Reflective Statement Essay Example

Reflective Statement Paper My learning style has changed from the time I embarked on this course. I have found out my strengths and weaknesses in as far as learning is concerned. At first my understanding of marketing was limited and I thought marketing was just about buying and selling only. However, I now understand that Marketing involves other activities such as organisation, distribution, product promotion, pricing and advertising. Working as a group in class activities when doing case studies and lectures has greatly enhanced my knowledge of marketing as well as improving my learning skills. What I have learned about myself is that when working as a group I make contributions to group discussions and I tend to remember issues discussed for a long time. However, the only downside about group work is that some members spend more time discussing irrelevant issues and I consider this as disruptive behaviour. . My perception about marketing has drastically changed due to the fact that I have spent more time researching on the internet, textbooks, journals and newspapers and this has exposed me to a wide variety of information that I consider important for the purpose of my study. My own perception about brands is that some people associate brands with designer products or expensive good and branding can be segmented to suit the individual or group of people. Brand names are not restricted to product and goods, but may also include services and names of successful celebrities such as David Beckham. However, I also now know that consumers are cautious about where they want to buy the products and goods they need particularly where the supplying organisation or company is reputable. Reputable companies are normally always associated with quality products. Some customers will not buy inexpensive goods or products, because they associate price with quality. However, knowing such customers’ behaviour will tremendously inform the company’s decision on pricing. Media plays an important role in all Marketing activities and any company or organisation that aspires to be successful needs a Public Relations department that should be capable of articulating the image of the organisation and its employees. It is the role of the Public Relations department of any company to identify and give advice on the best type of media to use when marketing the company’s products. We will write a custom essay sample on Reflective Statement specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Reflective Statement specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Reflective Statement specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The target market also plays an important role on the decision about the type of media that has to be employed. For example if the target market is top companies chief executives or other affluent members of society the use of elitist media such as The Retail Bulletin, and The Economist become appropriate. However, I have learned that it is important for a company or organisation to understand the consumer behaviour of its customers and this knowledge can help the company to identify the products that are in demand and the extent of demand of a product could determine the pricing mechanism the company may employ. My perception of marketing has changed as a result of this module and my learning style had been affected in a positive way and I am looking forward to working harder in the second semester. REFERENCE LIST Source: Ansoff (1957) in Wilson Gilligan (1997:221) BBC News Entertainment and Arts (2011),Yorkshire’s Hepworth gallery wins design award BBC News Entertainment and Arts: The Best Architectural Achievement http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/entertainment-arts-15169414 accessed 4/10/2011 Brassington F. Pettitt S. (2006), Websites: Principles of Marketing, 4th ed. p889 Brassington F. Pettitt S. 2006), Growth through diversification: Principles of Marketing, 4th ed. p957 Source: (Christopher et al. , 2002). Reported from Relationship Marketing: Creating Dixon R. (2010), When content is the king for customer loyalty schemes: Marketing Magazine, p14 Jobber D, (2007), Product development Principles and Practice of Marketing, 4th ed. p406 Krueger R (2007), Brand Promise: Providing the ‘Second Wow; JCK, Magazine Stakeholder Value, copyright (2002), with permission from the Elsevier. Survey Monkey (2011) Market Research: Surveys Made Easy Walmsley C. (2010), Search or social media: the toughest of choices: Marketing Journal: p6

Social Media Negative and Positive Impacts

Social Media Negative and Positive Impacts It is evident that social media has negative and positive impacts on the lives of many people. MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and other social media networks have brought changes to the communication industry. This can be attributed to advanced technology and innovation. Equally, many people are conducting research with an aim of contributing to social media. In my opinion, social media is part of the human life in the 21st century.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Media: Negative and Positive Impacts specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In fact, it has reached a point where people cannot do without social media. However, social media has two contradicting perspectives. One of the perspectives views social media as an aspect that has made life easy as compared to the last century. On the other hand, some people view social media as an aspect that has made more harm than good to society. Thus, this paper seeks to bring out the two aspects in a clear manner. Social media has enabled people to get connected regardless of the distance between them. For instance, social media has facilitated communication between people in different continents. It has been determined to be the best and cheapest way of communication. Unlike the use of cellphones, there is an opportunity for video conferencing. Research shows that the only cost incurred encompasses internet services. Once a person is connected to a reliable internet service provider, they can communicate with their friends, peers, family members and other people in any part of the world. Social media has enabled many people to get connected in many parts of the world. Equally, remarkable business operations have been accomplished through social media. In the same way, social media has enabled people that had lost contact to reunite. Besides, people need not travel because they can use video conferencing to communicate via social media. Thus, travel cost s and the burden associated with traveling have been eliminated by the use of social media. Equally, social media is used in marketing and advertising activities. This presents customers and consumers an opportunity to make a choice of products that they need. Additionally, social media has seen to it that there is proper dissemination of information of consumer products. Thus, it has seen the proliferation of business activities across the globe.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, some people view social media as a bad thing. In fact, some people have associated social media with negative aspects. For instance, they claim that social media makes people lazy. Before social media was invented, people travelled so that they would meet with other people. In most cases, people would walk to the place where they agreed to meet. Equally, after meeting, some people would decide to take a walk. This made them active and made their bodies healthy. However, the introduction of social media brought about many changes. People became lazy because they would communicate at the comfort of their beds and couches. Further, this made them have poor health. In fact, most users of social media do not travel or even go for walks. Hence, the body does not burn the extra calories resulting in excess weight gain and the associated medical conditions. Also, some schools of thoughts say that social media has isolated people rather than connecting them. In my opinion, this is true. For instance, people do not physically meet with their relatives, neighbors, friends, and even peers. Social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Skype detach people instead of connecting them. People spend most of their time chatting over the social media at the expense of physical meeting. This underpins isolation and personal contact is lost. There are other time s that people misunderstand each other. Research shows that some of them find solace in the use of social media. People whose relationships are not working tend to run to the social media for help. Social media has become a channel of airing their views and sentiments. They are consoled and encouraged on the social media by other social media users. Equally, some seek fame on the social media. Likewise, some people upload photos of magnificent places and even outfits that they love with the main aim of seeking attention. True to that, they get attention from friends and other users of social media.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Media: Negative and Positive Impacts specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, this does not solve their problems. In fact, the situation worsens. After going offline, they find themselves in the same situation. Thus, they are not even ready to reconcile with their loved ones. Beside s, social media has facilitated infidelity and other social evils encompassing marriages. It has facilitated cheating that has led to sour relationships among lovers and couples. Others social evils that have been associated with social media include sharing of illegal or unethical content. For instance, some users of social media share pornographic material on the internet. Similarly, drug and child trafficking have been associated with social media. Communication relating to the above unethical practices has been achieved through the use of social media networks owing to their security aspects. In summary, social media is an invention that has made communication and dissemination of information easy. However, it has been associated with negative aspect and social evils. Therefore, people have the responsibility of doing the right thing or ethical things when using the social media.

Changes

Historians and cultural critics trace the post-modernist hip hop movement which pioneered sampling and graffiti art to the sasss, New York, a movement rooted in the black nationalism of the black panthers post civil rights movement (Price, 2006). Hip Hop has become a dominant global youth culture with music, art, fashion, films and Outpace an Icon within this culture a Black Elvis. Hip Hop has many different sub genres such as conscious, gangs, party rap and with emcees in the different genres according to their subject matter.The paper will explore Changes a conscious rap Eng that was recorded by Outpace in 1 992, at a time when African Americans were affected by the beating of Rodney King by Police Officers, which led to the Los Angels Riots of 1992 (Johnson, 2009). The environment was politically charged and conducive for a song chronicling that moment in history. What is interesting is that the song was posthumously released in 1998 on Tubas Greatest Hits album, two years after Outpace died of gunshots wounds on the 13th of September 1996 (Scott, 1997). Outpace Shakers music Is characterized by hard hitting hip hop beats sampled room different music genres and lyrics that criticize, the capitalist system that divides America into the haves and have-nots. The collective identity in Tubas music is identified In the struggle of the lower classes to find political, economic, social discourse In a capitalist society by chronicling from the perspective of a young black male growing up in post civil rights America.His work vocalizes the thoughts of the masses trapped within a modern slavery system (poverty and discrimination). The writers credited on the album sleeve are Shaker, T. , Evans, D. , Horns, B. ; Changes ample the beat and part of the chorus from Bruce Harmonys The way It is(1986) and appropriated It Into a Hip Hop political anthem. This part of the paper will delve into the psyche of the artist and explore the lyrics of Changes. ANALYZING OUTPACE When did I ever say I was a gangs rapper? Is Frank Sinatra a gangs singer?Is Steve Seal a gangs actor? What is that? Thats such a limited term. Maroon Brandon is not a gangs actor, hes an actor. Axle Rose and them are not gangs rock and rollers, thieve rock and rollers. So Im a rapper, this is what I do. Im an artist. And I AP about the oppressed taking back their place. I rap about fighting back. To me, my lyrics and my verses are about struggling and overcoming, you know (Shaker, 2003) Left: OPAC. 1996. All Eyes On Me (outpace. Com) Right: OPAC. 1995. Me against the World (outpace. Mom) Outpace Shakers controversial image drowned his work; the media at the time concentrated on what he did off record and forget that he was a brilliant rapper, lyricist and actor. He did cultivate the gangster image with Thug Life tattered across his abdomen and his persona as seen on the album cover of All eyes on me (1996) Is that of a gangs, The persona Is evident on him with the words Outlaw tattered on his lower arm, a panthers head on his upper arm with a miscreant intensity and 1 OFF on music videos, further reiterates that he is a gangs rapper.However on the cover of an earlier album Me against the world(1995) another side of the rapper is seen, with his back against a wall, he stares at the camera like a deer caught between two headlights. In interviews and talk shows when he takes off his mask, an intelligent, misunderstood, creative young man who wants to change the world with his music merges. Tyson (2002) in his explanation of Tubas dua l persona mentioned something very interesting that Tubas mother Affine was impregnated by one of two possible candidates, a revolutionary black panther by the name of Billy Garland and Legs a drug dealer.On the song Dear Mama he writes They say Im wrong and Im heartless, but all along I was looking for a father he was gone (1995) these lyrics give the assumption that he might have looked for a father within himself and thus created twin personae founded on the character of the two people he thought could e his father. Outpace created binary oppositions as creative mechanisms, the socially constructive poet vs.. The destructive street thug and he could write as well as speak from both alter egos.His conscious rapper ego tackled social issues such as racism, violence, drug abuse whilst his gangster rapper ego talked about selling drugs, perpetrating violence and called women derogatory names. To understand Just a little part of Tubas complex character, the following quotation by Carl Jung would give some insight. Such a man knows that whatever is wrong in the world is in myself, and if he only learns to deal with his own Shadow he has done something real for the world.He has succeeded in shouldering at least an infinitesimal part of the gigantic, unsolved social problems of our day. These problems are mostly so difficult because they are poisoned by mutual projections. How can anyone see straight when he does not even see himself and the darkness he unconsciously carries with him into all dealings? Nouns, 1938). The two images of Outpace show that instead of hiding his other self (the shadow) he consciously projected it and White toes (1997) that a misguided Outpace drew his masculine principles from Legs his father figure.Outpace Shaker was born on the 16th of June 1971; a month after his mother Affine Shaker was released from prison for her suspected part in the alleged Black Panther plot to bomb banks and department stores (White, 1997). In several songs and interviews Outpace has mentioned his birth and childhood as a miracle. l was born not to make it, but I did (Still I Rise, 1999) and on the last verse of Mama Just a Little Girl (Better Days, 2002) he philosophies You see you wouldnt ask why the rose hat grew from the concrete had damaged petals, on th e contrary, we would all celebrate its tenacity.We would all love its will to reach the sun. Well we are the roses, this is the concrete and these are my damaged petals He uses symbolic words to compare himself and his peers to that of beauty natured in an unnatural environment. This verse is a self reflective analysis of his impoverished childhood in socially depraved ghettos of America and by noting We are the roses he feels that any child that grows up in that environment and makes it however damaged they are should be celebrated.According to Goals (2007) in 1985 Outpace was enrolled at the prestigious Baltimore Schools of the Arts, where he learned how to act and he spent Outpace went through moral Juggling as a teenager, selling Drugs whilst writing poetry. His childhood experiences gave him the canon to be able to articulate social and political commentary easily identifiable with his audience. Tyson emphasis (2003) that Outpace believed in keeping it real a slang term defined on (revolutionary. Com) as try to benefit the environment and society that surrounds you a nd eventually serving humanity for the greater good.Outpace has achieved musical immortality with eight albums produced posthumously, an art center (task. Org) producing the next generation of thespians, dancers and poets and a Biopic on his life is currently in Production, written by Oscar nominated screenwriters Stephen J Revile and Chris Wilkinson (All, Nixon). In a recent Manage. Com article Revile had this to say about Outpace He was a really sensitive, very romantic talented young poet who also could sing, dance and act, but the realities [of the hip-hop record business] were that he had to create this persona of the gangster.He saw the contradiction between the musical persona of Thug Life and his essential nature as a gentle, sensitive person. And that was partly responsible for his murder. He was not a gangster, but the people around him were, and they saw he was going to leave, that they were going to lose him, and so I think they decided to kill him(Borders-Manner, 2011) CHANGES Changes portrays America from a critical non violent point of view, the view of a young black male living in the projects (Ghetto) committing crime as a survival necessity, whilst been abused by the system.Changes (Shaker, Evans Hornsby, 998) uses basic slang, repetition, melodic rhythm, the artist does not use profanity, the word Niger is used to make a racial statement not intimidate. Analysis of this song elicits reaction in the listener, a desire to become the Change that Outpace requires of his audience. Tubas ability to elicit this type of reaction can be attributed to the authority yet passionate sensitivity of his voice and the flow of his rap.The chorus uses the same melody as The Way it is with a slight change of chorus whereas the or iginal says, Some things will never change, Changes is changed to say, Things will never be the same. Elaborating that inequality will always be rooted in American society; the chorus is repeated to drum the message. The opening line to Changes l see no changes seems to be a modern reply to the original The way it is Bob Dylan The times they are changing(1964), which is considered the civil rights movement theme song.He then continues to show his frustration with his situation, which has not been changed by the I have a dream speech by DRP King Wake up in the morning and ask myself is life worth living should I blast myself, I am tired of en poor and even worse Im black, my stomach hurts so I am looking for purse to snatch, hes telling his audience that he is poor, black, hungry and faced with two choices either to kill himself or alleviate his economical situation by stealing. Cops give a damn about a negro, pull the trigger kill a Amiga hes a hero He uses the N words to emphasize how racist the police are and the reward for killing a black person. Give the crack to the kids who the hell cares, one less hungry mouth on watch me kill each other He paints an image of a big brother conspiracy of shipping rugs and guns into the Ghetto and then watching the fabric of black America dismantle with kids on crack, drug dealers killing each other, a genocidal way of easing the welfare system. Its time to fight back thats what Hue Said, 2 shots in the dark now Hues dead By mentioning Hue Newton founder of the Black Panthers, he acknowledges that Black militant mantra of fighting back the system with guns is wrong because you will be slain by a gun. Outpace then finds a socialist solution in how to beat the system and unify We can never go nowhere unless we share with each there, We goat start making changes, learn to see me as a brother instead of 2 distant strangers, thats how it is supposed to be.How can the Devil take a brother if hes close to me, Id love to go back to when we played as kids, but things changed, and thats the way it is He wants to go back to the innocents of childhood, not complicated by what Freud regards as the ID, however Outpace is resigned to the fact that even if he goes back to that moment, he cannot change Today because change will never happen. L see no changes all I see is racist faces, misplaced hate makes grace to races, We under, I wonder what it takes to make this one better place, lets erase the wasted Outpace is not talking about or to a specific race but to the people of America that racial hatred should not be tolerated but erased from society. Both Black and White is smoking crack tonight Drugs are not Just a black problem It anti a secret and dont conceal the fact the penitentiarys packed and its filled with blacks His observation is backed by Discard, Mouth and Andrews Of the 789,700 male inmates in 1992, 51 percent, or 401,700 were black and that is still a fact today.Although it seems heaven sent we anti ready, to see a black president, uh This line is prophetic in the sense that even though America now has a black President, but some quarters of society are still not ready to accept a Black President Some things will never change. Try to show another way, but you staying in the dope game. Now tells me whats a mother to do. Been real dont appeal to the brother in you.You goat operate the easy way In these lyrics hes now using Frauds structural model of the psyche, the mother is the Super Ego telling the impulsive child (the ID) hat look at another way to survive but morals do not appeal to the ID for it wants everything now and then when it gets satisfaction it shows off l made a G Today the super ego critics but you made it in a sleazy way, selling crack to the kids Finally the ego goes into defense mechanism Well hey, thats Just the way it is The third verse begins with Outpace talking instead of rapping so that everybody understands the clear message he conveys We goat make a change, Its time for us as a people to start making some changes. Lets change the way we eat, Lets change the way we live and lets change the way we treat each other. You see the old ways wasnt working so its on us to do what we goat do, to survive he is speaking to his generation, that the only way to change is complete transformation from the racial philosophies of old for the survival of the human race. Its war on the streets and war in the middle east, Instead of war on poverty they got war on drugs so the police can bother me, And I anti never did a crime I anti have to do. Outpace observes that whilst America concentrates on foreign wars in the Middle East, domestic street wars rage on. He problem poverty.

INFORMATIVE REPORT ASSIGNMENT Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

INFORMATIVE REPORT - Assignment Example From the surveys administered to the customers, the weaknesses in services include cleanliness, where customers said that the on-site centers were not clean. The food served at the on-site centers was often poor, and the services offered by the service attendants were not up to standard. The limitation of the study was that the managers did not offer any explanation into why the services delivered were not up to standard, although they reported plans of holding a staff meeting to look into the issue. From the reports, there is also the need to inquire into other problem areas, through a meeting with the employees, to review performance areas. After realizing the complaints from the company’s customers, my office carried out a survey study to gather facts on the areas of inefficiencies and poor service. Towards realizing this, surveys reached 450 customers from the different movie production company operation centers. The survey saw an 89% return rate, thereby offering a representative picture of the issue. From the information collected, the problem areas identified covered cleanliness, the food supplied, and the services offered to the clients. In the area of cleanliness, 96% of the customers gave feedback that the on-site food service centers were not administered in a clean manner. The complaint areas include that silverware were commonly found with crusted food, food debris had dried on the tables, and the floors had litter. Also, it was reported that glasses had dirt spots, and that the customer service personnel often wore dirty aprons. Other concern areas under cleanliness were that service personnel did not wear plastic gloves, and that flies were buzzing around the service counter – which showed that the area was generally dirty. In the area of food supply, 85% of the customers offered the information that the quality of the food supplied was in many cases poor. Complaints include that fried

Rome civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Rome civilization - Essay Example Rome city has existed over the last 12 centuries. The civilization moved from monarchy to aristocratic republic governments and lastly an autocratic empire. Rome became one of the most powerful entities in the world due to conquests, assimilations that were mainly carried out in Southern Europe, North Africa, Eastern Europe and Northern Europe. Romans in the city believed that the city was founded in 753 BC, but modern historians assert that the city was found from a small village in the year 625 BC. The city was governed by Kings, and several of them had ruled before the modern Rome city. The origin of the city is connected with Alba Longa, the main city of Latium that evolved from Troy in Asian Minor (Liberati and Bourbon 65). The evidence of human occupation of Rome city dates back at least 14,000 years. The ancient legendary ruler, Romulus and his close brother Remus decided to establish the city. After several bitter arguments, Romulus killed Remus and decided to name the city R ome. Rumulus invited several neighboring tribes and abducted young men whom he forced to establish Roman senate. The Ancient Rome society contributed greatly to civilization of the government, law, politics, literature, art and religion (Lewis and Reinhold 20). Rome started as pastoral settlements in the Palatine hills and the Tiber River. Rome was strategically positioned since traders crossed it when travelling to the North and South of the Peninsula. Italian speaking communities such as Sabines, Umbrians and Latinns settled in different positions surrounding the Rome city. Etruscans was the dominant tribe in Rome at around 650 BC. During this time, Pons Sublicius Bridge was constructed to replace Tiber Ford since Etruscans had some great engineers. Within years, Etruscans expanded to the south were they later encountered a deadly conflict with Greeks. In the early days, every male Roman citizen had to be registered and attend a census in Rome. He was required to disclose his weal th including children, riches, wives and slaves. The registration and census was geared at granting the citizen freedom since those who failed to comply were sold as slaves. Census was a symbolic function since it made the Romans people who were capable of collective action. Such society was characterized by high hierarchy in the society in the social ladder (Liberati and Bourbon 85). Roman republic At this time, Rome rebelled and gained self-independence from Etruscans and abandoned the traditional monarchy government system to Republic government that was composed of Senate. Magistrates were elected annually. Etruscans also had introduced the worship of gods such as Juno, and Jupiter (Lewis and Reinhold 45). After 500 BC, Rome was now a republican city and joined in rebellion against Sabines thus establishing control of the countries it had surrendered during the Monarchy. In 387 BC, Rome was burned down by Senones from the Eastern parts of Italy who had successfully conquered the Roman army in Etruria. Later, Rome pushed southwards where the community engaged in the battle of Caudine Forks. Rome was later to be faced with Conflict of Orders that entailed political struggles between the commoners, and aristocrats. The demand of equality by the Commoners (Plebeians) led to the enactment of the Constitution of Roman republic that gave the commoners some real power and limited rights. By the end of the 3rd century BC, Rome was a pre-eminent city of the Italian

Honor killingskillings Essay Example for Free

Honor killingskillings Essay It is shocking to see that in today’s era when education and awareness has become the most integral part of human and societal development. Moreover, women empowerment and their role in every walk of lives have changed over the period of time. There are still such hideous practices that are being done in some parts of the world under the disguised name of honor killing and Pakistan being one of the countries which holds the highest rates of honor killings in the world. Karo Kari another name for ignorance. This name originated from the rural areas of interior sindh. It is being practiced in areas of Sindh such as Jacocabad, Sukkur, Khairpur, and Larkana along with other areas of Sindh and some places in Punjab. THE TRIBAL SYSTEM Pakistani society is rich with multiple cultures and ethnic backgrounds. Each of these cultures and people from diversified ethnic groups come from distinct backgrounds and live together hence they have their own traditions and customs which they have been following since years. In the rural areas of Pakistan the tribal system still exists such as areas in the interior sindh. This is where the ‘jirga’ system or commonly known as the â€Å"panchayat† system exists. Under this system the rich and the influential class of the village tends to form a committee and takes decisions on behalf of everyone and the decision given by this group is bound to be accepted by every member of the society. They have their own way of judging the case and passing a verdict on that, they take their own time, they think over it and give the date for the decision. The lower and the poor working class is suppressed under this system as they don’t have any say in it and obliged to follow it. KARO KARI Karo Kari is practiced when the women of the family has brought dishonor to the family name by any means. This could be if the woman has any illicit relations with any man, or an extra marital affair, she could be a rape victim or even if she wants to get married to somebody of her choice she is brutally killed by one of the family members themselves in order to bring back the lost glory and name of the family. It is not just this that an innocent women can be categorized as Kari and killed it is also when the family and the brothers want to keep the property and resolve land disputes she becomes a victim of this murder, for example if a man owes some money to a person and that creditor comes to his place in order to collect the money to his place from another village and stays over night. The person who owes the money would kill his wife next day and declare her a Kari so that he doesn’t have to pay the money . in this way the creditor would choose to leave without taking the money rather being declared as Karo and being killed. Similarly a man can be declared a Karo even if he doesn’t have any kind of affair with a woman but he has any form of dispute with some other tribe and he’ll be killed under the name of honor killing. These killings tend to have the most inhuman ways of torturing some one and sentencing them to death. They will bury the girl alive recently in one of the states of Sindh, Khairpur; a girl was thrown in front of dogs to be torn apart as an act of hour killing. THE RISE IN THE NUMBER OF KILLINGS It is very depressing to see that the trend in the number of killings that has taken place due to this has increased over the years instead of dropping. It is estimated that over the last six years in Pakistan the number of deaths caused by Karo Kari have been more than six thousand which included around 800 men too, so it is not just women who fall for this, there are men too but their number is relatively lower than the women. Different societies have different people and thinking therefore they believe what they are doing is the right way but this practice of suppressing the right of women and taking her right to live is a murderous crime and contradictory to the teachings of Islam. It is that barbaric evil of the society that has to be eliminated completely. Even worse is the fact that the rich and influential class tends to get away with this practice while the poor are helpless and they become the victim. THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT As far as the government and other NGO’s are concerned then in the year 2004 there was an amendment made in the constitution which declared honor killings such as Karo Kari as equal to murder however, this amendment never came into practice because under another clause of the constitution it was stated that the accused can get away with the crime if one gets the consent of the family and in this case of Karo Kari the victims family itself is the one who are doing it therefore nobody can be put to trial as they don’t appear in the police station. It is the government’s duty to look into this matter and they should have made an alteration in the other amendment so that this brutal practice can be put to an end, however no concrete step has been taken to curb this. KARO KARI IS UNJUSTIFIABLE Karo Kari is a cultural shock to anyone who belongs to a civilized, developed and educated society and would condemn it. it is a murder not a punishment there could be any other ways of punishing one for their doings but such act is not justifiable on any grounds, it is barbaric and takes away the freedom of speech and expression. The dominating men in the â€Å"jirga† system have curbed the rights of women in these rural areas. It is actually the sardars who are the influential â€Å"waderas† who tend to encourage this practice as this increases their prestige in the society ,over that they get a compensation from the â€Å"jirga† too. Karo Kari is another name for ignorance, Islam has already restricted the Muslims and it has set punishments for the victim therefore any other act that is being practiced under its name is simply ignorance. In Islam having an illicit sexual relationship is condemned and the accused is whipped not subject to killing. How can one justify the killing of a woman who has been subjected to rape? By declaring such a women Kari and killing her society is depriving the soul from getting justice and instead of taking her out of that trauma one is putting an end to her life. Why are women accused more then men in Karo Kari, it is not that men are more faithful then women it is just that women are weak in these areas and men are strong that is why they are able to get away with it. These â€Å"jirga† have no right to take away the liberty to live from such people; they should work for the benefits of the society by coming to a conclusion on the basis of â€Å"shariah† not merely stay ignorant. Women are not property that their life is kept at stake to resolve land disputes. Moreover the killing is done in the most inhuman way. To bury some one alive, throwing her in front of dogs or to burn her alive is unjustifiable. Such practices were there in the olden days when there was no education and no awareness but it’s shocking that it still exists in our society and nobody has done anything to put an end to it. It is unjustly exploited by the feudal land lords and the elite class of the village who use Karo Kari to resolve their personal matters. One such incident took place when a native of interior Sindh came home after years of hard work from Dubai and brought money back home to start some form of business in his native land. He came in the eyes of the feudal lord due to his money and business. The opportunist wanted to trap him in the case of Karo Kari and he got the opportunity when the man by mistake prayed on the grave of some other women, thinking it to be his wife’s grave. The feudal lord took advantage of this and declared him a Karo; the man not only paid 15million to the land lord in order to save his life, he was kicked out of his home land and his business was taken away. There are many such instances when the influential people of the â€Å"panchayat† system tend to trap others for their own good and they use this practice of Karo Kari as a tool in order to get away with it. It is unfortunate to see that such murders are given the name of honor killings. THE URBAN AREAS VERSUS THE RURAL SETUP The tragedy with these women lies in the fact that they are born in such a set up and society where they are considered as a burden on the family. Girls still cannot compete with the boys and neither can they express their opinion. Sons are preferred over daughters. Daughters are not encouraged to go to school or get exposed to the outside world. Therefore their thinking is confined to just one place. They are expected to do what they are asked for and nothing else. Lives in the urban areas are an extreme opposite view of this. If one may not go far and compare with places in the similar province such as Karachi. The region is developed and modern. It is a cosmopolitan city and comprises of people from all caste, color and creed and they all share different cultures and languages and live altogether. Women here are educated and empowered like never before. They are independent, focused and know exactly what they want out of their lives. They are working as well as having a family and they are doing well in every walk of lives and competing with men. They take their own decisions. The living and culture of these societies varies from the rural areas actually there is no comparison. The two societies share the same religion and language yet again there are differences of opinions and thinking process. The urban life of Karachi is mush more modern and liberal as they are adopting the western culture in their society. Apart from the right to go out or make money, women can dress up the way she wants, socialize, make friends and do whatever she wants to. Girls are actually encouraged to go and study in co education and moreover sent abroad for further education and their families and relatives support them in this. In these urban areas there is no such thing as ‘jirga system. Life is different here justice drawn through legal courts and with the help of police. A rape victim can go to the police and lodge a complaint against the culprit and she has the right to live and fight for her right and nobody can stop her. All kinds of disputes pertaining to property, ownership, marriage or anything are resolved through legal procedure in the courts. After the age of eighteen years the girl and the boy have the right to choose her own life partner and get married to him legally. The concept of honor killings does not exist in these urban areas. This society has its own set of evils and drawbacks such as poverty, corruption, unemployment, terrorism. Women in urban areas are as influential and resourceful then men that they can not be dominated unjustly. Tribal system is a sign of backwardness and illiteracy and refusal to accept this fact is what is leading to what it is today. These two societies have completely different set of values, cultures, traditions and norms that they follow. The living and lifestyles of these people are also different. In the urban areas there are also powerful and influential people who tend to subjugate the weaker class, however that is done in entire different way where the free will of everyone is not included like the â€Å"jirga† system where everyone is bound to listen to them? Life in the urban society has made men and women strong and independent that’s the way they are brought up, whereas the tribal system has put them in a much weaker stand. The practice of Karo Kari is a social issue and it can not come to an end until there is no change in the social structure of the society and in order to change to be there, there has to be awareness and education and the powers of the rich and the land lords needs to be curbed so that they don’t exploit the common man who work for them as their slaves. It should not be encouraged but since it has been following from years and the people in the villages associate it as a matter of prestige and honor that is why is strongly accepted and being followed. It is not being used in villages to make easy money. The men’s of the family tend to kill their own daughter, wives and sisters ruthlessly in order to make easy money. it is actually depressing to see this that in today’s time such type of unjust ways of killings are taking place by the wrongdoers and they are justified on the basis of honor killings. 60% cases of the cases of Karo Kari are reported to be where the accused were innocent and yet killed. Every society and every religion have their own set of limitations which are known to all. Yet again those are not being followed that doesn’t mean that one can make use of it and exploit it on the basis of â€Å"ghayrat†. There are officials in the government who haven’t done anything to stop this practice because they feel it is not wrong, not only men, there are women who are seen in the political setup who have the ability to do something, yet are not doing anything. There are different cultures and people living in one country and each of them have their own problems and drawbacks. Whereas in one province one woman can get married by giving a divorce to her husband and in the other society she is buried alive if she has her own opinion. This tribal system has gone so worse that the people who live under it fear their death and therefore few try to escape and the ones who have money give that and get away with everything. Even if people try to escape these killings the villagers look for them and they kill them whenever and wherever they find them. Education is the key in all this that can reduce the gap and disparity among the two societies and give everyone the freedom to live as an independent citizen. ohou Key words Honor killings in Pakistan Karo Kari and the tribal system Women empowerment

How to use order of operations :: essays research papers

How to use order of operations. What does any kind of order have to do with math? It’s just left to right isn’t it? Wrong, the order of operations is a specific method to figuring out the correct answer to certain problems. For those of you who do not realize what I am yammering on about, this procedure piece is about the order of operations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The order of operations is a method used to ensure that a group of people gets the correct answer without dispute, the order of operations is extremely useful. Without knowing the order of operations tell me, does this problem look sensible? 67-9(6-1)+48/ ((9x (5+2)-7’ Didn’t think so. The order of operations works like this: First anything in the parentheses, then we do the exponents/roots, then any multiplication and division- which is done in that order, then we do Addition and Subtraction- in that order as well. To explain this, we will solve the problem above: Step 1. The first thing you do in the order of operations is to do anything listed in parentheses, but you must also keep in mind everything else. So the first set we do is (5+2), even though it is the last set, addition comes first on the order of operation list. So, (5+2)= 7 right? Right, keep that in mind. Now we do the first set of parentheses, which is (6-1) which is 5. So replace both of those sets with (5) and (7) in that order. Step 2. The next step is to get rid of those nasty square roots and exponents. So, first we do the square root of 9, which is 3. Then we perform the sacred exponent figuring. So 7 squared (7’) is 49. So by now the expression should look like this: 67-9 (5) +48/ 3x (7)-49. Step 3. Now we multiply and divide all the stuff together so first we do 48/3, which is 16. Then we multiply what is needed, in this case it is 3x7, which is 21. Are you following me so far? Excellent if not then read it over.

Narrative Writing – Low Profile

Boris Watkins was humming a tune to the radio in his car when the music was interrupted by a special news bulletin. â€Å"We break into our regular programming to bring you an update on the bank robbery that occurred earlier today at the St. George's branch of the United Bank. A lone gunman escaped with nearly two million dollars, wounding two guards and an off-duty police officer while making his exit. Due to a malfunction in the bank's security cameras, a photograph is not available, but a police sketch has just been released to the public. More details will follow as they come to light. We now return you to our regular broadcast.† Boris strolled through the side door of the packed jewellery store, avoiding the business's main entrance. Casually he surveyed the store as he pretended to study a banner proclaiming â€Å"Diamond Sale Days.† One of the clerks, an attractive young woman dressed in a formal business suit, was speaking in low tones to the store's handsome young security guard. Though the store itself was crowded, the saleswoman's area was experiencing a lax time. She was taking advantage of the lull by passing the time with the handsome guard. From the way the two of them spoke, Boris guessed they were planning an after-hours rendezvous when suddenly the girl's eyes caught his. In the brief span of their eye contact, he felt something odd in her stare. Had she recognised him, or in some uncanny way knew what he was up to? There had been a sudden burst of something he couldn't quite place his finger on before their gazes broke. No, he was just being paranoid. It was part of the rush that accompanied his thefts, something he had to control. When he was stealing, Boris always felt as if he was on the verge of being caught. If he was honest with himself, he would acknowledge that this was part of the thrill. When he glanced back at the girl, he saw that she was engaged in deep conversation with her beau, forgetting about him completely. That was the way Boris liked it; the lower the profile, the better. Boris walked out of their direct sight and approached a busy counter where several customers were vying for a lone salesman's attentions. Perfect. He pushed his way to the counter, and after several minutes of waiting, managed to catch the man's attention. Boris asked to see three sets of expensive diamond earrings and one set of inferior jewellery most likely brought into the store just for the sale. Pretending to ponder the choices, Boris ignored the bustling crowd at his elbows. Finally another customer grew impatient with him and said in a stern voice to the salesman, â€Å"While he's making up his mind, I see exactly what I want. I insist that you take my money right now.† That was what Boris had been waiting for. With the salesman's attention distracted for a few moments, Boris slipped the most expensive earrings off the counter and into his pocket before anyone could see what he'd done. In plain sight, he picked up the cheap earrings and approached the salesman with a fifty dollar bill in his hand. Boris said, â€Å"I've made up my mind. I'll take these.† The salesman looked at Boris, then back at the abandoned earrings still on the counter ten paces away. Breathlessly, he said, â€Å"One moment, please,† as he retrieved the unclaimed diamond sets remaining. Frowning for a second at the counter, he shrugged slightly before replacing the remaining sets back in the display. Boris hadn't even realized he'd been holding his breath. After accepting the woman's purchase ahead of him, the clerk took care of Boris, pointedly ignoring his attempt at small talk as he watched a few disgruntled customers walking away empty-handed. With a store bag proudly displayed, Boris fought his way back to the side entrance he'd just come in. The odds of anyone suspecting him of wrongdoing should be negligible. After all, he had a perfectly legitimate receipt in his possession for the cheap earrings now in his bag. It was simply a matter of walking out of the store unnoticed and he'd be home free. As he passed the counter where the attractive young woman had been speaking with the security guard, Boris was relieved to see that both of them had vanished, probably taking their breaks together. He was just stepping out of the door when he noticed a squad of police facing him, their guns drawn in a semi-circle, every weapon pointing directly at him. Through a bullhorn, one of the police officers commanded, â€Å"Drop your bag and hit the ground, or we'll shoot.† Boris did as he was told, stunned by the massive show of force. He looked up in despair as he saw an officer clad in a bullet-proof vest approach him cautiously. In seconds, Boris was handcuffed and jerked to his feet. He said, â€Å"I don't understand what's going on.† The officer who had cuffed him said, â€Å"Don't play dumb. A clerk inside spotted you the second you walked in the door.† â€Å"Yeah, I've been arrested once before, but it was never with this much fuss.† â€Å"What did you expect? It's not like you were keeping a low profile.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† Without saying a word, the officer reached into his back pocket and pulled out a sheet of paper. Boris found his sketched image staring back at him from the ‘Wanted’ Bulletin. His knees went weak as he realised that he was a dead ringer for the police sketch of the man who'd just robbed the bank.

Last Sacrifice Chapter Thirty-five

I WISHED LISSA HAD â€Å"needed' me to go take out an army of Strigoi. I would have felt more comfortable with that than what she needed to do now: meet with Jill to discuss the coronation. Lissa wanted me there for support, as a kind of go-between. I wasn't able to walk that well yet, so we waited another day. Lissa seemed glad for the delay. Jill was waiting for us in a small room I'd never expected to see again: the parlor where Tatiana had berated me for moving in on Adrian. It had been a pretty bizarre experience at the time, seeing as Adrian and I hadn't actually been involved back then. Now, after everything that had occurred between him and me, it just felt †¦ strange. Confusing. I still didn't know what had happened to him since Tasha's arrest. Walking in there, I also felt terribly †¦ alone. No, not alone. Uninformed. Vulnerable. Jill sat in a chair, her hands folded in her lap. She stared straight ahead with an unreadable face. Beside me, Lissa's own features were equally blank. She felt †¦ well, that was the thing. I didn't know. I didn't know. I mean, I could tell she was uncomfortable, but there were no thoughts in my head to tip me off. I had no specifics. Again, I reminded myself that the rest of the world worked like this. You functioned alone. You did your best to manage strange situations without the magical insight of another person. I'd never realized how much I'd taken the thoughts of even just one other person for granted. The one thing I felt sure of was that both Lissa and Jill were freaked out by each other–but not by me. That was why I was here. â€Å"Hey, Jill,' I said, smiling. â€Å"How are you?' She snapped out of whatever thoughts had been occupying her and jumped up from the chair. I thought that was strange, but then it made sense. Lissa. You rose when a queen entered the room. â€Å"It's okay,' said Lissa, stumbling over her words a little. â€Å"Sit.' She took a seat opposite Jill. It was the biggest chair in the room–the one Tatiana had always sat in. Jill hesitated a moment, then shifted her gaze back to me. I must have provided some encouragement because she returned to her chair. I sat in one beside Lissa, wincing as a small pain tightened in my chest. Worry for me momentarily distracted Jill from Lissa. â€Å"How are you feeling? Are you okay? Should you even be out of bed?' The cute, rambling nature. I was glad to see it again. â€Å"Fine,' I lied. â€Å"Good as new.' â€Å"I was worried. When I saw what happened †¦ I mean, there was so much blood and so much craziness and no one knew if you'd pull through †¦' Jill frowned. â€Å"I don't know. It was all so scary. I'm so glad you're okay.' I kept smiling, hoping to reassure her. Silence fell then. The room grew tense. In political situations, Lissa was the expert, always able to smooth everything over with the right words. I was the one who spoke up in uncomfortable scenarios, saying the things that shocked others. The things no one wanted to hear. This situation seemed like one that required her diplomacy, but I knew it was on me to take charge. â€Å"Jill,' I said, â€Å"we wanted to know if you'd be willing to, well, take part in the coronation ceremony.' Jill's eyes flicked briefly to Lissa–still stone-faced–and then back to me. â€Å"What does â€Å"take part' mean, exactly? What would I have to do?' â€Å"Nothing hard,' I assured her. â€Å"It's just some formalities that are usually done by family members. Ceremonial stuff. Like you did with the vote.' I hadn't witnessed that, but Jill had apparently only had to stand by Lissa's side to show family strength. Such a small thing for a law to hinge on. â€Å"Mostly, it's about being on display and putting on a good face.' â€Å"Well,' mused Jill, â€Å"I've been doing that for most of this week.' â€Å"I've been doing it for most of my life,' said Lissa. Jill looked startled. Again, I felt at a loss without the bond. Lissa's tone hadn't made her meaning clear. Was it a challenge to Jill–that the girl hadn't faced nearly what Lissa had? Or was it supposed to be sympathy for Jill's lack of experience? â€Å"You'll †¦ you'll get used to it,' I said. â€Å"Over time.' Jill shook her head, a small and bitter smile on her face. â€Å"I don't know about that.' I didn't either. I wasn't sure how one handled the kind of situation she'd been dropped into. My mind rapidly ran through a list of more meaningless, kind things I could say, but Lissa finally took over. â€Å"I know how weird this is,' she said. She determinedly met Jill's green eyes–the only feature the sisters shared, I decided. Jill had the makings of a future Emily. Lissa carried a mix of her parents' traits. â€Å"This is weird for me too. I don't know what to do.' â€Å"What do you want?' asked Jill quietly. I heard the real question. Jill wanted to know if Lissa wanted her. Lissa had been devastated by the death of her brother †¦ but a surprise illegitimate sibling was no substitute for Andre. I tried to imagine what it would be like to be in either girl's place. I tried and failed. â€Å"I don't know,' admitted Lissa. â€Å"I don't know what I want.' Jill nodded, dropping her gaze, but not before I caught sight of the emotion playing across her face. Disappointment–yet, Lissa's answer hadn't entirely been unexpected. Jill asked the next best thing. â€Å"Do you want †¦ do you want me to be in the ceremonies?' The question hung in the air. It was a good one. It was the reason we'd come here, but did Lissa actually want this? Studying her, I still wasn't sure. I didn't know if she was just following protocol, trying to get Jill to play a role expected among royalty. In this case, there was no law that said Jill had to do anything. She simply had to exist. â€Å"Yes,' said Lissa at last. I heard the truth in her words, and something inside of me lightened. Lissa didn't just want Jill for the sake of image. A part of Lissa wanted Jill in her life–but managing that would be difficult. Still, it was a start, and Jill seemed to recognize that. â€Å"Okay,' she said. â€Å"Just tell me what I need to do.' It occurred to me that Jill's youth and nervousness were deceptive. There were sparks of bravery and boldness within her, sparks that I felt certain would grow. She really was a Dragomir. Lissa looked relieved, but I think it was because she'd made a tiny step of progress with her sister. It had nothing to do with the coronation. â€Å"Someone else will explain it all. I'm not really sure what you do, to be honest. But Rose is right. It won't be hard.' Jill simply nodded. â€Å"Thank you,' said Lissa. She stood up, and both Jill and I rose with her. â€Å"I †¦ I really appreciate it.' That awkwardness returned as the three of us stood there. It would have been a good moment for the sisters to hug, but even though both seemed pleased at their progress, neither was ready for that. When Lissa looked at Jill, she still saw her father with another woman. When Jill looked at Lissa, she saw her life completely turned upside down–a life once shy and private now out there for the world to gawk at. I couldn't change her fate, but hugging I could do. Heedless of my stitches, I put my arms around the young girl. â€Å"Thanks,' I said, echoing Lissa. â€Å"This'll all be okay. You'll see.' Jill nodded yet again, and with no more to discuss, Lissa and I moved toward the door. Jill's voice brought us to a halt. â€Å"Hey †¦ what happens after the coronation? To me? To us?' I glanced at Lissa. Another good question. Lissa turned toward Jill but still wasn't making direct eye contact. â€Å"We'll †¦ we'll get to know each other. Things'll get better.' The smile that appeared on Jill's face was genuine–small, but genuine. â€Å"Okay,' she said. There was hope in that smile too. Hope and relief. â€Å"I'd like that.' As for me, I had to hide a frown. I apparently could function without the bond because I could tell, with absolute confidence, that Lissa wasn't exactly giving the whole truth. What wasn't she telling Jill? Lissa did want things to be better, I was certain, even if she wasn't sure how. But there was something †¦ something small that Lissa wasn't revealing to either of us, something that made me think Lissa didn't actually believe things would improve. Out of nowhere, a strange echo from Victor Dashkov rang through my mind about Jill. If she has any sense, Vasilisa will send her away. I didn't know why I remembered that, but it sent a chill through me. The sisters were both mustering smiles, and I hastily did as well, not wanting either to know my concerns. Lissa and I left after that, heading back toward my room. My little outing had been more tiring than I expected, and as much as I hated to admit it, I couldn't wait to lie down again. When we reached my room, I still hadn't decided if I should ask Lissa about Jill or wait to get Dimitri's opinion. The decision was taken from me when we found an unexpected visitor waiting: Adrian. He sat on my bed, head tipped back as though he was completely consumed by studying the ceiling. I knew better. He'd known the instant we approached–or at least when Lissa approached. We stopped in the doorway, and he finally turned toward us. He looked like he hadn't slept in a while. Dark shadows hung under his eyes, and his cute face was hardened with lines of fatigue. Whether it was mental or physical fatigue, I couldn't say. Nonetheless, his lazy smile was the same as ever. â€Å"Your majesty,' he said grandly. â€Å"Stop,' scoffed Lissa. â€Å"You should know better.' â€Å"I've never known better,' he countered. â€Å"You should know that.' I saw Lissa start to smile; then she glanced at me and grew serious, realizing this was hardly let's-have-fun-with-Adrian time. â€Å"Well,' she said uneasily, not looking very queenly at all. â€Å"I've got some things to do.' She was going to bolt, I realized. I'd gone with her for her family chat, but she was going to abandon me now. Just as well, though. This conversation with Adrian had been inevitable, and I'd brought it on myself. I had to finish this on my own, just as I'd told Dimitri. â€Å"I'm sure you do,' I said. Her face turned hesitant, as though she was suddenly reconsidering. She felt guilty. She was worried about me and wanted to stand by me. I lightly touched her arm. â€Å"It's okay, Liss. I'll be okay. Go.' She squeezed my hand in return, her eyes wishing me good luck. She told Adrian goodbye and left, closing the door behind her. It was just him and me now. He stayed on my bed, watching me carefully. He still wore the smile he'd given Lissa, like this was no big deal. I knew otherwise and made no attempts to hide my feelings. Standing still made me tired, so I sat down in a nearby chair, nervously wondering what to say. â€Å"Adrian–‘ â€Å"Let's start with this, little dhampir,' he said cordially. â€Å"Was it going on before you left Court?' It took me a moment to follow that abrupt Adrian conversation format. He was asking if Dimitri and I had gotten back together before my arrest. I shook my head slowly. â€Å"No. I was with you. Just you.' True, I'd been a mess of emotions, but my intentions had been firm. â€Å"Well. That's something,' he said. Some of his pleasantness was starting to slip. I smelled it then, ever so faintly: alcohol and smoke. â€Å"Better some rekindling of sparks in the heat of battle or quest or whatever than you cheating right in front of me.' I shook my head more urgently now. â€Å"No, I swear. I didn't–nothing happened then †¦ not until–‘ I hesitated on how to phrase my next words. â€Å"Later?' he guessed. â€Å"Which makes it okay? â€Å"No! Of course not. I †¦' Damn it. I'd screwed up. Just because I hadn't cheated on Adrian at Court didn't mean that I hadn't cheated on him later. You could phrase it however you wanted, but let's face it: sleeping with another guy in a hotel room was pretty much cheating if you had a boyfriend. It didn't matter if that guy was the love of your life or not. â€Å"I'm sorry,' I said. It was the simplest and most appropriate thing I could say. â€Å"I'm sorry. What I did was wrong. I didn't mean for it to happen. I thought †¦ I really thought he and I were done. I was with you. I wanted to be with you. And then, I realized that–‘ â€Å"No, no–stop.' Adrian held up a hand, his voice tight now as his cool facade continued to crumble. â€Å"I really do not want to hear about the great revelation you had about how you guys were always meant to be together or whatever it was.' I stayed silent because, well, that kind of had been my revelation. Adrian ran a hand through his hair. â€Å"Really, it's my fault. It was there. A hundred times there. How often did I see it? I knew. It kept happening. Over and over, you'd say you were through with him †¦ and over and over, I'd believe it †¦ no matter what my eyes showed me. No matter what my heart told me. My. Fault.' It was that slightly unhinged rambling–not that nervous kind of Jill's, but the unstable kind that worried me about how close he was getting to the edge of insanity. An edge I might very well be pushing him toward. I wanted to go over to him but had the sense to stay seated. â€Å"Adrian, I–‘ â€Å"I loved you!' he yelled. He jumped up out of his chair so quickly I never saw it coming. â€Å"I loved you, and you destroyed me. You took my heart and ripped it up. You might as well have staked me!' The change in his features also caught me by surprise. His voice filled the room. So much grief, so much anger. So unlike the usual Adrian. He strode toward me, hand clasped over his chest. â€Å"I. Loved. You. And you used me the whole time.' â€Å"No, no. It's not true.' I wasn't afraid of Adrian, but in the face of that emotion, I found myself cringing. â€Å"I wasn't using you. I loved you. I still do, but–‘ He looked disgusted. â€Å"Rose, come on.' â€Å"I mean it! I do love you.' Now I stood up, pain or no, trying to look him in the eye. â€Å"I always will, but we're not †¦ I don't think we work as a couple.' â€Å"That's a bullshit breakup line, and you know it.' He was kind of right, but I thought back to moments with Dimitri †¦ how well we worked in sync, how he always seemed to get exactly what I felt. I meant what I'd said: I did love Adrian. He was wonderful, in spite of all his flaws. Because, really, who didn't have flaws? He and I had fun together. There was affection, but we weren't matched in the way Dimitri and I were. â€Å"I'm not †¦ I'm not the one for you,' I said weakly. â€Å"Because you're with another guy?' â€Å"No, Adrian. Because †¦ I don't. I don't know. I don't †¦' I was fumbling, badly. I didn't know how to explain what I felt, how you could care about someone and love hanging out with them–but still not work as a couple. â€Å"I don't balance you like you need.' â€Å"What the hell does that mean?' he exclaimed. My heart ached for him, and I was so sorry for what I'd done †¦ but this was the truth of it all. â€Å"The fact that you have to ask says it all. When you find that person †¦ you'll know.' I didn't add that with his history, he'd probably have a number of false starts before finding that person. â€Å"And I know this sounds like another bullshit breakup line, but I really would like to be your friend.' He stared at me for several heavy seconds and then laughed–though there wasn't much humor in it. â€Å"You know what's great? You're serious. Look at your face.' He gestured, as though I actually could examine myself. â€Å"You really think it's that easy, that I can sit here and watch your happy ending. That I can watch you getting everything you want as you lead your charmed life.' â€Å"Charmed!' The guilt and sympathy warring within me got a little kick of anger. â€Å"Hardly. Do you know what I've gone through in the last year?' I'd watched Mason die, fought in the St. Vladimir's attack, been captured by Strigoi in Russia, and then lived on the run as a wanted murderess. That didn't sound charmed at all. â€Å"And yet, here you are, triumphant after it all. You survived death and freed yourself from the bond. Lissa's queen. You got the guy and your happily ever after.' I turned my back to him and stalked away. â€Å"Adrian, what do you want me to say? I can apologize forever, but there's nothing else I can do here. I never wanted to hurt you; I can't say that enough. But the rest? Do you really expect me to be sad about everything else having worked out? Should I wish I was still I was accused of murder?' â€Å"No,' he said. â€Å"I don't want you to suffer. Much. But the next time you're in bed with Belikov, stop a moment and remember that not everyone made out as well as you did.' I turned back to face him. â€Å"Adrian, I never–‘ â€Å"Not just me, little dhampir,' he added quietly. â€Å"There's been a lot of collateral damage along the way while you battled against the world. I was a victim, obviously. But what about Jill? What happens to her now that you've abandoned her to the royal wolves? And Eddie? Have you thought about him? And where's your Alchemist?' Every word he slung at me was an arrow, piercing my heart more than the bullets had. The fact that he'd referred to Jill by her name instead of â€Å"Jailbait' carried an extra hurt. I was already toting plenty of guilt about her, but the others †¦ well, they were a mystery. I'd heard rumors about Eddie but hadn't seen him since my return. He was clear of James's death, but killing a Moroi–when others still thought he might have been brought in alive–carried a heavy stigma. Eddie's previous insubordination– thanks to me–also damned him, even if it had all been for â€Å"the greater good.' As queen, Lissa could only do so much. The guardians served the Moroi, but it was customary for the Moroi to step back and let the guardians manage their own people. Eddie wasn't being dismissed or imprisoned †¦ but what assignment would they give him? Hard to say. Sydney †¦ she was an even greater mystery. Where's your Alchemist? The goings- on of that group were beyond me, beyond my world. I remembered her face that last time I'd seen her, back in the hotel–strong but sad. I knew she and the other Alchemists had been released since then, but her expression had said she wasn't out of trouble yet. And Victor Dashkov? Where did he fit in? I wasn't sure. Evil or not, he was still someone who'd suffered as a result of my actions, and the events surrounding his death would stay with me forever. Collateral damage. I'd brought down a lot of people with me, intentionally or no. But, as Adrian's words continued sinking into me, one of them suddenly gave me pause. â€Å"Victim,' I said slowly. â€Å"That's the difference between you and me.' â€Å"Huh?' He'd been watching me closely while I'd considered the fates of my friends and was caught off guard now. â€Å"What are you talking about?' â€Å"You said you were a victim. That's why †¦ that's why ultimately, you and I aren't matched for each other. In spite of everything that's happened, I've never thought of myself that way. Being a victim means you're powerless. That you won't take action. Always †¦ always I've done something to fight for myself †¦ for others. No matter what.' I'd never seen such outrage on Adrian's face. â€Å"That's what you think of me? That I'm lazy? Powerless?' Not exactly. But I had a feeling that after this conversation, he would run off to the comfort of his cigarettes and alcohol and maybe whatever female company he could find. â€Å"No,' I said. â€Å"I think you're amazing. I think you're strong. But I don't think you've realized it–or learned how to use any of that.' And, I wanted to add, I wasn't the person who could inspire that in him. â€Å"This,' he said, moving toward the door, â€Å"was the last thing I expected. You destroy my life and then feed me inspirational philosophy.' I felt horrible, and it was one of those moments where I wished my mouth wouldn't just blurt out the first thing on my mind. I'd learned a lot of control–but not quite enough. â€Å"I'm just telling you the truth. You're better than this †¦ better than whatever it is you're going to do now.' Adrian rested his hand on the doorknob and gave me a rueful look. â€Å"Rose, I'm an addict with no work ethic who's likely going to go insane. I'm not like you. I'm not a superhero.' â€Å"Not yet,' I said. He scoffed, shook his head, and opened the door. Just before leaving, he gave me one more backward glance. â€Å"The contract's null and void, by the way.' I felt like I'd been slapped in the face. And in one of those rare moments, Rose Hathaway was rendered speechless. I had no witty quips, no elaborate explanations, and no profound insight. Adrian left, and I wondered if I'd ever see him again.

Ethics in the Workplace Essay Sample

Ethics in the Workplace Essay Sample Ethics in the Workplace Essay In order for a workplace to continue existing in harmony and have and a good dose of productivity, rules must exist. Ideally, these rules in itself must maintain the peace and are supposed to give the most optimal results possible. However, because the human factor is added to the equation, then additional systems must be put into place. Some of these systems are either encoded (or written) while others are simply understood without the need to be posted at all. All in all, these things which humans are supposed to observe and maintain in the workplace are called workplace ethics. An example of a written workplace ethic is dress code. In workplaces, corporate attires are usually considered â€Å"ethical† while your regular pajamas are not. However, as could be deduced from the statement above, some issues of â€Å"unethical behaviors† vary from workplace to workplace, since while others consider wearing corporate attires to be the ethical way of dressing when on company grounds, other companies would prefer their employees working in pajamas, or at least, in their t-shirts. Because some of the rules that guide human behaviors in the workplace vary from one to the other, most of these varying rules are coded in order for the employees to be constantly reminded of. However, there are also other workplace ethics which does not vary in between companies or workplaces. These ethical rules include respect, integrity, and honesty among others. Unlike the previous examples stated above, these ideas are what everyone inside of the workplace must imbibe an d not constantly reminded of. These ideas are essential not only for everyone, not only because they are required and expected to do so, but because it creates a better environment for everyone to produce the most optimal results without fearing that something unexpected is happening, or is coming up. To narrow down to these examples let me give one of each and describe them in a more specific manner. Honesty is one of the foremost examples of a workplace ethics. Without honesty, the workplace would simply not exist since information, data, and results should always be reported to the right channels in order to mitigate any risks or resolve any problems that might arise. Another example of an unwritten work ethic is integrity. Integrity refers to the having strong moral principles. What makes this important in understanding work ethics is that morality and ethics are very tightly knitted. Both of them came from mores (or rights) and therefore having one of these traits also means having the other one. Lastly, we have openness. This is also an important work ethics because openness also leads to better interaction and dynamics between every individual. Openness means being open to criticisms (constructive) and other ideas without prejudice which could affect ones objectivity. Following from these statements, a strong argument could be made about what constitutes a strong workplace. In order for the workplace to continually grow and succeed in reaching its goals, one could say that establishing operating rules and laws is not enough. Rules are usually for the technical and operational aspects of the company (e.g. delivery system) but are not enough to address human variable that exists in between the expected process. In line with this, it could easily be argued that an ideal workplace is one where the operating rules established are just coinciding perfectly with one’s workplaces ethics (both written and unwritten). A community where people know what to do both in their jobs as well as how to help others progresses and gains the most optimal results possible.

Significance Of Customer Portfolio Management In Modern Business Envir Essay

Significance Of Customer Portfolio Management In Modern Business Environment - Essay Example A loyal customer is an invaluable asset to any organization that contributes to the accomplishment of the firm’s long-term goals and objectives. Scholars reflect that efficient customer portfolio management at different levels of an organization is a fundamental driver of strategic as well as financial success. The concept of customer portfolio can significantly contribute to the firm’s efforts to retain the profitable segments of its customers because customer portfolio is a potential way to achieve enhanced customer satisfaction. According to experts, â€Å"in much the same way that we can examine a portfolio of products or brands, the importance of customers as assets and investment centers mandates a similar portfolio analysis† (Hooley, et al. 2008, p.436). This paper will explore the concept of customer portfolio management. The paper will also discuss how a company can apply this concept in its strategic management.  The term portfolio is often used by ma nagement professionals in the context of investments to represent the collection of assets owned by a person or an institution. With regard to customers, this term has a parallel meaning. A customer portfolio can be defined as â€Å"the collection of mutually exclusive customer groups that comprise a business’s entire customer base† (Buttle, 2009. p.125). In simple words, a customer portfolio encompasses different groups that make up a business’s customer base. For instance, Coca Cola’s customer portfolio comprises grocery stores, amusement parks, and restaurants. The thorough analysis of customer portfolios can assist a company to identify how a specific customer group is performing.

Christian Faith and Global Islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Christian Faith and Global Islam - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that  Volf sees to it that what some of the Christians might view as differences in terms of Muslims and Christians is really not a difference if analyzed in detail. For example the fact that Muslims don’t recognize Trinity should be seen as a difference between the two religions. This is based on the fact that some Christians like the Orthodox also believe in the same principle. As much as some of the Volf’s arguments are strong, one would argue that they have limitations too. This can be confirmed by the inductive thinking approach that he places on his arguments. This is seen by his proclamation of the engagement rules in which he wants the followers of the two religions to focus on the common things they share and not the difference.This study highlights that  Lee main argument is based on the fact that one should understand the opponents point of view, more so when it comes to our enemies. This is an element that shows the practice o f loving our neighbors, but it does not mean we have to agree with them. In the book, Lee views Muslims as enemies to the Christians. This is based on their actions and omissions that see make them to be of the opposite teaching of Christianity. Lee discusses the orientation of Muslims when it comes to making of war and use it in the comparison of the Christian kind of war that ever existed.  Contrary to Muslims, Lee sees the teaching and the life of Jesus to be non- violent thus opposing war making and violence.