Was the Alliance System Responsible for the Outbreak of WWI? :: World War I History

Was the Alliance System Responsible for the Outbreak of WWI? The importance of the alliance system that developed in Europe in the decades before World War I as a cause for it is still an important topic of debate and argument between modern historians. Some argue that the alliance system was a direct cause of the outbreak of war between all major countries in Europe while other historians prefer to state that the alliance configuration we observe before the war started was simply a symptom of the conflicts and disagreements, fears and envies that had been accumulating since the Bismarck system of alliances collapsed, and even before then. This last opinion is becoming more accepted as the one that describes the true importance of the actual alliance system as a cause of the war. In order to determine the importance of the alliance system as a cause for the war we must first explore the origins of these alliances. We will take high-point of the Bismarck system in 1878 as our starting point as the Franco-Prussian war is a key factor for the dev elopment of this system. The alliance system ideated by the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck kept peace in Europe but its main aim was, however, to forestall the possibility that, in the event of war, Germany would have to fight it on two fronts (basically France and Russia). This was achieved by diplomatically isolating France so that its dream of recapturing its lost provinces of Alsace-Lorraine couldn't be fulfilled. This was done by, firstly, the creation of the League of the Three Emperors or Dreikaiserbund. It was first projected as a meeting of the monarchs of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia in 1872 and confirmed the following year, the 22nd of October 1873. Here, the very general and formless agreement was given a more solid form by military agreements promising to help any country attacked by a fourth party. And all this even though that there was mutual rivalry between Russia and Austria-Hungary in the Balkans. This proved to be a concrete way to isolate France for as E. Eyck mentions, "the League ensured that neither Austria-Hungary nor Russia was available as an ally for France". At this point, Bismarck didn't consider Britain as a potential French ally as they had a long history of rivalry. Secondly, in 1887 the Reinsurance Treaty was signed with Russia in which it promised to support Russia's claims to the strait and to remain neutral in the event of war unless it attacked Austria-Hungary, the same with Russia, who promised to remain neutral unless it attacked France.

Corporate Responsibility and Marketing Strategies Essay

I believe Apple Inc. [mostly referred as â€Å"Apple† in this document] has met the ethical and social responsibility towards general public, employees, customers and shareholders/investors. Apple positions itself to be very environment conscious and continuously working to reduce the foot print of the company and its products on the planet (Apple Inc.). Apple has a recycling program for its used products; it sends gift cards to customers in return for the used products, if the products do not have any monetary value they recycle them responsibly. Apple reports the environmental foot-print of each of its product on their website to show how much energy efficient they are and how Apple is choosing more biodegradable elements in its products, packaging and facilities. Apple has multiple offices and datacenters in United States and as of March 2013 seventy five percent of them are fully powered through renewable energy sources (Kastrenakes, 2013). Apple is continuously trying to improve the situation and aiming to rely entirely on renewable energy sources in future. To improve ethical awareness within its employees, Apple has a business code of conduct published and easily available via intranet website within the company and to its investors via shareholder website (Business code, 2012) which explains in detail on various topics including its well known secretive way of releasing its products. Apple also has a Business conduct helpline available for its employees to resolve ethical dilemmas, report conflicts of interest and seek direction in making ethical decision. Recently Tim Cook, Apple CEO has reminded all employees to review Apple’s business conduct policy via corporate email (Marie, 2013) which shows the  importance Apple gives to Ethics within the company. Apple treats its employees very well; pays pretty good salaries to employees and rates to contractors, Apple’s has a very good benefit program for its employees, even the part-time employees are entitled to benefits at apple (Fiegerman, 2012), it provides shuttle servi ce to many locations from many places in Bay area to campus. Apple products are very safe compared to many other competitor products, Apple pays attention to details, e.g.: To avoid tripping over a charging cable, Mac book charger has a magnet instead of a hard stick in plug as we observe in many Windows PCs. All of its products are well thought and provide lot of convenience and consider customer health and safety, as we see in the case of latest ear phones from Apple, they have the speakers going sideways instead of directly in to ears as most of the conventional ear plugs do, this restricts music directly hitting the ear drum and long term exposure may have adverse impact on the ears. Apple products are well sealed and static resistant, the materials used in production are not cheap and low quality parts, which improves the durability of its products. Apple provides lot of variations in products to choose, to a customer which attracts customers at all levels. There are about ten to twelve flavors of latest iPhone based on color, size of memory and external material. Apple has a very good refund policy, items can be returned online or returned in store, there is about 14-30 days to return items, Apple provides full refund instead of charging for re-stocking fee. If there is a part malfunction, apple product can be exchanged for a new one within one year of purchase for nominal or zero price. Apple considers customer’s complaints and response rapidly by multiple means and aims to delight the customers (Denning, 2011). Apple listens to customers at the stores, online and also via telephone and improvises on its services, customer support and also their products. It is very obvious that Apple takes good care of its shareholders; we can clearly observe that from Apple’s revenues and profits from past several quarters, Apple’s share has gone up five times within past five years. Apple provides all of its quarterly, annual reports along with financial statements and exhibits with SEC and complies with SEC policies. Question 2: Publications of ethics and social responsibility violations of its suppliers, mainly at Hon Hoi Precision, also known as FoxConn had impact on Apple’s reputation and mainly no impact on sales and share value. In 2011 there were fourteen suicides at FoxConn and later on there were many riots, suicide protests by workers against the very long working hours, lack of insurance, workplace safety, horrible facility maintenance , incidents of using Child labor, lack of injured workers compensation, army camp style management and others (McGrath, 2012). Apple has handled things very carefully and assigned right people and started remediation methods, published supplier code of conduct, increased audits in its supplier firms, provided training, to improve situation and reputation; Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple talked about Foxconn and how his company is trying to improve the working conditions for employees and workers in its suppliers’ factories and how seriously Apple is taking t he allegations (Knibbs). Apple’s reputation had an impact during the time of events, created a buzz in media world; Apple got a bad name within its investors and stake holders. Later on, Apple was able to manage out of the situation very well. Overall there is no impact to sales or revenue or Apple’s share value. Apple shares might have taken a small hit for few days when there were publications by media, but overall share value was growing in 2010 and 2011 when all of reports were being published. Apple is still considered the most admired company in the whole world as per Fortunes World’s most Admired companies for 2008-2013; six years in row (Shaughnessy, 2013). Apple products are very well received in the market; there are no aversions or hatred towards Apple’s products based on the allegations. We usually see the drop in sales when there are negative allegations on companies, we have seen this in case of Paula Deen based on her racial comments and also with Duck Dynasty and i ts products when Phil Robertson has made anti-gay comments and cause big dent in their reputation, we have not seen this with Apple. When iPhone 5s was released in September of 2013, stores reported people standing in long lines at Apple and its partner stores to get the first piece. Today there are hardcore fans to Apple products than for any other company. Apple products are growing popularity even in China where the allegations of horrible working conditions have been  reported. Based on my personal observation, Apple stores are among the most crowded stores at local malls. Even with heavy competition for Samsung, LG, Nokia (now Microsoft) and Motorola, Apple iPhones are still most commonly used smart phones in United States. Apple’s App store has more than a Billion applications available to end users. By observing the Apple’s growth pattern, it is safe to say that the impact of supplier violations is minor. Question 3: To improve the working conditions and abide to Fair Law Association (FLA) policies Apple has come up with and published â€Å"supplier code of conduct† (â€Å"Apple supplier,† 2012) for all its suppliers to adhere who provide parts to its products. To ensure that its suppliers adhere to wage and benefits standards going forward, Apple has to strictly enforce the â€Å"supplier code of conduct† and also increase the supervision and auditing of the supplier factories, HR and pay roll systems up to allowed by the local and international laws. Many of the rules and regulations which are illegal in US are acceptable in other countries. As Apple’s suppliers are mainly in other countries than US, Apple can set up strict rules and guidelines more close to US laws in addition to local government policies and Fair Law Association (FLA) laws, as most of its products are used by consumers in US. Apple can also open up complaint/suggestion boxes (online, in factory and via phone) from workers in supplier factories to understand and closely monitor the working conditions and get feedback on wages and benefits. Apple can restrict the number of hours a worker can work in its supplier factories. Apple can create guidelines in its code to have onsite help to talk with workers and understand their problems and work with supplier factories to solve them. Apple can guide its suppliers to setup onsite and close to campus medical facilities for workers working in its supplier factories. Apple can work with local media and government to do surveys from general public about their supplier practices at factory facilities. Apple should request the ethics code of conduct as one of the primary pre-requisite from their suppliers as part of the initial RFP – Request for proposal. Apple should get feedback suppliers’ employees to understand how well the code is  followed by its upper management in the company and should enforce supplier to improve it before renewal of contracts. Apple should stop buying parts from suppliers with tainted reputation, or suppliers with weak or no ethical code of conduct. Apple should compare the working conditions and wages of workers in its supplier factories to competitor factories in the area and pass regulations to improve the wages to meet market standards. Question 4: Apple customers would be willing to pay more for its products to provider better wages and benefits to suppliers’ workers. Apple can make this happen by showing the reasons behind increase in prices, and how additional money will be utilized for worker compensation and benefits. Apple should advertize in TV, publish articles on its website and provide information to Media on how the additional money will be utilized. This is much similar to Ms. Lee Rhodes and her Glassybaby in the case study, Glassybaby gives 10% of its revenues for cancer treatment. Another suggestion that I can make is that, some percentage of increase in salaries for workers should also come from Apple’s profits to show consumers that Apple is not only charging more for products but also taking a cut in their profits to provide better working conditions for workers. Apple and its main founder Steve Jobs do not have very good name as Philanthropist, there is no public record that Steve Jobs has donate d any money (Sorkin, 2011). After Tim Cook took over Apple’s CEO position, he has made some donations but compared with other companies with high revenues and profits; the donations made by Apple are very negligible compared to its revenues and profits (Emerson, 2012). Apple can improve its image and reputation in the world by giving some percentage of profits to suppliers’ workers through multiple programs and incentives. Today Apple’s products are most popular in the market; iPhone is the best selling smart phone out there in market. Apple and its products have huge fan base and many of the competitor smart phones from Samsung or Microsoft are not comparable to iPhone. With such a popularity, increasing a minor percentage E.g.: 3-5% of price will not have any impact on product sales. Most of the Apple products are sold with network connection also known as data plan, the minimum data plan is very expensive and costs up to $40 per month for many carriers. Some of Apple’s iPhone customers take data plan because they are intrigued with iPhone and Apple products. When customers  are willing to pay additional money for seldom used data plan as they stay home mostly where there is Wi-Fi connection as an alternative to data plan. Customers should be willing to spend a bit more money to improve working conditions and salaries for suppliers’ workers. Question 5: Apple has excellent market strategy for its products; Everyone remembers those PC and Mac comparison commercials, which used to portray Apple’ Mac computers as cool and trendy for Generations X and Y and for everyone at home where as Microsoft PC was shown as business computer with bugs. In reality, Microsoft operating system is more flexible and customers can customize and make modifications and create applications relatively easy, where as you need to go to App Store for installing/upgrading any iOS applications. Microsoft or Samsung devices allow users to copy MP3 files, and play them without any intermediary software such as iTunes, a mandatory application for Apple to copy songs in to iOS applications. Even with less flexibility Apple’s products are highly sold in market today due to its design and performance of its products and mainly it’s Marketing strategy. Apple does not really advertize new versions of iPhone releases, rather it keeps it secret, there are no beta releases, and there are no pictures or commercials in the market before a new version iPhone is released. It creates buzz in the market which generates mystery about its product. In addition to its own marketing, Apple’s iPhones are also advertized by other companies such as network providers such as AT&T, Verizon and other companies which make protective cases and other accessories for iPhones. Apple maintains such secrecy before releasing its iPhone products; it has worked greatly for them. Another way Apple products are advertized is by word of mouth. Today many of smart phones in the market from Samsung, LG and Microsoft have similar functions as iPhone, but in my view the secrecy/mystery and word of mouth advertizing for iPhone has helped to maintain its leadership in the market. To improve competitive advantage over global market place, Apple should sell its products more in other countries; expand its base out of US. The usage  of smart phones is at verge of getting saturation in United States, consumers in US are tied to data and voice plans from network providers in US. Until latest generations of iPhones, iphones were sold at a later release dates in Europe, India and China than in United States. There is a lot of fan base for Apple in China and India, Apple should en cash that by making products affordable in those countries. Customers in US do not replace their phones until their contract ends with he network provider, which is usually two years from the contract start date. Most of the countries outside of US are not bound to network/data plans for the phones as they use GSM technology; this provides flexibility to consumers to buy more than one phone in two years. Smart phones are getting more popular in India and china where the population is very high. Population of India and China combined is more than six times the population of United States (CIA World Factbook); if Apple can capture a small percentage of the market in those countries it will have more customer base than it does in whole US which bring higher revenues. Apple should start customizing their products and make them consumer friendly in other countries, such as make menus in native languages, create local custom applications etc. As word of mouth advertizing has proven working for Apple, they should start giving some samples of their products to celebrities in India where the common public trend is to follow the celebrities and mimic their product usage. It has worked for other companies and products; it should also work for Apple. Apple should start thinking about making their products more flexible and easy to customize, Apple is very popular among brand, but more savvy users with computer background started to lean more towards Google Android based phones from Samsung and LG as they have more flexibility and customization options. With computer skills and techniques being very common to kids in Generation Y and Z, Apple should think about concentrating on them and their tastes and Apple products more flexible. Apple should innovate more, there have been some improvements and modifications to its products in past 3 years but there has not been a â€Å"WOW†Ã‚  product release. They should enter new markets, start coming up with new products such as long awaited Apple TV or they should get in to wearable gadgets such as wrist watches, glasses, motion controlled devices, devices with flexible screens and devices which look cool but monitor human body’s current health such as temperature, sugar levels, blood pressure etc. Last but not least, Apple should improve its philanthropist image; they should start donating more to needy and charitable foundations. That usually helps in both ways; it improves the reputation and also works as advertisement. References Apple Inc. (n.d.). Apple and the environment. Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/environment/ Apple supplier code of conduct. (2012, JANUARY). Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/supplierresponsibility/pdf/Apple_Supplier_Code_of_Conduct.pdf Business code. (2012, DECEMBER). Business conduct the way we do business worldwide . Retrieved from http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/AAPL/2916593555x0x443008/5f38b1e6-2f9c-4518-b691-13a29ac90501/business_conduct_policy.pdf CIA World Factbook. (n.d.). Country comparison :: Population. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html Denning, S. (2011, AUGUST 26). Another myth bites the dust: How apple listens to its customers. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2011/08/26/another-myth-bites-the-dust-how-apple-listens-to-its-customers/ Emerson, R. (2012, FEBRUARY 3). Apple’s donations to charity surpassed $50 million: Report. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost .com/2012/02/03/apple-charity-donation_n_1253185.html Fiegerman, S. (2012, JUNE 18). Why working at apple is a dream job. BusinessInsider. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-employees-really-love-about-working-for-apple-2012-6?op=1 Kastrenakes, J. (2013, MARCH 21). Renewable energy now powers 75 percent of apple’s facilities. Retrieved from http://www.theverge.com/2013/3/21/4132402/apple-now-using-75-percent-renewabl e-energy-across-operations Knibbs, K. (n.d.). Apple ceo talks foxconn, tries to mend reputation. Retrieved from http://www.mobiledia.com/news/128273.html Marie. (2013, NOVEMBER 21). Tim cook reminds apple employees to review apple’s business conduct policy. Retrieved from http://mobileorchard.com/tim-cook-reminds-apple-employees-to-review-apples-business-conduct-policy/ McGrath, B. (2012, FEBRUARY 7). Apple’s sweatshop supply chain. Retrieved from https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2012/02/appl-f07.html Sorkin, A. (2011, AUGUST 29). The mystery of steve jobs’s public giving. Retrieved from http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/08/29/the-mystery-of-steve-jobss-public-giving/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 Shaughnessy, H. (2013, FEBRUARY 28). Apple remains world’s most admired company, followed by google and amazon. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/haydnshaughnessy/2013/02/28/apple-remains-worlds-most-admired-followed-by-google-and-amazon/

Mathematics and Apartment Complex

Apartment Complex Analysis Project Description: In this project, you will create functions that calculate statistical data for apartment complexes. You will then filter the data based on multiple criteria and calculate the payments for a loan on a new complex. Instructions: For the purpose of grading the project you are required to perform the following tasks: Step| Instructions| Points Possible| 1| Start Excel. Download, save, and open the Excel workbook named Exploring_e07_Grader_EOC. xlsx. 0| 2| On the Summary worksheet, in cell H14, enter a nested function that will return Need to remodel as the result if the apartment is unoccupied and was last remodeled before 2005. Otherwise, the function should return No change as the result. Copy the function down through H26. | 10| 3| In cell B6, insert a function to calculate the total number of units in the apartment complex in A6. Be sure to enter the criteria range as an absolute reference. Copy the function down through B10. | 10| 4| I n cell C6, insert a function that will calculate the number of occupied units in the apartment complex in A6.Be sure to enter the criteria ranges as absolute references. Copy the function down through C10. | 10| 5| In cell D6, calculate the percentage of units that are occupied in the Lakeview Apartments complex. Copy the formula down through D10. | 6| 6| In cell E6, insert a function that will rank the value in D6 based on the occupancy rates of all five apartment complexes, in descending order. Enter the range as an absolute reference. Copy the function down through E10. | 10| 7| In cell F6, insert a function that will sum the potential rent (i. e. the total rent if all units are occupied) for the apartment complex in A6. Copy the function down through F10. | 10| 8| In cell G6, insert a function that will sum the actual amount of rent (i. e. total rent for occupied units) for the apartment complex in A6. | 8| 9| Copy the function in G6 down through G10. | 2| 10| In cell H6, calcul ate the percentage of potential rent collected for the Lakeview Apartments complex. Copy the formula down through H10. | 6| 11| Enter the value 4 in cell B2. In B3, insert a nested function that will look up the ranking entered in cell B2 and return the respective apartment complex.Make sure the sample ranking of 4 returns the correct apartment complex indicated in the Summary Statistics area. | 6| 12| Enter the value 1 in cell B2 and observe how the INDEX function returns the apartment complex that is ranked first. | 2| 13| On the Database worksheet, perform an advanced filter on the list in the range A11:H24, using the criteria range A2:H4. Filter the data in place. | 10| 14| On the Loan worksheet, in cell E5, insert a PMT function, using the values in E2:E4 for the arguments. | 10| 15| Save the workbook. Close the workbook and then exit Excel. Submit the workbook as directed. | 0| | Total Points| 100|

The Golden Lily Chapter 4

SONYA DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING about the mysterious encounter to the rest of the gang at Adrian's, so I respected her silence. Everyone else was too preoccupied with dinner and the experiments to notice much else. And once they conducted the second wave of experiments, even I grew too distracted to give much thought to the guy on the street. Sonya had said she wanted to see how Eddie and Dimitri responded to direct spirit. This was accomplished by her and Adrian focusing their magic at the dhampirs one at a time. â€Å"It's sort of like what we'd do if we were trying to heal them or make something grow,† Sonya explained to me. â€Å"Don't worry – this isn't going to make them supersized or anything. It's more like we're coating them with spirit magic. If Dimitri's got some lasting mark from when he was healed, I'd imagine it would react with our magic.† She and Adrian coordinated their timing and did Eddie first. Initially, there was nothing to see – just the two spirit users staring at Eddie. He looked uncomfortable under the scrutiny. Then, I saw a silvery shimmer run over his body. I stepped back, amazed – and unnerved – at seeing a physical manifestation of spirit. They repeated the process on Dimitri, with the same results. Apparently, on an unseen level, things were the same too. There was nothing notable about Dimitri's response. All of them took this in stride as part of the scientific process, but seeing that magic actually embrace the two men had creeped me out. As Eddie and I drove back to Amberwood that night, I found myself sitting as far away from him as I could in the car, as though residual magic might leak over and touch me. He chatted with me in our usual, friendly way, and I had to work hard to hide my feelings. Doing so made me feel guilty. This was Eddie, after all. My friend. The magic, even if it could've hurt me, was long since gone. A good night of sleep went a long ways to shake both my anxiety and guilt, leaving the magic a distant memory when I woke and prepared for classes the next day. Even though being at Amberwood was an assignment, I'd kind of come to love the elite school. I'd been homeschooled before this, and while my dad had certainly taught tough curriculum, he'd never gone beyond what he felt was necessary. Here, even if I surpassed what my classes were learning, there were plenty of teachers ready to encourage me to push farther. I hadn't been allowed to go to college, but this was a nice substitute. Before I could get on to it, I had to chaperone a training session with Eddie and Angeline. Even though he might want to avoid her, he wouldn't – not with Jill's safety on the line. Angeline was part of Jill's defense. I settled down in the grass with a cup of coffee, still wondering if he wasn't just imagining Angeline's interest. I'd recently acquired a one-cup coffee maker for my dorm room, and while it couldn't compare to a coffee shop, it had gotten me through a number of rough mornings. A yawn smothered my greeting as Jill sat down beside me. â€Å"Eddie never trains me anymore,† she said wistfully, as we watched the spectacle. Eddie was trying to patiently explain to Angeline that headbutting, while suitable in a bar brawl, was not always the best tactic with Strigoi. â€Å"I'm sure he will if he gets more time,† I said, though I wasn't sure at all. Now that he could admit his feelings for Jill to himself, he was nervous about touching her too much. That, and a chivalrous part of him didn't want Jill risking herself anyway. It was ironic because Jill's fierceness in wanting to learn self-defense (rare in a Moroi) was what had attracted him to her. â€Å"Angeline was recruited as protection. He's got to make sure she can handle it.† â€Å"I know. I just feel like everyone's trying to coddle me.† She frowned. â€Å"In PE, Micah won't let me do anything. After I had all that trouble starting out, he's now paranoid I'll hurt myself. I keep telling him I'm fine, that it was just the sun†¦ but well, he keeps jumping in. It's sweet†¦ but it drives me crazy sometimes.† â€Å"I've noticed it,† I admitted. I was in the same PE class. â€Å"I don't think that's why Eddie won't train you, though. He knows you can do it. He's proud that you can†¦ he just thinks that if he's doing his job, you shouldn't have to learn. Kind of weird logic.† â€Å"No, I get it.† Her earlier dismay shifted to approval as she turned back to the training session. â€Å"He's so dedicated†¦ and, well, good at what he does.† â€Å"The knee's an easy way to disable someone,† Eddie told Angeline. â€Å"Especially if you're caught without a weapon and have to – â€Å" â€Å"When are you going to teach me to stake or decapitate?† she interrupted, hands on her hips. â€Å"All the time, it's hit here, dodge this, blah, blah, blah. I need to practice killing Strigoi.† â€Å"No, you don't.† Eddie was the picture of patience and back in the determined, ready mode I knew so well. â€Å"You're not here to kill Strigoi. Maybe we can practice that at a later time, but right now, your priority is keeping mortal assassins away from Jill. That takes precedence over anything else, even our lives.† He glanced over at Jill for emphasis, and there was a flash of admiration in his eyes as he looked at her. â€Å"Seems like decapitation would kill Moroi just the same,† Angeline grumbled. â€Å"And besides, you did have a Strigoi problem last month.† Jill shifted uneasily beside me, and even Eddie paused. It was true – he had had to kill two Strigoi recently, back when Adrian's apartment had been Keith's. Lee Donahue had led the Strigoi to us. He was a Moroi who'd once been Strigoi. After he was returned to his natural state, Lee had wanted desperately to become a Strigoi again. He was the reason we'd learned that those restored by spirit seemed to have some Strigoi resistance. The two Strigoi he'd called to help him had tried to convert him but ended up killing him instead – a better fate than being undead, in my opinion. Those Strigoi had then turned on the rest of us and inadvertently revealed something unexpected and alarming (if not to them, then to me). My blood was inedible. They'd tried to drink from me and been unable to. With all the fallout from that night, no one among the Alchemists or Moroi had paid much attention to that small detail – and I was grateful. I was terrified that one of these days someone would think to put me under a microscope. â€Å"That was a fluke,† said Eddie at last. â€Å"Not one that's likely to happen again. Now watch the way my leg moves, and remember that a Moroi will probably be taller than you.† He did a demonstration, and I cast a quick look at Jill. Her face was unreadable. She never talked about Lee, whom she'd dated briefly. Micah had gone a long way to distract her on the romantic front, but having your last boyfriend want to become a bloodthirsty monster couldn't be an easy thing to get over. I had a feeling she was still in pain, even if she did a great job at hiding it. â€Å"You're too rigid,† Eddie told Angeline, after several attempts. She completely relaxed her body, almost like a marionette. â€Å"So, what? Like this?† He sighed. â€Å"No. You still need some tension.† Eddie moved behind her and attempted to guide her into position, showing her how to bend her knees and hold her arms. Angeline took the opportunity to lean back into him and brush her body suggestively against his. My eyes widened. Okay. Maybe he wasn't imagining things. â€Å"Hey!† He leapt backwards, a look of horror on his face. â€Å"Pay attention! You need to learn this.† Her expression was pure angelic innocence. â€Å"I am. I'm just trying to use your body to learn what to do with mine.† So help me, she batted her eyelashes. Eddie moved back even farther. I realized I should probably intervene, no matter what Eddie had said about handling his own problems. An even better savior came when the school's thirty-minute warning bell rang. I jumped up. â€Å"Hey, we should go if we want to get to breakfast in time. Right now.† Angeline gave me a suspicious look. â€Å"Don't you usually skip breakfast?† â€Å"Yeah, but I'm not the one putting in a hard morning's work. Besides, you still need to change and – wait, you're in your uniform?† I hadn't even noticed. Whenever Eddie and Jill trained, it was always in casual workout clothes – just like he wore now. Angeline had actually come out today in an Amberwood uniform, skirt and blouse, that were showing the wear and tear of a morning's battle. â€Å"Yeah, so?† She tucked in her blouse where it had started to come undone. The side of it was smudged with dirt. â€Å"You should change,† I said. â€Å"Nah. This is fine.† I wasn't so sure, but at least it was better than the jean shorts. Eddie did leave to put on his uniform and never came back for breakfast. I knew he liked his breakfasts, and since he was a guy, he could change clothes pretty quickly. My guess was he was sacrificing food to stay away from Angeline. I heard my name called as we entered the cafeteria and caught sight of Kristin Sawyer and Julia Cavendish waving to me. Aside from Trey, they were the two closest friends I'd made at Amberwood. I still had miles to go in ever being socially savvy, but those two had helped me a lot. And with all the supernatural intrigue my job involved, there was something comforting about being around people who were normal†¦ and, well, human. Even if I couldn't be fully honest with them. â€Å"Sydney, we have a fashion question for you,† Julia said. She tossed her blonde hair over one shoulder, her usual sign that what she was about to say was of utmost importance. â€Å"A fashion question for me?† I was almost ready to glance back and see if maybe there was another Sydney standing behind me. â€Å"I don't think anyone's ever asked that.† â€Å"You have really nice clothes,† Kristin insisted. She had dark skin and hair, as well as an athletic air that contrasted with Julia's more girly nature. â€Å"Too nice, actually. If my mom were ten years younger, cool, and had a lot more money, she'd dress just like you.† I didn't know if that was a compliment or not, but Julia didn't give me a chance to ruminate. â€Å"Tell her, Kris.† â€Å"Remember that counseling internship I wanted next semester? I scored an interview,† Kristin explained. â€Å"I'm trying to decide if I should wear pants and a blazer or a dress.† Ah, that explained why they were coming to me. An interview. Anything else they could have pulled from a fashion magazine. And while I could admit that I probably was the authority on such practical matters†¦ well, I was kind of disappointed that was what I'd been summoned for. â€Å"What color are they?† â€Å"The blazer's red, and the dress is navy.† I studied Kristin, taking in her features. On her wrist was a scar, the remnant of an insidious tattoo I'd helped remove, back when Keith's shady tattoo ring had run rampant. â€Å"Do the dress. Wait†¦ is it a dress you'd wear to church or to a nightclub?† â€Å"Church,† she said, not sounding happy about it. â€Å"Dress for sure then,† I said. Kristin flashed a triumphant look at Julia. â€Å"See? I told you that's what she'd say.† Julia looked doubtful. â€Å"The blazer's more fun. It's bright red.† â€Å"Yeah, but ‘fun' isn't usually what you want to portray at an interview,† I pointed out. It was hard to keep a straight face with their banter. â€Å"At least not for this kind of job.† Julia still didn't seem convinced, but she also didn't try to talk Kristin out of my sound fashion advice. A few moments later, Julia perked up. â€Å"Hey, is it true Trey set you up with some guy?† â€Å"I†¦ what? No. Where'd you hear that?† Like I had to ask. She'd undoubtedly heard it from Trey himself. â€Å"Trey said he'd talked to you about it,† said Kristin. â€Å"How this guy's perfect for you.† â€Å"It's a great idea, Syd,† said Julia, face as serious as if we were discussing a life or death matter. â€Å"It'd be good for you. I mean, since school started, I've gone out with†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She paused and silently counted out names on her fingers. â€Å"†¦ four guys. You know how many you've gone out with?† She held up a fist. â€Å"That many.† â€Å"I don't need to go out with anyone,† I argued. â€Å"I have enough complications already. I'm pretty sure that would add more.† â€Å"What complications?† laughed Kristin. â€Å"Your awesome grades, killer body, and perfect hair? I mean, okay, your family's a little out there, but come on, everyone has time for a date now and then – or lots, in Julia's case.† â€Å"Hey,† said Julia, though she didn't deny the charge. Kristin pushed forward, making me think she was more suited to a legal internship than a counseling one. â€Å"Skip homework for once. Give this guy a shot, and we can all go out together sometime. It'd be fun.† I gave them a forced smile and murmured something noncommittal. Everyone has time for a date now and then. Everyone but me, of course. I felt a surprising pang of longing, not for a date but just for social interaction. Kristin and Julia went out a lot with a larger group of friends and love interests and often invited me on their outings. They thought my reticence was because of homework or, perhaps, no suitable guy to go with me. I wished it were that simple, and suddenly, it was as though there was a huge chasm separating me from Kristin and Julia. I was their friend, and they had welcomed me to every part of their lives. Meanwhile, I was full of secrets and half truths. Part of me wished I could be open with them and able to confide all the woes of my Alchemist life. Heck, part of me just wished I really could go on one of these outings and let go of my duties for a night. It would never work, of course. We'd be out at a movie, and I'd probably get texted to come cover up a Strigoi slaying. This mood wasn't uncommon for me, and it began lightening as I started my school day. I fell into the rhythm of my schedule, comfortable in its familiarity. Teachers always assigned the most work over weekends, and I was pleased to be able to turn in all that I'd done on my plane rides. Unfortunately, my last class of the day derailed all the progress of my mood. Actually, class wasn't the right word. It was an independent study I had with my history teacher, Ms. Terwilliger. Ms. Terwilliger had recently revealed herself to be a magic user, a witch of sorts or whatever those people referred to themselves as. Alchemists had heard rumors of them, but it was nothing we had a lot of experience with or facts about. To our knowledge, only Moroi wielded magic. We utilized it in our lily tattoos – which had trace amounts of vampire blood – but the thought of humans producing it in the same way was crazy and twisted. That was why it was such a surprise when Ms. Terwilliger not only revealed herself to me last month but also ended up kind of tricking me into wielding a spell. It had left me shocked and even feeling dirty. Magic was not for humans to use. We had no right to manipulate the world like that; it was a hundred times worse than what Sonya had done to the red lily on the street. Ms. Terwilliger insisted I had a natural affinity for magic and had offered to train me. Why she wanted this, exactly, I wasn't sure. She'd gone on and on about the potential I had, but I could hardly believe she'd want to train me without a reason of her own. I hadn't figured out what that might be, but it didn't matter. I'd refused her offer. So, she'd found a workaround. â€Å"Miss Melbourne, how much longer do you think you'll be on the Kimball book?† she called from her desk. Trey had picked up â€Å"Melbourne† from her, but unlike him, she seemed to constantly forget that wasn't my actual name. She was in her forties, with mousy brown hair and a perpetually cunning glint in her eyes. I looked up from my work, forcing politeness. â€Å"Two more days. Three at most.† â€Å"Make sure to translate all three of the sleep of spells,† she said. â€Å"Each has its own nuances.† â€Å"There are four sleep spells in this book,† I corrected. â€Å"Are there?† she asked innocently. â€Å"I'm glad to see they're making an impression.† I hid a scowl. Having me copy and translate spell books for research was how she taught me. I couldn't help but learn the texts as I read them. I hated that I'd been ensnared, but it was too late in the school year to transfer out. Besides, I could hardly complain to the administration that I was being forced to learn magic. So, I dutifully copied her spell books and spoke as little as possible during our time together. Meanwhile, I simmered with resentment. She was well aware of my discomfort but made no attempts to alleviate the tension, leaving us in a stalemate. Only one thing brightened those sessions. â€Å"Look at that. It's been nearly two hours since my last cappuccino. It's a wonder I can function. Would you be kind enough to run to Spencer's? That should finish us out for the day.† The last bell had rung fifteen minutes ago, but I'd been putting in some overtime. I was already closing the spell book before she finished speaking. When I'd begun as her assistant, I'd resented the constant errands. Now, I looked forward to the escape. Not to mention my own caffeine fix. When I reached the coffee shop, I found Trey was just starting his shift, which was great – not just because he was a friendly face, but because it meant discounts. He began making my order before I even placed it since he knew the drill by now. Another barista offered to help, and Trey gave him meticulous instructions on what to do. â€Å"Skinny vanilla latte,† said Trey, grabbing the caramel for Ms. Terwilliger's cappuccino. â€Å"That's sugar-free syrup and skim. Don't mess it up. She can sniff out sugar and 2% milk a mile away.† I suppressed a smile. Maybe I couldn't reveal Alchemist secrets to my friends, but it was nice to know they at least knew my coffee preferences backwards and forwards. The other barista, who looked to be our age, gave Trey a droll look. â€Å"I'm well aware of what skinny means.† â€Å"Nice attention to detail,† I teased Trey. â€Å"I didn't know you cared.† â€Å"Hey, I live to serve,† he said. â€Å"Besides, I need your help tonight with that lab write-up from chem. You always find things I miss.† â€Å"It's due tomorrow,† I chastised. â€Å"You had two weeks. I'm guessing you didn't get much done in your cheerleader study session.† â€Å"Yeah, yeah. Will you help me out? I'll even go to your campus.† â€Å"I'll be up late with a study group – a real one.† The opposite sex was banned from our dorms after a certain hour. â€Å"I could meet you on Central Campus afterward if you want.† â€Å"How many campuses does your school have?† asked the other barista, setting down my latte. â€Å"Three.† I reached eagerly for the coffee. â€Å"Like Gaul.† â€Å"Like what?† asked Trey. â€Å"Sorry,† I said. â€Å"Latin joke.† â€Å"Omnia Gallia in tres partes divisa est,† said the barista. I jerked my head up. Not much could have distracted me from coffee, but hearing Julius Caesar quoted at Spencer's certainly did. â€Å"You know Latin?† I asked. â€Å"Sure,† he said. â€Å"Who doesn't?† Trey rolled his eyes. â€Å"Only the rest of the world,† he muttered. â€Å"Especially classical Latin,† continued the barista. â€Å"I mean, it's pretty remedial compared to Medieval Latin.† â€Å"Obviously,† I said. â€Å"Everyone knows that. All the rules became chaotic in the post-Empire decentralization.† He nodded agreement. â€Å"Although, if you compare it to the Romance languages, the rules start to make sense when you read them as part of the larger picture of the language's evolution.† â€Å"This,† interrupted Trey, â€Å"is the most messed-up thing I've ever seen. And the most beautiful. Sydney, this is Brayden. Brayden, Sydney.† Trey rarely used my first name, so that was weird, but not nearly as weird as the exaggerated wink he gave me. I shook Brayden's hand. â€Å"Nice to meet you.† â€Å"You too,† he said. â€Å"You're a Classics fan, huh?† He paused, giving me a long, considering look. â€Å"Did you see the Park Theatre Group's production of Antony and Cleopatra this summer?† â€Å"No. Didn't even know they performed it.† I suddenly felt kind of lame for not having known that, as though I should be up on all arts and culture events in the greater Palm Springs area. I added by way of explanation, â€Å"I only moved here a month ago.† â€Å"I think they have a couple performances left in the season.† Brayden hesitated once more. â€Å"I'd see it again if you wanted to go. Though I'll warn you – it's one of those reinterpreted Shakespeare productions. Modern clothes.† â€Å"I don't mind. That kind of reinterpretation is what makes Shakespeare timeless.† The words rolled automatically off my lips. As they did, I suddenly had one of those epiphany moments where I realized there was more going on than I'd initially thought. I replayed Brayden's words. Between that and Trey's enormous grin, I soon had a startling realization. This was the guy Trey had been telling me about. My â€Å"soul mate.† And he was asking me out. â€Å"This is a great idea,† said Trey. â€Å"You kids should totally go see that play. Make a whole day of it. Grab some dinner and hang out at the library or whatever it is you do for fun.† Brayden met my eyes. His were hazel, almost like Eddie's but with a little green. Not as much green as Adrian's, of course. No one's eyes were that amazingly green. Brayden's brown hair occasionally picked up glints of gold in the light and was cut in a no-nonsense way that showed off the angles of his cheekbones. I had to admit, he was pretty cute. â€Å"They perform Thursday through Sunday,† he said. â€Å"I've got a debate tournament over the weekend†¦ could you do it Thursday night?† â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Could I? There was nothing planned, so far as I knew. About twice a week, I took Jill to the home of Clarence Donahue, an old Moroi who had a feeder. Thursday wasn't a scheduled feeding night, though, and technically I wasn't obligated to go to experiment nights. â€Å"Of course she's free,† Trey jumped in before I could even answer. â€Å"Right, Sydney?† â€Å"Yes,† I said, shooting him a look. â€Å"I'm free.† Brayden smiled. I smiled back. Nervous silence fell. He seemed as unsure as I was about how to proceed. I would have thought it was cute, if I wasn't so worried that I looked ridiculous. Trey elbowed him sharply. â€Å"This is the part where you ask for her number.† Brayden nodded, though he didn't look like he appreciated the elbowing. â€Å"Right, right.† He pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. â€Å"Is it Sydney with a y or i?† Trey rolled his eyes. â€Å"What? I'm guessing the former, but as naming conventions become increasingly untraditional, you never know. I just want to get it right in my phone.† â€Å"I would have done the same thing,† I agreed. I then told him my phone number. He looked up and smiled at me. â€Å"Great. I'm looking forward to it.† â€Å"Me too,† I said, and actually meant it. I left Spencer's in a daze. I had a date. How on earth did I have a date? Trey hurried out to me a few moments later, catching me as I was unlocking my car. He still wore his barista apron. â€Å"Well?† he asked. â€Å"Was I right, or was I right?† â€Å"About what?† I asked, though I had a feeling I knew what was coming. â€Å"About Brayden being your soul mate.† â€Å"I told you – â€Å" â€Å"I know, I know. You don't believe in soul mates. Still,† he grinned, â€Å"if that guy isn't perfect for you, then I don't know who is.† â€Å"Well, we'll see.† I balanced Ms. Terwilliger's cup on top of the car, so I could drink from my own. â€Å"Of course, he doesn't like modern Shakespearean interpretations, so that might be a deal breaker.† Trey stared at me in disbelief. â€Å"Seriously?† â€Å"No,† I said, giving him a look. â€Å"I'm kidding. Well, maybe.† The latte Brayden had made me was pretty good, so I was willing to give him the benefit of a doubt on the Shakespeare thing. â€Å"Why do you care so much about my romantic life anyway?† Trey shrugged and stuffed his hands into his pockets. Already, beads of sweat were forming on his tanned skin from the late afternoon sun. â€Å"I don't know. I guess I feel like I owe you for everything that went down with the tattoos. That and all your homework help.† â€Å"You don't really need my help with that. And the tattoos†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I frowned, as an image of Keith beating on the glass flashed through my mind. Keith's vampire blood ring had resulted in high-inducing tattoos that had wreaked havoc on Amberwood. Trey, of course, didn't know about my personal interest in the matter. He just knew I'd gotten rid of those who were using the tattoos to unfair advantage in sports. â€Å"I did it because it was the right thing to do.† That made him smile. â€Å"Of course. Still, it's saved me a lot of grief with my dad.† â€Å"I should hope so. You don't have any competition on the team now. What more could your dad want?† â€Å"Oh, there's always something else he thinks I could be the best at. It's not just football.† Trey had hinted at that before. â€Å"I know what that's like,† I said, thinking of my own father. A moment of silence fell between us. â€Å"It doesn't help that my perfect cousin's coming into town soon,† he said finally. â€Å"Makes everything I do look completely lame. You got a cousin like that?† â€Å"Er, not really.† Most of my cousins were on my mom's side, and my dad tended to shy away from her family. â€Å"You probably are the perfect cousin,† Trey grumbled. â€Å"Anyway, yeah, there're always these expectations in the family†¦ always these tests. Football's given me some respectability for now.† He winked at me. â€Å"That and my awesome chem grade.† That last comment wasn't lost on me. â€Å"Fine. I'll text you when I get back tonight. We'll make it happen.† â€Å"Thanks. And I'll give Brayden a talking-to so he doesn't try anything on Thursday.† My mind was still full of Latin and Shakespeare. â€Å"Try what?† Trey shook his head. â€Å"Honestly, Melbourne, I don't know how you've survived this long in the world without me.† â€Å"Oh,† I said, blushing. â€Å"That.† Great. Now I had something else to worry about. Trey scoffed. â€Å"Between you and me, Brayden's probably the last guy in the world you have to worry about. I think he's as clueless as you are. If I didn't care about your virtue so much, I'd actually probably give him a lecture on how to try something.† â€Å"Well, thanks for keeping my best interests at heart,† I said dryly. â€Å"I always wanted a brother to watch out for me.† He studied me curiously. â€Å"Don't you have, like, three brothers?† Oh no. â€Å"Er, I meant figuratively.† I tried not to panic. I rarely slipped up on our background story. Eddie, Adrian, and Keith had all been passed off as my brothers at some point. â€Å"None of them are really that concerned about my dating life. What I'm concerned about, though, is getting into air conditioning.† I opened my car door, and a wave of heat rolled out. â€Å"I'll talk to you tonight and help you with the lab.† Trey nodded, looking like he wanted to get back inside as well. â€Å"And I'll help you if you have any more questions about dating.† I hoped my scathing look told him my opinion on that, but once he was gone and I was blasting the car's air conditioning, my arrogance faded. Anxiety took its place. The question I'd asked myself earlier repeated in my head. How on earth was I going to get through this date alive?

The Effect on Sales of Digital Music Through Legal and Illegal Research Paper

The Effect on Sales of Digital Music Through Legal and Illegal Distribution Channels - Research Paper Example Now as market leaders, it is essential for Apple iTunes to understand the negative factors causing this downslide of revenue due to losing of market share and how to counter the negative forces with its strategies to increase profitability. 3. Research Structure Initially this research paper will categorize the online music distribution channels similar to the iTunes business model. It will help to demonstrate the functioning of the online distribution channels and gain familiarity with their marketing techniques and strategies. It will also help to analyze the impact of other music distribution channels on the digital music distribution i.e. both legal and illegal distribution channels to be considered. This study will also help to establish a relation between pirated online distribution channels and its effect on the legal distributors like Sony Entertainment, iTunes, etc. Furthermore the outcome and analysis of the study will help to recommend and suggest marketing strategies so t hat the legal music distributors can avail measures to generate higher revenues in this prevailing market conditions. II. Aims and objectives 1. Aims The aim of the research is to analyze the impact of piracy on the legal music distribution channels and recommending steps for the crisis resolution. 2. Objectives To evaluate the functioning of the online music distribution system using iTunes. To analyze the difference in distribution methods between legal online providers and legal hard copy CD and DVD providers. To evaluate the extent to which music piracy effect legal distribution of online music. To find whether piracy initiated the emergence of online music distributors like iTunes. To define the user types for both legal and illegal music distribution... This research paper will categorize the online music distribution channels similar to the iTunes business model. It will help to demonstrate the functioning of the online distribution channels and gain familiarity with their marketing techniques and strategies. It will also help to analyze the impact of other music distribution channels on the digital music distribution i.e. both legal and illegal distribution channels to be considered. This study will also help to establish a relation between pirated online distribution channels and its effect on the legal distributors like Sony Entertainment, iTunes, etc. Furthermore the outcome and analysis of the study will help to recommend and suggest marketing strategies so that the legal music distributors can avail measures to generate higher revenues in this prevailing market conditions. This report makes a conclusion that there are many advantages like easy availability of data and saving of cost, time and effort etc. but a secondary researcher needs awareness about the limitations of the methodology. It is so because information and data may not be accurate if they are not collected from reliable and reputed source. This will been addressed in this research. Data always must be cross checked by comparing data from other reliable sources as an out of date or wrong data may lead to findings which may not have parity with the real scenario. Another demerit of secondary data is the sales reports and database provided by them are of existing customers. So these are some limitations mostly faced during the secondary research study.

Cruse Ship Managment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cruse Ship Managment - Assignment Example A good cruise itinerary must outline the effects of all internal factors at play. These factors are within the control of the management and can be tactfully addressed. Some of these factors as pointed out by Kaulbars (2008) include relations to the prospective host communities and authorities, budget estimations, and overall basics of a journey. Logistics is another internal factor that ought to be taken care of. Here, aspects such as exchange of crew and supply arrangements are looked into. Another factor is the characteristic of the vessel, with key concern to vessels’ capability, amenities, and adaptability to diverse port destinations. Some of these external factors as espoused by Kaulbars include infrastructure and superstructure of the port of call, with finer details to evaluate being the facilities available, bunker services and costs, as well as accommodation facilities (Sun, Gauri & Webster, 2011). Other factors include customer preferences, sea conditions such as winds and tides, as well as weather conditions both at sea and at inland destinations that may have adverse effects on the comfort of passengers. Cruise ships have also been made more comfortable by offering services that are similar to those offered in inland holiday inns. Amenities such as swimming pool, a shopping place where the customers can make light purchases, etc. have been included to make the voyages more exciting. Certainly, these amenities help create a pleasurable environment that provide greater experience to the tourists. A good cruise ship itinerary must also take into concern factors that motivate the customers. These factors can be evaluated based on costs, facilities available within the ship, duration of stay at particular ports during stopovers, among others. Greenwood and Barron observe that most passengers prefer the preservation of individuality, a factor that has been successfully overcome by offering sightseeing tours to

Analysis of Campbell v Mirror Group Newspapers judgment Essay

Analysis of Campbell v Mirror Group Newspapers judgment - Essay Example In the final judgment the House of Lords noted the words of Lord Wolf in A v B and C when he said, ‘for our part we would observe that the fact that an individual has achieved prominence on the public stage does not mean that his private life can be laid bare by the media. We do not see why it should necessarily be in the public interest that an individual who has been adopted as a role model, without seeking this distinction, should be demonstrated to have feet of clay.’1 The facts of the case are necessary for an appreciable understanding of this pronouncement. Following the publication of articles with accompanying photographs showcasing model Naomi Campbell’s therapy and attendance at Narcotic’s Anonymous meetings, Campbell filed a complaint in the High Court for damages for invasion of privacy. The High Court found in her favor. On appeal to the Court of Appeal the High Court’s judgment was reversed and the Court of Appeal found that on the facts, ‘that since Ms Campbell had courted publicity and gone out of her way to promote a drug-free media image, the Mirror was entitled to put the record straight, irrespective of the methods it used to uncover the story. The Appeal Court judges decided that "therapy" did not qualify for legal protection in the same way as treatment by a doctor, and that publication of the details of Ms Campbells therapy was necessary to lend the story credibility.’2 On appeal to the House of Lords, the Court of Appeal’s findings were rejected and the High Court’s ruling was upheld. The House substantiated its findings by striking a balance between privacy and freedom of expression as contained in Articles 8 and 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. 3 Lord Hope, in delivering his opinion for the House of Lords said of the Court of Appeal’s findings, ‘they