LOGISTICS & OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

LOGISTICS & OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT 3 - Essay Example Thus managers can consider the inventory management problem to be a part of operations scheduling problem. Conventionally managers take a narrower view of the delivery. The timing of activities may have a direct impact on resources and the level of service (Naylor, 2002). The purpose of capacity management is the planning task, and the modification of capacity is the key problem area in system control. Capacity decisions will have a direct impact on system performance and on both resource utilization and customer service. It is important to note that organizations cannot operate without good capacity management. For instance, excess capacity gives rise to low resource productivity, while inadequate capacity means poor customer service. Decisions made in other areas have a direct impact the other area. Inventory management is aimed to plan and facilitate the provision of effective customer service. For instance, organizations cannot exist without stocks of raw materials, work in progress or, where appropriate, output goods. The planning of inventory levels, the control of inventories and the maintenance of such stocks are crucial for production and successful performance.

Conflicts and Communication Essay Example for Free

Conflicts and Communication Essay Communication is a very key role in any type of relationship whether it be business, personal or intimate. When we enter into any type of relationship one needs to have the skills to communicate effectively and make sure that the complete message gets portrayed to the receiver. When one does not communicate effectively, the result causes interpersonal conflict. In the movie â€Å"Hitch† it involves two individuals, Will Smith and Eva Mendes, who meet and begin to enter into the beginning stages of a relationship. There is certainly an attraction, both physically and due to a common interest in things. Through hesitation and Mendes declining Smith numerous times, she finally agrees to go out with him and it turns out that they seem to be quite compatible. Through their friendship they begin to develop an intimate relationship with one another. Through this whole process Mendes has been very open and honest about things that are important to her and things that are private to her as well. It seems that Smith is doing the same thing, however it turns out that he is withholding very important information that should be shared with her. The main interpersonal conflict in this movie would be due to Smith not communicating to Mendes that he is the â€Å"Date Doctor†. Mendes has a major issue with this because she had a very good friend who was dumped and she placed the blame on Smith for this situation When she finds out what his true profession is, she become irate and storms off and refuses to speak to him or listen him. This instance caused an instant dissolution of their relationship. There was an issue, but instead of communicating it out loud or discussing it, quite the opposite happened. In our text, Sole states that, â€Å"Resentments, suspicions and other problems occur when people do not communicate or behave in ways that are consistent with the relationship the other person things has been established, and people tend to pay the most attention and to respond forcefully when the communication does not match their expectations† (Sole, 2011). Towards the end of the movie, they finally are able to communicate to each other on the same level and they work things out. In my opinion, all tension could have been resolved and the relationship could have been restored from the get-go if Smith and Mendes would have truly communicated and would have been completely honest and transparent about their lives and the things that they do and that they are involved in. Obviously, it is easier said than done. Another thing that should have been avoided would be assuming things that are really not true. â€Å"The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place† (George Bernard Shaw). This quote really sums up the main point and resolution to problems and issues with intrapersonal communication. Never be so blinded by the things that you are hiding from individuals you are developing relationships with and never assume that they understand things you, as the speaker, have not completely portrayed.

Characterization Of Uncle Henry :: essays research papers

Characterization of Uncle Henry This characterization of Uncle Henry focuses on the two main ways that he is portrayed in "Luke Baldwin's Vow." These two ways are: what Morley Callaghan, the author, reveals through the narrator and what other characters say about Henry. In this short story, Henry is usual referred to as Uncle Henry because he is Luke's uncle. The narrator of this story portrays Henry in many physical and psychological descriptions. He is the manager of a sawmill, where he employs four men. When working in his sawmill or anywhere else for that matter, he never wastes anything, big or small. Henry is very organized when it comes to the business of running his sawmill. He even keeps a little black book to record every single transaction of the sawmill. Henry is big and burly, weighing in at more than two hundred and thirty pounds. He has a black, rough- skinned face. Luke's uncle is said to look like a powerful man, but his health is not good. Henry has aches and pains in his back and shoulders, which his doctor cannot explain. He is respected by his family and friends, and no one ever disobeys him. Uncle Henry thinks that everything has to have a specific purpose. For example, he thinks that his old dog, Dan, is ". . . not much good even for a watchdog now," and is ". . . no good for hunting either." The narrator's description of Henry is so well done that one can picture him in one's mind or even compare him to someone in one's day to day life. The second main way that Henry is portrayed throughout "Luke Baldwin's Vow" is what other characters say about Henry. In this story Henry has a wife named Helena. She says that her husband is "wonderfully practical." Helena also says that Henry takes care of everything in a sensible and easy way; therefore, that

Critically analyse the ruling of the House of Lords in ‘Howe [1987] 1 AC 417’ that duress is not a defence to murder.

Introduction It will be critically analysed in this study whether the ruling of the House of Lords in ‘Howe [1987] 1 AC 417’ was acceptable and whether the notion that duress is not a defence to murder should continue to apply. Various academic opinion will be analysed and a review as to whether some change ought to be made will be considered. Thus, it will be demonstrated that although duress should not be a complete defence to murder, it should be a partial defence as there are some situations which lead to injustice on the basis that this defence is not available to them.[1] Main Body Duress is a common law defence that seeks to protect individuals that have been forced or compelled to commit a crime. The defence of duress provides an exception to the rule that a person shall be held responsible for any crimes they commit on the basis that they had not done so voluntarily. As the defence is open to abuse, caution needs to be taken by the Courts when allowing the defence to be submitted. Accordingly, restrictions are needed to ensure that the level of threat the defendant has been subjected to is not menial. Hence, as noted by Spain; the defence of duress â€Å"fails to recognise the reality that one will not need to be subjected to a specific type or level of threat for one’s will to be overborne.†[2] Furthermore, it is also important that the crime is not disproportionate to the threat in order for this defence to prove successful. This will prevent an abuse of the defence from occurring as individuals will not be able to take advantage of the defen ce in all circumstances. An example of this can be seen in relation to murder where the defence of duress is not generally accepted by the Courts. This is because, it is difficult to persuade the Court that a person has been forced or compelled into committing a crime when the harm that has been caused, is greater than the harm that has been threated. In deciding whether a defendant can use this defence, nonetheless, the Courts will have to use the proportionality test, which is both subjective and objective. In R v Howe[3] it was held that a jury should consider whether; a) the defendant acted in this way because he honestly believed that his life was in immediate danger; and b) a reasonable person of the same characteristics of the defendant would have acted in the same way. Here, it was, nonetheless, found that duress could not be a defence to murder. This decision has been the subject of much controversy over the years with conflicting views as to whether the defence of duress should in fact apply to mur der.[4] On the one hand, it is believed by Shankland that duress should serve as a valid defence to murder on the basis that a murder which has been committed as a result of duress should be distinguished from a murder that was pre-meditated.[5] On the other hand, it was said by Toczek that defendants should not be able to rely upon the duress defence for murder as this could not be deemed a ‘reasonable’ belief as required by the Court in Howe.[6] Accordingly, it would be difficult to establish that a person’s belief to commit murder was ‘reasonable’ on the basis that they were subjected to duress. The Court in the more recent case of R v Hasan[7] agreed with the Howe decision and made it even more difficult for the defence of duress to be successfully raised in all criminal cases. Here, it was argued that rather than merely finding that the defendant had a ‘reasonable’ belief, it must be shown that they had an ‘actual’ belief in the efficacy of the threat which compelled the defendant to commit the act. Arguably, it became apparent from this decision that rather than defendants demonstrating that they had a reasonable belief, they are now required to show that the reasonable belief was also a genuine one. The Law Commission have also expressed their concerns as to whether duress should apply to murder and have considered including duress as a partial defence to murder.[8] This would mean that first degree murder could be reduced to second degree murder, whilst second degree murder could be reduced to manslaughter. Whilst this would provide some protection to those individuals who have genuinely feared for their own or families life in committing the crime, it would prevent the scope being broadened too far. Accordingly, it has been said that moral involuntariness should be excused and that regardless as to what crime the defendant had committed, duress should be capable of being used as a defence.[9] Hence, it is said that the defendants fear or lack of courage should be given due c onsideration as these are central to the rational of the defendant. Conclusion Overall, it is evident that there are mixed opinions as to whether duress should be used as a defence to murder, yet whether this would broaden the scope too far is likely. This is because the defence would most likely be open to abuse if it could be used in circumstances such as this. Individuals would be capable of demonstrating that they had been subjected to duress in order to escape criminal liability for murder. This would be unjust in many situations as it cannot be said that the life of a human being is proportionate to a threat that has been made. Nevertheless, in order to ensure that complete liability is not imposed upon defendants in circumstances where they genuinely feared for their life, it could be said that duress should be used as a partial defence to murder. This would prevent defendants from completely escaping liability, yet it would provide the Courts with some leeway when considering certain cases that would require a defence, such as domestic violence victims. Bibliography Books E Spain., The Role of Emotions in Criminal Law Defences: Duress, Necessity and Lesser Evils, (Cambridge University Press, 2011). The Law Commission., Murder, Manslaughter and Infanticide: Project 6 of the Ninth Programme of Law Reform; Homicide, (The Stationary Office, 2006). Journals G Williams., ‘Necessity: Duress of Circumstances or Moral Involuntariness?’ Common Law World Review, Volume 43, Issue 1, 1. L Toczek., ‘A Case of Duress’ The New Law Journal, Volume 155, Issue 7173, 612. M Sorarajah., ‘Duress and Murder in Commonwealth Criminal Law’ (1981) The International and Comparative Law Quarterly, Volume 30, No 3, 660-661. R Shankland., ‘Duress and the Underlying Felony’ (2009) Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, Volume 99, Issue 1227. Cases R v Hasan [2005] UKHL 22 R v Howe [1987] 1 AC 417

Microwave Oven and Brand Image Essay

Operations Strategy at Galanz- One Page Summary Background Galanz is the world leader in selling microwave ovens with 60% of the domestic market and 44. 5% of the international market in 2003. The company was founded in 1978 by Liang Qingde. Its headquarters are located in Shunde, China. In 1991 it bought the blueprints and production lines of Toshiba’s microwave ovens and made its first microwave in 1992. In 1995 Galanz replaced Shell electric as the leading microwave manufacturer in China. The next year Galanz started a six year price war and Toshiba and Panasonic had limited the magnetron supply. In 1997 the company started developing its own magnetron and finally in 2003 the company finally received some recognition in the overseas market. Internal Analysis A strength to Galanz is its position in the domestic market. It is the largest company with a large customer base and a well known brand. It has developed its supply chain which is vertically integrated and this is also a key strength. As the company grew the importance of innovation and developing its own R&D became more and more apparent and this is a strength. Weaknesses to Galanz are its low brand awareness in the international markets and poor management structure which is highly centralized. The company also overlooks data records and codes of practice which is a large weakness because it shows poor management and commitment to ethics. The final weakness would be its conflict between the R&D department and production departments. Since this can slow down production and innovation. Galanz uses a low cost strategy but also tries to incorporate product innovation. External Analysis Now that Galanz creates most of its own parts (about 90%) for its microwaves it has great opportunity in increasing its R&D and producing highly innovative products. It also has opportunity to improve on its brand image in the international market and gain more market share. A threat to Galanz is the possible lawsuits from governments because of its highly aggressive low price war. Another threat is Galanz becoming too focused on OEM and having to compete with strategic partners and potentially losing orders. Galanz is positive in the bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitutes, and threat of new entrants parts of the five forces model. It is a very large company with large demand and it can influence the decisions and prices of its suppliers easily. The barriers to entry are high since the suppliers of the megnetrons are limiting the amount produced. Although there are a few substitutes for microwaves, they are not threatening because to other product can do what a microwave does. The intensity of the competition is very high and this is Galanz only negative factor. Summary of key SWOTs, key success factors, and key risk factors Galanz’s strengths would include its size and its vertically integrated value chain. Its recognition of the growing concern to stress the importance of R&D and product innovation is also key. Galanz weaknesses are its low brand awareness, centralized management structure, the internal conflict between departments, and ignoring the codes of practice. Opportunities of the company are to continue to increase its R&D departments and improve its brand image internationally. Threats include possible lawsuits from governments and too much focus on OEM part of its business. The STEP factors of the industry show that Galanz is doing well in the technological and economic parts but is weak in the social and political side. The company must focus on its low cost strategy and continue to develop its value chain internationally. It will be risky for Galanz to enter markets where its brand is not well known. It is also risky for the company to start focusing too much on innovation since this may lead it away from its original successful low cost strategy. Challenge Statement or Question How can Galanz adapt its competitive strategy and its mass production system to meet the needs of the industry and the demands of the customers, and establish a well known brand image while continuing to hold a large market share and bringing value to its stakeholders?

The End of the Night Stalker, Richard Ramirez

The End of the Night Stalker, Richard Ramirez The citizens of Los Angles were frightened as more news of the Night Stalkers latest victims circulated. Neighborhood watch groups were formed, and people armed themselves with guns. On August 24, 1985, Ramirez traveled 50 miles south of Los  Angeles and broke into the home of Bill Carns, 29, and his fiancà ©e, Inez Erickson, age 27. Ramirez shot Carns in the head and raped Erickson. He demanded that she swear her love for Satan, then tied her up and left. Erickson struggled to the window and saw the old orange Toyota Ramirez was driving. Remarkably, teenager James Romero III noticed a suspicious car cruising the neighborhood and wrote down the license plate number. He turned the information over to the police department. Two days later, the police located the same Toyota abandoned in a parking lot in Rampart. They were able to get fingerprints from the cars  interior. A computer match was made of the prints and identification of the Night Stalker became known. On August 30, 1985, the arrest warrant for Richard Ramirez was issued, and his picture was released to the public. A Face Revealed On August 30, Ramirez  returned to LA after making a short trip to Phoenix, Arizona to buy cocaine. Unaware that his picture was all over the newspapers, he got off of a Greyhound bus and walked into a liquor store. The woman working inside recognized him and began yelling that he was the Night Stalker. Shocked, he quickly fled the store and headed toward the heavily populated Hispanic area of east Los Angeles. A small mob formed and chased him for two miles. Captured by a Mob Ramirez tried to steal a car, but the owner was underneath it doing repairs. When Ramirez tried to start the engine, the man pulled out from beneath the car, and the two struggled until Ramirez escape. The mob that was in pursuit of Ramirez, now armed with steel rods, caught up with him, beat him with the rods and subdued until the police arrived. Ramirez, fearing that the mob would kill him, raised his hands to the police, begging for protection, and identified himself as the Night Stalker. Endless Pre-Trial Motions Because of the endless appeals on the part of the defense and Ramirez asking for different attorneys, his trial did not begin for four years. Finally, in January 1989, a jury had been selected, and the trial began. Haunts of the Charlie Manson Trial During the trial, Ramirez attracted several groupies who wrote to him regularly. The trial scene had haunts of the Charlie Manson trial, with women hanging around, clad in black robes. When one of the jurors failed to show up one day and was discovered dead in her apartment from a gunshot wound, many wondered if some of Ramirezs followers were responsible. It was later determined that it was the womans boyfriend who killed her during an argument that erupted while discussing the Ramirez case. Sentenced to Die On September  20, 1989, Richard Ramirez was found guilty on 43 counts in Los Angeles County, including 13 murders, and charges including  burglary, sodomy, and rape. He was sentenced to death on each count of murder.  During the sentencing stage, it  was reported  that Ramirez did not want his attorneys to beg for his life. While being led out of the courtroom, Ramirez made the sign of devils horns with his chained left hand. He told reporters,  Big deal. Death  always went with the territory.  Ill see you in Disneyland. Ramirez was sent to his new home, death row at  San Quentin Prison. The Virgin Doreen On October 3,  1996, 36-year-old Ramirez tied the knot with one of his groupies, 41-year-old Doreen Lioy, in a civil ceremony held in San Quentins visiting room. Lioy  was a  self-proclaimed virgin and a magazine editor with an I.Q. of 152. Ramirez was a serial killer waiting to be executed. Lioy  first wrote to Ramirez after his arrest in 1985, but she was one of many women sending love letters to the Night Stalker. Not willing to give up, Lioy continued to pursue a relationship with Ramirez, and in 1988, she had her dream fulfilled when Ramirez asked her to be his wife. Due to prison regulations, the couple had to postpone their marriage plans until 1996. Death-row inmates were not permitted to have conjugal visits, and no exception was made for Ramirez and the virgin, Doreen. The situation was likely alright with Ramirez, who said that it was his wifes virginity that made her so appealing. Doreen Lioy believed that her husband was an innocent man. Lioy, who was raised as a Catholic, said she respected Ramirezs satanic worship. This was demonstrated when she gave him a silver wedding band to wear since satanic worshipers do not wear gold. The Night Stalker Dies Richard Ramirez died June 7, 2013, at the  Marin General Hospital. According to the  Marin County coroner,  Ramirez died from complications of B-cell lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. He was 53 years old.

Introduction to Elasticity in Economics

Introduction to Elasticity in Economics When introducing the concepts of supply and demand, economists often make qualitative statements about how consumers and producers behave. For example, the law of demand states that as the price of a good or service increases, the demand for that good or service decreases. The law of supply states that the quantity of a good produced tends to increase as the market price of that good increases. While these laws are useful, they dont capture everything that economists would like to include in the supply and demand model; as a result, economists have developed quantitative measurements such as elasticity to provide more detail about market behavior. Elasticity, in short, refers to the relative tendency of certain economic variables to change in response to other variables. In economics, it is important to understand how responsive quantities such as demand and supply are to things like price, income, the prices of related goods, and so on. For example, when the price of gasoline increases by one percent, does the demand for gasoline go down by a little or a lot? Answering these sorts of questions is extremely important to economic and policy decision making, so economists have developed the concept of elasticity to measure the responsiveness of economic quantities. Types of Elasticity Elasticity can take a number of different forms, depending on what cause and effect relationship economists are trying to measure. Price elasticity of demand, for example, measures the responsiveness of demand to changes in price. Price elasticity of supply, in contrast, measures the responsiveness of quantity supplied to changes in price. Income elasticity of demand measures the responsiveness of demand to changes in income, and so on. How to Calculate Elasticity Measures of elasticity all follow the same basic principles, no matter which variables are being measured. In the discussion that follows, well use price elasticity of demand as a representative example. Price elasticity of demand is calculated as the ratio of the relative change in quantity demanded to the relative change in price. Mathematically, the price elasticity of demand is just the percent change in quantity demanded divided by the percent change in price: Price elasticity of demand Percent change in demand / Percent change in price In this way, the price elasticity of demand answers the question What would be the percent change in quantity demanded in response to a one percent increase in price? Notice that, because price and quantity demanded to tend to move in opposite directions, the price elasticity of demand usually ends up being a negative number. To make things simpler, economists will often represent price elasticity of demand as an absolute value. (In other words, the price elasticity of demand could just be represented by the positive part of the elasticity number, eg. 3 rather than -3.) Conceptually, you can think of elasticity as an economic analog to the literal concept of elasticity. In this analogy, the change in price is the force applied to a rubber band, and the change in quantity demanded is how much the rubber band stretches. If the rubber band is very elastic, the rubber band will stretch a lot. If its very inelastic, it wont stretch very much, and the same can be said for elastic and inelastic demand. In other words, if demand is elastic, it means a change in price will result in a proportional change in demand. If demand is inelastic, it means a change in price will not result in a change in demand. You may notice that the equation above seems similar, but not identical to, the slope of the mand curve (which also represents price versus quantity demanded). Because the demand curve is drawn with the price on the vertical axis and quantity demanded on the horizontal axis, the slope of the demand curve represents the change in price divided by the change in quantity rather than the change in quantity divided by the change in price. In addition, the slope of the demand curve shows absolute changes in price and quantity whereas price elasticity of demand uses relative (i.e. percent) changes in price and quantity. There are two advantages to calculating elasticity using relative changes. First, percent changes dont have units attached to them, so it doesnt matter what currency is used for the price when calculating elasticity. This means that elasticity comparisons are easy to make across different countries. Second, a one-dollar change in the price of an airplane ticket versus the pr ice of a book, for example, are likely not viewed as the same magnitude of change. Percentage changes are more comparable across different goods and services in many cases, so using percent changes to calculate elasticity makes it easier to compare the elasticities of different items.

University of Texas at San Antonio UTSA Admissions Data

University of Texas at San Antonio UTSA Admissions Data Are you interested in attending the University of Texas at San Antonio? They accept more than three-quarters of all applicants. See more about their admissions requirements. About UTSA The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), is a large public university whose main campus occupies 725 acres on the northern edge of San Antonio, Texas. Undergraduates can choose from 63 bachelors degree programs. Popular majors span a wide range of fields in the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and profession areas. The university has a diverse student population, and the school wins high marks for the number of degrees it awards to Hispanic students. Established in 1969, UTSA has grown significantly in its short history and the campus has undergone extensive construction, renovation, and expansion in recent years. On the athletic front, the UTSA Roadrunners compete in the NCAA Division I Conference USA. The school fields 17 Division I teams. Will you get in if you apply? Calculate your chances of getting in with this free tool from Cappex. Admissions Data (2016) UTSA Acceptance Rate: 76Â  percentTest Scores: 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 450 / 560SAT Math: 470 / 570SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanACT Composite: 20 / 25ACT English: 18 / 24ACT Math: 19 / 25ACT Writing: - / -What these ACT numbers mean Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 28,959Â  (24,724 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 50Â  percent male / 50 percent female82Â  percent Full-time Costs (2016-17) Tuition and Fees: $7,700 (in-state); $18,297 (out-of-state)Books: $1,000 (why so much?)Room and Board: $11,090Other Expenses: $2,582Total Cost: $22,372 (in-state); $32,969 (out-of-state) University of Texas at San Antonio Financial Aid (2015-16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 84Â  percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 67Â  percentLoans: 52 percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $7,358Loans: $6,044 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors: Architecture, Biology, Accounting, Business Administration, Communication, Criminal Justice, English, Finance, Health, History, Interdisciplinary Studies, Marketing, Political Science, PsychologyWhat major is right for you? Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Transfer, Graduation and Retention Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 71Â  percentTransfer Out Rate: 33 percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 13Â  percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 35Â  percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports: Football, Track and Field, Baseball, Tennis, Golf, BasketballWomens Sports: Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball, Golf, Basketball, Track and Field If You Like the University of Texas - San Antonio, You May Also Like These Schools Texas State University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Houston: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBaylor University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphSt Marys University: ProfileUniversity of North Texas: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Texas - Dallas: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphTexas Christian University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphAngelo State University: ProfileUniversity of Texas - El Paso: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphSam Houston State University: ProfileTexas Tech University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph University of Texas at San Antonio Mission Statement mission statement from utsa.edu/about/ The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development–for Texas, the nation and the world. Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics

Quality and Supply Chain Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Quality and Supply Chain Management - Essay Example The knowledge obtained by basic research will be used to solve investments problems. It will be necessary to evaluate production (storage) capability in term of efficiency, planning and control and inspection methods. Also, it will be necessary to evaluate technical capability: the quality of facilities for design and develop ­ment, production and testing to see if they could ensure quality of output at all stages of distribution; financial capability - to see how stable they are financially and the credit rating of the company; management capability - to see how efficient are the suppliers adminis ­tration systems (Slack et al 2003). According to current analysis, Canbide’s competitors already have distribution facilities near New York. In order to remain competitive, Canbide has to ‘enter’ this region proposing high quality services and low cost transportation for customers. Similarly, the search for competitive advantage will only be successful if based on a strategy of meeting customer needs more effectively than can competitors. This concept of differential advantage lies at the heart of strategic marketing. Distribution facility near New York will help to keep existing customers and attract new clients. For Canbide, cost of transportation facilities has a great impact on ‘project’ profitability and liquidity. If a company needs to deliver goods locally, trucks are an excellent mode. Also, it can be used for both long-haul and transcontinental transport. In regions with well-developed highway systems (in this region there are three interstate highways that lead to major population canters), truck freight provides the highest level of accessibility of any mode. It is important to note that trucks are the main transports used by customers. For this reason, the new facility will help most of them to minimize product transportation (Slack et al

Battle of Shiloh and General A.S. Johnston Research Paper

Battle of Shiloh and General A.S. Johnston - Research Paper Example In order to provide a brief background to the reader, A. S. Johnston was already a decorated war veteran prior to the outbreak of the Civil War. As such, Johnston had already served in the Army of Texas, the Army of the United States prior to becoming a general in the Army of the CSA (Confederate States of America). Johnston had a range of talents and gifts that proved to assist him greatly in taking over his position as general within the Army of the Confederate States of America. ... rtage, lack of capital, and extreme numerical and industrial disadvantages that served to tip the war in favor of the Union was the struggle progressed.2 Regardless of the talent and courage exhibited by a single man, the problems that were extant within the confederacy could not and should not be under-appreciated nor minimized by the actions that a particular individual might have affected. Said one Southern newspaper regarding the loss of Johnston, â€Å"He is said but a few days before the battle in which he fell, to have expressed the determination to discharge his duties and responsibilities to his country according to the best convictions of his mind, and a resolution to redeem his losses at no distant day. According to official report, he fell in the thickets of the battle†.3 Although the South knew that Johnston’s defeats likely changed the course of the war in the West, a strong level of admiration for his daring and tenacity is evoked even in his death. The f irst item that should be considered with relation to Johnston’s effectiveness and overall ability to make a noticeable change on the war was the rather impossible position that he was placed at the outset of the war. With comparison to eastern generals that were tasked with protection vital strongholds and population centers within the South, Johnston was charged with what can only be considered as a nearly impossible task. Although this is a bold statement, one should consider that the resources and manpower that were devoted to Johnston in the western theater of the Civil War were unbelievably small for the amount of territory and key points he was responsible for securing from a numerically superior Northern force. It should be noted that although a talented and brilliant tactician, Johnston made a

Marx Communist Ideals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marx Communist Ideals - Essay Example In chapter I, Bourgeois and Proletarians, one is advised to go through the pages of human history. According to communist philosophy, it is the history of class struggles. One finds the pairs of opposites at all levels and in all segments of the society. Whether slave or the master, serf and lord, plebeian and patrician, they are constantly engaged in mind-war situations. The hidden grudge exists against each other at all times. The oppressed class is weak in financial resources to fight back. It is unable to challenge the capitalists at will. We know from history that when such fights on a large scale occurred, they resulted in a revolutionary reconstruction of the society, and the upper classes faced the total ruin, many lost their lives or forced to give up their wealthy possessions. The subordinate gradations of the society challenged the upper classes. (Mark’s Communist Party Manifesto-1848) In any given period, including the present era of technological and internet revo lutions, a clear cut division exists in the society— Bourgeoisie and Proletariat. The bourgeoisie is clever to adapt to changed circumstances and convert them to its advantage. Its adventurism of profitability and limitless aggrandizement for wealth goes on unabated. Capitalism has done irreparable damage to established national values and national industries and the process continues even now. It denudes the human being, robs him of the values and sentiments, and chisels a production unit out of him. It bears enormous stress on his mental faculties in the game of fierce competition, where marketing of the products is the ultimate goal, no matter how one does it! A sadistic joy erupts in the business circles by throwing the other man (the competitor) out of the ring. Artificial wants are being created, which in fact are damaging to the health of an individual. Workers are driven to the wall, trade unionism becomes their option to seek their rights, management becomes their sw orn enemy and they believe that the unions need to be at permanent war with the management on one pretext or the other. National level union leaders are on record to say, that they are not concerned with the productivity and it is the sole business of the management how to get it from the workers. Management also devises new strategies to challenge the working style of the unions. In the process, both have unleashed powers, which they are unable to control, without inflicting self-damage. A worker no more finds charm in his work; he is just a screw of the machine that he operates. His future depends on the volatility and mood of the market and he is totally at its mercy. The recent recession is a glaring example. When the market tumbled, the demand for the goods crashed, several millions workers were rendered jobless. Let the American Constitution swear by capitalism and the concept of free society. The story and discussions contained in the two books, The Grapes of Wrath by John St einbeck and Waiting for Lefty (a drama) by Clifford Odets, unfold the ground realities in the country. The writings of Odets are one of commitment to Communist ideology, his Leftist leanings are no hidden agenda, he is quite blatant about his convictions, and he has depicted the conditions obtaining in the American Society of 1930s. He has provided an able dramatic presentation of the social injustices which is the root cause for an

Discuss and evaluate societal and healthcare trends influencing Assignment

Discuss and evaluate societal and healthcare trends influencing healthcare systems and models within political environments including local, state, national, and global systems - Assignment Example Standards in western nations, for instance the US have vastly improved compared to standards in developing nations particularly in Africa. This can be attributed to better versus poor standards of living in western/ industrialized nations compared to developing countries respectively. As such, these issues affect the healthcare systems and models within political environments around the world. Developed countries deal with chronic degenerative diseases such as heart disease and various cancers while developing nations deal mostly with communicable and infectious diseases such as cholera (ODonnell, 2007, p 2820). Another important societal and healthcare trend is healthcare research and personnel. The healthcare sector has become a diverse sector today dealing with more issues rather than just preventing and treating diseases. As such, it has become imperative that healthcare and medical personnel be integrative people who can conduct and interpret research for healthcare purposes. However, the healthcare sector is understaffed making it difficult to provide adequate healthcare in local, state, national, and global systems (Skolnik & Skolnik, 2012). In conclusion, the issues discussed above among others are societal and healthcare trends influencing healthcare systems and models within political environments including local, state, national, and global systems and should be addressed to achieve a responsive and efficient healthcare industry globally. Learning.

Consists of ten short-answer questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Consists of ten short-answer questions - Essay Example According to Murray (2012), examples of prewriting strategies include free-writing and brainstorming. Prewriting strategies are writing techniques used by individuals as they prepare to write a research paper, essay, or project. They are consider the preliminary stages in ascertaining and as well investigating a subject matter. In free-writing, an individual scribbles down each and every thought he or she has regarding a particular subject matter. In brainstorming, an individual recollects what he or she can remember regarding a particular subject matter in his or her mind. Subsequently, these recollections are scribbled down on a in form of a list. It is worth noting that free writing involves writing opinions that one generates in his or her mind regarding the matter in question. In this writing strategy, the correctness and precision of what is being written down is not imperative. The main objective is to generate ideas that can be useful is structuring the paper. In contrast, focused writing involves scribbling down individual thoughts centered on specific question. Though free-writing are focused writing are similar, the essayist in focused writing writes down his or her ideas focusing on a previously described or delineated project or question (Murray, 2012). A comparison and contrast paragraph elucidates the variations and correspondence among two or more subject matters. It is important to posit the fact that there is no limit to the number of variations and correspondences indicated on the paragraph. A cause-and-effect paragraph, on the other hand, is a paragraph elucidating the reasons behind a particular occurrence. This type of paragraph seeks to offer a response to issues put forward by a particular subject or mater (Murray, 2012). In other words, a cause-and-effect paragraph answers the why while a comparison and contrast paragraph explicates the

Discuss and evaluate societal and healthcare trends influencing Assignment

Discuss and evaluate societal and healthcare trends influencing healthcare systems and models within political environments including local, state, national, and global systems - Assignment Example Standards in western nations, for instance the US have vastly improved compared to standards in developing nations particularly in Africa. This can be attributed to better versus poor standards of living in western/ industrialized nations compared to developing countries respectively. As such, these issues affect the healthcare systems and models within political environments around the world. Developed countries deal with chronic degenerative diseases such as heart disease and various cancers while developing nations deal mostly with communicable and infectious diseases such as cholera (ODonnell, 2007, p 2820). Another important societal and healthcare trend is healthcare research and personnel. The healthcare sector has become a diverse sector today dealing with more issues rather than just preventing and treating diseases. As such, it has become imperative that healthcare and medical personnel be integrative people who can conduct and interpret research for healthcare purposes. However, the healthcare sector is understaffed making it difficult to provide adequate healthcare in local, state, national, and global systems (Skolnik & Skolnik, 2012). In conclusion, the issues discussed above among others are societal and healthcare trends influencing healthcare systems and models within political environments including local, state, national, and global systems and should be addressed to achieve a responsive and efficient healthcare industry globally. Learning.

Theoretical Model Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Theoretical Model Analysis - Assignment Example Lydia Eloise Hall was born in New York City on September 21, 1906 (Currentnursing.com, 2012); she received her basic nursing education in 1927, her Bachelors in Public Health Nursing in 1937, and her Masters in teaching Natural Sciences in 1942 (Banda, Amadasun, Angoma & Howe, 2009). Lydia Hall established and directed the Loeb Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx from 1963 to 1969 (ANA, 2013). It was at the Loeb Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in the late 1960’s that Hall developed her theory, known as Care, Core, and Cure. â€Å"She postulated that individuals could be conceptualized in three separate domains: the body (care), the illness (cure), and the person (core)† (Nurses.info, 2010). These separate domains, or aspects of the person as a patient were envisioned as overlapping circles, and that each circle influenced the others. Hall stated that â€Å"Everyone in the health professions either neglects or takes into consi deration any or all of these, but each profession, to be a profession, must have an exclusive area of expertness with which it practices, creates new practices, new theories, and introduces newcomers to its practice† (Parker, p. 117). ... s exclusive to nursing, and while nurses played a part in the other two circles, they shared those circles with other professions and the patient themselves. The core aspect of the theory focuses on the patient themselves, and the relationship that the professionals who are working with the patient have with the patient themselves. Nurses share this circle with all of the helping professions that have a relationship with the patient; it emphasizes â€Å"the social, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual needs of the patient in relation to family, institution, community, and the world† (Nursing Theories, 2013). Essentially, the core aspect helps the patient learn what their role is in the healing process, and works to provide the patient with enough information to be able to make an informed decision in regards to their situation. The care aspect of the theory focuses on the hands on bodily care of the patient, and is considered by Hall to be exclusive to the nursing practice. It is comprised of the teaching and learning activities, and the patient may explore and share their feelings with the nurse; the nurse’s goal is to comfort the patient. It is considered to† include the â€Å"motherly† aspects of care, which comprises of helping the patient meet their needs, where help is needed.† â€Å"Hands on care for patients produces an environment of comfort and trust and promotes open communication between nurses and patients† (Nursing Theories, 2013). The third and final aspect of the theory is the cure aspect. It consists of the application of medical knowledge. It is based on the pathological and therapeutic sciences. The nurse is the patient’s advocate with the other disciplines that may be included in this circle. The nurse assists the patient in their

The Robot in the Crib Essay Example for Free

The Robot in the Crib Essay 1) The background or motivation for the study, and the authors’ hypotheses or expectations. One’s life is the distance that one covers from the womb to the tomb. It is the mammoth journey, the joint efforts of about 500million sperm. They travel through the vagina, move to the uterus and reach the fallopian tube. Since sperm have a sense of smell, they smell their way to the egg. When egg and sperm merge and become one, conception takes place. ..And this is the beginning of enquiry, for a set of individuals that are outside the womb-the brain scientists/the developmental psychologists! The growth of two separate yet one consciousnesses, one growing within the other, is the marvel of nature, which is the concern of scientists for investigation. The actual study related to the subject of this article is the post-womb growth of the child, when it comes out after completing the nine month’s journey within. Research has revealed that human beings develop the capacity to understand other’s intentions during early in the first year of life. The developmental scientists lay emphasis of the brilliance of little minds and caution not to underestimate the brain capacity of the babies. It has been observed that the newborn babies, 42 minute old, imitate facial expressions. Stick your tongue out and see that the baby sticking its tongue out. This behavior is the pointer to something intense and deep within. The baby knows more than what you imagine it to know. Why and how the infants behave the way they do? Will roboticsts be able to match and reproduce the movements and talents related to various expressions of infants accurately? This is the prime motivation for research by the Developmental Psychologists. 2) A brief description of the participants, procedure, and methods: What is fundamental to human thought is the ability to read the intentions of other people. Not the physical motions involved, but the goals or intentions that cause these motions are important. Initially, infants’ action is that of grasping. Secondly even when the baby does not physically act on, it has the foundation for understanding when others attend to objects. To cite an example, when a person opens the lid of a box, the baby becomes aware that the goal is not the box, but the object inside the box. Further developments will provide the foundation, the initiative to learn from their caregivers. During the second year, children adopt critical abilities, like language, culturally appropriate behavior etc. They constantly observe the adults and try to emulate them. â€Å"Developmental psychologists have dedicated significant effort to studying the developmental progression of infant imitation skills, because imitation underlies the infant’s ability to understand and learn from his or her social environment.†(Demirisa†¦.) This has been an ideal issue for the roboticsts to intervene and make efforts to equip robots with the ability to observe and emulate human actions. The abilities acquired thus, will equip robots to observe and imitate human actions, paving way for rapid teaching of robots to perform specified tasks. Therefore the analysis relates two fronts. â€Å": (a) initial conditions what is innate in infants, and what functionality is initially given to robots, and (b) Developmental mechanism how does the performance of infants improve over time, and what mechanisms are given to robots to achieve equivalent behavior.†(Demirisa†¦.) The Development of Inverse and Forward Models is another set of model that makes detailed study of infant responses vs. their application in the science of roboticsts, but the child always proves smarter and leaves the robot stranded. Another important theory is the Emotion Theory. Here the mechanism employed is to give the robot with rich, recurring enforcement through emotive channels of communication. This theory offers explanations and possible solutions to the associated questions like how the robot can learn to associate the emotive content on the caretaker’s face with immediate stimulus conditions and action. 3) The main results and important points in the authors’ discussion. The important points in the author’s discussion are the Nature vs. the Nature debate in the natural sciences. The simple tasks performed by the child are very complex from the point t of view of getting them done through robot. It is unanimously agreed that tabula rasa algorithms for robot learning are not going to provide the desired results. It is not practicable to pre-impose designer’s own conceptions on the control structure of robot. â€Å"Imitation, which is seen as a fundamental avenue of learning in humans has been proposed as a promising method for a compromise between the two approaches. The robot architecture is designed to adapt in order to benefit from other agents’ knowledge; imitation can be used as a mechanism of learning for the robot in human and robot societies.†(Demirisa†¦)Human infants are the subject of study by the developmental scientists for more than a century, by observation and experimental techniques. Their issue was simple and direct. With what capabilities the infants are born and how these develop over the period with experience and time. Imitation is one of the important factors. Soon the infants transcend the imitate-the-actions stage and grasp the underlying intentions and goals of demonstrators. Developmental studies of infant imitation skills are the foundation for roboticsts new algorithms. It provides the method for transferring skills from humans to robots 4) In addition, you are required to provide your OWN critique (and not one that was provided by the author/s), which may include problems with any aspect of the study (and how these problems/issues can be addressed), and/or suggestions for future research (if you are suggesting a future study, try to be as specific as possible). Robotics has made tremendous strides but there can never be a perfect robot of an infant. Many things can be achieved, there can be a good robot, but the ultimate robot will never be commissioned. For, robot is the mind product, and the infant is beyond-the-mind product. The knowledge of the robot is pre-programmed, but not that of infants. The comparison between infants and the related robots is as good as comparing the original currency with the devalued currency if not the duplicate one. The infants’ situation is mostly unclear and unpredictable. Infants do observe others to get some of their goals. But they also act with their own intuition and inspiration and perform random acts, which baffle their elders. They have their own special source, the incomparable one, of motivation, for which no precedent exists. So, the original question remains the original question! There can never be a complete robot—but all infants are complete. Every infant is original. For its response follows a pattern known only to it. It has no precedents. Model-based approach to the issue will continue to be researched and modified and the state of finality and perfection can never be reached. Developmental psychology, however, offers infinite possibilities for study and research. The infants are integrated personalities-their traits are that of Commander and soldiers integrated into one. In the role of a commander, the infant will assert its wish, as a soldier will exhibit discipline by obeying the command. This is an unpredictable issue and that is the problem of robticsts, which eludes the solution so far. New issues surface. For example, hierarchical formulations have been proposed and used. This is an interesting area for research with limitless possibilities. The technological advancement and the impact of the TV culture is going to affect the infant responses and the robot designers need to do overtime, to study and understand the implications. Infant development is an extraordinary process, as for brain and behavior. It is the culmination of thousands of experiences each day that happen—their intensity increases as babies move independently and explore their own world. The actions and functions of the robots can only be consequential.

Nokia Company: Organisation and Profitability

Nokia Company: Organisation and Profitability It all began for Nokia when Fredrik Idestam built a paper mill back in 1865. He built another factory near Nokianvirta River, Finland, the place whose first five words gave the company its name Nokia. Between the years of 1865 and 1967 Nokia was recognized as a vital industrial machine; though further expansion needed a merger with a cable company and another merger with a rubber firm to set up the Nokia Corporation. This was the beginning of the move to electronics production by the company. The mobile phone era for Nokia began in 1981 when the first ever international mobile phone network was built called the Nordic Mobile Telephone (NMT). Organizational Structure at Nokia As of October 1, 2009 the organizational structure at Nokia was extremely mobile and flexible. Nokias organizational structure is horizontal and it allows for greater flexibility and speedy communication channels between different departments. The devices unit looks after the development and management of mobile devices portfolio which is targeted at all major consumer segments. The solutions department ensures that it continuously develops solutions whereby ensuring that a particular mobile device has integrated contents and personalized services and the output of these three components results into a leading mobile phone for the end user. The solutions unit works with other departments in close proximity to provide such solutions. The services department creates and designs internet services that enhance the consumer experience when Nokia phone users interact with the web. The main areas where this unit focuses on include messaging, maps, music, and Ovi developer tools. This department also ensures that there is a consistent increase in different services as the market evolves. The other significant department is Markets which acts like a supply chain department for Nokia. The unit is also responsible for sales channels, branding and marketing activities for various products and services. The corporate development department looks for future growth opportunities and it also plans for future strategic actions that will give the company a competitive advantage against competitors. This department also provides operational supports to other core departments such as Devices, Services, Solutions and markets. Nokia Siemens Networks is a joint venture with Siemens and it provides network infrastructure which is both fixed and wireless. This division also provides communications and networks service platforms. Finally, the last major division is NAVTEQ; this unit is a provider of detailed navigational maps and digital map data automobile navigation systems, navigation systems for mobile devices, internet mapping applications and mapping solutions to government and other businesses. NAVTEQ is an important part of Nokias operations since it provides downloadable maps and other content that will enhance the experience of consumers who use Nokias smart phones. Corporate Governance The way authority and responsibility is organized at Nokia it shows that the company is exemplary in its approach towards corporate governance. The companys strategic and significant natured decisions are made by the board. These matters might include strategic guidelines, approval of periodic plans and decisions on major divestments or investments. The company charter, article of association and Finnish Companies Act determine the roles and responsibilities of all directors and executive members. According to the auditors and company information strict guidelines are followed in terms of code of conduct and ethical behavior of each employee. Similarly the company complies with all stock market requirements of the Helsinki stock market, New York and Frankfurt stock exchanges. The company provides all necessary data to authorities at NYSE because the under the rules any firm that complies with its national laws must file any differences that exist between its national laws and the laws to be followed under NYSE. Competitors of Nokia Corporation Nokias direct and major competitors include Motorola Inc, Cisco Systems Inc, Research in Motion, LM Ericsson Telephone Co., and QUALCOMM Inc. The company faces stiff competition in the business oriented mobile phone market from RIMs Blackberry series. Nokias E-series phones are geared to compete with the Blackberry series. Similarly the company faces challenges from Samsung and Motorola in the touch screen phone markets and the latest Android based phones that offer efficient and extremely user friendly interface to consumers. In the navigations and maps market Nokia, like the traditional manufacturers such as Garmin, TomTom, faces tough competition from the Google and Apple partnership that will make the iPhone the ultimate navigation and smart device for this generation. The difference between this navigation process that iPhone will offer is that consumers wouldnt need to download maps for a price or they would not need automotive navigations systems rather they would use their smart phones as navigation devices at very low rates. For the year 2009, Nokias market share remained flat at around 38% in the global handset market after consumers continue to encourage Apples iPhone in favor of the N series that Nokia is offering. Nokia also faces competition from Ericsson mobile phones in the music phones; Sony Ericssons superior voice quality and speaker quality give its phones an edge over Nokias Express music series. Industry Outlook for 2010 The expectations of the company for 2010 are considerably flat in terms of the performance of its various divisions. Overall the mobile device industry is expected to increase by about 10% in 2010 in terms of volume compared to 2009. For the year 2010 Nokia expects its mobile device market share to be flat compared to 2009, a similar sort of expectation also exists for Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks as the venture sees a minimal increase in euro terms for the mobile and the fixed infrastructure services market. Importance of International Markets to Nokia Corporation In 2009, out of the total sales from the company Europe accounted for 36%, Chinas share was 16%, Middle East Africa 14%, North America 5%, Asia-Pacific 22% and Latin America 7%. As we can see from these numbers that about 59% of sales are coming from the developing world; for a company that began operations from Finland that is an important statistics since most of its revenues are coming from international markets especially from developing countries. The 10 markets from which Nokia generated the highest amounts of sales revenues are listed below in decreasing order; with the highest written first and lowest stated last: China, India, the UK, Germany, the United States, Russia, Indonesia, Spain, Brazil and Italy; when combined these markets provided 52% of the total sales in 2009. It is important to note here that China and India; the fastest growing economies in Asia are leaders for Nokia sales; secondly the list also contains growing markets such as Brazil and Russia. It is important to note here that because Nokias main sales driver is the mobile device market hence there are higher sales potential for Nokia in developing countries. This is because countries such as India and China are experiencing large demand for mobile phones due to the rapid growth and development of infrastructure especially network infrastructure. The rising levels of GDP per capita and income levels of people in the developing world are increasing their ability to purchase mobile phones therefore we could see that in the near future major growth would come from developing economies. Foreign Exchange exposures Faced by Nokia Nokia has businesses all over the world; this global presence means that assets and sales, liabilities and loans taken or completed in different parts of the world may be higher or lower in value when translated into the Euro or any home base currency. Because Nokia owns substantial assets in foreign markets therefore the company has to hedge and protect itself against the potential of currency adjustments in the negative direction. Nokias foreign exchange policy is developed by the treasury department of the company which looks after the interests of the company such that foreign exchange exposure is minimized and shareholder value is maximized. Under the policy; transactions which are considered of material value are hedged against foreign exchange exposures as long as the hedging tool is not uneconomical i.e. the hedging cost is lower or market liquidity is favorable. The company uses derivative financial instruments such as foreign exchange options and forward foreign exchange contracts to manage hedging and reduce the exposure. The group has a policy of not hedging 2-year or beyond forecasted foreign currency cash flows. New Product and Market development Nokia operates in a highly drastic and technologically changing industry; on the consumer side the company also sees the acceptance and increasing demand for more sophisticated products therefore the company has to remain on its toes and come up with new products and services. The recent financial crisis which was coupled with economic downturn as well saw most industries and companies experiencing reduced profits or even losses. If we look at the table above we see that for the period 2004-08 the average RD expenditure as a percentage of sales was around 11%. This explains how important the development of new products and markets are to companies like Nokia. RD expenditure dipped slightly during 2009 by about 1% compared with 2008 figures because of the decline in sales. The reduction in total revenues during the year 2009 was because the brunt of the crisis or the lowest point of the crisis was considered to be the third and fourth quarters of 2009. The major problem faced by Nokia mobile devices sales was the fact that as macroeconomic aggregates plummeted world wide; people were laid off, disposal incomes squeezed and purchasing power declined in some regions because of currency depreciation, all these factors led to the decrease in demand for Nokia phones. Despite these tough circumstances Nokia continued to expand product development and introduced new products in the mobile device markets, new systems and networks from Nokia Siemens Partnership and navigation phones under the NAVTEQ division. Capital Structure and Liabilities Management at Nokia The average basic number of shares during 2009 was 3.705 billion, 2008 was 3.743 billion and 2007 was 3.885 billion. The difference between diluted and basic average number of shares was negligible during all the three years stated above. About 1% of the shares were owned by Nokia Corporation during 2009. There was not much change in the capital structure during the three years apart from a buy-back and cancellation of shares that were owned by the company during 2008 and 2009 respectively. If we closely analyze the net debt to equity ratio for the 5 year period we see that initially in the years 04, 05 06 and even 07 the company had surplus assets over total debt. Though this situation drastically declined during 2008 as the credit crunch forced Nokia to borrow money and bridge the gap between its working capital. This factor eroded the asset base advantage the company was holding for the previous 4 years before 2008. Another important factor was that short-term borrowings rose substantially during 2008. Short-term borrowings increased from 714 million Euros in 2007 to 3,578 million Euros in 2008. The equity ratio represents the amount of assets represented or funded by the equity holders. From the table above we can see that the assets funded through equity has been on a declining run throughout the five year period. This also explains that as years have passed by liabilities have been increasing used as a way of financing assets. Many analysts believe that borrowing is a lesser expensive way of raising funds compared to equity as interest paid reduces effective tax rate; secondly creditors do not have a say in the way management runs the business; thirdly no dividends need to be paid out. On the other hand equity has its own advantages such as no finance costs; in case of bankruptcy the claim of common shareholders is last only after other creditors have been paid out. Overall companies are suggested to find an optimum equity and liability combination by working out the WACC at different levels. 2007 was considered one of the best years in Nokias history not only did the stock do well but the companys other major indicators were in green as well. For instance the return on equity was around 53% during 2007; that is a phenomenal return for shareholders from a company that competes in such a tough competitive environment. The return on equity declined significantly during 2008. As we see from the table that the value declined to 27.5% from 53.9% in 2007. This again explains the difficulty the company faced during 2008 in terms of low sales volumes, depressed prices and difficult financial conditions. Nokia Corporations shares are listed on the following stock markets: NASDAQ OMX, (Helsinki), Frankfurter, and New York Stock Exchange. The company delisted its Swedish Depository Receipts (SDRs) from the Stockholm Stock Exchange. The last day of trading of these SDRs was June 1, 2007. Raising capital and loans from foreign capital markets has a number of benefits and a few disadvantages as well. In terms of the benefits; firstly by listing stocks in a market such as NYSE a company like Nokia gave itself exposure to one of the most valuable and important stock markets in the world. New York is the financial capital of the worlds largest economy and having the ability to raise funds in such a market builds great reputation for a company apart from substantial capital. Similarly the SDR move into the Swedish Stock Market was a strong move as that would have strengthened the capital structure before the delisting. SDRs provide a substantial capital inflow in lieu of a stable and known cost of capital that gives the firms financial cost structure sustainability and consistency. In terms of the disadvantages economic activities in a foreign country might impact the shareholder value of the whole group. Though this cost is offset by the point that todays financial markets are so dependent on each other that market risks are almost similar in virtually all countries and their stock markets. The important thing here is that companies like Nokia must be aware of the trade cycles and the economic cycles of the world and individual markets and there relationship between each other because that will determine the impact of raising capital in foreign markets. Impact on Market Value as a Result of Strategies in Foreign Exchange Risk, Raising Capital and Moving into New Markets Technological firms generally have higher risk attached to their stock prices and market values therefore we expect them to do extremely well when the economy is booming and the company is able to come up with consistent and high quality products. The case of Nokia is no different the company has successfully established itself as one of the most reliable and advanced manufacturer of mobile devices. Steadily over the years Nokia has moved into new markets which have diversified the portfolio of the company hence spreading the risk over different but related markets. Nokias move to enter new markets has been a good way of diversifying business interests in the sense that the company has not only developed new products but it has also moved into new physical markets. Developing new products has its own advantages but moving into new geographical markets can benefit companies from the all important concept of economies of new scale. Going into new markets exposes the company to absolutely new customers hence increasing the total potential customer base of the company. Raising capital in foreign markets also impacts the market value of the company in a positive way. The company, by raising additional capital in new markets, not only increases its ability to spend money on acquisitions, development, and supply-chain but also gives credibility and higher standing to the companys share in the capital markets and makes the company a strong candidate for a better rating from agencies. The above graph is the stock price movement of Nokia stock, listed on NYSE, versus the SP 500 over a five year period. What is evident here is that consistently the Nokia stock has out performed the SP 500 for most of the time period under discussion. In percentage terms the stock has performed extremely well during the later half of 2007 up to mid 2008; even during the tough times of the late 2009 the stock did better than the overall SP index. The above graph is again representative of the fact that the companys stock performed better than most top company stocks during the boom period of 2007. Credit has to be given to the financial managers of the company since there prudent steps ensured a better than average EPS for the company and subsequently even better share price performance. Evaluation of the Firms Finance Managers In terms of hedging and controlling the foreign exchange risk I think the financial managers did a good job by employing a prudent policy of hedging all those cash inflows and outflows which were due within 2 years period. This is a prudent approach; secondly if we look at the table below we see that the company has remained profitable despite the financial and economic crisis that plagued the global markets for the past 2 and a half years. We also see that the company gave dividends in all the last six years under discussion; this also shows consistency and the right mindset of financial managers who rightly understand the need to rollout dividends in order to ensure continuous investments from investors in the near future. The above graph shows that profitability peaked during the 2007 period and steadily declined thereafter this also shows the difficult financial and economic environment that was weathered by the corporate sectors of different economies. The impact of the crises were so great that profits before taxes almost decreased by 50% in 2008 from 2007 profits before taxes.

Censorship Will Destroy the Internet Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive

Censorship Will Destroy the Internet Depending on whether or not you're a net geek like me, you probably know either everything or nothing about Senate bill 314, the Communications Decency Act. (I'm a huge net geek: I've already received at least three copies of an on-line petition against it.) Senate bill 314, proposed by Senator Exon and currently under consideration in the Senate, would ban obscenity on-line, making it a federal crime to transmit or make available over the internet anything determined to be "obscene...regardless of whether the maker of such communication placed the call or initiated the communication." This ban includes all forms of electronic communication, from telephone calls to file transfer protocol sites (computers on the internet that contain files available to the public for copying) to private e-mail messages. In the original version of the bill, penalties also applied to internet service providers (including universities) whose facilities were used for "obscene" communications; however, aft er heavy lobbying by CompuServe, America On-Line, and other large internet services, those portions of the bill were stricken. Even in its weakened form, though, Senate bill 314 poses a significant threat to the continued growth of the internet and to constitutional rights. Perhaps the first problem with the law is that it is completely unnecessary, and its authorship clearly indicates that its authors are unfamiliar with the nature of the internet. Pornography on the internet is accessible, but only to those who go looking for it. Images do not appear unsolicited on the personal computers of internet users, so this law will not do anything at all for the user who does not actively seek pornographic mate... ...among other things, an experiment in anarchism: a group of independent, free individuals acting without coercion and defining their own rules. The internet is exciting because there is no central authority to decide what is and is not allowed, who can talk and who cannot. This freedom is one of the intangible features that makes the internet a wonder of the modern world. Senate bill 314 seeks to destroy that freedom with artificially imposed guidelines; it seeks to impose an authority where there has been none and where the citizens do not want or need one. This is perhaps the most destructive feature of Senator Exon's proposal: it would corrupt the atmosphere of freedom that many net users find so enticing. If Senator Exon spent some time on-line, perhaps he could understand how precious this experiment really this, and perhaps he would not be so quick to end it.

The Bento as a Culture in Japan

The bento as a culture in Japan ID NO. 12411099 Word count: 1075 It is very convenient that students who study in APU can go to convenience store buying bento as lunch or dinner. In fact, everyday there are so many people who are students or businessmen buying bento as their lunch when they have no time to eat lunch in resturant or made by hand. In some way, bento is a pretty important culture in Japan society. Bento first appeared in ancient period in Japan, which mostly stood for more wealthy class people. On the contrast, especially for the rural residents just took some rice balls when they went out do to something.The rice balls were considered formed in Yayoi era of the late (about two centuries before and after), which has been had a very long history. The rice balls was called † grip rice† (nigirimeshi), or â€Å"imperial Results† (omusubi) to the Edo period. From this point of view, we can know that bento has a long history in Japan, and it is a kind of sp ecial culture of Japanese. Lunch sale has become a highlight to attract customers to buy the bento in various large convenience stores, such as â€Å"7-11†, â€Å"Family-mart†, â€Å"Lawson†.They use lots of ways showing their bento, and constantly develop the bento in new-types and new-tastes. According to the seasons change, they make the inexpensive bento but in good color, flavor, and taste. Japanese are usually accustomed to cold food, but in the winter they can use the microwave in the convenience store heating the bento by free. It shows that the Japanese people about the natural view. Japan is a seaboard country, they accept the most of food by the sea, so they have a highly respect to the sea. The price of bento is generally in the range from 450 yen to 700 yen.The qualities of bento in lunch house and lunch share seems to be above the supermarkets and convenience stores, because the food is fresh, and probably also serves soup. Lunch of the forms from the wicker suitcase, bamboo baskets, exquisite lacquer box, aluminum lunch boxes has already evolved into today's plastic or wood containers which are more convenient to take and heat. So why is bento so popular in Japan? Firstly, the bento stores are very popular. According to the survey, every province has almost 1000 bento stores in Japan. It indicates that the bento is a very important culture in Japan.Secondly, the economics decides the popular degree of bento in Japan. Thirdly, It can keep the balance of nutrition in daily life. Especially it is convenient for the businessmen who face much pressure of working. In particular, in Japan, the businessmen who are working in Japanese company always have to work overtime up to night, they don't have much time on meal, so the bento is convenient and important for them. Most of them can buy the bento in convenience stores, or the people who have already got married can take the bento which made by their wives.Most of married men who ta ke the bento from the family will feel a sense of happiness. It can deepen the relationship between husband and wife, promote the families getting more harmonious and happy. Lastly, bento has a power invaluable. Most of schools in Japan implement activity that called bento no hi. It is a activity that let children buy the ingredients of food what they want to cook, and then cook by themselves and the parents just only tell them how to cook. It also promote the interaction between parents and children.In the school, the children will show their bento each other, and it let them know how hard cooking. It even promote that the part of children choose to research the diet or the work about the diet sell. From above all, it shows that the bento as a culture in Japan society how important. The bento has a close relationship with the Japanese culture and society. Food is full of the bento box indicates that a smart Japanese culture. Bridging culture is like a bento box that is full of so m any things in a narrow space. It is not only the quantities of requirements, but also require the qualities.Except the reduced consciousness reflect the reduced things, in society, the team spirit of Japanese people and the spirit of seriousness are as well as a kind of reflection of reduced consciousness. In other words, bridging culture is very important for Japanese people. The bento culture can be seem from the Japanese reduced consciousness. How about bento in my country? In China, in fact, there is not having so many different kinds of bento. Most of people choose to eat in resturant, family, or fast food. In some ways, fast food is seen as a kind of bento.It has so many fast food stores in China, such as McDonald's, KFC. Most Chinese students and young adults like eating these fast food. The most of fast food is cooked by fried, which is full of oil, fat, and salt. It is unhealth for body. If people eat it very much and very frequency, it will lead to caner even death. And th e fast food is not fresh, in some ways, it maybe not very clean in the process of cooking. But why are so many people loving it in China? I think it is depends on the different country country has different diet culture. Japanese people love hanami in different seasons.Especially they enjoy sakura in spring. And of course, they will take the bento with them, and they eat the bento with their families or friends in the trees while they enjoy sakura. This is a special culture in Japan. They feel it can release the stress in the daily life when they eating bento in the sakura trees. Above all of the contents, bento has a long history in Japan, bento gradually develops an art , and a kind of driving force. According to the development of bento, it shows that the development and change of Japan society clearly.At the same time, it indicates that the outlook and attitude on life of Japanese people in nowadays. According to the bento, it make a close relationship between individual and soc iety, and it make people know each other as well as. The bento culture is a backbone of Japanese culture, it is a impetus that promote the development in Japan. References: : 2008 : ,2009 (2010/3/10) (Wikipedia). http://ja. wikipedia. org/wiki. : 2008.

My father had told me that I should consider first my budget

I am so excited in buying my first car. Can’t wait to drive it! As I was browsing through catalogues and asking friends and family I’ve learned that there are factors that I have to consider in purchasing a car. I thought it was as easy as buying a chocolate bar at the store. My father had told me that I should consider first my budget. What’s the budget I’ve allotted for my car? It was only then that I had thought about it. It seems that my budget won’t match the car I’ve dreamed of buying.So my father told me to think of the other factors, such as, look for a car that would fit my budget. Next is the quality of the car, like the engine and the body; and lastly are the features of the car. What I did was look through the catalogues and brochures again. Write on a piece of paper the features I like and the kind of engine that fits my lifestyle. On the other side are the features of the cars I’m looking at. Cross out the things that I d on’t like, and left out what I like and the things that match them.It was only then that I was able to choose the car that I’ll be purchasing. But there are three choices left, which I really have to think about and consider. I again consulted my father about it to finalize my decision. He told me to go and check out the cars that are in my list, â€Å"Once you’re there and check them you’ll know which one is for you. † And I did went to check the cars out. I wasn’t able to see the third choice for when I saw the second car I knew it was for me.As if it was calling me, when I approached it to check out the seats, the interiors and engine, I didn’t waste any time at all and spoke to the car salesman. That afternoon I negotiated with the salesman and was able to purchase the car less than my budget. I felt so accomplished and victorious. The salesman told me to go back after a few days for the car. I called my father while I was walking out of the office, telling him what happened. He was just laughing while I was talking.I kept on talking as if I didn’t hear he was laughing on the other line. When I was finished he said, â€Å"That’s what I was telling you. Now you know what I was saying. And I can say that you’re too proud and happy that you were able to purchase your first car on your own. † When I heard that I just nodded and said, â€Å"Thank you very much, Dad. I love you. † It was such a fulfilling feeling that, I won’t forget that experience. I go with the same process every time I would purchase something. I’ve learned a lot from my father.

The Host Chapter 59: Remembered

The beginning would feel like the end. I'd been warned. But this time the end was a greater surprise than it had ever been. Greater than any end I'd remembered in nine lives. Greater than jumping down an elevator shaft. I had expected no more memories, no more thoughts. What end was this? The sun is setting-the colors are all rosy, and they make me think of my friend†¦ what would her name be here? Something about†¦ ruffles? Ruffles and more ruffles. She was a beautiful Flower. The flowers here are so lifeless and boring. They smell wonderful, though. Smells are the best part of this place. Footsteps behind me. Has Cloud Spinner followed me again? I don't need a jacket. It's warm here-finally!-and I want to feel the air on my skin. I won't look at her. Maybe she'll think I can't hear and she'll go home. She is so careful with me, but I'm almost grown now. She can't mother me forever. â€Å"Excuse me?† someone says, and I don't know the voice. I turn to look at her, and I don't know the face, either. She's pretty. The face in the memory jerked me back to myself. That was my face! But I didn't remember this†¦ â€Å"Hi,† I say. â€Å"Hello. My name is Melanie.† She smiles at me. â€Å"I'm new in town and†¦ I think I'm lost.† â€Å"Oh! Where are you trying to go? I'll take you. Our car is just back -â€Å" â€Å"No, it's not far. I was going for a walk, but now I can't find my way back to Becker Street.† She's a new neighbor-how nice. I love new friends. â€Å"You're very close,† I tell her. â€Å"It's just around the second corner up that way, but you can cut right through this little alley here. It takes you straight there.† â€Å"Could you show me? I'm sorry, what's your name?† â€Å"Of course! Come with me. I'm Petals Open to the Moon, but my family mostly calls me Pet. Where are you from, Melanie?† She laughs. â€Å"Do you mean San Diego or the Singing World, Pet?† â€Å"Either one.† I laugh, too. I like her smile. â€Å"There are two Bats on this street. They live in that yellow house with the pine trees.† â€Å"I'll have to say hello,† she murmurs, but her voice has changed, tensed. She's looking into the dusky alley as though she's expecting to see something. And there is something there. Two people, a man and a boy. The boy drags his hand through his long black hair like he's nervous. Maybe he is worried because he's lost, too. His pretty eyes are wide and excited. The man is very still. Jamie. Jared. My heart thumped, but the feeling was peculiar, wrong. Too small and†¦ fluttery. â€Å"These are my friends, Pet,† Melanie tells me. â€Å"Oh! Oh, hello.† I stretch my hand out to the man-he's the closest. He reaches for my hand, and his grip is so strong. He yanks me forward, right up to his body. I don't understand. This feels wrong. I don't like it. My heart beats faster, and I'm afraid. I've never been scared like this before. I don't understand. His hand swings toward my face, and I gasp. I suck in the mist that comes from his hand. A silver cloud that tastes like raspberries. â€Å"Wha -† I want to ask, but I can't see them anymore. I can't see anything†¦ There was no more. â€Å"Wanda? Can you hear me, Wanda?† a familiar voice asked. That wasn't the right name†¦ was it? My ears didn't react to it, but something did. Wasn't I Petals Open to the Moon? Pet? Was that it? That didn't feel right, either. My heart beat faster, an echo of the fear in my memory. A vision of a woman with white-and-red-streaked hair and kind green eyes filled my head. Where was my mother? But†¦ she wasn't my mother, was she? A sound, a low voice that echoed around me. â€Å"Wanda. Come back. We aren't letting you go.† The voice was familiar, and it was also not. It sounded like†¦ me? Where was Petals Open to the Moon? I couldn't find her. Just a thousand empty memories. A house full of pictures but no inhabitants. â€Å"Use the Awake,† a voice said. I didn't recognize this one. Something brushed my face, light as the touch of fog. I knew that scent. It was the smell of grapefruit. I took a deeper breath, and my mind suddenly cleared. I could feel that I was lying down†¦ but this felt wrong, too. There wasn't†¦ enough of me. I felt shrunken. My hands were warmer than the rest of me, and that was because they were being held. Held in big hands, hands that swallowed them right up. It smelled odd-stuffy and a little moldy. I remembered the smell†¦ but surely I'd never smelled it before in my life. I saw nothing but dull red-the insides of my eyelids. I wanted to open them, so I went searching for the right muscles to do that. â€Å"Wanderer? We're all waiting for you, honey. Open your eyes.† This voice, this warm breath against my ear, was even more familiar. A strange feeling tickled through my veins at the sound. A feeling I'd never, ever felt before. The sound made my breath catch and my fingers tremble. I wanted to see the face that went with that voice. A color washed through my mind-a color that called to me from a faraway life-a brilliant, glowing blue. The whole universe was bright blue†¦ And finally I knew my name. Yes, that was right. Wanderer. I was Wanderer. Wanda, too. I remembered that now. A light touch on my face-a warm pressure on my lips, on my eyelids. Ah, that's where they were. I could make them blink now that I'd found them. â€Å"She's waking up!† someone crowed excitedly. Jamie. Jamie was here. My heart gave another fluttery little thump. It took a moment for my eyes to focus. The blue that stabbed my eyes was all wrong-too pale, too washed out. It wasn't the blue I wanted. A hand touched my face. â€Å"Wanderer?† I looked to the sound. The movement of my head on my neck felt so odd. It didn't feel like it used to, but at the same time it felt the way it had always felt. My searching eyes found the blue I'd been looking for. Sapphire, snow, and midnight. â€Å"Ian? Ian, where am I?† The sound of the voice coming out of my throat frightened me. So high and trilling. Familiar, but not mine. â€Å"Who am I?† â€Å"You're you,† Ian told me. â€Å"And you're right where you belong.† I pulled one of my hands free from the giant's hand that held it. I meant to touch my face, but someone's hand reached toward me, and I froze. The reaching hand also froze above me. I tried to move my hand again, to protect myself, but that moved the hand above me. I started shaking, and the hand trembled. Oh. I opened and closed the hand, looking at it carefully. Was this my hand, this tiny thing? It was a child's hand, except for the long pink-and-white nails, filed into perfect, smooth curves. The skin was fair, with a strange silvery cast to it and, entirely incongruous, a scattering of golden freckles. It was the odd combination of silver and gold that brought the image back: I could see a face in my head, reflected in a mirror. The setting of the memory threw me off for a moment because I wasn't used to so much civilization-at the same time, I knew nothing but civilization. A pretty dresser with all kinds of frilly and delicate things on top of it. A profusion of dainty glass bottles containing the scents I loved-I loved? Or she loved?-so much. A potted orchid. A set of silver combs. The big round mirror was framed in a wreath of metal roses. The face in the mirror was roundish, too, not quite oval. Small. The skin on the face had the same silver undertone-silver like moonlight-as the hand did, with another handful of the golden freckles across the bridge of the nose. Wide gray eyes, the silver of the soul shimmering faintly behind the soft color, framed by tangled golden lashes. Pale pink lips, full and almost round, like a baby's. Small, even white teeth behind them. A dimple in the chin. And everywhere, everywhere, golden, waving hair that stood away from my face in a bright halo and fell below where the mirror showed. My face or her face? It was the perfect face for a Night Flower. Like an exact translation from Flower to human. â€Å"Where is she?† my high, reedy voice demanded. â€Å"Where is Pet?† Her absence frightened me. I'd never seen a more defenseless creature than this half-child with her moonlight face and sunlight hair. â€Å"She's right here,† Doc assured me. â€Å"Tanked and ready to go. We thought you could tell us the best place to send her.† I looked toward his voice. When I saw him standing in the sunlight, a lit cryotank in his hands, a rush of memories from my former life came back to me. â€Å"Doc!† I gasped in the tiny, fragile voice. â€Å"Doc, you promised! You gave me your oath, Eustace! Why? Why did you break your word?† A dim recollection of misery and pain touched me. This body had never felt such agony before. It shied away from the sting. â€Å"Even an honest man sometimes caves to duress, Wanda.† â€Å"Duress,† another terribly familiar voice scoffed. â€Å"I'd say a knife to the throat counts as duress, Jared.† â€Å"You knew I wouldn't really use it.† â€Å"That I did not. You were quite persuasive.† â€Å"A knife?† My body trembled. â€Å"Shh, it's all okay,† Ian murmured. His breath blew strands of golden hair across my face, and I brushed them away-a routine gesture. â€Å"Did you really think you could leave us that way? Wanda!† He sighed, but the sigh was joyful. Ian was happy. This insight made my worry suddenly much lighter, easier to bear. â€Å"I told you I didn't want to be a parasite,† I whispered. â€Å"Let me through,† my old voice ordered. And then I could see my face, the strong one, with the sun-brown skin, the straight black line of the eyebrows over the almond-shaped, hazel eyes, the high, sharp cheekbones†¦ See it backward, not as a reflection, the way I'd always seen it before. â€Å"Listen up, Wanda. I know exactly what you don't want to be. But we're human, and we're selfish, and we don't always do the right thing. We aren't going to let you go. Deal with it.† The way she spoke, the cadence and the tone, not the voice, brought back all the silent conversations, the voice in my head, my sister. â€Å"Mel? Mel, you're okay!† She smiled then and leaned over to hug my shoulders. She was bigger than I remembered being. â€Å"Of course I am. Wasn't that the point of all the drama? And you're going to be fine, too. We weren't stupid about it. We didn't just grab the first body we saw.† â€Å"Let me tell her, let me!† Jamie shoved in beside Mel. It was getting very crowded around the cot. It rocked, unstable. I took his hand and squeezed it. My hands felt so feeble. Could he even feel the pressure? â€Å"Jamie!† â€Å"Hey, Wanda! This is cool, isn't it? You're smaller than me now!† He grinned, triumphant. â€Å"But still older. I'm almost -† And then I stopped, changing my sentence abruptly. â€Å"My birthday is in two weeks.† I might have been disoriented and confused, but I wasn't stupid. Melanie's experiences had not gone to waste; I had learned from them. Ian was every bit as honorable as Jared, and I was not going to go through the frustration Melanie had. So I lied, giving myself an extra year. â€Å"I'll be eighteen.† From the corner of my eye, I saw Melanie and Ian stiffen in surprise. This body looked much younger than her true age, hovering on the edge of seventeen. It was this little deception, this preemptive claiming of my partner, that made me realize I was staying here. That I would be with Ian and the rest of my family. My throat thickened, felt oddly swollen. Jamie patted my face, calling my attention back. I was surprised at how big his hand felt on my cheek. â€Å"They let me come on the raid to get you.† â€Å"I know,† I muttered. â€Å"I remember†¦ Well, Pet remembers seeing you there.† I glared at Mel, who shrugged. â€Å"We tried not to scare her,† Jamie said. â€Å"She's so†¦ kind of fragile-looking, you know? And nice, too. We picked her out together, but I got to decide! See, Mel said we had to get someone young-someone who had a bigger percentage of life as a soul or something. But not too young, because she knew you wouldn't want to be a child. And then Jared liked this face, because he said no one could ever dis†¦ distrust it. You don't look dangerous at all. You look the opposite of dangerous. Jared said anyone who sees you would just naturally want to protect you, right, Jared? But then I got the final say, because I was looking for someone who looked like you. And I thought this looked like you. Because she sort of looks like an angel, and you're good like that. And real pretty. I knew you would be pretty.† Jamie smiled hugely. â€Å"Ian didn't come. He just sat here with you-he said he didn't care what you looked like. He wouldn't let anyone else put a finger on your tank at all, not even me or Mel. But Doc let me watch this time. It was way cool, Wanda. I don't know why you wouldn't let me watch before. They wouldn't let me help, though. Ian wouldn't let anyone touch you but him.† Ian squeezed my hand and leaned in to whisper through all the hair. His voice was so low that I was the only one who could hear. â€Å"I held you in my hand, Wanderer. And you were so beautiful.† My eyes got all wet, and I had to sniff. â€Å"You like it, don't you?† Jamie asked, his voice worried now. â€Å"You're not mad? There's nobody in there with you, is there?† â€Å"I'm not mad, exactly,† I whispered. â€Å"And I-I can't find anybody else. Just Pet's memories. Pet's been in here since†¦ I can't remember when she wasn't here. I can't remember any other name.† â€Å"You're not a parasite,† Melanie said firmly, touching my hair, pulling up a strand and letting the gold slide between her fingers. â€Å"This body didn't belong to Pet, but there's nobody else to claim it. We waited to make sure, Wanda. We tried to wake her up almost as long as we tried with Jodi.† â€Å"Jodi? What happened to Jodi?† I chirped, my little voice going higher, like a bird's, with anxiety. I struggled to get up, and Ian pulled me-it took no effort, no strength to move my tiny new body-into a sitting position with his arm supporting me. I could see all the faces then. Doc, no more tears in his eyes. Jeb, peeking around Doc, his expression satisfied and burning with curiosity at the same time. Next, a woman I didn't recognize for a second because her face was more animated than I'd ever seen it, and I hadn't seen it much anyway-Mandy, the former Healer. Closer to me, Jamie, with his bright, excited smile, Melanie beside him, and Jared behind her, his hands around her waist. I knew that his hands would never feel right unless they were touching her body-my body!-now. That he would keep her as close as he could forever, hating any inch that came between them. This caused me a fierce, aching pain. The delicate heart in my thin chest shuddered. It had never been broken before, and it didn't understand this memory. It made me sorry to realize that I still loved Jared. I wasn't free of that, wasn't free of jealousy for the body he loved. My glance flickered back to Mel. I saw the rueful twist of the mouth that used to be mine, and knew she understood. I continued quickly around the cluster of faces circling my bed, while Doc, after a pause, answered my question. Trudy and Geoffrey, Heath, Paige and Andy. Brandt, even†¦ â€Å"Jodi didn't respond. We kept trying as long as we could.† Was Jodi gone, then? I wondered, my inexperienced heart throbbing. I was giving the poor frail thing such a rough awakening. Heidi and Lily, Lily smiling a pained little smile-none the less sincere for the pain†¦ â€Å"We were able to keep her hydrated, but we had no way to feed her. We were worried about atrophy-her muscles, her brain†¦Ã¢â‚¬  While my new heart ached harder than it had ever ached-ached for a woman I'd never known-my eyes continued around the circle and then froze. Jodi, clinging to Kyle's side, stared back at me. She smiled tentatively, and suddenly I recognized her. â€Å"Sunny!† â€Å"I got to stay,† she said, not quite smug but almost. â€Å"Just like you.† She glanced at Kyle's face-which was more stoic than I was used to seeing it-and her voice turned sad. â€Å"I'm trying, though. I am looking for her. I will keep looking.† â€Å"Kyle had us put Sunny back when it looked like we would lose Jodi,† Doc continued quietly. I stared at Sunny and Kyle for a moment, stunned, and then finished the circle. Ian was watching me with a strange combination of joy and nervousness. His face was higher than it should have been, bigger than it used to be. But his eyes were still the blue I remembered. The anchor that held me to this planet. â€Å"You okay in there?† he asked. â€Å"I†¦ I don't know,† I admitted. â€Å"This feels very†¦ weird. Every bit as weird as switching species. So much weirder than I would have thought. I†¦ I don't know.† My heart fluttered again, looking into those eyes, and this was no memory of another lifetime's love. My mouth felt dry, and my stomach quivered. The place where his arm touched my back felt more alive than the rest of my body. â€Å"You don't mind staying here too much, do you, Wanda? Do you think that maybe you could tolerate it?† he murmured. Jamie squeezed my hand. Melanie put hers on top of his, then smiled when Jared added his to the pile. Trudy patted my foot. Geoffrey, Heath, Heidi, Andy, Paige, Brandt, and even Lily were beaming at me. Kyle had shuffled closer, a grin spreading across his face. Sunny's smile was the smile of a coconspirator. How much No Pain had Doc given me? Everything was glowing. Ian brushed the cloud of golden hair back from my face and laid his hand on my cheek. His hand was so big just the palm covered from my jaw to my forehead; the contact sent a jolt of electricity through my silvery skin. It tingled after that first jolt, and the pit of my stomach tingled along with it. I could feel a warm flush pinking my cheeks. My heart had never been broken before, but it had also never flown. It made me shy; I had a hard time finding my voice. â€Å"I suppose I could do that,† I whispered. â€Å"If it makes you happy.† â€Å"That's not good enough, actually,† Ian disagreed. â€Å"It has to make you happy, too.† I could only meet his gaze for a few seconds at a time; the shyness, so new and confusing to me, had my eyes dropping to my lap again and again. â€Å"I†¦ think it might,† I agreed. â€Å"I think it might make me very, very happy.† Happy and sad, elated and miserable, secure and afraid, loved and denied, patient and angry, peaceful and wild, complete and empty†¦ all of it. I would feel everything. It would all be mine. Ian coaxed my face up until I looked him in the eyes, my cheeks flushing darker. â€Å"Then you will stay.† He kissed me, right in front of everyone, but I forgot the audience quickly. This was easy and right, no division, no confusion, no objection, just Ian and me, the molten rock moving through this new body, melding it into the pact. â€Å"I will stay,† I agreed. And my tenth life began.