Macbeth, By William Shakespeare - 967 Words

We believe that to obtain a position of power we must acquire, or presently have traits of deception, force, and manipulation, although the people who think this are dead wrong. People with the greatest amount of power get authority through ambition, responsibility, and motivation. In the play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare, it shows a story about a fictional tragedy in which a strong scottish general named Macbeth receives news from witches that he will one day become king. The new king of Scotland would be him one day. He created a large amount of confidence and ambition out of this tale, that he comes to his goal by killing the king to take the throne of the now deceased, king Duncan. The power Macbeth obtains corrupts Macbeth and leads to him being a manipulative, overpowered leader. Macbeth has absolute power and goes against all laws of nature to get to that point of obtaining the position he eventually has through cheating god. Power is what some can obtain and what ot hers cannot, it is the capability to direct or influence the behavior of others through fear or love. Ultimately in the play Macbeth, the main character Macbeth abuses his power, an example of his abusive power is the way that Macbeth treats his soldiers. Macbeth stays in hiding and safety while sending his soldiers out alone to resolve any conflicts for him, all to defend himself, he shows he doesn t care about their lives. â€Å"Go prick thy face and ow-red thy fear, thou-liv d boy, what soldiersShow MoreRelatedMacbeth by William Shakespeare770 Words   |  3 PagesThe play Macbeth is written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to be written between 1603 and 1607 and set in eleventh century Scotland. It is also believed to be first performed in 1606. It is considered to be one of the darkest and most powerful tragedies. Macbeth, set in Scotland, dramatizes the psychological and political effects produced when evil is chosen to fulfill the ambition of power. The Tragedy of Mac beth is Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy and tells the story of Macbeth, a ScottishRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1425 Words   |  6 PagesMacbeth Just Can’t Wait To Be King Everyone has a quality that they do not like about themselves. Some people struggle to be social, others may be too controlling of people. The list goes on and on, but the point is that everybody has a particular quality that they must learn to control or else that particular quality can get out of hand. Of course, one could write a list of characters that have major flaws. There is no better example than William Shakespeare’s character, Macbeth, in The TragedyRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1409 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air.† On October 17th, I had the pleasure of going to see Macbeth performed at the Shakespeare Tavern. Along with its reputation for being â€Å"cursed,† Macbeth is also known as one of the crown jewels of William Shakespeare’s repertoire. In my opinion, the central concept of this particular retelling of the play was the murkiness of character. Throughout the pla y, the many characters go through fierce temptation and strife, and noneRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1203 Words   |  5 PagesMacbeth is a play based on King James I, it was written by William Shakespeare, however this play isn’t a king and queen fairy tale, but it’s a play about greed and guilt, chaos and murder and three evil witches who use prophecies to influence Macbeth to do bad things, using flattery would instigate his inner ambition to become king, which in the end doesn’t lead to a very happy ending. Shakespeare’s, Macbeth, was written in the early Jacobean period. During those times, women had no power, theyRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1243 Words   |  5 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s â€Å"Macbeth†, the author portrays the main character Macbeth as a very tortured and flawed individual whose actions only serve to further unravel him. He is conflicted and power hungry, which drives him to perform evil murders and become a ruthless person. Macbeth’s moral compass is not resilient enough to withstand his wife’s manipulations and he is provoked to act on his malicious thoughts of murder. The author explores the terrible effects that ambition and guilt can haveRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare Essay1487 Words   |  6 Pagesreaction†. Macbeth by William Shakespeare is a tale which illuminates the consequences of violating the â€Å"Natural order†, the hierarchy of beings in the universe. When Macbeth, a warrior wel l-known for his courage and bravery, murders King Duncan acting on his unchecked ambition to claim the throne, the order was disrupted, the result†¦chaos. Shakespeare uses symbolism to illustrate the atmosphere of the play as the natural order is flung into a state of turmoil. These techniques used by Shakespeare is usedRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1483 Words   |  6 Pagesdifferent references in the play of how a king deals with power and if they use it for better or for their own personal gain. In the play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Macbeth’s obsession with his journey to power leads to his failure. This obsession is demonstrated through the prophecies, the murder of his best friend Banquo, and his own demise. Macbeth demonstrates that he is incapable of mastering the power and responsibilities of being a king. This is indicated throughout the play with theRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1045 Words   |  5 PagesBlood appears in only two forms, but many times in Macbeth by William Shakespeare; between the war scene at the beginning of the play and the lifting of Macbeth’s severed being lifted by Macduff at the end. It can be said that Macbeth could have been written in blood that there is such a large amount. What is unique about blood in Macbeth is that the â€Å"imaginary blood† or the guilt that the murderer feels plays more of a role of understand and amplifying the theme of the play, that blood is guiltRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1431 Words   |  6 Pages Macbeth, though originally a valiant and prudent soldier, deteriorates into an unwise king whose rash decisions conclusively end in the atrophy of his title, power, and position. Several facto rs contribute to the downfall of Macbeth, which produce a contagion effect and ultimately end with his demise. He receives help from his â€Å"inner ambitions and external urgings† which result in his downfall (Bernad 49). The â€Å"external urgings† consist of the weird sisters who disclose his prophecies, which enlightenRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare2060 Words   |  9 Pagesthe green one red Macbeth Quote (Act II, Sc. II). Out, out, brief candle! Life s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Macbeth Quote (Act V, Scene V). These quotes have been taken from play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare. Like these quotes there are hundreds and thousands of such heart touching quotes written by Shakespeare in his many different

History of The Mackinac Bridge Free Essays

Since Nov. 1, 1957, when the Mackinac Bridge opened to public traffic, the iconic symbol has stood as solemn testimony to mankind’s engineering abilities. The Mackinac Bridge is made up of more than one million tons of concrete and steel. We will write a custom essay sample on History of The Mackinac Bridge or any similar topic only for you Order Now Its towers rise 552 feet above the Straits of Mackinac and reach 210 feet below the waves. From May 7, 1954, until late fall of 1957, about 3,500 laborers worked in and over the Straits of Mackinac constructing the bridge. The project cost the lives of 5 men. In addition, 7,500 people labored in offsite job shops and quarries from Duluth, Minn., to Pittsburgh, welding, forging and assembling steel, mining rock and mixing concrete. There was a total of 85,000 blueprints printed for the construction of the Mackinac Bridge.Construction began on the bridge on May 7, 1954, following years of debate on how to best cross the Straits of Mackinac. Everything from a tunnel to a series of causeways, tunnels and bridges going from Cheboygan to Bois Blanc Island to Round Island to Mackinac Island finally ending in St. Ignace- before a single suspension bridge with two towers was ultimately chosen. This was made possible because of Steinman’s experience with other bridge projects, with it prompted him to encourage private financing for the Mackinac Bridge. The bridge was financed through a unique bond sale that covered its $100 million cost without using state or public funding. The bonds sold to pay for the Mackinac Bridge were retired July 1, 1986. To anchor the 100 million gross tons of the Mackinac Bridge, man-made mountains were required to be built in 88 feet of water. The anchor blocks- piers 17 and 22-were to become the beginning and end of the world’s longest suspended span to date. The harbor at St. Ignace became the home base for Merritt-Chapman and Scott’s marine construction equipment, regarded in 1954 as the largest gathering of its type ever assembled for a civilian project. St. Ignace was the location for land-based construction of the giant steel foundations and bridge support pieces. Decompression sickness, or â€Å"the bends,† was a constant threat to the safety of the divers who worked in the extremely cold, deep water of the straits. Commonly told among school children an ironworker who lost his footing fell to his death. It’s said he landed in newly poured concrete, where his body lies today, preserved beneath the bride connecting the two peninsulas of Michigan. While historians say no iron, worker is encased in concrete, five people did die in accidents related to construction of the bridge. One died when he surfaced too quickly, a welder died when he fell into an underwater retaining structure, a worker fell from a short distance into the water and drowned, and two others fell 550 feet from a catwalk near the North tower, according to the authorities. Of the two workers who fell from the catwalk, one body was recovers immediately and the other was never found. Mackinac Bridge workers, like many workers involved in an intense high-stakes project, enjoyed a special camaraderie that they still speak of today. There was a feeling of togetherness, of them all being in the same situation, and of beating the odds. There was also a concern for each-others safety and welfare, with many of the men becoming lifelong friends. A new record for underwater consolidation of concrete was set in the spring of 1955, when work resumed after a long winter of ice and snow. During the 31 days of May that year, 103,000 cubic yards of concrete were poured into foundations of the Mackinac Bridge. A final step before the cables were encased in a protective piping was a coat the wire in a corrosive-resistant, â€Å"red-lead† paste. This was done to protect against rust and corrosion, two factors which could seriously compromise the integrity of the suspension system. The coating was a terrific success, as annual inspections done by removing the piping reveal little to no damage done by the forces of nature. Besides the main suspension span, the Mackinac Bridge is really constructed of a series of smaller, conventional bridges that would span many wide, formidable rivers and gorges. The building of these linked spans took place for the most part on land. All the work was done within sight of ferryboat passengers, crossing for the last 35-minute trips before they would be able to drive across the new route in less than 10 minutes. Michigan’s miracle Bridge was becoming a reality. Workers were issued a safety helmet complete with miner’s light and a life jacket for the boat trip out to the job site. Beyond that, all they took along was their lunch. The men would then leave the lifejackets on board for the next crew, disregarding the fact that they were working around very deep water that could be extremely cold. The general highway approach to the bridge was being formed at Mackinaw City, where a viaduct took the highway over the villages main street, Central Avenue. The date was July 22, 1957, and inclement weather delayed the raising of the final piece of Dr. David B. Steinman’s geometric puzzle to conquer the Straits of Mackinac. That evening, the last section was raised and bolted into place, connecting the steel of a bridge that would tie Michigan together as a state. All suspension bridges are designed to move to accommodate wind, temperature change, and weight. Thanks to the open grating installed on the middle two lanes of the Mackinac Bridge, the design flexes easily when necessary. Wind water and snow easily passes through the grates surface. The completed tollbooth and administration building were readied just in time for occupancy before the Mackinac Bridge opened for business. The last job to get the Mackinac Bridge ready for traffic was to coat the concrete traffic lanes with a layer of bituminous asphalt, completed only days before the official opening. Tolls have always been a staple of the bridge to offset the costs of construction and maintenance. Opened on Nov. 1, 1957, tolls were set at $3.25 per passenger vehicle. In 1961, tolls rose to 3.50 and again to $3.75, where they stayed until 1969, when the Legislature passed funding for the authority and tolls were lowered to $1.50 for a passenger vehicle. The cost for traversing the bridge remained at $1.50 until 2005, when it was raised to $2.50, because of increased maintenance costs, Sweeney said. The Mackinac bridge is the third-longest suspension bridge in the world behind the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Japan at 12,826 feet between suspensions and the Great Belt Bridge in Denmark at 8,921 feet. Both bridges opened in 1998. At 8,614 feet between suspensions, the Mackinac Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere. The total length of the Bridge 28,372 feet. It links Mackinac City in the Lower Peninsula. At just over five miles, the bridge is long enough to cause some trouble for crossing motorists who fail to fill up their gas tanks before crossing. To keep the bridge looking pristine, workers spend countless hours and use myriad gallons of paint. â€Å"Every year we use around 50,000 gallons for spot painting,† said Sweeney. Of the paint used each year, 45,000 gallons of green is used on the lower sections and cables, while 5,000 of ivory is used on the structures. Because of an $80 million maintenance plan, the 50-year-old structure is expected to have an infinite lifespan. Overhead highway lighting was installed to make nighttime crossings of the bridge safe and enjoyable. The bridge lighting could be seen for miles from either the Mackinaw City or St. Ignace shores, and cable lighting provided a further distinctive accent. One thing that bridge workers did not do before the bridge opened was paint it. The construction schedule dictated a November opening, and painters needed warmer temperatures before they could begin the big job of painting such a large structure.On November 1, 1957, traffic officially opened on the Mackinac Bridge. A huge story, the event attracted 150 newspaper men from throughout Michigan and neighboring states that included Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, New York, and Ontario. Only a comparative few of the thousands of people attending the celebration were able to watch the dedication of the Mackinac Bridge, held at pier 22, the north anchor block of the bridge, on June 28, 1958. It was there that a five-mile length of ribbon was stretched from Mackinaw City at the south end and from the St. Ignace shore to the north. The Mackinac Bridge began celebrating the first year it was open by offering the public a chance to walk across the span. The event started as a race-walking activity, but soon became popular with thousands who wanted to return the following year and bring their friends with them. On May 9, 2003, the highest wind speed ever recorded on the bridge occurred at 4:08 p.m. The anemometer read 124 miles per hour.Area: Bridge sparks questions, myths. Keywords used to find article: News paper articles on Mackinac Bridge. Found at the local library. Published in Lansing. Authors are Michael Carney and Capital News Service. It was published Monday, February 26th, 2007. The purpose this source serves for my topic. Gives important dates such as when construction started on the bridge, also goes into detail about the tolls and amounts for crossing the bridge. Michael Carney writes about the work of the Mackinac Bridge. The structure of the document would be an informative news paper article. Works Cited: Carney, Michael. â€Å"Area Bridge Sparks Questions, Myths.† The Mining Journal [Lansing] 26 Feb. 2007: 3A. Print. Images of America Mackinac Bridge. Keywords used to find book: History of the Mackinac Bridge. Found at Public Library. Published by Arcadia Publishing Charleston SC, Chicago IL; Portsmouth NH, San Francisco CA. Author Mike Fornes. Published in 2007. The purpose this source serves me is it gives me the history for both the bridge and everyone who helped to build it. Works Cited: Fornes, Mike. Mackinac Bridge. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2007. Print. Area: Model Marks ‘Big Mac’s’ 50th year. Looked up News paper articles on the Mackinac Bridge at the local library. Published in Farwell. I could not find an Author. Published in 2007. The information I pulled from this source help make my introduction to my essay with just enough to get the reader to question what all I was going to go into detail about. Works Cited: â€Å"Area Model Marks ‘Big Mac’s’ 50th year.† The Mining Journal [Farwell] 28 May. 2007: 3A. Print. How to cite History of The Mackinac Bridge, Papers

Wesfarmers Limited Marketing Analysis and Operations

Question: Discuss about the Wesfarmers Limited Marketing Analysis and Operations. Answer: Introduction Wesfarmers limited started its operations in 1914 under the name of Western Australian Farmers cooperation. From its simple beginning as a farmers marketing association, the company has grown over the decades to one of the Australias largest company (Wesfarmers, 2017). The head quarters of the company are located in Western Australia. The company has diversified business operations that cover home improvement; supermarkets, convenience stores, hotels, liquor, office supplies, department stores and industrial division (energy, chemical fertilisers, safety products and coal) (Wesfarmers, 2017). Wesfarmers aims to offer stakeholders satisfactory returns by satisfying customer needs by offering professional service and competitive prices for goods and services as well as providing employees with a working environment that is fulfilling and safe, appreciating good performance and offering a platform for professional growth. In addition, the company contributes to growth of countries it operates in by carrying out its businesses efficiently and identifying expansion opportunities and protecting the environment and conducting business with honesty and integrity all the time (Wesfarmers, 2017). It is evident from Wesfarmers objective, the company focuses all it resources in offering products services that are competitive, professional and that are sensitive to the requirements and expectations of the recipient communities and countries. Wesfarmers being a company with diverse goods and services, it has its several brand names under it s umbrella. These are: Coles This retail outlet comprise of fresh food stores, liquor stores, gas stations and supermarkets. It has an online shopping portal for its customer in Australia and New Zealand. Kmart is a brand that specialises in retail of clothing, kids items and general merchandise. It also has a department specialising on automobile servicing. Chemical, energy and fertilisers department this department handles the manufacturing and distribution of specialty chemicals, energy and gas and fertilisers. The strategy of diversification employed by Wesfarmers gives the company a competitive edge due to the capacity of tapping disposable income in all key consumer sectors. 5C analysis According to Churchill and Iacobucci (2006) to create a reputable brand, an organisation has to invest in continually offering quality products and services and that is proven by time. Therefore, Wesfarmers has existed since 1914 giving a clear indication that it has only thrived due to continued customer support and trust. This confidence is because of the companys investment in making customer service convenient and the community development initiatives the company engages in (Biddle 2016). In addition, the company also emphasizes quality as well as performance and this is evident in the companys investment in workforce to make customer experience a remarkable one. According to (Wesfarmers, 2017) Wesfarmers has about 220000 employees making it one of the largest private sector employers. To add to the strengths of Wesfarmers, the company has an online sale platform that increases convenience for the customers who are busy at work. The wide range of products also gives the company a n advantage, as the prices vary to suit all types of customers. The company offers discounts and special offers that result in customers flocking the shops. The major weakness the company has is its low geographic presence. Being a conglomerate, has concentrated mostly in Australia narrowing the market experience. Being a leading company, Wesfarmers receives scrutiny for every critical decision made. The company can increase its market share by opening expanding business to more countries. This is because retail business is thriving worldwide because it is the final link between the producer and the consumer (Dwivedi et al. 2012). Standardisation of products and services across all outlets and brands can be a very good venture for Wesfarmers. This will guarantee customers same level quality of product and service regardless of the brand or location of the shop. The major threat the company faces competition with some specialised competitors offering products and services at the same or lower prices. There is also reduced demand and customer confidence due to downturn in economic levels. Customer The market segmentation of Wesfarmers broadly targets customers of all ages from middle and high-income families. This segment of customers prefer convenience shopping because they dont have time to move around different shops looking for goods and services. Therefore, Wesfarmers brands favour this category of shoppers. The online shopping services offered by the company also make many to prefer the company as they shop at the convenience of their homes or offices and have the merchandise delivered at the doorstep. The company has over 15,000 suppliers who feed the stores with products and raw materials used for the success of business (Wesfarmers, 2017). For any business to remain relevant in business and offer efficient services to customers, a healthy relationship with all stakeholders (suppliers, distributors and community) is of essence, Says Armstrong, Kotler, Harker and Brennan (2012). Wesfarmers strives to keep a mutual relationship with supplier to ensure supplies are of highest quality. Since Wesfarmers is a retailer, there is no need for distributors. This is because the company sells it merchandise directly to the end line customers The direct and main competitors for Wesfarmers include, Woolworths limited, Best and Less, Myers, hs Home and other businesses that deal with similar products. The indirect competitors of the business are other enterprises that compete for the same disposable income of the customers the company targets. According to Wesfarmers limited (2017) the companys profits dropped by 3.6% and operating cash flow by 11.2% in year 2016 due to drop in value of Australian dollar. However, the financial outlook of the company is not all bad as it maintained a strong credit rating during the financial year. The Australian government enacted a law seeking to bar established businesses from engaging in activities that discourage competition Richards, et al. (2012) and thus Wesfarmers has to come up with strategies to beat competition that will arise from new start-ups. Wesfarmers is at a social advantage, as Australian community prefer socially responsible companies (Wilson, et al. 2012). The company involves itself in community development initiatives as part of its corporate social responsibility (Wesfarmers, 2017). Considering that we are in a digital era, the company has adapted cashless payment systems and online shopping system that is favoured by many shoppers due to the convenience associated with the technological advancement. The organisation also is environmental friendly and has programs that promote environmental sustainability. Market research According to Jobber and Ellis-Chadwick (2012), market research is essential for any business whether a start-up or an established business. It gives vital information that aids in decision making regarding best strategies for a successful business. At Wesfarmers, market research takes place at various stages and in various forms. Surveys take place online portals for the online customers, at the shops by filing in anonymous questionnaires and by encouraging customers to make suggestions and deposit them at the suggestion box. This gives information on who the current customers are and what they like and what they want to be changed. To get information regarding changes expected in the business operations, the organisation ensures representation in all institutions that relate to its business and participate in all business fairs of sectors linked to its operations. A good relationship with stakeholders also helps, as the management gets information about any new occurrence that may affect the business way in advance (Wesfarmers, 2017). This channel is very important especially for technological improvement. The suppliers brief the company of new development very early giving the company an advantage of adopting latest technology before competitors. Market segment According to Cravens and Piercy (2006), marketing segmentation is the identification of a group of individuals who have similar characteristics that are useful in developing marketing strategies. Segmentation is important because it enables a company to customise goods and services to satisfy the needs of target customers better than the competitor (Cravens and Piercy 2006). An analysis of Wesfarmers indicates that the company has untapped market that has high potential if proper planning is done especially for supermarkets and apparel stores. Teenagers and young adults of ages between 16 and 25 is category that has very high shopping potential if targeted well. According to Jain and Haley (2009), this group love well known brands and are always looking for bargains and discounts. This group mostly shop out of peer influence and the desire to stand out so impulse buying is synonymous with them. Wesfarmers can strategise to put up shops in areas concentrated with this class of shoppers. This locations is a near universities and colleges or residential areas and tap this readily available cash. The grocery stores can also benefit from unexploited market by targeting low-income earners. This is viable because the low-income earners make the largest population of most economies Jobber and Ellis-Chadwick (2012) and groceries are a necessity. With affordable prices, this segment would comfortably choose to shop, hear. The company can open outlets in this areas and offer prices that are pocket friendly for the target customers. This in turn leads to a flow of customers hence getting increased profit due to high numbers of customers. Marketing mix Goi (2009) defines marketing mix as set of marking tools used by firms when developing marketing objectives for the target segment. The mix referred to as 4P (product, price, promotion and place). In order to reach out effectively to the proposed market segment, Wesfarmers need to consider the 4P marketing mix. It is important for the company to research about the products that are favoured by these categories of people. According to Goi (2009) a product is the good or service that satisfies customers needs. In order to attract the teenage and young adults to buy clothing and accessories at their stores, Wesfarmers Limited has to consider the style of the products on offer. This is because the products need to be age appropriate and acceptable to the target group (Armstrong Et.al 2012). The brand name is also very important as this category buy due to peer pressure and so is likely to buy brands that their friends vote. The packaging of the products should be appealing to this age group to encourage purchases. After-sale services and warranties on products encourage buying as the shoppers gain confident in the quality of the products. For the lower class grocery shoppers, the company best gain confidence from them by offering products and service that they commonly seek in a grocery store. The products should be of good quality and packaged hygienically and attractively. According to Goi (2009) price is the amount a customer is willing to pay for a product. This is the reason the cost of a commodity may vary from one shop to another and one location to another. Wesfarmers can adopt a pricing strategy for teenager and young adults group apparel and accessories section by doing a research to find out how much this category is willing to spend on various product ranges. When adopting prices it should put in mind different payment methods at the disposal of the targeted customer. In this case, young people love to flaunt with technology and thus introducing cashless and online shopping platform is rewarding to both parties (Hanson and Kalyanam 2007). This group love bargains. Therefore, price cuts and discounts appeals to them very much and should be a strategy to adopt when targeting them. As for the grocery stores for lower-class citizens, product pricing should consider the market rates in these areas. Available payment options should be a consideration. Discounts and special offers appeal the most to people on tight budgets (Birnik and Bowman 2007). Therefore, Wesfarmers should consider discounting of products and special offers occasionally. According to Armstrong Et.al (2012), promotion is defined as marketing communication. It incorporates advertising, public relations, sales promotion and direct marketing. It considers how to reach out, when to reach out, who to reach out and through what medium. In order to inform young people of existence of an apparel and accessory shop of choice, it is important to choose the right medium to convey the message. Today, young people get most of their information electronically. Therefore, it would only be wise to use internet media advertising service, television and radios to reach out to these people (Armelini and Villanueva 2011). In addition, billboards can convey the same information. The message customised to the taste of the target customers appeal the most. To market the grocery store television and radio channels as well as billboards can deliver the message effectively. The message directed to the target customers must have clear highlights on qualities that interest this group when shopping. Place is the either the physical location of a business or the channel used to deliver goods and services to the market (Armstrong Et.al 2012). When targeting young people to be customers of apparel and accessories, Wesfarmers should consider to strategically positioning their shop for accessibility by this target group (Jain and Haley 2009). The shop could be conveniently located near institutions of higher learning. These areas have a high concentration of young adults. The grocery stores should also be located in area that is accessible to low income earners if the strategy is to work. The fifth P to consider in marketing strategy planning is people. Sriram, Chintagunta and Neelamegham (2006) describe people as human actors that take part in service delivery. For both outlets, the company must ensure that employees portray the right image. Employees of the company should be friendly and professional at work. They must have the capacity to handle business matters efficiently and knowledgeable about the business. It is the responsibility of the management to make sure that new members of staff get training on all company operations. Conclusions Wesfarmers is one of Australias largest companies. It has increased its portfolio of business over the years in diverse fields. It aims at giving returns to shareholders by satisfying the customers first. The main strength of this company is its diversified brands on offer and the trust it has gained in over a century of service. However, the company faces a challenge from competitors who offer similar products at lower prices. The company has the potential for expansion to other countries. The drop in the value of the Australian dollar affected the companys profitability during 2016 financial year. However, the company can strategise to explore new markets in groceries and apparel and accessory sections. This will increase market shares and eventually profitability. To achieve this employing marketing mix to make clear strategies for new market entrance is essential. Bibliography Armelini, G. and Villanueva, J. (2011). Adding social media to the marketing mix. IESE insight, 9,29-36. Armstrong, G. Kotler, P., Harker, M., and Brennan, R. (2012). Marketing: an introduction. Pearson Prentice-Hall, London. Biddle, I. (2016). The Wesfarmers/Woolworths duopoly war: The Bunnings vs. Masters battle. Busidate, 24(3), 3. Birnik, A. and Bowman, C. (2007). Marketing mix standardization in multinational corporations: a review of the evidence. International Journal of Management Reviews, 9(4), 303-324. Churchill, G. A. and Iacobucci, D. (2006). Marketing research: methodological foundations. New York: Dryden Press. Cravens, D. W. and Piercy, N. (2006). Strategic marketing (Vol. 7). New York: McGraw-Hill. Dwivedi, A., Merrilees, B., Miller, D. and Herington, C. (2012). Brand, value and relationship equities and loyalty-intentions in the Australian supermarket industry. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 19(5), 526-536. Goi, C. L. (2009). A review of marketing mix: 4Ps or more?. International journal of marketing studies, 1(1), 2. Hanson, W. and Kalyanam, K. (2007). Principles of Internet marketing. South-Western College Publishing. Jain, S. C. and Haley, G. T. (2009). Marketing planning and strategy. Cincinnati South-Western Publishing Company 1985. Jobber, D. and Ellis-Chadwick, F. (2012). Principles and practice of marketing (No. 7th). McGraw-Hill Higher Education. McLachlan, R. (2013). Deep and Persistent Disadvantage in Australia-Productivity Commission Staff Working Paper. Morgan, S. (2006). Blueprint for success [Profile of Richard Goyder, Managing Director and CEO of Wesfarmers.]. Management Today, (Oct 2006), 6. Parasuraman, A. and Colby, C. L. (2007). Techno-ready marketing: How and why your customers adopt technology. The Free Press. Richards, C., Lawrence, G., Loong, M. and Burch, D. (2012). A toothless chihuahua? The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, neoliberalism and supermarket power in Australia. Rural Society, 21(3), 250-263. Sriram, S., Chintagunta, P. K. and Neelamegham, R. (2006). Effects of brand preference, product attributes, and marketing mix variables in technology product markets. Marketing Science, 25(5), 440-456. Wesfarmers Limited (2017) Strategy Briefing Day 28 May 2014, www.wesfarmers.com.au/, retrieved on 21/01/2017 Wesfarmers limited (2017), 2016 Annual Report, www.wesfarmers.com.au/,retrieved on 21/01/2017 Wesfarmers limited (2017) www.wesfarmers.com.au/ retrieved on 21/01.2017 Wilson, A., Zeithaml, V. A., Bitner, M. J. and Gremler, D. D. (2012). Services marketing: Integrating customer focus across the firm. McGraw Hill.

Internet Files Sharing

Introduction File sharing over the internet ought to be free. File sharing over the internet encompasses distribution and/or provision of access to the information that has been digitally stored. Examples include e-books, documents, multimedia, and computer programs. The file sharing is usually done through computer networks, peer-to-peer networking, hyperlinked documents that are web-based and other computer networks.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Internet Files Sharing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More File sharing is important in the academic, business and social fields which form very important aspects of the human life. One’s computer can be connected to the internet by the appropriate software and this ensures easy access to online files that can be viewed and downloaded at any time and place at the person’s convenience and within a short time (Sudo 151). Significance of Free File Sh aring With computer connections like the Local Area Network, one is able to access files stored in another person’s computer once the owner allows access to such files. The internet has made it possible for people to upload and download large volumes of files and send them anywhere in the world at a very fast pace and in a very secure manner, at a very low cost. E-learning With the technological advancements in the Information Technology, it is now possible for one to learn by using the internet through e-learning. The tutor and the student are now able to communicate and exchange file over the internet in form of lessons, instructions, and assignments online. With the introduction of free online file sharing, the whole activity is now less costly. This is therefore beneficial both to the tutor and the student (Sudo 155). The online applications allow the student to do online research and even hold discussions concerning a given subject matter. The student is also able to che ck his/her performance over the internet without necessarily having to travel to the school. It also eliminates geographical barriers as anyone who is anywhere in the world is able to access the internet can get such services. E-commerce There are many online businesses that mainly depend on the internet to market and carryout transactions. Such businesses mainly depend on the online file sharing to carry out their activities. Free online file sharing makes these businesses to be viable and the cost of doing online business is relatively low and hence maximize the profits. If the internet file sharing was expensive, then such businesses could probably become bankrupt (Malecki and Moriset 98). Workplace File Sharing For any organization to be effective, information sharing is very vital. Instructions are constantly being channeled from the top management to the subordinate while at the same time feedback is send to the top management from lower offices. Files are also shared among de partments.Advertising Looking for research paper on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The sharing could be through email, message boards and other instant messaging applications. With the advent of free online file transfer, the activity is made easier and cost effective as it is not very expensive. It also saves the organizations revenue as there is no or less need for office messengers. Music and Movie Downloading Currently unauthorized copying and distribution of material that is copyrighted is an offense under the copyright laws. There are however a few exemptions as in the case of recording small portions of such materials for academic purposes or news reporting. In the case of music the matter is a bit complicated given that there are exemptions for private copying. For the task to be termed as private copying, the work has to be copied on the audio recording media. There are many controversies concerning the issue for instance, it has been hard to categorize digital music players and that stored on the computer hard drive (Lang 56). There are also private copying exemptions for the copying done via the internet and this complicates the matter even further. Downloading of musical works over the internet for personal use is allowed by most copyright laws. The issue of availing copyrighted music on the peer-to-peer networks has also been a very controversial issue. The copyright laws tend to be challenged with the increase in technological advancements and they tend to be amended with time (Lang 56). The copyright laws vary from country to country and they govern the reproduction and distribution of copyrighted work. They are all aimed at minimizing piracy. The internet has particularly posed a big threat to the war against piracy. It is not very easy to monitor all the illegal distribution and downloading of copyrighted material. The main question is now whether downloading should be made free or not. The answer cannot be an absolute yes or a no. It all depends on what the purpose for the downloading is. If it is for personal use, it should be allowed. One may also need to quote the music or movie for academic purposes. In the event that free downloading is not allowed, the there should at least for a provision for watching the movie or a section of it over the internet. There are several sites on the internet where one can freely download movies or music over the internet.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Internet Files Sharing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A good example is the ‘waptrick’ site which allows one to download music in the Mp3 form or download movie or music video clips. This however needs to be regulated given that the music and movie industry is a profit making industry and it needs not to be driven into losses. There are also other online applications that allow o ne to watch and share videos without having to download the same as in the case of video streaming (Strowel 100). Conclusion In conclusion, the digital economy is bound to bring more benefits as well as risks. Free file sharing over the internet reduces the burden of having to manually transport files and other products. Instead, music, video and hardcopy files are converted to the weightless digital format and transported across different places within seconds. The services that depend on the internet are increasing day by day and they include education, banking and business transactions. By embracing free online file sharing systems, these operations will be cost effective and given that they are efficient and convenient, they are bound to ensure an increase in the economic growth. There are risks associated with the same though. For instance, the systems are susceptible to online fraud stars and hackers who may take advantage and interrupt the system. The movie and music industry is bound to witness significant losses due to the piracy cases (Fisk 1-4). Efforts must therefore be channeled towards reducing piracy by passing and enacting laws to govern the same. Relevant measures should also be taken to eliminate internet crime. Works Cited Malecki, Edward and Moriset, Bruno. The Digital Economy. New York: Routledge, 2008. Print. Fisk, Nathan W. Understanding Online Piracy: The Truth About File Sharing. Macmillan: London, 2009. Print. Lang, Peter. â€Å"Internet Research Annual.† Association of Internet Researchers  Conference. NewYork: Library of Congress, 2007.Print.Advertising Looking for research paper on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Strowel, Alaine. Peer-to-Peer File Sharing and Secondary Liability in Copyright Law.  Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, 2009. Print. Sudo, Osamu. Digital Economy and Social Design. Tokyo: The University of Tokyo, 2005. Print. This research paper on Internet Files Sharing was written and submitted by user Kylah Hicks to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Coloring Carnations Science Experiment

Coloring Carnations Science Experiment This fun home or school experiment shows your child how water flows through a flower from stem to petals, changing the color of carnations. If youve ever had cut flowers in a vase around the house, your child might have observed the water levels dropping. Your child may wonder why you have to keep watering houseplants. Where does all that water go? The Coloring Carnations Science Experiment helps to demonstrate that the water isnt just vanishing into thin air. Plus, in the end, youll have a very pretty bouquet of flowers. Materials You Will Need White carnations (1 for each color you would like to try to create)empty water bottles (1 for each carnation)food coloringwater24 to 48 hoursColoring Carnations Recording Sheet Directions for Coloring Carnations Experiment Peel the labels off the water bottles and fill each bottle about one-third full of water.Have your child add food coloring to each bottle, about 10 to 20 drops to make the color vibrant. If you would like to try to make a rainbow bouquet of carnations, you and your child will need to mix the primary colors to make purple and orange. (Most boxes of food coloring include a bottle of green.)Cut the stem of each carnation at an angle and place one in each water bottle. If your child wants to keep a picture diary of what is happening to the carnations, download and print the Coloring Carnations Recording Sheet and draw the first picture.Check the carnations every few hours to see if anything is happening. Some of the brighter colors may begin to show results in as little as two or three hours. Once you begin to see visible results, its a good time to have your child draw the second picture. Just remember to record how many hours have gone by!Keep an eye on the flowers for a day. By the en d of day one, the flowers should really be taking on color. Its a good time to ask your child questions about what shes observing. Try questions along the line of:Which color is working the quickest?What color isnt showing up well?Why do you think the carnations are turning colors? (see explanation below)Where is the color showing up?What do you think that means about which parts of the flower get the most food? At the end of the experiment (either one or two days, it depends on how vibrant you want your flowers to be) gather the carnations into one bouquet. It will look like a rainbow! Recording Sheet for the Coloring Carnations Science Experiment Make a four-box grid for your child to draw pictures of what happened in the experiment. What we did first: After ___ hours: After 1 day: What my flowers looked like: Coloring Carnations Science Experiment Why the Carnations Change Color Like any other plant, carnations get their nutrients through the water they absorb from the dirt they are planted in. When the flowers are cut, they no longer have roots  but continue to absorb water through their stems. As water evaporates from the leaves and petals of the plant, it sticks to other water molecules and pulls that water into the space left behind. The water in the vase travels up the stem of the flower like a drinking straw and is distributed to all of the parts of the plant that now need water. Since the nutrients in the water are dyed, the dye also travels up the stem of the flower.

The Economic System of The Vikings

The Economic System of The Vikings Over the 300 years of the Viking Age, and with the expansion of the Norse landnm (new land settlements), the economic structure of the communities changed. In 800 AD, a well-off farmstead in Norway would have been primarily pastoral, based on the raising of cattle, pigs, and goats. The combination worked well in the homelands, and for a time in southern Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Livestock as Trade Goods In Greenland, pigs and then cattle were soon outnumbered by goats as conditions changed and the weather became harsher. Local birds, fish, and mammals became supplemental to the Viking subsistence, but also to the production of trade goods, on which the Greenlanders survived. Commodities to Currency By the 12th-13th centuries AD, cod fishing, falconry, sea mammal oil, soapstone and walrus ivory had become intense commercial efforts, driven by the need to pay taxes to kings and tithes to the church and traded throughout northern Europe. A centralized government in the Scandinavian countries increased the development of trading places and towns, and these commodities became a currency which could be converted into cash for armies, art, and architecture. Greenlands Norse in particular traded heavily on its walrus ivory resources, in the northern hunting grounds until the bottom fell out of the market, which may have led to the demise of the colony. Sources Barrett, James, et al. 2008 Detecting the medieval cod trade: a new method and first results. Journal of Archaeological Science 35(4):850-861. Commisso, R. G. and D. E. Nelson 2008 Correlation between modern plant d15N values and activity areas of Medieval Norse farms. Journal of Archaeological Science 35(2):492-504. Goodacre, S., et al. 2005 Genetic evidence for a family-based Scandinavian settlement of Shetland and Orkney during the Viking periods. Heredity 95:129–135. Kosiba, Steven B., Robert H. Tykot, and Dan Carlsson 2007 Stable isotopes as indicators of change in the food procurement and food preference of Viking Age and Early Christian populations on Gotland (Sweden). Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 26:394–411. Linderholm, Anna, Charlotte Hedenstiema Jonson, Olle Svensk, and Kerstin Lidà ©n 2008 Diet and status in Birka: stable isotopes and grave goods compared. Antiquity 82:446-461. McGovern, Thomas H., Sophia Perdikaris, Arni Einarsson, and Jane Sidell 2006 Coastal connections, local fishing, and sustainable egg harvesting: patterns of Viking Age inland wild resource use in Myvatn district, Northern Iceland. Environmental Archaeology 11(2):187-205. Milner, Nicky, James Barrett, and Jon Welsh 2007 Marine resource intensification in Viking Age Europe: the molluscan evidence from Quoygrew, Orkney. Journal of Archaeological Science 34:1461-1472. Perdikaris, Sophia and Thomas H. McGovern 2006 Cod Fish, Walrus, and Chieftains: Economic intensification in the Norse North Atlantic. Pp. 193-216 in Seeking a Richer Harvest: The Archaeology of Subsistence Intensification, Innovation, and Change, Tina L. Thurston and Christopher T. Fisher, editors. Studies in Human Ecology and Adaptation, volume 3. Springer US: New York. Thurborg, Marit 1988 Regional Economic Structures: An Analysis of the Viking Age Silver Hoards from Oland, Sweden. World Archaeology 20(2):302-324.

What was the gender difference in job related training between 1997 Article

What was the gender difference in job related training between 1997 and 2002 - Article Example ies: the demographic trends in formal, job related training; informal training or self-directed learning; training and unmet training needs or wants; and long-term patterns in formal training participation. The gender difference in job related training between 1997 and 2002 showed that participation rates for both male and female participants in formal, job related training increased from 1997 to 2002. As clearly revealed, the authors disclosed that: participants, 39% of women and 34% of men reported having unmet training needs/wants. These proportions dropped to 24% and 22% respectively for non-participants† (Peters 19). These figures manifest that training and unmet training needs or wants were higher for women than men by 5% (for participants) versus a difference of 2% for non-participants, where women still exceeded men’s unmet training needs or wants. (54% were men and 46% were female† (Peters 23). On the other hand of the continuum, the patterns for long-term trainees, the results disclosed that there are equal portions of men and women in the group. The author’s findings in terms of gender differences in job related training revealed that both men and women exhibited increased participation in formal, job related training from 1997 to 2002; where more women manifested more unmet training needs or wants than men. Finally, in terms of long term patterns in formal training participation, men exhibited higher proportions of non-trainees than their counterpart. As Peters (2004) averred, the results would assist in future research that aims to â€Å"understand if the training objectives of workers are met by the training they participate in, how formal training combines with informal training in the skill-development process and a wealth of other issues†

Canadian law and politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Canadian law and politics - Essay Example The position of criminal law authority reversed the earlier decision in the case of Industrial Acceptance Corp. v. The Queen [1953] 2 S.C.R. 273, in which the court had agreed that the Narcotic Control Act was constitutional under criminal power. The proceeding of the case in R. V. Hauser focused on challenging the restrictions to the jurisdiction of federal criminal law. This commentary examines the federal parliamentary legislation and provincial power on criminal laws in Canada and the validity of Narcotic Control Act as discussed in the case of R. V. Hauser. The federal criminal code 1959 empowered the provincial attorneys through provincial court to powers to petition the attorney general or his agent to institute prosecution against the offenders (Roman, 2007). However, the amendment delegated the federal state powers to prosecute offenses under Narcotic Control Act thus causing conflicts concerning the federal and provincial attorneys’ power to prosecute offenders. S.91 (27) defines the federal powers in administration of criminal matters and enforcing criminal law. The constitution does not impose any prohibitions on â€Å"federal for a provincial prosecutor in narcotic offenses† (Laskin, 1980, p 564). In R. V. Hauser, the respondent was accused of being in possession of cannabis resin and cannabis (marijuana) for the purpose of trading contrary to the Narcotic Control Act s. 4(2). The summons signed by the agent of Attorney General of Canada. The respondent moved the prohibitions by challenging the legitimacy of the c onstitution in the definition Attorney General† as stipulated in the in s.2 of the Criminal Code (Roach et al., 2004). The case was terminated in the first hearing, but it gained support under majority decision in the court of appeal in Supreme Court of Alberta. In the appeal issue raised was to challenge the legitimacy of parliament of Canada to make legislations that empower Attorney

Reflective Essay Essay Example for Free

Reflective Essay Essay Reflective Essay Receiving the horrible news was more painful than walking on a thousand nails. The many times I told myself that it was all just a dream, the more I began to believe myself. All until the horrible realization that it was happening and that it was too good to be true. Realizing that every morning I woke up to go check his room he wouldn’t be there was one of the many realizations I had to experience. But there was one positive outcome of the death of my brother. It taught me that you can never take the time you spend with your loved ones for granted even if you only see or converse with them for five minutes, never take it for granted. I remember this tragic event like it was yesterday. My brother and I were 8 years apart. So we were very close. He left off going to Pennsylvania to go to Penn State College. We talked and texted at least 3 times a day if not more. Our conversations were very meaningful and I will always cherish the ones that we had. During Christmas of ’09 he came down for the home going of my aunt. Just being able to see him was enough for me. While talking to him my mother and I noticed that he had a lump on the left side of his neck and my mother advised him to get it checked out. So, he went to the doctor and they ran tests and found out that it was a cancerous tumor and that they would need to start treatment right away. Finding this out, my brother then moved back to Florida to start his treatments at ORMC (Orlando Regional Medical Center). After about 3 months of treatment, the doctor said that the cancer was more aggressive than they thought it could develop so they said there was nothing else that they could do. The medical staff proceeded to send Earl to hospice where he would no longer be taking chemotherapy but just medicine to relieve him of the pain. We all knew he wouldn’t be with us that much longer, but the persistence and determination in me believed that he would live to see me reach high school, get my license, and go to prom. Over time he stopped eating and had to be fed by tube. When he stopped eating, I realized that sooner or later my dreams of him seeing my accomplishments the things older siblings see their younger siblings do were over. He began to get weaker and weaker and he stopped talking to anyone. I remember the last time I saw him. We were lying down in his bed together and we were singing his favorite song. As it was time for me to go he said â€Å"I love you Boo† and those were the last words I ever got to hear him say to me. The next night, we all got that dreading phone call that he had left us here on earth to be with the heavenly father. The news was just heartbreaking and I couldn’t bear to hear it. This experience was very painful but it also allowed for me to gain some positivness in my thinking. Many teenagers today live life being ungrateful and snobby. Walking around thinking like that isn’t always the best because as the quote says you never realize what you had until it’s gone. Nowadays it takes a tragedy for modern day teenagers to learn and show gratitude towards parents and family members. The death of my brother awakened me to live life to the fullest and don’t go a day not doing anything because you never know when your time may be. It also taught me to never go a day without telling my other siblings and my parents I love you. Just saying those simple three words could mean a lot to anyone. Another thing it taught me was to always be happy and greet others with a smile and hug(depending on how well you know the person), even some strangers are welcome to hug if they are having a bad day. Just doing the simplest things could impact someone else’s life and you would never know. So if there is anything I could leave you with, never take life for granted, live life to its fullest and enjoy yourself. Make your life worthwhile and enjoy it.

The Algerian Civil War 1992-2002 :: essays research papers fc

â€Å"Thus, what motivates men to slay the enemy is anger,† Sun Tzu says in The Art of War. The conflict between Algerian Islamic fundamentalists and the Algerian military backed government is rooted in anger. The conflict, which began as skirmishes between government forces and Islamic fundamentalists, has taken on the proportions of a civil war as fundamentalists carried out kidnappings, assassinations and other forms of civil disturbance. The government has tried pacifying the Muslims by including Islamic leaders in the government, but extreme violence committed by both parties in the conflict has made a peaceful solution difficult to achieve. This violence has claimed the lives of an estimated 100,000 people in the years between 1990 and 2002. The Roots of Anger The clash between the fundamentalists and the military government stems from Algeria’s experimentation with political liberalization. The attempt to create more points of view and more political parties in the government has backfired horrendously. The violence of modern day Algeria stems from the failure of mild democratization in the North African country. Following nomination by the National Liberation Front (FLN) party, Chadli Bendjedid was elected President in 1979 and re-elected in 1984 and 1988. The National Liberation Front ruled as a virtual one-party regime until the political system was reformed in 1989. Antigovernment sentiment stemming from corruption, housing shortages, unemployment, and other severe economic and social problems boosted the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) despite the party’s quite public commitment to theocratic rule under Islamic law. This seemingly innocuous act was actually quite revolutionary. For the first time, an Arab country had authorized the creation of a political party that had made the creation of an Islamic republic its main goal . A new constitution was adopted in 1989 that allowed the formation of political parties other than the FLN. It also removed the armed forces, which had run the government since the days of the 1980s, from a designated role in the operation of the government. Between 1989 and 1990, forty-four new political parties emerged, many with distinct social agendas. These agendas included human rights, independent women organizations and other cultural movements . Among the scores of parties that sprang up under the new constitution, the militant Islamic Salvation Front was the most successful, winning more than 50% of all votes cast in elections in 1990 as well as in the first stage of national elections held in December 1991.

Imperial Presidency Essay

The Imperial Presidency The Imperial Presidency is a term that was created and made known by Arthur Schlesinger. The term is defined as a belief that the presidency is becoming too powerful. The modern president has many powers that the founding fathers did not intend for them to have. This increase in power has started ever since the formation of president Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, and World War II. The term conveys a president that has imperial powers and is authoritarian. The president can make many decisions that the founding fathers did not intend for him to have the power to make. This includes calling a state of emergency, and declaring war without putting it through congress first. These powers are not necessarily bad but they can be taken advantage of. This violates the role the founding fathers intended congress to have. They intended congress to be the center of decision-making. The modern president also has a large Executive staff. It is the president’s staff making big decisions on his behalf that has caused the president to become more powerful. Presidents also have the right to secrecy and they can withhold any information they want from the public. One historical example of Imperial presidency would have to be the role of Colonel Oliver North in the funding to the Contras in Nicaragua, under the presidency of Reagan. This was a huge contravention of a United States Congressional ban, and exemplifies just how much influence and power one member of a large White House staff could have. This was a huge disaster for Reagan and the Government of the United States since it had been â€Å"illegally financing a civil war of the Contra guerrillas against the Sandinista government in Nicaragua. According to the constitution, the president is Command and Chief of the military forces of the United States. Therefore he is able to declare war at any time, without the consent of congress. This is one of the most powerful powers that the president holds. The president also has the power to sign or veto all legislative bills passed by the congress. Thus giving him more power than congress, which is not what is ideally supposed to be, unless Congress over-rides the veto by a two-thirds vote. These are two formal owers that the president uses in order to promote imperial presidency. There are many informal powers that the president uses to expand his role as an imperial president. One of them is the fact that the president has more access to information, knowledge, or expertise than Congress does. This once again puts the president in ahead of congress in being the most powerful. Another informal power the president has is the power to make an executive agreement. An Executive Agree ment is the pact made by the president with heads of foreign nations. They do not need congressional approval. So congress would not have a say in these agreements. Personally, I do believe that the imperial Presidency does exist. It is no news that the president’s executive staff has gradually increased since Roosevelt. These staff members that hold personal loyalty to the president, have powers that they were never intended to have. The power that the White House Chief to Staff position holds is nothing that ever was in the past presidents of the earlier centuries. The large number of officials surrounding the president and only listening to him, along with many other examples, suggests that an imperial presidency certainly does exist. I do believe that an imperial presidency is very necessary right now in the 21st century. The world is becoming more and more powerful, and our country needs a kinglike leader to lead it or else congress will never decide on anything. Congress is now a party based body of government. Their actions tend to focus of what is best for their party rather than what is best for the country.

Succubus Revealed Chapter 14

Seth shot up from the chair, face filled with hurt and fury. It was surreal. For a moment, he looked like a stranger . . . and yet, he also looked like everyone I'd ever known. Everyone I'd loved. Everyone I'd hurt. â€Å"You,† he exclaimed, striding toward me. â€Å"How could you do that to me? How could you do that to me?† I had never heard Seth yell like that. I cringed against my chair, too stunned to react. Meanwhile, Hugh seemed to come to life. He had been as shocked by Seth's initial reaction as me, particularly since Hugh understood even less than I did about what was going on. He was still undoubtedly confused, but some instinct spurred him to action when he saw Seth advance. I didn't think Seth would've hurt me, but he was kind of scary just then. Hugh grabbed a hold of Seth's arm. â€Å"Whoa, whoa,† said Hugh. â€Å"Easy there. Everyone calm down.† Roman likewise seemed to suddenly realize something was wrong here. He'd been so excited by the developments, his face aglow as all his theories fell into place. Now events were moving in a direction he hadn't foreseen. He rose, mirroring Hugh's fighter's stance. Only, Roman was doing it defensively, coming to stand in front of me, in case Seth broke Hugh's hold. That didn't seem very likely. The imp was strong. â€Å"How could you do that to me?† repeated Seth, voice still roaring with fury. â€Å"I trusted you! I trusted you and I loved you!† I had witnessed all of this unfolding but hadn't dared allow myself to really and truly accept it. I had seen the impossible. I had seen Seth relive the lives of men he hadn't known – men he couldn't have known – walking back through the centuries of my long existence. Some voice inside of me kept saying, No, no, this isn't happening. This can't be real. It's some trick of Hell's. I was working hard not to process what I'd heard because processing it meant accepting it. But with those last words, Seth penetrated something inside of my numb self. He broke through, and I snapped. â€Å"I didn't! I didn't do anything to you!† I cried. I had to peer around Roman to meet Seth's eyes and almost wished I hadn't. They were cold. So terribly cold and hurt. â€Å"You cheated on me,† said Seth, straining against Hugh. â€Å"Cheated on me with my best friend. . . .† Yet, even as he spoke, I could see him falter. The feelings he'd felt as Kyriakos were real, but he was examining it now as Seth Mortensen. The mixed realities were confusing him. It was understandable. They confused me. â€Å"Seth,† I said desperately. â€Å"I didn't do that to you. Think about it. I love you. I love you so much.† Seth stopped struggling, though Hugh didn't relinquish his grip. Seth's features were still filled with hurt and confusion. â€Å"Not to me . . . to him. But I am him. I'm all of them.† Seth closed his eyes and took a deep breath. What had been reasonable and clear under hypnosis was becoming more difficult to grasp. â€Å"How? How is that possible?† â€Å"Past lives,† said Roman. â€Å"You're right. You were all of them. You lived all of those lives, long before you were born into this one.† â€Å"Reincarnation? That . . . that's impossible,† said Seth. â€Å"Is it?† asked Roman, regaining some of his confidence now that the situation was no longer escalating. â€Å"How do you know? Do you have a direct line into the way the universe works?† â€Å"So, wait . . . what about you guys?† asked Seth. â€Å"Are Heaven and Hell not real?† â€Å"Oh,† said Hugh wryly, â€Å"they're real.† â€Å"All of it is real,† said Roman. â€Å"And vastly more complex than any faulty human system can understand.† He turned to me, expression softening. I must have looked terrified. â€Å"What Seth saw . . . what he lived through. You knew all of them, didn't you? All of those identities?† I focused on Roman, afraid I'd lose my nerve if I looked at Seth again. I nodded. â€Å"Yes . . . they were all people . . . all men I knew in my life.† Hugh frowned. â€Å"How is that possible? I can get on board with reincarnation. I've seen enough to believe it can happen. But him always being reborn around you? You running into him – what was it, ten times? That's statistically impossible.† â€Å"The things we're dealing with aren't really governed by statistics and probability,† said Roman. â€Å"There are other forces at work here, forces that guide his rebirth. It was part of his contract, the deal you made as Kyriakos. What can you tell us about it?† â€Å"I don't know what you're talking about. . . . I don't remember . . . I . . .† Seth shook his head, the anger returning. â€Å"I don't want to talk about this anymore. Let me go. I need to get out of here. I need to get away from her!† â€Å"Seth . . .† I said. â€Å"But you're the key!† exclaimed Roman. â€Å"The key to unlocking Georgina's problems. You're the other contract, the one Erik was talking about. You're tied to her, tied to everything that's been going on with her.† â€Å"I don't care,† said Seth. He seemed to just barely be able to keep his emotions in check. â€Å"I don't care about your various and sundry plots! Do you have any idea what I just saw? What I just went through? I'm still not even sure I understand any of it! I don't understand who I am! All I know is her – and what she did to me.† â€Å"Seth,† I tried again. Or should I address him as Kyriakos? I didn't know. â€Å"Please . . . I love you. I've always loved you. What happened . . . it was . . . it was an accident. . . .† The look Seth gave me was dark and wary. â€Å"It sure didn't seem like an accident when I walked in on you.† â€Å"I never meant to . . .† â€Å"To rip my heart out?† he cried. â€Å"To destroy my world? My life?† â€Å"Roman,† said Hugh carefully. â€Å"Maybe we should give him some time to process this.† â€Å"We don't have time,† said Roman. â€Å"Hell can move fast – especially if they find out what we know. If we're going to save Georgina – â€Å" â€Å"I don't care!† said Seth again, this time with more vehemence. â€Å"I don't care what happens to any of you, and I certainly don't care about what happens to her. It's probably less than she deserves.† â€Å"She didn't do anything to you,† said Roman. â€Å"She's been a pretty solid girlfriend, from what I've seen.† â€Å"Seth,† I pleaded, knowing Roman wasn't quite getting it yet. â€Å"I . . . I'm sorry. It was a long time ago.† My words were terribly, terribly inadequate, but Seth was tapping into things I'd forced myself to block out – because they were too painful. â€Å"For you, maybe,† said Seth. â€Å"It happened over the course of centuries. One life for you. But for me . . . whatever you guys did with the hypnosis, it's all here now. All of those lives . . . those memories. Here in my head at the same time. It didn't happen ‘a long time ago' for me. It's like it just happened yesterday! All those feelings, all that pain . . .† â€Å"It'll fade,† said Hugh, not sounding as though he was certain. â€Å"What you regressed through is still fresh, and you weren't brought out of the trance properly. Give it time. Or . . . if you want, I can put you back under and make you forget this.† â€Å"And forget her?† demanded Seth. â€Å"So I can forget what a faithless, conniving bitch she's been to me?† â€Å"Seth . . .† I could feel tears forming in my eyes. â€Å"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. If I could take it back, I would.† â€Å"Which part?† he asked. â€Å"The part where you proved our marriage meant nothing to you? Or the countless other times you lied to me and broke my heart? Do you have any idea how I feel? What it feels like to be experiencing all of that at the same time? Maybe you've moved past it all and don't care anymore, but it's real for me!† â€Å"It is for me too. I . . . I love you.† They were the only words I managed to get out, and they still weren't enough. Where was all my usual glib charm? My ability to talk my way out of anything? I was still too choked up on my emotions, still reeling from the fact that looking into Seth's eyes meant looking into the eyes of every man I'd ever loved. I wanted to convince him how sorry I was and explain that having a long life hadn't dulled the feelings inside me. If anything, it had only provided more time for those feelings to sink in and punish me. I wanted to explain to him how I'd felt during that first transgression and how it had been a poor reaction to feelings I didn't know how to process as a scared young woman. I wanted to explain that most of my actions since then, especially the times I'd pushed away other lovers, had been weak attempts at protecting them. There was so much I wanted to say, but I just didn't have the words – or courage – to get any of it out. So, I remained silent, and the tears spilled out of my eyes. Seth took a deep breath, forcing. â€Å"Let me go, Hugh. I won't hurt her. I don't want anything to do with her. I just want to go home. I need to get out of here.† â€Å"Don't,† said Roman. â€Å"We need him. We need more answers, so that we can understand the contracts.† â€Å"Hugh, let him go.† I barely recognized the voice as my own. Roman looked at me incredulously. â€Å"We need him,† he repeated. â€Å"He's done enough,† I said flatly. In my head, Seth's words echoed: I don't want anything to do with her. â€Å"We've done enough to him.† When nobody reacted, I met Hugh's gaze squarely. â€Å"Do it. Let him go.† Hugh glanced between Roman and me and then made a decision. Still keeping hold of Seth's arm, Hugh steered him away from us and walked him to the door. Roman made more protests and took a few steps toward them, but I remained frozen where I was. I didn't look behind me, not even when I heard the door slam. Hugh returned, and Roman slumped back into his chair, sighing with frustration. â€Å"Well,† he said. â€Å"Once he calms down, we'll get him back and talk things out.† â€Å"I don't think he's going to calm down,† I said, staring off at nothing. I don't want anything to do with her. â€Å"He's just in shock,† said Roman. I didn't answer. Roman didn't know. Roman didn't understand the full scope of our history together. He hadn't seen Kyriakos's face after my betrayal, the grief that had been so deep it had nearly driven him to suicide. That was part of why I'd become a succubus, using my soul to purchase peace for him in the form of forgetfulness. It was the only way to save him. But if he remembered everything now, if he really was Kyriakos reborn . . . then, no. He wasn't â€Å"just in shock.† I had done a terrible, terrible thing to him, and his outrage wasn't unfounded. A shiver ran through me as I thought about the instant connection I'd had with Seth, the feeling like I'd always known him. It was because I had always known him. Life after life. I'd always felt like we were bound into something greater than ourselves . . . and we were. Something great and terrible. Hugh dragged up a chair and sat across from me. He caught hold of one of my hands. â€Å"Sweetie, I swear to you, I had no clue any of that would happen.† I gave him a halfhearted squeeze back. â€Å"What . . . what did you think would happen?† Hugh glanced at Roman. â€Å"He asked me if I could hypnotize Seth and attempt some past life regression. I had no idea what it was for. Fuck, I had no idea it would really work, let alone walk us through nine emotionally damaged lives. Ten, since we now seemed to have fucked up this one.† I felt hollow inside, hollow and aching. I turned to Roman, astonished I could manage any sort of reasonable discussion when my world had just been destroyed. â€Å"How did you know it would happen? How did you figure all of this out?† â€Å"I only figured some of it out,† said Roman. â€Å"It was actually your stupid Santa stuff that tipped me off. About how that guy was worried about Santa being in two places at once?† He scoffed and raked a hand through his hair. â€Å"I started thinking about how everyone says your contract is fine and how Erik had mentioned a second contract. We'd already deduced Hell wanted you and Seth apart, but why? And I thought, what if it's like the Santa thing? There's nothing wrong with your contract or Seth's in and of themselves, but together, something goes wrong.† â€Å"How did you even know Seth had a contract?† asked Hugh. â€Å"Well, that's the thing. I didn't. And since Seth had never mentioned it before, it seemed he didn't know he had one either. And how could that be? I started thinking maybe it was because he hadn't made the contract in this life. I thought maybe Hell had a long game going on with him across lives, and hence . . . the hypnosis.† â€Å"Jesus Christ,† said Hugh, shaking his head. â€Å"You made a fuckload of deductions there.† â€Å"And they were right,† said Roman. â€Å"Georgina and Seth both have contracts with Hell. And those contracts don't work together.† â€Å"Why not?† I asked. That zealous gleam was back in Roman's eye. â€Å"What were we able to deduce about Seth's contract? What did he get?† The only thing I'd deduced was that Seth was never going to speak to me again. When I refused to answer, Hugh obligingly played student to Roman's teacher. â€Å"He got ten lives instead of one. The gift of reincarnation.† â€Å"Why?† asked Roman. â€Å"To find Georgina,† said Hugh. He paused, and I guessed he was replaying what Seth had described. â€Å"It sounds like he died in that first life, and when the time came for his soul to move on, he was aware of missing her. I'm guessing Hell wouldn't have gotten his soul then, so they made the deal to give him nine more chances to find Georgina and be reunited with her.† â€Å"He did find me,† I said flatly. â€Å"Over and over.† Betrayal after betrayal. â€Å"Yes,† said Roman. â€Å"And you were drawn to him without even realizing it. He certainly seemed to fit your dreamy artistic type each time. But you never made it work out.† â€Å"Which Hell was probably hoping for,† said Hugh. The imp in him was coming out, puzzling over how a contract like this would have been designed. â€Å"Hell has to be fair, but they always want an advantage. So, they probably went into the deal thinking a guy hoping to make amends with his soul mate could never do it if she was a succubus. Seth – or whoever – certainly didn't know that. He only knew that he was supposed to have forgotten her.† He thought about it a few moments more. â€Å"There's nothing wrong with that, though. That's hedging your bets on a contract. There's no violation.† â€Å"You're right,† said Roman. â€Å"And that's not the problem.† He focused back on me. â€Å"What was your deal? What was your contract for becoming a succubus?† â€Å"You already know it,† I said wearily. I was tired of the scheming and fallout. I want to crawl off, curl up in my bed, and sleep for the next five centuries. I wanted to renegotiate my contract and have my memory and heart purged of all pain. â€Å"Humor me,† he said. â€Å"Just tell me the basics again. The deal Niphon made with you.† â€Å"Roman, leave her alone,† said Hugh. I waved him off. â€Å"Fine. I sold my soul and became a succubus in exchange for everyone I knew as a mortal forgetting about me.† Roman looked so supremely satisfied and triumphant that I wanted to punch him just then. He nodded to Hugh. â€Å"And tell me Seth's again, to the best of your guessing.† â€Å"At a guess? He gets to live ten lives, all of which will put him near her, giving him the chance to find her and make amends with her. Hell gets his soul at the end of the tenth life.† â€Å"And why did Seth make the deal?† prompted Roman, practically trembling with excitement. â€Å"Because he remembered that – † Hugh cut himself off, eyes widening. â€Å"Exactly,† said Roman. He shook me in his excitement when I didn't react right away. â€Å"Don't you get it? Your contracts contradict each other! In fact, Seth's should never have even been written! He remembered you. He knew that you were gone from his life.† â€Å"He knew his ‘soul mate' was gone,† I said bitterly. â€Å"I don't think he remembered specifics. You saw how much trouble he had.† Roman shook his head. â€Å"Doesn't matter. I'm guessing your contract specifies forgetting you entirely. He remembered. By that happening, Hell violated your contract. Then, they wrote an impossible contract for him, claiming he'd have the chance to reunite with you – which again, implies a degree of remembering you.† â€Å"We don't know that exactly,† warned Hugh. â€Å"We haven't seen the contract and didn't get all the details from him. I couldn't follow if he got anything for patching things up with her or not.† â€Å"We know enough,† said Roman. â€Å"Seth wanted to be reunited with her and make amends. For that to happen, it would contradict Georgina's contract – specifying he forget her.† â€Å"I'd want to see the wording,† said Hugh. â€Å"I'm not trying to dash your hopes. I just know how these things work.† â€Å"Fair enough,† said Roman. â€Å"But can you deny that when Seth called her ‘Letha' last month, that was most definitely in violation of her contract? He remembered. Not consciously. But some part of him, deep inside, remembered her.† My thoughts were still moving sluggishly, but something clicked into place. â€Å"The transfer . . . the transfer came through the morning after I told Jerome about Seth calling me Letha.† â€Å"Yes,† said Roman. â€Å"That's why things were mucked up with it. I guarantee my dear father has always known about your contracts and has accepted them grudgingly, especially if Seth's contract allows for you two to keep running into each other. But, when you told the gang about the name, Jerome had a serious problem. He recognized the violation and tattled to his superiors as fast as he could, making them panic and act quickly – too quickly – to get you out of here.† â€Å"But . . . it already happened. Seth remembered. The violation took place,† I said, scarcely able to believe it. â€Å"It's like a tree in the woods,† remarked Hugh. â€Å"It only happens if they're called on it. Neither you nor Seth would have known about the contracts or any violation. You were oblivious. Jerome needed to keep it that way, get you guys apart and kill any chance of you figuring out what had happened.† â€Å"Hence the Vegas dream job,† said Roman. â€Å"It's like we talked about before. Forbidding you guys to be together would've drawn too much attention. A run-of-the-mill transfer, however, would've seemed like business as usual – if not for the screwup. Hell was so anxious to get it going that they sent you the memo before Jerome had a chance to meet with you. I guarantee everything you saw in Vegas was thrown together on a day's notice.† I drew my hand back from Hugh's and buried my face in my palm. â€Å"Oh God.† Roman patted my shoulder in a way that was probably supposed to be comforting but mostly made me grit my teeth. â€Å"God's not the one you've got to look to right now. Do you realize what you've got here, Georgina? A once in a millennium opportunity to thwart Hell! You can challenge them, call your contract into dispute. And Seth's. All you need to do is talk to him, get the exact details of – â€Å" I jumped up from my chair, finally giving way to all my own grief and fury. â€Å"No! Didn't you see his face? Didn't you hear him? He won't talk to me! Not now, not ever. And don't say he's just in shock again,† I warned, seeing Roman about to speak. â€Å"You don't know what I did, what it was like for him . . . back then. There's a reason I made him forget! He's not going to forgive me for this. Never. He didn't then and isn't going to now. Oh Lord. Why did we have to do this? Why did we have to make him remember? We should've just let him forget. . . . Everything was fine. . . .† My frantic pacing led me over to the living room window, where I drew back the curtains. It was late in the day now, the sunset turning the clouds orange. â€Å"Fine?† asked Roman, coming to stand beside me. â€Å"Hell was creating elaborate ploys to separate you and cover their asses! And they were killing his sister-in-law to do it. That is not fine. You and Seth have done nothing but play into Hell's hands all these centuries. Over and over, you find each other and lose each other, you bicker and fight, throw it all away on mistrust and lack of communication. Are you going to let that continue? Especially when they didn't even give you what you were promised?† I rested my cheek against the glass, taking comfort in the coolness, refusing to listen to Roman's logic. â€Å"But Seth didn't remember until we made him.† â€Å"Not true. He remembered before that,† said Roman. â€Å"On his own, when he called you Letha. That's how this all started. Nothing we did here changed that.† â€Å"He hates me,† I said, fully aware of how whiny I sounded. Roman didn't try to deny it. â€Å"People forgive.† I scoffed. â€Å"Do they?† â€Å"They do,† said Hugh, coming to stand on my other side. â€Å"Seth must have – or whomever he used to be. Your husband. Why else would he have made that bargain in the first place to find you?† â€Å"Because he didn't remember what I'd done,† I said. I met Hugh's eyes. â€Å"He only knew that I was missing from his life.† â€Å"You answered your own question, sweetie. His love for you was stronger than his hate, if he was able to remember the one and not the other.† I wanted to argue with that but didn't know how. â€Å"I can't . . . I can't face him. You don't know what this is like. It's . . .† My lifelong fear? My greatest sin? â€Å"I just can't.† â€Å"We need to know about the rest of his contract,† said Roman. â€Å"We need all the details if we're going to see this through.† Hugh sniffed. â€Å"You keep saying ‘we,' but somehow I don't see you being the one filing the paperwork with Hell to challenge her contract.† When Roman didn't answer, Hugh added, â€Å"Which, by my estimate, we don't need any more of Seth's information for. We already have enough to question her contract's integrity.† â€Å"Question its integrity?† exclaimed Roman. â€Å"We have enough evidence to blow it wide open.† There was that metaphor again. Roman loved the dramatic. â€Å"Hell failed to hold up their end of the bargain. They told you they'd make everyone forget. Obviously, they didn't.† â€Å"It may not be quite that simple. Hell will question what you call evidence,† said Hugh. â€Å"But it can be done, right?† asked Roman. â€Å"You know how to do it – to file the necessary paperwork?† â€Å"Well, I've never done it before,† said Hugh. â€Å"Jesus. I don't know anyone who's done it.† I dragged my gaze from the window. â€Å"Don't,† I told Hugh. â€Å"It's not worth it. You don't know anyone who's done it because no imp who values his job or his life would ever try to get a contract revoked. I don't want you doing that for me.† â€Å"Hugh,† said Roman, looking over me like I wasn't even there. â€Å"You could free her. You could get her soul back for her. You could end this life she has – sleeping with strangers for eternity.† â€Å"Stop it,† I snapped. â€Å"Stop trying to guilt him into it. I made this choice. No one tricked me into being a succubus. They told me what it entailed and what I'd get.† â€Å"And you didn't get it,† said Hugh quietly. â€Å"It doesn't matter,† I said. If I didn't have Seth, one form of Hell was as bad as another. â€Å"I would do it for you,† said Hugh. â€Å"I'll file the paperwork. Maybe you knew what you were getting into, but that doesn't mean you don't have the right to change your mind – especially if you were played. If you want it, I'll help you do it.† â€Å"Why?† I asked, recalling all the times Hugh had become uneasy whenever we'd talked of challenging the status quo. â€Å"Why would you risk it?† â€Å"Because you're my friend,† Hugh said, his lips twisting into a bitter half smile. â€Å"And that still means something to me. Besides, give your pal Hugh some credit here. I might be able to pull this off with minimal punishment for myself.† A strange feeling welled within my chest, tight at first and then loosening. This day had become one impossible thing after another. Somehow, hearing Hugh say it made it more real. I was so used to Roman's ideas and dreams for undermining Hell that at times, it was easy to ignore them. But to hear Hugh saying this might actually work . . . I swallowed, feeling more tears were on the way. â€Å"I can't even imagine that. A world where I don't belong to Hell. I don't know what my life would look like.† â€Å"Like anything you want it to,† said Hugh, wrapping me in a hug. Behind me, I heard Roman sigh. â€Å"Well. I'll settle for one contract blowing up in Hell's face. I mean, Seth was already Hell-bound anyways, wasn't he? With or without any of this?† I winced. It was true. Seth's soul – once so bright and shining – had darkened when he cheated on Maddie with me. He'd come to my bed out of love but had still felt guilty over what he'd done. The mark of sin had tainted his soul enough that were he to die right now, Seth would go to Hell. Hugh cleared his throat and let go of me, suddenly looking uncomfortable. â€Å"It's funny you mention that. . . .† â€Å"Why?† I asked. â€Å"I hadn't seen him in a while and nearly didn't notice . . . but today when he was here, his soul . . .† Hugh shook his head. â€Å"I don't know what all he's done, but it's lightened. It's not the spotlight it used to be, but something's changed. Enough of the taint's gone now that I don't think he's marked for Hell anymore.† â€Å"Except, he is because of his contract,† I realized. â€Å"That was the price for all those lives. It doesn't matter how good he is.† I felt my legs grow weak again and had to struggle to stay up. Seth had redeemed himself for his sin. How? Probably through the sacrifices he'd made for his family. He'd given up the things he loved most for them – writing, even me. It was a remarkable feat, something few humans were able to rebound from. Usually, those who were damned stayed damned. But it didn't matter. Seth's soul could shine like a supernova and he would still go to Hell, because it was the same soul he'd had as Kyriakos, the one that had made the bargain to come and find me. â€Å"We don't know for sure,† I said. â€Å"He didn't make it clear if he definitely signed his soul over or if there was a wager, like he'd get to keep it if he made amends with me.† â€Å"Which doesn't really seem like it's going to happen at the moment,† said Roman. â€Å"So either way, he's damned.† â€Å"Unless we can break his contract too,† I said. â€Å"And we need his help for it.† Hugh gave me a sympathetic look. â€Å"Do you want me to try to talk to him?† I had hated myself for what I'd done to Kyriakos all those years ago, hated myself so much that I'd paid the ultimate price to be wiped from his memory. And after seeing the look in Seth's eyes earlier . . . well, honestly, if given the chance, I might very well have asked to be erased again. I couldn't stand seeing that hate, that disappointment in the eyes of someone I'd loved. I'd hurt him. I'd let him down. I wanted to hide and never see him again because if I faced him, I would have to face the failings within myself. That had always been a problem for me, I realized. I hated confrontation – especially when I was the one at fault. I'd continually run away from that my entire life. I forced a weak smile for Hugh, who stood there offering me a cowardly way out. No, I decided. If we were going to get Seth's help, it would be better coming from me. Would he talk to me? I didn't know, but I had to try. For nothing else would I have risked facing that hate and sorrow again . . . but for Seth's soul, I would. â€Å"I'll go to him,† I said.

The Impact The Media Has On Americas Understanding Of The Governmental Process essays

The Impact The Media Has On America's Understanding Of The Governmental Process essays Virtually everyone agrees that the media have a profound effect on the electorate's thinking. Given their enormous influence, however, it is remarkable how little has been said about what the media should cover in a properly functioning democracy. There are pundits of various types who bemoan both the lack of focus on the issues and the excessive attention paid to the "horse race," but no one has developed a rationale to explain why this state of affairs is wrong. Because of the media's enormous influence, it is worth asking how issue and candidate coverage should be The balance of coverage provided by the media is only worth worrying about if the media are influential. Past work suggests they are, in that the media influence how voters think about the issues and also how they think about the competing candidates. With regard to issues, past work shows that documentaries, news stories, advertisements, and "docudramas" are able to shape and even change voter's minds. (Feldman Yet while the media might occasionally influence attitudes, they are more frequently effective as a spotlight. Because the media are virtually the only source of campaign information, the public will ponder only those issues bathed in the media glare. As Bernard Cohen put it, "It [the press] may not be successful much of the time in telling people what to think, but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about."(Cohen, 1963) This linkage was clearly demonstrated in a set of experiments done by Shanto Iyengar and Donald Kinder in the late 1980s. They were able to show that even small doses of television news coverage were enough to cause shifts in the relative importance viewers assigned to the issues of the day. (Iyengar Not only do the m...

Common High School Policies For Recommendation Letters

Common High School Policies For Recommendation Letters SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips When should you ask for a recommendation letter? Many high schools answer this question for you with an official timeline and procedure for your recletter requests. In addition to school policy, your teachers might also set rules aroundhow and when to ask for letters of rec. This guide will go over the most common recommendation letter guidelines, as well as some not so common ones that you hopefully won’t encounter (like a lottery system!). To start, let’s consider whichguidelines are set on a school-wide basis and which ones fall into the realm of individual teachers. What Do Schools Say About Recommendation Letters? You should receive directions from your school, or more specifically, your guidance or college counseling office, on two mainsteps: When to ask for letters of rec, and What information to give your teachers. Let's first take a look at the three most common guidelines around when to ask for letters. 1. Ask in the Spring of Junior Year Generally, schools with strong college counseling departments have their students ask for letters in the spring of junior year, usually by April or May. This system tends to be part of the school’s culture, so teachers, mainly th grade teachers, expect to get requests then. Asking later is seen as inappropriate and last minute. 2. Ask Within a Month of Your Deadlines Other schools take a more hands off approach and tell students to ask anytime up to three or four weeks before their deadlines. Larger public schools often use this approach, where students are given more independence and a longertime window in which to make their requests. Some students still may ask in junior year or email their teachers over the summer with a promise to follow up with information in the fall. 3. Submit a List of Names to Your Counselor A third, less common system used by a few schools involves some chance. Students give three names of teachers to college counselors, who then assign each student two teachers. Usually smaller private schools with a large percentage of college-going graduates use this method to ease the burden on teachers who get the most requests. Schools with this system are a bit more strict, while, as you read above, others put the responsibility largely in thehands of students. Most schools, however, have similar guidelines about what information to give to your recommenders. This information typically goes into a "brag sheet." Prepare a Brag Sheet In addition to setting rules for when you ask, your counseling department should give you a packet to fill out to help your recommenders. This packet should include space for you to write your college list and deadlines, as well as a formcommonly referred to as a "brag sheet." Here you'll describe yourself and your goals. There may be space for your parents to contribute their ideas, too. Whatever systems your school uses, there are two best practicesto go by when planning your recommendations: ask early, and give your recommenders a detailed resume and brag sheet. Just how early you ask may depend on your school’s policy, as just described, but it may also be influenced by the teachers you plan to ask. Let’s take a look at what teachers control in this process. Some teachers limit the number of rec letters they'll write, so you have to ask them early! What Do Teachers Say About Recommendation Letters? While your school tells you when and how to ask, your teacher decides how many recommendation letters they’ll write for students. Some don’t set a limit at all, while others set a cap at around fifteento twenty letters. It may be disappointing to learn that your teachers limit their letters, but on the bright side it suggests that they put time and thought into each letter they produce. In a few, unfortunate cases, teachers set a very strict limit and don’t seem too eager to write recommendations. One student on College Confidential talked about how his teacher collected everyone’s requests and drew only six â€Å"winners† out of a hat. Luckily, it’s not common for teachers to set a cap this low or to select students arbitrarily. If you have a good relationship with the teacher and make your request early enough, then she should agree to provide you with a letter of rec. At this point, you may be wondering what your school and teachers have to say about recommendation letter guidelines. If you don’t know already, how can you find out? If you don't know your school's rec letter policy, how can you search for clues? How Can You Learn About Recommendation Letter Guidelines? It’s never too early to find out this information, as you want to get your requests in early and devote a good amount of time to preparing your packet. Ideally, your counselors give you this information during college planning presentations. If not, you can absolutely set up an appointment to meet with your counselor. Prepare a list of questions, like when and how you should ask, and go into the meeting prepared so you find out everything you need to know. Your counselors should also have some advice on which teachers have a reputation for writing strong letters, and which ones get flooded with requests. If your counselor hasn’t already given you the details on your teachers, you can speak to older students, as well as your teachers themselves to find out when’s an ideal time to ask. Even if it’s only halfway through the year, you could tell your th grade teacher that you’re curious about recommendation letters and wonder if she has any special deadline for accepting requests. Even if you’re not ready to ask yet, you can plan when to do so. Some of these concerns are obvious requirements, while some are not so immediately apparent. Why’s it important to make sure you know about all recommendation letter guidelines from all involved parties? Guidelines help make sure your recommendation letters get into the system by your application deadlines. Why Do You Need to Know About Recommendation Letter Guidelines? These guidelines influence when you ask, who you ask, and what information you prepare. By figuring this all out early, you can spend a few weeks deciding who to ask and producing your materials. It’s especially important to put time and thought into your resume and brag sheet, as your recommenders will rely on these documents to write their letters. Not only should your recommenders already have a positive impression of you from class, but giving them thorough materials willalso impress them and show them how seriously you’re taking the college application process. As discussed above, some schools require students to ask in junior year while others take a more hands-off approach. Even if your school doesn’t give you a specific deadline, you might consider asking at the end of th grade. That way you’re fresh in your teachers’ minds, plus you can ensure that you won’t lose a spot to other students who were ahead of the game. If you’re unclear about the answers to any of these questions around recommendation letters, you should definitely speak with your counselor and teachers. Make sure you have the information you need to feel empowered through the process of applying to college. What’s Next? Speaking of the steps you need to apply to college, check out this full guideon how to apply to college. It goes over everything you need to know, from choosing the right classes to taking standardized tests to filling out your application forms. For more on planning your recommendation letters, you can learn about how to request your letters here and why exactly these letters are so important to your overall application. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: