Portfolio Management and Strategic Management Paper Essay

The portfolio management concept is critical to supporting an organization’s mission and goals. Portfolio management will determine which projects will be pursued when the budget or resources are limited. Organizations sometimes find that they have many projects they would like to complete but there will be times that it is not possible. Portfolio management will review the projects that not only are being worked on but also review any possible pending projects and determine if there is money and resources to continue. They will then prioritize projects and eliminate any that are determined wrong for the organization. According to Kerzner, H. (2013), portfolio management focuses attention at a more aggregate level. Its primary objective is to identify, select, finance, monitor and maintain the appropriate mix of projects and initiatives necessary to achieve organizational goals and objectives. Project management focuses on a particular project that has already been recognized by portfolio management as a project that will support the mission and goals of the organization. Portfolio management will also be looking at what financing will be available for each project and also be looking out for the right mixture of projects. It wouldn’t be in the organizations best interest to only support projects that would be geared towards one goal of the organization. They need to make sure that they are looking at every goal or mission and balancing out the projects. There can be issues with portfolio management. In project management we have discussed using the experts in the organization to help with the planning and in many cases the implementation of a project. With portfolio  management the ones making the decisions may not have the expertise, knowledge and information and therefore could decide a project isn’t a good choice when in fact it should be considered. There could be conflicts, unwillingness to share, differences in thought as well as certain department loyalties that may cause incorrect decisions. Strategic management refers to management who are goals-oriented in which the mission and planned achievements of an organization are clearly set out and all management processes are designed and monitored toward reaching the organization’ overall goals, (â€Å"What Is Strategic Management†, 2011). A mission statement within the organization will set the goals of the organization. References Kerzner, H. (2013). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling (11th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. What is strategic management. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.managementskillsadvisor.com/what-is-strategic-management.html

Analysis of the Epic of Gilgamesh Essay

The Epic of Gilgamesh is an extraordinary poem showing the tragedy of mortality. The poem is the earliest primary document discovered in history dating back to 2000 B. C. E. The document tells a story about a King named Gilgamesh who was created by gods as one third man and two thirds god. The epic tells the advetures that Gilgamesh goes on throught his life to determine his meaning. A lot of people in Mesopatamia in this time period felt as though they needed to dicover why they were here and what was going to happen after they died. The culture in which Gilgamesh existed did not believe in an afterlife, and if they had any thoughts that there was anything after death it certainly wasn’t a pleasant thought. Gilgamesh’s journey beings with the creation of the city Uruk. The great king built the magnificent city that his achievements occur. Being that Gilgamesh is two thirds god he has incredible strengths that have never exsisted before. Gilgamesh is young and arrogant and treats the people of Uruk very harshly. Because of the way Gilgamesh mistreats his people it causes them to call out to the sky god and ask for someone as strong and immortal as Gilgamesh. Their hope is that this person will be Gilgamesh’s match and will show him he is not as mighty as he believes. The gods create a wild man who is named Endiku who lives in the intense forest surrounding the land of Gilgamesh. Endiku was made with the strength of no human. He is discovered by a trapper running through the forest naked among wild animals. The trapper is so afraid by this that he goes to tell his father. His father tells his to go to Uruk and find a horlot to take with him back to the forest. When she sees Endiku she is to tempt him with her womanly ways. The trappers father said that if Endiku succumbs to her he will no longer be amazingly strong and wild. The harlot named Shamaht meets Endiku at the watering hole where he comes to drink with the wild animals. She offers herself to him by stripping naked and flaunting her womanly traits. He is upset that this harlot has caused him to lose his strength and rowdiness so the harlot explains to him what he could have if he became more civilized. Shamahat offers to take hi to the city of Uruk where all the delights of civilization show true. She offers to take Endiku to meet Gilgamesh who has similar strengths as him. Meanwhile Gilgamesh has dreams showing him signs of what is to come. In the first dream he is shown a meteorite falling to Earth which is so abundant that he cannot move it. The people come together to celebrate the meteor and Gilgamesh welcomes it as he would a lover or wife but Gilgamesh’s mother wants him to compete with the meteorite. It the second dream Gilgamesh dreams that an axe appears at his door, the axe is so vast that he cannot lift or move it. As in the previous dream the people come to celebrate the axe and Gilgamesh embraces it as he would a lover. Again his mother wants him to compete with the axe. Confused Gilgamesh tells his mother his dreams and asks her what they mean. She tells him that the meteor and axe symbolize a great man with incredible strengths coming to Uruk. Gilgamesh will take in this man as he would a wife and the man will assist Gilgamesh perform many great things. Endiku comes to the city or Uruk during a celebration. Gilgamesh the great king is claiming the right to have sexual intercourse with every new bride first on the day of her wedding. Endiku is disgusted with this and decides that he is going to block the kings way into the marital chamber. This enrages Gilgamesh and the two men fight viciously until Gilgamesh wins. Endiku excepts Gilgamesh’s authority and the two become great friends. The two men become lazy and weak living in the city so Gilgamesh proposes an adventure. He wants to venture to the Cedar Forest and cut down all the cedar trees. In order to do this they must defeat a giant wild beast named Humbaba. The elders of the city, Endiku and Gilgamesh’s mother disagree with the adventure and try to talk him out of proceeding. Gilgamesh decides to go anyways and Endiku follows as a honorable friend should. Should Gilgamesh defeat the monster Humbaba, his name will forever be remembered. After an extremely long journey the two kill Humbaba Right before Gilgamesh cuts the head off of Humbaba the monster shouts out a curse on Endiku that out of the two men Endiku will die before Gilgamesh and never find peace in the world. With the defeat of Humbaba the men cut down the cedar trees and use the wood to build a great gate for the city of Uruk. After the voyage to the Cedar forest Gilgamesh’s fame is spread wide attracting sexual attention of the goddess Ishtar and offers to become his lover. Gilgamesh rejects her with insults due to her ugly past of lovers. Gilgamesh’s encounter with Ishtar shows how risky the relations of humans to gods can be at least for humans. He has the right to reject her but should not have done so as insultingly as he did. He ends up paying a heavy price for bad manners. Ishtar is very offended by Gilgamesh’s response that she goes to her father, the sky-god Anu, and asks for the Bull of Heaven so that she can have vengeance on Gilgamesh and his city. Working together again Endiku and Gilgamesh slay the Bull of Heaven. The gods decide that someone must be punished for killing Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven. So out of the two conquerors the gods decide Endiku should pay the price. Upset with the unjust decision Endiku curses the Cedar Gate, the harlot,Shamhat, and the trapper for introducing him to civilization. He is reminded that he has enjoyed his life and done many things. After twelve days Endiku finally dies. Endiku’s death causes Gilgamesh to realize his fear of mortality and tries to find a way to live forever. On his quest he figures out that the gods will not grant him immortality and he must accept his destiny. A man named Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh that death is essential because of the will of the gods and that all human effort is only temporary. Utnapishtim is the only man that has been blessed with immortality and tells Gilgamesh the secret as to how he became. The gods had met and decided that the humans were out of control and to destroy mankind with a giant flood. The flood lasted for seven days and seven nights in the city of Shurrupak which stands on the banks of Euphrates. At the end of Utnapishtim’s story he offers Gilgamesh a chance at immortality. If he can stay awake for six days and seven nights he will become immortal but as soon as he sits down he falls asleep so he failed the test. Utnapishtim offers another chance, Gilgamesh must go to the bottom of the ocean and receive a plant of youth. He does this and goes on his way back to Uruk but as he rests on a shore the plant is stolen by a serpant so this test as well is failed. At the end of the poem Gilgamesh lays before the gates to Uruk and admires the city he built and at the base of his cities gates lay a stone of lapis lazuli explain the reason for his notable deeds. In reviewing this story, you are able to determine the ways it has entertained, educated, and enlightened the Mesopotamian culture in ancient times. It shows examples of gender roles, the way you were supposed to live, and idealistic leadership. The epic uggests that ancient Mesopotamian’s perspective of an ideal kingship by illustrating uncivilized behaviors of the Sumerian ruler. The epic reflects on the rulers past explaining Gilgamesh disappoints his gods and the Sumerian city with selfish behaviors like sleeping with many women, spending money, and treating his people like they were nothing. From this, we can determine that Mesopotamians believed a successful leader needs to be able to create responsible relationships with his people and obtain the ability to show respect towards those who do not have as much, if any, political power.

Healthcare Decisions for Capacitated Patients Research Paper

Healthcare Decisions for Capacitated Patients - Research Paper Example As a result, health-care providers face challenges in such situations, because they routinely turn to available formal or informal surrogates as a way of expressing the best interests’ standard as they make health related decisions for the capacitated person. More so, depending on the beliefs and philosophical leanings, of different individuals perception on removal of life-sustaining treatment could be viewed as the cause of allowing a patient to die. More importantly, the doctrine of informed consent was formulated to represent the legal right of embodiment of self-determination in health care cases (Kleinman,I. (1991). As a result, the doctrine acts as a guiding process of medical decision making as it defines the restrictions of the patient-physician dialogue. Therefore, the health practitioners have to follow the clear and consistent health legal principles that stipulate their directives on treatment limitation, and decision making for patients who lack capacity even tho ugh they are capacitated. More so, the use of opioids, futility and physician-assisted suicide expose challenges to health-care providers based on the legal, ethical, societal and individual values that are either in favor or against making decisions for the capacitated patients. For this reason, those against the idea of making healthcare decisions for capacitated patients consent to the fact that it is ethically, legally, and clinically better to always ascertain the level of patient’s valid goals, preferences, wishes, and values as compared to taking an immediate default to a family member or other surrogate decision maker. Nonetheless, those in support of making decisions for the capacitated patients believe decisions made give best interest of the patient and family members as it relieves them from the pain and suffering. Pro Side Even though, patients are normally considered to have the right to participate in making decisions that relate to their care including cases o f diagnostic and treatment interventions, ambulation, diet, daily care, and end-of-life care. More significantly, health related decisions that involve capacitated patients expose health care providers to a challenging situation because it involves the health of a patient who cannot make sound decisions for themselves (Sessums, Zembrzuska, & Jackson, 2011). This is because some capacitated patients are considered to have either insufficient cognitive or emotional ability that will guarantee the health-care provider that the patient cannot make and express independent decisions personally. As a result, the health-care provider will depend on either an instruction directive that the patient previously executed in advance through a living will, or take the second alternative of available formal or informal surrogates. This is because the patient’s surrogates will give or withhold informed consent regarding the medical treatment options available on behalf of the capacitated pati ent who cannot make an independent decision. Nonetheless, such decisions should be in favor of the capacitated patient in legal, ethical, societal and individual values thus, should be unbiased. Societal and Individual Values Relevance More importantly, those in favor of making a decision for capacitated

Environmental Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Environmental Economics - Essay Example This paper compares Command-and-Control and Economic Incentive approaches. "Command and control" regulations focus on preventing environmental problems by specifying how a company will manage a pollution-generating process† (Stuart) In this type of approach to regulation of pollution, the companies which are responsible for pollution should take necessary precautions to prevent the environment pollution due to their activities. For example, industrial units mostly produce lot of toxic gases and solid wastes which generally they disposed to the land or sea improperly. Waste treatment plants are made compulsory with every industrial unit by implementing "Command and control" regulations. Command and control approaches were effective up to certain extent to reduce the industrial pollution. Periodical inspections from the governmental agencies forced the industrial units to keep tight control over the polluted materials it generated. Economic incentive approach is the way of controlling environmental pollution by offering economic incentives. In this approach, those who take effective measures to control environmental pollution will be rewarded and strict penalties will be enforced for those who destroy the environment. Pigovian Taxes, emission fees, abatement subsidies and tradable permit system are some of the common methods taken in the Economic incentive approach. Pigovian Taxes is a kind of special tax that is  often levied on companies that pollute the environment or create excess social costs, called negative externalities,  through  business practices. In a true market economy, a Pigovian tax  is the most efficient and effective  way to correct negative  externalities (Pigovian Tax) The main objective of this tax is to incorporate the social cost of the environment problems caused by the polluter. Thus the polluters will be forced to control their polluting activities because of the fear of the heavy Pigovian

Terrorist Group Profile and Homeland Security Policy Term Paper

Terrorist Group Profile and Homeland Security Policy - Term Paper Example Following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the United States under the Bush Administration launched an attack on the stronghold of the Taliban Militia in Afghanistan because they were harboring the Al-Qaeda who were found to have been the mastermind of the terrorist attacks that occurred on American soil in September 11, 2001 (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2011). The United State’s invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 led to the defeat of the Taliban forces; and Al-Qaeda lost its primary training camps for would be terrorists. The destruction of the Al-Qaeda’s main training ground however did not prevent the group from making other numerous attacks against the United States, its personnel (civilian and military), and its allies from different parts of the world. The reason behind this is that Al-Qaeda has other cells or hidden bases in other countries that its members can use to communicate with the leaders of the group. Asi de from this, it has forged alliances with other extremist groups in the world, hence establishing its roots locally without the need for the leaders like Osama gin Laden to be personally present within a given place or country that is targeted for an attack (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2011). Al-Qaeda’s Ideology The ideology of the Al-Qaeda group in the beginning is mainly based in the performance of the jihad, where all Muslims are called forth to destroy and kill American servicemen and civilians including their allies who are located in Muslim countries especially Saudi Arabia. Since Al-Qaeda considers the United States and its allies evil, it is their belief that they must find ways and means to make â€Å"jihad† or perform a struggles against the so called evil forces of the West... Terrorist Group Profile and Homeland Security Policy The policies that will be discussed here are solely based on the written directives and guidelines built by the National Homeland Security Department, which will serve as the basis on how the United States will make means and ways to counter potential terrorist attacks to keep the nation safe. The first part of this paper will talk about the terrorist group Al-Qaeda. The discussion will give enlightenment as to how the group evolved after the Afghan War. The group’s ideology, tactics, targets and capability will likewise be pointed out. The second part of the paper will talk about the National Homeland Security policies in relation to terrorism. The policies will initially be introduced and will be evaluated against the data or information gathered about Al-Qaeda in the conclusion. Compared to other terrorist groups, Al-Qaeda fares better in terms of member support that does not only stem from the countries of each leaders and strategists. It is a well-footed radical organization, which proved to be able to render massive destruction that does not only cripple the economy of a country but puts fear in the heart of its citizens. Although Al-Qaeda is currently considered to be quite unbreakable due in part to its cells in other countries worldwide, the implementation of the Department of Homeland Security’s policy on general aviation security and the policy on proper information sharing can hinder the repeat of the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States.

Organizational Communication of Toyota Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organizational Communication of Toyota - Essay Example The real essence of leadership according to Toyota is embodied in two apparently simple, but potent concepts – respect for people and continuous development. For people in Toyota, respect means viewing them as long-term associates in the business that realize in value over time and challenging them to stretch themselves and grow (Liker, 2). Toyota made a "heart-breaking" broadcast that it had stopped making cars in Australia in 2017, bringing to a stop to the nations car production sector. They told their employees that they did everything that they could to change their business, but the truth is that there were too many factors beyond their control that made it unviable to build cars in Australia. In addition, that even though the company had made profits in the past, manufacturing operations had continually led to loss hence leading to closure (Wimmer, Engelbert & Arun, 4). Toyota’s present problem is a result of inadequately designed practices and weak implementation of operations on the part of the human resource department. Some of the HR processes that must have contributed to Toyota’s downfall include rewards, training, performance management, and the hiring processes. The reason of any corporate reward process is to persuade the right behaviors and to dishearten the negative. However, it may be that the rewards for signifying error-free results were so high that clear errors were swept underneath the table. As a result, the employees were not willing to put the effort on growth and hence collapse of the company (Magee, 5). Secondly, the purpose of training is to guarantee that employees have the right skills and capabilities to handle all situations they may come across including negative information which it seems management did not focus on. Moreover, the HR department of Toyota had a poorly designed hiring process that allowed hiring of individuals

Theme and Narrative Elements in the Short Story Research Paper

Theme and Narrative Elements in the Short Story - Research Paper Example This paper will discuss the literary elements that can be found in the short story entitled A Dark Brown Dog, written by Stephen Crane. This allegory is mainly centered on three characters. According to the writer, the dark brown dog, the father and the child are viewed as the main characters in the story. In most literary publications, the story mainly revolves around the characters. An overview of the story proves that the dark brown dog was mistreated by the family members (Crane, 2008). On the contrary, the dog did not respond violently to the household members even after receiving various forms of torture from the members of the household. In A Dark Brown Dog, the dog was treated inappropriately by the caregivers (Crane, 2008). The child of the household occasionally protected the dog from the harsh beatings. The child usually cried whenever his parents mistreated the dog. In one rare case, the father had struck his son’s head with a large saucepan after he had run toward s him protesting in order to protect the dog. From that point onwards, his parents reconsidered the issue of throwing items to the dog. Finally, the father of the household came home drunk. Afterwards, his son arrived home together with the dog. The father gave the dog a heavy beating and threw the dog outside the house through the window (Crane, 2008). The dog landed in a heap on top of the roof of a shed which was five stories below. The mood at the end of the story assumes that the dog had died after all the exploitation by the family members. In this literary work of fiction, the most prevalent theme is violence. According to the author, the dark brown dog faces violent actions from the members of the household (Collins, 2011). However, the dog was able to cope with the unjust beatings from the family. Further analysis also shows that on some occasions, the child who occasionally protected the dog imposed some form of torture to the dog. The author asserts that earlier on, the c hild thrashed the dog with a stick after he noticed that the dog was pursuing him. After he did this, the dog usually made funny gestures of apology to the child. According to the details contained in the story, the dog usually accepted the beatings from the family members (Collins, 2011). The child occasionally cried after the dog was smashed because the child loved the dog and even treated it like a close friend. The theme of violence in this short allegory has significant effects on the literary works. The child played the role of a close friend and a guardian to the dog (Magill, 1997). There are numerous literal elements that are contained in most short stories. Some of most common elements include the setting, characters, point of view, symbolism and plot. In this short story, the plot and the characters play an eminent role in the advancement of the subject matter of the story (Collins, 2011). As stated earlier, the father, child and the dog are considered the main characters. These characters employ all forms of violence to the helpless dog. In some instances, the dog was usually protected by the child. In addition, these three characters ensured that the plot was alive all through the narration. In conclusion, the plot enables the development of the theme of violence. The author of the story categorically places his ideas in the narration. All these ideas and thoughts are liable for sustaining the main

Important current events comes to international economy Essay

Important current events comes to international economy - Essay Example For instance the United States was experiencing economic recession where the dollar lost value and this shook the economy as a whole. Life became expensive for Americans and businesses were greatly affected. This economic recession also affected the relations between the United States and other countries. William & Wayne (345) state that the Europe and the United States are very good partners hence a change in either the dollar and the Euro affects both countries. This is mainly because the two currencies are correlated hence a drop in value of either currencies will affect the other. The overall fall in the value of the dollar is also blamed on the political decisions that have been made. Political instability in the United States was mainly caused by the difference in political ideologies between the Democrats and the republicans. Racial discriminations was also to blame for the political unrest that led to the overall fall in the dollar. William & Wayne (267) point out that the large economies are interdependent. For this reason countries should be careful and ensure that the economic is stable enough to attract investors. A lot of investors pulled out from the United States and Europe because of the fluctuations in currencies. For instance China decided to invest in Africa to minimize their losses as the African economy was not affected by the fall in the dollar as Africa is a magical economy (William & Wayne, 209). Local Industries were greatly affected by this recession as America and Europe had to borrow to sustain its economy and this put them into debt. William & Wayne (459) outline that the United States mainly deals with agricultural products hence it feeds other counties such as Japan among others. On the other hand, Japan is made up of the manufacturing industry this shows that that one country cannot do without the other. In this case the fall in the dollar greatly affected the Japanese Yen. It is therefore important for all economies to

Environmental Ethical Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Environmental Ethical Issues - Essay Example â€Å"Environmental ethics is a new sub-discipline of philosophy that deals with the ethical problems surrounding environmental protection.† (Yang, 2006). Environmental ethics calls for attempts on the part of humans to ensure the provision of safe and healthy environment not only for their own generations but also for all the animals and plants on Earth. Environmental issues have not been adequately addressed in the past, given the lack of general awareness and a curiosity to achieve more. We have largely relied on fossil fuels as the fundamental source of energy to fulfill our domestic and industrial needs and have unintentionally caused irreparable damage to the environment through the emission of toxic gases into the air as a result of burning of the fossil fuels causing phenomenon like global warming. Birth of events like Earth Day in 1971 served to increase general awareness about global environmental pollution in masses all over the world which overtly expressed their concerns on the issue and their concerns were addressed in the form of first United Nations Environmental Conference which took place in Stockholm the following year. (Yang, 2006). This conference paved way for further measures that included but were not limited to the development of laws to ensure environmental safety on both national and international level in the years to follow. People began to realize the importance of environmental ethics particularly when philosophers published papers to address this issue. Three papers namely â€Å"Is there a need for a new, an environmental ethic?, Animal liberation and The shallow and the deep, long-range ecology movement† were published by â€Å"Richard Routley, Peter Singer and Arne Naess† respectively in 1973. These authors belonged to different countries and cultural backgrounds and their joint concern over the matter depicted the whole world’s curiosity to

Lloyd Georgewin Essay Example for Free

Lloyd Georgewin Essay The stage direction with a sense of her childhood, her babyhood and the years describes the great sense of loss Eddie feels as he has cared and loved her all her life. Beatrice remains faithful to Eddie throughout although she is frustrated, When am I gonna be a wife again, Eddie? she tells him, desperate from him to forget about Catherine and go back to caring for her. Beatrices love for Eddie is one of the strongest in the play, she wants desperately for Eddie to pay her the attention she deserves as a loving wife. Eddies obsessive behaviour towards Catherine puts great strain on his marriage I want my respect he says when Beatrice tries to confront him, Eddie is angry and shouts at her for complaining about him being so strict with Catherine. Beatrice is struggling to keep her marriage intact, but she cannot understand the love Eddie feels towards Catherine. I believe Eddie loves his wife dearly but his love for Catherine takes priority when Rodolfo comes on the scene, which leads him to mistreat Beatrice. I cannot help feeling sorry for her as she is forced into a situation that was not her doing. It seems her love for Eddie is unrequited. Eddies hatred for Rodolfo is fuelled by his jealousy for the love and attention Catherine bestows upon him, Im telling ya the guy aint right he says trying to justify his hatred. Nobody believes Eddies comments about Rodolfo and everyone but Eddie can see through to his jealousy. It isnt right for a man of Eddies age to be obsessed with his young niece, but nobody understands the depth and passion of Eddies love, which drives him to keep Catherine at any cost. Eddies obsessive love compels him to see Mr Alfieri, family friend and lawyer He aint right Mr Alfieri Eddie pleads, but it is obvious he has no jurisdiction within he law. The fact Eddie has gone to see Alfieri shows the power of his love towards Catherine and his desperation to have her for himself. Love is the main driving force behind all the characters actions, the truth is not as bad as blood Eddie Beatrice tells him trying to quell his anger and hatred. Beatrice believes that love is not a worthy enough cause for the use of violence. It is Eddies deep love that drives him to use all force necessary to have what he believes to be his Catherine. This unfaltering love to the bitter end is misunderstood by Marco He degraded my brother. My blood. Marco says; he cannot see why Eddie turned him and Rodolfo into the police. But it is obvious to the reader that it was Eddies love that compelled his actions and not his hatred for Marco and his brother. Eddies love finally leads him to his death You lied about me Marco Eddie cries before lunging at him. This is Eddies last desperate attempt to win back his dignity. Eddies love has driven him to a point where he has no other option but to follow his feelings to the end. The fate of Eddie Carbone is a tragic one as his obsessive feelings towards Catherine took control of him and his actions that followed he could not help. I believe the story is a testament to the power of love and how once it has infected someone in a certain way; they are powerless to stop it. Emlyn Roberts Pluto10X Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Miller section.

Oligopoly Market in UK Supermarket Industry

Oligopoly Market in UK Supermarket Industry Oligopoly Market in UK Supermarket Industry In this essay I will search the information about supermarket industry in the UK, focus on the characteristic of oligopoly market and try to find out the effect of this market structure to customers, analysis its advantages and disadvantages. According to my search, there are a five big supermarket companies in the UK: Tesco, Asda, J Sainsbury, Safeway and Morrisons. We can see in the following diagram, in 2003 and 2008, Tesco is throughout having the most market share and the Asde .J Sainsbury Safeway and Morrisons always competitive with each other, having a large market share. So, the supermarket industry in UK is oligopoly market. The reason why the UK supermarket industry is oligopoly market for the follow reason: 1. Supply in the industry must be concentrated in the hands of relatively few firms. (Anderton A. (2004:322). In the UK, these supermarkets consider how much to supply and maybe make evaluate that how much their competitors will supply so that to insure the supply 2. Non-price competition (Anderton A. (2004:322). In UK supermarkets, in order to expand their market share, non-price competition has become a marketing strategy, As Revision Guru (2010); the supermarket will use different kinds of promotion or some way to encourage the consumer to buy more. 3. Collusion. Collusion is often a feature of the behaviour of firms in oligopolistic markets where it is not illegal. (Anderton A. (2004:323) 4. Many markets are dominated by brands. (Anderton A. (2004:323) .Every firm may produce the nearly the same good, in order to discriminate their good, many firms will make it as a brand to sell higher price. 5. Price rigidity. Price in oligopoly market changes far less than perfect competition in market. (Anderton A. (2004:323) The above is the characteristic of the oligopoly marker, and UK supermarket industry is match its characteristic, therefore, I draw a conclusion; UK supermarket industry is oligopoly market. In the follow section, will focus on discussion the advantages and disadvantages of this market structure for the consumers. In the oligopoly market, consumer can benefit from many ways. First of all, in the oligopoly market, consumers may have a better service a. For example in UK supermarkets, it is not only Tesco, but also Asda, J Sainsbury, SafewayThat means, consumers have choice to where they buy. As I mention above, oligopoly market is non-price competition, all the supermarkets sell almost the same good in the same price, in order to earn more money, the compete supermarkets may use different way to expand their market share, changing their marketing mixà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’such as Internet shopping for customers, Store Loyalty cards, Innovative use of technology for shoppers including self-scanning machines and so on (Revision Guru (2010), by changing in four area: product, promotion, place, pricing so that can promote the development of service of the supermarkets. In this process, consumers can enjoy a better and convince shopping service. Secondly, in the oligopoly market, consumers have more opportunity to buy a new and advanced produce. According to Buzzle (2010), in the oligopoly market, because of the strong enterprise strength and a lot of funds, these companies will invest much money in produce research so that to create new produce, also, companies want to be more competitive, they must have something new to attract consumers. Therefore, consumers can benefit from this new produce to improve their living. Thirdly, in the oligopoly market, the price is more stable, consumers can accepted it. In the oligopoly market, the price change very little, because if one company change price, other company must be affected and have some reaction, For instance, according to Worve (2010), Tesco if reduce 3% to 25% of each good, this will increasing its revenue and even increase its market share expand 12% in eight weeks. Besides, in the oligopoly market, other companies will also reduce their price, therefore, the consumers may benefit from this price war, saving  £150 a year. The reason why the supermarket will decrease their price is form the kinked demand curve theory, the supermarkets activated is accepting the Kinked Demand Curve. If one firm reduces their price, other firms will follow to reduce so that to keep their market share so in the oligopoly market, customers may also benefit too, the customers not only had a stable price for goods, but also can buy a cheaper goods. However, oligopoly market also has it advantages for consumers. Firstly, high barrier to entry the oligopoly market also is a disadvantage to consumers. Because there are a few companies in oligopoly market, such the UK supermarket, there only a big firms competed in the market, the little companies do no have enough power to completive with that big one, therefore, some little companies may be quitted the market ,or some even can not entry the market. Mail Online (2010). The little supermarkets quit means consumers have less choice; it is a disadvantage for consumers. Secondly, collusion between the compete supermarkets; it is also cause by the first disadvantage. As I mention before, the collusion is the characteristic of oligopoly, the firms want to keep their revenue so that to increase their price, between firms, they may collude with each other illegally. Consumers are forced to buy the goods in a higher price; Telegraphà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ 2010à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ °said that Any exchange of information between retailers is bound to distort prices at the expense of consumers , thus it can be seen that this is a disadvantage for customers. In sum up, the research I have study about UK supermarket industry I find that UK supermarket industry is an oligopoly market, and customers can benefit a lot. As I mention before, consumers can not only have a better service, but also be provided acceptable price of good. Besides, for customers, the most important thing is the quality and price of goods, in the oligopoly markets, because of completion, every company will provide a new and advanced produce for customers. However, in this oligopoly market, because of the characteristic of oligopoly market, high barrier to entry the market and the illegally collusion, customers may lose chance to meet other new supermarket in the market, that means customers have fewer choice and more easily to be forced to buy good in higher price.In order to make UK supermarket better, government should check whether companies have colluded with each other, to protect the consumers benefit. REFERENCES: Anderton A. (2004) Economics (3rd ed.) Ormskirk, Causeway Press Ltd. (Accessed 5th January 2010) Buzzle (2010) [On line] The Benefits of Oligopoly Available at: http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/10-27-2002-29003.asp (Accessed 5th January 2010) Mail Online (2010) [On line] Stores Sold Supermarket Sweep Create Choice Shoppers Available at:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-490986/Stores-sold-supermarket-sweep-create-choice-shoppers.html (Accessed 5th January 2010) Revision Guru (2010) [On line] Oligopoly Available at: http://www.revisionguru.co.uk/economics/oligopoly.htm ) (Accessed 5th January 2010) Single Marketing Ltd (2010) [On line] UK Market Available at: http://www.singlemarketing.co.uk/uk_market.html (Accessed 5th January 2010) Teagasc (2010) [On line], Retailer Dominance and the Impact on Farmers: from Growing to Sustenance Available at: http://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2004/20040226/paper2.asp (Accessed 5th January 2010) Telegraph (2010) [On line], UK Supermarkets Fixed Milk and Cheese Price Available at: Tutore2U(2010) [On line] Kinked Demand Curve Under Oligopoly Available at: http://tutor2u.net/economics/content/topics/monopoly/kinked_demand.htm (Accessed 5th January 2010) Worve (2010) [On line] Oligopolies in Supermarkets Essay Available at: http://www.wovre.com/revision/oligopolies-in-supermarkets-essay/ (Accessed 5th January 2010)

I am Intrigued with Psychological Research and College Instruction :: Graduate Admissions Essays

I am Intrigued with Psychological Research and College Instruction. Â   Having enjoyed psychology-related activities in both the academic and community settings, it is with enthusiasm that I pursue a career in clinical psychology. An important part of this pursuit is attending graduate school. In order to obtain the necessary knowledge and to define my areas of interest, I wish to enroll in a doctoral program in clinical psychology. Â   Throughout my undergraduate work I have engaged in a variety of activities to help prepare my for graduate study. One such activity is my involvement in research. This past summer I participated in a research project with a UNI professor, Dr. Augustine Osman. Our research involved the examination of the psychometric properties of the Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale (PASS) in a community sample. I performed basic data entry and ran SPSS-X programs for manova, correlation, and reliability. For two to three hours a day, over an eight week period, my research experience involved discussions on issues of psychometrics as well as learning how to transcribe and run several programs used in factor analysis. Through this experience I have also become familiar with the process of research revision and publication. In fact, I will be listed as a co-author upon publication of this work. Â   Currently, I am involved in an independent research project investigating sex-role stereotyping in college classrooms. My advisor, Dr. Jane Wong, has been supervising by progress. After completing background reading on this issue, I have decided to investigate the relationship between students' sex-typed characteristics. I have developed six scenarios in which I manipulated the sex-typed characteristics of the instructor. Students will be asked to complete the Bem Sex Role Inventory and the Traditional Egalitarian Sex Role Scale (TESR) prior to reading a scenario. After reading the scenarios they will be asked to rate the instructor using a rating form developed by Leventhal, Perry, and Abrami (1977). I hope to present my findings at a regional psychology conference and, if possible, submit the work for consideration for publication. Â   Aside from conducting research, I also have had the opportunity to experience the teaching aspects of psychology while serving as a teaching assistant for a Research Methods course and an Introduction to Psychology course. As a TA for Research Methods my responsibilities included supervising five students' research work. Specifically, I assisted the students in the library while they worked on a bibliography, summary and synthesis, and proposal project.

Progress Leads to Success Essay -- Health, Mental Illness

Henry Ford stated, â€Å"Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is a progress, working together is success,† Ford’s quote applies to everything and everyone coming together in the beginning to make progress that leads into success, just like we need to do to help the mentally ill. Things need to change so that mentally ill individuals don’t hurt themselves or the people that surround them in society. The law and psychology need to work together to make stricter guidelines to prevent mentally stable people from manipulating the right’s we are giving to mentally ill people, also they need to treat mentally ill before crime happens, and lastly, the mentally ill should not be placed into prisons because of the more severe effects that will hurt them worse in the long run. Making a tougher mental capacity test would reduce the amount of liars that just rely on the insanity defense to get a lesser sentence. The law has already showed a good beginning in trying to stop perfectly stable people mentally from manipulating the right of the insanity offense the law has given to mentally ill who actually need it, â€Å"About one-fourth of the states have established a separate verdict of ‘Guilty but Mentally Ill’ (GBMI)†¦ The consequence of receiving GBMI is that the individual is convicted and given a criminal sentence. It is a verdict available to the jury when the conclusion is that the defendant committed the act charged but suffers from a mental disorder, however, not at the level necessary to meet the insanity offense,† (Torry 259-260) the law as a whole has clearly started to make little changes by making the GBMI but they still need to make more progress so people do not manipulate the system. For example, 35-year-old Terry Sturgis... ...uncertainty about life after prison, and inadequate health services† (187), by placing these types of people into prisons is doing nothing but make things worse. In conclusion the law and psychology need to do a better job working together so we can make the best outcome for everyone. Being mentally ill is not a bad thing, it is just a bad thing when you cannot control your urges: â€Å"It is a disorder that impairs the human mind and prevents distinguishing between actions that are right and wrong†¦They are brain disorders resulting in a diminishined capacity for coping with the demands of life† (Torry 255). By coming together we can make progress and make a success out of making stricter guildlines, treating mentally ill before crime happens, and placing them into institutions, not prisons. This success can be an overall positive thing for the individual and society.

Planning a Karaoke Party :: Process Essays

You're sitting at home planning a party. You've got your list of invitees down. A cupboard full of chips and dips, and a cooler full of beer. You go to your computer and start putting together some mix Cd's of your favorite music. As you gather the songs you notice yourself singing along with one, and your eyes widen, lit up as you a struck with an idea. "I should have Karaoke at my party!" Brilliant! What could be more fun that a Karaoke party? The answer: a lot of things, if you're not careful! While Karaoke is a pass time enjoyed by people of every age, race and gender, it's also something you have to be in the mood for. So what happens if people show up to your party and aren't in the mood for Karaoke? Get them in the mood. There are three basic steps to throwing an amazing Karaoke party, and it all starts with invitations. Step 1: Inviting your guests With any luck, everyone at your party will have a blast, but do you know who won't? The people who don't show up! Karaoke is always fun with a good sized crowd, but if you aren't careful, you may loose half of your guests. It's all about how you present your invitation. There are two different types of people you will be inviting to the party; people who love karaoke, and people who like karaoke. The difference is this... People who LOVE karaoke - Make sure they know this is a karaoke party! This will be the smaller of the two types, but they are also the most important. They will go out of their way to attend, and you will need them during the party. People who LIKE karaoke - The easiest way to help ensure they will come is to avoid mentioning karaoke, and just tell them you are having a party. Why? While it is true that they enjoy karaoke, if they realize your party will focus around this activity, come party day they may think, "I'm not really in the mood." With people who just like karaoke, this can often be the case, and the number of people attending can make or break a party. Step 2: The supplies First and foremost is the karaoke machine. RENT ONE! Unless you own a professional karaoke machine, you should get one. This might seem a little expensive, if you buy yourself a cheap one and then try to supply yourself with a good selection of music, you'll end up spending a lot more, and getting a lot less.

Difficulties of Beginning your own Business (Case Study)

Facts: After 20+ years of working for other firms, Penelope (enrolled agent, age 41), Mark (CPA, age 43), and John (CVA, age 65) want to leave the firms they are currently employed by and become their own bosses. Penelope specializes in taxes, Mark is the auditor, and John is a business valuation expert. There are so many options available as to how they can structure the new business. The appropriate business entity for any individual(s) will depend on their particular facts and circumstances. You are a valued colleague and friend of this threesome, and they have come to you seeking advice as to how to structure their new business.They have the knowledge to figure it out themselves but are looking for the advice of an unbiased third party. Please consider the following tax and nontax considerations as you recommend an entity choice to Penelope, Mark, and John.Part I: Discuss the various forms of organization that are available to Penelope, Mark, and John. There are a number of diffe rent forms of organizations for Penelope, Mark, and John to choose. The four main ones are a partnership, Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), S Corporation, or C Corporation. In a partnership all partners are personally liable for debts and obligations. Each partner claims their share of income and losses on their individual tax returns. An LLC covers the owner from personal liability from business debts. As with a partnership, the taxes for an LLC are passed through to the owners. An S Corporation, as with an LLC, the income and taxes pass through to the owners. C Corporations are considered separate entities and pays corporate income taxes separate from the shareholders. With a C Corporation, the shareholders are also taxed on the dividends received.Part II: Make your recommendation as to what form of organization you believe will be best, and be sure to explain the reasoning for your choice. The best organization for Penelope, Mark, and John is a Limited Liability Corporation (L LC). The owners will receive the benefits of limited liability as with a corporation, but the pass through option for the taxes. The LLC is not considered a separate entity so is not subjected to double taxation.Part  III: Discuss the tax consequences of contributing cash, property, and/or services to the new entity. There are no tax consequences for the members of the LLC for contributing cash, property, or services.Part IV: Discuss, in detail, how this entity is taxed (if at all) and what filing requirements it has with the IRS. A multi-member LLC is taxed as a partnership by the IRS. The LLC can elect to be taxed as a corporation by filing form 8832. The LLC files an informational tax return, Form 1065 and Schedule K-1, but is not taxed itself. Individually each member files a Form 1040 and reports their share of the LLC income or losses from the Form Schedule K-1. Each member must pay taxes, which include self-employment tax, on their share regardless if any income is distribu ted. (IRS.gov)Part V: Discuss how income and distributions may or will be allocated to Penelope, Mark, and John. The profits are shared based on percentage of ownership or equally. This needs to be decided during the set-up.Part VI: Discuss, in detail, how the individuals are taxed (if at all) with respect to the net profits from this entity and what filing requirements they will each have with the IRS. With the LLC the individual partners are liable for filing their own personal income taxes based on the guidelines of the IRS, which will include self-employment taxes and any estimated taxes. The individual return Form 1040 will also include a Schedule K-1. All credits and deductions are passed through to each member. The amount of the credits and deductions that each member files for are divided by the percentage that each member has in the company.Part VII: Discuss how Penelope, Mark, and John will calculate their basis in the new entity. Be sure to include the impact that debt ha s on basis, if any. When a partnership interest is acquired in other ways than contributions, usual basis rules apply (Code Sec 742). Since the cost is the initial basis of purchased interest it can be adjusted by the following criteria; additional contributions, partnership’s accumulated taxable income as stated separately ( ¶ 19.3), tax-exempt income from the partnership, increases in the partnership liabilities. (Code Sec. 752(a)).Part VIII (Limited Liability): Discuss the exposure that Penelope, Mark, and John's personal assets will have to the debts and lawsuits of the entity you have recommended. All personal assets of the members of the LLC are covered by the limited liability. If the company is ever sued the personal assets are protected from being taken. In choosing the Limited Liability Corporation,  Penelope, John, and Mark will be protected personally from any misconduct or illegal actions of one of the other members. Each one will be able to how to contribute and manage the company. Also, by choosing the LLC option, the company and members will not be subjected to double taxation. An LLC has no limitation on members as with an S and C corporation, but have the protection. Penelope, Mark, and John will be able to focus on their individual experience to help grow the company as needed.

Lady Macbeth Is Responsible for the Fall of Macbeth

Lady Macbeth is responsible for the fall of her husband It can be said that Lady Macbeth is responsible for the fall of Macbeth. I believe that she was partly responsible for this. I believe that two sets of people are responsible for the fall of Macbeth.. Secondly I believe that Lady Macbeth is responsible for his fall. She urges him to kill Duncan questioning his manly-hood and saying that he was too kind. Finally I believe that the witches played a huge part in the fall of Macbeth. The witches put the thought of being king into Macbeth’s head in the first place.They also convinced him that he was invincible and this caused his ultimate death. I believe that Lady Macbeth is partly responsible for the fall of Macbeth. She plans and forces Macbeth to murder starting the chain reaction to his downfall. When Lady Macbeth read the letter that Macbeth sent her about his encounter with the witches she immediately starts planning Duncan’s murder. â€Å"The raven himself is h oarse That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements† Lady Macbeth plans the whole murder and if Duncan had not looked like her father she would have done it herself. Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had done’t† She forces Macbeth to carry out the murder even though he expresses that he doesnt want to do it. â€Å"We will proceed no further in this business:† â€Å"I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition ,which o’erlaps itself And falls on the other† Lady Macbeth accuses Macbeth of not loving her and questions his manly-hood in order to manipulate him into murdering Duncan. â€Å"When you durst do it then you were a man, And to be a more to be that what you were, you would e so much more the man† Lady Macbeth uses Macbeth’s lack of confidence to win him over and force him to finish the murder. â€Å"Art thou afeard To be the same in thine own act and valour As thou a rt in desire? † She thinks he is too â€Å"full of the milk of kindness† to fulfil the deed. This forced Lady Macbeth to convince him and manipulate him into killing Duncan. We see Lady Macbeth transform throughout the play. At the start of the play she may have been the catalyst to Macbeth rise and fall from power but by the end of the play she didn’t feature.She lost control of her mind from the guilt was suffering. Once Macbeth was king the relationship between the two disintegrated and they no longer confided in one another. Macbeth showed his true colours when he ordered for all the Macduff family to be killed, children and all. Lady Macbeth had nothing to do with this and therefore cannot be blamed entirely for Macbeth’s fall and ultimate death. Secondly, I believe that Macbeth was in some ways responsible for his own downfall. He was ambitious and strived to be the king.Once he became King he strived to stay King and became very suspicious and paran oid of all people in his country. Finally, the witches are partly responsible for Macbeth’s downfall. They meet Macbeth and Banquo on the way home from battle and they meet three witches. The witches tell Macbeth that he will become Thane of Cawdor and eventually King of Scotland. â€Å"All hail Macbeth! Hail to thee Thane of Glamis† â€Å"All Hail Macbeth! Hail to thee Thane of Cawdor† â€Å"All Hail Macbeth! Thou shalt be king hereafter.! †At first Macbeth doesn’t believe them but when he becomes Thane of Cawdor things start to make sense to him. After this he starts getting murderous thought and the fall of Macbeth begins. Macbeth is ambitious and his personality changes when he believes he can be king. He loses all his nobility and honour. â€Å"Glamis and Thane of Cawdor! The greatest is behind! † The witches also play another role in the fall and ultimate death of Macbeth. Macbeth goes to the witches a second time to find out his futur e. They tell him the future in the form of three apparitions.They tell him that he must beware of Macduff, he cannot be killed by man born of woman and he will die when the Great Birnam Woods come to Dunsinane. â€Å"Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff; Beware the thane of Fife. † â€Å"Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth. † â€Å"Be lion-melted, proud; and take no care Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are: Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill Shall come against him. †He believes every word of the witches to be gospel and this cause his ultimate death. He is convinced that he cannot die that he is invincible. When Macduff confronts Macbeth he tells him of their prophecy. As a result of the prophecy Macbeth believes he is invincible and this allows Macduff and his troops to get very close to Macbeth and this causes his death at the end of the play. â€Å"I bear a charmed life, which must not yield To one born of woman† The witches manipulated Macbeth into thinking he could fulfil the prophecy and become King of Scotland

Bloomberg News vs. Agence France-Presse

Comparing Bloomberg News and Agence France-Presse's presentation of a story regarding the recent win of Barrack Obama against Hilary Clinton in the Wisconsin and Hawaii primaries, there are some similarities and differences that can be seen.Both stories from Bloomberg and AFP provide the necessary information that answers the five Ws of a news report.   AFP and Bloomberg wrote about Barrack Obama, Hilary Clinton, and John McCain, the three presidential hopefuls, and the results of the recently concluded primaries in the states of Wisconsin and Hawaii.Both stories follow the inverted pyramid style wherein the most important part of the news can be found at the beginning.   The stories are easy to read and well written.There is however, a marked difference in the use of descriptive language.   For instance,Bloomberg used â€Å"rival† to refer to Mrs. Clinton, while AFP used â€Å"bitter rival† to describe Mrs. Clinton.   Reading the AFP story, one would gleam an e motion from the story, while the Bloomberg report is simply matter-of-fact. Reading the AFP report is like hearing somebody doing an eloquent speech.   On the other hand, reading the Bloomberg report is like listening to a well-prepared board presentation.Probably, the eloquence that can be associated with the AFP report is influenced by the more expressive nature of the French people as a whole.   In the case of the very business-like Bloomberg report, one can reasonably say that the writing is influenced by the hurried world that New Yorkers have.  Ã‚   Another instance where the two stories vary is in the angle they've taken.Early in the story, AFP talks about McCain's preemptive strike against Obama.   The same detail was placed under a separate subheading in the Bloomberg story.   The Bloomberg story has been neatly divided into subheadings, while AFP's story has no subheadings but incorporated all relevant details into a comprehensive news.ReferencesGoldman, J. & Jen sen, K. (2008, February 20). Obama Wins Wisconsin, Adding Votes Before Texas, Ohio.   Bloomberg News.   Retrieved February 20, 2008, fromhttp://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=aoF_avJCMvew&refer=home Oberman, M. (2008, February 20). Obama hammers Clinton again to stretch unbeaten streak. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved February 20, 2008, fromhttp://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jGjzzHGfhWvRQxy7LcMzUqRikkTA  

The Return: Midnight Chapter 29

â€Å"Oi!†Damon shouted from outside the palanquin. â€Å"Is anybody else looking at this?† Elena was. Both Stefan and Bonnie had their eyes shut; Bonnie was wrapped in blankets and cuddled against Elena. They had rol ed down al the curtains of the palanquin except one. But Elena had watched through the single window, and had seen how tendrils of fog had begun drifting by, first just filmy tatters of mist, but then longer, ful er veils, and final y blankets, engulfing them whole. It seemed to her that they were being deliberately cut off from even the perilous Dark Dimension, that they were passing a border into a place they weren't meant to know about, much less enter. â€Å"How do we know we're going in the right direction?†Elena shouted to Damon after Stefan and Bonnie woke. She was glad to be able to talk again. â€Å"The thurgs know,†Damon cal ed back. â€Å"You set them on a line and they walk that line until somebody stops them, or – â€Å" â€Å"Or what?†Elena yel ed out of the opening. â€Å"Until we get to a place like this.† This was obviously bait, and neither Stefan nor Elena could resist taking it – especial y when the thurg they were riding stopped. â€Å"Stay here,†Elena said to Bonnie. She pushed a curtain out of the way and found herself looking too far down at white ground. God, these thurgs were big. The next moment, though, Stefan was on the ground holding up his arms. â€Å"Jump!† â€Å"Can't you come up and float me?† â€Å"Sorry. Something about this place inhibits Power.† Elena didn't give herself time to think. She launched into the air and Stefan caught her neatly. Spontaneously, she clung to him, and felt the familiar comfort of his embrace. Then he said, â€Å"Come look at this.† They had reached a place where the land ended and the mist divided, like curtains being held to either side. Directly in front of them was a frozen lake. A silvery frozen lake, almost perfectly round in shape. â€Å"Lake Mirror?†Damon said, cocking his head to one side. â€Å"I always thought that was a fairy tale,†Stefan said. â€Å"Welcome to Bonnie's storybook.† Lake Mirror formed a vast body of water in front of them, frozen right into the ice sheet below her feet, or so it seemed. It did look like a mirror – a purse mirror after you'd breathed softly on it. â€Å"But the thurgs?†Elena said – or rather whispered. She couldn't help whispering. The silent lake pressed on her, as did the lack of any kind of natural sound: There were no birds singing, no rustling in the bushes – no bushes! No trees! Instead, just the mist surrounding the frozen water. â€Å"The thurgs,†Elena repeated in a slightly louder voice. â€Å"They can't possibly walk on that!† â€Å"Depends on how thick the lake ice is,†Damon said, flashing his old 250-kilowatt smile at her. â€Å"If it's thick enough, it'l be just like walking on land for them.† â€Å"And if it isn't?† â€Å"Hmm†¦Do thurgs float?† Elena gave him an exasperated glance and looked at Stefan. â€Å"What do you think?† â€Å"I don't know,†he said doubtful y. â€Å"They're very large animals. Let's ask Bonnie about the kids in the fairy tale.† Bonnie, Stillwrapped in fur blankets that began col ecting chunks of ice as they dragged on the ground, looked at the lake grimly. â€Å"The story didn't go into detail,†she said. â€Å"It just said that they went down, down, down, and that they had to pass tests of their courage and – and – wittiness – before they got there.† â€Å"Fortunately,†Damon said, smiling, â€Å"I have large enough amounts of both to make up for my brother's entire lack of either – â€Å" â€Å"Stop it, Damon!†Elena burst out. The moment she'd seen the smile, she'd turned to Stefan, pul ed him down to her height, and begun kissing him. She knew what Damon would see when he turned back toward them – her and Stefan locked in an embrace, Stefan hardly aware of anything being said. At least they could Stilltouch with their minds. And it was intriguing, Elena thought, Stefan's warm mouth when everything else in the world was cold. She looked quickly at Bonnie, to make sure she hadn't upset her, but Bonnie was looking quite cheerful. The farther I seem to drive Damon away, the happier she is, Elena thought. Oh, God†¦this is a problem. Stefan spoke up quietly. â€Å"Bonnie, what it comes down to is that it has to be your choice. Don't try to use courage or wit or anything except your inner feelings. Where do we go?† Bonnie glanced back at the thurgs, then looked at the lake. â€Å"That way,†she said, without hesitation, and she pointed straight across the lake. â€Å"We'd better carry some of the cooking stones and fuel and backpacks with iron rations in them,†Stefan said. â€Å"That way, if the worst happens, we'l Stillhave basic supplies.† â€Å"Besides,†said Elena, â€Å"it'l lighten that thurg's load – if only by a little.† It seemed a crime to put a backpack on Bonnie, but she insisted. Final y, Elena arranged one fil ed entirely with the warm, curiously light fur clothes. Everyone else was carrying furs, food, and poop – the dried animal dung that would from now on be their only fuel. It was difficult from the first. Elena had only had a couple of experiences with ice that she had reason to be wary of – but one of those had almost been disastrous for Matt. She was ready to jump and whirl at any crack – any sound that the ice was breaking. But there were no cracks; no water flowing up to slosh onto her boots. The thurgs were the ones who seemed actual y built for walking on frozen water. Their feet were pneumatic, and could spread out to almost half again their original size, avoiding putting too much pressure on any one section of ice. Crossing the lake was slow, but Elena didn't see anything particularly deadly about it. It was simply the smoothest, slickest ice she had ever encountered. Her boots wanted to skate. â€Å"Hey, everybody!†Bonnie was skating, exactly as if she were in a rink, backward and forward and sideways. â€Å"This is fun!† â€Å"We're not here to have fun,†Elena shouted back. She longed to try it herself, but was afraid to make cuts – even scuffs – in the ice. And beside that, Bonnie was expending twice as much energy as she needed to. She was about to cal out to Bonnie and tel her this, when Damon, in a voice of exasperation, made al the points she had thought of, and a few more. â€Å"This isn't a pleasure cruise,†he said shortly. â€Å"It's for the fate of your town.† â€Å"As if you care,†Elena murmured, turning her back on him and touching the unhappy Bonnie's hand both to give comfort and to get them going at arm's length again. â€Å"Bonnie, do you sense anything magical about the lake?† â€Å"No.†But then Bonnie's imagination seemed to fly into high gear. â€Å"But maybe it's where the mystics from both dimensions al gathered to exchange spel s. Or maybe it's where they used the ice like a real magic mirror to see faraway places and things.† â€Å"Maybe both of them,†Elena said, secretly amused, but Bonnie nodded solemnly. And that was when it came. The sound Elena had been waiting for. Nor was it a distant booming which could be ignored or discussed. They had been walking at arm's length from one another to avoid stressing the ice, while the thurgs walked behind them, and to either side – like a flock of geese with no leaders. This noise was a dreadful y near crack like the report of a gun. Immediately, it sounded again, like a whiplash, and then a crumbling. It was to Elena's left, on Bonnie's side. â€Å"Skate, Bonnie,†she shouted. â€Å"Skate as fast as you can. Scream if you see land.† Bonnie didn't ask a single question. She took off like an Olympic speed skater in front of Elena, and Elena swiftly turned. It was Biratz, the thurg Bonnie had asked Pelat about. She had one monstrous back leg in the ice, and as she struggled, more ice cracked. Stefan! Can you hear me? Faintly. I'm coming for you. Yes – but only come as close as you need to Influence the thurg. Influence the – ? Make her calm, put her out, whatever. She's ripping up the ice and it'll just make it harder to get her out! This time there was a pause before Stefan's answer came. She knew though, by faint echoes, that he was talking telepathical y with someone else. All right, love, I'll do it. I'll take care of the thurg, too. You follow Bonnie. He was lying. Or, not lying, but keeping something from her. The person he'd been sending thoughts to was Damon. They were humoring her. They didn't mean to help at all. Just at that moment she heard a shril scream – not so far away. It was Bonnie in trouble – no! Bonnie had found land! Elena didn't lose another second. She dumped her backpack on the ice and skated straight back to the thurg. There it was, so huge, so pathetic, so helpless. The very thing that had kept it safe from other Godawful Hel acious monsters in the Dark Dimension – its great bulk – was now turned against it. Elena felt her chest tighten as if she were wearing a corset. Even as she watched, though, the animal became calmer. She stopped trying to get her left hind leg out of the ice, which meant that she stopped churning up the ice around it. Now Biratz was in a sort of crouching position, trying to keep her three dry legs from going under. The problem was that she was trying too hard, and that there was nothing to push against except breakable ice. â€Å"Elena!†Stefan was within earshot now. â€Å"Don't get any closer!† But even as he said it, Elena saw a Sign. Just a few feet away, lying on the ice was the tickle-prod that Pelat had used to get the thurgs going. She picked it up as she skated by and then she saw another Sign. Reddish hay and the original covering for the hay – a giant tarpaulin – were lying behind the thurg. Together they formed a broad wide path that was neither wet nor slick. â€Å"Elena!† â€Å"This is going to be easy, Stefan!† Elena pul ed a pair of dry socks out of her pocket and drew them up over her boots. She fastened the tickle stick to her belt. And then she started the run of her life. Her boots were fur with something like felt underneath and with the socks to aid them, they caught on the tarpaulin and propel ed her forward. She leaned into it, vaguely wishing Meredith were here, so she could do this instead, but al the time getting closer. And then she saw her mark: the end of the tarp and beyond it floating chunks of ice. But the thurg looked climbable. Very low in back, like a dinosaur halfway into a tar pit, but then rising up along the curved backbone. If she could just somehow land there†¦ Two steps til jump-off. One step til jump-off. JUMP! Elena pushed off with her right foot, flew through the air for an endless time, and – hit the water. Instantly, she was soaked from head to foot and the shock of the icy water was unbelievable. It caught hold of her like some monster with a handful of jagged ice shards. It blinded her with her own hair, it squeezed al the sound out of the universe. Somehow, clawing at her face, she freed her mouth and eyes from hair. She realized that she was only slightly below the surface of the water, and that was al she needed to push upward until her mouth broke the surface and she could suck in a lungful of delicious air, after which she had a coughing fit. First time up, she thought, remembering the old superstition that a drowning person wil rise three times and then sink forever. But the strange thing was that she wasn't sinking. There was a dul pain in her thigh but she wasn't going under. Slowly, slowly, she realized what had happened. She had missed the back of the thurg, but landed on its thick reptilian tail. One of the serrated fins had gashed her, but she was stable. So†¦now†¦al I have to do is climb the thurg, she puzzled out slowly. Everything seemed slow because there were icebergs bobbing around her shoulders. She put up a fur-lined gloved hand and reached for the next fin up. The water, while making her soaking clothes heavier, supported some of her weight. She managed to pul herself up to the next fin. And the next. And then here was the rump, and she had to be careful – no more footholds. Instead she grabbed for handholds and found something with her left hand. A broken strap from the hay carrier. Not a good idea – in retrospect. For a few minutes that qualified as among the worst in her life she was showered with hay, pounded with rocks, and smothered in the dust of old dung. When it was final y over she looked around, sneezing and coughing, to find that she was Stillon the thurg. The tickle stick had been broken but enough remained for her to use. Stefan was frantical y asking, both aloud and by telepathy, if she was All right. Bonnie was skating back and forth like a Tinker Bel guide, and Damon was cursing at Bonnie to get back to land and stay there. Meanwhile Elena was inching up the rump of the thurg. She made it through the crushed supply basket. She final y reached the thurg's summit, and she settled just behind the domed head, in the seat where a driver would sit. And then she tickled the thurg behind the ears. â€Å"Elena!†Stefan shouted, and then Elena, what are you trying to do? â€Å"I don't know!†she shouted back. â€Å"Trying to save the thurg!† â€Å"You can't,†Damon interrupted Stefan's answer in a voice as cold and Stillas the place they were in. â€Å"She can make it!†Elena said fiercely – precisely because she herself was having doubts about whether the animal could. â€Å"You could help by pul ing on her bridle.† â€Å"There's no point,†Damon shouted, and turned about-face, walking quickly into the mist. â€Å"I'l give it a try. Throw it out in front of her,†Stefan said. Elena threw the knotted bridle as hard as she could. Stefan had to run almost to the edge of the ice to grab it before it fel in. Then he held it aloft triumphantly. â€Å"Got it!† â€Å"Okay, pul ! Give her a direction to start in.† â€Å"Wil do!† Elena tapped Biratz again behind her right ear. There was a faint rumble from the animal and then nothing. Elena could see Stefan straining at the bridle. â€Å"Come on,† Elena said, and slapped sharply with the stick. The thurg lifted up a giant foot, placed it farther on the ice, and struggled. As soon as she did, Elena smacked hard behind the left ear. This was the crucial moment. If Elena could keep Biratz from crushing al the ice between her back legs, they might have a chance. The thurg tentatively lifted her left hind leg and stretched it until it made contact with the ice. â€Å"Good, Biratz! Now! â€Å"Elena shouted. Now if Biratz would only surge forward†¦ There was a great upheaval underneath her. For several minutes Elena thought that perhaps Biratz had broken through the ice with al four legs. Then the thrashing changed to a rocking motion and suddenly, dizzyingly Elena knew that they had won. â€Å"Easy, now, easy,†she cal ed to the animal, giving her a gentle tickle with the stick. And slowly, ponderously, Biratz moved forward. Her domed head drooped farther and farther as she went, and she foundered at the edge of a bank of mist, breaking the ice again. But there she only sank a few inches before meeting mud. A few more steps and they were on solid ground. Elena had to suck in her breath to stifle a scream as the thurg's domelike head slumped, giving her a short and scary ride to where the tusks re-curved on themselves. Somehow she slid right between them and had to hastily scramble off Biratz's trunks. â€Å"It was pointless, you know, doing that,†Damon said from somewhere in the mist beside her. â€Å"Risking your own life.† â€Å"What d-do you mean p-pointless?†Elena demanded. She wasn't frightened; she was freezing. â€Å"The animals are going to die anyway. The next trial is one they can't manage and even if they could, this isn't a place where anything grows. Instead of a quick clean death in the water, they're going to starve, slowly.† Elena didn't answer; the only answer she could think of was, â€Å"Why didn't you tel me earlier?†She had stopped shivering, which was a good thing, because a moment ago her body had felt as if she might shake herself apart. Clothes, she thought vaguely. That was the problem. It certainly couldn't be as cold here in the air as it had been in that water. It was her clothes that were making her so cold. She began, with numb fingers, to take them off. First, she unfastened her leather jacket. No zippers here: buttons. That was a real problem. Her fingers felt like frozen hot dogs, and only nominal y under her direction. But somehow or other she managed to undo the fastenings and the leather dropped to the ground with a muffled thump – it had taken a layer of her inner fur off with it. Ick. The smel of wet fur. Now, now she had to – But she couldn't. She couldn't do anything because someone was holding her arms. Burning her arms. Those hands were annoying, but at least she knew who they belonged to. They were firm and very gentle but very strong. Al that added up to Stefan. Slowly, she raised her dripping head to ask Stefan to stop burning her arms. But she couldn't. Because on Stefan's body there was Damon's head. Now that was funny. She'd seen a lot of things that vampires could do, but not this swapping heads business. â€Å"Stefan-Damon – please stop,†she gasped between hysterical whoops of laughter. â€Å"It hurts. It's too hot!† â€Å"Hot? You're frozen, you mean.†The deft, searing hands were rubbing up and down her arms, pushing back her head to rub her cheeks. She let it happen, because it seemed to be only sense that if it was Damon's head, they were Stefan's hands. â€Å"You're cold but you're not shivering?†a grim Damon-voice said from somewhere. â€Å"Yes, so you see I must be warming up.†Elena didn't feel very warmed up. She realized that she Stillhad on a longer fur garment, one that reached to her knees under her leather breeches. She fumbled with her belt. â€Å"You're not warming up. You're going into the next stage of hypothermia. And if you don't get dry and warm right now, you're going to die.†Not roughly, he tilted her chin up to look into her eyes. â€Å"You're delirious now – can you understand me, Elena? We need to really get you warm.† Warm was a concept as vague and faraway as life before she had met Stefan. But delirious she understood. That was not a good thing. What to do about it except laugh? â€Å"All right. Elena, just wait for a moment. Let me find – â€Å"In a moment he was back. Not quick enough to stop her from unwrapping the fur down to her waist, but back before she could get her camisole off. â€Å"Here.†He stripped off the damp fur and wrapped a warm, dry one around her, over her camisole. After a moment or two she began to shiver. â€Å"That's my girl,†Damon's voice said. It went on: â€Å"Don't fight me, Elena. I'm trying to save your life. That's al . I'm not going to try to do anything else. I give you my word.† Elena was bewildered. Why should she think that Damon – this must be Damon, she decided – would want to hurt her? Although he could be a bastard sometimes†¦ And he was taking off her clothes. No. That shouldn't be happening. Definitely not. Especial y since Stefan must be somewhere around. But by now Elena was shivering too hard to talk. And now that she was in her underwear, he was making her lie down on furs, tucking other furs around her. Elena didn't understand anything that was happening, but it was al starting not to matter. She was floating somewhere outside herself, watching without much interest. Then another body was slipping in under the furs. She snapped back from the place she had been floating. Very briefly she got a look at a bare chest. And then a warm, compact body slid into the makeshift sleeping bag with her. Warm, hard arms went around her, keeping her in contact al over her body. Through the mist she vaguely heard Stefan's voice. â€Å"What the hell are you doing?†

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In finance, risk is best judged in a portfolio context. Is this true Essay - 7

In finance, risk is best judged in a portfolio context. Is this true Why - Essay Example This paper takes an argument to prove that individual stock cannot allow investors to help judging the overall risk associated with investment on shares. A critical criticism context will also be introduced in the paper later on to justify the argument regarding risk being judged better in a portfolio of stocks. It will not be incorrect to state that investors of stock market are directly associated with the risk which is not avoidable. These risks can be variable in types such as short-term risk or portfolio risk. For the focus of this paper, portfolio risk is being discussed in a contextual manner. It should be noted that portfolio risk is relatively low in accordance to the movements within the stock market. Herein, the process or concept of aggregation is considered for calculating risk associated with an asset or for valuing a company. It is due to this reason that individual investors are suggested to manage their portfolio risk because their individual transactions are aggregated. This denotes that investors tend to diversify their assets in order to judge the risk of security (Brealey, et al., 2010). It is not being proven here that by taking an aggregate of the risk of in a portfolio can eliminate risk. Portfolio of stock allows the investors to understand the associated risk in accordance of variation in all levels of the market. There is an underlying condition associated with portfolio risk. As a matter of fact, risk can be best judged in a portfolio context, as diversified stocks can have reduced risk. The underlying condition is that the return which is received by the investors is less than one. In this case, it is stated that diversification will remain beneficial or the investors (Brealey, et al., 2010). Risk or systematic risk is interlinked with the changes that may occur in the market. The risk is

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Compare Newton and Goethe's theory described in a particular video - Essay Example When the cone is illuminated by white light on either sides, a grey shadow appears on either sides. When a green filter is used to cover one of the light sources, the set up displays a magenta shade. The magenta shade is a visionary creation of the eyes as green’s complimentary color. Goethe spent 40 years formulating his theory of colors. His studies took color as part of the human vision into account. Therefore, Goethe studied the human eye in detail and based his theory on man as an observer. The eye will always strive to bring about unity and totality in the way we perceive colors. The eyes create harmony by initiating complementary colors. For example, Red is the complementary color for cyan. Goethe studied the quality and characteristics of colors and the conditions under which specific colors came into existence. In his theory, Goethe reiterates that light and darkness are co-factors in the formation of colors. He encoded his research on colors on a color-wheel. The complimentary and harmonic color pairs are placed on opposite sides of the wheel. The harmonic colors form a basis for the interaction between a seeing man and the world of colors, that is, when the world shows us a particular color, our vision responds by perceiving a complementary color. The theory is insistent on the fact that the perception of color must take into account the qualities of color in dark conditions and in light as well. In his experiments, Newton constructed a triangular prism to advance his theory of the refraction of light. In the experiment, he directs a beam of sunlight to pass through the prism upon which refraction occurs. The refraction results into a spectrum which is a series of seven colors commonly associated with the rainbow. From the observations he made during the illustration, Newton concluded that the seven colors are components of white light. Therefore, Newton’s theory associates the perception

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