Tourism Operation Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Tourism Operation Management - Essay Example An attempt has been made in this paper to investigate two key challenges relating to management and operations - capacity building, and quality of services - and to make suitable recommendations concerning the possible measures to overcome these challenges. Tourism has emerged as a major business activity world wide. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) reported that tourism operations generated revenues totalling US$4421 billion in the year 2002. According to the Council's estimated projections, tourism business will grow to over US$8614 billion by the year 2012, registered an annual growth rate of 4.5% in global demand (Page, 2003, p. 2). The Council also reported that tourism accounted for almost 8% of employment worldwide, which translates to one in 13 jobs. In the year 2002, tourism-related jobs totalled a whopping 198 098 000 jobs, and according to Page (2003), this is expected to touch the magical figure of 249 486 000 by the year 2012. Stephen Page (2003) noted: "The late twentieth century and the new millennium have witnessed the continued growth of interest in how people spend their leisure and non-work time." Leisure pursuits and holiday tours are increasingly becoming a major non-work activity for millions of people across the globe. This growing interest to travel and holiday has now come to be recognised as a truly international phenomenon, or 'tourism' that motivates people to use their leisure time to visit different localities, landmarks, places and destinations across the globe. Added to this is the growing demand for tours and travels relating to specialized events, such as seasonal pilgrimages to holy sites and shrines. Among the latter, Mecca stands out as perhaps the single biggest spot the world over in terms of the number of tourists and pilgrims that flock to this holy city. Growing Profile of Global Tourism There has been a phenomenal growth in the demand for air travel since the 1960s. According to Page (2003, p. 144), the global airline industry carried 1600 million passengers (many of them tourists) to and from 10,000 airports, with 18,000 aircraft in the skies in the year 1998. Air traffic demand in Europe alone stood at 541 million passengers, and is expected to touch the 1101 million figure by the year 2015. With steadily increasing demand, several carriers and tour operators have even commissioned their own charter planes to woo tourists and to boost their tourism business. Boeing even evolved a hub-and-spokes services facility with point-to-point flight services. According to estimates, Hajj pilgrims to Mecca alone totalled the one million mark every year (2003). Among several reasons for this stupendous growth in tourism operations, the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), a lobby group in the aviation sector, cited mainly five factors (2003, p. 3): A major downslide in the real cost of a travel Increasing activities in international trade and economic deals that call for frequent

The Handsomest Drowned Man Essay Example for Free

The Handsomest Drowned Man Essay The story begins with several children playing on the beach. That pretty much suffices for They see an abnormal looking bulge in the ocean. They try and guess anything that it might be until it washes up shore and they realize it’s a drowned man. The children, being children, start to play with the body until an adult spots the new toy and lets the rest of the village know. The men of the town carry the body to the nearest house and talk about how heavy he is. Since the body was in the ocean for so long, they figured it was the water that went to his bones. In their small fishing community, there is such little space around that dead bodies are not buried, but thrown over the cliffs and into the ocean. Since the village is so small, the men look around to see that none of them are missing, and automatically know that the dead man is a stranger. That night, the men of the village go around to other towns to seek a better idea of where he might’ve come from. The women stay behind to clean the ocean’s waste off the body. As they clean him off, the women notice that he comes from somewhere far away because the junk that they clean off isn’t a part of anything around their part of the world. When the drowned man is finally cleaned off, the women are left in awe because he is the biggest and tallest and most proud looking man they have ever seen. Hes so big that the women can’t find a bed big enough for him. They can’t find any clothes to fit him, so the women, sewed clothes for him from a sail. While they work on his clothing, the women feel like everything has changed because of their discovery. They start to compare the dead man to their husbands in such a way that made their husbands seem like the worst choice they’ve ever made. The oldest woman in the group of women looks down at the drowned man and says he has the face of someone named Esteban. All of the other women agree right away. Later on after midnight, while the women watch the body being dragged along the ground, they start feeling pity for the drowned man because of his massive size which must have been a burden for him. They thought about his life; and how he would have probably had trouble going through doorways, hitting his head on crossbeams, and not being able to find a chair sturdy enough to seat him. When the men come back and announce that none of the nearby villages can claim the dead body, the women get hyped up about the idea that he is now theirs. The men think their women are being ridiculous and just want to get this burial done as fast as possible. They make a type of stretcher to carry him to the cliffs. While the men rush to get the task done, the women try to waste time by covering the dead body up with other little items. The men complain the entire time until the handkerchief uncovers the dead man’s face and they all stand there in awe about how handsome he is and know that he is â€Å"Esteban†. They thought the same thing about the man and how he must have had such a hard time moving his massive body around and how burden he was causing the villagers. So the villagers make a formal funeral. They go to villages around them to get flowers, and they choose for him honorary family members from their village, The women mourn so loud it steers the sailors off course. As they carry his body to the cliff, the women are aware for the first time that everything they know doesn’t compare to the beauty of their drowned man. When they finally let the body go off the cliff, they don’t anchor it, so that he can come back if he wishes. The villagers realize that everything will be different from now on. They will make the best of their village and make it progress by building houses bigger and better, paint them bright colors, and plant flowers on their cliffs so that future sailor’s going by will see and smell them, and they will know that it’s â€Å"Esteban’s Village†.

Essay --

Clarence Mai Mrs. Chaid ERWC 12 February, 2014 Peace Through Strength No matter how oxymoronic it seems, I strongly agree with the phrase â€Å"The only way to prepare for peace is to be prepared for war.†I feel that this relates back to the adage that â€Å"the best defense is a good offense†. For me, I view the Cold War as proof that the weapons of war can also be used as instruments of peace. To start off, one of the key ideas behind the tense, yet somewhat stable peace between the Soviet Union and United States during the second half of the 20th century was the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction, or MAD. As both of the world’s superpowers attempted to outstrip each other in a nuclear arms race, it grew increasingly apparent that should one nation attempt to strike the other or its allies with nuclear weapons, the consequences from the secondary strike would cause an unacceptable loss of life and likely the extinction of the human race. Consider the Cuban Missile Crisis, for instance. There were multiple times where all out nuclear war between the East and the West ca...

Describe Scene Essay

Cameran Highlands is accessible by road. Cameran Highlands is about a 3 hours drive either from KL or Penang Its strategic location makes it a favourite weekened escape for cityfolk/ city-dwellers from all over the coutry. It is a popular haunt for both local and foreign tourists to let their hair down. For those who are faint-heated the ride along the steep, narrow roads can be quite an unnerving experience as there are numerous hairpin bends along the route from Simpang Pulai. After about a three-hour ride in Dad’s Pajero, we finally reached Kampung Raja. We could feel the goose-pimples on our arms. We had to put on our jackets to keep ourselves warm. Standing about 1400 metres above sea level, this hill resort is certainly an ideal retreat for city dwellers like us who long to get away from scorching tropical heat. Besides, its high altitude together with its invigorating coolness will leave a person refreshed and is the ideal place for the rat-race and the hustle and bustl e of city life. Read Also:Â  Descriptive Essay Rubric On our journey to Tanah Rata, we stopped at a scenic lake. Although the chilly weather and freezing water will make us to think twice about whether or not to don our swimming wear, we can enjoy the solitude of nature with only the swish swashing of the gurgling water to disturd us. Thus, in spite of the cold weather, my little sister, my brother and I could not resist the urge to jump into the water and splash around. Hardly a minute in the ice cold water and we were out again, teeth chattering. At Tanah rata, we checked into a motel. As soon as we had dumped our luggage in our rooms, we went out again. The street in which our motel was situated had a fine vista of a sprawling town against a backdrop of lush greenery. At that moment , We felt ravenously hungry, Hence, we settled for a sumptuous meal of nasi kandar. Undeniably, the number of eateries that have sprung up is indeed alarming. Satiated, we turned in for the night. We put on the appropriate gear and headed for Gunung Beremban for an hour of jungle-trekking. Hikers will certainly enjoy traversing the jungle paths, for they are well-maintained and easy to follow. If you find the jungle trails a little monotonous, the blossoms of brightly coloured wild flowers along the way will provide an interesting diversion. My mother, who is extremely afraid of heights, was soon down on all fours, not daring to look down and yelling at the top of her voice. It was such a rib-tickling sight. Our next destination was a tea plantation.

Chick-Fil-A

Chick-Fil-A is a fast food restaurant based off a religious based principle. Truett Cathy the founder of the company always put his religious beliefs ahead of all things. All Chick-Fil-A's are closed on Sundays so that the employees of the company can attend church (Chick-Fil-A). Truett Cathy opened his own Diner at the age of 25. Truett and his brother Ben opened up the Dwarf Grill in Hapeville, Georgia, a suburban area in Atlanta Georgia, in 1946, after Truett Cathy was discharged from the U.S. Army. The two brothers wanted to build the fast food restaurant near a striving company, which was a Ford Auto plant. Hoping that hungry employees would come and buy, and it worked. Truett and Ben noticed when they were serving the customers, they were taking rolls and chicken, turning them into a sandwich. Giving them and ideal for the concept of Chick-Fil-A. Tragedy Truett's brother Ben and another brother were killed in a plan crash but Truett continued to run the Dwarf House which before was the Dwarf Grill. The Dwarf Grill soon became a franchised throughout the Atlanta area (The balance small business). A Chick-Fil-A manager in Texas decided to post a list of banned words and phrases on Reddit. That list of words went viral. Chick-Fil-A has not responded to that list of banned words yet. Eric the manager at the Texas Chick-Fil-A listed the unacceptable slang workplace phrase because he believes in the command: â€Å"You will speak properly when you walk through these doors† (Suhay). The list of words included: â€Å"cuz,† â€Å"Bae,† â€Å"Bruh,† and other urban terms. Also, on that list was the word â€Å"Ebola† because some of the employees have accused people in the establishment of having the deadly disease while working (Suhay). Gottsman suggest that, â€Å"Slang and business really do not go hand-in-hand† (Suhay). Gottsman, who coaches major corporations and university students made a rare appearance to help a group of teenagers learn proper businesses and interview protocols in preparation for college and scholarship interviews. (Suhay). Gottsman says,† It shouldn't matter that this is a fast food establishment. Employees should be ambassadors of the company they work for† (Suhay). Organization behaviors impacts the success of the company. A company that have motivated, engaged employees with clear goals that aligned with the company's strategy, creates a successful company. Organization behavior can help a company perform well (Managing People and Organizations 8). It is important when working in an establishment, speaking well and clearly to the customers possess as good communication skills. Communication allows us to form connection. Influence decisions and motivate change. Decisions that the leaders make tend to help mold the culture of the company. Making the wrong decisions can have a great impact on the business or organization. Leaders have a responsibility to make the right decisions for everyone involved. Truett created a successful business at Chick-Fil-A's because of a highly effective business model. He created something bigger than himself based on his leadership style. â€Å"They've experienced a more than 10% sales increase almost every year since launching in 1946. Franchisees retention rate has been 96% for nearly 50 years, while the corporate staff retention rate has hovered at 95-97% over the same time period† (Forbes Magazine). Letting your employees know that you are there for them is team building practice. Chick-Fil-A believes that all business leaders can introduce growth and development for their own companies. The company encourages its staff to develop different programs; plans and support them by providing budget necessary class, books, training and conferences to help with team building within the company. Chick-Fil-A is one of the largest privately-owned restaurant chains with 1,450 restaurants in 38 states, with its charitable sponsor of religious and community groups world wide (Vivian). Building trust, mitigating conflicts, encouraging the communities and increasing collaboration is what Chick-Fil-A does. Every single Chick-Fil-A is closed on Sundays; Truett Cathy says, â€Å"Our decision to close on Sundays was a way of honoring God and directing attention [on] things [that are more] important than [the] business† (Vivian). Spending time with family and having time to recover from a hard week of work; helps the moral of the employees to have a common goal, allowing bonding to happen more organically and far more effectively for the company. The successful chain has used it success to commit to education. Earning $25 million dollars in Leadership Scholarships, the company has allocated $1.4 million of that to be awarded to its team members of the fast food chain (Vivian). Team building expands not only to the employee but the customers too. Cow Appreciation Day is a day costumer get to dress up like a cow and receive a free chicken sandwich. The appreciation day is to show their thanks to the loyalty of the customer's. Because of the team building this company haves not only for their employees but for the customers; they have a large and growing base of Chick-Fil-A fans around the world (Vivian). Process gain plays an important role in team building it is part of the performance improvement. That is when people work together and not independent (Management People and Organization 268). Chick-Fil-A is always trying new things with their staff that can generate good vibes among the employees, which benefits the business. Team togetherness builds results for the business long term. Socializing and making friends in the workplace is a great way to increase productivity in the company. Its increases morale in the workplace and a better way of solving everyday workplace issues. When a business provides team building activities together, employees have a better understanding of others weakness, strengths and interest.This helps with better understanding to work together on future progress, which is vital to the company. Chick-Fil-A has build Social Facilitation, this happens when the employees and staff are motivated to look and feel good to others and maintain a positive image (Management People and Organization 269). Chick-Fil-A has established team efficacy, it shares beliefs that can be organized and execute the behaviors in it company (Management People and Organization 269). Improving productivity can be a difficult thing to do in a business. You can not always tell which solutions are right for the company. Trying solutions one at a time can be time consuming and expensive. The best approach is to take steps that are necessary to get your staff and employees on board. One approach Chick-Fil-A will plan to try and that is broaden their appeal to the Millennial market. The Millennials will broaden Chick-Fil-A's national and, ultimately, international growth plans (Horovitz). Chick-Fil-A also plans to replace all of it's current salads and replacing them with an entirely new salad, focusing on fresh ingredients (Horovitz). The company will introduce new wraps and post calorie counts on new menu boards (Horovitz).  This fast food restaurant knows that it needs to be able to look at what is working well and where there is room for improvement. The workers of a business are the ones who are immersed in the production processes on a daily basis, so empowering them on developing ideals for improvement for the company, is always a great thing to do. Workers who feel empowered are more likely to demonstrate increased productivity. Chick-Fil-A has exceptional service, quick service and cleanliness because of the hard workers. Many of the franchisees offer training classes for their employees to earn certificates in managing food, labor cost managing conflicts in restaurants and other areas of expertise with in the company.

Taught To Teach Professor Ramos Blog

Taught To Teach Growing up as a middle child in a large family there was always something to do. Playing hide and seek with my younger siblings or getting dressed up with my older sister. But through all the fun there were also chores that needed to be done. With such a large family we needed to help each other so that Mom would not pull her hair out and ground us all. My big sister Kayla was left in charge and she looked to me for help or how I looked at it as bossing me around. She was the foreman on the construction site and I was just a grunt. As she sat on the couch giving me orders I thought to myself , â€Å" Someone should give her a bell.† I had to help my sisters and brothers get ready in the morning like a mother duck and her ducklings by making breakfast, making sure that they were fed, that their teeth were brushed. My job was to make sure they were ready for school and that I was as well. These moments, good and bad taught me to care for young children. These beginning tools set me on my way to become a teacher. As I continued through school and began to reach the end, the big important question of â€Å"What are you going to be ?† came up . Just like in kindergarten when the teacher asked if you wanted to be a police officer or a firefighter. There where so many options to choose from.The school passed out a test which would determine what you should be. This test gave you different options to choose from that your skills would match up well with. But so many questions and doubts ran through my head. â€Å" Am I going to be good at that?† Or â€Å" Will I be happy with my job choice?† My test results were in! They told me I should become an aero mechanic or a teacher. I left that day with so many thoughts, until I realized I was no good at math so aero mechanic would be out of the question. Teaching sounded like the best possibility especially with all the training I had acquired from my home life. With my new found knowledge of what I might be good at , I entered the mountain scholar program, which taught me how to manage money and how to properly dress for a job interview. This program would give me the skills to apply for my first real job as a teacher. Our advisor Mr Kevin who was a large man with a jolly laugh, kind of looked like a Santa wanna be, sat with a group of teenagers and asked us â€Å" What do you want be ?† Once again I was being asked this question. And without thinking I gave him a piece of my mind . â€Å" Hell if I know!† I responded. He went on to give me the big speech about you can be anything you want to be as long as you put your mind to it. But this made me think â€Å" I was great with children and with some schooling I could be a teacher.† After a long search I found an opening at the local Boys and Girls Club. I applied and was accepted! Mrs. Beckey, an old skinny woman was my boss and would show me around the center. About thirty kids from the local elementary school attended this after school program. I was told to manage the children and keep them on schedule, this meant I was to play and interact with the students while keeping everything running smoothly. â€Å" Easy !† I thought. I had done this millions of times while getting my siblings ready for school. However it was not at all what I expected . My day consisted of Johnny hitting Sara and Rachel wetting her pants. Oh yea she’s hungry too! Let’s just say the day did not go as planned and I left feeling a little low about myself. However on the worst first day of my young adult life I learned some valuable information. I learned not to allow myself to become overwhelmed, you need to step back once in a while and collect yourself. Also I realized that I needed to pay more attention to the students body language and social behavior. For example if I had noticed Rachel doing the potty dance in the corner I could have sent her to the restroom. Second, if I saw Johnny teasing Sara for losing a game of tetherball, it would have never escalated to hitting. Through one of the most difficult days of my job career I learned many valuable tools that I have taken with me throughout my career. A couple of years down the road I found myself at Kids Corner preschool as a teachers assistant. This is where I learned how the classroom processed. I was encouraged to enroll into college classes for my certification in early childhood education. Through these classes I have come to understand how a young child develops socially and cognitive. But the most valuable knowledge I have encountered was from being hands on in the classroom setting. Being able to interact with my students and staff members has helped me understand that nothing can prepare you for what could happen while working with young child. However with the skills and knowledge I gained at the Boys and Girls Club and my own family I feel confident in my skills as a teacher.

Free Essays on A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol Written by: mr krabs â€Å"Humbug!† was Scrooge’s favorite answer to any question and any question was an inappropriate question to the grumpy old covetous man. Depicted in the ethical story, The Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, Scrooge’s fowling manner transformed his once passionate heart to a black hole, which pulled in all hope and happiness as if it were a powerful magnet. Nevertheless, the jar of hatred shattered and Scrooge’s impaired spirit rose again. Love and happiness permeated his body, and the once ignorant Scrooge developed into an irresistible congenial fellow that everyone now knew. Scrooge found that he had the ability to alter his behavior and realized that spreading Christmas was more rewarding than any given amount of money. Scrooge’s capability to transform himself from a wrenching, disgruntled man to a blithe, amicable friend was surprising to the inhabitants of the small city. For instance, Charles Dickens wrote, â€Å"Some people laughed to see the alteration in him [Scrooge], but he let them laugh, and little heeded them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (page 112). Scrooge didn’t mind the giggles and laughs directed at him because he believed in himself for the first time in a very long time. His confined spirit was freed at last and it allotted happiness and joy around from mysterious turkeys on the doorstep to charity donations. Scrooge sought to make the people of the city cheerful and in doing so, people enjoyed watching an old jolly man hop around delivering gifts. Thus, Scrooge did not heed to the snickers in the crowd. The joy of spreading Christmas was Scrooge’s indirect gift to mankind and it rewarded him with long-lasting friends, which could never compare to any wealth. For example, Charles Dickens wrote,† He [Scrooge] became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man as the good old City knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough in the good old world â€Å" (page 112). Thi... Free Essays on A Christmas Carol Free Essays on A Christmas Carol A Christmas Carol Written by: mr krabs â€Å"Humbug!† was Scrooge’s favorite answer to any question and any question was an inappropriate question to the grumpy old covetous man. Depicted in the ethical story, The Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, Scrooge’s fowling manner transformed his once passionate heart to a black hole, which pulled in all hope and happiness as if it were a powerful magnet. Nevertheless, the jar of hatred shattered and Scrooge’s impaired spirit rose again. Love and happiness permeated his body, and the once ignorant Scrooge developed into an irresistible congenial fellow that everyone now knew. Scrooge found that he had the ability to alter his behavior and realized that spreading Christmas was more rewarding than any given amount of money. Scrooge’s capability to transform himself from a wrenching, disgruntled man to a blithe, amicable friend was surprising to the inhabitants of the small city. For instance, Charles Dickens wrote, â€Å"Some people laughed to see the alteration in him [Scrooge], but he let them laugh, and little heeded them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (page 112). Scrooge didn’t mind the giggles and laughs directed at him because he believed in himself for the first time in a very long time. His confined spirit was freed at last and it allotted happiness and joy around from mysterious turkeys on the doorstep to charity donations. Scrooge sought to make the people of the city cheerful and in doing so, people enjoyed watching an old jolly man hop around delivering gifts. Thus, Scrooge did not heed to the snickers in the crowd. The joy of spreading Christmas was Scrooge’s indirect gift to mankind and it rewarded him with long-lasting friends, which could never compare to any wealth. For example, Charles Dickens wrote,† He [Scrooge] became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man as the good old City knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough in the good old world â€Å" (page 112). Thi...

Free sample - Neoclassicism To Minimalism. translation missing

Neoclassicism To Minimalism. Neoclassicism To MinimalismAn art movement is a style in art with explicit common philosophy which is adhered to by a group of artists during a restricted period of time or its heyday. Over the years, various art forms have been developed. Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Impressionism, Surrealism, cubism, Futurism, Post-Impressionism and Realism has been discussed here-in on a basis of characteristics, themes and examples of artwork. Neoclassicism was an art and style developed during the late 1700’s in the French revolution. It has various visual characteristics: It is solidly modeled using strong direct lights and darks to show form, the compositions are rational in that they are balanced and orderly, presence of strong acidic colors, there are no marks left by the artist since brush strokes are carefully controlled to hide individual strokes and it stresses virtues of classical civilizations of the Greeks and Romans such as discipline, athleticism, education, and moral principles, honesty and charity. Angular and sculptural shapes are normally assigned to males while soft and curvilinear forms depict women. Neoclassical themes are normally centered on classical stories heroic acts and virtues carried out by males who are depicted as gallant and stoic. Felinity in women, on the other hand, is depicted and confined to the domestic and private realm. Neoclassicism is therefore depicted as masculine whereby the male body depicts topical issues on politics, society and sexual attributes. The Neoclassic painting of the famous violinist Paganini by Ingres shows this form perfectly. (Brumfield, 1991) Romanticism was an art style during the mid 1800s that was a resultant of the revolt against Neoclassicism. The major characteristics of Romanticism are: It attempts to display ideal beauty through dramatic scenes, individual marks of the artist can be viewed, it is a form of art that is based on feelings basically of love rather than thoughts hence gets the viewer to experience strong emotions and it is based on an exotic subject matter. In its theme, it is normally based on atmospheric landscapes with a nostalgic depiction of the past especially the Gothic with a bias towards the primitive such as traditional folk culture, cult of individual heroic figures who are often revolutionaries in art or politics, mysticism, the cult of sensibility that emphasizes on women and children, passion for romance and a fascination with death. The romantic painting of Paganini by Turner attempts to show the feeling of his music through the emotional qualities of the man and physical traits of the c omposer. (Tekiner, 2000) Impressionism is an art movement or style that started in the mid 1800s in France. There are various characteristics of Impressionism such as: Asymmetrical balance whereby the plunging perspective, cropped forms   and art work compositions are balanced asymmetrically; use of pure color whereby pure, prismatic colors fresh from the new tin tubes unmixed on the palette are laid directly on the canvas; use of Impasto or thick paint applied in thick raised strokes   to create a roughened uneven texture; use of a high horizon line in order to create a plunging perspective; use of colored shadows and the use of broken color and broken brushstrokes. The theme expresses perceptions of nature by covering rural landscapes, maritime landscapes, pastoral landscapes, bucolic visions of nature and aquatic art. Neo-Impressionist paintings have gone further to entail urban scenes and joyous modern life in working class scenes. One of the famous pieces of art was Girl with a Hoop done by Pierre-A uguste Renoir in 1885. (Denvir, 1990) Surrealism is a form of art and a cultural movement that started in the 1920s which drew elements from both Cubism and Expressionism. Over the years, the members have produced great works in visual artworks and writings. There are various characteristics of this style which entail a blend of the depictive, the abstract, and the psychological. Some devices applied are levitation, changing of scale in an object, transparency and use of repetition in creating a typical art form. The juxtaposition of objects that would otherwise not be grouped together is also used in order to convey a certain message or show a metaphor.   Most artworks have simple titles that simply state the subject matter for easy comprehensibility. The major theme is the ability of love to overcome reason which has been widely depicted by the French surrealist Desnos’s in Deuil pour Deuil whereby the narrator is in a ruined desert city close to a river yet he insists on ‘us’. This illustrates a blind quest for love. Other themes covered are sexuality as depicted by Metamorphosis of Narcissus painted in 1937; artistic intention, chance and fatalism; relation between dream and reality and taboos. (Breton, 1924) The basics of cubism can be seen in another art movement such as pointillism and fauvism. Cubism is the art form entailing creation of abstract shapes in three dimension on a two dimensional surface.   Artists such as Pablo Picasso have popularized this art form. The artist's attempt to show several views on multiple planes of a particular subject is the most distinguishable feature. Cubist art forms are also shallow in depth and perception. It preserves a warped two-dimensional look via a presentation of subjects that are broken up along geometric planes. Analytic Cubist art applies monochromatic color scheme while synthetic cubism adopts multiple color schemes. The most popular theme is still life as depicted by the Still Life with Open Window painting by Rue Ravignan in 1915. This is a work of art that depicts inanimate subject content, commonplace objects such as flowers and manmade objects such as jewellery. Religious and allegorical symbolism is attached to the art. (Cooper, 1970) Futurism is an art form that emerged in Italy under the Italian poet, Filippo Marinetti . There are various essential characteristics of futurism such as it includes irregular, agitated lines communicating the movement’s energy and images being displayed as if in perpetual motion. Futurism is based on a theme of violence, war, anarchy, technology and speed based on an urban background which is conveyed through the artwork’s energy. Paintings and sculptures glorify life and the changes in technology that transforms objects.   Carr's Funeral of the Anarchist Galli displays police attacks and the riot aftermath in 1904 Italy. Broken panes and diagonals rendered energetically distinguish this art form. (Conversi, 2009)Post-Impressionism is a resultant art form as a widely felt reaction against impressionism. These paintings apply the bright Impressionist palette but create art in a formalized order and structure. Paint application technique applied enables the viewer to s ee the image from multiple angles. In the art work, one can easily see brushstrokes, the style used and the personal experience of the painter over fidelity, multiple viewing angles and the personal expressiveness of the painter. Paintings are based on realistic scenes of modern life which are displayed by visual effects rather than inclusion of details. This is particularly the case in Alfred Sisley’s 1872 painting Bridge at Villeneuve-la-Garenne. (Rewald, 1978) Realism is an art form that aims at faithfully representing reality and various aspects of actualities in life. It mainly represents the middle class without any prejudice, romance or idealism. It is characterized by a representation of reality in comprehensive detail with characters being of more importance than the action or plot. There is a complex relationship between characters, nature, social class and their past. The diction applied in the compositions is natural but poetic. This art form deals with ethical issues and choices in its themes. The socio-economic class conflict is addressed in these compositions as a major theme. The widening gaps between rich and poor are depicted by the characters used. Charles Dicken’s work on David Copperfield, the suffering of impoverished children who have to work in industries illustrates realism explicitly.   (Morris, 2003) References Breton. (1924). Manifesto of Surrealism. Pierre Reverdy . Brumfield, W. C. (1991). The Origins of Modernism in Russian Architecture. University of California Press. Conversi, D. (2009). Art, Nationalism and War: Political Futurism in Italy. Sociology Compass. Cooper, D. (1970). The Cubist Epoch. Phaidon Press Limited. Denvir, B. (1990). The Thames and Hudson Encyclopaedia of Impressionism. London: Thames and Hudson. Morris, P. (2003). Realism. Routledge. Rewald, J. (1978). Post-Impressionism: From Van Gogh to Gauguin. London : Secker Warburg. Tekiner, D. (2000). Modern Art and the Romantic Vision. University Press of America.

Louis i kahns phenomenah Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7000 words

Louis i kahns phenomenah - Essay Example But more than that, the buildings that are created become the living testimony of the coming together of men, of the institution of men. This whole manner of looking at the intricate connection of man, of buildings and of the institution of men is given to humanity by a man who himself changed the image, the very esse of architecture in the contemporary milieu – Louis I Kahn. The aim of this paper is to address one poignant question Why Louis I Kahn’s work is important in the history of architecture in particular and in the history of humanity in general? In order to answer this question, this paper will look into three factors that are integral into the analysis of the question. First part of the paper will be the presentation of Louis I Kahn as the man, the architect and the philosopher. Second, the paper will delve into some of his buildings which attest to the great legacy that Kahn has left humankind - Salk Institute, the National Assembly in Sher-e-bangla in Bangladesh and the Kimbell Art Museum. Third, drawing heavily from what have been elucidated in the first and second parts of this paper, the paper will present the answers to the main question of this paper. And as the task of answering the main query of this paper throws light to the gift and brilliance of Louis I Kahn, it is acknowledged that to be able to fully understand Louis I Kah n it â€Å"involves the rewriting of the history of architecture† 1 the paper holds that this simple exposition is minute in comparison to the greatness of Louis I Kahn the architect, the philosopher, the man. â€Å"Man is born with what to do but not how to do it; how to do it takes a long, long, long time.†2 Louis I Kahn said this statement in his 1966 Berkeley Lecture. This claim thrust the reader into the conception that Kahn’s notion of the human nature is anchored on the age old philosophical ideal that human nature is beaming with potentiality for action and that what determines

Sustainable Living and Sustainable Construction Essay

Sustainable Living and Sustainable Construction - Essay Example Consequently, the existing infrastructure, water supplies and transport systems are strained by the new housing. Therefore, there is very little difference between this housing scheme and the ones carried out in the past. For many years now, anti-road building lobbies have been arguing that governments should cease building new roads because this will just encourage more people to travel by car, resulting in increased harmful exhaust gas emission. â€Å"Governments are taking advantage of this lobbying to cut back on spending on roads leading to deterioration of the road network† (Bleischwitz, 29). Critics are also arguing that the same logic is not applied by the government to new housing because it results in the generation of new taxes. The government simply overlooks the fact that increased housing units lead to increased road traffic in the localities concerned. These practices are understandable since many authorities, institutions, and even individuals tend to focus on reducing costs while simultaneously maximizing benefits. Unfortunately, this is often undertaken at the expense of maximizing positive impact on the environment, and often leads to environmental degradation, and wastage of natural resources. Opponents of sustainable living and sustainable construction indeed have strong arguments against the suitability of this practice for conservation of the environment. However, they overlook many crucial factors regarding this issue which make their arguments irrelevant. First of all, sustainable living and construction can only achieve their aims when they are fully adopted and implemented. Partial adoption and implementation does not meet... The researcher of this essay states that despite the obvious benefits that sustainable living and sustainable construction, that was discussed in the essay and have positive impact on the lives of human beings and the environment in general, criticism has emerged from several quarters challenging the usefulness of these two practices. A number of well-known scholars in the field of sustainable development have raised concerns that sustainable growth is, in fact, an irreconcilable paradox, whose overall effects on the environment are largely harmful. Opponents of sustainable living and sustainable construction indeed have strong arguments against the suitability of this practice for conservation of the environment. The researcher also uses Stapleton neighborhood in Denver, Colorado as an example of a community built almost entirely using sustainable development. It occupies the site previously occupied by the Stapleton International Airport, and was built using recycled materials. The case of Stapleton serves as proof to critics of sustainable development that an initiative of such a large magnitude can be successfully initiated with 100% benefits, and no negative impacts. The planning stage should be given strong emphasis to ensure that all aspects of the project comply with sustainability standards. Sustainable living and construction has to be fully compliant with ‘green’ standards in order for it to achieve its aims of conserving energy, reducing waste and preventing pollution of the environment.

Civil Liability and Self-Defence Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Civil Liability and Self-Defence - Case Study Example On the basis of the attendant facts, it would appear on the surface that Alex committed a criminal act. Incidentally, this is not so in the case at bar. To prove a crime, two elements are required to be present. Firstly, there must be the external or criminal act, called actus reus in Latin. The second element is the malicious intent on the part of the actor, the Latin mens rea. In order to obtain a conviction, these two essential requisites must be established with proof beyond reasonable doubt.1 When Alex returned from her coffee break and found out Bill taking away a computer and trying to get another one, what was on her mind was that Bill, whom she does not know, was stealing the properties of her temporary employer, Pumps and Pipes, whose right or interest she would naturally try to protect. Indeed, Alex attempted to so do by hitting Bill in the stomach. Otherwise stated, there was no malicious intent or criminal design on her part to unjustifiably or unreasonably cause injury to Bill when she executed the assault. There was therefore no mens rea as there was no definite mind-set and clear objective to effect and perform a criminal act on the part of Alex against Bill and this is particularly true in the case at bar when she did not mean any harm more severe than what was only needed to avert what she believed was the illegal taking of the computers. The honest fear and apprehension of Alex were demonstrated by h... However, the question now is whether or not the act of defending and the extent of it were reasonable and justified. In the case of Ashley v Chief Constable of Sussex Police [2008] 2 W.L.R. 975, one issue which was resolved by the House of Lords was the question as to whether or not a defendant can claim self-defence when he had mistakenly albeit honestly perceived that it was necessary to defend himself against a clear danger even if the wrong belief was not reasonable.2 The decision in that suit enunciated that in a civil action for battery, as in the present situation, the burden of proof is on the defendant to convincingly show that not only was his belief honest but that it was reasonable. Under the circumstances, Alex does not qualify to put up self-defence as far as concerning the civil aspect. While she may be justified in assessing that Bill would commit an offence against the property right of her intermittent employer, the force or manner of defending that right did not ap pear reasonable. She could have just instead run away immediately, locked the doors and called out for assistance like what she did without unnecessarily hitting Bill. The events in the instant case find relevance in one not so old development. There had been moves to challenge and or to make clear the law on self defence. A farmer was adjudged to suffer the penalty of a life sentence following his alleged murder of a teen-aged intruder. No less than a police authority head rallied for a demand to put greater clarity in the law on self defence. It was charged that lawmakers must address this concern in order to give householders what real and specific right did they have

How Personal Can Ethics Get Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How Personal Can Ethics Get - Essay Example For this very reason, it has become matter-of-factly for executives to trade in what is moral for what is lucrative. Decision-making is an integral process of everyday life. In a nutshell, it governs everything that we do from the moment we gain consciousness everyday. We decide what time to wake up, what breakfast to eat, what clothes to wear, etc. The same goes in a business environment. Every decision that must be made affects the entire company. But more than this, it also affects the community and is not delineated to only those belonging to the company. When one looks at every decision process in this context, then greed shall not govern the action of corporate honchos that run businesses which in turn affects everyone’s lives. â€Å"There is a natural principle of benevolence in human beings which, to some extent, has the same relation to society that self-love has to the individual† (Borchart & Stewart, 1986). Culture, from the origin of the word itself means cu ltivate. It is an aspect which can be formed and molded according to the necessities of the time and the will of those forming it. It may be for the better or for the worse depending on the vision of the leader who oversees the group. The same goes for an organization and how it may develop its culture. When it is focused on short-term goals of profit generation without regard for the welfare of other people, and when this is done time and again, then it becomes a part of that company’s culture and its own identity. Once this happens it becomes difficult to break away from and willpower is necessary to steer it into its right track. But when an organization builds from within itself a culture of excellence with concern for other members of the community, then this emanates and the growth of the organization becomes evident as all members have the common goal and the common missions that they must adhere to. Whole Foods Market presents an example for a company that strives to change the perception of a business venture and make it an overall experience for its customers. Founded by John Mackey in 1980, the small company has grown into a large corporation with 170 stores. Driven by the idea to make grocery shopping a whole new experience, Mackey launched the company which incorporated a wide array of choices and interactive experience with its courteous and informed employees. Steve Demos of White Wave says, â€Å"Wall Street – that’s where the fun begins. They only measure one thing, the bottom line. My goal is to demonstate that the principle-based business model is more profitable than its counterpart, and when we do, Wall Street will chase us instead of the other way around† (Slocum & Hellriegel, 2007). Like Demos, Mackey ardently believes in not sticking by the rules laid out in Wall Street whhere big and fast profit is the name of the game. He argues that a steady growth directed at a long-term goal is the way to go rather than relying on quarterly figures to determine the next steps of the company. Whole Foods even went so far as to release a ‘Declaration of Interdependence’ affirming their motto: â€Å"Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet.† Corporate greed had always been regarded as an acceptable reality in our society. Big busineeses always had been denoted as having attained their status based on shady transactions and corporate manipulations that CEOs must

Comparison and contrast essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Comparison and contrast - Essay Example Comparatively, these cities offer great life experience but it is not very easy to choose one when it comes settlement. Both are distinguished by their weather, factors such as entertainment and housing. Weather is one big different issue between these two cities. Seattle and Houston have calm weather conditions in the months of April and May. Seattle at times records up to four feet of snow but this is very rare in Houston which can witness only about one centimeter of snow in 25 years. When it snows in Seattle, it is really terrible since it does not only stop after a few inches but can even last longer where building a snowman is never a problem. Seattle also records plenty of rainfall such that it has come to be commonly known as the Rainy City. It can also be noted that Seattle experiences Mother Nature’s storms called tornadoes, which are mixed with hail, high winds that rip houses apart and cause other trail of destruction to infrastructure. The temperatures in Houston are moderated by the influence of the Gulf of Mexico and this results in mild weather conditions and it does not experience rain storms. Houston has warm weather and humidity is high especially during th e summer. Houston often experiences hurricanes during every summer with the high winds and heavy rain fall that can cause power outage for days and even weeks at a time and this make life miserable without drinking water and air conditioning. The geographical location of these two cities is a major factor when it comes to entertainment and sporting activities. In Seattle for instance, there are different kinds of entertainment activities that Houston cannot offer. Seattle is a quieter and more relaxed city that offers European relaxed ambience. Seattle is known for wonderful snow skiing and ice skating. There are several state recognized tournaments where some of them even attract European competitors. Seattle also has very

Cross-cultural Opportunities and Conflicts in Canada Essay

Cross-cultural Opportunities and Conflicts in Canada - Essay Example Discussion a Who are the stakeholders? That is, identify the different groups of people whom are affected by choices in this instance. Also, include in your analysis how many different ways different groups of people are affected. Canada is among the nations that embrace cultural differences as a form of economic and cultural opportunity. In Canada, immigrants are always comfortable and majority has attained their personal goals. Globally, people should learn to understand, accept, regard and acknowledge cultural diversity. Most crucial, cultural difference is the foundation for the success of Canada. Most global organizations, immigrants, Canadian leaders and business entrepreneurs face an intensive challenge in managing diverse cultures, for instance, Occidental Petroleum Company in Canada. Canada’s growth opportunities occur in the developing markets, whereby the requirements are nearly infinite. Canada must venture in those marketplaces. Both European nations and N. Americ a are the main markets and therefore, competition may be challenging for companies in Canada to explore them further, (Tierney, 2007). Therefore, Canadian cultural diversity gives the country an extensive advantage to take part in developing global markets. This is because cultural diversity accords Canada all the competence that other powerful competitors have. ... or instance, Canadians are sensitive, respectful and dynamic; Canada cherishes unity in diversity, respects cultural diversity (diverse traditions and views) and people. This makes the country well considered when dealing with international business and gives Canada an opportunity to capitalize on different capacities. Individuals from diverse nations and origins have reinforced the economy of Canada. Immigrants from different countries are mainly hard workers who bring diverse talents, competences, expertise and skills to Canadian companies and markets, (Chalmers, 1996). They are principled people who promote the reputation of Canada and are beneficial to the nation. Since Canada gives equal opportunities for both Canadians and immigrants - or people from different ethnic backgrounds outside Canada – to attain their objectives and develop, Canada has an opportunity to develop technologically, economically, culturally and socially from different talents and skills of non- Cana dians. Cultural diversity adds value to Canadian companies, governments and cultures. Multiculturalism makes the country rich in that they participate and offer their skills, expertise and knowledge in international business. Similarly, the country can efficiently utilize ethnocultural aspects in the society of Canada to obtain a share of developing markets. This is because availability of diverse ethnic people is a critical mechanism for Canada. For instance, in Canadian delegation almost 25% of the business entrepreneurs are immigrants from Vietnam. These Vietnamese can well describe to Vietnam authorities the potential benefits that Canada can offer to Vietnam and the form of business connections to be created. Similarly, Vietnamese in Canada settlements can easily eliminate cultural gaps and

Comparison and contrast essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Comparison and contrast - Essay Example Comparatively, these cities offer great life experience but it is not very easy to choose one when it comes settlement. Both are distinguished by their weather, factors such as entertainment and housing. Weather is one big different issue between these two cities. Seattle and Houston have calm weather conditions in the months of April and May. Seattle at times records up to four feet of snow but this is very rare in Houston which can witness only about one centimeter of snow in 25 years. When it snows in Seattle, it is really terrible since it does not only stop after a few inches but can even last longer where building a snowman is never a problem. Seattle also records plenty of rainfall such that it has come to be commonly known as the Rainy City. It can also be noted that Seattle experiences Mother Nature’s storms called tornadoes, which are mixed with hail, high winds that rip houses apart and cause other trail of destruction to infrastructure. The temperatures in Houston are moderated by the influence of the Gulf of Mexico and this results in mild weather conditions and it does not experience rain storms. Houston has warm weather and humidity is high especially during th e summer. Houston often experiences hurricanes during every summer with the high winds and heavy rain fall that can cause power outage for days and even weeks at a time and this make life miserable without drinking water and air conditioning. The geographical location of these two cities is a major factor when it comes to entertainment and sporting activities. In Seattle for instance, there are different kinds of entertainment activities that Houston cannot offer. Seattle is a quieter and more relaxed city that offers European relaxed ambience. Seattle is known for wonderful snow skiing and ice skating. There are several state recognized tournaments where some of them even attract European competitors. Seattle also has very

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

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

The Indian laying Essay Example for Free

The Indian laying Essay This story introduces the theme of masculinity. Hemingway turns a typically female act, set in a female space into a male-dominated situation. Although this story is about childbirth, it focuses on the experience of the doctor rather than the woman. After the birth, Uncle George and Nicks father have a playful, exuberant camaraderie over the job well done. Another theme introduced is racism or sexism, Uncle George says damn squaw bitch to the Indian woman. Depending on how your interpret this remark, it could be racist or sexist, with the fact being we arent told. Another emphasis to racism is from Nicks father saying, I dont hear them (screams from woman) because they are not important. This remark could be argued is racist. Simply by adding these themes, Hemmingway has included a true-life prospective life and enhanced the interest of the story; otherwise without some themes this story could have been uninteresting. The language in the statements is quite abusive and downgrading. Although it could be argued they were not racist comments and just aggravated words from Uncle George perspective as he was bitten! In Nicks fathers view, we cant really tell if or not he is racist, as his words are not as downgrading as Uncle Georges. We can interpret his words to mean anything, for example it could mean he concentrates on the job, instead of being put off by the screams or it could mean, as she is a poor woman he doesnt simple care. After Nicks dad had finished his small operation he conversed a lot, using a simile He was feeling talkative as football players are in the dressing room after a game. . Then came Nicks interrogations of his experience he has had, Do ladies always have such a hard time having babies Why did he kill himself, daddy Do many men kill themselves, daddy Do many women where did uncle George go the father responds back minimally not many Nick Hardly ever Hell turn up alright. Childish language is present from Nick. The father could be uninterested in what Nick has to say or simply unable to answer Nicks questions and just tries to evade them, hence the short answers. The only violent situation in this story shows quite a gruesome image. The Indian laying with his face towards the wall. His throat had been cut from ear to ear. The blood had flowed down into a pool where his body sagged the bunk. His head rested on his left arm. The open razor lay, edge up, in the blankets. . The language and style is fairly simple, there is nothing complicated to read, the language is more like everyday words. It creates a bloody mental image with the paragraphs sharp words Throat Cut Blood Pool Razor, to mind it looks like a story for a movie. There was no build up to the situation; it is just the way that Uncle George found the Indian. The paragraph read out, is fast paced due to the varied action words above, lacking descriptive adjectives that could slow it down. The ending of the Indian Camp is a strange ending, In the early morning on the lake sitting in the stern of the boat with his father rowing, he felt quite sure that he would never die. Ernest Hemmingway creates a simple effect. I feel the ending has an element of ambiguity like this, to make the reader ponder and think about what Nick is trying to say. It leaves the reader pondering several interpretations in their mind. He could suggest he will never die, because his Father is with him who is a safe surgeon, or after viewing of what he saw of the operation, he felt safe if he had to go for an operation. The fact is we would never know, which keeps the beauty in the simple effect. Comparing the stories, they are two very different stories in terms of language, sentence structure, beginnings and endings. The language is completely different in terms of complexity with To Build a Fire far more complex than Indian Camp. The Sentence structure is far longer in To Build a Fire than The Indian Camp, the beginning and endings to say the least is different in its own way and the tone is different with the Indian Camp, being fast dues to its simple words and To Build a Fire, slower due to more complex words. Londons language contains similes and metaphors richer in description of places, people and events. Hemmingway pushes the action story to its limit. He takes it as far as he can by allowing the action to drive the story. Hence the ambiguity, as he cant explain the thoughts, feelings or beliefs, when he hasnt allowed himself that option from the start. In conclusion, the storywriters have completely different styles in terms of writing a story. The feature, similar in both books are both sets of characters enter a strange world, with the characters trying to adjust to their location, using any means possible. Desperation from the man to survive and desperation to keep Nick away from the shocking observations, loneliness in a place not many foreigners go to, inquisition to himself (the man) and from Nick and reservations from the man about not having a partner with him and reservations on Nick coming. The mere fact is, if this were not a foreign place, the individuals would not be as circumspect as they were then. Actions are the key features of both stories. Moreover the authors describe to us vividly a world that we will never experience. If the man thought of his action and went with a partner, would he be dead? If Nicks father did not bring Nick along, would Nick have been introduced to poverty, operations or suicide? This just proves that if you think hard before you act, all will be successful in which neither responsible characters did. The most comparable factor is the language, of the weather is mentioned. Indian Camp is dark and gloomy and To Build a Fire is exceedingly cold and grey. This truly outlines the writers intentions, to build a lonely approach on the basis of descriptive words.

Bush Essay -- essays research papers

George Bush is not content with the United States being the top dog. His snarling at one international accord after another besmirches the United States and makes the world a more dangerous place. When Bush nixed at the ABM treaty, the comprehensive test ban treaty, the biological weapons protocol, and the small-arms convention, he sent an unmistakable signal that the United States doesn't care about arms control. This will only encourage other nations to bolster their own arsenals, and the arms race will accelerate on every track. And when Bush led the United States out of the Kyoto accord on global warming, he turned Washington into a laughingstock, with 178 nations on one side and the United States on the other. By not requiring U.S. companies, which produce a huge chunk of the world's carbon dioxide, to curb their emissions, Bush showed a reckless disregard for the environmental health of the planet. Like many know-nothings, Bush believes the United States is better than any other country. They're foreigners; what do they know? So what if 178 nations disagree with us? We've got the Holy Grail. We're so different from all these other nations that our interests can't possibly coincide with theirs. After returning from Europe on his first trip, he bragged to Peggy Noonan, his dad's speechwriter, that he stood down more than twenty leaders (no matter they were our allies) so he could stand up for America. Bush also has Kissinger's phobia: the morbid fear that other countries will drag U.S. soldiers or statesmen to The Hague or elsewhere for prosecution. Belgium is already trying to get its hands on Kissinger, and Bush wants to make sure that Americans elude any court outside our borders. The one job Bush takes seriously is that of chief executive of the corporate class. Boeing, Lockheed, and Philip Morris want to be able ply their wares without interference from any international body, so Bush undercuts those bodies at every opportunity. The World Health Organization, for instance, is trying to get countries to sign on to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which would, among other things, limit advertising, raise cigarette taxes, eliminate subsidies, and consider the possibility of expanding the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice so that tobacco companies could be tried for crimes against humanity. Tobacco killed four million p... ...to boycott the Kyoto protocol could cost U.S. companies business in the area of environmental technology." So even if Bush's ultimate objective is to boost the bottom line of U.S. corporations, he may be going about it the wrong way. Note that I haven't even mentioned the appointment of extremists like John Ashcroft and Theodore Olson, who will be advising Bush about whom to appoint to the federal bench; or Gale Norton, the James Watt protà ©gà ©e now heading the Interior Department, who believes polluters should be trusted to be self-policing; or Andrew Card, the automobile industry's chief lobbyist, now Chief of Staff; or Michael Powell, the new head of the FCC, who has no interest in moderating media mergers. And I haven't said a word about so-called social issues. We should not be surprised by the predatory nature of U.S. foreign policy. Until the U.S. government and until the American people get over their superiority complex, until they understand that United States and most other nations have common interests that transcend borders and jingos, that cooperation not domination is the way of the future, the foreign policy of the United States will have a familiar snarl.

Essay --

In the following paper, I will be examining and comparing Turkey and Spain in order to determine their overall attitude towards immigration. I will first go into depth about the history and background of both Spain and Turkey, specifically in regards to immigration. After that, I will come up with two hypothesis in order to determine whether education and political orientation affect Turks’ and Spains attitudes towards immigration. The first hypothesis lists the relationship between education and attitude towards immigration, while the second provides the relationship between political orientation and attitude towards immigration. Finally, I will use statistical data to either prove or disprove my hypothesis. Research Question: For these two specific countries and our research for them, our research question was â€Å"Does country matter in political orientation and level of education and people’s attitudes towards immigrants?† Literature Review: From our literature review, we learned that attitudes towards immigrants in a society are influenced by the way the population accepts the i... Essay -- In the following paper, I will be examining and comparing Turkey and Spain in order to determine their overall attitude towards immigration. I will first go into depth about the history and background of both Spain and Turkey, specifically in regards to immigration. After that, I will come up with two hypothesis in order to determine whether education and political orientation affect Turks’ and Spains attitudes towards immigration. The first hypothesis lists the relationship between education and attitude towards immigration, while the second provides the relationship between political orientation and attitude towards immigration. Finally, I will use statistical data to either prove or disprove my hypothesis. Research Question: For these two specific countries and our research for them, our research question was â€Å"Does country matter in political orientation and level of education and people’s attitudes towards immigrants?† Literature Review: From our literature review, we learned that attitudes towards immigrants in a society are influenced by the way the population accepts the i...

Death penalty/capital punishment

It makes people think twice about their actions, instil fear evidence Michael Summers, PhD, MBA, Professor of Management Science at Pepperdine University, wrote in his Nov. 2, 2007 article â€Å"Capital Punishment Works† in the Wall Street Journal: â€Å"†¦ [O]ur recent research shows that each execution carried out is correlated with about 74 fewer murders the following year†¦ The study examined the relationship between the number of executions and the number of murders in the U. S. for the 26-year period from 1979 to 2004, using data from publicly available FBI sources†¦ There seems to be an obvious negative correlation in that when executions increase, murders decrease, and when executions decrease, murders increase†¦ Paul H. Rubin, PhD, Professor of Economics at Emory University â€Å"Recent research on the relationship between capital punishment and homicide has created a consensus among most economists who have studied the issue that capital punishment deters murder. Early studies from the 1970s and 1980s reached conflicting results. However, recent studies have exploited better data and more sophisticated statistical techniques. The modern refereed studies have consistently shown that capital punishment has a strong deterrent effect, with each execution deterring between 3 and 18 murders†¦ 2) Justice for the victim is achieved only through the death penalty. Refutation, opposition says it does not bring justice because mistakenly convict the innocent person With the life sentence the criminal somehow still gets back on the streets and then might kill again. The people who survive need a peace of mind that the person who committed the crime can never come after them again. ife sentence does not work out; the judicial system gives a person life sentence but somehow they get back on the streets and statistics show that nearly 30 convicted killers released from jail over the past 10 years have gone on to kill again thanks to the â€Å"fair† judicial system. Evidence Frederick A. Romano remembers his mother's panic-filled voice as she talked to his father, of himself grabbing the phone only to hear hi s father tell him that his older sister had been hurt. â€Å"It's justice,† Fred Romano said. â€Å"It's not revenge. † His wife, Vicki Romano, agreed, then elaborated. â€Å"Revenge would be going out and killing one of [the murderer's] family members,† Vicki Romano said. â€Å"The death penalty isn't revenge. It's the law. † FactsMarch 31st, 2009| | There are many reasons the death penalty should be abolished. It is a complex issue and it is difficult to point to any single fact or argument as the most important. 1) Executions are carried out at staggering cost to taxpayers. It costs far more to execute a person than to keep him or her in prison for life. A 2011 study found that California has spent more than $4 billion on capital punishment since it was reinstated in 1978 and that death penalty trials are 20 times more expensive than trials seeking a sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole. California currently spends $184 million on the death penalty each year and is on track to spend $1 billion in the next five years. 2) There is no credible evidence that capital punishment deters crime. Scientific studies have consistently failed to demonstrate that executions deter people from committing crime anymore than long prison sentences. Moreover, states without the death penalty have much lower murder rates. The South accounts for 80% of US executions and has the highest regional murder rate. 3) Innocent people have been convicted and executed. The wrongful execution of an innocent person is an injustice that can never be rectified. Since the reinstatement of the death penalty, 140 men and women have been released from Death Row nationally†¦. some only minutes away from execution. Moreover, in the past two years evidence has come to light which indicates that four men may have been wrongfully EXECUTED in recent years for crimes they did not commit. This error rate is simply appalling, and completely unacceptable, when we are talking about life and death. 4) Race plays a role in determining who lives and who dies. The race of the victim and the race of the defendant in capital cases are major factors in determining who is sentenced to die in this country. In 1990 a report from the General Accounting Office concluded that â€Å"in 82 percent of the studies [reviewed], race of the victim was found to influence the likelihood of being charged with capital murder or receiving the death penalty, i. . those who murdered whites were more likely to be sentenced to death than those who murdered blacks. † 5) The death penalty is applied at random. Politics, quality of legal counsel and the jurisdiction where a crime is committed are more often the determining factors in a death penalty case than the facts of the crime itself. The death penalty is a lethal lottery: of the 22,000 homicides committed every year approximately 150 peopl e are sentenced to death. 7) The USA is keeping company with notorious human rights abusers. The vast majority of countries in Western Europe, North America and South America — more than 139 nations worldwide — have abandoned capital punishment in law or in practice. The United States remains in the same company as Iraq, Iran and China as one of the major advocates and users of capital punishment. 8) Millions currently spent on the death penalty could be used to assist the families of murder victims. Many family members who have lost love ones to murder feel that the death penalty will not heal their wounds nor will it end their pain; the extended process prior to executions can prolong the agony experienced by the family. Funds now being used for the costly process of executions could be used to help families put their lives back together through counseling, restitution, crime victim hotlines, and other services addressing their needs. 9) Bad Lawyers are a Persistent Problem in Capital Cases Perhaps the most important factor in determining whether a defendant will receive the death penalty is the quality of the representation he or she is provided. Almost all defendants in capital cases cannot afford their own attorneys. In many cases, the appointed attorneys are overworked, underpaid, or lacking the trial experience required for death penalty cases. There have even been instances in which lawyers appointed to a death case were so inexperienced that they were completely unprepared for the sentencing phase of the trial. Other appointed attorneys have slept through parts of the trial, or arrived at the court under the influence of alcohol. 10) Life Without Parole is a Sensible Alternative to the Death Penalty In every state that retains the death penalty, jurors have the option of sentencing convicted capital murderers to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The sentence is cheaper to tax-payers and keeps violent offenders off the streets for good. Unlike the death penalty, a sentence of Life Without Parole also allows mistakes to be corrected. There are currently over 3,300 people in California who have received this alternative sentence, which also has a more limited appeals process last approximately 3 years. According to the California Governor's Office, only seven people sentenced to life without parole have been released since the state provided for this option in 1977, and this occurred because they were able to prove their innocence.

Qvc Case Analysis Essay

Case QVC Author: NA HG495 – Case Analysis Instructor: NA Abstract This case analysis will be focused on the company QVC (Quality, Value, and Convenience). We will perform an analysis review, which, will provide a comprehensive insight into the company’s historical and current business structures, strategies and efficiencies in their operations. It will include a detailed SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) (Humphrey) and the primary activities of the Value Chain Analysis (Porter), to provide greater insight into the firms’ competitive advantage. These key concepts will be used to analyze QVC’s business model, define potential challenges and initiate a plan of execution. We will then recommend solutions such as advocating products with higher profit margins, finding evolving technologies and untapped markets and streamlining logistics. These strategies would expand the customer base and create higher ROI (Return of Investment), positioning the company towards timely growth. Introduction: QVC is a multimedia retailer, specializing in televised home shopping, broadcasting in five countries (US, UK, Germany, Japan and, Italy), 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to over 90 million households in the United States and 160 million homes worldwide. They offer a wide range of products with over 1500 major brands and 50,000 products, including beauty, fashion and accessories, jewelry, craft and leisure, home electronics, garden, and do-it-yourself (DIY), and clearance goods. The company has store operations in the US, which includes Delaware and Pennsylvania. QVC also has a lucrative website called iQVC (www. qvc. com) that generates over 1 billion of sales on its Internet operations. Since it was launched in 1986; QVC has rapidly grown to become the largest television shopping network. By 2006, its reach had extended to over 95 percent of all U. S. cable homes, as well as, over 25 million satellite homes. It shipped over 140 million packages during 2006 to customers around the world, resulting in almost $7. 1 billion in sales and over 1 billion operating profit. Sales were made to over 10 million customers, who watched its shows across the US, UK, Germany, Japan and Italy. Problem: Doug Rose, QVC’s vice president of merchandising brand development, claims that the interactivity in all aspects of the firm’s business and operations, including its television shopping channel, will need to become more pronounced. Making it easier for customers to act on what they see. QVC believes that it still has a lot of room to grow, since only about 2% to 3% of its television viewers currently purchase at any given time. Bringing that percentage higher is the main problem that affects the major revenue stream and would require an internal/external analysis (balance scorecard) to bring in new viewers/customers to purchase their products. There are other challenges that can attribute to generating more revenue, such as, selling products with higher margins and offering shopping channels to customers outside North America. They could also add more interactive features that would allow more access.

Spirit Bound Chapter Twenty-Four

THE MAN GRINNED. â€Å"YOU MAKE that sound like a bad thing.† I made a face and looked back into the techno-bag with new appreciation. â€Å"What's going on?† â€Å"I'm the messenger. I just run errands for Mr. Mazur.† â€Å"Is that a nice way of saying you spy for him? Find out everyone's dirty secrets so that he can use them against people and keep playing his games?† Abe seemed to know everything about everyone–especially royal politics. How else could he manage it without having eyes and ears everywhere? Say, at Court? For all I knew, he had my room wired with microphones. â€Å"Spying's a harsh word.† I notice the guy didn't deny it. â€Å"Besides, he pays well. And he's a good boss.† He turned from me, job done, but gave one last warning. â€Å"Like I said–it's time sensitive. Read the note as soon as you can.† I had half a mind to throw it at the guy. I was getting used to the idea of being Abe's daughter, but that didn't mean I wanted to get tied up in some wacky scheme of his. A bag of hardware seemed foreboding. Nonetheless, I hauled it back to my suite and emptied the contents onto my bed. There were a few sheets of paper, the top one being a typed cover letter. Rose, I hope Tad was able to get this to you in a timely manner. And I hope you weren't too mean to him. I'm doing this on behalf of someone who wants to speak to you about an urgent matter. However, it's a conversation that no one else must hear. The laptop and satellite modem in this bag will allow you to have a private discussion, so long as you're in a private location. I've included step-by-step instructions on how to configure it. Your meeting will take place at 7 a.m. There was no name at the bottom, but I didn't need one. I set the letter down and stared at the jumble of cords. Seven was less than an hour away. â€Å"Oh, come on, old man,† I exclaimed. To Abe's credit, the accompanying papers did have very basic directions that didn't require a computer engineer's insight. The only problem was, there were a lot of them, detailing where each cord went, what password to log in with, how to configure the modem, and so on. For a moment I considered ignoring it all. Yet when someone like Abe used the word urgent, it made me think maybe I shouldn't be so hasty in my dismissal. So, bracing myself for some technical acrobatics, I set to following his instructions. It took almost the entire time I had, but I managed to hook up the modem and camera and access the secure program that would allow me to video-conference with Abe's mysterious contact. I finished with a few minutes to spare and waited the time out by staring at a black window in the middle of the screen, wondering what I'd gotten myself into. At exactly seven, the window came to life, and a familiar–but unexpected–face appeared. â€Å"Sydney?† I asked in surprise. The video had that same, slightly jerky feel most Internet feeds had, but nonetheless, the face of my (kind of) friend Sydney Sage smiled back at me. Hers was a dry-humored smile, but that was typical of her. â€Å"Good morning,† she said, stifling a yawn. From the state of her chin-length blond hair, it was likely she'd just gotten out of bed. Even in the poor resolution, the golden lily tattoo on her cheek gleamed. All Alchemists had that same tattoo. It consisted of ink and Moroi blood, imparting Moroi good health and longevity to the wearer. It also had a bit of compulsion mixed in to keep the Alchemists' secret society from revealing anything they shouldn't about vampires. â€Å"Evening,† I said. â€Å"Not morning.† â€Å"We can argue your messed-up unholy schedule some other time,† she said. â€Å"That's not what I'm here for.† â€Å"What are you here for?† I asked, still astonished to see her. The Alchemists did their jobs almost reluctantly, and while Sydney liked me better than most Moroi or dhampirs, she wasn't the type to make friendly phone (or video) calls. â€Å"Wait†¦ you can't be in Russia. Not if it's morning†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I tried to remember the time change. Yes, for humans over there, the sun would be down or about to be right now. â€Å"I'm back in my native country,† she said with mock grandeur. â€Å"Got a new post in New Orleans.† â€Å"Whoa, nice.† Sydney had hated being assigned to Russia, but my impression had been she was stuck there until finishing her Alchemist internship. â€Å"How'd you manage that?† Her small smile turned to an expression of discomfort. â€Å"Oh, well. Abe, um, kind of did me a favor. He made it happen.† â€Å"You made a deal with him?† Sydney must have really hated Russia. And Abe's influence must have really been deep if he could affect a human organization. â€Å"What did you give him in return? Your soul?† Making a joke like that to someone as religious as her wasn't very appropriate. Of course, I think she thought Moroi and dhampirs ate souls, so maybe my comment wasn't too out there. â€Å"That's the thing,† she said. â€Å"It was kind of an ‘I'll let you know when I need a favor in the future' arrangement.† â€Å"Sucker,† I said. â€Å"Hey,† she snapped. â€Å"I don't have to be doing this. I'm actually doing you a favor by talking to you.† â€Å"Why are you talking to me exactly?† I wanted to question her more about her open-ended deal with the devil but figured that would get me disconnected. She sighed and brushed some hair out of her face. â€Å"I need to ask you something. And I swear I won't tell on you†¦ I just need to know the truth so that we don't waste our time on something.† â€Å"Okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Please don't ask me about Victor, I prayed. â€Å"Have you broken into any place lately?† Damn. I kept my face perfectly neutral. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"The Alchemists had some records stolen recently,† she explained. She was all business-serious now. â€Å"And everyone's going crazy trying to figure out who did it–and why.† Mentally, I breathed a sigh of relief. Okay. It wasn't about Tarasov. Thank God there was one crime I wasn't guilty of. Then the full meaning of her words hit me. I glared. â€Å"Wait. You guys get robbed, and I'm the one you suspect? I thought I was off your list of evil creatures?† â€Å"No dhampir is off my list of evil creatures,† she said. That half smile of hers had returned, but I couldn't tell if she was joking or not. It faded quickly, showing what a big deal this was for her. â€Å"And believe me, if anyone could break into our records, you could. It's not easy. Practically impossible.† â€Å"Um, thank you?† I wasn't sure if I should feel flattered or not. â€Å"Of course,† she continued scornfully, â€Å"they only stole paper records, which was stupid. Everything's backed up digitally nowadays, so I'm not sure why they'd go digging through dinosaur filing cabinets.† I could give her a lot of reasons why someone would do that, but finding out why I was her number-one suspect was more important. â€Å"That is stupid. So why do you think I'd do it?† â€Å"Because of what was stolen. It was information about a Moroi named Eric Dragomir.† â€Å"I–what?† â€Å"That's your friend, right? His daughter, I mean.† â€Å"Yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I was almost speechless. Almost. â€Å"You have files on Moroi?† â€Å"We have files on everything,† she said proudly. â€Å"But when I tried to think who could commit a crime like this and would be interested in a Dragomir†¦ well, your name popped into my head.† â€Å"I didn't do it. I do a lot of things, but not that. I didn't even know you had those kinds of records.† Sydney regarded me suspiciously. â€Å"It's the truth!† â€Å"Like I said before,† she told me, â€Å"I won't turn you in. Seriously. I just want to know so that I can get people to stop wasting time on certain leads.† Her smugness sobered. â€Å"And, well, if you did do it†¦ I need to keep the attention off you. I promised Abe.† â€Å"Whatever it takes for you to believe me, I didn't do it! But now I want to know who did. What did they steal? Everything on him?† She bit her lip. Owing Abe a favor might mean she'd go behind her own people's backs, but she apparently had limits on how much she'd betray. â€Å"Come on! If you've got digital backup, you have to know what was taken. This is Lissa we're talking about.† An idea came to me. â€Å"Could you send me copies?† â€Å"No,† she said swiftly. â€Å"Absolutely not.† â€Å"Then please†¦ just a hint of what they were about! Lissa's my best friend. I can't let anything happen to her.† I fully braced myself for rejection. Sydney didn't seem very personable. Did she have friends? Could she understand what I felt? â€Å"Mostly bio stuff,† she said at last. â€Å"Some of his history and observations we'd made.† â€Å"Observ–† I let it go, deciding I really didn't want to know more than I had to about Alchemists spying on us. â€Å"Anything else?† â€Å"Financial records.† She frowned. â€Å"Particularly about some large deposits he made to a bank account in Las Vegas. Deposits he went out of his way to cover up.† â€Å"Las Vegas? I was just there†¦.† Not that it was relevant. â€Å"I know,† she said. â€Å"I saw some Witching Hour security tapes of your adventure. The fact that you'd run off like that is part of why I suspected you. It seemed in character.† She hesitated. â€Å"The guy with you†¦ the tall Moroi with dark hair†¦ is that your boyfriend?† â€Å"Er, yeah.† It took a long time and great effort for her to concede the next statement. â€Å"He's cute.† â€Å"For an evil creature of the night?† â€Å"Of course.† She hesitated again. â€Å"Is it true you guys went there to elope?† â€Å"What? No! These stories get to you guys too?† I shook my head, almost laughing at how ridiculous this all was, but knowing I needed to get back to the facts. â€Å"So, Eric had an account in Vegas he was moving money into?† â€Å"It wasn't his. It was some woman's.† â€Å"What woman?† â€Å"No one–well, no one we can track. She was just down as ‘Jane Doe.'† â€Å"Original,† I muttered. â€Å"Why would he be doing that?† â€Å"That we don't know. Or really care about. We just want to know who broke in and stole our stuff.† â€Å"The only thing I know about that is that it wasn't me.† Seeing her scrutinizing look, I threw up my hands. â€Å"Come on! If I wanted to know about him, I'd just ask Lissa. Or steal our own records.† Several moments of silence passed. â€Å"Okay. I believe you,† she said. â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Do you want me to not believe you?† â€Å"No, it was just easier than I thought convincing you.† She sighed. â€Å"I want to know more about these records,† I said fiercely. â€Å"I want to know who Jane Doe is. If you could get me other files–â€Å" Sydney shook her head. â€Å"Nope. This is where I cut you off. You know too much already. Abe wanted me to keep you out of trouble, and I've done that. I've done my part.† â€Å"I don't think Abe's going to let you go so easily. Not if you made an open-ended deal.† She didn't acknowledge that, but the look in her brown eyes made me think she agreed. â€Å"Good night, Rose. Morning. Whatever.† â€Å"Wait, I–â€Å" The screen went black. â€Å"Damn,† I growled, shutting the laptop more forcefully than I should have. Every part of that conversation had been a shock, starting with Sydney and ending with someone stealing Alchemist records about Lissa's father. Why would anyone care about a dead man? And why steal the records at all? To learn something? Or to try to hide information? If that last one was true, then Sydney was right that it had been a failed effort. I replayed it all in my head as I got ready for bed, staring at my reflection while brushing my teeth. Why, why, why? Why do it? And who? I needed no more intrigue in my life, but anything involving Lissa had to be treated seriously. Unfortunately, it soon became clear I wouldn't figure out anything tonight, and I fell asleep with all those questions spinning around in my head. I woke up the next morning feeling a little less overwhelmed–but still short on answers. I debated whether or not to tell Lissa about what I'd learned and finally decided I should. If someone was gathering information on her father, she had a right to know, and besides, this was hardly the same as rumors about his– A thought startled me in the middle of scrubbing shampoo into my hair. I'd been too tired and surprised to string together the pieces last night. That guy at the Witching Hour had said Lissa's dad was there a lot. Now Sydney's records reported that he'd made large deposits into an account in Las Vegas. Coincidence? Maybe. But as time went on, I was starting not to believe in coincidences anymore. Once presentable, I set out toward Lissa's side of Court–but didn't get very far. Adrian was waiting for me down in my building's foyer, slumped back into an armchair. â€Å"It's early for you, isn't it?† I teased, coming to a stop in front of him. I expected a smile in return, but Adrian didn't look particularly cheerful this morning. In fact, he appeared kind of bedraggled. His hair lacked its usual styling care, and his clothing–unusually dressy for this time of day–was wrinkled. The scent of clove cigarettes hung around him. â€Å"Easy to be early when you don't get much sleep,† he responded. â€Å"I was up a lot of the night waiting for someone.† â€Å"Waiting for–oh. God.† The party. I'd totally forgotten the party his mother had invited me to. Abe and Sydney had distracted me. â€Å"Adrian, I'm so sorry.† He shrugged and didn't touch me when I sat down on the arm of his chair. â€Å"Whatever. I probably shouldn't be surprised anymore. I'm starting to realize I've been deluding myself.† â€Å"No, no. I was going to go, but then you won't believe what–â€Å" â€Å"Save it. Please.† His voice was weary, his eyes bloodshot. â€Å"It's not necessary. My mom told me she saw you over at Dimitri's questioning.† I frowned. â€Å"But that's not why I missed the party. There was this guy–â€Å" â€Å"That's not the point, Rose. The point is that you managed to make time for that–and a visit to his cell, if what I heard is true. Yet, you couldn't bother showing up at something you said you'd do with me–or even send a message. That was all you had to do: say you couldn't go. I waited over an hour for you at my parents' house before giving up.† I started to say he could have tried to contact me, but honestly, why should he have? It wasn't his responsibility. I was the one who'd told Daniella I'd meet him there. It was my fault for not showing up. â€Å"Adrian, I'm sorry.† I clasped his hand, but he didn't squeeze back. â€Å"Really, I meant to, but–â€Å" â€Å"No,† he interrupted again. â€Å"Ever since Dimitri came back†¦ no, scratch that. Ever since you became obsessed with changing him, you've been torn over me. No matter what's happened between us, you've never really given yourself over to our relationship. I wanted to believe what you told me. I thought you were ready†¦ but you weren't.† Protests rose to my lips, but once more, I stopped them. He was right. I'd said I'd give dating him a fair shot. I'd even sunk into the comfortable role of his girlfriend, yet the whole time†¦ the whole time, part of me had been consumed with Dimitri. I'd known it too but had kept living split lives. A weird flashback to my time with Mason popped into my head. I'd led the same double life with him, and he'd died for it. I was a mess. I didn't know my own heart. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said again. â€Å"I really do want us to have something†¦.† Even to me, the words sounded so lame. Adrian gave me a knowing smile. â€Å"I don't believe that. Neither do you.† He stood up and ran his hand over his hair, not that it did any good. â€Å"If you really want to be with me, then you've got to mean it this time.† I hated seeing him so grim. I especially hated being the reason. I followed him to the door. â€Å"Adrian, wait. Let's talk more.† â€Å"Not now, little dhampir. I need some sleep. I just can't handle playing this game right now.† I could have gone after him. I could have tackled him to the ground. But it wouldn't have been worth it†¦ because I had no answers to give him. He'd been right about everything, and until I could make up my own confused mind, I had no right to force a talk. Besides, considering the state he was in, I doubted any further conversation would have been productive. Yet as he started to step outside, I couldn't help my next words. â€Å"Before you go–and I understand why you have to–there's something I've got to ask you. Something that's not about us. It affects–it affects Lissa.† This slowly brought him to a halt. â€Å"Always a favor.† With a world-weary sigh, he glanced at me over his shoulder. â€Å"Make it fast.† â€Å"Someone broke into the Alchemists' records and stole information about Lissa's dad. Some of it was ordinary life history stuff, but there were some documents about him making secret deposits into a bank account in Las Vegas. Some woman's bank account.† Adrian waited a few moments. â€Å"And?† â€Å"And I'm trying to figure out why someone would do that. I don't want anyone snooping around her family. Do you have any idea what her dad would have been doing?† â€Å"You heard the guy at the casino. Her dad was there a lot. Maybe he had gambling debts and was paying off a loan shark.† â€Å"Lissa's family's always had money,† I pointed out. â€Å"He couldn't have gotten into that much debt. And why would anyone care enough to steal that info?† Adrian threw up his hands. â€Å"I don't know. That's all I've got, at least this early in the morning. I don't have the brain power for intrigue. I can't really picture any of that being a threat to Lissa, though.† I nodded, disappointed. â€Å"Okay. Thanks.† He continued on his way, and I watched him go. Lissa lived near him, but I didn't want him to think I was following him. When he'd put enough distance between us, I stepped outdoors as well and started to head in the same direction. The faint sound of bells brought me to a halt. I hesitated, suddenly unsure where to go. I wanted to talk to Lissa and tell her what Sydney had told me. Lissa was alone for a change; this was the perfect opportunity. And yet†¦ the bells. It was Sunday morning. Mass was about to start at the Court's church. I had a hunch about something, and in spite of everything that had happened–including with Adrian–I had to see if I was right. So I sprinted off toward the church, going in the opposite direction of Lissa's building. The doors were shut when I reached my destination, but a few other latecomers were trying to quietly slip in. I entered with them, pausing to get my bearings. Clouds of incense hung in the air, and my eyes took a moment to adjust from sunlight to candlelight. Since this church dwarfed St. Vladimir's chapel, it was packed with a lot more people than I was used to seeing at mass. Most of the seats were full. But not all of them. My hunch had been right. Dimitri sat in one of the back pews. A few guardians sat near him, of course, but that was it. Even in a crowded church, no one else had joined him on the bench. Reece had asked Dimitri if he'd step inside the church yesterday, and Dimitri had gone one step further, saying he'd even go to Sunday services. The priest had already begun to speak, so I moved down Dimitri's pew as quietly as I could. Silence didn't matter, though, because I still attracted a fair amount of attention from nearby people who were astonished to see me sitting next to the Strigoi-turned-dhampir. Eyes stared and several hushed conversations broke out. The guardians had left some space near Dimitri, and when I sat beside him, the look on his face showed he was both surprised and not surprised by this. â€Å"Don't,† he said in a hushed voice. â€Å"Don't start–not in here.† â€Å"Wouldn't dream of it, comrade,† I murmured back. â€Å"Just came for the good of my soul, that's all.† He didn't need to say a word to convey to me that he doubted I was here for any holy reasons. I stayed quiet throughout the service, though. Even I respected some boundaries. After several minutes, the tension in Dimitri's body eased a little. He'd grown wary when I joined him but must have eventually decided I'd be on good behavior. His attention shifted off of me and focused on the singing and the praying, and I did my best to watch him without being obvious. Dimitri used to go to the school's chapel because it brought him peace. He had always said that even though the killing he did destroyed evil in the world, he still felt the need to come think about his life and seek forgiveness for his sins. Seeing him now, I realized that was truer than ever. His expression was exquisite. I was so used to seeing him hide emotions that it was a bit startling for him to suddenly have a host of them on his face. He was absorbed in the priest's words, his gorgeous face completely focused. And I realized he was taking everything the priest was saying about sin personally. Dimitri was replaying all the awful things he'd done as a Strigoi. From the despair on his face, you'd think that Dimitri himself was responsible for all the sins of the world the priest spoke of. For a moment, I thought I saw hope on Dimitri's face too, just a spark of it mixed in with his guilt and sorrow. No, I realized. Not hope. Hope implies that you think you have a chance at something. What I saw in Dimitri was longing. Wistfulness. Dimitri wished that by being here in this holy place and listening to the messages conveyed, he might find redemption for what he had done. Yet†¦ at the same time, it was clear he didn't believe that was possible. He wanted it but could never have it as far as he was concerned. Seeing that in him hurt me. I didn't know how to react to that kind of bleak attitude. He thought there was no hope for him. Me? I couldn't imagine a world without hope. I also never would have imagined I'd quote back a church lesson, but when the rest of the crowd stood up to take communion, I found myself saying to Dimitri: â€Å"Don't you think that if God can supposedly forgive you, it's kind of egotistical for you not to forgive yourself?† â€Å"How long have you been waiting to use that line on me?† he asked. â€Å"Actually, it just came to me. Pretty good, huh? I bet you thought I wasn't paying attention.† â€Å"You weren't. You never do. You were watching me.† Interesting. To know that I was watching him, would Dimitri have had to have watched me watching him? It boggled the mind. â€Å"You didn't answer my question.† He kept his eyes on the communion line while composing his answer. â€Å"It's irrelevant. I don't have to forgive myself even if God does. And I'm not sure He would.† â€Å"That priest just said God would. He said God forgives everything. Are you calling the priest a liar? That's pretty sacrilegious.† Dimitri groaned. I never thought I'd take joy in tormenting him, but the frustrated look on his face wasn't because of his personal grief. It was because of me being impertinent. I'd seen this expression a hundred times on him, and the familiarity of it warmed me, as crazy as that sounds. â€Å"Rose, you're the one being sacrilegious. You're twisting these people's faith for your own purposes. You've never believed in any of this. You still don't.† â€Å"I believe that the dead can come back to life,† I said seriously. â€Å"The proof is sitting right next to me. If that's true, then I think you forgiving yourself isn't that much more of a leap.† His gaze hardened, and if he was praying for anything right then, it was that the communion process would speed up so that he could get out of here and away from me. We both knew he had to wait this church service out. If he ran out, it would make him look Strigoi. â€Å"You don't know what you're talking about,† he said. â€Å"Don't I?† I hissed, leaning closer. I did it to drive home my point, but all it did (for me, at least) was give me a better view of the way the candlelight shone on his hair and how long and lean his body was. Someone had apparently decided he could be trusted to shave, and his face was smooth, showing its wonderful, perfect lines. â€Å"I know exactly what I'm talking about,† I continued, trying to ignore how his presence affected me. â€Å"I know that you've been through a lot. I know that you did terrible things–I saw them. But it's in the past. It was beyond your control. It's not like you're going to do it again.† A strange, haunted look crossed his face. â€Å"How do you know? Maybe the monster didn't leave. Maybe there's still something Strigoi lurking in me.† â€Å"Then you need to defeat it by moving on with your life! And not just through your chivalrous pledge to protect Lissa. You need to live again. You need to open yourself up to people who love you. No Strigoi would do that. That's how you'll save yourself.† â€Å"I can't have people loving me,† he growled. â€Å"I'm incapable of loving anyone in return.† â€Å"Maybe you should try instead of just feeling sorry for yourself!† â€Å"It's not that easy.† â€Å"Da–† I just barely stopped myself from swearing in a church. â€Å"Nothing we've ever done has been easy! Our life before–before the attack wasn't easy, and we made it through that! We can make it through this too. We can make it through anything together. It doesn't matter if you put your faith in this place. I don't care. What matters is that you put your faith in us.† â€Å"There is no us. I've already told you that.† â€Å"And you know I'm not a very good listener.† We were keeping our voices low, but I think our body language clearly indicated an argument. The other churchgoers were too distracted to notice, but Dimitri's guardians were regarding us carefully. Again, I reminded myself about what Lissa and Mikhail had both said. Getting Dimitri angry in public was not going to do him any favors. The problem was, I had yet to say anything that didn't make him angry. â€Å"I wish you hadn't come here,† he said at last. â€Å"It's really better for us to stay apart.† â€Å"That's funny because I could have sworn you once said we were meant to be together.† â€Å"I want you to stay away from me,† he said, ignoring my comment. â€Å"I don't want you to keep trying to bring back feelings that are gone. That's the past. None of that's going to happen again. Not ever. It's better for us if we act like strangers. It's better for you.† The loving, compassionate feelings he had stirred within me heated up–to fury. â€Å"If you're going to tell me what I can or can't do,† I growled in as low a tone as I could manage, â€Å"then at least have the courage to say it to my face!† He spun around so quickly that he might have indeed still been Strigoi. His face was filled with†¦ what? Not that earlier depression. Not rage either, though there was a bit of anger. There was more, though†¦ a mingling of desperation, frustration, and maybe even fear. Underscoring all of it was pain, like he suffered from terrible, exquisite agony. â€Å"I don't want you here,† he said, eyes blazing. The words hurt, but something about it all thrilled me, just as his earlier agitation at my flippant comments had. This wasn't the cold and calculating Strigoi. This wasn't the defeated man in the cell. This was my old instructor, my lover, who attacked everything in life with intensity and passion. â€Å"How many times do I have to tell you that? You need to stay away from me.† â€Å"But you aren't going to hurt me. I know that.† â€Å"I've already hurt you. Why can't you understand that? How many times do I have to say it?† â€Å"You told me†¦ you told me before you left that you loved me.† My voice trembled. â€Å"How can you let that go?† â€Å"Because it's too late! And it's easier than being reminded of what I did to you!† His control snapped, his voice echoing through the back of the church. The priest and those still taking communion didn't notice, but we'd definitely gotten the attention of those in the back half of the church. A few of the guardians stiffened, and again, I had to repeat the warning to myself. No matter how furious I was at Dimitri, no matter how betrayed I felt that he'd turned away from me†¦ I could not risk others thinking he was dangerous. Dimitri hardly looked like he was going to snap someone's neck, but he was clearly upset, and one might confuse his frustration and pain for something more sinister. I turned from him, trying to calm my churning emotions. When I looked back, our eyes locked, power and electricity burning between us. Dimitri could ignore it all he wanted, but that connection–that deep calling of our souls–was still in there. I wanted to touch him, not just with this brushing of my leg but with everything. I wanted to wrap him in my arms and hold him against me, reassuring him that we could do anything together. Without even realizing it, I reached toward him, needing that touch. He sprang up like I was a snake, and all of his guardians shot forward, braced for what he might do. But he did nothing. Nothing except stare at me with a look that made my blood run cold. Like I was something strange and bad. â€Å"Rose. Please stop. Please stay away.† He was working hard to stay calm. I shot up, now as angry and frustrated as him. I had a feeling if I stayed, we'd both snap. In an undertone, I murmured, â€Å"This isn't over. I won't give up on you.† â€Å"I've given up on you,† he said back, voice also soft. â€Å"Love fades. Mine has.† I stared at him in disbelief. All this time, he'd never phrased it like that. His protests had always been about some greater good, about the remorse he felt over being a monster or how it had scarred him from love. I've given up on you. Love fades. Mine has. I backed up, the sting of those words hitting me as hard as if he'd slapped me. Something shifted in his features, like maybe he knew how much he'd hurt me. I didn't stick around to see. Instead, I pushed my way out of the aisle and ran out the doors in the back, afraid that if I stayed any longer, everyone in the church would see me cry.