Kandariya Mahadeva Temple Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple - Essay Example The major subject of the art work is the sexuality and growth of the Indian women. The sculptures are designed stylistically to show the growth in women and to represent their beauty. The erotic sculptures also show the passionate interactions between humans along with changes that occur in human bodies. The artwork also represents the cultural influence of the Indians by using ornaments on the sculptures thus, showing how Indian women value ornaments. The artwork also applies religious styles by positioning the erotic sculptures in such a way that they appease evil spirits. Stylistic influences used in the sculptures include the use of good positioning and use of imagery. The artwork has applied imagery in the sculptures by using symbolism where different meanings can be derived from each of the sculptures. The religious style has a significant influence on the art since; it determines the major positioning of the erotic sculptures. This is a portrait which was done by anonymous cou rt artists during the Kangxi period, which was around the year 1662-1795. The portrait mainly represents one of the royal rulers of the Qing Dynasty. The medium used is mainly paint and silk, with paint being made on the silk. The subject matter of the artwork is mainly to convey messages about the countries strong dynasties and the religious views. Thus, a lot of symbolism has been used in the artwork to convey different messages. Thus, from the colors used and the pattern of art, different meanings. can be derived from the artifact (Kleiner, 43). The major cultural context of the relic is the glorification of the Chinese art and to uphold their religion and the political ideologies. The artwork is also symbolic and metaphoric in producing its message. For instance; the colors used on the robes are bright signifying the peace in the dynasty of the emperor. In addition, the artwork also embraces the use of different patterns

What Social Factors Can Contribute To Mental Illness?

What Social Factors Can Contribute To Mental Illness? A mental illness is a psychological abnormality of an individual, and significantly affects the individuals emotional stability. There are different types of mental illnesses with different degrees of severity such as; depression, anxiety, eating disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar mood disorder and personality disorder. When a person develops a mental illness, emotions can be so overwhelming that they develop an inability to cope with everyday activities such as: work, socialising, and maintaining a relationship. In extremity, people who suffer from depression may find it difficult to physically care for themselves, or leave their home. The less common mental illnesses may involve psychosis; these include bipolar mood disorder and schizophrenia. People experiencing these types of psychosis lose their sense of reality, feelings and the world surrounding them. A psychotic episode may involve delusions and/or hallucinations which can confuse or threaten the individuals peers. (Sciencemus eum.2012) This essay will explore the social factors that can contribute to mental disorders, it will analyse the three dominant theories: the stress theory, social structure theory and the labelling theory. It will explore each theory in turn and look at the research, assumptions and criticisms. The sociological approach looks at the environmental or social factors, which are external to an individual. It suggests that, these factors can cause an overwhelming stress; leading to a breakdown in mental health. (Horwitz Scheid 1999:121) The stress theory is derived from the notion that when social stressors are accumulated, mental health problems are more likely to occur. The term stress or stressors was introduced in the mid 1930s by a physiological researcher, Hans Selye. When using these terms it is meant that stress is anything that causes the body wear and tear. Selye used laboratory animals to experiment; the stressors he used were extreme hot and cold temperatures, overcrowding of the animals in cages, and electric shocks. (Horwitz Scheid 1999:122). This experiment showed that when animals are exposed to such stimuli, they show three stages of reactions known as general adaptation syndrome (G.A.S). The first stage of reaction was flight or fight, the animal becomes aggr essive and ready to fight or retreat from the threat. In the second stage, the animal reacts with resistance; regaining equilibrium, it continues to combat the effects caused by the stress. The final stage is exhaustion; the bodys ability to defend itself becomes depleted leaving the individual more susceptible to infection or disease. Selye experiment proved a link between prolonged exposure to stress and illness. In the years to follow the research began to focus on the effects of stress in humans and social stressors (mainly major life events) (Horwitz Scheid 1999:122) Researches regarding major life events were carried out by Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe. They defined major life events as: external changes which occur in peoples lives and require them to make major psychological adjustments. They proposed that increased amounts of readjustments could cause exhaustion of the ability to cope; this would cause the person to be at a higher risk of illness. Holmes and Rahe devised a life events checklist with 43 life stresses that may cause a person to make adjustments. The checklist was named the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) Each event on the checklist was called a Life Change Unit (LCU), with a different weight for each type of stress. The more events the patient added up, the higher the score became. The higher the score meant the larger the weight of each event; this made the individual more likely to become ill. (McLean Link 1994:162) The checklist allowed social researchers to determine whether being exposed to social stressors coul d cause a breakdown in a persons health. The problems with Holmes and Rahes SRRS are that there were many major life events missing from the list, such as: exposing ones homosexuality and losing custody of a child. It also assumes that both positive and negative life events cause behavioural adjustments, leading to overtaxing ones ability to cope. Later research found that negative life events had a more severe impact on individuals psychological health than positive life events. (Ayers.S 2007:131). After years of research into the mental health effects of stressors, considerable variations have been found. There are three dominant approaches to explain these variations. The first approach looks at the stressor itself and examines its characteristics. When looking at the characteristics of the stressor and familiarising with Holmes and Rahes SRRS, there is a clear indication of the difference in the severity of affect for negative life events. Each event can vary in how stressful it is or how it affects a person emotionally; this is because of the differences in their desirability, predictability, controllability or their magnitude. (Thoits 1983:33-103) Research shows that the undesirable or uncontrollable events are the ones which have a greater detrimental effect. (Ibid). Although the first approach was originally designed to categorize the different ways that stressful situations effect people psychologically, what it actually helped to do was establish that different types o f stress manifest in different ways. For example, work or family based issues, effect people differently to financial problems or illness. Furthermore, the different characteristics of each instance in life alter how it affects the mind. So, the timing and circumstances surrounding a life event make a difference to how a person copes and any long term effects it will have.(Ibid). In contrast, the second theoretical approach focuses on the characteristics of the person who is experiencing the stressor. Variations in the effects of stressors, is a function of variations of a persons vulnerability or how they react to stressors. There has been a lot of research on coping and social support. When a person is dealing with negative stressors they rely upon social and personal characteristics, also known as coping resources. (Perlin Schooler 1978:2-21) The social and personal characteristics can be found in an individuals social network, this is where the individual will seek emotional or practical support. Such support systems can raise a persons self esteem, and help them to stay in control. Research examines to what extent individuals or groups vary in how much personal or social resources they possess e.g. self esteem, mastery and social support.(Ibid) The research indicates that the more of these resources people have, the greater the negative impact of stress ful life events are buffered. Overall, the studies carried out for this approach signify that people who have strong coping resources and have access to functional, structural and emotional support have the advantage of being able to tackle the psychological consequences of stressors, easier than those whom do not have personal or social resources.(Ibid) Lastly, the third theoretical approach attributes variations in psychological harm caused by stressful life events to variations in the larger social context surrounding stressors. Advocates of this approach argue that when an event or strain occurs, the social circumstances are important for explaining variations of their psychological effects. This is because they form the personal meanings and emotional significance of the stressors. Blair Wheaton (1990:209) shows that; a role loss such as divorce is often less distressing to individuals who have experienced a lot of marital stress, than for those who have a less stressful marriage. A similar study by Deborah Umberson (1987:306) indicates that widowhood brings more depression to people who suffer from household and financial strain than those who do not experience these stressors. The stress theory is well suited for the purpose of explaining why lower class people are more likely to have a mental illness than middle or upper class people. (Horwitz Scheid 1999:128) However, the theory is non specific for example, it does not explain how some groups are more susceptible to certain disorders than other groups such as: depression and anxiety are mostly experienced by women, and men are more susceptible to anti social disorders. (Ibid) Furthermore, this theory does not apply to all mental disorders such as psychoses: a very complex and serious disorder, which is better explained by biological explanations or ones childhood socialization. Price et al (1988) show experiments which indicate that interventions which alter an individuals coping strategy and offer social support and encouragement, do reduce negative emotional reactions to major life events. Therefore, the stress theory is a promising tool for administering mental health interventions. (Horwitz Schei d 1999:129) A blanket term used to describe more specific sociological theories regarding mental illness etiology is structural strain theory; which looks at the broader organizations of society and finds the basis of distress, and where some groups are at a disadvantage when compared to others. (Ibid) A useful example of structural strain theory is Mertons (1938) anomie theory; this theory attempts to explain criminal behaviour, rebellious behaviour, addictive behaviour, as well as mental illness. Merton uses the American society to explain his theory, he argues that the American culture highly emphasize how wealth and success are the most important values an individual can posses. They are taught that the highest goal in life is to strive for success, with education being the key means to achieve economic success. Mertons assumption is that most people agree that education is the most legitimate route to achieving success. There is a majority of the society who unfortunately have their means t o success blocked. (Horwitz Scheid 1999:130)These groups live in neighbourhoods which are poor and lack school facilities and competent teachers. Thus, they lack encouragement, preparation and funding for progression onto higher education. This causes class and race based discrimination within the schools and the workforce, leading to a defeat in efforts made to succeed when attempting to follow the legitimate paths.(Ibid) Mertons use of the term anomie describes a gap between the desire to be financially successful and the means of entry to acceptable education or employment. He argues that individuals who experience the gap will adapt by changing their goals or looking for alternative means. Merton described 5 adaptive responses, which are; conformity, ritualism, innovation, retreatism and rebellion (Morine.N:2009). The people who conform follow rules shared by the cultures goals, and carry out legitimate means to achieve them. Even if they are doubtful that their efforts will pay off. Ritualists give up on achieving success. However, they continue to behave in a socially acceptable manner; for instance working steadily in a job with low income and low prospects. The conformist and ritualist do not cause society many problems. Whereas, the innovator, retreatists and rebels cause major problems for society. (Ibid)This is because: innovators give up on success, but they still desire wealth and use ille gitimate means to achieve it such as; committing fraud or tax evasions. Retreatists also give up on success and retreat from the world surrounding them into substance abuse or become mentally ill.(Ibid) Rebels use threatening behaviour to achieve success, they reject socially acceptable goals and create new goals with new ways of achieving them such as; being involved in riots or social movements (Ibid). The main point of this analysis is to show how mental illness is a reaction to environmental demands and the result of an individuals legitimate pathways being blocked; due to the hierarchical or structure of society causing a disadvantage for some social groups. (Ibid) Most structural strain ideology of mental illness suggest that, macro strains in social and economic systems can cause increased rates of mental illness for certain groups. (Horwitz Scheid,1999:131) Emile Durkheim (1897) analyzed the social factors which can cause suicide; he found that the distributions of suicide within and across societies were unequal. Durkheim argued that the social integration of groups and societies differ. People are bound together by the balance of shared norms. These norms regulate a persons passion and maintain the ties to one another; in order to prevent unreasonable behaviour from acts of passion or emotional impulses. If a society is too weakly, or too strongly integrated, or are subjected to rapid changes it can cause conditions of structural strain. There are two main assumptions of this theory; the first is that, minority groups, women, the poor, unmarried people and the elderly are all at a socioeconomic disadvantage.(ibid) The second assumption is that high rates of mental health breakdowns are caused by the socioeconomic disadvantage. In comparison to the stress theory, the structural strain theory is better suited for explaining that mental illness is not distributed randomly in society, rather it is closely linked to socially or economically disadvantaged groups of society.(Ibid) It conveys that, the structure of society itself could contribute to the epidemiology of mental illness. The stress theory does not fully capture this idea and biological and psychological theories bypass it altogether. The disadvantages of the structural strain theory are that, structural theorists do not present how the broad social structures and socioeconomic trends are actualized in individuals lives. They also tend to give priority to econom ic factors and disregard other large scale changes such as, poor quality family relationships (absentee fathers, increased divorce rate and child or spouse abuse) which could affect mental health. (Horwitz Scheid 1999:132) Therefore, it is unclear of how the macro social trends cause psychological distress. It is not only socioeconomic disadvantage that are sources of stress, but interpersonal relationships can also be a contributing factor. It is interesting to note that, the structural strain theory has the same basis as the stress theory. The concept that the stress theory is essential to support the structural strain theory makes this theory weak.(Ibid) The societal reaction theory (labelling theory) is similar to the structural strain theory in the sense that they both offer a unique sociological explanation for the cause of mental illnesses; it is often referred to as the radical sociological explanation. The fundamental idea of the labelling theory is how the identity and behaviour of an individual can be influenced by how they are described and categorized by others in the society. (Pilgrim Rogers 1999:13) The theory looks at the linguistic tendency of a majority to negatively label those perceived as deviant from the shared norms, and is connected with the idea of a stereotyping and self-fulfilling prophecy. As a use of phenomenology, the theory speculates that the labels which can be applied to an individual can influence their behaviour. In particular, the application of stigmatizing or negative labels such as: criminal can promote deviant behaviour and therefore becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Consequently, the labeling theory assumes that social deviance can be prevented by using a social shaming reaction and replacing moral anger with tolerance.(Ibid) The labeling theory has been closely linked to the mentally ill. In 1966, Thomas Scheff published his writings: Being Mentally Ill. Scheff questioned the common perceptions of psychological disorders by declaring that mental illness is exhibited entirely as a result of societal influence. Scheff disputed that society perceives certain behaviour as deviant, and certain expectations are then placed on the individuals. Over a period of time this will unconsciously alter the individuals behaviour; in order to fulfil the expectations. The criteria given for different mental disorders are not always filled by the people who are diagnosed with them just because they all suffer from the same disorder. Scheff believed they are simply fulfilled due to the mentally ill being led to presume they are supposed to conform and act in a certain manner and eventually they do. (Pilgrim Rogers 1999:14) Scheff received multiple criticisms for his theory; the most notable critic is Walter Gove. (Pilgrim Rogers 1999:15) Gove has frequently argued an almost opposite of his theory; he feels strongly that society has very little influence on mental illness. Instead, he argues that any societal perceptions of people who are mentally ill are derived as a result of the individuals behaviour. Goves ideology is that, the mentally ill behave uncommonly due to their disorders, so they come to be treated as being different. Most of the sociology theorists view labeling and mental illness between the extremes of Scheff and Gove. It is difficult to deny, given both research findings and common sense; that perception society gives to crazy people has had a detrimental effect on them. Realistically, it seems that labeling can accentuate and perpetuate a mental illness. However, it is rare that it is the complete cause of the symptoms. (Ibid) Each of the sociological theories can be integrated. For example, structural strain theories have indicated that risks for certain social groups are created by the way in which societies are organized. (Horwitz Scheid 1999:137) The stress theory can assist in helping to bridge the gap between micro and macro structure, by giving an explanation of how structured risks are actualized as stressful events in peoples lives(Ibid) Also, the stress theory suggests that accumulation of strains and life events can overwhelm an individuals psychosocial resources and their ability to cope; thus leading to mental illness. This is similar to primary deviance in the labelling theorys terms. (Ibid) In conclusion, there has been a lot of research to prove a link between sociological ideology and mental illness. The stress theory proves how the more an individual is subjected to major negative stressors; the higher risk they have of psychological breakdown (flight or fight). Also, it indicates how an individuals coping resources can assist with overcoming psychological breakdowns (resistance) and lastly, how overwhelming exposure to stressors can cause exhaustion and a breakdown of an individuals mental state (exhaustion). (Horwitz Scheid 1999:122). The structural strain theory focuses more on society as a whole and determines which groups are more susceptible to mental illness. Groups of low social status, living in poor and disadvantaged areas are more susceptible to unemployment, being victims of crime etc and are more likely to become involved in illegitimate means to success or mental illness. (Horwitz Scheid 1999:130) The labelling theory then explains how the individuals who suffer from mental illness as a reaction to overwhelming stressors and/or being disadvantaged due to hierarchical or societys structure are then stigmatized and unfairly stereotyped. (Pilgrim Rogers 1999:13) It also shows a link that those who receive the label find it difficult to remove the label and often causing the individual to become entrapped with no other choice but to act in the way that they are meant to. (Ibid)

The Revolution in Russia Essay -- Russian Russia History

The Revolution in Russia In the last years of World War I a Revolution in Russia overthrew the Tsar and eventually led to the establishment of the world's first avowedly Communist state. The Soviet Union that rose out of the ashes of the Russian Empire would play a critical role in the events of the remainder of the century. A useful way of understanding the course of the Russian Revolution in 1917 is to compare it to a wildfire. In this metaphor, the instability of late Imperial Russia and the deep dissatisfaction of large segments of its population provided plentiful fuel for the fire that was sparked by the disastrous course of the First World War. Although the vast majority of the population was initially cheered when the Imperial government went up in flames, moderates soon began to worry that they too would be consumed if the blaze was allowed to spread. Their caution backfired, however, as they gradually lost the respect and trust of the population. As their authority broke down, the inferno spread out of control, benefiting radicals willing to go along with the growing anarchy and support the demands of the people. The militant Bolshevik Party was the group best able to ride the firestorm into power, which they seized in the famous October Revolution. They went along with the revolution until it burned itself out, and were then able to consolidate their position as the absolute rulers of the country. Dead Wood Despite being one of the world's largest, most powerful and most feared nations, late Imperial Russia rested on unstable foundations. The peasantry, the industrial workers and progressives were all deeply dissatisfied. Moreover, they had little hope of improving their situation through peaceful means. ... ...206. 12 Figes, People's Tragedy, 360. 13 Ibid., 430. 14 This phrase is often attributed to either Lenin or his associate Leon Trotsky. 15 1917 god v derevne Vospominaniia krestian (Moscow, 1967), 3 16 Except for a temporary decline during the harvest period. See Lazar Volin, A Century of Russian Agriculture: From Alexander II to Khrushev (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1970), 125. 17 1917 god v derevne, 3 18 Ibid., 4. 19 Figes, People's Tragedy, 433-434. 20 N. N. Sukhanov, The Russian Revolution, ed. Joel Carmichael (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1984), 470. 21 See David Schaich, The Bolsheviks, the Masses, and October for further discussion. 22 History of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Moscow: Foreign Languages Publishing House, 1960), 260-261. 23 See David Schaich, The Bolsheviks, the Masses, and October for further discussion.

Three Qualities to Succeed.

Everyone have dreams, expectations and goals. Some people dream of being famous singers or actors. Other people want to become doctors, nurses, pilots, teachers o something else, the thing is to succeed, to reach their goals. So what do people need to attain their goals? They need to work hard, to take risks, and they need to have attitude and qualities. There are three qualities necessary for success: passion, perseverance and discipline. Successful people are passionate about what they do, they love what the do and they enjoy at the same time, they feel happy and complete because it’s something that they want to do to being satisfied and meet their expectations. They are creative and hard workers, they try to be original thinking in some many ways to do it as well as they can. It’s important to love what they do to do it well and become a successful person. People should have perseverance to reach their goals, they need practice to improve their abilities, sometimes people feel insecure about what they do, so they might practice to do it better. They should keep going and confront the problems, if something is going wrong just keep trying and face the oppositions. Stay focused on their goals even if some one thinks that they must try to do something else, people need to be persistent enough to stay focused on what they want, they need to be patient and persistent if they want to reach their goals. To succeed people need to be discipline, being responsible of what they do, when they make a mistake they need to be able to fix it. They need to study for attain their goals as much as they can to obtain tools and show confidence about what they are doing. It’s not enough to want to succeed, also people need to wok hard with discipline to meet their goals. People who want to succeed should have perseverance, they need to be discipline to know which way is better to follow their dreams, and the most important quality is the passion. If people enjoy and love what they do, they are going to reach the success.

Factor Influencing Mortar Selection

1 Independent Study Proposal 50731710 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 15 2552 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦. 2 2552 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ( ) ( ) ? ( ) Significant factors influencing construction business for instant cement (Dry Mortar Cement) selection. .. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. ?. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2 ( ) ( 1 – 3) Significant Factors Influencing Construction Business for Instant Cement (Dry Mortar Cement) Selection (Chapter 1 -3) 50731710 .. ? 3 1 â€Å" † ? ? ? 8 ? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) 55. 36 ? 30 1-2 ?.?. 2551 1. 8% 2. ( ) 27% 4 3. 4. 5. 6. ( ) 18% ( ) 9% ( ) 4% 4% ? ( ) 3 8 3 1. SMC ( ) 2. ( ) SCCC 3. ( ) TPI-PL ? 5 ( ) 3 13 ? ? 1 2549 2550 2551 2552 2553 ? ( ) ( ) ( ) 115,000 113,013 -1,988 -1. 73% 200,000 178,763 -21,237 -10. 62% 260,000 166,207 -93,793 -36. 07% 330,000 400,000 1 1 2 3 6 2549 2550 2551 2552 2553 SMC ( ) TPI-PL ( ) SCCC ( ) ( ) 1,530,000 603,738 371,943 113,013 441,307 1,630,000 682,807 436,025 178,763 332,405 1,730,000 739,575 513,810 166,207 310,408 1,850,000 1,970,000 2 SMC 39. 46% 41. 89% 42. 75% TPI-PL 24. 31% 26. 75% 29. 70% SCCC 7. 39% 10. 97% 9. 61% 28. 84% 20. 39% 17. 94% 2549 2550 2551 2552 2553 3 ? 7 ? 1. 2. 3. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 1. 2. ? 3. 1. ?.?. 2549 2. ? ? 3. 8 1. (1450 ? C) 2. ? 9 2 ? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. (Organization Buying) Marketing Mix) 4 1. (Sole proprietorship) (Allyn and Bacon, 1987) ? 10 ( , 2549) ? 2. (Limited Partnership) (Allyn and Bacon, 1987) (Limited partnership) ? 1 ? ? ( , 2549) (Limited partnership) 2 ? ? 11 3. (Corporation) (Straub/Attner, 1985) ? ( , 2549) 7 ? ? ? ? ? 12 4. ( ) (Public Company) ( , 2552) ?.?.?. ?.?. ? ? 535 ? ? ? ( ) Public Limited Company ? Plc PLC (Public Limited Company) private Pcl PCL (Public Company Limited) ?. 15 5 ? ?. 100 0. 6 50 ? ? ? 10 ?. 5 20 100 ? (Trewatha Newport, 1982) ? ? 4 (.. , 2552) ? ? 13 1 2 ? 3 1. â€Å" † ? 2. 14 3. ? ? ? ? 1. 2. 3. 3 4. 5. 2 ? 6. ? 4 1. (Top Management) ? 2. (Manager) 2 15 3. (Frontline manage or Supervisor or Group leader) (Foreman) 1 ? 4. (Staff) 4 ? 1. 2. 3. 4. ? ? ( . , 2552) ? ( ) 8 1. 1 9 2. 2 9 3. 1 10 4. 2 9 5. 8 16 6. 9 7. 15 ? 8. 6 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 4 4 10 10 50 50 100 100 1,000 1,000 (Organization Buying) (Philip Kotler and Kevin Lane Keller, 2006) 1. 17 2. 3. ? 3 ? 1. (Straight re-buy) ? 2. (Modified re-buy) ? ? 3. (New task) (Awareness) (Interest) (Evaluation) (Trial) (Adoption) ? 8 ? (Buying Center) 7 1. (Initiators) 2. (Users) 3. (Influencers) 4. (Deciders) 5. (Approvers) 6. (Buyers) 19 7. (Gatekeepers) ? ? ? ? 4 ? 2 1. (Environmental factors) ? ? 20 2. (Organization factors) ? ? (Purchasing-department upgrading) (Centralized purchasing) (Decentralized purchasing) Long contract) (Purchasing performance evaluation and buyer’s professional development) 3. (Interpersonal factors) ? ? ? 4. (Individual factors) ? ? ? 21 ? ? ? ( , 2541) ? 8 1. (Problem recognition) ? 2. (General need description) ? 1 3. (Product specification) 4. (Supplier search) ? 5. (Proposal solicitation) 6. (Supplier selection) ? ?. ?. ?. ?. ?. ?. ?. 22 ?. ?. ?. ?. ?. ?. ?. ?. ?. ?. ?. ?. . (Order routine specification) ? 8. (Performance review) (Marketing Mix) (Philip Kotler and Kevin Lane Keller. 2006) ? 4 23 Four Ps ( ) (Product), (Price), (Place) (Promotion) 3 (Product) (Attention) Acquisition) (Using) (Consumption) ? 5 24 1. (Core Product) ? 2. Generic Product) 3. (Expected Product) 4. (Augmented Product) ? ? ? 5. (Potential Product) ? ? ? 5 ? 1. Tangible Product) ? ? ? (Consumer goods) (Industrial goods) (Consumer goods) 25 (End User) (Industrial goods) ? 2. (Intangible Product) ? (Service) ? ? (Price) 2 26 1. (Company Objective) 2. (Character of Product) 1. (Demand) 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. ? 6 1. (Total Revenue) 2. (Profit) ? 3. (Quantity) ? 4. (Competition) 27 5. (Social) 6. (Image) ? (Place) ? (End User) (Industrial User) (Transfer Point) ? 1. 2. 3. 4. ( ) 5. 6. ?. 28 ?. ?. 7. ( ) ?. ?. ? ? ?. ? ?. ? (Promotion) ? 4Cs ? 29 1. (Advertising) ? 5Ms ?. (Mission) ?. (Money) ?. (Message) ?. (Media) ?. (Measurement) 2. (Sales Promotion) ? ? 3 ?. (Communication) ?. (Incentive) ? ?. Invitation) 3. (Public Relation) ? (Marketing Public Relation, MPR) ?. (Launch new products) ?. (Repositioning) 30 ?. ?. ?. ?. ? 4. (Personal Selling) 3 ?. ? (Personal Confrontation) ?. ? (Cultivation) ?. (Response) 5. (Direct Marketing) (Direct Mail) (Telemarketing) 4 ? ?. (Nonpublic) ?. (Customized) ?. (Up-to-date) ?. (Interactive) 31 (2544) 20-29 30-39 6-10 ? (2545) , ? 32 (2545) 30-39 ? 20,000-29,999 ? ? ? (2548) ? ? ? 30-39 10,000 3 10 ? ? 33 ( ) ? ? ? ? ? 34 4 5 35 1. 2. 3. 4. 36 3 ? 1. (Primary Data) 2. Secondary Data) ? 1. ? ? 37 2. ? (Infinite population) n = N / (1+N. e2) n N e 10 % 0. 1 ? 90% 100 ? 1 2 3 38 (Pretest) ( ) 30 (Validity) (Difficulty) (Usability) ? (Reliability) 1. (Validity) ? (Content Validity) (Construct Validity) 2. Difficulty) ? 3. (Usability) 4. (Reliability) ? 39 (Reliability) (Pre-test) 30 ? Alpha _________ 1. (Non-Probability Sampling) (Convenient Sampling) ? 2. – 2552 08. 00 – 17. 00 ?. 2 100 1. (Editing) 2. (Coding) 40 3. 5 = = = = = 5 4 3 2 1 4.

na essays

na essays No one else is free while others are oppressed, states Martin L. King. It is an essential claim that women are oppressed. What is oppression? Oppression is the subjugation by one group to another group. By being oppressed you are being denied your human right to be an equal. Equality should not be an unattainable ideal that is only imagined in a far off place. Equality should be realistic and true. However, is equality just an unrealistic ideal for women in todays society? To achieve a goal of equality, oppression has to be dealt with in the way we talk, the way we live, and the way we are taught. The treatment of women in todays society is related to culture and the society we are living in. Marilyn Frye relates oppression to a birdcage. You cannot see oppression just by looking at one bar in the cage, you have to look at the whole picture. Only by taking a couple steps back can you see that oppression is in our homes and in our everyday lives. We live in a mans world, and we also live in a society of double standards. Take for example our language, this form of communication describes our values and attitudes. In language women are often oppressed in words such as: Mrs., Miss, Ms.. This form of language is a tool for ownership. If we hear the word Mrs., automatically she is married or owned by her husband. However, Mr. is only used in one connotation. Like Frye expresses, unless looked at from the big picture prospective, it is neglected. This is just one example of our language that reflects the subordination of women. Now I am a guy, just the usual Joe Schmoe if thats what you wish to call me. Nevertheless, I have one unique character that differentiates me from most other males. I have my eyes wide open to the world. I am aware what is wrong with the world, and I am conscious that having an open-mind is in my best interest. I witness other males op ...

Why Clothes Wrinkle

Why Clothes Wrinkle Question: Why Do Clothes Wrinkle? Answer: Heat and water cause wrinkles. Heat breaks the bonds holding polymers in place within the fibers of a fabric. When the bonds are broken, the fibers are less rigid with respect to each other, so they can shift into new positions. As the fabric cools, new bonds form, locking the fibers into a new shape. This is both how ironing gets wrinkles out of your clothes and why letting clothes cool in a heap fresh from the dryer will instill wrinkles. Not all fabrics are equally susceptible to this type of wrinkling. Nylon, wool, and polyester all have a glass transition temperature, or temperature below which the polymer molecules are almost crystalline in structure and above which the material is more fluid, or glassy. Water is the key culprit behind wrinkling of cellulose-based fabrics, such as cotton, linen, and rayon. The polymers in these fabrics are linked by hydrogen bonds, which are the same bonds that hold together molecules of water. Absorbent fabrics allow water molecules to penetrate the areas between the polymer chains, permitting the formation of new hydrogen bonds. The new shape becomes locked in as the water evaporates. Steam ironing works well on removing these wrinkles. Permanent Press Fabrics In the 1950s, Ruth Rogan Benerito, of the Department of Agriculture, came up with a process for treating a fabric to render it wrinkle-free, or permanent press. This worked by replacing the hydrogen bonds between polymer units with water-resistant cross-linked bonds. However, the crosslinking agent was formaldehyde, which was toxic, smelled bad, and made the fabric itchy, plus the treatment weakened some fabrics by making them more brittle. A new treatment was developed in 1992 that eliminated most of the formaldehyde from the fabric surface. This is the treatment used today for many wrinkle-free cotton garments.

Great Circlesâ€Definition and Examples in Geography

Great Circless in Geography A great circle is defined as any circle drawn on a globe (or another sphere) with a center that includes the center of the globe. Thus, a great circle divides the globe into two equal halves. Since they must follow the circumference of the Earth to divide it, great circles are about 40,000 kilometers (24,854 miles) in length along meridians. At the equator, though, a great circle is a little bit longer as the Earth is not a perfect sphere. In addition, great circles represent the shortest distance between two points anywhere on the Earths surface. Because of this, great circles have been important in navigation for hundreds of years but their presence was discovered by ancient mathematicians. Global Locations of Great Circles Great circles are easilye based on the lines of latitude and longitude. Each line of longitude, or meridian, is the same length and represents half of a great circle. This is because each meridian has a corresponding line on the opposite side of the Earth. When combined, they cut the globe into equal halves, representing a great circle. For example, the Prime Meridian at 0Â ° is half of a great circle. On the opposite side of the globe is the International Date Line at 180Â °. It too represents half of a great circle. When the two are combined, they create a full great circle which cuts the Earth into equal halves. The only line of latitude, or parallel, characterized as a great circle is the equator because it passes through the exact center of the Earth and divides it in half. Lines of latitude north and south of the equator are not great circles because their length decreases as they move toward the poles and they do not pass through Earths center. As such, these parallels are considered small circles. Navigating with Great Circles The most famous use of great circles in geography is for navigation because they represent the shortest distance between two points on a sphere. Due to the earths rotation, sailors and pilots using great circle routes must constantly adjust their route as the heading changes over long distances. The only places on Earth where the heading does not change is on the equator or when traveling due north or south. Because of these adjustments, great circle routes are broken up into shorter lines called Rhumb lines which show the constant compass direction needed for the route being traveled. The Rhumb lines also cross all meridians at the same angle, making them useful for breaking up great circles in navigation. Appearance on Maps To determine great circle routes for navigation or other knowledge, the gnomic map projection is often used. This is the projection of choice because on these maps the arc of a great circle is depicted as a straight line. These straight lines are then often plotted on a map with the Mercator projection for use in navigation because it follows true compass directions and is, therefore, useful in such a setting. It is important to note though that when long distance routes following great circles are drawn on Mercator maps, they look curved and longer than straight lines along the same routes. In reality, though, the longer looking, the curved line is actually shorter because it is on the great circle route. Common Uses of Great Circles Today Today, great circle routes are still used for long distance travel because they are the most efficient way to move across the globe. They are most commonly used by ships and aircraft where wind and water currents are not a significant factor though because currents like the jet stream are often more efficient for long distance travel than following the great circle. For example in the northern hemisphere, planes traveling west normally follow a great circle route that moves into the Arctic to avoid having to travel in the jet stream when going the opposite direction as its flow. When traveling east, however, it is more efficient for these planes to use the jet stream as opposed to the great circle route. Whatever their use, though, great circle routes have been an important part of navigation and geography for hundreds of years and knowledge of them is essential for long distance travel across the globe.

State Government vs Federal Government (Similarities and differences, Essay

State Government vs Federal Government (Similarities and differences, reporting standards etc.) - Essay Example It is appropriate to highlight the differences between the federal and the state government in regard to public resources, and how the same utilized effectively. The budgeting process involves careful planning of how money will be received and spent over a specific period of time (Kieso et al., 2012). Therefore, the major components of a public budget include revenues and expenditures. In the United States, the federal government differs with state governments in as far as the budgeting process is concerned. For instance, the federal management has the authority to control the economy through interest rates while state governments do not have such control over interest rates. The federal government is often at liberty to engage in deficit spending, implying that the federal administration has the ability to increase spending even if the revenue is lower than it should (Kieso et al., 2012). As a result, the public debt in the US has continued to soar over the years. On the contrary, state governments are not at liberty to engage in deficit spending on a large scale, and are bound by the parameters of a balanced budget. The federal government differs with the state governments in a number of ways in as far as the taxation process is concerned. As for the federal government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the agency charged with tax collection (Kieso et al., 2012). The government uses progressive tax to determine the tax rates in that the more money a person earns, the more the taxes. The most common federal taxes are the withholding tax and the federal tax return. The withholding tax is subtracted from wages that individuals receive, while the federal tax return requires citizens and residents to report their income each year to determine if they owe any income tax to the federal government (Weygandt, Kimmel & Kieso, 2010). Taxes imposed by state governments differ from one state to another, as there is no one system that works for all states.

Health care and the internet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Health care and the internet - Essay Example Health information seeking will also be helpful for people who cannot afford a regular doctor or insurance. One of the anticipated shifts is that health care will be accessible for everyone regardless of the status or income of the individual due to consumer health information seeking. Poor people will not be able to get information themselves through internet rather they will have to rely on hospitals and doctors. The exchange of information between hospitals will be more helpful for poor people as they can go to any hospitals and their health records will be available there. For middle or lower middle class people who have access to technology can make use of health information seeking by determining, on a basic level, their health problems and then treating it through a pharmacist. People who can afford health care insurance will be getting better quality of self service because of exchange of information between hospitals. Mutual databases of hospitals will increase the service time and also provide superior health care to all people whether rich or poor. This is how health information seeking will affect everyone. With the advent of internet, health information seeking has increased greatly. People can go online and get all the information they need. Doctors give suggestion on forums and everyone can read them. Simple diseases like influenza and viral flu can be treated through simple treatment. This is an emerging trend in consumer health information seeking. Physicians are however the most trusted source of health related information. People go to them asking for advice so they remain the most authoritative source of health information. An emerging trend in health information seeking is through pharmacist. They can also provide good health care information. People are also going for public health centers in order to get health related information. Health information

GBST300 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

GBST300 - Essay Example For example in the book â€Å"How to get filthy rich in Asia† by Hamid a poor person who is the protagonist moves to city and becomes an industrialist. In a city, the education, health and security is better in village than city. Education a person can get from a school or college in village because comparing to health and security, education takes a second place. In city health and security is less and in village people can get fresh air, food and water. In village people can feel safe as there are no crowding people and there is no traffic of strangers. In a village the people know each other and feel safe. There is good health due to the reason that people are physically active. They do not spend their time leisurely and get enough time to walk or get active. Moreover they do not eat fast food or other processed food like city dwellers. They raise their own food and eat wholesome food which give them good nutrition and health. They also have access to fresh water and are not subjected to pollution. The â€Å"White horse village† is a documentary which shows the unhealthy ways of city dwellers that in greed of money and power are destroying a village in China. Getting ahead in cities is not easy. For this one person need to be competitive and need to be selfish and be materialistic. They need to be thinking of earning money by any means and others interests does not stand in their way. One needs to sacrifice their morals and ethical standard. In city one need to avoid love friendly attitude and should be ready for debt. In the book by Hamid the characters are all thinking that they are the hero which is the attitude needed in city life. The people should be ready to be unethical and the protagonist of his novel wants to go back to rural life after being rich and lost in a city lifelike the protagonist in the novel by Hamid who ignores religion, value and love

Live Proformence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Live Proformence - Essay Example The performance can be judged as excellent basing on the positive remarks and the great admiration drawn from the audience. Some of the issues that connect to the value of the Ragbirds performance thrill on account of its capacity to address the diverse needs of the audience through balance and energetic delivery of sound and instruments. The performance was long and large-scale, although this aspect did not seem to subtract from its quality and the style of performance. Parts of the symphony appeared decidedly sophisticated given the fact that they combined traditional styles with the modern influences without losing the aspect of sophistication that is usually assigned to symphonies. I have always regarded symphonies with high esteem because of the manner in which they combine various sounds and effects to build meaning and impact on people in particularly impressive ways. In this particular symphony, I was particularly moved by the expert use of preludes, postludes, and interludes to develop meaning in ways that showed the maturity of the performance and the many possibilities of style that were reflected within the performance. One of the most noticeable positive qualities of this symphony was the emotional range and the scale in which it was rendered. I found it particularly tranquil and calming, in the sense that it connected appropriately with the aesthetic tastes of the audience. At some point, I thought that the impact was something totally personal and brought out by my own sensitivities to musical aesthetics. However, as the symphony launched into the different emotional zones, I could feel large sections of the audience deeply connected, with extremely high levels of concentration. In my opinion, the months of January and February are often languid and melancholic, due to the aftermath of the high Christmas season in December. The presentation of any symphony must target, as one of its goals, the purpose of determining the aesthetic tastes of the au dience in ways that connect effectively with the demands of the occasion. The audience was a mixture of ages. There were young children accompanied by their parents or guardians. There were also some couples either married or dating while many other people appeared single and seemed to connect very well with the performance and the situation nevertheless. At first, the younger children appeared to be somewhat disconnected from the details of the symphony, but gradually built interest as the soothing aspect of the harmonics began to take effect. The composition was appropriately matched with the length of the performance in a way that captured the diverse tastes of the audience. In a significant way, the symphony represented the coming of age of the various aspects of composition that connected the influences of tradition and modernity in a seamless continuum. On the 18th of January, I attended a second concert by the Big Boss Blues Band, which was performed in Bell’s Brewery. The group hails from Michigan and performs in electrifying live performances that kept the tempo and pace of the jolly mood in the auditorium. Much of their performance ranged from various songs and genres that reflected the level of flexibility by which this group generally performs. I was very pleased with the kind of energy that they presented on stage and the manner in which they mixed the different songs in a very harmonious way.

Interview a local Customer Service provider Essay

Interview a local Customer Service provider - Essay Example ues that are raised by the customers including the difficult one in a manner that will leave the customer satisfied so that he or she does not cancel their contract with the company. 7. What is the best experience you have had providing customer service? The best experience that I have had in providing customer service to the clients of the company is definitely getting referrals from the customers that were served satisfactorily and enjoyed the services and products that are provided by the company. Such situations allow my colleagues and I to take ownership of each customer experience while cooperating to work as a team in order to make the delivery of the promises of the company while remaining friendly and helpful as well as thoughtful. 8. What is the worst experience you have had providing customer service? The worst experience I have had so far in dealing with dealing with the customers involve cases were the customers do not understand the terms of their contracts and end up thinking they are being ripped off or decide to withdraw their contracts altogether. In situations such as these, I try my best to explain the terms to the customer in a manner they can understand and regardless of their decisions after this, I assure them that the company will continue to keep their best interests at heart. 9. Have you been trained to deal with customers? If yes, how long was the training and what type of training did you receive? Yes, I have been trained to deal with customers so that I can provide better services that will make sure the customers are retained in the company. I was trained to be familiar with most of the assistive devices such as wheelchairs and listening devices among others which may be used by the clients with variable capabilities in order to make it easier for them to access the company’s goods and services. 10. If you have not been trained to deal with customers, do you feel that this type of training would help you to provide better

BUS303 MODULE 4 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

BUS303 MODULE 4 - Coursework Example straight forward, and does not give a good idea of the historical background and reason of introducing STP and what role it has played in company’s growth and achievements. In addition to this, point of educating employees about customer relation is not justified properly as customers vary with each other and it is not possible to learn to deal with all of them, just by attending a program. It requires experience and meeting and talking with customers practically. Another thing that can be criticized is the audience which is addressed in the presentation. It is largely focused on the impact and benefits of STP on general employees of the company. Its overall impact on the company and performances of managers and executives are not dealt in detail. If STP is eliminated, than managing strategy and tactics will be changed, which can bring either good or bad results to the sales and reputation of the company. This futuristic aspect of eliminating STP was left untouched. Using examples of companies and organizations, to portray the importance of such trainings, could have made the presentation more lively and captivating. It would have also helped in magnifying the need of sales training programs in a sport goods company. Moreover, the argument that it will push employees from being customer oriented to sales oriented cannot be justified as these programs are also focused on increasing company sales and thinking solutions which can earn more profit for the company. Recommendations of using less company resources in conducting such programs and implementing the technology of online learning to educate new hires about company’s structure and objective could have been included in the presentation. Baldwin, D. (2012). Creating an Environment for Innovation. Retrieved December 26, 2012, from Centre for Simplified Strategic Planning: http://www.cssp.com/CD0902/CreatingInnovativeEnvironment/default.php National Sales Center. (2011). The Overlooked Benefits Of Sales

Interview a local Customer Service provider Essay

Interview a local Customer Service provider - Essay Example ues that are raised by the customers including the difficult one in a manner that will leave the customer satisfied so that he or she does not cancel their contract with the company. 7. What is the best experience you have had providing customer service? The best experience that I have had in providing customer service to the clients of the company is definitely getting referrals from the customers that were served satisfactorily and enjoyed the services and products that are provided by the company. Such situations allow my colleagues and I to take ownership of each customer experience while cooperating to work as a team in order to make the delivery of the promises of the company while remaining friendly and helpful as well as thoughtful. 8. What is the worst experience you have had providing customer service? The worst experience I have had so far in dealing with dealing with the customers involve cases were the customers do not understand the terms of their contracts and end up thinking they are being ripped off or decide to withdraw their contracts altogether. In situations such as these, I try my best to explain the terms to the customer in a manner they can understand and regardless of their decisions after this, I assure them that the company will continue to keep their best interests at heart. 9. Have you been trained to deal with customers? If yes, how long was the training and what type of training did you receive? Yes, I have been trained to deal with customers so that I can provide better services that will make sure the customers are retained in the company. I was trained to be familiar with most of the assistive devices such as wheelchairs and listening devices among others which may be used by the clients with variable capabilities in order to make it easier for them to access the company’s goods and services. 10. If you have not been trained to deal with customers, do you feel that this type of training would help you to provide better

Influential Economic Views of Karl Marx Research Paper

Influential Economic Views of Karl Marx - Research Paper Example Until lately, nearly half of the world’s population lived under authorities that claim to be Marxist. It shows that Marx’s works have been modified and his meaning changed to fit a variety of political circumstance. Furthermore, the fact that many of Marx writings delayed publication means it is only recently that his intellectual stature has been appreciated by scholars. Marx as an economic theorist composed the idea of communism which included all people having all the property and infrastructure. His theories played a significant part in international politics especially late 20th century during the cold war. Marx his work is unique as it polemic other thinkers frequently happened through critique. As a result he has been given in social science first great use of critical method. His attempt to distinguish key findings from ideology prejudices by use of equating metaphysics, speculative philosophy with ideology. This has placed him apart from present day philosopher s. Theory of labor value This theory is the science of political economy to show how under capitalization working people are exploited. It also shows how capitalist society operates. This value is fundamental in understanding of the capitalism economics since capitalism production of commodity par excellence. And, theory of labor value essentially explains what determines a commodity value (World Socialist Movement 2012). According to Karl, the basic unit of the capitalist economic structure is the commodity. Labor theory of value by Marx was inherited from classical school. He basically used Ricardo’s theory of value which states that commodities in... This paper offers comprehensive analysis of the contribution of the renowned social scientist, historian, revolutionary and philosopher Marx to the economic branch of knowledge.It is argued in the paper, that Marx labor theory of value has a primary role in ethnical and ideological issues. He shows that property income sources are often unearned or exploitative incomes. This is accomplished by his assumption that surplus value can only be created by one commodity which is labor. Marx consistently maintained this position through his analysis. Therefore, one can conclude that the surplus value sole creator is capital. His theory of labor value is the science of political economy to show how under capitalization working people are exploited. It also shows how capitalist society operates. This value is fundamental in understanding of the capitalism economics since capitalism production of commodity par excellence. And, theory of labor value essentially explains what determines a commodity value . According to Karl, the basic unit of the capitalist economic structure is the commodity. Labor theory of value by Marx was inherited from classical school. He basically used Ricardo’s theory of value which states that commodities in their prices. He stated that, commodities should have certain measurable amounts that should be common in all of them. Labor is one of the main thing in ensuring a stable economy. Therefore, it should be taken seriously and exploitation of workers should be minimized.

The Nz Aviation Sector Tourism Essay

The Nz Aviation Sector Tourism Essay The NZ aviation sector has grown from strength-to-strength in the recent years. New Zealand has a very high involvement with the aviation industry than many other countries. The aviation industry over here is world-class and the kiwis are air minded too. This made the aviation business a large one. Moreover, from the past few years, the innovation and technology has allowed the aviation industry to grow significantly. anz.png Air NewZealand has a very special brand image among the New Zealanders and it is the sole largest airline in the country. The report is presented by Narendra Inti, a PG Dip Business student at UNITEC, Auckland. The first part (Part A) of the report speaks about the history of Air NewZealand and provides an overview about the Managing Team, the organizations mission-vision-values and the prime elements of the organizations existence. By identifying the key values, the report also focuses on the key strategic-elements of the organizational strategy that helped to establish the firm. Environmental scan, both at the micro and macro levels is included in the report. Environmental analysis would expose the issues that need to be addressed for a business to become successful. The report also emphasizes on those areas in business where commendable performance is required to forecast success. 2. INTRODUCTION The Air NewZealand originated as TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways Limited) in 1940. TEAL was a flying-boat organization operating between Australia and NZ. Later, in 1965 TEAL was completely owned by NZ government and took the new name as Air NewZealand. Though it was privatized largely in 1989, the majority stake was took over by the NZ government in 2001 after the tie up with Ansett (an Australian carrier company) failed miserably due to the financial issues that prompted to fold the operations of Ansett. The recent figures show that about 12.8 million passengers are carried annually by Air NewZealand. Currently, it operates on a mighty fleet that comprise of the Boeing-747, Boeing-767, Boeing-777 and an Airbus-A320 on the international routes. Air NewZealand also operates domestically with its regional subsidiaries: Air Nelson Eagle Airways Mount Cook-Airline Air NewZealand achieved the Airline of the Year awards for the years of 2010 and 2012. Air nz.jpg 2.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW Company name: Air New Zealand Limited Company Type: Public Company Size: 10,001+employees Industry: Air lines/ Aviation Website: http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/ Registered Office Air New Zealand House185 Fanshawe Street, Auckland1010 NEW ZEALAND Stock-Exchange Listing NZX trading code: AIR ASX trading code: AIZ 2.2 Key People CHIEF-EXECUTIVE OFFICER: Rob Fyfe CEO DESIGNATE : Christopher Luxon DEPUTY CEO : Norm Thompson CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER : Rob McDonald GROUP GENERAL MANAGERS: Group General Manager Short-haul Airlines :   Bruce Parton Group General Manager People Technical Operations: Vanessa Stoddart General Manager Airline Operations and Safety : David Morgan General Manager Marketing and Communications : Mike Tod General Manager Strategy : Stephen Jones 2.3 OBJECTIVES The global economy has been facing a challenging environment due to the ongoing recession and this combined with a heavy competitive market has slowed down the economic activity. This has resulted in a great change in the peoples attitude towards the mode of travelling. The highly competitive market has compelled the organizations to deal more strategically. Present global economic crisis has limited the peoples ability to spend and so they look for something that is cost effective and at the same time very useful. The report mainly focuses on the strategic-foundations of Air NewZealand. Narendra Inti has conducted the PESTEL analysis as a part of the environmental scan while dealing with the macro-level analysis of the Air NewZealand followed by the Porters five frame-work to analyze at the micro level. The findings from the environmental scan are used to address the key level strategic issues and thereby help the organization to grow and be successful consistently. 3. STRATEGIC FOUNDATIONS 491591_orig.jpg CSL_mission2.png An organization comprises of the following strategic-foundations Mission Vision Strategy Values 3.1 THE MISSION Air_New_Zealand.png The tag line Worlds warmest welcome clearly suggests that Air NewZealand is committed to provide the best service to the people and that is what they have been doing since their inception. About 13 million people all around fly on Air NewZealand , annually. It could happen only because of the warmest service they have been providing and this is what is differentiating Air NewZealand from the other airlines. The commitment towards their mission Worlds warmest welcome has fetched them international acclaim. It is not just the kiwis who love to enjoy the service of this airlines, also people from many other countries do. Apart from the best airlines award for the years of 2010 and 2012, it has been continually winning Best Passenger-Service Award presented by ATWMA (Air-Transport World  magazine-award). 3.2 THE VISION Vision of Air NewZealand: Air NewZealand will strive to be number one in every market we serve by creating a workplace where teams are committed to our customers in a distinctively New Zealand way, resulting in superior industry returns. Values 3.2.1 PROVIDING THE BEST SERVICE Air NewZealands approach towards the customers begins by knowing the customers need. They enquire its customer where they are traveling and how many people, why when, and what is that they value during the journey. This helps them to decide the network and their schedule; and the service and process is tailored to match needs of the customer during the journey. Every employee of Air NewZealand commits himself to make-a-difference to their customers and their business. 3.2.2 COMMUNITY SUPPORT Air NewZealand is the top sponsor of most of the major events conducted in New Zealand. It holds a record for sponsoring a lot of groups and supporting many charities by donating huge amounts and providing travel assistance. 3.2.3 EnvironmentAL CARE Air NewZealand is highly dedicated to minimize the aviations impact on the environment. ANZET (Air NewZealand Environment-Trust) has been making donations to support the development for conservation the research projects in NZ. 3.2.4 Customers AIRLINE They value their customers and that has made them the customers choice. They constantly study about peoples changing tastes and give top priority to the customers needs. That is the reason their quality in service has been always above the customers expectations. 3.3 KEY ELEMENTS OF PLANNED STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS Air NewZealand want to build a competitive advantage in their businesses with the help of its employees innovation and creativity. Air NewZealand is highly committed to champion and also promote NZ and kiwis, business and the culture both at home and abroad. They believe in teamwork and its great committed team aiming for the growth of its organization and vitality of New Zealand. Air NewZealand wants to always be the customers choice of airline, when people travel to/from or within NZ. 4. ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN The Environmental scanning helps to find out current or forthcoming changes because it thoroughly focuses on those areas the organization might have neglected previously. So there are 6 elements/segments of the generic environment that has its effect on an organization. The impact caused due to these segments differs from organization to organization. The organization need to mainly concentrate on researching, monitoring, reporting and analyzing the data. The resultant findings of this analysis can be used as the tools that convert uncertainty into strategy (Aaker, David, Michael and Mills, 2005). 4.1 MACRO ANALYSIS Business environment surrounding an organization comprises of external influences which affects an organizations decisions and its performance. So the PESTEL analysis provides a methodological approach to find out and analyze those macro environmental segments that could affect the strategies involved in business, and also helps to forecast how these factors might influence the performance of the business in the current and future scenarios. The environmental study starts with the study of six factors of the PESTEL analysis. The six factors are interrelated to each other and each factor cannot be viewed as a unique one. During the analysis one need to take in to consideration a lot of macro-environmental-factors so that the strategic process of policy formulation can be more useful to the current and future scenarios. The factors discussed below gives an insight for the strategy makers as to what to incorporate in the organization strategy to make it efficient and those environmental factors that are very essence of a business strategy. According to their organization needs, the strategy makers need to assess other factors too that could have the potential to influence the organizations output, which is not mentioned below. Therefore the mantra is to concentrate on the key factors that need to be addressed in order to be successful. (Grant, 2010) pestlee.png 4.1.1 POLITICAL factors Political factors can have either a positive or a negative impact on a business and that pure depends on the current scenario in a country .So, understanding and monitoring the political environment is very crucial for every business because this factor can significantly affect any business. Some key questions that are a part of the political environment which the strategy makers need to find the answers before proceeding further are: whether the government is stable?, what type of a government is it?, what type of economic policy do they have?, What type of trade policies the government has?, what are the Diplomatic proceedings in the neighboring countries?. Once the strategy makers get the answers for the above questions, they need to incorporate the findings in the strategy making process and this helps them to forecast the future. Almost 74% of the stake of Air NewZealand being owned by the NZ government, there seems to be no trouble for Air NewZealand from the political front as for as New Zealand is considered. Moreover policies were framed to benefit the organization since the NZ government strongly believed that it is something related to the integrity of the nation. But the organization needs to constantly monitor and adapt to the policies of the overseas governments as the policies, taxes and regulations change very frequently. ECONOMIC factors The economic factors which can affect a business and the factors that need to be considered are: demand for service or goods, regulation, interest and the inflation rates, access to the credit and un-employment proportion. The above mentioned factors can directly affect the market competition, demand and the supply. Though the global economy is gloomy, the local economic conditions in New Zealand are far better than many other developed countries. The major areas like Australia, Singapore and Gulf countries where Air NewZealand flees to and from are also in good shape economically. So there are no concerns as of now for Air NewZealand in this segment. 4.1.3 SOCIAL factors Social factors are very crucial and they can play a key role in influencing a business. Social factors include several components like lifestyle, trends, wealth distribution among the people and ethnicity. Human beings are social animals and so the social factors that influence are interrelated to peoples culture, opinions and changing tastes. The Air NewZealand is very good at marketing themselves in a way that appeals to the people. They focus on diverse cultures and that can been seen in their service, which address and values the culture. To give an example, during the recent rugby world cup few planes were painted in black to support the All Blacks rugby team of NZ. This clearly shows that they give a lot of importance to incorporate the social factors in the strategy making process. Also the way Air NewZealand staff address the people of different cultures is another classic example too. 4.1.4 TECHNOLOGICAL factors Businesses should continually implement new technologies to give the best service in the market. Companies with good vision look out for the best technologies that are apt for their business and implement those technologies to take an advantage in the market. Air NewZealand is very good in terms of implementing new technology. As their company vision states, they always strive to provide competitive advantage blended with creativity and innovation. When few airlines are still with old technology in the seating facilitiesetc, Air NewZealand constantly monitors the technology advancements and updates them regularly to their services. 4.1.5 DEMOGRAPHIC factors New Zealand is a place of great ethnic mix. People from all over the world have come and settled here. Every year there is a great increase in young generation pouring from all the over the world for good study and job opportunities over here. This is a great advantage for the Air NewZealand as the immigrants fly to home countries very frequently. This is also a reason that boosted up the Air New Zealand business. 4.1.6 Legal factors The legal factors include the regulations of employment, health, safety and service. Air NewZealand has to abide by the New Zealand Civil Aviation Act 1990. 4.2 MICRO ANALYSIS The micro-environment involves organizations/individuals that are dealt by the firms regularly. Stakeholders groups in business viz. suppliers, competitors, distributors, employees and customers come under the micro-environment. All the stakeholder groups can show their impact on a firm directly. Managers need to often interact with the stakeholders since their decisions have direct impact on the business. Therefore the micro-environmental factors play a critical role in organizations behavior and success. Many frameworks and models are recommended to analyze an organizations micro-environment where it operates. Porters Five Forces Of Competition Framework In 1979, Michael.E.Porter, a professor from Harvard Business School proposed a frame-work known as Porter Five Frame-Work. This framework was very useful for business strategy-development and for the ongoing industrial-analysis. These five forces are useful to analyze the competition in a given environment of the market and help to improve the strategy (Michael, Duane, and Robert, 2005). The forces of Porters five framework are based on the S-C-P paradigm (structure and conduct performance) in organizational-economics. This can be applied to diverse scenarios and different range of problems and thereby help the businesses to be more profitable (Porter, 1979). D:AUT SEM 2SMAssignmentporters_five_forces.png The five forces were referred as micro-environment by Michael E.Porter. The micro-environment consists of the forces that are close to the organization which can affect the ability of an organization to serve the customers and its profitability. Firms would be able to apply its core competencies, network or the business model to gain profits over industry average. 4.2.1. Bargaining power of suppliers The term suppliers can be referred to all the sources of input required to provide the goods or the services. A service industry needs infrastructure, labor and the other supplies. This requirement has lead to supplier-buyer relationship between the firm that provides material and the industry that provides goods or services. If the suppliers are powerful, they could exert influence on the industry that provides goods or services, by selling the material at very high prices with an intention to capture the industrys profit. Supplier bargaining-power could be high in the following scenarios: If the market is completely dominated by very few giant suppliers. If there are no substitutes for those products. If the buyers are fragmented, the bargaining power would be low. Sometimes switching to a different supplier could cost more. In the case of airlines, are there several-buyers and few principal-suppliers? Yes, in the case of airline industry there are many buyers like Air NewZealand and only two suppliers viz Boeing and Airbus. So the power is in the hands of those two suppliers. Is the suppliers brand image strong? Yes, Boeing and Airbus have a very strong brand image and they are the only suppliers of aircrafts for many airline service providers like Air NewZealand. Can the suppliers raise prices? Suppliers have all the power to increase their prices, but currently they might not do so as the airline industry is struggling with low profits due to heavy competition. Can the suppliers find new customers? Yes, it is easy to find new customers but not many are jumping into this sector so easily. 4.2.2 Bargaining power of buyers The buyer bargaining power of Porters five forces refers to the consumers pressure in-order to get the better quality service and lower prices. According to the Porters framework of industry analysis, buyer bargaining power is one among the five forces that shape the structure of a completion in an industry. The main idea here is buyer bargaining-power in any given industry affects the competitive-environment for the seller and thus influencing the sellers profitability. If the buyers are strong, they could pressure the sellers to improve quality of the product, provide more services and to reduce the prices. Buyers play a key role in creating demand in an industry. Are there very few leading-buyers and many sellers in airline industry? The entire population of New Zealand and other users from many different countries form the customer base and this is too high when compared to airlines operating. Are the services standardized? Yes. The customers demand a wide range of high quality services at low prices. Are the buyers forced to be tough? No. Is it easy for the buyers to switch their suppliers? Yes. There are many airlines operating currently and so the customer can easily switch if they find that they are not getting what they prefer from the current airlines. 4.2.3 Threat of NEW ENTRANTS The new entrants can be referred to the new firms that pop in and emerge in any given industry and thereby giving a tough competition to the existing already established firm. New entrants cannot actually compete on equivalent terms on the already established and recognized firms. There are many risk factors involved that need to be considered by the new entrants. There is minimum scope for the new entrants to come up on a large scale. The three main barriers for a new entrant are brand loyalty, economies-of-scale and absolute-cost-advantages (Hill and et al, 2007). Going by the current scenario, it is not so easy for the new entrants to survive in an airline industry, because this particular industry is very congested and has very high entry barriers. Moreover airline industry is less attractive due to high initial investment required and very less profits to gain. So there is no threat of new entrants to Air NewZealand. 4.2.4 Threat of substituteS The substitute refers to the alternatives that are available in the market to the buyers. The alternatives that are available for the customers are referred to as substitutes. Speaking in context to airlines, alternative transport methods like roadways, railways and waterways can be a threat to domestic airlines as a train or ship can be used for leisurely travel purpose. But still airlines secure the position of fastest mode of transport and it would continue its dominance in the international market of transport. 4.2.5 RIVALRY BETWEEN ESTABLISHED COMPETITORS The business that is providing similar services or goods is referred to as rival. It exists if there are more many firms in a market. These firms constantly try to capture the markets of the other firms to better their position and get an edge over the others. Normally the competition is on the product basis, cost, customer service and promotional campaigning to achieve a better place in the market. This force gives a clear idea about the competition intensity between the current players in the market. High competition results in lowering the prices margins and this affects the profitability of every single firm in the industry. Though Trans Tasman market zone in airlines is completely dominated by Air NewZealand and Qantas, other competitors like Virgin Blue and Emirates play a vital role in determining the prices in the market. Competition and intensity of rivalry in airline industry is likely to be high when the following happens: Competition Structure The rivalry would be more when it has small sized competitors vice versa when there is single largest market leader. Strategic objectives The competition increases if the competitors take up fierce growth plans. It would be a different scenario if they only aim for the profits. In the airline industry, the competition is more focused on advertising, pricing structure and customer satisfaction. The main competitors of Air NewZealand are listed below: Qantas Airways its subsidiary Jetstar Airlines Virgin Australia Airlines Emirates Airlines 5. KEY STRATEGIC ISSUES The aviation industry has seen drastic changes from the recent past. Airlines have become very competitive as the airlines are more focused on capturing the market share of the others. As far as the Trans Tasman zone is considered, the environment for aviation is in good shape. Understanding The Markets and Customers To survive and effectively compete in the aviation sector it is essential for the airlines to understand the market and the changing tastes of the customers. Airlines can retain a customer only if they provide the best in their service. So retaining has become one of the key issues for airlines. Therefore, Air NewZealand should constantly check their SLs, frequentness and connectivity. They should constantly survey and update accordingly to meet the customer taste and expectations. Increasing use of loyalty marketing A concept that aims to encourage the customers to use a product or service frequently by instilling a loyalty sense in them is called loyalty marketing. There are various loyalty program adapted by the airlines. Air NewZealand provides a frequent-flyer loyalty program that gives a chance for the customers to win points during their trips. Once the customer has sufficient points, he could redeem them in order to avail some free benefits. re-align procurement strategies Recession has taught many good lessons. It has clearly shown how trends could become volatile. The current global economic crisis has urged the aviation industry to realign the procurement-strategy. Therefore it is very necessary for Air NewZealaand to establish an efficient strategy and procurement system in order to succeed in any uncertain conditions and be successful. 6. CONCLUSION Aviation industry is a very hi-fi industry. Air NewZealand has to make sure that their staff is providing the WOW factor in their service that a customer would always expect. They need to strategically plan all their moves and should always strive to provide the best market rates and the best service in the market. Air NewZealand has been constantly receiving aviation industry awards for its operations and it has got excellent honor of services. It enjoys a giant 52 % of total market share in the Trans Tasman aviation zone. Therefore Air NewZealand should always strive to be the best by providing the best.

Anabolic Steroids Essay -- Drugs, Sports

When you are presented an easier way to achieve a goal its first nature to automatically be interested correct? When you feel overwhelmed with a task and the saying â€Å"you did your best† doesn’t apply to you its safe to say that most people would do anything they can to succeed. Maybe as a child you were instructed by your p.e. teacher to run two timed laps but you found a way to cheat and you only ran one. Imagine having to live up to the expectations of signing a multimillion dollar contract most people would do anything legal or not to make sure that they are not considered failures. It’s considered human instinct to cheat or to take an easy way out when you there is one presented and that is one of the main reasons why steroids are such a problem in sports today. Anabolic steroids, also know as steroids or â€Å"roids† are synthetic versions of testosterone. The word anabolic comes from the Greek word â€Å"anabole† which â€Å"means to build up.† Steroids are drugs that are used to stimulate the growth of the human body. The use of steroids without medical approval is strictly prohibited as congress classified the drug as a controlled substance in the late 1900s. The discovery of steroids came in the early 1930’s. Leopold RuÃ… ¾iÄ ka born in Vukovar, Croatia, was the chemist who created the drug. He received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1939 and is considered one of the brightest biochemists during the 1900’s. At first scientists pronounced the drug as medicine. It was used to help find ways to cure aids, cancer, and other terminal diseases. It was also given to men who have not yet gone through puberty because it was discovered that steroids help produce testosterone. Men who lacked the ability to produce enough naturally were given as a ... ...heir success through hard work and determination have to now worry that they will be perceived as cheaters due to the fact that there are so many athletes on steroids. Sports are all about testing your physical abilities and pushing your body to it’s furthest limits but when you are under the influence of steroids. Your performance is rigged and that eventually will be the reason as to why Barry Bonds achievements are no longer considered. Steroid abuse also hurts professional leagues, after the steroid era in baseball, many beloved fans, retired players, owners, analysts felt ashamed when it came to how baseball had turned into a laughingstock. As a fan I was embarrassed that I believed in and encouraged the athletes who were criminals. I followed their careers and cheered when they broke the records of some of the greatest players in the history of baseball.

Get Back to Work! :: essays research papers

A couple of months ago, my company installed a system to record the phone calls of certain employees. They set the recorder to record only the employees who have outside contacts with customers, regulatory boards, or contract personnel. The company implemented this system to resolve conflicts, clarify positions, protect the integrity of the company’s contracts and verbal commitments, and provide for sales and customer service training. Naturally, this did not go over well with some of the employees who thought this was an invasion of their privacy. Some of the employees started using their cell phones or other company phones to make their personal calls. Others would complain to their coworkers and supervisors about the company’s disrespect for their privacy. I believe that employees should not be bothered by the fact the company is recording their phone calls because the phones are company property and employees are being paid to work. Employees seem to believe that their assigned phone is their phone and they can do with it as they please. It is a privilege to have a phone and employees seem to take their phones for granted. The company is paying for the phones and providing them to their employees for business purposes. It follows the same principles of the computer; employees should not browse certain types of web pages and the company can actually record Internet activity and other computer activity quite easily. Legally, nothing employees do on their phones is private and privacy is not implied. Employees also should not be making personal calls that are not appropriate. If an employee is talking about inappropriate subjects they should not be talking about it at work, period. If the employee does not want their conversations recorded, they should not have them at work. Employees could use their cell phones to negate the recording system, but people will know that they are on a personal call. They can also go to another desk to make their personal phone calls, but this would mean that they are not working. While at work, employees should be working on their assigned tasks. Of course, I am not saying that they should not be able to do some personal activities. Employees should be able to take breaks, gossip with coworkers, take care of personal business, and make personal phone calls, but these activities should be limited and should not disturb an employee’s performance.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 23 THE TRUTH

I HAD THE SENSE THAT I'D BEEN ASLEEP FOR A VERY long timemy body was stiff, like I hadn't moved once through all that time, either. My mind was dazed and slow; strange, colorful dreamsdreams and nightmaresswirled dizzily around the inside of my head. They were so vivid. The horrible and the heavenly, all mixed together into a bizarre jumble. There was sharp impatience and fear, both part of that frustrating dream where your feet can't move fast enough And there were plenty of monsters, red-eyed fiends that were all the more ghastly for their genteel civility. The dream was still strongI could even remember the names. But the strongest, clearest part of the dream was not the horror. It was the angel that was most clear. It was hard to let him go and wake up. This dream did not want to be shoved away into the vault of dreams I refused to revisit. I struggled with it as my mind became more alert, focusing on reality. I couldn't remember what day of the week it was, but I was sure Jacob or school or work or something was waiting for me. I inhaled deeply, wondering how to face another day. Something cold touched my forehead with the softest pressure. I squeezed my eyes more tightly shut. I was still dreaming, it seemed, and it felt abnormally real. I was so close to waking any second now, and it would be gone. But I realized that it felt too real, too real to be good for me. The stone arms I imagined wrapped around me were far too substantial. If I let this go any further, I'd be sorry for it later. With a resigned sigh, I wrenched back my eyelids to dispel the illusion. â€Å"Oh!† I gasped, and threw my fists over my eyes. Well, clearly, I'd gone too far; it must have been a mistake to let my imagination get so out of hand. Okay, so â€Å"let† was the wrong word. I'd forced it to get out of handpretty much stalked my hallucinationsand now my mind had snapped. It took less than half a second for me to realize that, as long as I was truly insane now, I might as well enjoy the delusions while they were pleasant. I opened my eyes againand Edward was still there, his perfect face just inches away from mine. â€Å"Did I frighten you?† His low voice was anxious. This was very good, as delusions went. The face, the voice, the scent, everythingit was so much better than drowning. The beautiful figment of my imagination watched my changing expressions, with alarm. His irises were pitch-black, with bruise-like shadows under them. This surprised me; my hallucinatory Edwards were usually better fed. I blinked twice, desperately trying to remember the last thing that I was sure was real. Alice was part of my dream, and I wondered if she had really come back at all, or if that was just the preamble. I thought she'd returned the day I'd nearly drowned â€Å"Oh, crap† I croaked. My throat was thick with sleeping. â€Å"What's wrong, Bella?† I frowned at him unhappily. His face was even more anxious than before. â€Å"I'm dead, right?† I moaned. â€Å"I did drown. Crap, crap, crap! This is gonna kill Charlie.† Edward frowned, too. â€Å"You're not dead.† â€Å"Then why am I not waking up?† I challenged, raising my eyebrows. â€Å"You are awake, Bella.† I shook my head. â€Å"Sure, sure. That's what you want me to think. And then it will be worse when I do wake up. If I wake up, which I won't, because I'm dead. This is awful. Poor Charlie. And Renee and Jake† I trailed off in horror at what I had done. â€Å"I can see where you might confuse me with a nightmare.† His short-lived smile was grim. â€Å"But I can't imagine what you could have done to wind up in hell. Did you commit many murders while I was away?† I grimaced. â€Å"Obviously not. If I was in hell, you wouldn't be with me.† He sighed. My head was getting clearer. My eyes flickered away from his faceunwillinglyfor one second, to the dark, open window, and then back to him. I started to remember details and I felt a faint, unfamiliar blush warm the skin over my cheekbones as I slowly realized that Edward was really, truly here with me, and I was wasting time being an idiot. â€Å"Did all of that really happen, then?† It was almost impossible to reassign my dream as reality. I couldn't wrap my head around the concept. â€Å"That depends.† Edward's smile was still hard. â€Å"If you're referring to us nearly being massacred in Italy, then, yes.† â€Å"How strange,† I mused. â€Å"I really went to Italy. Did you know I'd never been farther east than Albuquerque?† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"Maybe you should go back to sleep. You're not coherent.† â€Å"I'm not tired anymore.† It was all coming clear now. â€Å"What time is it? How long have I been sleeping?† â€Å"It's just after one in the morning. So, about fourteen hours.† I stretched as he spoke. I was so stiff. â€Å"Charlie?† I asked. Edward frowned. â€Å"Sleeping. You should probably know that I'm breaking the rules right now. Well, not technically, since he said I was never to walk through his door again, and I came in the window But, still, the intent was clear.† â€Å"Charlie banned you from the house?† I asked, disbelief quickly melting into fury. His eyes were sad. â€Å"Did you expect anything else?† My eyes were mad. I was going to have a few words with my fatherperhaps it would be a good time to remind him that I was over the legal age of adulthood. It didn't matter so much, of course, except in principle. All too soon there would be no reason for the prohibition. I turned my thoughts to less painful avenues. â€Å"What's the story?† I asked, genuinely curious, but also trying desperately to keep the conversation casual, to keep a firm grip on myself, so I wouldn't scare him away with the frantic, gnawing craving that was raging inside me. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"What am I telling Charlie? What's my excuse for disappearing for how long was I gone, anyway?† I tried to count the hours in my head. â€Å"Just three days.† His eyes tightened, but he smiled more naturally this time. â€Å"Actually, I was hoping you might have a good explanation. I've got nothing.† I groaned. â€Å"Fabulous.† â€Å"Well, maybe Alice will come up with something,† he offered, trying to comfort me. And I was comforted. Who cared what I had to deal with later? Every second that he was hereso close, his flawless face glowing in the dim light from the numbers on my alarm clockwas precious and not to be wasted. â€Å"So,† I began, picking the least importantthough still vitally interestingquestion to start with. I was safely delivered home, and he might decide to leave at any moment. I had to keep him talking. Besides, this temporary heaven wasn't entirely complete without the sound of his voice. â€Å"What have you been doing, up until three days ago?† His face turned wary in an instant. â€Å"Nothing terribly exciting.† â€Å"Of course not,† I mumbled. â€Å"Why are you making that face?† â€Å"Well† I pursed my lips, considering. â€Å"If you were, after all, just a dream, that's exactly the kind of thing you would say. My imagination must be used up.† He sighed. â€Å"If I tell you, will you finally believe that you're not having a nightmare?† â€Å"Nightmare!† I repeated scornfully. He waited for my answer. â€Å"Maybe,† I said after a second of thought. â€Å"If you tell me.† â€Å"I was hunting.† â€Å"Is that the best you can do?† I criticized. â€Å"That definitely doesn't prove I'm awake.† He hesitated, and then spoke slowly, choosing his words with care. â€Å"I wasn't hunting fot food I was actually trying my hand at tracking. I'm not very good at it.† â€Å"What were you tracking?† I asked, intrigued. â€Å"Nothing of consequence.† His words didn't match his expression; he looked upset, uncomfortable. â€Å"I don't understand.† He hesitated; his face, shining with an odd green cast from the light of the clock, was torn. â€Å"I† He took a deep breath. â€Å"I owe you an apology. No, of course I owe you much, much more than that. But you have to know,†the words began to flow so fast, the way I remembered he spoke sometimes when he was agitated, that I really had to concentrate to catch them all†that I had no idea. I didn't realize the mess I was leaving behind. I thought it was safe for you here. So safe. I had no idea that Victoria,†his lips curled back when he said the name†would come back. I'll admit, when I saw her that one time, I was paying much more attention to James's thoughts. But I just didn't see that she had this kind of response in her. That she even had such a tie to him. I think I realize why nowshe was so sure of him, the thought of him failing never occurred to her. It was her overconfidence that clouded her feelings about himthat kept me from seeing the depth of them, the bond there. â€Å"Not that there's any excuse for what I left you to face. When I heard what you told Alicewhat she saw herselfwhen I realized that you had to put your life in the hands of werewolves, immature, volatile, the worst thing out there besides Victoria herselfhe shuddered and the gush of words halted for a short second. â€Å"Please know that I had no idea of any of this. I feel sick, sick to my core, even now, when I can see and feel you safe in my arms. I am the most miserable excuse for† â€Å"Stop,† I interrupted him. He stared at me with agonized eyes, and I tried to find the right wordsthe words that would free him from this imagined obligation that caused him so much pain. They were very hard words to say. I didn't know if I could get them out without breaking down. But I had to try to do it right. I didn't want to be a source of guilt and anguish in his life. He should be happy, no matter what it cost me. I'd really been hoping to put off this part of our last conversation. It was going to bring things to an end so much sooner. Drawing on all my months of practice with trying to be normal for Charlie, I kept my face smooth. â€Å"Edward,† I said. His name burned my throat a little on the way out. I could feel the ghost of the hole, waiting to rip itself wide again as soon as he disappeared. I didn't quite see how I was going to survive it this time. â€Å"This has to stop now. You can't think about things that way. You can't let this this guilt rule your life. You can't take responsibility for the things that happen to me here. None of it is your fault, it's just part of how life is for me. So, if I trip in front of a bus or whatever it is next time, you have to realize that it's not your job to take the blame. You can't just go running off to Italy because you feel bad that you didn't save me. Even if I had jumped off that cliff to die, that would have been my choice, and not your fault. I know it's your your nature to shoulder the blame for everything, but you really can't let that make you go to such extremes! It's very irresponsiblethink of Esme and Carlisle and† I was on the edge of losing it. I stopped to take a deep breath, hoping to calm myself. I had to set him free. I had to make sure this never happened again. â€Å"Isabella Marie Swan,† he whispered, the strangest expression crossing his face. He almost looked mad. â€Å"Do you believe that I asked the Volturi to kill me because I felt guilty?† I could feel the blank incomprehension on my face. â€Å"Didn't you?† â€Å"Feel guilty? Intensely so. More than you can comprehend.† â€Å"Then what are you saying? I don't understand.† â€Å"Bella, I went to the Volturi because I thought you were dead,† he said, voice soft, eyes fierce. â€Å"Even if I'd had no hand in your death†he shuddered as he whispered the last word†even if it wasn't my fault, I would have gone to Italy. Obviously, I should have been more carefulI should have spoken to Alice directly, rather than accepting it secondhand from Rosalie. But, really, what was I supposed to think when the boy said Charlie was at the funeral? What are the odds? â€Å"The odds† he muttered then, distracted. His voice was so low I wasn't sure I beard it right. â€Å"The odds are always stacked against us. Mistake after mistake. I'll never criticize Romeo again.† â€Å"But I still don't understand,† I said. â€Å"That's my whole point. So what?† â€Å"Excuse me?† â€Å"So what if I was dead?† He stared at me dubiously for a long moment before answering. â€Å"Don't you remember anything I told you before?† â€Å"I remember everything that you told me.† Including the words that had negated all the rest. He brushed the tip of his cool finger against my lower lip. â€Å"Bella, you seem to be under a misapprehension.† He closed his eyes, shaking his head back and forth with half a smile on his beautiful face. It wasn't a happy smile. â€Å"I thought I'd explained it clearly before. Bella, I can't live in a world where you don't exist.† â€Å"I am† My head swam as I looked for the appropriate word. â€Å"Confused.† That worked. I couldn't make sense of what he was saying. He stared deep into my eyes with his sincere, earnest gaze. â€Å"I'm a good liar, Bella, I have to be.† I froze, my muscles locking down as if for impact. The fault line in my chest rippled; the pain of it took my breath away. He shook my shoulder, trying to loosen my rigid pose. â€Å"Let me finish! I'm a good liar, but still, for you to believe me so quickly.† He winced. â€Å"That was excruciating.† I waited, still frozen. â€Å"When we were in the forest, when I was telling you goodbye† I didn't allow myself to remember. I fought to keep myself in the present second only. â€Å"You weren't going to let go,† he whispered. â€Å"I could see that. I didn't want to do itit felt like it would kill me to do itbut I knew that if I couldn't convince you that I didn't love you anymore, it would just take you that much longer to get on with your life. I hoped that, if you thought I'd moved on, so would you.† â€Å"A clean break,† I whispered through unmoving lips. â€Å"Exactly. But I never imagined it would be so easy to do! I thought it would be next to impossiblethat you would be so sure of the truth that I would have to lie through my teeth for hours to even plant the seed of doubt in your head. I lied, and I'm so sorrysorry because I hurt you, sorry because it was a worthless effort. Sorry that I couldn't protect you from what I an. I lied to save you, and it didn't work. I'm sorry. â€Å"But how could you believe me? After all the thousand times I've told you I love you, how could you let one word break your faith in me?† I didn't answer. I was too shocked to form a rational response. â€Å"I could see it in your eyes, that you honestly believed that I didn't want you anymore. The most absurd, ridiculous conceptas if there were anu way that I could exist without needing you!† I was still frozen. His words were incomprehensible, because they were impossible. He shook my shoulder again, not hard, but enough that my teeth rattled a little. â€Å"Bella,† he sighed. â€Å"Really, what were you thinking!† And so I started to cry. The tears welled up and then gushed miserably down my cheeks. â€Å"I knew it,† I sobbed. â€Å"I knew I was dreaming.† â€Å"You're impossible,† he said, and he laughed oncea hard laugh, frustrated. â€Å"How can I put this so that you'll believe me? You're not asleep, and you're not dead. I'm here, and I love you. I have always loved you, and I will always love you. I was thinking of you, seeing your face in my mind, every second that I was away. When I told you that I didn't want you, it was the very blackest kind of blasphemy.† I shook my head while the tears continued to ooze from the corners of my eyes. â€Å"You don't believe me, do you?† he whispered, his face paler than his usual paleI could see that even in the dim light. â€Å"Why can you believe the lie, but not the truth?† â€Å"It never made sense for you to love me,† I explained, my voice breaking twice. â€Å"I always knew that.† His eyes narrowed, his jaw tightened. â€Å"I'll prove you're awake,† he promised. He caught my face securely between his iron hands, ignoring my struggles when I tried to turn my head away. â€Å"Please don't,† I whispered. He stopped, his lips just half an inch from mine. â€Å"Why not?† he demanded. His breath blew into my face, making my head whirl. â€Å"When I wake up†He opened his mouth to protest, so I revised†okay, forget that onewhen you leave again, it's going to be hard enough without this, too.† He pulled back an inch, to stare at my face. â€Å"Yesterday, when I would touch you, you were so hesitant, so careful, and yet still the same. I need to know why. Is it because I'm too late? Because I've hurt you too much? Because you have moved on, as I meant for you to? That would be quite fair. I won't contest your decision. So don't try to spare my feelings, pleasejust tell me now whether or not you can still love me, after everything I've done to you. Can you?† he whispered. â€Å"What kind of an idiotic question is that?† â€Å"Just answer it. Please.† I stared at him darkly for a long moment. â€Å"The way I feel about you will never change. Of course I love youand there's nothing you can do about it!† â€Å"That's all I needed to hear.† His mouth was on mine then, and I couldn't fight him. Not because he was so many thousand times stronger than me, but because my will crumbled into dust the second our lips met. This kiss was not quite as careful as others I remembered, which suited me just fine. If I was going to rip myself up further, I might as well get as much in trade as possible. So I kissed him back, my heart pounding out a jagged, disjointed rhythm while my breathing turned to panting and my fingers moved greedily to his face. I could feel his marble body against every line of mine, and I was so glad he hadn't listened to methere was no pain in the world that would have justified missing this. His hands memorized my face, the same way mine were tracing his, and, in the brief seconds when his lips were free, he whispered my name. When I was starting to get dizzy, he pulled away, only to lay his ear against my heart. I lay there, dazed, waiting for my gasping to slow and quiet. â€Å"By the way,† he said in a casual tone. â€Å"I'm not leaving you.† I didn't say anything, and he seemed to hear skepticism in my silence. He lifted his face to lock my gaze in his. â€Å"I'm not going anywhere. Not without you,† he added more seriously. â€Å"I only left you in the first place because I wanted you to have a chance at a normal, happy, human life. I could see what I was doing to youkeeping you constantly on the edge of danger, taking you away from the world you belonged in, risking your life every moment I was with you. So I had to try. I had to do something, and it seemed like leaving was the only way. If I hadn't thought you would be better off, I could have never made myself leave. I'm much too selfish. Only you could be more important than what I wanted what I needed. What I want and need is to be with you, and I know I'll never be strong enough to leave again. I have too many excuses to staythank heaven for that! It seems you can't be safe, no matter how many miles I put between us.† â€Å"Don't promise me anything,† I whispered. If I let myself hope, and it came to nothing that would kill me. Where all those merciless vampires had not been able to finish me off, hope would do the job. Anger glinted metallic in his black eyes. â€Å"You think I'm lying to you now?† â€Å"Nonot lying.† I shook my head, trying to think it through coherently. To examine the hypothesis that he did love me, while staying objective, clinical, so I wouldn't fall into the trap of hoping. â€Å"You could mean it now. But what about tomorrow, when you think about all the reasons you left in the first place? Or next month, when Jasper takes a snap at me?† He flinched. I thought back over those last days of my life before he left me, tried to see them through the filter of what he was telling me now. From that perspective, imagining that he'd left me while loving me, left me for me, his brooding and cold silences took on a different meaning. â€Å"It isn't as if you hadn't thought the first decision through, is it?† I guessed. â€Å"You'll end up doing what you think is right.† â€Å"I'm not as strong as you give me credit for,† he said. â€Å"Right and wrong have ceased to mean much to me; I was coming back anyway. Before Rosalie told me the news, I was already past trying to live through one week at a time, or even one day. I was fighting to make it through a single hour. It was only a matter of timeand not much of itbefore I showed up at your window and begged you to take me back. I'd be happy to beg now, if you'd like that.† I grimaced. â€Å"Be serious, please.† â€Å"Oh, I am,† he insisted, glaring now. â€Å"Will you please try to hear what I'm telling you? Will you let me attempt to explain what you mean to me?† He waited, studying my face as he spoke to make sure I was really listening. â€Å"Before you, Bella, my life was like a moonless night. Very dark, but there were starspoints of light and reason And then you shot across my sky like a meteor. Suddenly everything was on fire; there was brilliancy, there was beauty. When you were gone, when the meteor had fallen over the horizon, everything went black. Nothing had changed, but my eyes were blinded by the light. I couldn't see the stars anymore. And there was no more reason for anything.† I wanted to believe him. But this was my life without him that he was describing, not the other way around. â€Å"Your eyes will adjust,† I mumbled. â€Å"That's just the problemthey can't.† â€Å"What about your distractions?† He laughed without a trace of humor. â€Å"Just part of the lie, love. There was no distraction from the the agony. My heart hasn't beat in almost ninety years, but this was different. It was like my heart was gonelike I was hollow. Like I'd left everything that was inside me here with you.† â€Å"That's funny,† I muttered. He arched one perfect eyebrow. â€Å"Funny? â€Å" â€Å"I meant strangeI thought it was just me. Lots of pieces of me went missing, too. I haven't been able to really breathe in so long.† I filled my lungs, luxuriating in the sensation. â€Å"And my heart. That was definitely lost.† He closed his eyes and laid his ear over my heart again. I let my cheek press against his hair, felt the texture of it on my skin, smelled the delicious scent of him. â€Å"Tracking wasn't a distraction then?† I asked, curious, and also needing to distract myself. I was very much in danger of hoping. I wouldn't be able to stop myself for long. My heart throbbed, singing in my chest. â€Å"No.† He sighed. â€Å"That was never a distraction. It was an obligation.† â€Å"What does that mean?† â€Å"It means that, even though I never expected any danger from Victoria, I wasn't going to let her get away with Well, like I said, I was horrible at it. I traced her as far as Texas, but then I followed a false lead down to Braziland really she came here.† He groaned. â€Å"I wasn't even on the right continent! And all the while, worse than my worst fears† â€Å"You were hunting Victoria?† I half-shrieked as soon as I could find my voice, shooting through two octaves. Charlie's distant snores stuttered, and then picked up a regular rhythm again. â€Å"Not well,† Edward answered, studying my outraged expression with a confused look. â€Å"But I'll do better this time. She won't be tainting perfectly good air by breathing in and out for much longer.† â€Å"That is out of the question,† I managed to choke out. Insanity. Even if he had Emmett or Jasper help him. Even if he had Emmett and Jasper help. It was worse than my other imaginings: Jacob Black standing across a small space from Victoria's vicious and feline figure. I couldn't bear to picture Edward there, even though he was so much more durable than my half-human best friend. â€Å"It's too late for her. I might have let the other time slide, but not now, not after† I interrupted him again, trying to sound calm. â€Å"Didn't you just promise that you weren't going to leave?† I asked, fighting the words as I said them, nor letting them plant themselves in my heart. â€Å"That isn't exactly compatible with an extended tracking expedition, is it?† He frowned. A snarl began to build low in his chest. â€Å"I will keep my promise, Bella. But Victoria†the snarl became more pronounced†is going to die. Soon.† â€Å"Let's not be hasty,† I said, trying to hide my panic. â€Å"Maybe she's not coming back. Jake's pack probably scared her off. There's really no reason to go looking for her. Besides, I've got bigger problems than Victoria.† Edward's eyes narrowed, but he nodded. â€Å"It's true. The werewolves are a problem.† I snorted. â€Å"I wasn't talking about Jacob. My problems are a lot worse that a handful of adolescent wolves getting themselves into trouble.† Edward looked as if he were about to say something, and then thought better of it. His teeth clicked together, and he spoke through them. â€Å"Really?† he asked. â€Å"Then what would be your greatest problem? That would make Victoria's returning for you seem like such an inconsequential matter in comparison?† â€Å"How about the second greatest?† I hedged. â€Å"All right,† he agreed, suspicious. I paused. I wasn't sure I could say the name. â€Å"There are others who are coming to look for me,† I reminded him in a subdued whisper. He sighed, but the reaction was not as strong as I would have imagined after his response to Victoria. â€Å"The Volturi are only the second greatest?† â€Å"You don't seem that upset about it,† I noted. â€Å"Well, we have plenty of time to think it through. Time means something very different to them than it does to you, or even me. They count years the way you count days. I wouldn't be surprised if you were thirty before you crossed their minds again,† he added lightly. Horror washed through me. Thirty. So his promises meant nothing, in the end. If I were going to turn thirty someday, then he couldn't be planning on staying long. The harsh pain of this knowledge made me realize that I'd already begun to hope, without giving myself permission to do 5.0. â€Å"You don't have to be afraid,† he said, anxious as he watched the tears dew up again on the rims of my eyes. â€Å"I won't let them hurt you.† â€Å"While you're here.† Not that I cared what happened to me when he left. He took my face between his two stone hands, holding it tightly while his midnight eyes glared into mine with the gravitational force of a black hole. â€Å"I will never leave you again.† â€Å"But you said thirty,† I whispered. The tears leaked over the edge. â€Å"What? You're going to stay, but let me get all old anyway? Right.† His eyes softened, while his mouth went hard. â€Å"That's exactly what I'm going to do. What choice have I? I cannot be without you, but I will not destroy your soul.† â€Å"Is this really† I tried to keep my voice even, but this question was too hard. I remembered his face when Aro had almost begged him to consider making me immortal. The sick look there. Was this fixation with keeping me human really about my soul, or was it because he wasn't sure that he wanted me around that long? â€Å"Yes?† he asked, waiting for my question. I asked a different one. Almostbut not quiteas hard. â€Å"But what about when I get so old that people think I'm your mother? Your grandmother?† My voice was pale with revulsionI could see Gran's face again in the dream mirror. His whole face was soft now. He brushed the tears from my cheek with his lips. â€Å"That doesn't mean anything to me,† he breathed against my skin. â€Å"You will always be the most beautiful thing in my world. Of course† He hesitated, flinching slightly. â€Å"If you outgrew meif you wanted something moreI would understand that, Bella. I promise I wouldn't stand in your way if you wanted to leave me.† His eyes were liquid onyx and utterly sincere. He spoke as if he'd put endless amounts of thought into this asinine plan. â€Å"You do realize that I'll die eventually, right?† I demanded. He'd thought about this part, too. â€Å"I'll follow after as soon as I can.† â€Å"That is seriously†I looked for the right word. â€Å"Sick.† â€Å"Bella, it's the only right way left† â€Å"Let's just back up for a minute,† I said; feeling angry made it so much easier to be clear, decisive. â€Å"You do remember the Volturi, right? I can't stay human forever. They'll kill me. Even if they don't think of me tillI'm thirty†I hissed the word†do you really think they'll forget?† â€Å"No,† he answered slowly, shaking his head. â€Å"They won't forget. But† â€Å"But?† He grinned while I stared at him warily. Maybe I wasn't the only crazy one. â€Å"I have a few plans.† â€Å"And these plans,† I said, my voice getting more acidic with each word. â€Å"These plans all center around me staying human.† My attitude hardened his expression. â€Å"Naturally.† His tone was brusque, his divine face arrogant. We glowered at each other for a long minute. Then I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, I pushed his arms away so that I could sit up. â€Å"Do you want me to leave?† he asked, and it made my heart flutter to see that this idea hurt him, though he tried not to show it. â€Å"No,† I told him. â€Å"I'm leaving.† He watched me suspiciously as I climbed out of the bed and fumbled around in the dark room, looking for my shoes. â€Å"May I ask where you are going.'† he asked. â€Å"I'm going to your house,† I told him, still feeling around blindly. He got up and came to my side. â€Å"Here are your shoes. How did you plan to get there?† â€Å"My truck.† â€Å"That will probably wake Charlie,† he offered as a deterrent. I sighed. â€Å"I know. But honestly, I'll be grounded for weeks as it is. How much more trouble can I really getin?† â€Å"None. He'll blame me, not you.† â€Å"If you have a better idea, I'm all ears.† â€Å"Stay here,† he suggested, but his expression wasn't hopeful. â€Å"No dice. But you go ahead and make yourself at home,† I encouraged, surprised at how natural my teasing sounded, and headed for the door. He was there before me, blocking my way. I frowned, and turned for the window. It wasn't really that far to the ground, and it was mostly grass beneath â€Å"Okay,† he sighed. â€Å"I'll give you a ride.† I shrugged. â€Å"Either way. But you probably should be there, too.† â€Å"And why is that?† â€Å"Because you're extraordinarily opinionated, and I'm sure you'll want a chance to air your views.† â€Å"My views on which subject?† He asked through his teeth. â€Å"This isn't just about you anymore. You're not the center of the universe, you know.† My own personal universe was, of course, a different story. â€Å"If you're going to bring the Volturi down on us over something as stupid as leaving me human, then your family ought to have a say.† â€Å"A say in what?† he asked, each word distinct. â€Å"My mortality. I'm putting it to a vote.†