Investigating how Businesses work Essay

Introduction For this assignment I am investigating how Marks and Spencer plc works, and I will look at its aims and objectives, functional areas, employment law, communication methods and organisational structure of the company. Marks and Spencer is a publicly owned company in the retail sector. It is in the retail industry and is a large company. The company has been running for many years. Marks and Spencer is one of the UK’s leading retailers of clothing, foods, homeware and financial services. It serves 10 million customers a week over 300 UK stores. Aims and objectives All businesses have aims, this helps them achieve and reach their targets to make their business successful. Therefore Marks and Spencer’s aim is to attract the customers with appealing, superior quality products at attractive prices. They do this by creating exclusive products for the customers. The company aims to put the customer first in everything they do and offer the highest values of customer care in order to satisfy them. In order to achieve the aims, businesses need to decide what objectives to take to help them. According to Marks and Spencer’s objectives are to: 1. Deliver the agreed minimum customer service standards 2. Carry out and develop new systems 3. Reduce theft and loss 4. Create a visually exciting store 5. Permit people 6. Improve effectiveness through managing risk 7. Recruit the right people to provide service standards 8. Deliver customer focused training Functional Areas In large businesses people work as a team in order to help the business run smoothly and effectively, they work together in different functional areas which relate to them. Businesses have these functional areas to help them achieve their aims and objectives. I will be looking at four functional areas, which are: 1. Human Resources 2. Finance 3. Marketing and Sales 4. Administration Human Resources Human Resources are involved with the staffs that work for the company. The staffs in this area are important because they are partly responsible for keeping the business successful. The Human Resources staffs are involved in: * Recruitment * Working conditions * Health and safety * Training and development * Employee organisations and unions Recruitment Vacancies for Marks and Spencer are mainly advertised in recruitment agencies, local or national newspaper, local job centres and careers offices. Marks and Spencer has a company policy to reply to every application sent. These applications are filed for 3 months and then are destroyed so applicants will have to reapply every 12 weeks. There are three ways to apply for a position in store management. You must be either a graduate/undergraduate with a degree or HND and GCSE Maths and English grade C+. For school or college leavers, with A Levels and GCSE Maths and English C+. Marks and Spencer look for people with high standards, who will enjoy working in the retail environment and they look for people who are good with customers or at customer service and people who will work harmoniously in a team. Working Conditions Marks and Spencer has several of working conditions, these include holiday entitlement, hours of work, pay etc. All staff, including temporary and permanent, is entitled to a holiday each year. This holiday entitlement runs from April 1st to March 31st. You can take a holiday if you have a contract of 13 weeks or more. Marks and Spencer has a store policy that all staff should plan and book their holiday in advance because the store operates on a first come first serve basis. They need to book their holiday before to avoid any disappointments. Health and Safety Many health services at Marks and Spencer are provided for the staff such as the staff doctor, store dentist and smear tests for the female staff. The staff doctor attends the store regularly to help and give advice. All staff is entitled to make an appointment if they wish to see the doctor. Every 6 months the store dentist also attends the store for a routine check. He will recommend treatment to staff if needed. A private medical is available to all permanent staff. Cervical smears are available for the female staff and wives of male employees every 3 years. Training and Development Marks and Spencer provide staff with training opportunities. The NVQ programme was one of the largest training programmes they had. At Marks and Spencer, people skills are important whoever you come into contact with, such as customers, suppliers or members of the staff. Employee Organisations and Trade Unions The employees do not officially have union representation, but are entitled to join a union if they wish to. The company wishes all its contacts with unions to be conducted in a decent and co-operative manner. It is illegal for management to interfere with the right of an individual to belong to an independent union as defined in the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1976. The types of job roles in human resources are: Job Title Job Role Human resources Managing the HR department and staff, involved with Manager industrial relations and trade unions negotiations, Implementing the organisations HR policies. Training/staff Responsible for training and staff development. development Health and safety Overseeing all the health and safety matters and Officer monitoring Personnel/staffing Keeping staff records, monitoring staff welfare officer HR administrative Administrative work relating to the human resources Assistants function. Finance Businesses need to manage and control the money coming in and going out of the business. They also need to understand this information in order to plan what to do next and to see if they need to make any changes. All businesses deal with: * Preparing accounts * Paying wages and salaries * Obtaining capital and resources. The major sources of finance include back profits, shares, banking facilities, hire purchase/leasing and trade credits. Preparing accounts The finance staffs at Marks and Spencer have to deal with a range of activities related to checking and recording of all amounts of money received and paid. These are entered into an account each customer has. When money is being received it is banked as soon as possible and also is checked carefully and recorded against each item sold and against each customer’s account. Every Business including Marks and Spencer has to pay its own bills. They will owe money for raw materials used in the manufacture of a product and for the services it uses. Paying wages and salaries Wages and Salaries are done by a computerised procedure. Marks and Spencer pay their staff monthly direct into their bank account, using a system called credit transfer. The company’s bank transfers money to all the employee’s accounts. The bank keeps payroll records, which shows how much each staff earns and how much they are meant to be paid, this helps the bank to transfer the right amount of money into the staff account. Obtaining capital and resources Capital is the money the owner puts into Marks and Spencer. This will be needed when the business starts trading. The money buys all the requirements Marks and Spencer needs. When the business starts to trade and make a profit, the profit is used to buy new stock to sell and also saved incase the company wants to buy new equipment. The job roles in finance are: Job Title Job Role Finance Director Giving advice to senior managers on the overall financial Policy of the organisation. Financial Manager Managing the finance function and staff. Advising on financial resources. Management Producing continuous financial information for Accountant management Credit controller Advising on credit policies. Ensuring that money owing to the company is kept within agreed levels. Payroll Responsible for overseeing the company payroll and Administrator salary/wage section. Ledger Clerks Assist the chief accountant in the recording of all financial transactions. Marketing and Sales Businesses carry out a range of activities to identify the customer’s needs and then try to provide for them. These activities include: * Market research * Promotion * Sales promotion Market Research Marks and Spencer has a separate department, which is involved with market research. Market research deals with customer feedback and external agencies. Other types of market research that are used at Marks and Spencer are through credit card, database, direct mailing, and telephone and through the customer services department. Market research can be carried out through primary and secondary research. Promotion Marks and Spencer have to decide how to promote their products, this usually depends on the type of product or service they want to promote Marks and Spencer advertise its promotion through corporate advertising, for example with seasonal products like strawberries in the summer. The major markets are the consumer markets worldwide but Marks and Spencer find their main shoppers are middle aged, middle class and female. Sales Promotion Sales promotions are campaigns, which offer special discounts and attract customers to try a new a product. Sale promotions at Marks and Spencer include offering free samples of food, special discounts and offers. Marks and Spencer set up campaigns for a few reasons such as attracting more buyers but mainly if a new product is not selling as well as it should be then the campaign is set up. The major customers for the products are the general public. The job roles involved in Marketing and Sales are: Job Title Job Role Marketing director Responsible for the overall marketing function and its aims and objectives. Sales manager Responsible for sales staff and the achievement of sales targets, often within the UK. Advertising In charge with advertising and agency staff over Manager publicity campaign. Export manager Responsible for overseas agents and the achievement of sales targets overseas. Market Find out consumer opinions on current and proposal Researchers goods and services. Order clerks Accept and process sale orders Administration The administration function helps a business run smoothly from day to day and keeping things up to date. It covers a number of different tasks including: * Clerical work, collecting mail, keeping records, organising meetings, responding to enquiries * Cleaning, maintenance and security Clerical work Every day Marks and Spencer would receive telephone calls that need to be answered, mails that needs opening and replying, a list of tasks to do, visitors that arrive at the reception some without a appointment, Fax messages, documents to sort out and need to prepare and documents that need updating etc. Every morning Marks and Spencer receive a number of mails, these mails are then sorted correctly, date stamped then delivered to different departments and individual staff. Marks and Spencer also arrange for their mail to be collected to sent out at a certain time. Marks and Spencer receive enquiries from a variety of people, companies and also other people from inside the organisation departments. Marks and Spencer try to answer these enquiries quickly with correct information. Marks and Spencer has a large amount of documents produce by organisations such as forms, fax/telephone messages, letters and reports. These documents are then filed and some are stored in the computer. Cleaning and maintenance Marks and Spencer employ cleaners to do routine cleaning duties. Some employees do the basic cleaning and the others don’t. If a cleaner is off sick, the supplier has to replace them as part of their contract. Security Marks and Spencer security staff are not employed by the company but by a specialist security firm. The responsibility of the firm is training and supply. The security staffs are responsible for patrolling the premises. The job roles involved in Administration are: Job Title Job Role Administration Managing the administration operations of the Manager organisation. Company A senior executive responsible for all legal affairs of the secretary company, dealing with shareholders, insurance and organising meetings. IT manager Managing all the IT requirements of the company, including Equipment and advising on future needs. PA/secretarial Responsible for providing secretarial and administrative Staff support, usually to senior managers. Equal opportunities and employment legislation Recruiting and keeping the right employees is important to every business. Both employers and employees have rights and responsibilities. These are safeguarded by employment law, not only by employee organisations and unions. The 4 main Acts are: 1. The Employment Rights Act 1996 2. The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 3. The Race Relations Act 1976 4. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 The Employment Rights Act 1996 This act establishes a wide range of rights that employees have when they are being employed, for example: * The right to a contract of employment must be given within two months of starting employment and must include details such as name of employee and employer, date when employment began, rate of pay and when its due, hours of work, sick pay etc. * All female employees have the right to maternity leave, this can be up to 29 weeks and also can return to work afterwards. * Employees have the right to take time off to look for a new job, attending interviews and still be paid. * Employees have the right not to be unfairly dismissed. * Employees have the right to redundancy payments if an employee is dismissed because the job is no longer available. The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 This act makes it illegal for anyone to be discriminated against someone on the grounds of gender either directly or indirectly. In employment this applies to recruitment and selection for jobs and promotion, training the way you are treated in a job, dismissal and redundancy. The Race Relations Act 1976 This act makes it unlawful to discriminate against people of colour, race, nationality or ethnic origin. In the track of employment it is unlawful to discriminate in the arrangements for employment, which are: * In the interview or advisement’s * In the terms of employment * By refusing employment because of colour, race, nationality or ethnic origin. * In promotion and training * By dismissing a person The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 This act is concerned with discrimination against people with disabilities in employment. The disability may be physical, sensory or mental but must be relatively long-term. Employers must not treat a disabled person less favourable than others. Employers must be prepared to make reasonable adjustments to the workplace to help the disabled person do the job. Disabled persons who suffer discrimination can complain to an employment tribunal. Below are some examples of how employees at Marks and Spencer are protected by these Acts: 1st example A female staff from Marks and Spencer was pregnant and she was due to a maternity leave as agreed on for 30 weeks, she carried on working for a couple of weeks before she was due to the leave. When she took that leave, it happened to be longer than she thought, she had to take an extra few weeks of and when she came back, the job was still there for her. 2nd example New black female staffs were starting work at Marks and Spencer. On her first day, she needed to be trained and taught about the health and safety matters, this had to be done by a health and safety officer from Marks and Spencer. When she met the officer, he wasn’t very welcoming and didn’t seem pleased. He showed her around but the woman thought he wasn’t explaining very clearly and she was worried because she wouldn’t know exactly what to do if there was a fire, so she reported this to the employer and it seemed that he didn’t give her the full instructions, so another officer had to be arranged to train her. 3rd example A man applied for a job at Marks and Spencer, he was unsure whether he would get the job because of his disability problem but when they called him in for an interview he was surprised. They discussed his disability problem and the arrangements for him to work, so in the end they gave him a part time job, which he was very pleased about. Communication People working in different functional areas have to communicate with each other as well as with people outside the business such as customers and suppliers. In order to keeps the business running smoothly and effectively they need to keep the other people in the business well informed, to do this they might use: Internal External Telephone Telephone E-mail E-mail Pager Advertisement Face to face Internet Advertisement Fax Interview Letter Memo Video conferencing Notice Intranet Meeting Marks and Spencer Internal methods of communication to different functional areas are the telephone, email, fax machine, verbal meetings and appointments and also video conferencing, which are used around the country to save time on travelling and costs. The management team spend a high amount of time on the sales floor visiting various sections to see supervisors and staff. Marks and Spencer external communications include letters received from the charities, they receive about 10,000 appeals for support every year. External communications also include project work, Equal opportunities and also the company support projects, which help the elderly and the young and also people with special needs and those who require help in the members of the community. Due to the rising number of communications throughout the company, the communication problems have been encountered and one of the biggest problems has been to ensure everyone is informed. Due to the speed of the business, Marks and Spencer have to ensure that all the staffs try to ensure professional communication by being prepared and organised. The developments Marks and Spencer now have in mind is to improve and make communications more better through e-mail, to improve the in store telephone and the bleep systems such as changing to mobile phones and a speed dial network system. Below is a diagram showing how the functional areas communicate with each other externally and internally. Functional Type of Reason why Area communication Human -Telephone Confidentiality Resources -face to face Urgent -Letter Fast and easy to use -Meeting Saves time to talk to individuals Finance -Letter Security -E-mail Confidentiality -Meeting Get feedback from people quick Administration -Fax can be kept for future reference -Letter evidence and can be copied. -Email convenient while on the computer Marketing and -Meeting Group discussion, more ideas to share Sales Different functional areas use different communicational methods to communicate with each other, this is because employers need to know which type of communication to use for each purpose. For example, human resources might use the telephone or letter to communicate with a different functional area because it might be confidential, this way no confidential information is being reached out of the organisation. And also if a letter is being used, this can be kept for future reference and hard evidence for any purpose. Another type of communication is a meeting; this can save a lot of time and can get feedback from the people at the meeting immediately. Meetings also save time on having to discuss things individually. These types of communication can help Marks and Spencer achieve their aims and objectives, one of the main aims of Marks and Spencer is to put the customers first and to offer the highest values in customer care to satisfy them. To achieve this aim, Marks and Spencer keep the flow of information within the company, they keep the right people informed with up to date information so that when customers ask for certain information it will be as accurate as possible. The Marketing and Sales functional area keep the staff informed about the current range and prices of products for the benefit of the customers. When an order is being received, they pass it on to be sorted in order. To meet the needs of the customers, the staff’s listens to what customers have to say whether it is a good or bad thing and take that into account. Staff at Marks and Spencer has meetings to discuss any problems whether concerning about the customers or other matters so they can solve the problem maybe for the benefit of the customers who shop at Marks and Spencer. Organisational Structure of Marks and Spencer To make the business run successfully without any chaos, they organise their employees in functional areas and section so they know what to do. This helps the business to make decisions and carry them out. Every business has its own way of structure. Hierarchy Structure Marks and Spencer organisational structure of the business is a hierarchy structure, which is tall and has a number of levels. This type of structure may be large but also has some disadvantages as well as advantages within this structure. Below are the advantages and disadvantages. Advantages * Clear job role and lines of responsibility * Each level will have different opinions so therefore more ideas * Clear pay structure * A large number of colleagues * A range of facilities * Good promotion Disadvantages * Slow communication flow. If any staffs require information, this could take time. * Slow reaction to changes and challenges because many people have to be informed whether decisions or changes were going to be made. * Staff at a lower level may feel the manager at the top has no idea what they think or do Flat Structure Here is an organisational structure of a small company. As you can see, this structure is small and does not have many levels. This type of structure is called a Flat structure. This is very much different to the Marks and Spencer structure because Marks and Spencer is a large company. From the diagram structure we can tell that the company is rather small and has fewer levels. But there are also some advantages as well as disadvantages within this structure. Below are a list of the advantages and disadvantages of a flat structure. Advantages * Communication is quicker and more accurate * Good at responding quickly to new ideas and customer needs * Operate quite easily * Less management cost * Flexible working hours Disadvantages * Business is small * No one to share ideas with * May experience problems with shortage of staff if business is expanding.

Joyce’s novel Essay

The novels Mrs. Dalloway and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, written by Virginia Woolf and James Joyce respectively, are tales of persons who are challenged by the society in which they live. The roles traditionally handed down to men and women become elements of restraint for many of the characters within the stories. While convention dictates the actions that the characters should perform, the readers get the impression that the authors are in opposition to these traditions. Throughout the day spent with Mrs. Dalloway and her friends, situations arise in which characters become critical of others’ choices in a way that depicts the ideas of the narrator or author. Likewise, in the experiences of Stephen Dedalus and the other characters of Joyce’s novel, one finds that they often desire to perform actions alien to the stereotypical roles of their genders. In these novels, therefore, we find that there is no apparent desire within characters for males or females to inherit traditional gendered roles. In fact, we discover a desire to occupy a multi-gendered identity. This is important because it gestures at an identity separate from societal construction of gender. Hermione Lee relates that Virginia Woolf sought a â€Å"combination of sensibility and tenacity† in her work (xvii). This suggests a similar mixing of feminine and masculine qualities with which she imbues several of her characters in Mrs. Dalloway. Clarissa Dalloway has become a woman who ostensibly fits perfectly within the role societally configured for her gender. She is the wife of a statesman and the mother of a beautiful daughter. She throws fine parties and does the traditional female jobs of overseeing the servants, visiting the sick, and other things. Yet, Woolf appears immediately to intimate to the reader the undesirability of all this tradition to Clarissa herself, as she is seen at the outset of the novel going on an errand that should normally have been reserved for her servants. Her desire for independence is asserted in the first sentence, â€Å"Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself (Woolf 1). Though this rebellion is a small one and is buried in the guise of â€Å"womanly† work (going to buy flowers), the commercial aspect of it places her in the position of a business person, just as the errand frees her from the confines of the home. On this walk she thinks of Peter Walsh, a man with whom she once shared her passions for literature and freedom. Her thoughts and desires break through conventions that dictate the subservience of women. She considers marriage in a way that seems alien to its constitution, as she imbues her role in it with the type of independence that one does not usually find in the traditional view of marriage. She explains that her decision against marrying Peter was made because â€Å"In marriage a little licence, a little independence there must be between people living together day in day out in the same house; which Richard gave her, and she him† (Woolf 5). This demonstrates the extent to which she desires not to be subsumed by her husband as women often are in marriages. Continuing, she thinks, â€Å"When it came to that scene in the little garden by the fountain, she had to break with him [Peter] or they would have been destroyed, both of them ruined, she was convinced† (6). This tells what she considers her life would have been like with Peter. She seeks to add a portion of masculinity to her role by keeping something of herself and continuing to show herself to the world—a right that is usually granted without reservation to married men, but tacitly withheld from women of that time. Clarissa continues to demonstrate her inner tendencies to throw off the traditional gender role and to fulfill her political and occupational dreams. During that time in England, women’s occupations were limited to household-related chores. She considers other women who had lived non-traditional lives, and longs to have her life to live again so she could make different choices. The first of those choices would have granted her an occupation that would defy her gender. The narrator assures us that Clarissa Dalloway â€Å"would have been, like Lady Bexborough, slow and stately; rather large; interested in politics like a man; with a country house; very dignified, very sincere† (Woolf 8). The use of the phrase â€Å"like a man† is telling, in that it highlights the extent to which Mrs. Dalloway longs to be released from the confines of her sex. She wants to be endowed with the possibilities that attend a man. Also telling is her desire to be â€Å"very sincere† (8). Sincerity is not a trait that has been traditionally accorded to women, as they were encouraged to keep their thoughts to themselves (or perhaps not to have any at all). Therefore, a woman with any ideas or opinions can be considered to have been somewhat forced into insincerity by their very act of subordination to the will of their husband and in their pretence at never having anything to say beyond remarks about the running of the household. Clarissa’s urge to speak sincerely demonstrates her desire to combine traditionally masculine qualities with her feminine ones.

Context of Islam and Buddhist Fundamentalism Essay

At its most basic aspect fundamentalism implies attention to the religious fundamentals. According to Martin Marty, groups who feel themselves to be at risk in society return to certain sacred fundamentals as a method for both staving off the attacks of modernity and for reclaiming their own place in a sacred history. Modernity, in this sense, is to be understood in the following context. First, it is to be seen as characterized by the rationalization of authority, and the replacement of a large number of traditional, religious, familial, and ethnic political authorities by a single, secular, national political authority. Second, it is to be seen as involving the differentiation of new political functions and the development of specialized structure for the performance of these functions and third, it is to be seen as the development of increased participation in politics throughout society. Modernity, in this sense, requires the development of a pluralistic society that enables the development of positive identities as opposed to identities understood within the context of marginalized groups or communities. Within a modernist worldview, fundamentalism is thereby seen as a form of ideology, which refuses the consideration of other perspectives. In relation to this, Marty contends, â€Å"people in such cultures [fundamentalist cultures] were threatened by the erosion or assault of what they considered to be ‘modern’† (276). In addition to this, he further states that such cultures thereby use fundamentalist tenets, as â€Å"instruments and weapons for reactivity where†¦the real or presumed foundational elements of belief and practice, story and law† are utilized in order to enable the â€Å"selective retrieval of the past† (Marty 277). If such is the case, fundamentalism may thereby be characterized with a certain form of â€Å"conviction in the world of ‘postmodern relativism’† (Marty 377). However, such a conviction is generally misconstrued as enabling the development of an irrational actor and hence the performance of irrational actions. The practice of fundamentalism has generally been associated with religion hence one is presented with the various forms of religious fundamentalisms such as Catholic fundamentalism, Islam fundamentalism and Buddhist fundamentalism to name a few. As was noted above, such religious groups focus on the fundamental philosophical assumptions of their religion which allows the selective retrieval of a real or presumed history which becomes the basis for fundamentalists’ actions. Due to this, it is generally assumed that fundamentalists are privy to the commitment of irrational actions. From the onset, it is important to note that such an assumption is based upon a misleading conception of the fundamentalist movement. Furthermore, it is important to note that such a conception of fundamentalism is based on an understanding of fundamentalism based on its function. In line with this, the task of this paper is two-fold. First, it aims to discuss the practice of fundamentalism within Islam and Buddhism and second, it aims to consider the effects of these practices on the rights of the minority members of such groups. In order to be more specific, the paper will focus on the philosophical assumptions of such movements and how these assumptions determine and affect the rights of the minority members of such groups specifically that of women. As I reckon, an understanding of fundamentalism necessitates an understanding of it content since it is only through the analysis of fundamentalism’s content that one may be able to present an accurate depiction of the inherent power of the ideas within the movement as well as the relevance of the political actors’ normative commitments. Such an understanding of fundamentalism does not necessarily replace the functional purpose of the ideas within the movement. However, in relation to this, I would like to contend that such an understanding of the movement, which necessitates the separation of the function and meaning, fails to comprehend the dichotomy of meaning and function thereby failing to consider the correlation of meaning and function. Such a failure, on the other hand, leads to the delineation of fundamentalism as form of ideology as opposed to a form of political philosophy. This is evident if one considers Marty and Appleby’s understanding of fundamentalism. According to Marty and Appleby, the general characteristic of fundamentalism presents the aforementioned movement as â€Å"reflecting upon the evocative and defining power of the sacred [in an attempt] to harness this power for†¦a variety of political, social and religious ends† (qtd in Henston 131). In this sense, fundamentalism may be understood as seeking to â€Å"reconsecrate the world† (Henston 131). In relation to this Heston claims that Marty and Appleby considers fundamentalism as offering a specific â€Å"reading of certain texts of the history [a particular] religion and peoples†¦hence fundamentalism appeals frequently†¦on sacred space that provides a concrete focus† (131). Such a depiction of fundamentalism with the emphasis on its religious character as well as its aim of reconsecration fails to consider that fundamentalism is characterized by the need for belonging or for security. Within Islam, it is generally assumed that the most common manifestation of fundamentalism can be seen in the position of the female within society’s hierarchy of power. Holsdon and Rozario note that â€Å"Islam is necessarily more patriarchal or more oppressive to women than other religions† (331). The reason for this can be traced to the status given to the female by a literal interpretation of the Qur’an and the Shari’a. Mohammad, himself, describes Islam as â€Å"a religion of right-doing, right-thinking, and right-speaking founded on divine love, universal charity, and the equality of man in the sight of the Lord† (qtd in Syed 157). A literal interpretation of this passage excludes the female from the treatment of equality. Moghissi states, Regardless of the interpretation of the Qur’an and the Shari’a, if the Qur’anic instructions are taken literally, Islamic individuals or societies cannot favor equal rights for women in the family or in certain areas of social life †¦ If the principles of the Shari’a are to be maintained †¦ women cannot enjoy equality before the law and in the law. (140–1) The two most prominent examples of these in Islam can be seen in the allowance of polygamy as well as the requirement that women should be concealed and secluded. One might note that such conditions may be considered as fostering inequality within Islam religions as it places the female in a subordinate position to the male however, it has also been argued that these do not necessarily lead to inequality within Islam. Agosin argues that such an assumption [that the conditions set within both the Qur’an and the Shari’a leads to female inequality] may be seen as a result of a patriarchal society’s misrepresentation of religion and culture (236). The function of this misrepresentation is to maintain women in a position that best serves patriarchal priorities. It is important to contextualize such a claim within the basic assumption of Islam’s religious philosophy. The teachings of Islam are concentrated on the notions of faith and duty. The term Islam itself is equivalent to the concept of submission in the English language. Islam may thereby be seen as the religion of submission wherein one submits to the will of Allah as it is stated in the Qur’an. The problem is thereby presented when one considers the contradictory accounts regarding the treatment of the female as it is presented in the aforementioned text. There are accounts which recognize the equality of both members of the sexes as well as accounts which places the female as a subordinate to the male. If such is the case, it cannot be argued that autonomy may not be granted to the female since a literal interpretation of the aforementioned texts allows instances of freedom on the side of the female. This, however, does not change the fact that Islam operates under the assumption of separate roles and spheres of activities for both men and women. As opposed to Islam, the practice of fundamentalism may be seen in Buddhist religions in different forms depending on the form of Buddhism practiced by a particular group. In the same way that Islam adheres to a certain form of separate-spheres ideology between men and women, Buddhism controls the female as a result of her dangerous sexuality which is considered as potentially dangerous to men. In order to deal with such a problem, marriages are arranged for women at a young age in order to ensure their chastity. According to the traditional doctrine, embraced in Theravada movements, every woman must bear three kinds of subordination. The first is â€Å"to her father when she is young, to her husband while she married, and to her son when she old† (qtd in Paul 53). Such a doctrine is enforced in reality is punished with certain sanctions. A woman who fails to conform to this approved role is stigmatized and devalued within society. The similarity between Islam and Buddhism fundamentalist movements can traced to the value that they place upon the female subject. This value however prevents the female’s attainment of autonomy as a result of her assumed natural subordination to the male. The effects of fundamentalism within these movements may thereby be seen as hindering and in fact enabling the subordination of the female. Works Cited Abu-Nimer, M. â€Å"A Framework for Non-violence and Peacebuilding in Islam. † Journal of Law and Religion 15. 2 (2001): 217-265. Agosin, Marjorie. Women, Gender, and Human Rights: A Global Perspective. London: Rutgers, 2001. Hilsdon, Anne and Santi Rozario. â€Å"Special Issue on Islam, Gender, and Human Rights. † Women’s Studies International Forum 29 (2006): 331-338. Henston, A. â€Å"Crusades and Jihads: A Long-Run Economic Perspective. † Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences 588 (2003): 112-135. Marty, M. â€Å"The Future of World Fundamentalism. † Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 142. 3 (1998): 367-77. Paul, Diane. Women in Buddhism: images of the Feminine in Mahayana Tradition. Syed, Ameer. The Spirit of Islam Or the Life and Teachings of Mohammad: Or the Life and Teachings of Mohammed. Np: Gorgias Press, 2002.

Capital Equipment Requests for Women's Clinic Assignment

Capital Equipment Requests for Women's Clinic - Assignment Example Women are constantly affected by heart diseases (McCuen, Sayles & Schnering, 2007). The construction and buying of cardiovascular laboratory will help women in treating heart diseases and failures. Mother/ baby home care fund is also necessary in the operation of the women’s clinic. This fund will ensure that equipments are put in place to help women with high risk pregnancies so as to stop mortality rates. Other facilities that are important to the women’s clinic include the intensive care unit and Neonatal Intensive Care unit. Neonatal Intensive care Unit will help in providing special care needs for babies at the clinic. There is also the need to provide for funds for the poor in the society. This fund will help in providing medical care for the underprivileged women in the society. Funds will also be used in buying medical equipment for needed services at the clinic such as transport needs, for instance, the purchasing of ambulance. Planning for Funding and Expenses Funds necessary for the completion of the women’s clinic requires funding from several stakeholders. The stakeholders can be grouped into those who originate locally, regionally and nationally. Other sources of funds will include sponsorships and auto-financing. The total amount of funds that will be collected from the general public will constitute nearly three quarters of the total amount while sponsorships and s elf financing will contribute the rest of the resources needed for the project. The public source of fund can be separated between the state and the metropolis in which the hospital will be operating (Marquis & Huston, 2008). The total amount of expenses for the project is at $50 million. The other projects that had already been started cost about $10 million. These projects were implemented to make certain the smooth progress in the implementation of the project. Other facilities such as the communications important for the functioning of the facility cost about $133 million. Constructing the women’s clinic is therefore not a single one- time investment; the facility will be used by generation to come for their health needs. It is therefore indispensable for the government and the state governments to contribute funds for the conclusion of the scheme. The scheme can only be initiated according to the present budget and financial plans for the women’s clinic. The project can only be realistic if about $6m million to $10 million is spent in public relations and marketing activities of the clinic. No less than 65% of the total budget will be used in the implementation of the projects that are crucial for the operation of the clinic such as the breast cancer mammogram, cardiovascular laboratory, and intensive care units. Further, approximately 15-20 percent of the resources will be employed in the preparation stage. Long Term Financial Viability The long term financial viability at the clinic required the establishment of a realis tic budget. The budget must be based on the current economic situation and the number of women nit expects to be using the facility. Long term financial viability cannot be achieved if the clinic will not be able to get adequate clients. Further, realistic revenue expectations have also been developed. The government, the state governm

Jacksonville Shipyards Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Jacksonville Shipyards - Research Paper Example One thinks that this not a problem that workers should handle among themselves. The company should intervene in such problems because it is their responsibility to free their workplace of any form of sexual harassment. The workers alone cannot resolve this issue. Yes, the treatment of Robinson is a form of sex discrimination because it created an environment which is not conducive to women. Indirectly, the treatment given to Robinson implies that women are not welcome in the shipyard. One does not agree that the male co-workers of Robinson did nothing illegal. In a court interpretation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it stated that â€Å"employees have the right to work in an environment free from discriminatory intimidation, ridicule and insult† (Clark, 1994). Clearly, what the male co-workers did was a violation of Title VII. How was Lois Robinson harmed? No one pressured her for sexual favors, she was not denied any advancement or wage increases because of her treatment, and she did not suffer a mental breakdown. Rather, she was offended. Although Robinson was not pressured into giving sexual favors nor was she denied wage increases, nor did she suffer any mental breakdown, she was harmed. As Judge Melton ruled, there was a â€Å"visual assault on the sensibilities of female workers† in the shipyard (Lewin, 1991). Robinson was harmed because of the disrespect she suffered from her male co-workers. The harm was more of psychological and emotional. She was not treated with respect and dignity. Yes, one thinks that any employee has a right not to be offended. The workplace should be a place which is fair to all its employees regardless of sex, religion or race. The management of a company must ensure that all employees respect each others’

Intellectual Property Law in the UK Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Intellectual Property Law in the UK - Case Study Example Margaret is currently negotiating with Leo (a Canadian inventor) to move into a partnership contract between them. It has been noted that Leo has emerged with a new idea which later led to the development of a waterproofing compound that can protect fabrics and tents. The compound developed by Leo also has the ability to protect fabrics from sunlight. Leo gets this particular idea from his grandfather who also mentioned this particular technique in his autobiography named ‘Cold Prospector’ which was published by the Manitou Press of Saskatchewan in the year 1932. The compound that has been developed by Leo has a particular chemical substance that is primarily obtained from the sweat gland of Caribou (It is a mammal that lives in the Arctic region). However, this particular chemical can also be easily synthesized through scientific technique in the absence of the chemical that is present in secretions from the sweat glands of the Caribou. While being in the Canadian Insti tute of Arctic Biology as research scientists, he discovered about how Carabiner (chemical secreted from the sweat glands of the Caribou) makes the fur of the mammal waterproof which further give rise to his invention. However, the findings of the research were later on published in the Canadian Nature Journal. He, later on, gave up his job as a research biologist with the Canadian Institute of Arctic Biology and engaged in a further investigation with the assistance of Canadian Mounted Police. While conducting further tests, new facts were discovered regarding the properties of Carabiner. In the latter scenario, Leo applied for patenting his invention in the Canadian Patent Office. Observably, Margaret is in negotiation with Leo to develop an agreement of partnership between the two with regard to the invention of a specific compound by Leo. Since this invention of Leo is quite beneficial and a major source of conducting profitable business, there is always a danger of the idea to be stolen by others who can use it for their benefit. Contextually, Margaret needs to consider certain aspect with regard to protect the invention after she acquires it from Leo through the agreement.  

C.S.I. Movie Analysis and Review of Episode 321 FOREVER Essay

C.S.I. Movie Analysis and Review of Episode 321 FOREVER - Essay Example The episode is about a horse that stomps her trainer to death aboard a luxurious personal jet. This horse is then quarantined by a vetenary officer after the jet landed. Things become suspicious when the horse suddenly dies and the vetenary officer disappears (CSI Ep 21.). Conversely, another incident happens where two teenagers have been alleged to commit suicide and their bodies found in the middle of the desert. Detectives from CSI look at this cases separately to determine the truth behind them. The trampling death of the horse trainer is investigated by Grissom, Nick and Catherine. Warrick and Sara look into the two teenagers (Romeo and Juliet) scenario in the desert. Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) is an American crime and drama television series that premiered in 2000. This series follows The Las Vegas Criminalists in which the analysts use the physical evidence to solve murder cases in this unusual graphic drama. CSI has been acknowledged as the most popular dramatic series a nd has been awarded International Television Audience by CBS. It has also been awarded the Best Television Drama Series for the last three years. Most of the episodes in this television series deal with a team of forensic investigators who are trained to solve crimes based on the evidence that has been collected. They are specialized in collecting irrefutable evidence and find the missing pieces of the puzzle to unravel the mystery behind every case. A murder aboard in a deluxe 747 personal jet and the discovery of two formally attired teens found in the desert confound the chief analyst Grissom and his crew in this absorbing episode of CSI. First, a horse trainer is found dead inside the cargo bay of a privately own jet that is carrying 12 well –heeled passengers and a horse worth millions (CSI Ep 21.). At first, it appears that the victim was trampled to death; however Grissom and Catherine uncover evidence that suggest foul play. In a separate incidence, In Hell’s G ate section of Death Valley, CSI analysts Warrick and Sara probe the alleged suicide of a 15 year old boy whose body is found under a bed spread. This investigation becomes more intensified when a girl’s body is discovered half a mile away. This is one of the most memorable episodes in this series; it is not only well written but cleverly plotted. In the first case, Grissom and Catherine are in the quest to determine the cause of death of the horse trainer and the horse itself. Both of them go to the airport to gather pieces of evidence. They found some abnormalities inside the plane that insight them to carry out further investigations (CSI Ep 21.). When the horse dies, after it contracts uterine infection, they take it to the lab to determine the cause. After they perform an autopsy on the horse, they find diamonds inside the uterus. The crew on the plane orchestrated the death of the horse trainer to smuggle the diamonds inside the horse. Grissom says â€Å"uncut diamonds ? The horse is a â€Å"mule†. The horse trainer discovered the abnormalities in the horse and when he tried to help the horse, it stamped on him causing his demise. But, this was not the real story, the vet that was waiting for the horse at the airport knew about the diamonds. The killed the horse trainer because he was going to blow their cover and the diamonds could have been discovered. In the second scenario, a boy is found dead at the dead valley. It is a strange scenario to find a boy dressed in a suit who

Environmental Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Environmental Politics - Essay Example ltinational companies, carbon trading and offset organizations, and global cities that have entered this policy arena and have developed their own initiatives and approaches to addressing this [global warming] issue† (Schroeder 2009). Thus, the preventive measures against the phenomenon under consideration are being developing by global community. Global warming is a widely discussed topic. There are many scientific works, which discuss the phenomenon and its consequences. Some scientists recognize the fact of global warming, while a great part considers the issue to be a myth. The change of climate on the planet is evident, but the question is if it can be called â€Å"global warming†. Thus, the theory of global warning is rather controversial. According to the web research results, the phenomenon under consideration seems rather a myth than reality and the myths about it are created by press. Mass media creates false representation of global warming. In 1990s very few experts believed in this phenomenon. Cook argues: â€Å"scientific skepticism is healthy. In fact, science by its very nature is skeptical. Genuine skepticism means considering the full body of evidence before coming to a conclusion. However, when you take a close look at arguments expressing climate ‘skepticism’, what you often observe is cherry picking of pieces of evidence while rejecting any data that don’t fit the desired picture. This isn’t skepticism. It is ignoring facts and the science† (Cook). Many countries signed Kyoto protocol in addition to Framework Convention on Climate Change, but it did not mean that the points of it were fully accepted and followed. Framework Convention on Climate Change is the agreement signed by more than 180 countries of the world including all the countries of the former USSR and all the developed countries. The document is about the common principles of the countries’ activity on the issue of climate change. The Convention was accepted in 1992 and

Shadowing experience Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Shadowing experience - Assignment Example Developmental aspect includes the school curriculum, individual students and the society development. In most cases, they act as change agents in the schools. They provide feedback to the students on the progress of their children. Also, she acts as the consultation head by working with the teachers and the administrators to meet the students needs at all levels of education (Wicks 56). They help students in different areas including ensuring that the students are more productive adults of tomorrow. They help students to achieve their academic goals and also their career and social development. They enhance the students learning processes in academic, personal and social development. Students get desired competencies that provide all students with the skills, right attitudes and knowledge appropriate for the students development. Most of the developmental needs are developed alongside the school programs (Patterson 88). The counselor was able to handle people from different societies and background. The most interesting thing is that she was able to advise a student who was infected with HIV/AIDS. He was able to train and bring back the student to the right attitude. The students were positive about life. It was my first time to get an HIV/AIDS individual being able to appreciate their status. One of the impressive things is that the counselor was able to impact the students with the right attitude. All the students had a positive attitude towards mathematics and science subject unlike other schools in the same locality. Also, she spent most of her time with the students to impact them with the right morals. There was an interactive forum that ensured students aired out their issues. This acted as a basis of identifying the students challenges in school. The challenges identified enabled the parents and teachers to manage the school (Patterson 88). Most of the issues that I need to learn about includes different ways and techniques of changing the

Sustainable Agriculture Essay Example for Free

Sustainable Agriculture Essay As the main objectives of the fieldtrip are to view the integrated system farm, therefore we have to relate this fieldtrip with our subject, Sustainable Agriculture. Based on the definitions of the sustainable agriculture, it is defined as an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long term: a) Satisfy human food and fiber needs, b) Enhance environment quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends, c) Make the most efficient use of non-renewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, were appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls, d) Sustain the economic viability of farm operations, and e) Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole. Hence, there are several principles in sustainable agriculture must comprise of which are economic viability, environmental sound and socially. These principles we can found it in MARDI station Sg. Baging as we tour around in the station. Sustainable agriculture Principles’: 1) Economy viability Economically viable means that the farmers can produce enough for self sufficient income and gain sufficient returns. Economic viability is measured not only in terms of direct produce but also in terms of functions such as conserving resources and minimizing risks also. 2) Ecologically sound Ecologically sound means that quality of natural resources is maintained and the vitality of the entire agro-ecosystems from human beings, crops and animals to soil organisms is enhanced. This is best ensured when the soil is managed and the health of crops, animal and human is maintained through biological processes. 3) Socially Just Socially just means that the resources and power are distributed in such a way that the basic need of all members of society are met and their rights to land use, adequate capital, technical assistance are assured. All people should have opportunity to participate in the decision making. After understands what is mean by these principles, hence, we, as the students have to relate on which criteria that MARDI station Sg. Baging portrayed. Sustainable Agriculture at MARDI station Sg. Baging Some of the criteria that are showed by MARDI station Sg. Baging are: 1) Economic viable i) Varieties of Livestock Products| MARDI station Sg. Baging has successfully breed local sheep with Dorper sheep species from African that are high quality in meat. This species are great meat producers which can reach a live weight of 90-120 kg and ewes 50-80kg. It is suitable to sale in domestic market and international sale of prime lamb meat. Currently, MARDI sale it based on demand. Besides, its wool also can be commercialized as material for pillow. | ii) sheep dung as manure products| In addition, sheep dung from Dorper species also can be used as biologically manure for plants here and also can be commercialize. About 25 kg, these manures are sold at RM 5 while RM 7- RM8 for treated one. One of the staff on duty said that the sheep dung is collected in built drain near the sheep -pen and it will move to manure trap behind the sheep-pen. It does not have any uncomfortable smell as the staff insert in food pallets products named Genkimo that use a technology to make it less odor. | iii) Commercialize screwpine coconut product| Besides, there also plants Screwpine Coconut or also called as ‘Kelapa Pandan’. It is tasty, sweet, and has a thick layer of coconut flesh. It is suitable for coconut shake and coconut jelly to be commercialize. It is sold at RM 1. 50 for each coconut. | | | 2) Environmentally sound i) Uses of natural sources of water| For drinking water, watering the plants, the station used underground water sources by using a machine that is called tube well. It is function by using generator and also can be handled manually. It is not only used as sources of watering and drinking but also use for other necessity like washing the instrument, cleaning the sheep-pen and others. Even though, the station is near the sea, but it is not salty and can be used as drinking water for the animal without treated. | iii) Integrated pest management| The uniqueness of MARDI is they apply integrated pest management as one of the system in handling pests. It is a system that are friendly to environment where it is also count in Air Index in the respective area before treat the plants. Before treat, they will analysis what disease attacks the tree to avoid repetition of treatment. It is not only waste the pesticide but indirectly also pollute the air in local area if conduct frequently. Therefore, integrated pest management is about biologically control of the disease and attacks of pest and periodic treated of pests using pesticides. | iv) Biologically control of pest (natural)| For protecting the fruits from fruits flies, they wrap it with newspaper. It is a method| | |

Advertising Coca Cola And Mcdonalds In Russia

Advertising Coca Cola And Mcdonalds In Russia Coke has been in operation for a long time and throughout this period, from as early as 1886, it has been very prosperous in its operations and market share acquisition. It was discovered by a curious pharmacist who on one evening mixed some few chemicals and took the mixture down to a friends chemist where it was mixed with carbonated water and some few customers sampled it, and upon tasting the mixture, they were delighted with the new creation and there and then, they pontificated it as a superior and novel drink that had not been seen before (Associated Press 2). A closely similar story is what McDonalds has been. This paper describes these two companies with the view of analyzing the different aspects of their operation and discusses unique cultures that they have that make them eccentric in their respective niche markets. Five cents a glass is the price that was charged for the drink which was sold in a chemist. Pemberton, who was the founders friends book keeper named the drink coca cola which is how the drink is known ever since then. It was received relatively slower in the market when it was introduced as only glasses were sold by Pemberton. Through the period of 1888-1891, businessman Assa Griggs Candler acquired the rights to the drink for a total of $2,300 (Pendergrast 47) and this made him the first president for the company who is on record to have creatively and ingeniously developed and popularized the companys vision. Candler who is characterized as a naturally born salesman identified the large market of the thirsty market and oversaw his drink quenching their thirst. He transformed Coca-Cola from a mere drink to a fully grown company. By 1985 Candler had already established a syrup firm in Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles. The drink was first packed into bottles by Mississippi business man Joseph Beidenharn. He sent 12 Samples to Candler who embraced the idea with enthusiasm. This dream was not realized until 1899 when two lawyers, Thomas Benjamin and Whitehead Joseph acquired the full rights to bottle and sell the beverage for only one dollar per bottle (BBC News 2). The Coca-Cola Company exists to provided refreshment, joy and quenching of thirst to its customers. It functions under a company called Coca-Cola Hellenic in the Russian region. The company first ventured into Russia in 2001. Coca-Cola Hellenic is based in Moscow and has 14 bottling branches scattered all over the country. It has an employee capacity of 10,000 and indirectly supports 5-10 times its supply chain making it one of the largest non-alcoholic beverages companies in the region (Lundy 23). The companys notable increased operations are traced back to 2005 when the Coca-Cola Company and the Coca-Cola Hellenic acquired Multon on a 50/50 ratio. The company has gradually built a strong business in Russia owing it to its diverse international premium brand and its extensive sale and distribution chain and Russia is considered as a high potential market (Mikkelson David 15). Given the increasingly complexity of the market Coca-Cola Hellenic Russia operates in, it has to adjust its business approach to meet the demand in the market. The company implemented a new strategic plan in 2006 as a way of ensuring business services offered met the consumers expectations. Basically the company is building a powerful route-to-market system and a strong partnership with its consumers to ensure that their sales in the market place are what is needed by the consumers. Coca-Cola Hellenic deals with merchandising equipment to offer consumers their right products that they want (Munizi 36). Consumers have different tastes and preferences considering their society and location. The Coca-Cola Hellenic company is adjusting to this preference so that it can provide the appropriate marketing activities and beverages to suit and connect the consumers. The Coca-Colas think locally, act locally marketing strategy allows it to fit into the market and determine the local market demands and determine how to understand and satisfy the demands of their target consumers (Murden 53). Coca-Cola advertisements have revolutionized the world of advertisings. Most of their advertisements are rooted in the image of a red Santa clause. The company began using the figure of Santa Clause in the year 1930 making it the first soft drink company to use that figure in the history of advertisement (Michaelssssss, 1). Before the thought of using Santa Clause, Coca-Cola depended on the use of smartly dressed young ladies to sell their beverages. In the year 1941 the company developed its official trademark nick name coke, this was followed by a series of advertisement aimed at informing the consumer that coke was coca-cola. Coca-Colas advertisements are pervasive and their main goal is to ensure that everybody on planet earth drinks coke as their preferred beverage. Most of Coca-Colas memorable advertisements were written by former Atlanta radio presenter Don Naylor during his span as a producer at McCann Erickson Advertising Agency. Most of the ancient coke advertisements featured musicians, movie personalities and sports icons (Pendergrast 34). Cola wars happened in the 1980s when Coca-Cola and Pepsi were fighting for a larger market share. Coca-Cola ran a number of advertisements to try and combat Pepsi and ended up tarnishing the image of Pepsi. In one of Coca-Colas advertisement, Coca-Cola compared the challenge that was posed by Pepsi to two chimpanzees that were deciding on which tennis ball that they had was furrier (Mohamed, 2). The wars later ended and Coca-Cola took back its popularity. In 1992 the Coca-Cola Company bought Colombia pictures and started using movies to advertise their brands. This was archived through inserting images of its products in most of the movies they produced. Coca-Cola has had two slogans since its introduction in Russia which are: à Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ãƒâ€˜Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ ³Ãƒ Ã‚ ´Ãƒ Ã‚ °CocaCola (1993-2009, which means Always Coca-Cola) and Coca-Cola à Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ Ã‚ ´Ãƒ Ã‚ µÃƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à Ã‚ ² à Ã‚ ´Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ Ã‚ ¼! (2010, which means Coca-Cola is going to the house!). Coca-Cola mainly uses the above lines for its advertisement and preferred using the media rather than personal encounters. One such advertisement is The Holidays are Coming which is characterized by a train of red delivery trucks covered in the name coke and decorated with lights all round. As the train moves on a snowy terrain it lights up for people to see as they pass. The advertisement was produced in the U.S by Doner Advertising Agency and it was also used as the companys worldwide campaign for many years (Smith 32). Coca-Cola has also designed a new way to advertise through sports. It began the spirit of sponsoring the Olympics back in 1928 Olympics which were held in Amsterdam and has continued sponsoring sports ever since. The Olympics games command a very large crowd of people which is what coke needed. The concept behind sponsoring the Olympics was that Coca-Cola products would be on display to a very large crowd of people simultaneously which was a very good advertisement strategy for coke. Coca-Cola has also been associated with the Fifa world cup and has been one of Fifas biggest sponsors since 1978. It is also the main soft drink for many collegiate teams in Russia and elsewhere (Watson 56). Coca-Cola Hellenic can be termed as one of the most successful businesses to advertise in the video world or above the line advertisement. All of its advertisements have taken the market with a storm and have generated a very high response. At one point consumers asked for the advertisement labeled, The Holidays are Coming, to be re-ran during the approach of Christmas holidays. This proves that the company has been successful in relaying its concept to the mass public. Due to the success of Coca-Cola video advertisements many books have picked its case up to be used a case study in many educational institutions (Watson 100). McDonalds Restaurants Another company that has made a very significant success in the field of video advertising is McDonalds. It is a company that deals in hamburger and fast foods where it serves well over 58 million customers on a daily basis. Its restaurants and stores are operated be either a franchisee, a given affiliate or by the corporation itself (Naruto 76). McDonalds basically sells Cheeseburgers, hamburger, chicken products, French fries, breakfast items, soft drinks, shakes and dessert (Quidoo 65). Due to the rising cases of obesity in the western Nations and general criticism of lack of healthy meals, the company has been forced to edit its menu and squeeze in some healthier items such as salads, wraps, and fruits. McDonalds fast food came into existence in 1940 when two Brothers, Richard and Maurice McDonald decided to open a restaurant in San Bernardino, California. These brothers are also responsible in bringing into existence the idea of fast food joints used in day-to-day life through a system they introduced called Spedee fast service . McDonalds first applied for U.S trade mark on the name McDonalds on May 4th 1961 with the slogan Driver-in Restaurant Services. McDonalds filled for a logo trademark using the symbol of M which is overlapping. The logo was later changed on September 6th 1962 to a single arch shaped M. The first McDonald restaurants were opened in United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, Japan, The Netherlands, Germany, Australia, France, El-Salvador, and Sweden in the order of opening (Tuner 206). The company entered into the public stock exchange in 1955 where Ray Kroc purchased the McDonalds Equity and led the company to venture worldwide. The McDonalds argued about the control of the company with Kroc as is documented in the autobiography of Kroc and that of the McDonalds where it was thought to have been a good thing for the company and due to its level of prominence it has become a topic of many public debates. McDonalds restaurants are fou nd in 119 countries and operate 31,000 restaurants in these countries. McDonalds also runs other joints such as pile cafà © Most McDonalds offer both on counter services or drive through services with indoor and at times outdoor serving. In order to inhabit the new trends of quality coffee the McDonalds was compelled to start McCafe as an accompaniment to McDrive. The company earns money through investments in properties, franchise of restaurants and managing restaurants. Around 15% of McDonalds managed by the McDonalds Corporation are owned directly by the McDonalds Corporation (Berger 121). As a renowned fast food corporation McDonalds is frequently under criticism for its menu, its expansion and its business practices. In a form of counter attack McDonalds has sought to add healthier foods to its menu and has even designed a new slogan to its recruitment posters which is Not for a Bad McJob. In 2007 the company launched an advertisement campaign with the slogan Would You Like a Career With That on Irish television outlining that their business had many prospects (Caro 1). McDonalds advertises in many ways apart from only video advertisements. They first begin with handling the companys publicity. This is accomplished through several ways one of which is captured in this quote: In April 2008 the Corporation announced that 11 of their Sheffield were operating under biomass under trial and this had cut its waste and carbon emission footprints by half in the area. In this trial waste from the restaurants was collected by Veolia environmental services and was recycled in a plant to produce energy for the restaurants (Grimes 122 123). In Europe McDonalds has been recycling vegetable waste into diesel that is used to fuel trucks. The United States has also commended McDonalds for its continuous efforts towards reducing solid waste by coming up with more efficient packaging products and promotion of recycled products. All these efforts are driven towards promoting a solid and creditable publicity. The theory here is that if the company does give back to the community then the community will recognize its efforts and the community will be more acquainted with the company hence increasing its market prominence percentagewise (Watson 210). McDonalds has for its lifespan had a very antic and extensive way of advertisement campaign. Majorly the company advertises through media that is T.V, Radio and e- advertising but aside from that the corporation also makes use of billboards and signage. Sponsoring sports events ranging from little leagues to the Olympics is also a way that the corporation is designing for its advertisement benefits just like its fellow company Coca-Cola. The company also advertises through making of products that bear the companys logo to operate in various events. Nevertheless television still remains their major mode of advertisement for McDonalds (Orozco Quintanilla 87). Children represent a great part of television viewers and are also a great deal of audience. Advertisers do not only know that children are easily swayed by advertisements but they also know that children have the ability to pursued grown-ups to purchase stuff of their (childrens) preference. If a child spots something and wants it he becomes disturbingly persistent and annoying to the parent and in most cases, obliges his/her parent into buying what he/she (the child) wants. This is one fact that McDonalds knows and has delved fully into its exploitation for its business growth. At one specific point McDonalds advised employees to specifically focus on kids in an advertisement labeled; Kids Are Stars. The employees were advised to pay extra attention to children eating at the restaurant in order to make sure that they had a positive view of the restaurant as they ate. This campaign was one of the most successful advertisement strategy McDonalds had ever come up with but was stopped due to criticism that it was immoral to use children as advertisement props (Orozco Quintanilla 90). Summary of the Analysis of the two Companies The overview that has just been made shows how these two great companies have utilized a great deal of advertisement in order to increase their respective audience market. These companies have some few similar methods of advertising. For instance the Coca-Cola advertisement comprising of a train was mainly targeted at affecting the child audience as is similar with McDonalds advertisement dubbed Kids Are Stars signifying that the two companies have identified that children are a viable target audience (Whyte Lauridsen 45). These companies also focus on giving back to the community in order to increase their publicity through elaborate and effective Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. Still both of these companies extend their advertisement strategy to the play ground by acting as key sponsors of major and notable sports events like the Olympics (Murden 56). This notwithstanding, Coca-Cola and McDonalds do differ in their advertisement strategies in some ways. One way is that McDonalds only ventures into sponsorship of small sports events whereas Coca-Cola Majorly deals with promotion of sports of a higher caliber. McDonalds also produces adverts that are used by all the companys branches as compared to Coca-Cola that prefers that each region produces its own advertisement style according to the nature of the area it is located in. These two companies can be used to signify the power that advertisement holds.

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Advantages and Limitations of the Conventional Brick Manufacturing Methods:- The brick making process starts with the preparation of the clay with which the bricks will be made. This clay is then molded into the specified dimensions. There are two types of molding-Slop Molding & Sand Molding. Once dried, these molded bricks are transferred to a fire kiln where the bricks are subjected to a very high temperature to harden them. Now-a-days new manufacturing methods are replacing the conventional ones and some are still in practice. It’s because the conventional methods have some advantages as well as some disadvantages in some or other step. Based upon their disadvantages and advantages either they are being replaced by new methods or are still in practice. The advantages and disadvantages of these steps could be as follows:- Preparation of the Clay:- The right type of clay is extracted from the ground. This clay contains hard lumps in it. To get smooth, soft and moist mixture which contains no hard lump, the clay is treated. The treatment is done in two steps:-Tempering and mixing. In Tempering, water is added in exact proportions based on the clay quality in the tempering process and left for around 1 to 5 days which softens and lumps. Conventionally clay pits are flooded with water for tempering purpose (excess water added). It could seem better way for the digging becomes easier but in terms of the strength of the final brick, with which we can’t play much, it’s a big disadvantageous approach. Instead we should dig the soil first and then mix adequate amount of water to it. This step is followed by Mixing to break big lumps and to homogenize the softened clay mixture. The mixing could be done mechanically, by the use of some ani... ... Types of Conventional Bricks The Building bricks are classified based upon their strength which is directly affected by the baking temperature. So the less baked brick is of poor quality and vice versa. These are termed as A/B grade bricks in Indian countryside. Now-a-days the A grade bricks cost is around INR 3500 per 1000 bricks and around INR 2500 for B grade bricks. There are other types of bricks also like Facing Bricks, Glazed Bricks etc. The price of these bricks is highly varying based upon the properties you want to have like texture, color, heat resistance etc. References:- 1. http://www.gate-international.org/documents/publications/webdocs/pdfs/bas-tb11e.pdf 2. http://forest.mtu.edu/pcforestry/resources/studentprojects/bricks/process.htm 3. ‘Village Level Brick-Making’ by Anne Beamish & Will Donovan. 4. http://www.brickability.co.uk/products/bricks.htm

Essay example --

A libertarian would most likely be against this mandate on the grounds that a person should rightfully be compensated if they are to donate an organ and that should not be controlled by the government. A social democrat would most likely be in favor of such a mandate on the grounds that the government would not have to compensate organ donors thus essentially saving money for other practical healthcare matters. The organic view would be in favor of such a mandate on the grounds that the act of donating organs should be of voluntary nature anyways because such selfless acts would help promote the wellness of the community. I would expect a libertarian to be against such a mandate on the grounds that every person should be able to make their own personal choice as to whether they decide to wear a helmet or not. A social democrat would probably be in favor of such a mandate because it overall supports the safety of human life. The organic view towards this mandate would most likely be a favorable one because as more people use their helmets there is a higher likelihood of less casualties or serious injuries thus reducing potential healthcare costs. I would expect a libertarian to be against such a mandate on the grounds that every one person should be able to decide if their children should use safety seats and not it be forced upon them from the government. A social democrat would most likely take the stand in favor of the mandate as it promotes the safety of children’s lives. The organic view would most likely be in favor of the mandate on the grounds that these safety procedures would reduce possible healthcare costs and ultimately lead to fewer fatalities on the road. Libertarians would probably be against the prohibiting o... ... the 10 percent. At 0 percent interest rate, this project would reach a surplus revenue of 1 billion and at 5 percent it would reach a surplus revenue of 316.5 million. This is a vast discrepancy in such a small difference in interest rates. Now, if the interest rate were to be as high as 10 percent then there would be a deficit of 156.6 million. So the politician is incorrect in his statement and the interest is a huge factor in whether the government should consider funding for this project. These types of spending are most likely to occur in the federal budgeting process than individually because they are easier to hide if done so. If we are to expose the â€Å"pork† then we are more likely to see its minimal national benefit and also more likely to shoot it down. Therefore, such exposure may upset special interest groups or lobbyist who may be in favor of the â€Å"pork†.

Transformation of Islam: Islam in the societies of Central Asia Essays

Arab conquest led to the spread of the Arabic culture within Central Asia, including the spread of the Arabic language as the state and literary language. However, from 700s the authority of Arab governors and military leaders declined, and the flowering of the literature in non-Arabic languages began under the rule of the Samanids and the Karakhanids. Non-Arab peoples adjusted the Islamic religion to their way of life. Therefore, this decline in the prestige of the Arabs in politics did not symbolize a failure of Islam, but represented a transformation of Islam in Central Asia. This paper will evaluate how the gradual changes in the social status of Arabs and non-Arabs from the 600s to the 700s affected development of Islam. In order to characterize the transformation of Islam, this essay will first look at the biographical notes of Ibn Sina. Then, Ferdowsi’s â€Å"Shahname† will be discussed. Last, Islam during the period of Turkic rules will be analyzed. As a result of the Islamization process, the Arabic language became an important element of the spiritual, political and social life of the conquered nations (Soucek, page 69). Islamization was accompanied by a transformation of the Arabic language and literature to popular and prestigious means of communication. Due to the fact that the Koran was written in Arabic and translation of holy texts was forbidden (Soucek, page 71), in order to understand Islam conquered tribes had to learn Arabic. Thus, they eventually became carriers of Arabic language and culture. Proficiency in Arabic was an important condition for well being, especially as guarantee of political success (lecture 2, week 4) and prosperity. Moreover, Arabic also became language through which scholars studied and wro... ...is not restricted only in Arabic. In general, to be Muslim in 600s was not the same as in 700s. If at 600s propagating Islam meant being ethnic Arab, and if not, strictly obeying shariah, comparatively, since 700s new elements in Islam began to emerge. Core concepts of Islam combined with ancestor’s cult, belief in omens, and belief in fire power formed new liberal Islam in Central Asia. This transformation is evident in ibn Sina’s works, which promoted Islam as a religion hospitable to science, in Ferdowsi’s â€Å"Shahname†, which offered an example of new form of Islam containing local elements, and in the Turks’ conversion to Islam. Overall, it can be assumed that main principles of Islam remain the same; however, people adjust religion to their lifestyle by introducing local features, and, apparently, these transformations positively affect actuality of Islam.

Human as a Complex Unit of Life Essay

The human body is a complex system of cells, most of which are grouped into organ systems that have specialized functions. These systems can best be understood in terms of the essential functions they serve: deriving energy from food, protection against injury, internal coordination, and reproduction. The continual need for energy engages the senses and skeletal muscles in obtaining food, the digestive system in breaking food down into usable compounds and in disposing of undigested food materials, the lungs in providing oxygen for combustion of food and discharging the carbon dioxide produced, the urinary system for disposing of other dissolved waste products of cell activity, the skin and lungs for getting rid of excess heat (into which most of the energy in food eventually degrades), and the circulatory system for moving all these substances to or from cells where they are needed or produced. Like all organisms, humans have the means of protecting themselves. Self-protection involves using the senses in detecting danger, the hormone system in stimulating the heart and gaining access to emergency energy supplies, and the muscles in escape or defense. The skin provides a shield against harmful substances and organisms, such as bacteria and parasites. The immune system provides protection against the substances that do gain entrance into the body and against cancerous cells that develop spontaneously in the body. The nervous system plays an especially important role in survival; it makes possible the kind of learning humans need to cope with changes in their environment. The internal control required for managing and coordinating these complex systems is carried out by the brain and nervous system in conjunction with the hormone-excreting glands. The electrical and chemical signals carried by nerves and hormones integrate the body as a whole. The many cross-influences between the hormones and nerves give rise to a system of coordinated cycles in almost all body functions. Nerves can excite some glands to excrete hormones, some hormones affect brain cells, the brain itself releases hormones that affect human behavior, and hormones are involved in transmitting signals between nerve cells. Certain drugs—legal and illegal—can affect the human body and brain by mimicking or blocking the hormones and neurotransmitters produced by the hormonal and nervous systems. Reproduction ensures continuation of the species. The sexual urge is biologically driven, but how that drive is manifested among humans is determined by psychological and cultural factors. Sense organs and hormones are involved, as well as the internal and external sex organs themselves. The fact that sexual reproduction produces a greater genetic variation by mixing the genes of the parents plays a key role in evolution.

Analysis of Fransisco Goyas “The Third of May”

Francisco Soy's The Third of May 1808 is a responsive painting that was intended to honor those who suffered from the occupation of Napoleons army during the Peninsula War in Spain. This large in x in oil on canvas painting is used to represent the art of Soya, and depict the valor of Spanish revolutionary war. The influences on this piece, as well as its characteristics and influence on later work will be examined. The painting reflects the turmoil during the time period, and contains many aesthetic and emotional qualities that make it relevant in art history; the minting is one of the finest displays of Soy's abilities.Soya who lived from (1746 – 1828) was regarded as one of the most (if not the important Romantic artist. He underwent a major transition in his life that reflected on his work. During his early career he was much more optimistic toward humanity. This optimism is evident in his early artwork that consisted of bright pastel colors (1). In his later work (includi ng the time when The Third of May was being painted) his subject matter became much darker and dejected. This dark subject matter reflectedSoy's physical and mental ailments, his disappointment in the French brutality against the Spanish, and his â€Å"diminished hope for human progress† (3). The story behind The Third of May is one of brutality and malice. After Napoleon invaded Spain, he set his brother in place of the Spanish Monarch. The Spanish people believed the royal family was going to be murdered. In response to these rumors, on May 2, 1808 a rebellion against the French army took place. The French retaliated by rounding up civilians the next day and opening fire (4).After the Spanish regained control in 1814, Soya was motivated to ask the provisional government of Spain to commission The Third of May. He requested to, â€Å"perpetuate by meaner of his brush the most notable and heroic actions of our glorious insurrection against the Tyrant of Europe† (5). Th e painting is in the romantic style. Key characteristics that define this piece as romantic are, â€Å"The sensational current event, loose brushwork, the poses based on reality, the off balance composition, and the dramatic lighting† (6).The fact that it is a raging scene is also characteristic of a painting in the romantic style. Other influences can be noticed in the painting as well. His work is reminiscent of Diego Velasquez because of the rough brush strokes that seem to humanism and revivalist the still figures of the painting (7). There are many characteristics that contribute to the significance of this painting. The placement of the characters is an important feature to notice. The French soldiers are giving the viewer their backs as they fire away in a uniform line.This uniformity portrays the soldiers as intimidating and an organized rower that are in control of the scenario. In contrast the civilians are an unrecognized crown backed up against a hill. This provid es the viewer with a sense of their defenseless and hopeless entrapment. The scale is a grand; prior to romanticism such grandiosity was reserved for religious subject matter. The large scale gave meaning to the murdered Just as religious figures were given importance in previous years. The choice of color and lighting perfectly highlights the heroic, while darkness falls on the wicked.For example the man at the center is in the brightest clothes of allow and white. You can clearly see him as his hands are raised as he faces his death courageously. The emotion of all the civilians is clearly illuminated as death is starring the viewer in the face. The bloodied men on the ground and those who cover their eyes or look away are what personify terror and death. This work so greatly personified martyrdom it influence the work of later artists. Some of the works he influenced were, â€Å"a series by ?dotard Meant, and Pablo Picasso Massacre in Korea and Queering† (8).The later work s that were influenced y him contained a theme of heroism in martyrs, a placement of good facing evil, and numerous other elements. The painting is of great historic significance as well as aesthetic importance. The painting is not merely a historical record but a moment in time in which the viewer can truly feel like they are a part of. Features that make this feeling possible are Soy's placement of the characters, the high contrast between light and dark (or good and evil), and the uncensored death and terror staring at the viewer. This completely defines a hopeless situation.

Storm Born Chapter Nine

â€Å"What's the point of a bedroom? I mean, you guys seem to be more into public sex anyway.† Dorian gestured me around a corner to his suite or wing or whatever. â€Å"What we do is natural. We don't hide it. Besides, it's actually quite titillating to know others are watching. Haven't you ever done it?† â€Å"Sorry. I'm not an exhibitionist.† And yet, as soon as I said the words, I thought about Kiyo. We'd been all over each other at the bar, and then we'd had sex out on the balcony. We hadn't drawn that much attention, but we could have. Just thinking about it made me shudder – in a good way. We passed through another set of double doors with two guards standing outside. They had weapons, but I knew their magic posed the true threat. Once Dorian had closed the doors behind us, I turned and took in the room. â€Å"My God. Why would you have sex in the dining room when you could do it in here?† â€Å"I do do it in here. I do it in there. Honestly, it doesn't matter. I like variety.† The room spread out for what seemed like miles, the far wall composed almost entirely of windows. It probably had a stellar view in the daytime. Everything from the paint to the enormous satin-covered bed was painted in shades of gold and wine. The torches on the wall added a charming, almost kinky touch. To one side I saw a room that must have served as a bathroom, judging from the giant marble tub. Opposite that, a parlor of sorts extended off on the other side of the room. He beckoned me there to an ornate chair with velvet cushions. â€Å"Wine?† he asked, picking up a crystal decanter from a little table. â€Å"You know the answer to that.† â€Å"I'm sure a small taste won't hurt.† â€Å"Yeah, and Persephone thought a few pomegranate seeds wouldn't hurt either. Now she rules the Underworld.† He poured himself a glass and sat down in a chair facing mine at an angle. â€Å"Would it be so bad to rule here?† â€Å"I'm going to ignore that question. Now look, I need to talk to you about a guy named Aeson. He kidnapped a human girl – â€Å" Dorian waved a hand to stop me. â€Å"No business yet.† â€Å"But I need to get her back soon – â€Å" â€Å"And I will help you, I swear it. Now. One more hour won't matter. Sit with me, and I'll tell you a story.† â€Å"A story? You're serious?† â€Å"My dear Odile, I assure you I am always serious – well, no, actually that's a lie. Most of the time I'm not. But this time I happen to be. So make yourself comfortable.† I sighed, slouched back in the chair, and took out the other Milky Way. Seeing his eyes on it, I broke it in half and handed him a piece. Nodding his thanks, he ate it with the wine, something that looked ridiculous and nearly made me smile. â€Å"Now. Tell me something. Have you ever heard the story of Storm King?† â€Å"No. Is or was he a real guy?† â€Å"Very real.† â€Å"So what, is there, like, a Storm Land or something?† â€Å"Not exactly. He did rule a vast area, but the title was more honorary due to his ability to control storms and the weather.† â€Å"Sounds reasonable.† He quirked me a half-smile. â€Å"I'm guessing you don't realize just how important that is.† â€Å"Not really. I mean, all of you have some kind of magic, right? Why not storms?† â€Å"Ah, but to control storms and the weather is to literally control the elements. Water. Air. The fire of lightning. To see him in his fury was a terrible and amazing thing. He could call down the very heavens to smite his enemies. Few of us have such strength. I've never seen his equal, and I've lived almost two centuries. Even when crossing into your world, his powers didn't dim.† â€Å"What do your own powers do?† That was probably something I should have known before being alone with him. â€Å"I can summon and control materials that come from within the earth. Dirt. Rocks. Magma on occasion.† â€Å"The magma sounds cool, but the rest†¦well, sorry. Not so impressive.† Those golden eyes sparkled. â€Å"I could call down the stones that have built this keep and reduce the entire building to a pile of rubble within minutes.† I glanced around us. â€Å"Yeah. Okay. That's impressive.† â€Å"Thank you. Anyway. With power like that, he inevitably drew followers. In those days, we were more fractured†¦split into smaller kingdoms. Our political and geographic divisions are always changing. Storm King sought to remedy this. He conquered and united a number of the smaller rulers, attempting to unite all of the shining ones under his rule. He made astounding progress.† â€Å"Was he a good king?† I was getting sucked in despite my best resistance. â€Å"Depends on how you define ‘good.' He was a good war leader, certainly. And he was ruthless – which is an ugly but sometimes necessary part of ruling. But, with such power, he had no qualms about taking what he wanted – no matter the inconvenience to others. Those who angered him died without question. If he wanted land, he took it. If he wanted a woman, he took her. Some of those women thought it was an honor, some were taken forcibly.† Dorian paused, giving me a look both studious and sympathetic. â€Å"Some were human.† I stiffened. â€Å"Like Aeson.† â€Å"Unfortunately, yes.† â€Å"‘Unfortunately'? You're one of them. You must have a thing for humans.† â€Å"Of course I do. We all do – men and women alike. You all smell like musk and sex. It screams fertility. It calls to our most basic, primal instincts to reproduce. For a people whose children are dwindling, that means something. So, yes, I understand men like Storm King and Aeson, but† – he shrugged – â€Å"I've never been with a woman who didn't want me, never taken one by force. Not even a human.† â€Å"You seem to be in the minority.† â€Å"No, as I told you earlier, it's only a small number of us who infringe on humans. You have your own rapists. They too are only a small number.† I shifted and leaned my head against the chair's back. â€Å"Fair enough. Get on with the story.† He paused a moment, looking surprised, like he couldn't believe I'd conceded a point to him. I could hardly believe it myself. â€Å"Very well. Storm King's ambitions extended beyond conquering this world. He wanted to conquer yours as well.† â€Å"That's impossible.† â€Å"Not so. The desire to return to our homeland burns in all of us; it would push many to extreme actions. He drew a lot of support, armies willing to cross over for this dream. He had the power to make it happen. He planned a massive Samhain invasion, consisting of shining ones and spirits alike.† â€Å"What happened? Obviously it didn't work.† Dorian had propped up his elbow again, resting his hand in his chin as he had on his throne. That gorgeous hair hung off to one side, a stream of molten copper. â€Å"I'll tell you in a moment. First I'd like your opinion on all of this. What do you think about this plan of his in light of your earlier noble words about conquerors and how the conquered must simply accept their fate? If our forces took yours in fair warfare, would you accept that so easily?† â€Å"I hate hypothetical questions.† He simply smiled. â€Å"Okay, then. ‘Accept' is a funny thing. I mean, I guess if our armies and infrastructure were destroyed, I'd have to accept that on a certain level. Would I like it? Would I just let it go? Probably not. I'd probably always keep fighting. Looking for some way to change things.† â€Å"Then perhaps you understand our attitudes toward you and the world you live in.† â€Å"Yeah, but†¦why not let it go? You have a perfectly nice world here.† â€Å"You're contradicting yourself.† â€Å"Well, in the scenario you described, we don't have a new world. We're subjugated in your new one.† â€Å"Would it make a difference?† I stared off at one of the flickering torches. â€Å"No. Probably not. I don't know.† He was making me empathize with the gentry, and I didn't like it. I turned back to him. â€Å"What happened, then? Is this Storm King someone I should go hunt down?† â€Å"No, alas. He's already dead.† Dorian watched me for a moment, weighing me for some purpose I couldn't understand. â€Å"Roland Markham killed him.† I straightened up. â€Å"What?† â€Å"You didn't know that.† â€Å"No. Of course not. I've never even heard of this Storm King guy until tonight.† This answer turned Dorian pensive, momentarily halting his normal jocosity. â€Å"That rather astonishes me. Storm King must have been the greatest conquest of Roland Markham's career. How can you not know? Isn't he your father?† â€Å"My stepfather. But he trained me.† I turned the information over in my mind. â€Å"I don't know why he never told me. When did it happen?† â€Å"Oh, about†¦thirteen years ago. Maybe fourteen.† That was around the time Roland had started training me. Coincidence? Had the threat of Otherworldly invasion frightened him into defying my mother's wishes? When I didn't say anything, Dorian continued: â€Å"Not surprisingly, Roland Markham has his own reputation around here. But some say with your kills, you have surpassed him.† â€Å"I wish you guys wouldn't paint me like some bloodthirsty avenger.† â€Å"Prejudice works both ways.† â€Å"Yeah, but come on. Half the time, I just send them back here.† â€Å"You kill enough to scare most of the people out in the main hall.† â€Å"But that's not why you're telling me this story.† â€Å"True enough.† He poured another glass of wine. â€Å"You are brave, Eugenie Markham. You are brave and strong and beautiful. But your perspective and view of the world – worlds – are flawed. You don't understand us. We don't behave as we do out of an evil nature. We have reasons for our actions.† â€Å"Just as I do for mine. I don't kill because I enjoy it.† â€Å"Well, I wonder about that, but yes, I get your point. You do what you do out of loyalty to your own kind. You want to protect them and see that they have the best lives they can.† â€Å"This is where you say you're doing exactly the same thing.† He laughed out loud, the sound rich and melodious. â€Å"Why, Eugenie, did we just have a moment of rapport?† â€Å"You've stopped calling me Odile,† I noted, deflecting the question. â€Å"We aren't in public. It doesn't matter.† â€Å"Whatever. So†¦when Storm King was gathering his armies and followers†¦were you one of them?† Dorian's levity faded. â€Å"Yes. I was. One of his biggest supporters, actually.† â€Å"Would you do it again? If you got the chance?† â€Å"In a heartbeat. I would give anything to see his vision realized. Since his death, prophecies and omens have abounded, whispering of other opportunities that might come in the future. I pay attention to them all.† I didn't respond. â€Å"What are you thinking about?† â€Å"I'm trying to decide if I should break my hospitality vow and kill you.† His good humor returned. â€Å"Do you know how glad I am that you stopped by tonight? I haven't had this much fun in years. But you won't kill me. Not tonight, at least, and not even because of the promise.† I looked up at him again, a smile suddenly playing on my own lips. â€Å"Oh? And why are you so sure of that?† â€Å"Because I told you exactly how I feel. If I'd lied and said I had no interest in the human world or following Storm King's vision, you wouldn't have believed me. In telling you the truth, I shall live another night. You may not like me, but I think honesty might have bought me your respect.† â€Å"It might have.† Again, I lapsed into silence. Dorian seemed incapable of handling that. â€Å"Now what are you thinking?† â€Å"That you almost seem human.† He leaned toward me, a bit closer than I felt comfortable with. â€Å"Should I be flattered or insulted?† I gave a small, rueful laugh. â€Å"I don't know.† â€Å"You have a lovely smile.† â€Å"Hey, don't start with that. I don't care how honest you are or how musky I smell.† He leaned back in his chair. â€Å"As you say.† I still couldn't get over the idea of a massive invasion. â€Å"So, is your attitude toward Storm King pretty common? Do others feel the same way?† â€Å"Some do, some don't. Maiwenn, queen of the Willow Land, believes he was evil incarnate. She wouldn't join up with him and thought his plan would lead us to ruin. Others gave up after Storm King's defeat. If he couldn't do it, no one could. But others†¦well, many others still carry the dream. Including your King Aeson.† I sighed. â€Å"At last we get down to business.† â€Å"If we must. So. I gather you want to remove this girl from him.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"And how are you doing this? With your servants and that human?† â€Å"Yes.† Now Dorian didn't say anything. â€Å"Hey, I know it's crazy, but I don't have any choice.† â€Å"Which is why you come to me.† I nodded, and at long last, I saw the wisdom of Volusian's plan. If Dorian really could destroy this castle, he'd be a pretty good asset on a rescue mission. â€Å"Despite my compelling story about protecting my own kind, you actually think I would go against Aeson.† â€Å"Volusian – my servant – told me you two don't get along.† â€Å"He's right. Aeson is one of our strongest leaders, but I don't like the way he rules or deals with his so-called allies. Yet, that doesn't mean I can walk over there with you and openly oppose him.† â€Å"But you said earlier – â€Å" â€Å"That I would help. I still will. I'm just not going to do so in person.† Whatever kindly feelings I'd been building toward him disappeared. My voice turned icy. â€Å"Okay, so what are you going to do?† â€Å"I have a servant here who used to be one of Aeson's men. I'll send him with you as a guide.† â€Å"What good is that? My spirits already know the way.† â€Å"They don't know the back ways. My servant knows the place intimately. He is far more likely to get you in unseen. I don't know much about human tactics, but I imagine even in your world, subtle and stealthy is safer than marching in openly. Especially when you're outnumbered.† I slouched back in the chair. â€Å"I suppose.† â€Å"Now you're pouting,† he teased. â€Å"No, I'm not.† â€Å"I don't mind. It's charming.† â€Å"No, it's not.† He touched my chin to turn my face toward his. â€Å"It is. But it's still unwarranted. Would you have helped me even a little if I'd come to you in a similar way?† â€Å"No.† I didn't even try to make a pretense otherwise. He withdrew his hand, still smiling. â€Å"We are all honest tonight. Well, then. I suppose I should introduce you to Gawyn.† â€Å"Wait,† I said. I stood up uncertainly. All of this honesty talk had put me in mind of Kiyo. So had the sex talk. Okay, everything made me think about Kiyo lately. â€Å"You have another question?† I studied Dorian carefully. He was one of the gentry, but something about this brief encounter made him†¦well, if not exactly trustworthy, then less untrustworthy. And really, he was the closest thing I might have to a true gentry resource. â€Å"Yes. I do.† I took off my jacket and then turned around, facing away from him. I wore no backless tank top today and had to completely pull off the long-sleeved shirt I had on. After a moment's consideration, I took off my bra too. â€Å"Oh,† said Dorian. â€Å"I think I'm going to like this question.† I wrapped my arms around my breasts, still keeping my back to him. â€Å"Do you see the scratches?† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"Do you know what they are? I think something Otherworldly made them.† I heard him stand up and approach me. Moments later, his fingertips lightly grazed the marks, following their tracks. His touch was slow and considering, one that truly sought to feel me. It shouldn't have been erotic – for a lot of reasons – but it was anyway. His fingers trailed all the way down the scratches and then back up. â€Å"I can't tell you what made them,† he said at last, â€Å"but I can tell you they were magically inflicted. If I had to guess†¦I'd say you've been marked.† â€Å"Marked how?† â€Å"I think whoever – or whatever – made these did so to track you. As long as these are on you, the maker can find you.† I shivered, and it had nothing to do with being topless or the fact that his fingers were still on me. â€Å"Can you get rid of them?† â€Å"No. They might eventually go away on their own, but I can't tell you when. Who made them?† I hesitated. â€Å"A man.† Dorian spread his fingers out so that his palms were facedown on my back. â€Å"I'd be hard-pressed to scratch you like that standing here. I'd need to have my arms around you.† I didn't answer. I could feel his soft laughter against my skin, and somehow, he now stood closer. â€Å"Why, Eugenie Markham, slayer of gentry, what have you done?† â€Å"I don't know.† He ran his hands down my back until they rested on my hips. â€Å"And that's killing you, isn't it? That you might have let something you despise touch you like that. Did you enjoy it?† â€Å"None of your business. And you're standing too close.† I turned around, still wrapping my arms around me as I stepped away. â€Å"The inspection's over.† â€Å"If you wish. I'm not sure you really want it to be over.† â€Å"I don't do†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stopped. â€Å"Gentry?† He stepped forward again, resting his hands on my arms, holding more tightly than he needed to – not that he needed to be touching me at all anymore. I should have decked him, but I didn't. He had considerable height on me but had to lean down to close the distance between our faces. He smelled like cinnamon. â€Å"You know, in spite of your deadly reputation, any man in this keep would bring you the world to be your lover. Come to my bed tonight, and I'll take you to Aeson myself. I'll fight by your side.† I stared up at him, half tempted. I needed the help. And he wasn't too hard on the eyes. But I couldn't do it, no matter how reasonable he'd seemed tonight. I had gone to Kiyo unwittingly. I couldn't have sex with another of the gentry, knowing exactly what he was. That instinct wouldn't budge. â€Å"No. You have plenty of women out there,† I said lightly. â€Å"You don't need me.† â€Å"None of them will conceive like you. Your body promises many children.† â€Å"Not likely. I'm on the pill.† â€Å"The what?† I explained it to him, and while he didn't back away from me, his eyes looked like he wanted to. He sighed. â€Å"I don't understand humans. You're gifted with fecundity, yet you stifle it.† â€Å"The world's overpopulated. And I'm not ready for a baby.† â€Å"I don't understand humans,† he repeated. â€Å"And here I thought we'd made such progress. I guess you can let go of me now.† â€Å"My offer still stands.† I felt my eyebrows rise. â€Å"Even with no chance of pregnancy?† â€Å"Don't discount your many charms. I'd still sleep with you for other reasons.† â€Å"Like what? I mean, aside from the fact you'd probably sleep with anything female.† He looked down at me and then back up to my face, giving me the feeling I wasn't covering my breasts very well. â€Å"I won't bother with the obvious things,† he said. â€Å"Honestly the main reason†¦well, in one night, I think I might have convinced you that not all gentry are monsters. Might. You still have a long way to go. But you've already been intimate with one – or something else from this world – and you can't stop thinking about it. And not because you hated it. You'll mix that with what you've seen tonight, and then you really won't know what to think. â€Å"I want to make love to you while that indecision still torments you, while you're still not sure if I'm a god or a monster or simply a human like you. I want to be with you in that ultimate moment of vulnerability, when your desire wars with your instincts and every touch of my body triggers both fear and pleasure in you.† â€Å"Fear? Are you threatening to rape me like every other gentry lately?† â€Å"No. I told you, I don't take women by force. But it doesn't matter. You'll come to me by choice.† â€Å"Not likely.† â€Å"Oh, very likely. Your own nature is conflicted, Eugenie. You're attracted to things you know you shouldn't be, even if you don't realize it consciously. You like playing with danger – it arouses you. That's why you fight the creatures of this world so aggressively. That's why you've come for this girl – despite how foolhardy you know it is. And that's why you'll return to me. You won't be able to help yourself. You want to walk that line, put yourself at risk, see how far you can let yourself go. You protect yourself so fiercely from the things you fear that the thought of letting down your defenses and submitting excites you. Now, you won't let someone you hate – like Rurik – touch you, but me? You don't hate me. Not quite. I'm the perfect mix. The perfect way – the safe way – to give in to what you want.† â€Å"You're crazy.† I broke away, pushing with my hands, not caring if he saw my chest or not. â€Å"And you get off on some pretty crazy shit.† â€Å"No crazier than your own desires.† â€Å"You're wrong. Besides, if I were going to fuck one of you, it wouldn't be one who harbors plans to take over my world.† He shrugged, watching me put my clothes back on. â€Å"If you say so. Do you still want my earlier offer of help?† I hesitated. His little sexual tirade had unnerved me – only I couldn't exactly articulate why. I still needed his help, regardless of my mixed feelings about him. That was becoming increasingly clear. â€Å"Yeah, I'll still take your servant.† â€Å"Then let's introduce you.†