What is GDP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

What is GDP - Essay Example In this way, it is exceptionally fundamental to have a GDP for a nation determined over an unmistakable timespan. So as to additionally clarify the definition, I will take the case of Qatar. The GDP of Qatar is the complete estimation of yield of merchandise and ventures created inside Qatar over some stretch of time. The meaning of GDP incorporates all the creation done by neighborhood inhabitants and assets claimed by the occupants of Qatar and furthermore by outsiders and remote assets possessed by non-inhabitants of Qatar. Gross domestic product can be measure by three techniques and every strategy should offer a similar response. It very well may be determined by the yield strategy. In this technique, the estimation of complete yield created in Qatar is its GDP. It can likewise be determined by the salary technique. Since selling of yield brings about pay for merchants, hence in this technique GDP is determined by including the salary surprisingly working in Qatar. Thus, the GDP of Qatar can likewise be determined by utilizing the use strategy. Since, pay for one individual is consumption for other people, in this strategy the GDP is determined by including all the uses spent on Qatar's creation. It is frequently considered by individuals that sole GDP figures are sufficient for telling the monetary prosperity of a nation. For instance, the individuals who state this base their case on the way that any progressions or increment in the GDP is sign of progress in financial prosperity. ... concentrated alone with no supporting information, one can't anticipate whether the nation is getting a charge out of monetary health or it is confronting low expectation for everyday life. There are various reasons why we can't depend entirely on the GDP figures and need exhaustive arrangements of information to decide the monetary health of the nation. Assume that a GDP of nation increments by 20%/Many individuals will say that the nation will currently appreciate incredible monetary prosperity or its inhabitants will be in an ideal situation. Be that as it may, this isn't correct. So as to decide the net of monetary health, we have to consider the populace development rate also. On the off chance that populace development rate is 25%, at that point we can plainly presume that individuals will be more terrible off by this expansion and there will be a net-decrease in the way of life of individuals living in this nation. In this way, it isn't GDP that issue, however it is the genuine GDP that educates us regarding the monetary wellbeing of a nation. Genuine GDP considers the populace and it is the measure which enlightens us regarding the monetary health of a nation. So also, imagine a scenario in which an expansion in GDP is a result of the expansion in swelling. Swelling expands the cost of everything and in view of this the estimation of GDP increments. This kind of increment in the estimation of GDP in light of swelling is likewise not awesome as monetary wellbeing and individuals' way of life is legitimately identified with the physical amount of merchandise being delivered and not the amount. In this way, we have to considering the expansion factor likewise and modify the ostensible GDP with swelling component to show up at the genuine GDP and just along these lines we can tell whether the nation is getting a charge out of financial prosperity or not. A decent method to counter this issue is figuring per capita pay. Per Capita pay is determined by plunging

What you think of the subprime crisis and how it impacts todays Essay

What you think about the subprime emergency and how it impacts todays economy - Essay Example In clear conditions, the moneylenders sold the advance security to different speculators in different recondite blends. The unfriendly impacts of the subprime emergency lead to climb in loan costs, which powers the Fed to raise rates to battle expansion, which must be caused by the regular man. Economies of creating nations named developing markets, are still observed by created nation subsidize chiefs as hazardous recommendations. So the trip to security will see a few supports pull out of creating nations. This could prompt a financial exchanges slide in these economies, loss of certainty and stoppage of the genuine economy. The other wellspring of interruption is development driven lull in the US. This could hit creating economies that send out a ton to the US. The subprime emergency likewise puts descending weight on monetary development, in light of the fact that less or progressively costly advances decline venture by organizations and buyer spending, which drive the economy. A different however related dynamic is the downturn in the lodging market, where an excess stock of homes has brought about a huge decrease in new home development and lodging costs in numerous regions. This likewise puts descending weight on development. Emergency has made frenzy in budgetary markets and empowered speculators remove their cash from hazardous home loan securities and temperamental values and put it into wares as stores of significant worth. The majority of the ongoing increments in worldwide food costs have been the consequence of hypothesis and the breakdown in the estimation of the US dollar which is currently at Indian Rupees 38.62 per dollar. This emergency immensy affects the national financial exchanges, where the vacillations in the market costs and portions of the companies do make a component of uncertainty in the partners psyche and along these lines prompting booth among them. The market esteem chips down and which tends the money related foundations to approach and request their advances

Women And Writing Essays (1635 words) - Edwidge Danticat

Ladies And Writing Midterm Assignment : Women and composing Since the start of times, individuals have discovered different approaches to communicate and all the more explicitly how to pronounce their sentiments and feelings. We as a whole realize that craftsmanship (in a general term) should be the device utilized for articulation. Individuals from various networks, social foundations, and religions, have been engaged show and offer their uniqueness through craftsmanship. Workmanship, regardless of whether it was music, painting, chiseling or composing has been profoundly reproached through time in view of its substance of truth. The greater parts of a general public didn't permit minorities to completely communicate with dread of appearances and rebellions . Ladies, as a minority have battled to come clean. So as to see better the importance of Women's composition, we will initially dissect the components that pushed ladies to compose, at that point we will go over the impediments that ladies experienced lastly, we will talk about what the scholars needed to accomplish through their composition. Elements that pushed ladies to compose There are authors who need to comprehend the world they live(Dorothy Allison, Trash, p.19.) This sentence shows that the essayist expected to write to see and comprehend herself through composition. This youthful white lady was carrying on with a real existence loaded up with liquor and illicit drug use, she attempted to get away from that trap by tricking herself and by reconstructing an all out new optimistic picture of her individual (filling in as a social laborer.) However, all through her movement, she has been composing everything about herself on a yellow cushion, whatever she would do, any place she would be, those yellow cushions were there, as a portrayal of her fact. She could trick herself, however not her yellow cushions, her reality was composed there. Allison the same number of ladies on the planet has been attempting to shroud her torment. Continually tricking herself, she despite everything needed to shout out her fact, this, by spreading her agony on paper. In any case, the papers were untouchable, much the same as somebody would litter a humiliating measure of junk. Allison needed to take out her story and outrage, regardless of whether they were brimming with disgrace. She was unable to live without composing, it involved endurance. This desire to compose was shared by some other ladies authors. The pursuit of a comprehension was the factor that pushed Bell Hooks to compose I started to feel dubious, uprooted, irritated even, this was the state of my soul when I chose to be an author, to look for that light in words (Bell Hooks, recalled breaks, p.15) after that she announces Searching for a space were composing could be comprehended, I requested a journal (Bell Hooks, recollected cracks, p.15.) Writing was an approach to comprehend herself similar to Dorothy Allison, an approach to see one's own individual in a worldwide way, from an alternate edge, at the end of the day, an approach to be objective about oneself ?circumstance. In addition to the fact that women write for themselves with the idea that no one can get them, however they likewise compose for other people, an approach to make a presentation to the world, an approach to change reality by saying it . In her compositions, Sandra Cisneros suggests that she needs to change the world. In her book The House on Mango Street she announces that she needs to leave the unsavory neighborhood of Mango road, nonetheless, she says that she will return, presumably not truly, however in any event trough her book. Returning may imply that she needed to plan something for change Mango road, and that is trough her book, that is the reason she composed it. Edwidge Danticat discloses to us how her craving to compose was devouring her in a general public where Women's composing was totally illegal, something to do in the corner. Danticat figured out how her female precursors have been communicating through nothing else than cooking, hair plaiting or in any event, cutting potatoes. Be that as it may, she needed to propagate the innovativeness of her predecessors, she simply expected to do it through composition. It was their murmurs that pushed you, their mumbles over pots sizzling in your mind. A thousand ladies encouraging you to talk through the unpolished tip of your pencil. (Edwidge Danticat, Kirk? Krak! p.8.) By composing, she

Climate Change Essay -- Environment Environmental

Environmental Change Presentation What is the seas job in atmosphere? The seas play a crucial and vital job in the appropriation of life supporting water all through our planet. 86% of the vanishing that happens on earth is over the seas. The seas are the planets biggest repository of water moving tremendous measures of water around the hydrological cycle. Truth be told the seas â€Å"dominate the hydrological cycle, for they contain 97% of the worldwide water inventory† . The hydrological cycle can be upset by changes in sea course that assume such a significant job on vanishing and precipitation. At the point when the sea dissemination framework transforms it can change how much warmth and precipitation is circulated far and wide. Changes on a worldwide scale can eventually prompt flooding and long haul dry season in different districts. The unavoidable issues are would we be able to screen the seas dissemination and watch for atmosphere changes? Would we be able to anticipate what may occur if the sea disse mination changed drastically? We have encountered significant atmosphere changes before; would we be able to search for proof of sea change during these periods? The Conveyor Belt The worldwide sea dissemination framework is known as the thermohaline course. Regularly called the ‘conveyor belt’ politeness of Wallace Broecker who in an article for Natural History in 1987 had a craftsman draw a disentangled rendition of the thermohaline dissemination and considered it the transport line. Wallace Broecker is the Newberry Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia University. He has instructed at Columbia since 1959, and his examination advantages incorporate paleoclimatology, sea science, isotope dating and natural science. He directs quite a bit of his examination in Columbia University's Lamont Doherty Earth O... ...’s for past just as future. PC models are restricted mostly because of the constraints of current innovation and the way that there are such a large number of elements to investigate. A few researchers accept we require an increasingly definite investigation of the sub-matrix scale forms in the sea and others state we have to build up what might be compared to our MET office. Any reasonable person would agree that extensively more research and speculation is required on the off chance that we are to get familiar with the fine equalization of the climate and the seas. Worldwide atmosphere changes have devastatingly affected social orders before. Quick environmental change in Britain could crush the framework to a stop and impact the economy radically. Biological systems, economies and social orders adjust better to slow change and our capacity to foresee what the results are of an unnatural weather change or changes in the maritime flows is significant.

Choose Informative Essay Topics For Your Expository Essay Topic

Choose Informative Essay Topics For Your Expository Essay TopicThe words should be ones that will drive you to a well-written informative essay topic. This is no easy task as it seems the truth and the whole story need to be presented properly in order to convince the reader of what the writer has to say. This is not the same to some, and to all of them is a dream come true.These informative essay topics are pretty much limited only to the subjects of war, politics, the environment, religion, and social issues. All of these subjects are topics that are very important as it directly affects people on every continent.To get something of an authoritative way to reach the audience who is really interested in the topics, you have to make sure that you have to provide information and knowledge in just the right words. But you need to make sure that you do it in a way that they would remember for the rest of their lives.That is why you need to start with a style in which you are speaking as if you are an authority. When you are speaking as a teacher or an instructor, it is the talk that should make the kids want to learn and also seek further education. That is why when you have to write a good informative essay topic on the social issues that affect people around the world, you have to know how to speak from an authoritative way and speak clearly.You can even make your lecture somewhat lively in order to attract the students to listen and understand. It will make the course more impressive and credible for students to be more interested.They will also get interested in pursuing further education that would help them to earn their degrees. It will also help them to face tougher competition because the so-called unknowns are trying to rise up and grab the top position in the field. That is why you need to be in control of the writing in order to be noticed and liked by your readers.In order to write informative essay topics on the social issues, you have to be able to talk calmly and elegantly. Make sure that you are able to make your audiences curious and intrigued by what you have to say.

College Prep for Juniors

Are you in your junior year of high school yet? Heres some guidance from College Connections, LLC on how to succeed inand even enjoythis potentially hectic year! Its best for juniors to start their college prep early. There are so many details to consider. If juniors plan properly, they may even enjoy the process. In addition to the tips below, visit our blog here. Do become familiar with a personal calendar in the new semester and jot these reminders down: 1. Start and continue prepping for your standardized testing – SAT I/Subject Tests (SAT II’s), ACT with writing exams and create a calendar of testing dates and registration deadlines. Aim to complete all of your testing by the end of your junior year, but understand that senior year offers more test date opportunities if need be. 2. Juniors should keep their grades up in all of their classes. Colleges like to see an upward trend and junior year grades are extremely important. Your challenging curriculum and the rigor of your program is vital as well. So challenge yourself and take some harder courses. 3. If you are taking Advanced Placement courses, learn about the AP exams as the College Board administers these in May. 4. Check in with your high school counselor regularly. The counselor will be writing college recommendations for you and the better they know you, the stronger they can make their recommendations. 5. Juniors should continue working on their resume/activities list. This is a work in progress that juniors will add to prior to the submission of applications. The final draft will be used to give to those writing recommendations and will also assist in completing college applications. 6. Check at your school to see when their college night or college fair is scheduled. Parents should attend as well, if possible. This is an opportunity to meet college representatives from around the country. Contact us for additional information and to get your FREE grade level timeline. 7. It is not too soon to start thinking about summer programs or activities now. Many summer programs juniors might want to enroll in begin filling up b and require specific applications. Juniors may also be visiting colleges, writing essays, and updating resumes in the summer as well. 8. For some students, a community college course is a good time to sample real college life by taking a course in something in which they are genuinely interested. A student may also need to make up for a lower grade in a specific course. Learn what colleges are in your area and what courses will be available. 9. Begin to plan any college visits. Many colleges let you sign up for information tours online. Get on college mailing lists if you intend to apply to that college. As spring approaches, juniors have a wonderful opportunity to get a jump-start on their college prep. With good time management the college process can be informative and pleasurable. You can get more college prep tips from Jeannie at CollegeConnections.com, and can follow College Connections, LLC on Facebook, Google+, and Twitter. Author bio: Jeannie Borin, M.Ed., stems from New York City and is a Juilliard School of Music alumnus. She obtained her Bachelors and Masters Degrees at UCLA in psychology, education and counseling and founded College Connections , LLC in 2003. Jeannie has been featured in Time, The Wall Street Journal and LA Magazine and on CNN, Fox, MSNBC, ABC and CBS News. Jeannie writes regularly for numerous publications and CBS Money Watch named her number one college advisor to follow on Twitter. She is a professional member of several prestigious educational organizations. Jeannie is recognized by media, clientele and colleagues globally as a leader in college admissions consulting and new media. She is happily married with two grown sons and lives in Los Angeles.

The Grey Line Criminals Or Heros - 767 Words

Noah Leibsker English 100 Mr. Rangno November 11 2014 The Grey Line:Criminals or heros? The Black Panther party was a revolutionary black nationalist and socialist organization active in the United States from 1966 until 1982. Although they were many times only seen as a gang or criminal group they have proven to be much more than that. The Panthers operated schools, opened medical clinics, and instituted a variety of other social programs, perhaps most extensively the free breakfast for children program in which they provided free food to kids in ghetto neighborhoods. The organization got its start out of necessity by trying to defend the community against long standing and racially motivated police brutality, a noble and just cause, and government repression contributed to its growth and expansion with every panther killing or arrest. The aggressive stance of the party and liberal use of weapons and violence, as well as their clear racial motivations, scared a lot of a predominantly white America.The government took steps to neutralize what the FBI called black natio nalist hate groups and other dissident groups. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover described the Black Panthers as the greatest threat to the internal security of the country.† Many believe their public image as thugs was unfairly given to them by the largely racist public of the 1960s that had not yet gone through the civil rights movement. A former leader of the party recently spoke out against this publicShow MoreRelatedTruman Capote s The Cold Blood1705 Words   |  7 Pagesstructure of the novel, in bringing back the dead (the Clutters), in presenting extensive fictitious conversations, and in romanticizing certain characters. â€Å"In Cold Blood† eventually cannot be qualified as a true account; Capote’s blurring of the line between fiction and non-fiction shape the work in a more fictitious way than not. First of all, it is clear that novel has a very unusual structure that differs greatly from journalism and that brings the novel closer to a piece of fictionRead MoreHow Batman Has Changed over the Past 70 Years3037 Words   |  12 PagesHow has the Dc Comics superhero Batman changed over the past 70 years? How has design influenced the development of the various costumes for the character and how are Batman films reflecting darker forces within US Society? From Comic book Hero to national icon. Introduction In this dissertation I will discuss how DC Comics have developed and improved the design of their comic books since their establishment in 1937. I will compare comics from past and present and talk about the different stylesRead MorePsychological Analysis of Breaking Bad1755 Words   |  7 Pages Breaking Bad Watching the Breaking Bad series helped me understand how ones superego can deteriorate into their id following Freud’s psychoanalytic theory. Walter White, the anti hero, takes us on a journey which vividly illustrates Freud’s thesis. From watching the series and reading critiques on the Freudian aspect, I will develop my own report on: â€Å"How ones selfishness takes over causing them to be driven by their id† ~ Focusing on Walter White from Breaking Bad The balanceRead MoreThe Witness Protection Program and Abandoning Mafioso Lifestyle2212 Words   |  9 Pagesway of life. Now that you are leaving the Program and embarking upon a professional life on the right side of the law, you have a new dilemma: how to make a living in an honest fashion. Ever since you were fourteen, your life has revolved around criminal enterprises. You are likely thinking: what skills and qualities do I have that will translate into occupations other than the dirty business of stealing and cheating? Although your old life contains many memories you may wish to forget, you mustRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald3918 Words   |  16 Pagesthings up and then retreats behind her money. Despite Daisy having a husband, Gatsby dedicated himself to winning Daisy back, making her the single goal of all of his dreams and the main motivation behind his acquisition of immense wealth through criminal activity. To Gatsby, Daisy represents the paragon of perfection—she has the aura of charm, wealth, sophistication, grace, and aristocracy that he longed for as a child in North Dakota and that first attracted him to her. In reality, however, DaisyRead MoreVictims and Villains in The Speckled Band, The Cardboard Box, and The Red Headed League2422 Words   |  10 Pagesvillains. It also shows this as there is always a crime that Sherlock Holmes solves, by his intelligence. The intended audience of the stories, I think is for adults, even though there maybe some younger readers, but they may not understand the story line. There are lots of stories within the collection of Sherlock Holmes. These include The Speckled Band, The Cardboard Box, and The Red Headed League. Other stories within the collection are, ‘The Man With The Twisted Lip’, this story, is set in theRead MoreThe Death Of A Costumed Adventurer2319 Words   |  10 Pagescostumed adventurer often leads audiences to contemplate the significance of it. It is a prevalent issue in which these characters appear to sacrifice their lives for the possibility of a greater good. In Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen, masked hero are subjected towards death due to their actions and the actions of others. Whether it is the actions of a friend, stranger, or foe, the untimely deaths of Rorschach, Nite Owl I, and The Comedian proves a costumed adventurer’s death leads to the lossRead MoreThe American Cowboy2811 Words   |  12 Pagestrail experience the two had great success. In 1866 they set out with two thousand cattle from Belknap, Texas to Fort Sumner on what would later be known as the Goodnight-Loving trail. Goodnight and Loving used the trail in 1866 and 1867 but stage lines, emigrants, and drovers made frequent use of the trail until almost 1900. Charles Goodnight ran the Ja Cattle Ranch after his herding days. The ranch was very successful and at one point contained more than 10,000 cattle. Goodnight was a good manRead MoreIndependent Film Industries Reinforce The Global Construction Of The Hybrid Genre3665 Words   |  15 Pagesindependent examples this could be true as films examine the societys criminal underground and question the law system. Within the gangster genre traditional dominant ideologies are subverted; the films hero is societys villain and the bourgeoisie are revealed, as the corrupt megalomaniacs Marxists want them to be, Harvey Keitel in Copland for instance. Yet, the examination goes further as the criminal heroes are still punished. Furthermore, the corruption, by beingRead More Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel The Master and Margarita Essay2327 Words   |  10 Pagesindividual non-conformists who are Bulgakov’s heroes, those who rebel – whether against God or man† (270). It is understandable that Bulgakov, having written this work in an oppressive surrounding that limited what he could and could not write, creates a hero who is in fact a rebel and other characters that are rebellious against those who stifle artistic freedom. In Vladimir Tumanov’s essay, Diabolus ex Machina: Bulgakov’s Modernist Devil, the author writes, â€Å"In this respect the modernist qualities of

Technology, a Tool for Liberation or Enslavement

In this day and age technology is an everyday aspect of most people’s lives, which many people view this as a great thing, but little do they know that the technology that they cherish so much can and in many cases is being used to control their lives. What people do not know is that the government is able to use the information they collect in any way they choose without any knowledge, with this power, comes a great responsibility. Foreign governments have tighter grasp on their country’s internet usage which some may see as an irresponsible use of this responsibility, which in turn enslaves their people by cutting them off from the outside world. The media also plays a large role in controlling what information reaches the public. This practice is harmful to the intellectual integrity of society as a whole, since the media focuses more on celebrities than they do on important issues. Overall, the creation of newer and better technology has helped society, but how long will it be until it can be used as a weapon to spy on citizens worldwide? Globally, many country’s governments are taking the initial steps towards controlling most, if not all, information possessed by the citizens. By allowing the government to control the citizen’s access to information, society is allowing itself to be controlled. The use of technology and different monitoring systems is a controversial topic, and in many cases giving the government too much power can have more negatives than positives,Show MoreRelatedLiberation, Rebellion, and Relevance2471 Words   |  10 PagesLiberation, Rebellion and Relevance In â€Å"The Rebel an essay on man in revolt,† Albert Camus (1956) muses on the absurd origins of rebellion and art and their significance to the individual and society. While reading Camus I began to think about how important art really is and how appalling some of the trends in education and arts funding apparently are. This is what inspired me to write this paper but my intention is not to directly address any of the many and various issues concerning arts educationRead More Personal Freedom and Independence: The Works of Benjamin Franklin and Henry David Thoreau1793 Words   |  8 Pagesof such prominent philosophers, writers, political and social activists as Benjamin Franklin and Henry David Thoreau in developing American statehood is tremendous. The literary works of both men can serve as a manifesto of national and personal liberation, a call for building a better society, where each citizen can live and work freely. Indeed, both Henry Thoreau and Benjamin Franklin e mphasize the independence and freedom of an individual, but they do so in significantly different ways. These differencesRead More Herbert Marcuse’s An Essay on Liberation3414 Words   |  14 PagesHerbert Marcuse’s An Essay on Liberation We know that the economic evolution of the contemporary world refutes a certain number of the postulates of Marx. If the revolution is to occur at the end of two parallel movements, the unlimited shrinking of capital and the unlimited expansion of the proletariat, it will not occur or ought not to have occurred. Capital and proletariat have both been equally unfaithful to Marx. - Albert Camus, 1953 The validity of Marxist political theory hasRead More12 Essential Characteristics of an Entrepreneur4440 Words   |  18 Pagesin better shape then they were before encountering them, and improving upon situations rather than leaving them unattended. While a sense of ownership makes for a stellar employee, the entrepreneur knows that the goal is not to be owned by the enslavement of too much responsibility. Rather than controlling situations in an attempt to possess them, the entrepreneur teaches other people how to take charge. In that way the clever entrepreneur uses individual accountability in the ultimate pursuit ofRead MoreNstp Handouts13038 Words   |  53 PagesNow is not time to blame those who came before us, but now is certainly the time to let the tides of positive change transform this nation and uphold what most of us consider as undoubtedly true, good, lasting and supports life. Our Trade tools: Benildean Core Values -â€Å"Creative Christian Builders† 1. deeply rooted in faith – ever conscious of God’s presence steeped in Christian values, ethics and morals; 2. appreciative of individual uniqueness – that of one’s own and that of one’sRead MoreCalculus Oaper13589 Words   |  55 Pageshave taken the pains to acknowledge the societal forces that wrench women s emotional and erotic energies away from themselves and other women and from woman- identified values. These forces, as I shall try to show, range from literal physical enslavement to the disguising and distorting of possible options. I do not, myself, assume that mothering-by-women is a sufficient cause of lesbian existence. But the issue of mothering-by-women has been much in the air of late, usually accompanied byRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesthe Soviet and U.S. superpowers on their periphery and a second round of even more devastating global conflict. The bifurcated international system that resulted from the cold war standoff extended the retreat of globalization, but nurtured the liberation of most of humanity from colonial rule. The collapse of the Soviet empire, and the freeing of its satellite states across Eastern Europe beginning in the late 1980s, marked another major watershed that further problematizes uncritical acceptanceRead MoreRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 Pagesyears of the twentieth century Rastafari was the most dominant force inï ¬â€šuencing the development of popular culture in Jamaica. Conclusion One of Webers enduring contributions to the study of sociology is his development and use of ideal types as tools to be employed in the quest for the interpretive understanding of social phenomena. Charisma and routinization are two types that have signiï ¬ cant heuristic value. Despite the various criticisms of Webers theory, charisma as a concept does identify

Short Story - 808 Words

â€Å"Morning,† Alice sings as she walks through the front door. I remain seated on the sofa, glaring at the TV. â€Å"Whats wrong?† she asks. The sofa announces her presence as she sits beside me, however, I continue to ignore her. â€Å"Okay, youre mad at me, but why?† â€Å"Because of your secrecy!† I spit, still with my eyes glued to the screen. â€Å"What – I – but—† she flusters, gaining my attention. A little smirk rests on my lips as I watch her wriggle. She throws her hands in the air. â€Å"What do you want from me?† â€Å"Id want the truth, Alice. Why wont you tell me who youre dating?† She opens her mouth to speak, only to close it again. The frustration in her face settles as she gazes down to her hands that are playing with the ends of her hair. â€Å"Its†¦show more content†¦The woman tightens her grip around the tissue, lowering her gaze as she delivers the unwanted message. â€Å"We received a phone call this morning from Mrs Myrtle. My father and a few of their friends meet at the cafe for breakfast every Sunday, and she was worried when he didnt arrive, so they called me and my husband to come and check on him.† Her voice catches in her throat, causing her to pause as she regains her composure. â€Å"When we arrived, we found him sleeping in his chair with the letter in his hand.† A fresh set of tears run down her cheeks. My body sways, forcing me to reach out to the nearest stool. Please, no more, I cant hear anymore, I silently plead with her. â€Å"I knew he was dead before I reached out to touch his skin.† She raises the tissue to cover her eyes as she sobs. Alice embraces her, allowing the woman to rest her head on her shoulder. I watch as her shoulders heave up and down with her sobs. I bring the envelope to my chest as I allow the first set of tears to release. He thanked me for helping him sleep, he knew he was to draw his last breath. â€Å"Im sorry, I have to go.† The womans voice is but a mere whisper. By the time I raise my head to thank her for bringing the letter to me, Alice is already closing the door. She eases herself into the stool beside me. â€Å"Im not trying to be insensitive here, but Im a little confused.† With the letter still in my hands, I rest them on the bar before I retell theShow MoreRelatedshort story1018 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Short Stories:  Ã‚  Characteristics †¢Short  - Can usually be read in one sitting. †¢Concise:  Ã‚  Information offered in the story is relevant to the tale being told.  Ã‚  This is unlike a novel, where the story can diverge from the main plot †¢Usually tries to leave behind a  single impression  or effect.  Ã‚  Usually, though not always built around one character, place, idea, or act. †¢Because they are concise, writers depend on the reader bringing  personal experiences  and  prior knowledge  to the story. Four MajorRead MoreThe Short Stories Ideas For Writing A Short Story Essay1097 Words   |  5 Pageswriting a short story. Many a time, writers run out of these short story ideas upon exhausting their sources of short story ideas. If you are one of these writers, who have run out of short story ideas, and the deadline you have for coming up with a short story is running out, the short story writing prompts below will surely help you. Additionally, if you are being tormented by the blank Microsoft Word document staring at you because you are not able to come up with the best short story idea, youRead MoreShort Story1804 Words   |  8 PagesShort story: Definition and History. A  short story  like any other term does not have only one definition, it has many definitions, but all of them are similar in a general idea. According to The World Book Encyclopedia (1994, Vol. 12, L-354), â€Å"the short story is a short work of fiction that usually centers around a single incident. Because of its shorter length, the characters and situations are fewer and less complicated than those of a novel.† In the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s DictionaryRead MoreShort Stories648 Words   |  3 Pageswhat the title to the short story is. The short story theme I am going conduct on is â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’ by James Thurber (1973). In this short story the literary elements being used is plot and symbols and the theme being full of distractions and disruption. The narrator is giving a third person point of view in sharing the thoughts of the characters. Walter Mitty the daydreamer is very humorous in the different plots of his dr ifting off. In the start of the story the plot, symbols,Read MoreShort Stories1125 Words   |  5 PagesThe themes of short stories are often relevant to real life? To what extent do you agree with this view? In the short stories â€Å"Miss Brill† and â€Å"Frau Brechenmacher attends a wedding† written by Katherine Mansfield, the themes which are relevant to real life in Miss Brill are isolation and appearance versus reality. Likewise Frau Brechenmacher suffers through isolation throughout the story and also male dominance is one of the major themes that are highlighted in the story. These themes areRead MoreShort Story and People1473 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Title: Story Of An Hour Author: Kate Chopin I. On The Elements / Literary Concepts The short story Story Of An Hour is all about the series of emotions that the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard showed to the readers. With the kind of plot of this short story, it actually refers to the moments that Mrs. Mallard knew that all this time, her husband was alive. For the symbol, I like the title of this short story because it actually symbolizes the time where Mrs. Mallard died with joy. 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The Revolution Of Sentiments And The American Revolution

A Revolution of Sentiments The American Revolution was more of an accelerated evolution than a revolution. However, the exodus of some 80,000 Loyalists left a great lack of conservatives. This weakening of the aristocratic â€Å"upper crust† let Patriot elites emerge. The fight for separation of church and state resulted in notable gains. The Congregational church continued to be legally established by some New England states, but the Anglican Church was humbled and reformed as the Protestant Episcopal Church. Slavery was a big, problematic issue, as the Continental Congress of 1774 had called for the abolition of slavery, and in 1775, the Philadelphia Quakers founded the world’s first antislavery society. This new spirit of â€Å"all men are created equal† even inspired a few slave owners to free their slaves. Another issue was women: they still were unequal to men, even though some had served (disguised as men) in the Revolutionary War. There were some achievements: New Jersey’s 1776 constitution allowed women to vote (for a time). Mothers devoted to their families were developed as an idea of â€Å"republican motherhood† and elevated women to higher statuses as keepers of the nation’s conscience. Constitution Making in the States The Continental Congress of 1776 called upon colonies to draft new constitutions (thus began the formation of the Articles of the Confederation). Massachusetts contributed one innovation when it called a special convention to draft its constitution and made itShow MoreRelatedRevolution Dbq1112 Words   |  5 PagesThe Revolution was affected before the war commenced.   The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people...This radical change in the principles, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution.   Explain the meaning of this 1818 statement by John Adams (referring to the Revolutionary era) and assess its validity. 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Case Study Questions And Answer on Soil-Testing Business

Questions: Indri runs a soil-testing business. He decides to form a company to take over the business. He is the sole shareholder and sole director. Indri sells his business to the company at an inflated price and lends the company $90,000 to help meet the cost of purchase. As security for the loan, Indri arranges a mortgage over a vacant block of land, which he transferred to the company as part of the business sale. In the first year of operation, the business makes a small profit (after paying both Indri and his 20 daughter's wages), but by the end of 2012 it is clear that the building industry is going through a major slump. Indri becomes desperate and works even harder. While working late into the night, Indri badly lacerates his hand and needs micro-surgery. His efforts to keep the business afloat are in vain and the company is forced into liquidation. On realisation of the assets, it is found that the company has approximately $95,000 to go towards meeting creditors' claims of $210,000: (a) If Indri is the only secured creditor, will he get back his $90,000? (b) Can Indri claim workers' compensation, assuming that he is otherwise entitled to it? Answers: (a) With regards to the case scenario, it can be apparently noted that Indri is associated with operating a soil-testing business, suggesting that he is running a soleproprietorship form of business. However, it must further be noted that Indri has decided to form a company that is capable of taking over the business. Although a company cannot be formed without less than 2 members, it must be noted that Indri is the sole director and the sole shareholder of the company. Indri, as the only secured creditor, has lent the company $90,000 for ensuring that it is able to meet its cost of purchase. As per Sect 51E of the Corporations Act 2001, secured creditors can be considered as the creditors of the company, in case the debt that is owed to the company is secured with the help of a security interest.[1] However, it must be noted that since the company is forced into liquidation, Indri, as the only secured creditor is entitled to receive the lent money. This can be attributed to the fact tha t as a secured creditor, Indri would hold priority over the unsecured creditors. Chapter 7 underlying the Title 11 of the United States Code considers that secured creditors are general at a lower chance of risk since their credit is supported by the collateral encompassing mortgage on assets.[2] They further carry a legally enforceable right that enables them to collateral securing the loans with that of mortgage carrying an equivalent value. In case the debtor is associated with defaulting on the obligations made with respect to secured creditor, the secured creditor has the right to seize and sold the collateral to satisfy the debt. Only, in case of an automatic stay, the secured creditor might not be able to regain control over the value of collateral. However, the bankruptcy law ensures that the secured creditors are able to obtain priority in the collateral, which is able to seize, sell as well as keep the proceeds that are obtained from the sale near to the owed amount. Secur ed creditor is further in a condition to collect the deficiency from the remedies that are left available for the unsecured creditors. Hence, as the only secured creditor, Indri is entitled to receive the owed amount from seizing, selling or arranging proceeds from sale of mortgage over a vacant block of land. (b) Based on the assumption that Indri is entitled to receive workers compensation, it can be apparently stated that Indri is entitled to receive compensation once the company goes into liquidation. Herein, due consideration needs to be placed on the fact that in scenarios wherein company goes into liquidation, the employees are entitled to obtain payment as per the Fair Entitlements Guarantee (FEG). In the past, FEG was known as General Employee Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme (GEERS) that is provided to the eligible employees towards ensuring that they are able to obtain their unpaid entitlements.[4] Indri is further entitled to receive compensation for the personal injury as per the Sect 31 of the Workers Compensation Act 1951.[5] Such entitlements can encompass annual leaves, service leave, payments with regards to the notice of termination, redundancy pay and wages for up to 13 weeks. As part of workers compensation, Indri is further eligible to receive compensation in the form o f insurance payment towards covering their wages as they are unfit to perform their work. It further includes payments that are made to the workers for covering medical expenses and rehabilitation. Bibliography ASIC, Constitution and replaceable rules (2016) AustLII, Bankruptcy Act 1966 - Sect 44 (2016) AustLII, Corporations Act 2001 - Sect 135 (2016) AustLII, Corporations Act 2001 - Sect 141 (2016) AustLII, Corporations Act 2001 Sect 1072B (2016) AustLII, Corporations Act 2001 Sect 201G (2016) AustLII, Corporations Act 2001 Sect 201H (2016) AustLII, Corporations Act 2001 Sect 201J (2016) AustLII, Corporations Act 2001 Sect 51E (2016) Ayotte, Kenneth and David A. Skeel, Bankruptcy Law as a Liquidity Provider (2013) 80(2) The University of Chicago Law Review 1557- 1624 Bebchuk, Lucian Arye and Jesse M. Fried, A new approach to valuing secured claims in bankruptcy (No. w8276) (2001) 114(2386) National Bureau of Economic Research. 2386-2436.

Development in Oil and Gas Management PoG 350

Question: Discuss about the Development in oil and gas management PoG 350. Answer: Introduction The study provides a brief view about the risk management process along with the importance of innovative strategies in an organization. Before initiating the risk management process, it is important to go through the risk assessment process in order to determine the risk presents in the present scenario (Glickman and Gough 2013). Risk assessment is a systematic method and sensible measurement process of identifying the risk that helps the organization to control the risk (Haimes 2015). The risk management process is method of prioritization that helps in general analyzing to build security goals and guidelines in order to reduce the uncertainty (Pritchard and PMP 2014). The organizations include innovative strategies to lead the business towards growth. In the present business market, some companies engage in strategic innovation to take their business in the next level. Apple, Dyson, Samsung, Barclay S, IKEA, BP are the well known companies that deliver new innovative products in the world market. On the other way, some companies such as Nokia, Blockbuster, BlackBerry, Mark and Spencer failed to make innovation in their production. The companies that pursue several innovative strategies are able to make more revenue and acquire sustainable growth. Due to improper management and lack of strategic innovation, other companies are lagging behind. Here, the researcher has chosen a company that incorporates several innovative strategies but somewhere it has more opportunities to make growth in their business. Here, the study discusses the above mentioned business activities by considering the company Oil Gas UK. The respective organization is the leading trade association for oil and gas industry of United Kingdom (Oilandgasuk.co.uk. 2016). In this particular study, the risk management procedure of the respective organization is demonstrated along with the innovative strategies they pursue and they need to pursue as well. Present business scenario and issue identification The present business scenario of Oil Gas UK would help to analyze the market position of the organization. In the year of 2014, the respective organization has provided 68% of the total primary energy of United Kingdom (Oilandgasuk.co.uk. 2016). According to DECC (Department of Energy Climate Change), the percentage will increase by 70 in the year of 2030 (Prpich, Coulon and Anthony 2015). In 2014, the average price of Brent oil is measured was $99 per barrel. This is lower than the amount measured in the past three years. It was $109, $112, $111 in the years 2013, 2012, 2011 respectively (Oilandgasuk.co.uk. 2016). The average price has been declined further in the year of 2015. It was $58 in 2015 (Oilandgasuk.co.uk. 2016). In the period 2014-2015, the organization has paid 2.2 billion on the corporate taxes of production. It is found as the lowest amount in the past 20 years due to the decreasing oil price (Oilandgasuk.co.uk. 2016). The prime goal of the organization is to reduce the expenditure as a whole and improve the efficiency. In 2014, the capital investment of Oil Cost UK was 14.8 billion which was the highest amount in the past four years (Oilandgasuk.co.uk. 2016). In the year of 2015, they have expected that the amount will be reduced up to 10-11 billion. As per their investment assumption, they have expected the amount of capital investment would fall by 2-4 billion every year (Bennear 2015). The operating cost of the organization was increased by 9% in the year 2014; it was 9.7 billion. In that year, Oil Gas UK expected to reduce their operating cost by 22% at the year of 2016. In addition, they expected to reduce it up to 9.3 billion and 8.6 billion in 2015 and 2016 respectively (Oilandgasuk.co.uk. 2016). Besides, the total pre-tax expenditure was raised by 3% in 2014. As a result, they have experienced rising expenditure as well as decreasing revenue in the last year. It led the organization to confront 4.2 billion cash flow deficit in 2015, which was the largest amount in its history (Oilandgasuk.co.uk. 2016). Risk assessment and Risk management process in Oil Gas UK As per the statement of Ward, Stuart and Bloomfield (2015), the environmental issues become the central point of risk assessment in the oil industry from the last decade. Oil Gas UK maintain a systematic procedure to identify the hazards. However, they fail to identify the scope of risk identification. Somehow, the traditional procedure fails to deal with the current challenges of world oil and gas market. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is one of the major risk assessment process that the organization pays heed on (Tan, Ortiz-Gallardo and Perrons 2016). The organization has formalized the EIA process over time to make the process more effective. Apart from this, preliminary screening and scoping process is pursued in order to indentify the depth requirements of the organization. Akhurst et al. (2015) stated that certain risk evaluation and management process is followed by Oil and Gas UK in order to resolve the complexities and hitches found during the risk assessment process. Certain stages are included in the process of risk management such as hazard identification, identification of consequences, magnitude of consequences, probability of consequences, and risk reduction or elimination. It has been found that the company is facing cash flow deficit due to lower oil price in UK. Besides, the capital investment declines and at the same time the operating cost increases. In this context, the major hazard is the company is confronting problems regarding competition in the global market. Technological progress failed to reach the company in that position where it can acquire more revenue as well as profit. They failed to identify the consequences before and that is the reason they are facing this uncertainty in the present situation. In terms of these consequences, they need to address the root cause of this risk which they fail to do. Asgari et al. (2015) added that the organization might resolve the problems they have for short term period only which will cause long term issues. The long term issues might reach at a unsolvable stage if they are not uprooted. In this case, Oil Gas UK has taken the short term issue solving strategy that led them in todays complexity. Besides, it is important to determine the magnitude of consequences to predict the future risk that they might face in upcoming years. The magnitude of consequences helps in assuming the probability of the further consequences (Torres, Yadav and Khan 2016). Through predicting the future risk, an organization can make certain strategies to deal with the uncertainty. Oil Gas UK has skipped the stage of consequence identification and thus they failed to determine the magnitude as well as probability of consequences. The risk management process is pursued without implementing the previous major stages that made the company to face certain issues. The risk management process was not followed effectively which is one of the prime reasons behind the cash flow deficit that occurred recently in their business. Innovation in Oil Gas UK Trutnevyte et al. (2016) sated that strategic innovation is an approach and creative process that bring breakthrough ideas to drive the business towards growth and development. Strategic innovation is needed to acquire comparative advantages over the competitors and deliver strong competition to the rival companies as well. The prime mission of considering strategic innovation in the business process is to take the business in a new growth level and create a sustainable position in the market. It helps the organizations to look beyond their boundaries that help them to focus on both short term as well as long term outcomes. However, through pursuing innovative process, the organizations are able to expand their business, reduce cost in the long run, and reduce dependency on the workforce. On the other way, the employees lose their jobs due to this process. In Addition, company has to bare high expenses in the short run for incorporating new ideas and techniques. The above sections have discussed about the business scenario of Oil Gas UK in the present business market. Along with that, the study has brought out some of the major challenges that the company has been confronting since last 2-3 years. It has been found that technology progress has taken place in order to eliminate the complexities but could not meet the objectives. Innovation is required in the technology, business operations and activities to uproot the issues in the short run (Radnejad and Vredenburg 2015). Though, it is not possible to resolve all the problems exist in their business in the short period of time, thus long term planning as well as strategy is needed. Primarily, they need to reduce their operation cost and improve their efficiency to achieve their ultimate goal. Innovative management system and technology would help them to create more opportunities in order to grow their business. Asset integrity and reliability As per the statement of Webb (2015), asset integrity defines that the entire assets, that the organizations have, can perform effectively as well as safely as per the required actions. The Oil Gas UK require making sure that the assets it has are working correctly and fulfilling their expectations. It has been found that almost 30% of the platforms of their operating areas have been functioning foe more than 20 years and thus became ageing assets (Oilandgasuk.co.uk. 2016). These platforms are facing constant growing challenges in both the domestic as well as the world market. The major challenge that the company confronts regarding their assets can be split into two main categories. One is material related issues, and the other one is inspection and maintenance issue. Before initiating innovative business process, they need to create innovation ways in the material utilized in their production process. Apart from this, the management body should take innovative ways monitor the inte grity of the materials and understand the corrosion under insulation. Material As opined by Dholakia et al. (2015), it is important for the organizations to understand as well as monitor the integrity of the materials in order to reduce the probability of uncertainty. Through adopting innovative ways, Oil Gas UK can enhance the material performances in the changing environments. A high level of guidelines can be established to create several managing ways when the workers have to change the operational processes on the existing materials (Trutnevyte et al. 2016). The process of predictability of asset life provides the opportunity to extend the life of the existing assets. In addition, the company needs to apply Full Life Cycle Design (FLCD) principles to maximize the asset life. Inspection and Maintenance In the present situation, the company is seeking new strategies and ideas in inspection and maintenance of the assets. Best engineering practices need to be implemented to increase accuracy of fatigues (Banks 2015). The process of controlling obsolescence would help to manage the component obsolescence in an effective way. The upgraded obsolete subsea control system would help to control the obsolescence (Hansen and Steen 2015). Seven dimensions within a strategic innovation framework According to Upham, et al.(2015), the strategy innovation process is the systematic ways of creation of certain growth strategies and implementation in the business models. Along with seven dimensions, the strategy innovation framework of the respective organization can be framed. Seven Dimensions strategy innovation process Time frame 1. A managed innovation Process Along with the traditional approaches, Oil Gas UK should implement some non-traditional approaches in their business. Through identifying the internal capabilities, they would able to facilitate the interplay between internal practices and the external opportunities (Littleford et al. 2016). 2 months 2. Strategic Alignment It is the process of building internal support for the business activities (Costa-Campi, Garca-Quevedo and Trujillo-Baute 2015). This would help the stakeholders of the company to pursue common goal, vision, and actions. 6 months 3. Industry Foresight Storbacka and Nenonen (2015) stated that it is the understanding of emerging and converging trends. Besides adopting new technology, the company should look over the alternative ways of innovation in order to deal with the challenges. 1 month 4. Consumer/Customer Insight It defines the ways of understanding both the articulated and unarticulated requirements of the existing as well as potential consumers (Song and Oh 2015). Through prioritizing the customers, they can achieve their goal of improving efficiency. 6 months 5. Core Technologies and Competencies The core technology and competencies of Oil Gas UK is the set of their internal capabilities, assets of the company, and organizational competencies. Through increasing the core technology, the organization would able to value their customers more. 8 months 6. Organizational Readiness It determines the ability of the organization to implement new ideas and techniques. It has been found that technological progress was occurred but failed to eliminate the problems it has. Innovation is needed to manage all the operational, financial, and political factors (Haugh 2015). 6 months 7. Disciplined Implementation After planning the strategies, the company needs to implement them in a different way. The management body of the organization could keep track records of their operational progress. All the activities need to be framed in order to help all the stakeholders to perform efficiently. 12 months Table 1: Seven dimensions of strategic innovation framework (Source: Foss and Saebi 2015) Figure 1: Seven dimensions of strategic innovation framework (Source: Foss and Saebi 2015) Conclusion The study concludes that the average price of oil and gas has been decreasing in United Kingdom, thus the organization Oil Gas UK are confronting certain challenges. The operating cost of the company increases and this make them to face cash flow deficit. In the risk assessment process, they failed to address the scope of the risk identification. This results low comparative advantages in the world market. Further, it has been found that technological progress could not help the company to increase their revenue. Therefore, the study asserts that the company needs to adopt innovative strategies and techniques in order to deal with the difficulties present in the current business scenario. The seven dimensions of strategic innovation have manifested the fields that the company should look over. Reference List Akhurst, M., Hannis, S.D., Quinn, M.F., Shi, J.Q., Koenen, M., Delprat-Jannaud, F., Lecomte, J.C., Bossie-Codreanu, D., Nagy, S., Klimkowski, L. and Gei, D., 2015. Risk assessment-led characterisation of the SiteChar UK North Sea site for the geological storage of CO2.Oil Gas Science and TechnologyRevue dIFP Energies nouvelles. Asgari, N., Hassani, A., Jones, D. and Nguye, H.H., 2015. Sustainability ranking of the UK major ports: Methodology and case study.Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review,78, pp.19-39. Banks, M., 2015. UK businesses bag innovation awards.Physics World,28(9), p.9. Bennear, L.S., 2015. Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling: A Review of Regulatory Regimes in the United States, United Kingdom, and Norway.Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, p.reu013. Costa-Campi, M.T., Garca-Quevedo, J. and Trujillo-Baute, E., 2015. Challenges for RD and innovation in energy.Energy Policy,83, pp.193-196. Dholakia, U.M., Mittal, V., Han, K. and Dayal, A., 2015. Results from the Oil Gas Services Sector: The 2015 Strategy and Corporate Performance in the Energy Industry (SCOPE) Study.Available at SSRN. Foss, N.J. and Saebi, T. eds., 2015.Business Model Innovation: The Organizational Dimension. OUP Oxford. Glickman, T.S. and Gough, M., 2013.Readings in risk. Routledge. Haimes, Y.Y. ed., 2015.Risk modeling, assessment, and management. John Wiley Sons. Hansen, G.H. and Steen, M., 2015. Offshore oil and gas firms involvement in offshore wind: Technological frames and undercurrents.Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions,17, pp.1-14. Haugh, A., 2015. Position Fixing Requirement of the Oil Industry.The International Hydrographic Review,58(1). Littleford, S.J., Holyoak, S., Birch, W. and Shepherd, D., 2016, January. Subsurface Wireless Intervention Technology Development for the Acquisition of Subsurface Static and Dynamic Fluid Level in Oil and Gas Wells. InSPE/IADC Middle East Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition. Society of Petroleum Engineers. Oilandgasuk.co.uk. (2016). Oil Gas UK. [online] Available at: https://oilandgasuk.co.uk/ [Accessed 24 Mar. 2016]. Pritchard, C.L. and PMP, P.R., 2014.Risk management: concepts and guidance. CRC Press. Prpich, G., Coulon, F. and Anthony, E.J., 2015. Review of the scientific evidence to support environmental risk assessment of shale gas development in the UK.Science of The Total Environment. Radnejad, A.B. and Vredenburg, H., 2015. Collaborative competitors in a fastchanging technology environment: open innovation in environmental technology development in the oil and gas industry.International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management,19(1-2), pp.77-98. Song, C. and Oh, W., 2015. Determinants of innovation in energy intensive industry and implications for energy policy.Energy Policy,81, pp.122-130. Storbacka, K. and Nenonen, S., 2015. Learning with the market: Facilitating market innovation.Industrial Marketing Management,44, pp.73-82. Tan, K.H., Ortiz-Gallardo, V.G. and Perrons, R.K., 2016. Using Big Data to manage safety-related risk in the upstream oil gas industry: A research agenda.Energy Exploration Exploitation,34(2), pp.282-289. Torres, L., Yadav, O.P. and Khan, E., 2016. A review on risk assessment techniques for hydraulic fracturing water and produced water management implemented in onshore unconventional oil and gas production.Science of The Total Environment,539, pp.478-493. Trutnevyte, E., McDowall, W., Tomei, J. and Keppo, I., 2016. Energy scenario choices: Insights from a retrospective review of UK energy futures.Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,55, pp.326-337. Upham, P., Lis, A., Riesch, H. and Stankiewicz, P., 2015. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions. Ward, R.S., Stuart, M.E. and Bloomfield, J.P., 2015. The hydrogeological aspects of shale gas extraction in the UK. Webb, J., 2015. Improvising innovation in UK urban district heating: The convergence of social and environmental agendas in Aberdeen.Energy Policy,78, pp.265-272.

MBA Essay Tips

Most graduate business programs require applicants to submit at least one MBA essay as part of the application process. Admissions committees use essays, along with other  application components, to determine whether or not you are a good fit for their business school. A well-written MBA essay can increase your chances of acceptance and help you stand out among other applicants. Choosing an MBA Essay Topic In most cases, you will be assigned a topic or instructed to answer a specific question. However, there are some schools that allow you to choose a topic or select from a short list of provided topics. If you are given the opportunity to choose your own MBA essay topic, you should make strategic choices that allow you to highlight your best qualities. This may include an essay that demonstrates your leadership ability, an essay that showcases your ability to overcome obstacles, or an essay that clearly defines your career goals. Chances are, you will be asked to submit multiple essays usually two or three. You may also have the opportunity to submit an optional essay. Optional essays are usually guideline and topic free, which means you can write about anything you want. Find out  when to use the optional essay. Whatever topic you choose, be sure to come up with stories that support the topic or answer a specific question. Your MBA essay should be focused and feature you as the central player. Common MBA Essay Topics Remember, most business schools will provide you with a topic to write on. Although topics can vary from school to school, there are a few common topics/questions that can be found on many business school applications. They include: Why attend this business school? What are your career goals? What are your short-term and long-term goals? What will you do with your degree? How will a degree help you achieve your goals? Why do you want an MBA? What matters to you most and why? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What is your biggest accomplishment? What is your biggest regret? How have you failed in the past? How do you respond to adversity? What challenges have you overcome? Who do you admire most and why? Who are you? How will you contribute to this program? Why do you have leadership potential? How do you explain weaknesses in your academic record? Answer the Question One of the biggest mistakes that MBA applicants make is not answering the question they are asked. If you are asked about your professional goals, then professional goals not personal goals should be the focus of the essay. If you are asked about your failures, you should discuss mistakes you have made and lessons you have learned not accomplishments or success. Stick to the topic and avoid beating around the bush. Your essay should be direct and pointed from start to finish. It should also focus on you. Remember, an MBA essay is meant to introduce you to the admissions committee. You should be the main character of the story. It is okay to describe admiring someone else, learning from someone else, or helping someone else, but these mentions should support the story of you not cover it up. See another MBA essay mistake to avoid. Basic Essay Tips As with any essay assignment, youll want to carefully follow any instructions you are given. Again, answer the question assigned to you keep it focused and concise. It is also important to pay attention to word counts. If you are asked for a 500-word essay, you should aim for 500 words, rather than 400 or 600. Make every word count. Your essay should also be readable and grammatically correct. The entire paper should be free of errors. Do not use special paper or a crazy font. Keep it simple and professional. Above all, give yourself enough time to write your MBA essays. You don’t want to have to slop through them and turn in something thats less than your best work simply because you had to meet a deadline. See a list of  essay style tips. More Essay Writing Tips Take time to reflect on yourself, your goals, your accomplishments, your strengths, your weaknesses, etc. before you begin writing your essay. Research the school until you have a good understanding of the schools mission, culture, programs, and approach. Create an outline to organize your ideas before you start writing. Use anecdotes and personal stories to make your essay original. Dont be too academic an MBA essay isnt a term paper. It is a marketing packet designed to introduce you. Be specific and detailed. Use examples. Support your statements. Keep it real. You want to impress, but honesty is key. Dont be afraid to be creative. If youre asked where you see yourself five years from now, you can avoid the standard answer and write a diary entry for that day in the future or pretend that youre telling your children about your first job after grad school. Make your essay interesting. Some admissions reps read more than 1,000 essays answering the same question. Hook them with the intro and keep them interested throughout to make your essay stand out among everyone elses. Remember that the #1 rule when writing an MBA essay is to answer the question/stay on topic. When you have finished your essay, ask at least two people to  proofread  it and guess the topic or question you were trying to answer. If they do not guess correctly, you should revisit the essay and adjust the focus until your proofreaders can easily tell what the essay is supposed to be about.

Sample Outline For An Informative Essay

Sample Outline For An Informative EssayWhen writing a sample outline for an informative essay, there are several things that you will want to include. Some of these can be added as you go along, but many of them can only be learned in the course of writing.Before you begin to write your outline, you should write a general introduction that sets the stage for what you are going to say. As you go along, you will want to incorporate some more information that will help you formulate your topic. Many people get stuck at this point and do not know how to proceed, but do not worry; the beginning should be easy enough.In the introductory section, you should introduce yourself and briefly describe who you are and what you hope to accomplish with your essay. You may also want to introduce your main points of interest. Do not forget to include a summary of the basic information.After you have introduced yourself and the information, you can begin to write the paragraphs that follow. You should try to use a different word each time so that you can determine which is correct and which is the wrong choice.While you are writing each paragraph, you should try to illustrate your point by using a short anecdote. These can be easily incorporated into your main points of interest.In order to make the most of your entire essay, it is important that you keep a notebook on hand at all times. Keeping a notebook at hand will help you make sure that you do not forget a point or a key point of your essay. This can be especially important when you are dealing with a large amount of information.When it comes to the topic of your essay, you should write about any problems that you have faced in your life. You should also talk about your accomplishments. This can help you to highlight the different parts of your life that you want to include in your essay.Finally, you should include an afterword to include additional information. In this part of the essay, you should give a brief overview o f the topic that you discussed in the introductory section. You should end your essay with a short conclusion.

Personal Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass essays

Personal Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass essays Slavery was a negative thing for the whole of American society; Men, women, and families alike. No one person or sex was worse off than the other. Slavery was a horrible monstrosity for mankind. What I am about to tell you was found in the personal narrative of Frederick Douglass. Douglass has first hand knowledge of these unethical crimes against the black race since he himself was a slave owned by many different masters. Douglass is a very credible foundation for knowledge when it comes to slavery and the mistreating of slaves. In his autobiography, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave, Douglass shows that a strict and unfair set of rules was used to enslave black men and women and their families in the 19th Century. Douglass explains that most slave owners didnt take pity on any preferred sex. Women didnt get any pardons when it came to getting whipped for not doing day to day duties, and sometimes just talking, or looking out of place. He also stated that there was one master in particular that he remembered very vividly. A Mr. Plummer, who Frederick claimed to be a miserable drunkard, would always be armed with a cowskin and a heavy cudgel and took delight in whipping men and women until they screamed, and then was invigorated by the screams and kept going until he, himself, grew tired from the beating. So neither men nor women were safe from violent whippings. Families werent safe from these regulations either. As Frederick also pointed out, it was a common custom, to part children from their mothers at a very early age. Frequently, before the child has reached its twelfth month. This is a very unnerving thought. He went on to say that this technique was used to erase all forms of affection between mothers and children, making them sort of like cattle. Black men, women and their familie ...

Analysis for the European Brewing Industry

Analysis for the European Brewing Industry Political Environment Political environment affects the European companies but as government is stable in Europe, the brewing industries can easily work if they follow a certain approach while keeping the government system in mind. In Europe taxes, duty rates and VAT are higher on products as compared to UK and France, so the companies should consider small and under developed nations where taxes are low. In Europe there was a governmental pressure of eliminating the agricultural subsidies that can lead to a change in the agricultural base. Brewing firms should understand this change and be ready with differential pricing schemes which can complement this change in agriculture. Economic Environment In Europe, most economies have a sustained growth rate of above 8 %. This shows that there is huge scope for industries to grow. European markets were also affected by 9/11 attack which in turn affected the tourism industry and at the same time, global recession also affect the whole Euro pean market. People invest a big part of money for their entertainment and fun. Very least part of their income goes for alcohol consumption as they are becoming more educated about health (The European Brewing Industry, 1999). Socio-cultural Europe had nine out of ten highest median populations in 2005. So health issues were a big concern unlike the youth population of India and China etc. (Demographics of Europe). The younger generation of population had a changed lifestyle and this turn have impacted European markets because of the smoking and poor nutrition habits (Ageing Population and Lifestyle Changes Drive Demand for Orthopaedic Biomaterials in Europe). These kinds of awareness issues will impact the sale of breweries in European market to the younger generation. Most of the retail companies are keeping beer in their stores because of the family shopping is done through retails. Technology The customer interest has changed as they are more attracted with flavoured Beer and w illing to taste new brands. With the help of technology new and more efficient ways are open for the production of beer, assisting in achieving economies of scale (European Brewing Industry, 1999). Legal Alcohol related advertisements have been restricted by European Union Consumption of drinking alcohol has also been affected by strict law of drinking and driving and domestic violence as awareness and different rules have been set up to stop this. W H O has planned to increase tax as well as advertising ban for alcohol products and proposed breathe testing of drivers. It has given this model to EU for implement as physician advice this model is estimated to cost 1.3 billion Euros for implementation. (Institute of Alcohol Studies, 2009). WHO estimated that using by this model disability and premature death could be avoided by 1.4million (Institute of Alcohol Studies, 2009). Environmental EU’s main priority is toward health problems and also concentrating on Climate change and preserving biodiversity (Europa, 2010) 20% of emissions and 20 % of total energy consumption has planned to be reduced by EU by the year 2020 (Europa, 2010). Eco- friendly products which are energy efficient are being put up for promotion by the commission (Europa, 2010).

Consumer Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 3

Consumer Behaviour - Essay Example s the organisation has further divided them into categories: companion animals, vegetarianism, animals used for clothing, animal testing, and animals used for entertainment. Their print ads is composed of famous Hollywood stars that are vocal and committed members of the organisation such as Alicia Silverstone, Pamela Anderson, Eva Mendez, Sophie Monk and many others. The print ad used is for the vegetarianism category by Cloris Leachman wearing a gown of violet and green cabbage (www.peta.org 2009). The vegetarianism category is chosen based on several empirical studies included in the essay that was able to establish that health issues and environmental concerns affect consumer behaviour and are important factors for British consumers. A study determined the factors that affect the behaviour of vegetarians by conducting an online survey to respondents located in the United Sates, Canada and United Kingdom. The results showed that majority of the respondents are committed to environmental issues, while some for dietary and health reasons. There are also a few who intends to lose weight (Fox and Ward 2008). Studies showed that consumers have low consumption of meat, even those produced in a responsible way. By conducting the study they were able to determine the relationship between consumer behaviour and personal values. The study specifically determined that consumers who eat or consume less meat or none at all demonstrated values such as: controlled, not risk takers, reflective, and value a good conscience. The study found out that values affects and influences consumer behaviour although the universality of the result is still weak and questionable. Lastly, the study determined that consumers who value taste the most are less concerned with security and safety and they have an open mind on their food options (de Boer, Hoogland, and Boersema 2007). A study also evaluated the effect or appeal of nutritional values added in food products on consumer behaviour.

Casual analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Casual analysis - Essay Example Other causes are lack of intellectually challenging church teachings, and too much emphasis on prosperity rather than Godliness. Church scholars observe that while many people claim to be Christians, most of them rarely attend church on a regular service. This essay discusses the decline of church attendance by review recent statistics, the reasons for the decline, possible remedies and the future of the church. Church Attendance Statistics Studies on church attendance reveal startling statistics that are only indicative of a drastically declining church attendance. In addition to the documented increasing closure of churches, it is recoded that 2.7 million church attendants become inactive members every year (Gill 46). This translates into the observation that an increasing number of people are leaving the Christian church and entering into the secular world where church has no significance. Olson and Adams (7) notes that beginning 1990 through 2000, the total membership of all Prot estant churches in the United States reduced by approximately 9.5 per cent, meaning that 5 million people stopped going to church during that period (). This decline in church attendance occurred despite the population of the nation rising by 24 percent, that is, 11million people. In 2002, 87 per cent of Americans claimed to be Christians in most studies but only around 40 to 50 per cent of them are regular church goers (Jackson 4). This confirms the assertions of theology scholars that church attendance may be up to a half of the population that claims in polls to be Christians. Reasons for Church Attendance Decline One of the major problems cited by church scholars for the decline church attendance is poor church leadership. Most people are simply unhappy with the way their clergymen and church officials run their churches. Chief among the elements of poor leadership is unacceptable management of funds, morale problems, and lack of a clear vision for the members of the church (Jac kson 25). For instance, if a church runs a building fund for over 20 years, there is a likelihood of the members wondering if the building will ever come into being. Moreover, if the church leaders are unable to follow through a course to its completion, the existing members will develop doubts while potential members will get discouraged from joining the church. Moreover, if a pastor or a prominent church member is caught in improprieties, the members of the church who look up to those as their source of inspiration and motivation lose their trust. In addition, there are high chances that a respected church member will deny being involved in wrongful actions. The fact that it can be proven that they actually went against Christian teachings worsens the case because the congregation wonders how evil people are supposed to lead them in leading straight, Christian lives (Gill 47). Another reason blamed for the decline in church attendance is observation that people are finding churche s to be lacking in intellectual challenges. It is crucial to note that more and more members of the young generation are educated at college and university levels, making them thinking people with expanded capacities of knowledge and curiosity (Wijsen and Schreiter 54). The conception of the young people that they always know more than the person preaching at the pulpit apparently gives them the perception that the

Impact of an Educator on Sustaining and Enhancing a Child’s Learning an

Educators have long been accountable for their student’s ongoing learning and development. The way in which an educator views both their students and their profession, will determine the way they perceive their pedagogical role in sustaining children’s learning and development. Given Australia’s focus on standardised testing in recent years, educators and society have become consumed by these results rather focusing on the process and personal needs of children’s development (Lingard 2010). In exploring the child-centred, constructive approach evident throughout Finnish educational frameworks, Australian educators can adapt these facilitative methods within their own pedagogy to ensure that the child, and society, equally benefit from the child’s overall development throughout their early childhood years. Education as a vocation is ever changing and evolving. There are no cases where a situation surrounding the learning or development of a child can be viewed in black and white or any teaching methods or techniques that can be immediately regarded as ‘right’ or ‘wrong’, rather educators need to be prepared â€Å"for different learners within the framework of research-based learning† (Tryggvason 2009). Given the vocation’s fluidity, world-wide value and perceived necessity, many educators in the field come from a variety of backgrounds. Whether they vary by cultural, socioeconomic, or personal philosophies the factors that contribute to an individual’s perspective surrounding the field are endless (Tryggvason 2009; Dockett & Fleer 1998). This idea has been represented in a variety of ways across the academic field, whether they are specific, such as an educator’s attitude towards a particular subject based on the way in which they w ... ... Tryggvason, M. T. (2009). Why is Finnish teacher education successful? Some goals Finnish teacher educators have for their teaching, European Journal of Teacher Education, 32(4), 369-382, DOI: 10.1080/02619760903242491. Van Hoorn, J. L, Nourot, P. M., Scales, B. R. & Alward, K. R. (2011). Play at the Centre of the Curriculum, (5th ed.), Boston: Pearson Education Inc. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes, USA: the President and Fellows of Harvard College. Woodrow, C. (1999). Revisiting images of the child in early childhood education: Reflections and considerations, Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 24(4), 7-12. Woodrow, C. & Press, F. (2007). (Re)Positioning the Child in the Policy/Politics of Early Childhood, Educational Philosophy and Theory, 39(3), DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-5812.2007.00328.x

Night World : The Chosen Chapter 14

The first person Rashel met in the mansion was Ivan. It was sheer dumb luck, the same luck that had helped keep her alive so far tonight. She slipped in the back door, the way she and the girls had gone out. Standing in the huge silent kitchen, she listened for an instant to the music that was still blasting from the inner house. Then she swiveled to check the cellar-and met Ivan the Terrible running up the stairs. He had clearly just discovered that his twenty-four valuable slave girls were missing. His blond hair was flying, his eyes were wide with alarm, his mouth was twisted. He had the taser in one hand and a bunch of plastic handcuffs-the kind police use on rioters-in the other. When Rashel suddenly appeared on the stairway, his eyes flew open even wider. His mouth opened in astonishment-and then Rashel's foot impacted with his forehead. The snap kick knocked him backward, and he tumbled down the stairs to hit the wooden door below. Rashel leaped after him, making it to the bottom only a second after he did. But he was already out. â€Å"What are these? Were you supposed to take some girls up?† She kicked at the plastic handcuffs. Ivan the Unconscious didn't answer. She glanced at her watch. Only a quarter to nine. Maybe he'd been taking the girls to get washed or something. It seemed too early to start the feast. Running noiselessly back up the stairs, she quietly closed the door. Now she had to follow the music. She needed to see where the vampires were, how they were situated, how she could best get at them. She wondered where Lily was. The kitchen opened into a grand dining room with an enormous built-in sideboard. It had undoubtedly been made to accommodate whole suckling pigs or something, but Rashel had a dreadful vision of a girl lying on that coffinlike mahogany shelf, hands tied behind her, while vampire after vampire stopped by to have a snack. She pushed the idea out of her mind and moved silently across the floorboards. The dining room led to a hall, and it was from the end of the hallway that music was coming. Rashel slipped into the dimly lit hall like a shadow, moving closer and closer to the doors there. The last door was the only one that showed light. That one, she thought. Before she could get near it, a figure blocked the light. Instantly Rashel darted through the nearest doorway. She held her breath, standing in the darkened room, watching the hall. If only one or two vampires came out, she could pick them off. But nobody came out and she realized it must have just been someone passing in front of the light. At the same moment she realized that the music was very loud. This wasn't another room-it was the same room. She was in one gigantic double parlor, with a huge wooden screen breaking it up into two separate spaces. The screen was solid, but carved into a lacy pattern that let flickering light through. Rashel thrust her knife in her waistband, then crept to the screen and applied her eye. A spacious room, very masculine, paneled like the dining room in mahogany and floored in cherry parquet. Glass brick windows-opaque. All Rashel's worry about somebody looking out had been for nothing. A fire burned in a massive fireplace, the light bringing out the ruddy tones in the wood. The whole room looked red and secret. And there they were. The vampires for the bloodfeast. Seven of the most powerful made vampires in the world, Fayth had said. Rashel counted heads swiftly. Yes, seven. No Lily. â€Å"You boys don't look that scary,† she murmured. That was one thing about made vampires. Unlike the lamia, who could stop aging-or start againwhenever they wanted, made vampires were stuck. And since the process of turning a human body into a vampire body was incredibly difficult, only a young human could survive it. Try to turn somebody over twenty into a vampire and they would burn out. Fry. Die. The result was that all made vampires were stuck as teenagers. What Rashel was looking at could have been the cast for some new TV soap about friends. Seven teenage guys, different sizes, different colors, but all Hollywood handsome, and all dressed to kill. They could have been talking and laughing about a fishing trip or a school dance†¦ except for their eyes. That was what gave them away, Rashel thought. The eyes showed a depth no high school guy could ever have. An experience, an intelligence†¦ and a coldness. Some of these teenagers were undoubtedly hundreds of years old, maybe thousands. All of them were absolutely deadly. Or else they wouldn't be here. They each expected to kill three innocent girls starting at midnight. These thoughts flashed through Rashel's mind in a matter of seconds. She had already decided on the best way to plunge into the room and start the attack. But one thing kept her from doing it. There were only seven vampires. And the eighth was the one she wanted. The client. The one who'd hired Quinn and set up the feast. Maybe it was one of these. Maybe that tall one with the dark skin and the look of authority. Or the silvery blond with the odd smile†¦. No. Nobody really looks like a host. I think it's the one who's still missing. But maybe she couldn't afford to wait. They might hear the powerboats leaving over the steady pounding of the music. Maybe she should just†¦ Something grabbed her from behind. This time she had no warning. And she wasn't surprised anymore. Her opinion of herself as a warrior had plummeted. She intended to fight, though. She went limp to loosen the grip, then reached between her own legs to grab her attacker's ankle. A jerk up would throw him off balance†¦. Don't do it. I don't want to have to stun you, but I will. Quinn. She recognized the mental voice, and the hand clamped across her mouth. And both the telepathy and the skin contact were having an effect on her. It wasn't like before; no lightning bolts, no explosions. But she was overwhelmed with a sense of Quinn. She seemed to feel his mind-and the feeling was one of drowning in dark chaos. A storm that seemed just as likely to kill Quinn as anyone else. He lifted her cleanly and backed out of the room with her, into the hall, then up a flight of stairs. Rashel didn't fight. She tried to clear her head and wait for an opportunity. By the time he'd pulled her into an upstairs room and shut the door, she realized that there wasn't going to be an opportunity. He was just too strong, and he could stun her telepathically the instant she moved to get away. The tables had turned. There was nothing to do now but hope that she could face death as calmly as he had. At least, she thought, it would put a stop to her confusion. He let go of her and she slowly turned to look at him. What she saw sent chills between her shoulder blades. His eyes were as dark and chaotic as the clouds she'd sensed in his mind. It was scarier than the cold hunger she'd seen in the eyes of the seven guys downstairs. Then he smiled. A smile that shed rainbows. Rashel pressed her back against the wall and tried to brace herself. â€Å"Give me the knife.† She simply looked at him. He pulled it out of her waistband and tossed it on the bed. â€Å"I don't like being knocked out,† he said. â€Å"I don't know why, but something about it really bothers me.† â€Å"Quinn, just get it over with.† â€Å"And it took me a while to get myself untied. Every time I meet you, I seem to end up hog-tied and unconscious. It's getting monotonous.† â€Å"Quinn†¦ you're a vampire. I'm a vampire hunter. Do what you have to.† â€Å"We're also always threatening each other. Have you noticed that? Of course, everything we keep saying is true. It is kill or be killed. And you've killed a lot of my people, Rashel the Cat.† â€Å"And you've killed a lot of mine, John Quinn.† He glanced away, looking into a middle distance. His pupils were enormous. â€Å"Less than you might think, actually. I don't usually kill to feed. But, yes, I've done enough. I said before, I know what you think of me.† Rashel said nothing. She was frightened and confused and had been under strain for quite a long time. She felt that at any moment she could snap. â€Å"We belong to two different races, races that hate each other. There's no way to get around that.† He turned his dark eyes back on her and gave her a brilliant smile. â€Å"Unless, of course, we change it.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"I'm going to make you a vampire.† Something inside Rashel seemed to give way and fall. She felt as if her legs might collapse. He couldn't mean it, he couldn't be serious. But he was. She could tell. There was a kind of surface serenity pasted over the dark roiling clouds in his eyes. So this was how he'd solved an unsolvable problem. He had snapped. Rashel whispered, â€Å"You know you can't do that.† â€Å"I know I can do that. It's very simple, actually- all we have to do is exchange blood. And it's the only way.† He took hold of her arms just above the elbow. â€Å"Don't you understand? As long as you're human, Night World law says you have to die if I love you.† Rashel stood stricken. Quinn had stopped short, as if he were startled himself by what he'd said. Then he gave an odd laugh and shook his head. â€Å"If I love you,† he repeated. â€Å"And that's the problem, of course. I do love you.† Rashel leaned against the wall for support. She couldn't think anymore. She couldn't even breathe properly. And somewhere deep inside her there was a trembling that wouldn't stop. â€Å"I've loved you from that first night, Rashel the Cat. I didn't want to admit it, but it was true.† He was still gripping her tightly by the arms, leaning close to her, but his eyes were distant, lost in the past. â€Å"I'd never met a human like you,† he said softly, as if remembering. â€Å"You were strong, you weren't weak and pathetic. You weren't looking for your own destruction. But you were going to let me go. Strength and compassion. And†¦ honor. Of course I loved you.† His dark eyes focused again. He looked at her sharply. â€Å"I'd have been crazy not to.† Falling into darkness†¦ Rashel had a terrifying desire to simply collapse in his arms. Give in. He was so strangely beautiful, and the power of his personality was overwhelming. And of course she loved him, too. That was suddenly excruciatingly clear. Undeniable. From the beginning he had struck a chord in her that no one else had ever touched. He was so much like her-a hunter, a fighter. But he had honor, too. However he might try to deny it or get around it, deep inside him there was still honor. And like her, he knew the dark side of life, the pain, the violence. They had both seen-and done-things that normal people wouldn't understand. She was supposed to hate him†¦ but from the beginning she'd seen herself in him. She had felt the bond, the connection between them†¦. Rashel shook her head. â€Å"No!† She had to stop thinking these things. She would not surrender to the darkness. â€Å"You can't stop me, you know,† Quinn said softly. â€Å"That ought to make things easier for you. You don't even have to make a decision. It's all my fault. I'm very, very bad, and I'm going to make you a vampire.† Somehow that gave Rashel her voice back. â€Å"How can you do that-to someone you love?† she spat. â€Å"Because I don't want you dead! Because as long as you're human, you're going to get yourself killed!† He put his face close to hers, their foreheads almost touching. â€Å"I will not let you kill yourself,† he said through his teeth. â€Å"If you make me a vampire, I will kill myself,† Rashel said. Her mind had cleared. However much she wanted to give in, however enticing the darkness might be, it all disappeared when she thought of how it would end. She would be a vampire. She'd be driven by bloodlust to do things that would horrify her right now. And she'd undoubtedly find excuses for doing them. She would become a monster. Quinn was looking shaken. She'd scared him, she could see it in his eyes. â€Å"You'll feel differently once it's done,† he said. â€Å"No. Listen to me, Quinn.† She kept her eyes on his, looking deep, trying to let him see the truth of what she was saying. â€Å"If you make me a vampire, the moment I wake up I'll stab myself with my own knife. Do you think I'm not brave enough?† â€Å"You're too brave; that's your problem.† He was faltering. The surface serenity was breaking up. But that wasn't really helpful, Rashel realized, because underneath it was an agony of desperate confusion. Quinn really couldn't see any other solution. Rashel couldn't see any herself-except that she didn't really expect to survive tonight. Quinn's face hardened, and she could see him pushing away doubts. â€Å"You'll get used to it,† he said harshly, his voice grating. â€Å"You'll see. Let's start now,† he added. And then he bit her. He was so fast. Unbelievably fast. He caught her jaw and tilted her head back and to the side-not roughly but with an irresistible control and precision. Then before Rashel had time to scream, she felt a hot sting. She felt teeth, vampire teeth, extended to an impossible delicacy and sharpness, pierce her flesh. This is it. This is death. Panic flooded her. But it wasn't death, of course-not yet. She wouldn't even be changed into a vampire by a single exchange of blood. No, instead it would be slow torture†¦ days of agony†¦ pain†¦. She kept waiting for the pain. Instead she felt a strange warmth and languor. Was he actually drinking her blood? All she could sense was Quinn's mouth nuzzling at her neck, his arms around her tightly. And†¦ His mind. It happened all at once. In a sudden silent explosion, white light engulfed her. It burst around her. She was floating in it. Quinn was floating in it. It was shining around them and through them, and she could feel a connection with Quinn that made their last connection seem like a faulty telephone line. She knew him. She could see him, his soul, whatever you wanted to call it, whatever it was that made him John Quinn. They seemed to be floating together in some other space, in a naked white light that revealed everything and mercilessly lit up all the most secret places. And if anyone had asked her, Rashel would have said that would be horrible, and she would have run for her life to get away from it. But it wasn't horrible. She could see dreadful dark bits in Quinn's mind, and dreadful dark bits in hers. Tangled, thorny, scary parts, full of anger and hate. But there were so many other parts-some of them almost unused-that were beautiful and strong and whole. There was so much potential. Rainbow places that were aching to grow. Other parts that seemed to quiver with light, desperate to be awakened. We ask so little of ourselves, Rashel thought in wonder. If everybody's like this-we stunt ourselves so badly. We could be so much more†¦. I don't want you to be more. You ‘re amazing enough the way you are. It was Quinn. Not even his voice, just-Quinn. His thoughts. And Rashel knew her thoughts flowed to him without her even making an effort. You know what I mean. Isn't this strange? Does this always happen with vampires? Nothing like this has ever happened to me in my life, Quinn said. What he felt was even more, and Rashel could sense it directly, in a dizzying sweet wave. There was an understanding between them that ran deeper than any words could convey. Whatever was happening to them, however they had gotten to this place, one thing was obvious. Under the white light that revealed their inner selves, it was clear that small differences like being vampire or human didn't matter. They were both just people. John Quinn and Rashel Jordan. People who were stumbling through life trying to deal with the hurt. Because there was hurt. There was pain in the landscape of Quinn's mind. Rashel sensed it without words or even images; she could feel the feelings that had scarred Quinn. Your father did something-he killed Dove? Oh, John. Oh, John, I'm so sorry. I didn't know. Rainbow lights shimmered when she called him John. It was the part of him that he had repressed the most ruthlessly. The part that she could almost feel growing in her presence. No wonder you hated humans. After everything you'd ken through, to have your own father want you dead†¦ And no wonder you hated vampires. They killed someone dose to you-your mother? And you were so young. I'm†¦ sorry. He wasn't as easy with words as she was, but here they didn't need words. She could sense his sorrow, his shame, and his fierce protectiveness. And she could sense the emotion behind his next question. Who did it? I don't know. I'll probably never know. Rashel didn't want to pursue it. She didn't want to feed the dark side of Quinn; she wanted to see more of the shimmering light. She wanted to make the light grow until the dark disappeared. Rashel, that may not be possible. Quinn's thought wasn't bitter; it was serious and gentle. Tinged with infinite regret. I may not be able to become anything better- Of course you can. We all can. Rashel cut him off with absolute determination. She could feel the bone-deep cold that had set into him years ago, that he'd allowed to set in. I won't let you be cold, she told him, and she went for a romp in his mind, kissing things and blowing warmth into them, thinking sunlight and comfort everywhere. Please stop; I think you're killing me. Quinn's thought was shaky-half serious and half hysterical, like the helpless gasp of somebody being tickled to death. Rashel's whole being was singing with elation. She was young-how strange that she had never really felt young until now-and she was in love and stronger than she had ever been before. She had John Quinn the vampire squirming and semi-hysterical. She was unstoppable. Anything was possible. I'll make everything be right, she told Quinn, and she was happy to see that she'd driven his doubt and his sadness away, at least for the moment. Do you really want me to stop? No. Quinn sounded dazed now-and bemused. I've decided I'll enjoy dying this way. But†¦ Rashel couldn't follow the rest of his thought, but she felt a new coldness, something like a wind from outside. Outside. She'd forgotten there was an outside. In here, in the private cocoon of their minds, there was nothing but her and Quinn. It was almost as if nothing else existed. But†¦ There was a whole world out there. Other people. Things happening. Things Rashel had to stop†¦. â€Å"Oh, God, Quinn-the vampires.†