similar to the United States. The right to form unions, the right to worker’s compensation, the right to safety, the right to be free from forced labor, and the right to be free from discrimination. Mexicans must consist of at least 90% of the employees in a Mexican company. According to the Commission for Labor Cooperation (n.d.), the most important Mexican labor and employment law to realize is â€Å"there is a single court in every state that deals with most labor and employment disputes, including collective labor relations, unjustified terminations, disputes about whether an on-the-job injury occurred, and equal pay problems†(p. 1). In Mexico, to discriminate against workers because of sex, their social status, political opinion, disability, ethnicity, national origin, or age, as well as other grounds, is illegal. Overtime pay in Mexico must equal twice the amount of regular wages (Commission for Labor Cooperation, n.d.). In 2007 and 2008, the government is pushing for a new labor market bill to reduce the strictness in employment legislation. Congress must obtain a two-thirds vote to pass this bill and that will be complicated. Shortages of skills remain an issue in Mexico (EIU Viewswire, 2006). All the regulations in Mexico that differ from those in the United States will present challenges for Starbucks. Hiring a consulting firm or a group of attorneys who are well versed in the Mexican labor and employment laws will aid Starbucks in understanding and interpreting these laws. Going global can be risky if performed improperly and leaves no room for wrong interpretations of the laws and regulations. Understanding the daily wage  versus an hourly wage, discrimination policies, along with the termination packages can affect the profits of Starbucks immensely. Starbucks must evaluate the turnover, labor, and skills availability in the Mexican market. The need for multilingual employees is a necessity to serve the members of the community and the tourists. Scarcity of workers who speak English is a common problem for investors. Mexico, a country much ridiculed from those critical of the United States trade agreement because of its lower labor costs, has observed companies adjust investment decisions. Skilled labor is an issue receiving more attention as companies seek low-cost sourcing programs and workers with a high competency in English (Jackson, Houdard, & Highfield, 2008). As Starbucks and other companies look to venture into Mexico, the need to understand cultural differences and to study different management practices proves critical. Attention to human resource management is necessary when making strategic choices in the various business avenues available in Mexico. Researchers believe that most companies do not give enough attention to human resource issues. To maximize performance issues such as recruiting, selection, training, compensation, and performance management that require thorough planning and organizing human resources, strategic management is a requirement. Understanding these human resources issues contributes to employee motivation, performance, satisfaction, and empowerment. These factors are critical aspects to an organization’s effectiveness. The common personnel problems that companies encounter are in the areas of loyalty, staffing, decision-making, promotions, compensation, and performance management. Human resource management practices can be the most challenging undertaking for companies, especially when handling cultural changes (Rao, 2001). Mexicans view joint ventures as an opportunity to increase their economic status and as a career opportunity. As more companies move to Mexico, U.S. practices are becoming more acceptable. The ideas of quality circles, flat organizations, teamwork, pay-for-performance, and a careful selection process are more customary. In Mexico, the cultural view of work and  personal life activities intermingles. Because of this attribute, hiring and recruiting mix both personal and work activities (Rao, 2001). Commonly multiple interviews for managerial level positions are performed in an effort to select a candidate who demonstrates a good fit. Hiring qualified personnel with joint ventures will achieve the company’s objectives. Developing a strategic recruitment practice to generate a qualified labor source to ensure effective employee selection is recommended. Employees with adequate technical, organizational, and interpersonal skills should be selected. Bilingual skills are very important in the selection process. Social referrals are widely used in Mexico in the selection process. According to Rao (2001),Social referrals are used. However, the credentials are looked at only as a courtesy. The credentials are not looked at close enough. I specifically know a couple of social referrals, known to the upper hierarchy, who did not perform up to the company standards. These employees had to be removed, taking care, that no disruptions were caused in the social hierarchy. Social referrals are both good and bad. On the positive side, employees are sometimes the best recruiters (p. 16). Mexicans have a strong sense of loyalty toward their bosses. The idea of corporate loyalty is not part of the culture. This results in high employee turnover. To increase organizational loyalty, frequently conducting company-oriented training sessions assists in conquering this issue. The training sessions help develop and instill a sense of commitment, loyalty, and understanding of the company. Orientation programs should provide information on the company’s mission, goals, and strategies that provide the employees with opportunities for socialization, which is valued, by the Mexican employees. Rao (2001) states that U.S. companies usually placed low emphasis on such training programs and invest little. Both U.S. and Mexican companies consider training costly, but many joint ventures have found training programs to have considerable benefits. Ford’s executives believe the joint venture with the Hermosillo plant in Mexico concerning the training and development programs are the main reasons for increased commitment, satisfaction, and a reduction in employee turnover. Starting  with selection and all the way through retention practices, human resource policies can influence employee satisfaction and motivation and consequently the performance of the organization (Rao, 2001). Based on the research of human resource practices and polices in Mexico, the recruitment and selection process can be based on social referrals. Using the existing employees acquired through the purchase of a similar company, Starbucks will continue using the social referral policy. At least two expatriates with Spanish speaking abilities will be sent to each Starbuck’s coffee shop to oversee the transition. This will allow coverage for all shifts. All other employees will be nationals. An assessment of skills necessary for the positions will completed to ensure all skills are identified. Goldstein’s model, which consists of the assessment phase, the training and development phase, and the evaluation phase, will be used (Dreher & Dougherty, 2001). The employee skills necessary will be bilingual, with good interpersonal and communication skills. The employees must possess a cheerful attitude. The ability to read and follow directions in making different items on the menu is another necessity. Establishing relationships with local colleges will prove beneficial in hiring personnel with these abilities in conjunction with the social referral method. Training sessions on the procedures will be offered with face-to-face, hands-on sessions. In auditing the effectiveness of the human resource management, the collection of data will be performed. The data will include hiring statistics such as the acceptance rate, hiring rate, and hiring projections, turnover ratios, exit interviews, employee complaints, and the human resource budgets and expenditures. The level of complaints will consist of, but not limited to, discrimination, harassment, and safety. Another method for auditing will be internal interviews asking what are the perceptions of the company and its goals, the strengths and weaknesses of management, the relations with coworkers, what HR functions work well and what needs improvement, and any other issues the employees cares to discuss. Customer satisfaction cards will be available at all Starbucks locations to obtain results concerning customer service. A legal audit of personnel files and recordkeeping, pay equity, job descriptions, legal postings, Equal  Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Workerâ⠂¬â„¢s Compensation, and other Mexican legislature is a requirement. Conclusion As Starbucks moves into Mexico with the recent acquisition, many human resource management obstacles will be observed. Understanding the difference legislation Mexico has compared to the United States will be a large undertaking. Complying with these laws while being profitable, will determine the market prices for the coffee products. Reducing turnover, hiring the right people, offering a high-level of training and development is a critical factor for Starbucks. Understanding the culture, along with the skills and abilities necessary to provide excellent customer service will determine the success of the company. Audit results will provide the HR department with information to improve the process. If Starbucks follows the guidelines of Mexico, while instilling U.S. policies, a successful and profitable business should develop. Working in a foreign country can be successful or a failure. Understanding the culture and values of the country, as well as the people, will provide opportunities for Starbucks, the Mexican government and the Mexican people. References Abogados, V. (2008). Mexican labor relationships. Retrieved , from http://www.solutionsabroad.comCommission for Labor Cooperation. (n.d.). Foreign Worker’s Guide to Labor and Employment Laws. Retrieved , from http://www.naalc.orgDreher, G. & Dougherty, T.W. (2001). Human Resource Strategy. [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-text]. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Retrieved , from University of Phoenix, rEsource, MMPBL530-Human Capital Development Web site. Harris, C. (2006). Starbucks wants to open 40,000 new stores. Seattlepi. Retrieved , from http://seattlepi.nwsource.comJackson, M., Houdard, F., & Highfield, M. (2008). Room to grow: business location, global expansion and resource deficits. Journal of Business Strategy 29(1), p. 34-39. Retrieved , from EIU Newswire database. Mexico an expanding consumer market. (2007). Retrieved , from Country Insight database. Mexico: Business environment at a glance. (2006). Country overview. Retrieved from EIU Viewswire database. Rao, P. (2001). Human resource issues: US-Mexico joint ventures. Retrieved , from http://www.usmcoc.orgStarbucks. (2007). Starbucks Corporation overview. Retrieved , from MarketLine Business Information Center database.

Synthetic Higher Learning with Three Branches Research Paper

Synthetic Higher Learning with Three Branches - Research Paper Example It was the only one offering graduate training in public administration, urban planning, and architecture among others. In addition, special health schools such as pharmacy, dental, physical therapy were also located on this campus. Its management process has experienced a lot of issues. To begin with, managing university budget had been a great area of contention between the involved bodies. Tension began growing between Owens, the university system and the higher education commission on this effect and consequently, the Board of Regents increased tuition fees by 28%. On the other hand, the state cut its appropriations. While Owens believed in independent university governance, he made a serious campaign for Referendum C that led to the suspension of Tabor restrictions and later, a state legislation that restricted any tuition increases to not more than 2.8 percent. However, more recommendations were made to other sectors of the university system whereby propositions ensured that se gments such as the transport system and healthcare got more appropriations. This left an implication of a collaborative approach to budget management (Dale, 2008). Arrival on financial management decisions on the board has not been spontaneous but rather evolving. For instance, TABOR, amended in 2000 and followed by a veto in 2003 made it difficult for the system to manage its own funds and thus budget. There was the imposition of expenditure limits, abilities to expand and any appropriate tax refunds when there was a necessity for such arising from financial surplus. However, the twenty-third amendment in 2003 under bill SB 264, the university system was exempted from TABOR and thus brought about greater flexibility in the financial management process. While discussing these issues, it is important to incorporate each of them into the appropriate discussion as done below. Planning Policy drawing within the institution is one of the most complex processes since it entails creating a foundation for the management process and thus a good ground for planning. Policies have largely been delegated as a duty to the Board of Regents, the president, and the state legislature. While the mandate of the president and the state legislation are limited to observation of implementation of policies, a direct influence from these two can have an equal impact on the creation of new policies. This is evident when Owens drew a policy that accentuated on efficiency and productivity within the institution. Thus the structure of planning is divided into layers. Implementation of these policies is executed within the institution. In this regard, the president, who is an internal element to the institution, becomes solely responsible for implementation of policies drawn by the Board of Regents (Daft, 2010). However, policies by the Board are limited in some aspects. For instance, the board can not have a sole authority to handle cases of financial uproars. In one scenario, happening in 2001, the Board of Regents had to be backed up by the joint budget committee, a state body, and the university system in order to raise influential concern on several issues such as continual increases of tuition fees, the rigidity of the system and state appropriations to higher education.

You are What you eat Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

You are What you eat - Essay Example is a documentary which seeks to portray the hazards of unhealthy eating and its deprecations. The article seeks to convince its viewers that eating natural foods and avoiding industrialized/manufactured foods is suitable for people’s health both in short and long term. The film received mixed reactions from both its critics and supporters, but generally it did achieve its primary objective of sensitizing the people against industrialized foods of which was a noble cause (Top documentary films). Hence, it is essential to choose carefully what one eats as it will determine how healthy the body will be. The documentary Food Inc. was directed by Robert Kenner and co-produced by Eric Schlosser who is also the author of Fast Food Nation. The film explains the situation which arises due to people consuming industrialized foods. It also offers a rejoinder through the president of Stoneyfield Farm which is a highly successful organic yoghurt farm. The film also highlights the acquisiti on of previously independent businesses by multinationals. Examples of such businesses include Kasha which was taken over by Kellogg and Cascadian Farm which was taken over by General Mills. Furthermore, the film portrays how dishonest some farmers are by showing an interview on Joel Salatin, the philosopher farmer from Polyface Farm who shamelessly guts a chicken while explaining how to farm honorably. There is also the issue of access and cost of the health oriented food where a customer drives for five hours so as to pay a premium for Salatin’s products (Top documentary films). One of the film’s sub claims is that most farms which grow organic food do so because of their own financial gain but not for the sake of the buyer and food consumer. This means that the proprietors of the farms can easily drop organic farming if the returns were matching expected profitable levels. A perfect example is Joel Salatin who is a philosopher farmer and is eating chicken while advi sing people on how to practice honorable farming. This clearly shows that even though such farmers know the advantages of organic farming, they are still not ready to abandon the unhealthy foods by consuming the food that they grow and sell to others. The situation also emphasizes on the fact that these categories of farms’ proprietors do not have the consumers’ interests at heart, but instead they engage in organic farming because they are assured of a ready market for their organic products. This market is made up of those people who are keen on what they eat and are aware of the effects foods have on their bodies. The farmers seem to be in the right form of business because their products are in demand and are selling at relatively high prices. This is justified considering the customers who drive for five hours just to get the organic products at a premium rate. Hence, it is justifiable to say that the motive of the film i.e. to portray the farm owners as people wh o engage in organic farming just for profit purposes was successful and effective. Many large companies are manufacturing food because it is much more profitable and less consuming. This is supported by the fact that industrialized foods take a shorter period to be delivered for consumption when compared with organic foods. Despite the disadvantages that come with industrialized foods, they are also beneficial in some ways. Some of the biggest advantages include the fact that they can withstand harsh conditions and are less prone to diseases and infections. These make the foods popular because many farmers and business people prefer to deal with foods that have minimal risk (Johnson 56). However, the advantages of industrialized foods are just a small incentive when compared with

Family Nurse Practitioners at the University of Phoenix Essay

Family Nurse Practitioners at the University of Phoenix - Essay Example Additional to providing the service in the conventional settings like office, clinic, and emergency care center, FNP can also help the families in the variety of settings like school, home, workplace, hospital etc. All these challenging aspects of the FNP’s job have attracted me towards the profession. It won’t be wrong if I say that I have a natural flair for this profession. I was fortunate to grow up in a multicultural environment. It has made me fluent in the second language, which has proven be a great asset in my professional life. My enthusiasm and excellent communication skills have given me an ability to carry out my responsibilities smoothly even under strong pressures of meeting difficult deadlines. An opportunity to study professional degree course of MSN/FNP at the University Of Phoenix will enhance my communication and decision-making skills multifold and will help me become a complete professional. Being a thorough professional will help me achieve my future goal of helping underprivileged families and individuals who lack health insurance. Hence, by getting a masters degree in Oncology Nursing, I will be able to achieve personal growth and job satisfaction. I have a strong combination of ‘knowledge’ and ‘experience’ of FNP practice. My experience of working in a local county hospital and serving vulnerable and underprivileged patients has given me great satisfaction. I feel that there is a strong need to educate people on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to manage their diseases and to prevent future health problems. This not only will reduce the health problems of individuals but will also help in saving the community and national health budget. I am confident that with my abilities as FNP, I can help patients in curing their diseases as well as preventing their future health problems.

A History of Hesbulla Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

A History of Hesbulla - Essay Example The paper "A History of Hesbulla" has four parts. Part one is about the origins of Hesbulla. Part two outlines and explains the ideologies that led to the creation, development, and the current state of Hesbulla. Part three reports on its major developments since foundation to the present. Part four is an assessment of how to situate the organization and its plans in current international and domestic affairs. Trouble in the Middle East has been going on for centuries as Arabs and Jews fought over land that both claimed to be theirs. During the time of the Roman Empire some two thousand years ago, the countries that are now known as Israel, Palestine, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon have been a battleground among conquering and conquered peoples and nations. These conflicts reached a major flashpoint after the Second World War when the State of Israel was created in 1948 (Owen, 1992). Recounting this brief historical background is important to realize that the Middle East conflict is not r ooted in Islamic ideology, but something that is perhaps deeper and that goes farther back in time. However, Islam was a strong factor that provided a cultural and religious bond for differing Middle Eastern Arabic tribes to unite against a common enemy, the Jews, although Islam was not a guarantee of peace in itself as it too was racked by different streams of thought: Shi’a, Sunni, Salafi, Kurds, etc. For centuries and even before Israel was created in 1948, these Arabic tribes fought each other as vehemently as they now fight against Israel (Tarrow, 1994; Owen, 1992). Lebanon, which shares a southern border with the northern tip of Israel, received Palestinian refugees who were driven out by the newly created Israeli state in 1948. When these refugees, who were understandable in thinking that their lands were "stolen" from them by the newly erected Jewish state, attempted to regain those lands by committing acts of aggression and violence as a Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), the Israeli armed forces retaliated by attacking the PLO and expelling them from Jordan. The PLO settled in the southern part of Lebanon, where their guerillas were trained and from where they continued to mount attacks against Israel (Norton, 2007; Qassem, 2005; Shapira, 1988). In 1982, Israel began to attack PLO strongholds in southern Lebanon, where it remained until 1985. It was during this three-year period that Hesbulla was born as a resistance movement against Israeli occupation.

We'll Bring our Location to You Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

We'll Bring our Location to You - Case Study Example Some societies will be friendly while others will be harsh. Turner, a food truck owner, said that operating a mobile restaurant was a remarkable experience. People would stream out, both parents and children, to enjoy delicious meals that they offered. The particular town was very nice for trucks (Rock, 2012). A mobile restaurant is more flexible than a stationary restaurant. In seasons when business is low in a particular area, one only shifts to new locations where business is good. The prices of foods in a mobile restaurant are comparatively lower to that of a stationary restaurant. The cost of starting a mobile restaurant are much more affordable ranging between $20,000 to $160,000 depending on the food truck one would purchase. Fixed restaurants have high operational costs especially in big cities. Thus making net profit is difficult in the case of fixed restaurants (Scarborough 2012). Market penetration is one of the biggest advantages of mobile restaurants. Food trucks can quickly dispatch deliveries to community festivals, weddings and private events. Mobile restaurants overcome the difficulties companies might face in holding business off-sites even though demand exists. In such cases, mobile restaurants deliver quality food and services at places of convenience to the client (Jennings, 2009). The precise location of a mobile restaurant cannot be easily determined. The food truck is at one place at particular moment and the next moment it is far away (Mark Elliot & Sanders, 2013). Thus, mobile restaurants are highly mobile ever exploring and searching for new market and opportunities. Food trucks have the ability to move to locations where there are many customers and park there thus achieving high sales. Mobile restaurants are like arteries they penetrate everywhere and generate approximately $1.4 billion per annum (Marte, 2012).Hence, food trucks in a sense hijack customers by parking in

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

Globalisation - Essay Example This is different from globalization because globalization is the erasure of national boundaries in the attempt to integrate all the nations in the world into one economy where the flow of capital and other economic resources such as labor is not hindered or limited by national boundaries. By the very fact that globalization tries to do away with national boundaries and come up with ways to integrate the world economy, it is clear that internationalization and globalization are not only different but actually opposite. Secondly, while internationalization is achieved mostly through human effort, globalization is an inevitable process which is happens on its own. However, human effort is applied to facilitate globalization. Internationalization can happen even without involving all the nations in the world. For instance, some international firms refer to themselves as internationalized even though they operate in just a few countries. Globalization on the other hand has to touch at al l corners of the world. Q2 Globalization will offer an organization at least two main advantages. Globalization will offer a larger market niche for any firm. ... With globalization, such barriers are eliminated and, therefore, it is easy for any firm to participate in business anywhere around the globe. The second significant advantage to firms may be the easy flow of labor which can also be used by such firms to manage labor costs. Through globalization, it is easy for a firm in one place to take advantage of the affordable labor. Organizations can access better economic resources and this can give them strategic edge is they are able to use these resources in a better way. A good example is the way most American firms are seen to take advantage of China, both as a source of affordable labor and as a market for their products. According to Moon (2010), firms are for instance taking advantage of the internet to be able to exploit their strategic edges. Q3 Technological advances have been extremely useful in advancing globalization. There are two significant technological advances that have made globalization to be achievable. One such technol ogy is the communication technology which enables information to flow easily from any point of the world to the other. The other is the transport technology that makes the moving of goods from one point to the other. Information technology has made it extremely easier for money to be easily sent across the world with minimal cost. More than that, technology has made it possible for people to trade goods outside the formal channels. Retail websites such as e-bay, Amazon.com and many other websites work in conjunction with online payment systems such as PayPal, Moneybookers etc to make sure that individual in any part of the world can buy and sell goods and services in any other part of the world. Communication technology has also made it possible for individual and organizations to be

Foundations in human physiology- structure, function and permeability Assignment

Foundations in human physiology- structure, function and permeability of cells - Assignment Example One or more cells constitute all forms of life. Cells can only develop from pre-existent cells. The smallest form of life is cell. The human cell consists of an outer plasma membrane which encloses the minute organelles dispersed within the cytoplasm. These organelles include endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, ribosome, chromosomes, nucleus, lysosome, vacuoles and centrioles. A typical human cell (Carone, 2001) The outer cell membrane is made up of lipid molecules and provides the passage for interaction of cells with each other. Different kinds of human cells have distinct structures that aid in the functioning of their particular activity, such as the axons of nerve and brain cells which transmit signals out across distances to other cells via neurotransmitters. The neurons are specially adapted to perform this function as the axons are as long as one meter in length and the nerve impulse is transmitted from one neuron to another. The various functions performed by human cells include enzyme production, movement, transmission of electrical impulses and demolishing invaders. Among the various cells constituting the human body five main are: epithelial, nerve or neuron, connective, adipose and muscle cells. The four main selected to be explained in the given text include epithelial cells, neuron, connective and adipose cells (Marieb & Hoehn, 2010). Nerve Cells Nerve cells or neurons are specialized cell often referred as the structural and functional unit of nervous system. A characteristic neuron consists of a cell body known as soma, an axon and dendrites. The thin structures arising from the cell body are dendrites that frequently extend for hundred micrometres and forming multiple branches thus forming a complex called "dendritic tree". An axon on the other hand is a peculiar cellular extension that originates from the axon hillock and travels as far as one meter (Chudler, 2012). A typical Neuron (Chudler, 2012) Synapse is a specialized c onnection of these neurons with other cells that facilitates chemical signal. Neurons communicate by electrical and chemical (via neurotransmitters like GABA, dopamine and glutamate) synapses in a process referred as synaptic transmission. Action potential is the basic process that activates synaptic transmission, a disseminating electrical signal that is produced by tapping the electrically impulsive membrane (the myelin sheath) that encloses the axon of the neuron. This is also known as a wave of depolarization. Neurons are the central part of the nervous system consisting of the spinal cord, the brain and peripheral ganglia. A great number of these specialized neurons exist and are classified on the basis of their function as sensory, motor and inter-neurons. The inter-neurons connect other neurons within the spinal cord or brain while the motor neurons transmit the response generated from brain and spinal cord to the organs. Sensory neurons respond to light, sound, touch, taste and legion other stimuli impacting the epithelial cells of the sensory organs (Levitan & Kaczmarek, 2001). Dorsal root ganglion The sensory neurons cell bodies are settled outside the spinal cord and brain in ganglia or in the sensory organs. Ganglia situated along specific cranial and spinal nerves accommodate the sensory neurons

Personal Healthy Living Plan Essay Example for Free

Personal Healthy Living Plan Essay

Navel Model to Image Separation in Scanning Tinny Letter

Navel Model to Image Separation in Scanning Tinny Letter Somayeh Komeylian Department of Tel-Communication Engineering, Islamic Azad University South Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran Armin Mehrabian Department of Medical, Mashhad Medical Science University, Mashhad, Iran Saeed Komeylian Factory of graduated students, Department of Tel-Communication Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran In this paper, a navel model has been introduced to image separation in scanning tinny letter. The proposed model is based on Almeida et al. (2006) model. First, the basic image separation method has been explained, and then the proposed pre-processing methods have been presented. In addition, separation method presents based on two sampled wavelet and contour transform which has adaptive structure. The result showed that proposed model has a good quality with a little runtime. On the other hand, this model which use directional filter bank has better effect in separation with approximately two level of decomposition. Finally, the two mainly proposed algorithms (NSWT and Improved NSCT) shows that, we achieve to really good results which our separated images have absolutely good quality by using preprocessing and these methods simultaneously. Keywords: Image separation; contour let; non-subsample wavelet. When we scan or photograph a paper document, especially if the paper is thin or transparent, the image from the backside often appears on the image from the front page. This is a routine problem which is usually occurs, when the electronic version of an old document or a book is needed. Extracting sources from mixture images is a problem of blind source separation. Independent Component Analysis (ICA) is one of the good solutions for this problem, which is done with linear and nonlinear ICA in [3] and [4], respectively. The results show that the nonlinear solution is better, because images are mixed through a nonlinear procedure. In [3] authors use a nonlinear method, which is named MISEP that is based on multilayer perception used in neural network. In the most of ICA methods the result are achieved from adaptive or iterative algorithms, which are time-consuming procedures. Another work was based on the nonlinear de-noising source separation (DSS) method [6]. This method is supposed when two images have independent sources and have different frequency components in the same locations. These conditions are the same as those exist when a source is contaminated by noise. Therefore, nonlinear de-noising might be used for source separation. The separation method used here is similar to that implemented in [6]. However, we believe that human visual perception uses different edge directions in the mixed subjects to separate them. Therefore, we improved the method in [6] which based on exact high frequency separation. As well known, wavelet analysis offers limited directional information in representing image edges when separable one-dimensional transforms are used for images. Minh N. Do and Martin Vetterli developed a true two dimensional representation, called contour let [7], which can capture the intrinsic geometrical structure that is key in visual information. Compare to the recent image representations this construction results in a flexible multi-resolution, l ocal and directional image expansion using contour segments. Moreover, sub sampling process in the wavelet transform change the geometric information of image details like edges. So, non-subsample wavelets are introduced for decomposing the image frequency components with better saving its geometric information. For comparing the results with [6], here we use the images that Mr. B. Luis. Almeidamade in his laboratory. He dealt with a difficult version of image mixture problem, corresponding to the use of onionskin paper, which causes a strong nonlinear mixture. The source and mixture images are shown in figures 1 and 2. More information about images is available in [1] and [2]. This paper is organized as follows: Section 2 explains the basic image separation method which is used in this paper. Section 3 introduces the proposed pre-processing methods. Section 4 presents separation method based on non-sub sampled wavelet and non-sub sampled contour let transform which has adaptive str ucture. Section 5 explains the experimental result. Section 6 has some discussions about the results. Section 7 gives the concluding remarks. The nonlinear image separation procedure based on de noising source separation [1] is based on wavelet transform, and uses very basic information about the sources and the mixture procedure. This information is based on two observations: First; the high frequency components (details) of common images are sparse. As a consequence, the wavelet coefficients from two different source images will seldom both have significant values in the same image location. Fig. 1 :Five source image pairs [1]. Second: Each source is more strongly represented in the image acquired from that side of the paper in which that source is printed than in the image acquired from the opposite side. The schematic representation of the separation method is shown in Figure 3. In this figure, the mixed images are first pre-processed by the following relation: where elements of Q matrix is the auto covariance of mixture matrix. This equation applies a linear transformation to the mixed sources. The nonlinear process is based on wavelet analysis which iteratively decomposes the approximation coefficients Aj(the low frequency component) at level j to four components (the approximation at level j+1, and the details in three orientations; horizontal, vertical, diagonal). Fig. 2: Five mixture image pairs after scanning [1]. components (the approximation at level j + 1, and the detail sin three orientations; horizontal, vertical, diagonal). After performing wavelet decomposition on mixed images for a certain number of levels, a competition is performed between the corresponding high frequency components from the two mixture images in each side of paper, according to following equation: are the wavelet coefficients of a given type (for example vertical coefficients at the first decomposition level) of the decomposition of the i th mixture image, x3à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢i are the corresponding coefficients from the other mixture image, and a is a parameter that controls the strength of the competition. Fig.3: Schematic representation of wavelet-based separation method[1] This competition was applied to all horizontal, vertical and diagonal wavelet coefficients at all decomposition levels. The competition computes mask mi through a soft winner take all function [1], and then applies this mask to the wavelet high frequency coefficients of the mixture images, so that the coefficients are intensified in the image in which they originally were stronger and weakened in the image in which they were weaker. The separated images then will be synthesized using the wavelet coefficients compute competition in high frequency. In [1], one-dimensional discrete wavelet basis are separately used in horizontal and vertical directions. In the first step we assume the mixing procedure is a linear process and try to estimate the mixing matrix and implement the inverse matrix for separation. Although, we know the linear assumption is not completely right, however, it can be used as a pre-processing step to separate the mixed images. Since the source images are not available, the mixing matrix should be estimated through a statistical approach. The following approach is written for this purpose. If we show the source signals as S, mixture signals X and the mixing matrix as A, then we have: X= AS (4) In equation (5) we assume that the variables are zero-mean. This means we deal with the mean subtracted source and mixture images. From Eq (5) the autocorrelation matrix of mixed images is: From Equation (6) and (7) we could write: (8) (9) Since b>a, then only the plus sign is correct and from equation 6 we have : X1 + X2 = (a2 + b2) (S1 + S2)(11) A. First Pre-processing Method We assume that total energy of pictures before mixing and after that are equal. We use equation 11 and have some manipulation from these simple equations for a and b. a2 + b2 = 1 (12) (13) (14) B. Second Pre-processing Method We assume that when a packet of light emitting from scanner laser, b is the amount of light which went through the paper and a is the amount of light which reflect from first side of paper. In this method, we assume that, the amount of light which go through the paper and the amount of light which reflect back, together are constant. We have: a + b = 1(15) (16) But in this case, when we extract images, the contrast of images is high. For this effect we use modified form of this equation as below: a+b = 1.4(17) (18) C. Third Pre-processing Method We know from equation 5 that: (19) This equation has four undefined parameter and from equation 8 we have three equations. Assume that for normal deviation of mixture images and primary image we have: (20) This is the other equation to solve four undefined parameters. By solving(19),we can determine a and b. : (21) Where s1 and s2 are separated sources through a linear process. Fig.4: Result of implementing the proposed pre-processing method Since, we estimated the mixing matrix through non-exact assumptions it should be examined to show how it can separate the mixed images. Therefore we applied these three pre-processing method.We see that these three equation which derive from previous assumption has approximately the same extraction Figure (4-a) shows the mixed and processed images. From Fig4 b) we can see the proposed linear process 3 could approximately separate the mixed images. Although, s1 and s2 are not completely separated, we use the linear process as pre-processing step and those may be used for final separation through the nonlinear process that will be explained in the next section. The results of applying our pre-processing method to one pair of mixed images are shown in Fig. 4. The results show that the proposed method has partly separated the mixed images. The most important goal of this separation method is to obtain a sparse edge and contours of images that are placedin high frequency component of images. Wavelets for decomposition is not good [9] because when we use wavelets, in each level of decomposition, a down sampler shrink the size of the remainder and competition in high frequency is not exact and when we reconstruct image from that, blocking effect appear. Because assume the size of image is odd. In down sampling we have not an exact decomposition and in reconstruction, images dont have a good quality and appear some block. In first method we use NSWT which approve those blocking effect. This method has very short runtime and is acceptable for approximately all application. The other method is based on NSCT. This method is composed of pyramid decomposition and directional filter bank. Pyramid decomposition is shown in figure5 and directional filter bank is shown in figure 6. When we use these two decomposition at the same time we have a composed method which is shown in figure 7. Fig.5: Pyramid Decomposition Fig.6: Directional filter bank Directional filter bank have a good property that can describe diagonal line in pictures and if we use it for separation we have a better result. For each decomposed frequency based part, we use our well-known mask which is described before. We present an adaptive form of NSCT which is announced below. Fig.7: Combining two methods We first decompose in first level and apply separation mask. Then we reconstruct images and use correlation factor among them. If it is too low for example 0.01, extraction is good. If it is higher than some threshold we decompose image in further level and use separation mask. In this method, it is not necessary that we define decomposition level at first. NSCT has other good performance which is shift invariant. This property has no blocking effect. In this section we present experimental result from our method which are NSWT and improved NSCT. These two methods have an approximately complete separation result. First method has low runtime but in order to compare it with NSCT, the last one has a better separation result because we use directional filter bank and it could better separate high frequency in two images in every direction which we want. In NWST we use 6 and 7 level decomposition and since it has fast algorithm to decompose picture in wavelet form. In improved NSCT we use an adaptive form which it has little runtime and can separate in each direction we want. In figure 8 we show the experimental result for NSWT and in figure 9 we show the other one for NSCT. Fig.8: The result with NSWT Fig.9: The result with improved NSCT We see from the results that, our separation methods have better results in compare with the proposed methods in references. In our case, we derive very simple equations that can separate two mixture images linearly, which leads to a from the results that, our separation methods have better results in compare with the proposed methods in references. In our case, we derive very simple equations that can separate two mixture images linearly, which leads to a time-efficient algorithm. The two mainly proposed algorithms (NSWT and Improved NSCT) shows that by using preprocessing and these methods simultaneously, we achieve to really good results and our separated images, have absolutely good quality. In this paper we present a new preprocessing method which has a simple function and high precision in separating mixture images with linear form. Also we use two other separation rule that approximately separate images completely. NSWT has a good quality with a little runtime. On the other hand, NSWT which use directional filter bank has better effect in separation with approximately two level of decomposition. References [1] Mariana S.C. Almeida and Luis B. Almeida, Wavelet Based Nonlinear Separation Of images, Instituto de Telecommuincacoes, Lisboa, Portugal, 1-4244-0657 -9/06, 2006 IEEE. [2] Luis.B.Almeida,http://www.lx.it.pt/~lbameida/ica/seethrough/index.html. [3] L.B. Almeida, MISEP-Linear and Nonlinear ICA Based On Mutual Information, Journal of Machine Learning Research, vol. 4, pp. 1297-1318, 2003 [4] L.B. Almeida, Separating a Real-life Nonlinear Image Mixture, Journal Of Machine Learning Research, vol.6, pp. 1199-1229, July 2005. [5] Mariana S.C Almeida and Luis B Almeida, Wavelet Based Separation of Show-through and Bleed-through Image Mixtures, Instituto de Telecommuincacoes, Lisboa, Portugal, November 2007. [6] M.S.C.Almeida, H.Valpola and j. Sarela, Separation Of Nonlinear Image Mixtures By Denoisind Source Separation in Independent Component Analysis and Blind Signal Separation, J. Rsca, D. Erdogus, J.principe and S.Haykin, Eds.,Belin,Germany,2006 [7] Duncan D., Y. Po and Minh N. Do, Directional Multi-scale Modeling of Images Using the Contourlet Transform, IEEE Transactions on image processing, vol. 15, Issue 6, Jun 2006, p.p.1610-1620 [8] AzadehBamdadMoghadam, NSCT based for image extraction, Master of science Thesis in Iran University of Science and Technology,Spring2008. [9] Gonzalez and Woods, Digital Image Processing 3rd Edition 2008.

The Environmental Importance of Office Paper Recycling -- Papers Envir

Office Paper Recycling I. Introduction Environmental science is concerned with the global impact of human activity on the planet. Indeed, at the dawn of this new century, close to 25 percent of the earth’s usable water is contaminated. In addition, during the last hundred years, we have increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, by burning fossil fuels, such as coal and petroleum and in so doing we have increased the amount of gases in the atmosphere. The result is that more heat is trapped in the system, increasing the global temperature by 1 ° C (about 1.8 ° F). Because the earth is a closed system, these issues are of major concern to environmentalists. As the â€Å"Gaia Hypothesis† states it, we are sustained by a single living system, meaning that we rely on it for our survival, in which all the parts are interconnected and everything we do affects it globally. For instance, as more heat is trapped in the atmosphere, the temperature increases, affecting precipitation, the rain becomes acid, which in turn affect our food production and our fresh water supply, ultimately it affects all the living system on the planet. Basically, in such a system there is no â€Å"away† in â€Å"throwing away,† hence, over the last decade people and companies started being aware of it and therefore acknowledged the need to â€Å"recycle.† II. Recycling Recycling refers to collecting and reprocessing resources into new products. The resources on earth are not all renewable, and recycling means that we could create systems where wastes become resources again, which is called closed-loop recycling. â€Å"Recycling paper involves removing its ink, glue, and coating and reconverting it to pulp that is pressed again into new paper.... ... that only SIS and the Physical Plant department use some and that it is not mandatory. Apparently, increasing the demand for recycled paper would spare a lot of energy in terms of bleaching paper with chemicals over and over again. The point is that A.U.’ s effort is definitely a step toward a more self-sustained system, but as long as it rely on outside providers to bring and collect the paper, the loop is not 100 percent closed, nor efficient. Bibliography: Consevatree Greenline. Available at: http://conservatree.com Environmental Protection Agency. Available at: http://www.epa.gov Miller, Tyler G. Jr. "Living in the Environment", (Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole publishing company, 2000). Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, (1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation) National Recycling Coalition. Available at: www.recycle.net/index.html

Essay --

Witness, A Classic Novel Witness, a Newbery Medal awarded novel, was one of the many novels created by Karen Hesse, a wonderful author who has taught kids and children about the past, has made a very interesting book about life that exists on a foundation of segregation and hatred. Racism as we all know it is very disturbing, annoying, and is not tolerable. This story is based on life on a foundation of segregation and dangers of racism. This one novel is placed in a small, under-populated city of Vermont, where a family of three, the Sutters, another family of 3, the Hirsch's with a caring person, named Sara Chickering, and some people face many problems and solutions in their lives. As racism continues on to thrive in the town, Esther Hirsh, becomes a young girl who also faces discrimination only because she was a Jewish. In the same school as Esther, was a young African-American girl named Leonora who faces bully about almost every day, and everywhere, just because of her race. Her family is very well in poverty, and her mother is badly sick. She died later that month. In one quote,†Why can’t white folks leave me alone?†(P7), explains how excruciating racism was. As the storyline progresses into the center of the story, Leonora saves Esther from a passenger train, everybody knows it as the â€Å"Heaven Train.† Esther wanted to meet her mother on the train who died when she was just a tiny little young girl, perhaps at the age of four or five. Leonora understood her but she didn’t want her to go because Esther was perhaps her only best friend. Back in the transition from the beginning of the story, Esther also saved Leonora’s life from the chilling winter cold. Sara Chickering, the caretaker of Esther, fina... ... the bridge to convince Johnny to get back down. â€Å"I’m afraid of the Klan,† he said. Then he surprisingly†¦ just jumped. All these scenes were all real, it all happened from 1920-1927. Karen witnessed a lot of horrors, but also some happiness. She did that by just simply writing books, novels and poetry. She mostly writes her novels in poetic form, what everybody does not usually do. This book inspired me and a lot to perhaps write a lot about the past, and admire and appreciate the present and what will happen in the future. It also taught me many lessons about the important things, like the history of the KKK and what they did, also the history of segregation and how this country was broken up into pieces and how they were sawn back together. So this book is a very useful tool in learning and understanding and should be brought down from generation to generation...

Aryabhatta Biography Essay

While there is a tendency to misspell his name as â€Å"Aryabhatta† by analogy with other names having the â€Å"bhatta† suffix, his name is properly spelled Aryabhata: every astronomical text spells his name thus, including Brahmagupta’s references to him â€Å"in more than a hundred places by name†. Furthermore, in most instances â€Å"Aryabhatta† does not fit the metre either. Time and place of birth Aryabhata mentions in the Aryabhatiya that it was composed 3,630 years into the Kali Yuga, when he was 23 years old. This corresponds to 499 CE, and implies that he was born in 476. Aryabhata was born in Taregna (literally, song of the stars), which is a small town in Bihar, India, about 30 km (19 mi) from Patna (then known as Pataliputra), the capital city of Bihar State. Evidences justify his birth there. In Taregna Aryabhata set up an Astronomical Observatory in the Sun Temple 6th century. There is no evidence that he was born outside Patliputra and traveled to Magadha, the centre of instruction, culture and knowledge for his studies where he even set up a coaching institute. However, early Buddhist texts describe Ashmaka as being further south, in dakshinapath or the Deccan, while other texts describe the Ashmakas as having fought Alexander. Education It is fairly certain that, at some point, he went to Kusumapura for advanced studies and lived there for some time. Both Hindu and Buddhist tradition, as well as BhÄ skara I (CE 629), identify Kusumapura as PÄ Ã¡ ¹ ­aliputra, modern Patna. A verse mentions that Aryabhata was the head of an institution (kulapati) at Kusumapura, and, because the university of Nalanda was in Pataliputra at the time and had an astronomical observatory, it is speculated that Aryabhata might have been the head of the Nalanda university as well. Aryabhata is also reputed to have set up an observatory at the Sun temple in Taregana, Bihar. Other hypotheses Some archeological evidence suggests that Aryabhata could have originated from the present day Kodungallur which was the historical capital city of Thiruvanchikkulam of ancient Kerala. For instance, one hypothesis was that aÅ›maka (Sanskrit for â€Å"stone†) may be the region in Kerala that is now known as Koá ¹ ­uá ¹â€¦Ã¡ ¹â€¦allÃ… «r, based on the belief that it was earlier known as Koá ¹ ­um-Kal-l-Ã… «r (â€Å"city of hard stones†); however, old records show that the city was actually Koá ¹ ­um-kol-Ã… «r (â€Å"city of strict governance†). Similarly, the fact that several commentaries on the Aryabhatiya have come from Kerala were used to suggest that it was Aryabhata’s main place of life and activity; however, many commentaries have come from outside Kerala. Aryabhata mentions â€Å"Lanka† on several occasions in the Aryabhatiya, but his â€Å"Lanka† is an abstraction, standing for a point on the equator at the same longitude as his Ujjayini. Works Aryabhata is the author of several treatises on mathematics and astronomy, some of which are lost. His major work, Aryabhatiya, a compendium of mathematics and astronomy, was extensively referred to in the Indian mathematical literature and has survived to modern times. The mathematical part of the Aryabhatiya covers arithmetic, algebra, plane trigonometry, and spherical trigonometry. It also contains continued fractions, quadratic equations, sums-of-power series, and a table of sines. The Arya-siddhanta, a lot work on astronomical computations, is known through the writings of Aryabhata’s contemporary, Varahamihira, and later mathematicians and commentators, including Brahmagupta and Bhaskara I. This work appears to be based on the older Surya Siddhanta and uses the midnight-day reckoning, as opposed to sunrise in Aryabhatiya. It also contained a description of several astronomical instruments: the gnomon (shanku-yantra), a shadow instrument (chhAyA-yantra), possibly angle-measuring devices, semicircular and circular (dhanur-yantra / chakra-yantra), a cylindrical stick yasti-yantra, an umbrella-shaped device called the chhatra-yantra, and water clocks of at least two types, bow-shaped and cylindrical. A third text, which may have survived in the Arabic translation, is Al ntf or Al-nanf. It claims that it is a translation by Aryabhata, but the Sanskrit name of this work is not known. Probably dating from the 9th century, it is mentioned by the Persian scholar and chronicler of India

Explication of “a Birthday Present” by Sylvia Plath

George B 11/18/11 Explication of â€Å"A Birthday Present† by Sylvia Plath For many readers, the draw of Sylvia Plath’s poetry is distinctly linked to her life as well as the desire to end her life. As Robert Lowell states in the forward of Ariel, â€Å"This poetry and life are not a career; they tell that a life, even when disciplined, is simply not worth it† (xv). â€Å"A Birthday Present†`, written by Plath in September of 1962 and hauntingly recorded in her own voice on audio in October of that same year, is just one of the many poems that comprise the collection titled Ariel.Its allusion to suicide is unmistakable. Its main theme is the escape from life that death provides. Plath’s life as well as her desire to end it is well documented, primarily because she has chosen to record her tormented existence in her prose and poetry. M. D. Uroff states, â€Å". . . she put the speaker herself at the center of her poems in such a way as to make her p sychological vulnerability and shame an embodiment of her civilization . . . we should reconsider the nature of the speaker in Plath’s poems, her relationship to the poet, and the extent to which the poems are confessional† (104).The novel, The Bell Jar, chronicles her college years and first attempt at suicide, and her poetry, primarily in the collection in Ariel, provides glimpses into her state of mind. She interjects herself into her work so deeply that it is unmistakable that the speaker in the poetry is Plath herself. With that firmly in mind, explicating this poem becomes a quest into the months that preceded her taking her own life on February 11th 1963. A symbol used in the poem â€Å"A Birthday Present† is the veil: The veil and what it may conceal is a theme that permeates the poem in multiple forms.In line 1 when the speaker says, â€Å"What is this, behind this veil, is it ugly, is it beautiful? † The speaker continues in the successive lines to question not only what it is but for whom it is for. In line 16, â€Å"Now there are veils, shimmering like curtains† and in lines 17 and 18 veils are compared to the light translucent material that covered the kitchen window as well as the misty air in January one would imagine she saw from her flat in England. And once again in lines 55-57 when she says â€Å"Only let down the veil, the veil, the veil.If it were death I would admire the deep gravity of it, its timeless eyes. † Here she wants to let down the veil and face it head on, and in the case of death, embrace it. This is certainly not the first time that the speaker has entertained the notion of ending her life. The speaker mentions in line 13 and 14 that she does not want a present as she is only alive by accident and in line 15, â€Å"I would have killed myself gladly that time any possible way. † Plath herself had a botched suicide attempt in her past that she used as a plot point in her novel, Th e Bell Jar.Biographer Caitriona O ‘Reilly chronicles the incident in 1953 after Plath finished a guest editorship at Mademoiselle in New York City. After prescription sleeping pills and Electroconvulsive therapy to combat depression, Plath attempted suicide through an overdose of sleeping pills (356). The accident, as the speaker refers to it, directly relates to the fact that she was found alive and nursed back to health: at least physically. There is also an aspect of what is expected from society of the speaker of the poem.Women in the 1950’s were expected to get married and procreate, not getting seriously interested in education and careers. These things would prevent a woman from leading a happy and normal feminine life (Bennett 103). Bennett also speaks of this, â€Å"Like most women in the 1950s†¦ Sylvia Plath appears to have accepted the basic assumptions of this doctrine or ideology even though she knew that in many respects they ran counter to the sprin gs of her own nature†Ã‚  (103). This certainly flew in the face of what Sylvia Plath was about.The speaker in the poem seems to lament this in lines 7 and 8, â€Å"Measuring the flour, cutting off the surplus, / adhering to rules, to rules, to rules. † Likewise, â€Å"Is this one for the annunciation? / My God, what a laugh† (9-10). Certainly, the ideals of society put forth in these lines, a woman’s place is in the kitchen and the comparison to the virgin birth of Christ, are an impossibility for an educated and tormented Plath. The speaker seems to have no other choice than ending the suffering.In the poem, there is a conflict concerning the end of the speaker’s life. In lines 21-26 the speaker is in essence asking for the relief of death and references the religious theme of the last supper in line 26, â€Å"Let us eat our last supper at it, like a hospital plate. † Line 27-29 states the problem with the present that is wanted, â€Å"I kn ow why you will not give it to me, / You are terrified/ the world will go up in a shriek, and your head with it,†. The speaker continues to lobby for relief, â€Å"I will only take it and go quietly. You will not even hear me open it, no paper crackle, / No falling ribbons, no scream at the end. / I do not think you credit me with this discretion† (Lines 33-36). The shame attached to suicide is overwhelming, not necessarily for the victim but those left to deal with societal pressures associated with it. The speaker seems to take this into account as she contemplates the act; it is more important that those left behind are unscathed than the torture that the speaker is going through. Discretion is more important than directly confronting the underlying problems.Finally, the speaker appeals to the giver’s sense of duty when she describes how her death has been occurring incrementally but not nearly as quickly as she would like. The use of words like motes (small p articles, like the dust particles that can be seen floating in the sunlight) and carbon monoxide (deadly despite being undetectable by smell or sight) described as sweetly breathable in the lines 37-43 are used to show how the speaker has suffered for years from invisible or nearly invisible things for quite a long time: â€Å"To you they are only transparencies, clear air,† (Line 37). Let it not come by word of mouth, I should be sixty/ By the time the whole of it was delivered, and to numb to use it† (Lines 53-54). The speaker is frustrated by the gift bearer insistence that death come slowly; the speaker cannot wait that long. â€Å"A Birthday Present† essentially reads like a suicide note trying to reassure those left behind that death is really a grand relief. Lowell elegantly sums it up: Suicide, father-hatred, self-loathing—nothing is too much for the macabre gaiety of her control.Yet it is too much; her art’s immortality is life’s deg radation. The surprise, the shimmering, unwrapped birthday present, the transcendence â€Å"into the red eye, the cauldron of morning,† and the lover, who are always waiting for her, are death, her own abrupt and defiant death (Forward xiv). Defiant in death as she was in life, one can only hope that Plath has found what she was missing.Works Cited Bennett, Paula. My Life A Loaded Gun, Female Creativity and Feminist Poetics. Boston: Beacon Press, 1986. Lowell, Robert. â€Å"Foreword. †Ã‚  Ariel. New York: First Perennial Classics, 1999. xiii-xvi. Print. O ‘Reilly, Caitriona. â€Å"Sylvia Plath. † N. p. , n. d. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. ;lt;http://www. us. oup. com/us/pdf/americanlit/plath. pdf;gt;. Plath, Sylvia. â€Å"A Birthday Present. †Ã‚  Ariel. New York: First Perennial Classics, 1999. 48-51. Print. Uroff, M. D.. â€Å"Sylvia Plath and Confessional Poetry: a Reconsideration. †Ã‚  The Iowa Review  8. 1 (1977): 104-115. JStor. Web. 16 Nov. 201 1. ;lt;http://www. jstor. org/stable/20158710;gt;.

The Return: Midnight Chapter 12

â€Å"Stefan. Stefan!†Elena had been too nervous to stay out of the bedroom for longer than the five minutes it had taken to show herself to the sheriffs. It was Stefan the officers real y wanted and couldn't find, not seeming to consider that someone might backtrack and hide in a room that had already been searched. And now Elena couldn't get a response out of Stefan, who was locked in an embrace with Meredith, mouth pressed tightly over the two little wounds he'd made. Elena had to shake him by the shoulders, to shake both of them, in order to get any response. Then Stefan reared back suddenly, but held on to Meredith, who would otherwise have fal en. He hastily licked blood from his lips. For once, though, Elena wasn't focused on him, but on her friend – her friend whom she'd al owed to do this. Meredith's eyes were shut, but they had dark, almost plum-colored circles under them. Her lips were parted, and her dark cloud of hair was wet where tears had fal en into it. â€Å"Meredith? Merry?†The old nickname just slipped out of Elena's lips. And then, when Meredith gave no sign of having heard her: â€Å"Stefan, what's wrong?† â€Å"I Influenced her at the end to sleep.†Stefan lifted Meredith and put her on the bed. â€Å"But what happened? Why is she crying – and what's wrong with you?†Elena couldn't help but notice that despite the healthy flush on Stefan's cheeks his eyes were shadowed. â€Å"Something I saw – in her mind,†Stefan said briefly, pul ing Elena behind his back. â€Å"Here comes one of them. Stay there.† The door opened. It was the male sheriff, who was red-faced and panting, and who had clearly just lapped himself, returning to this room after starting from it to search the entire first floor. â€Å"I have them al in a room – al but the fugitive,†the sheriff said into a large black mobile. The female sheriff made some brief reply. Then the red-faced male turned to speak to the teenagers. â€Å"Now what's going to happen is that I'm going to search you† – he nodded at Stefan – â€Å"while my partner searches you two.†His head jerked, ear-first, at Meredith. â€Å"What's wrong with her, anyway?† â€Å"Nothing that you could understand,†Stefan replied cool y. The sheriff looked as if he couldn't believe what had just been said. Then, suddenly, he looked as if he could, and did, and he took a step toward Meredith. Stefan snarled. The sound made Elena, who was right behind him, jump. It was the low savage snarl of an animal protecting its mate, its pack, its territory. The ruddy-faced policeman suddenly looked pale and panicked. Elena guessed that he was looking at a mouth ful of teeth much sharper than his own, and tinged with blood as well. Elena didn't want this to turn into a pi – that was, a†¦snarling match. As the sheriff gabbled to his partner, â€Å"We may need some of them silver bul ets after al ,†Elena poked her beloved, who was now making a noise like a very big buzz saw that she could feel in her teeth, and whispered, â€Å"Stefan, Influence him! The other one's coming, and she may already have cal ed for backup.† At her touch, Stefan stopped making the sound, and when he turned she could see his face changing from that of a savage animal baring its teeth back to his own dear, green-eyed self. He must have taken a lot of blood from Meredith, she thought, with a flutter in her stomach. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. But there was no denying the after-effects. Stefan turned back to the male sheriff and said crisply, â€Å"You wil go into the front hal way. You wil remain there, silent, until I tel you to move or speak.†Then, without looking up to see if the officer was obeying or not, he tucked the blankets more tightly around Meredith. Elena was watching the sheriff, though, and she noticed that he didn't hesitate an instant. He made an about-face and marched off to the front foyer. Then Elena felt safe enough to look at Meredith again. She couldn't find anything wrong in her friend's face, except her unnatural pal or, and those violet shadows around her eyes. â€Å"Meredith?†she whispered. No response. Elena fol owed Stefan out of the room. She had just made it to the foyer when the female sheriff ambushed them. Coming down the stairs, pushing the fragile Mrs. Flowers before her, she shouted, â€Å"On the ground! Al of you!†She gave Mrs. Flowers a hard shove forward. â€Å"Get down now!† When Mrs. Flowers almost fel sprawling on the floor, Stefan leaped and caught her, and then turned back to the other woman. For a moment Elena thought that he would snarl again, but instead, in a voice tight with self-control, he said, â€Å"Join your partner. You can't move or speak without my permission.† He took the shaken-looking Mrs. Flowers to a chair on the left side of the foyer. â€Å"Did that – person – hurt you?† â€Å"No, no. Just get them out of my house, Stefan, dear, and I'l be most grateful,†Mrs. Flowers replied. â€Å"Done,†Stefan said softly. â€Å"I'm sorry we've caused you so much trouble – in your own home.†He looked at each of the sheriffs, his eyes piercing. â€Å"Go away and don't come back. You have searched the house, but none of the people you were looking for were here. You think further surveil ance wil yield nothing. You believe that you would do more good by helping the – what was it? Oh, yes, the mayhem in the town of Fel ‘s Church. You wil never come here again. Now go back to your car and leave.† Elena felt the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She could feel the Power behind Stefan's words. And, as always, it was satisfying to see cruel or angry people become docile under the power of a vampire's Influence. These two stood for another ten seconds quite stil , and then they simply walked out the front door. Elena listened to the sound of the sheriff's car driving away and such a strong feeling of relief washed over her that she almost col apsed. Stefan put his arms around her, and Elena hugged him back tightly, knowing that her heart was pounding. She could feel it in her chest and her fingertips. It's all over. All done now, Stefan thought to her and Elena suddenly felt something different. She felt pride. Stefan had simply taken charge and chased the officers away. Thank you, she thought to Stefan. â€Å"I guess we'd better get Matt out of the root cel ar,†she added. Matt was unhappy. â€Å"Thanks for hiding me – but do you know how long that was?†he demanded of Elena when they were upstairs again. â€Å"And no light except what was in that little star bal . And no sound – I couldn't hear a thing down there. And what is this?†He held out the long, heavy wooden staff, with its strangely shaped, spiked ends. Elena felt sudden panic. â€Å"You didn't cut yourself, did you?†She snatched up Matt's hands, letting the long staff fal to the ground. But Matt didn't seem to have a single scratch. â€Å"I wasn't dumb enough to hold it by the ends,†he said. â€Å"Meredith did, for some reason,†Elena said. â€Å"Her palms were covered with wounds. And I don't even know what it is.† â€Å"I do,†Stefan said quietly. He picked up the stave. â€Å"But it's Meredith's secret real y. I mean it's Meredith's property,†he added hastily as al eyes fixed on him at the word secret. â€Å"Well, I'm not blind,†Matt said in his frank, straightforward way, flipping back some fair hair in order to look more closely at the thing. He raised blue eyes to Elena. â€Å"I know what it smells like, which is vervain. And I know what it looks like with al those silver and iron spikes coming out of the sharp ends. It looks like a giant staff for exterminating every kind of Godawful Hel acious monster that walks on this earth.† â€Å"And vampires, too,†Elena added hastily. She knew that Stefan was in a funny mood and she definitely didn't want to see Matt, for whom she stil cared deeply, lying on the floor with a crushed skul . â€Å"And even humans – I think these bigger spikes are for injecting poison.† â€Å"Poison?†Matt looked at his own palms hastily. â€Å"You're okay,†Elena said. â€Å"I checked you, and besides it would be a very quick-acting poison.† â€Å"Yes, they would want to take you out of the fight as fast as possible,†Stefan said. â€Å"So if you're alive now, you're likely to stay that way. And now, this Godawful Hel acious monster just wants to get back up to bed.†He turned to go to the attic. He must have heard Elena's swift, involuntarily indrawn breath, because he turned around and she could see that he was sorry. His eyes were dark emerald, sad but blazing with unused Power. I think we'l have a late morning, Elena thought, feeling pleasurable thril s ripple through her. She squeezed Stefan's hand, and felt him return the pressure. She could see what he had in mind; they were close enough and he was projecting pretty clearly what he wanted – and she was as eager to get upstairs as he was. But at that moment Matt, eyes on the wickedly spiked staff, said, â€Å"Meredith has something to do with that?† â€Å"I should never have said anything at al about it,†Stefan replied. â€Å"But if you want to know more, you'd real y better ask Meredith herself. Tomorrow.† â€Å"Al right,†Matt said, final y seeming to understand. Elena was way ahead of him. A weapon like that was – could only be – for kil ing al sorts of monsters walking the earth. And Meredith – Meredith who was as slim and athletic as a bal erina with a black belt, and oh! Those lessons! The lessons that Meredith had always put off if the girls were doing something at that exact moment, but that she always somehow managed to make time for. But a girl could hardly be expected to carry a harpsichord around with her and nobody else had one. Besides, Meredith had said she hated to play, so her BFFs had let it go at that. It was al part of the Meredith mystique. And riding lessons? Elena would bet some of them were genuine. Meredith would want to know how to make a quick escape mounting anything available. But if Meredith wasn't practicing for a little light music in the drawing room, or for starring in a Hol ywood Western – then what would she have been doing? Training, Elena guessed. There were a lot of dojos out there, and if Meredith had been doing this since that vampire attacked her grandfather she must be pretty darn good. And when we've fought grisly things, whose eyes have ever been on her, a soft gray shadow that kept out of the limelight? A lot of monsters probably got knocked out but good. The only question that needed to be answered was why Meredith hadn't shown them the Godawful Hel acious monster staker or used it in any fights – say against Klaus – until now. And Elena didn't know, but she could ask Meredith herself. Tomorrow, when Meredith was up. But she trusted that it had some simple answer. Elena tried to stifle a yawn in a ladylike way. Stefan? she asked. Can you get us out of here – without picking me up – and to your room? â€Å"I think we've al had enough stress this morning,†Stefan said in his own gentle voice. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers, Meredith is in the first-floor bedroom – she'l probably sleep very late. Matt – â€Å" â€Å"I know, I know. I don't know where the schedule went but I might as well make it my night.†Matt presented an arm to Stefan. Stefan looked surprised. Darling, you can never have too much blood, Elena thought to him, seriously and straightforwardly. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers and I wil be in the kitchen,†she said aloud. When they were there, Mrs. Flowers said, â€Å"Don't forget to thank Stefan for defending the boardinghouse for me.† â€Å"He did it because it's our home,†Elena said, and went back into the hal , where Stefan was thanking a flushing Matt. And then Mrs. Flowers cal ed Matt into the kitchen and Elena found herself swooped up in lithe, hard arms and then they were gaining altitude rapidly, with the wood staircase emitting little creaks and groans of protest. And final y they were in Stefan's room and Elena was in Stefan's arms. There was no better place to be, or anything else either of them real y wanted now, Elena thought and turned her face up as Stefan turned his down and they began with a long slow kiss. And then the kiss went molten, and Elena had to cling to Stefan, who was already holding her with arms that could have cracked granite, but only squeezed her exactly as tightly as she wanted them to.

Case Study: Anxiety

Instructions: Read the following case study about a woman, Allison, who is suffering from anxiety. After you have read the case study, diagnose Allison and present some methods of treatment by answering the questions. Presenting Complaint Allison, a 33-year-old white woman, knew that it was finally time for her to seek psychological services. She had always been an anxious person and, for years, had managed to keep it under control. But, this time she felt as though she was fighting a losing battle and worried that it was going to result in her being fired from her job. Allison worked as a flight attendant for a major airline and loved interacting with the passengers. She was particularly proud of her extensive knowledge of aircraft safety regulations and had confidence in her ability to properly manage a crisis situation should it arise. However, over the past year she had missed a significant amount of work because of her extreme anxiety about flying and staying in hotels in different cities. She had wanted to believe that her worry about her career was justified, but she knew deep down that she worried about everything, not just work. She worried about other things that most people would see as trivial: whether she would be caught in the rain without an umbrella, if she was going to remember to pay her bills on time, or if the bus she was riding would break down and leave her stranded. Allison recalled that she noticed a change in her thinking after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. She repeatedly thought, â€Å"That could have been me in that plane. What would I have done? This is just one more sign that the world has become a very dangerous place. Allison finds that she can’t relax on her days off because she spends the entire time worrying about taking her next flight. â€Å"I worry all the time—about everything. She worries that she will miss the bus to the airport and be late for work. She worried that she will have a panic attack on the airplane and the pilots will have to make an emergency landing. She also worries about the hotel that she is scheduled to stay in and whether or no t they will still have her reservation when she arrives. Furthermore, Allison worries about the danger of being out at night in a strange town. She explains, â€Å"It’s just not safe for a single woman to be out at night. Some cities have a high rate of crime and are extremely dangerous. † Allison finds that she worries about all of these things simultaneously, which leaves her exhausted and overwhelmed. However, when she tries to sleep, she cannot shut her mind off. She lays awake for hours thinking about all of the things that could happen. Therefore, Allison is often sleep deprived which leaves her stressed, tense, and irritable. Allison has experienced a few panic attacks in her life, but has not had a panic attack in more than two years. But she still carries Xanax with her everywhere she goes, just in case she needs it. Ever since she was 7 years old, she has worried about random issues. Allison remembers walking through her house at 7 years old, checking on all of the appliances to make sure that they were all unplugged before everyone fell asleep in fear that a fire would break out and burn the house down. Allison was also worried as a 3rd grader about her mother dying any day from cancer, since her mother was a smoker. When Allison was 16, she had great difficulty with learning how to drive in fear that she would be involved in a car accident. Indeed, Allison was involved in 2 car accidents, none of which were her fault. Regardless, Allison quit driving and has taken public transportation ever since. Allison has had difficulty with seeking treatment because she is afraid to give up her worrying. She believes that some of her anxiety has been helpful because it has kept her safe. And by worrying, Allison believes that is able to help prevent the negative event from occurring. For example, because of Allison’s worrying, her mother quit smoking and is cancer-free today. In fact, Allison is considering removing herself from treatment because she is afraid that the psychologist will tell her that she has a serious problem that is beyond help. If she cannot get help, then what will she do? Social and Family History Allison is the youngest of 6 children, 4 of which are boys. She was raised by both parents and considers herself the â€Å"black sheep† of the family. Allison felt very different from her brothers because of gender and the way that they treated her with a paternalistic manner. Allison felt inadequate around her sister, who seemed to be successful in everything she did. Allison feels like her sister looks down on Allison because of the anxiety. Allison’s father never understood her, either. He was very distant and did not seem to want much to do with the children. He worked long hours and spent much time taking Allison’s mother on long errands since Allison’s mother was afraid to go out alone. Allison tried really hard to do well in school to get her father’s attention, but it never seemed to be quite enough. Allison often had to rely on her older siblings to take care of her since their mother was always â€Å"sick†. Her mother rarely left the house and would spend hours locked in her room. Allison thought that her mother suffered from agoraphobia and remembers conversations with her mother about how dangerous the world is. Because of her mother’s beliefs about the dangerousness of the world, Allison was not allowed to play outside with friends unless a parent was supervising at all times. Therefore, Allison did not make many friends. Instead, she played in the neighbor’s garden since her mother could see Allison from the window. One day, Allison’s neighbor, Jack, was helping Allison in the garden and offered her some cookies and milk. Allison had to go inside with Jack to get the cookies and milk, but she thought that it would not be a problem since mom was right next door. Once inside Jack’s home, he sexually abused Allison. She never told anyone since she believed it was her fault for going inside and not staying in her mother’s line of sight. Allison has been unable to stay in a long-term relationship. Just after Allison moved away from her home town for the first time in her life, her boyfriend broke up with her. He was supposed to move in with Allison, but a week after Allison bought a home and moved her belongings in, he ended the relationship. That was the last time Allison had a severe panic attack. She was hospitalized and has been terrified of living alone ever since. Diagnosis Refer to the DSM-IV-TR checklist for generalized anxiety disorder. Which of Allison’s symptoms meet the diagnostic criteria? Be sure to match specific symptoms with specific criteria. * Based on your review of Allison’s symptoms and the diagnostic criteria, could Allison be diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder or would she be better diagnosed with a phobia or obsessive –compulsive disorder*? Does Allison appear to have a comorbid* panic disorder? Refer to the diagnostic criteria for panic disorder with agoraphobia and determine if she warrants this diagnosis, too. *How would the sociocultural* perspective explain Allison’s generalized anxiety disorder? How would the current** psychodynamic perspective explain Allison’s generalized anxiety disorder? How would the cognitive perspective explain Allisonâ€⠄¢s generalized anxiety disorder? What are the second-generation cognitive explanations for generalized anxiety disorder and how do the activities associated with each theory serve to maintain the worry? Describe a biological explanation for why Allison developed generalized anxiety disorder. Treatment Which theoretical perspectives offer treatments for generalized anxiety disorder that have been more than modestly **supported by the research literature? Discuss the cognitive therapy technique of focusing on worry**. What are some of the nondrug biological treatments used to treat generalized anxiety disorder ?

Smythson of Bond Street Brand Positioning

Smythson of Bond Street is a British luxury leather goods and personalized stationery brand. It is a synonym of exclusivity, discreet good taste, elegance, and British heritage. It was founded in 1887 in London and ever since, the brand has received clients such as the Queen Victoria, the Royal Family, Grace Kelly, and Madonna. Besides that, Smythson is positioned as the â€Å"British Hermes† according to its current CEO Andy Janowski; whom along with the new Design Director Rory O’ Honlon wants to consolidate the brand as an â€Å"iconic British luxury leather goods brand†.They want to raise their global awareness and the brand’s image by highlighting Smythson’s expression of contemporary classicism, its 125 year heritage, and unique craftsmanship. Smythson offers a variety of luxury leather goods such as handbags, clutches, wallets, travel accessories, books and diaries, home accessories, covers for high-tech tools, and high-end stationery; all pr oducts with minimalist designs that fit Smythson’s aesthetics.Plus, customers customizing and engraving options go from gold stamped initials to personalized motifs and monograms. Furthermore, the brand appeals to high-end customers both men and women looking for exclusive, high quality, detailed leather accessories, who value first class stationery and paper goods. On the other hand, possible competitors for Smythson are Luxury brands such as Burberry and Gucci. First, Burberry is also a British luxury brand that wants to penetrate the market by highlighting their British Heritage.Unlike Smythson, Burberry has a ready-to-wear line and it does not carry stationery goods. Second, another competitor could be the Italian brand Gucci, because it also sells luxury leather goods but the brand images are different. Gucci appeals more to customers looking for sexy, glamorous, and extravagant goods, while Smythson is targeted towards a more conservative, classic, yet fashionable custo mer.

Close reading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Close reading - Essay Example He not only physically describes the woman but also creates a contrast between her early privileged life and her life as a servant now. He uses strong heavy words in describing her past, words like castle, robes, princess and many more that create a lasting impression of the luxurious life the women had before. These words create a very powerful and impactful picture in the reader’s mind. ‘I have not always been blear–eyed.’ He starts off with this sentence which appeals to the reader. This sentence creates a mystery for the reader as automatically the reader gets interested in the idea of what that woman must have been before the present story line. The reader would inevitably be forced to read ahead and find out what the woman’s past holds, indeed. Also in choosing the title of the chapter the author has hidden a mystery which makes the reader continue. He uses a sarcastic humorous tone in comparing her clothes and home to the living of German baro ns when he states that the woman’s robe alone could have bought half the province of Westphalia. Voltaire pays a lot of attention to the description of things in the book in general, in this paragraph in particular he is describing the younger version of the woman, and he looks closely at the changes that show in a woman when she becomes older. He not only highlights her character by using words like ‘wisdom’ and her ‘graceful accomplishments’, but also goes on commenting on her physical changes when he talks about her breasts, eyebrows and eyes, creates an image by using very simple words but such that would clearly paint a picture of that woman in the reader’s eyes. He uses metaphors to make the description feel real, ‘her eyebrows as black as jet’. Using metaphors makes it easier for the reader to relate to the portrayal of a character. Voltaire uses very bold words in the depiction of the image of that woman, ‘as for my eyes, they darted flames and eclipsed the lustre of the Stars’. Other than describing the woman with words and metaphors he adds in the story testimony of other characters in the story which further proves his depiction of the character. It is a unique and different yet effective way of portraying a character. Looking at the writing style of author in these paragraphs it can be seen that he is not just describing the character for its image but is also moving the story ahead in that description, and how he moves from the present of the character to her past, and in her past from the age of fourteen to the age where she was all ready to marry. In describing the ceremony of the nuptials he manages to capture the royalty of the family she belonged to by using a word like ‘magnificence’. Voltaire often uses direct dialogues in continuing the story making it feel like a film to the reader. Other than using direct dialogues he also uses the feeling of the character lik e ‘I loved him, too, as our sex generally for the first time, with rapture, transport, and idolatry’ which makes it easier for the reader to understand and connect with the characters. Although the author is describing everything in detail painting a vivid picture of that woman and her past he still manages to keep it all very concise and to the point without dragging it, which keeps the reader involved. The coherent link between the description and the story line makes it easier for the reader to follow and keep up with the extensive description. In all the