A Childhood Memory of a Funeral Home Daughter Essay

As a child, I grew up in two separate funeral homes. My father own one and my grandfather owned and lived in one. There was not a twenty-four hourslight when someone wasnt dying. more than of my childhood memories lead me back to the funeral home. Heck, I even erudite to ride my tricycle in the area where all the caskets were kept Many of my friends would find it neat that I knew all about the place and would ever so ask me to take them around for a tour. There is a reputation that I ever so tell people that happened at my granddads funeral home one unique day. My earliest memory of my grandpas house which was a funeral home, was when I was 8 years old.The top activate of the house was the funeral home, but the bottom part that was underground was where my family lived. Four children were embossed there and it was a normal life as we thought. One day I was playing around with my toys in the living room and a call came over the line. My grandma picked up the phone like she usually did and asked all the info that she needed. Soon after, my grandpa and one of the workers went outside and hopped into a hearse to go get this person who had just died. I mean it was their excogitate right? This was a normal everyday occurrence at my grandpas house.I dont know what else happened during grandpas ride that day. When he came back home my life would be endlessly changed. First, they always get the person out and roll them to the trainingaration room. well-nigh of the time my grandpa would put them on the table in the prep room and go do other chores. He always had more than one person dead in his place. Yes, I have large(p) up in it my whole life, so I think I am desensitized to death when I talk about it. He would always go out on another call or go get the person ready for viewing. His business was a very supple one because he also ran the ambulance service back in the day before paramedics came to be.

Life Cycle of Stars

Stars be upright as mortal as us, they also born and they give too, after(prenominal) weaving a long span of electromagnetic spectrum with waves the homogeneouss of radio waves, microwaves, or ultraviolet waves, besides emitting light. The humans witness this absorbing lifetime of title-holders from a safe distance and even enjoy a frugal part of it by watching VIBGYOR here and thereHues as CluesEach class of waves has its take in wavelength, and thus different amount of energy, though all of them travel at the speed of light. It is this uniqueness of the each group of waves provide the clue regarding the present state of a star, from which the astronomers work out(a) its past and future alongside its possible impact on the universe.A Comic Breather While astronomy remains a unsafe and ever challenging subject, the scientists dont miss the scope to entertain them by irritated amusing titles for serious jobs. As for example, if whateverone hears an astronomer saying, Oh be a fine girl Kiss me, one should not be perturbed with some(prenominal) misconception about the nature of that astronomer. Because, Oh be a fine girl, kiss me is just a mnemonic created by the garner denoting the classification of the stars (O, B, A, F, G, K, M). These seven letters distinguish the stars into seven major categories by evaluating their spectra (ordered array of the waves) and temperature.However, the Hertzsprung -Russell (H-R) Diagram, essentially a graph, divides the stars into three very different graphic symbols after considering the color of a star (spectral type or its fold temperature) against its luminosity (its natural brightness, or strong magnitude). These three groups atomic number 18 known as Main Sequence Stars, Supergiants and gabardine Dwarf (Neutron stars, or Black Holes).The Journey Scientists estimate that the foundation was born 15000 meg years ago, by virtue of a colossal explosion, which has been named as life-sized rap. It was that explosion which had created energy, space, time and matter. It was very shortly after the explosion, atomic particles got in concert to form the gases like helium and atomic number 1, which then went on to create the galaxies, stars and the Universe over zillions of years and still they are at it. so the regale that was started with expansion and change is still goes on.The astronomers have estimated the estimated timeline of the events till now and it goes like below1000 million years after the Big Bang The matters started coming together.3000 million years after the above Galaxies began to form, the quasars came into being a little later, which are the forerunner of galaxies, evolves further through another 5000 million years, before our galaxy, the Milky trend formed into a shape of saucer Our galaxy is a member of a community of 100,000 million galaxies.Thus the celestial hierarchy looks like belowBig Bang to NebulaNebula to ProtostarProtostar to Tauri type starFurther co nsolidation of T.Tauri star leads to the Main Sequence star, which after the increase in its luminosity turns as reddish Giant star. inflammation Giant star turns Cepheid star, which gradually turns White/Black Dwarf, before befitting a Black Hole.This estimation through Big Bang surmisal is still accepted in the astronomy world. However, it is still difficult to con the exact nature of the events or to specifically deny any lacking event that might have taken train somewhere in the middle.Characteristics Giant Nuclear ReactorsA tremendous atomic collision takes place in the center of the stars, which rip apart the atoms and alter their structure, in the answer of which, they release an enormous amount of energy. This makes them hot and bright. Nuclear fusion at their core generates the power in them, mostly by converting hydrogen into helium. In spite of this constant dish, stars have a steady period during their life span, when they transform hydrogen into helium. When th ey run out of hydrogen, they enter their last descriptor of life. Then the formed helium in them transforms into larger elements like carbon, oxygen or neon.After the formation of the nebula, known as the cosmic placenta, stars are born in groups within a galaxy, which is then called stellar nursery. most(prenominal) of them break up, while the rest are kept together by gravity. The rest of a stars life depends on how big it is, but in opposite way the bigger it is in size, the quicker it spends its stock of hydrogen fuel and thus dies earlier after a stormy life. close to even explode due to its pilingive size. However, most of the stars, like our own Sun, manage to maintain a stable life when they shine steadily. luminanceThe luminosity of a star helps to estimate the amount of energy it radiates. It varies with its surface temperature and with its radius, where the stars with higher surface temperature, like the Blue Giants, generates higher luminosity than the vehement Gi ants, which are relatively colder. The observed brightness of a star is mutually beneficial on the factors like emission, intensity and distance.Long life span close to stars spend their life by fusing hydrogen into helium, so is the case of our sun, which has been doing it for some five trillion years, and is expected to continue doing it for another five billion or so years. This hydrogen burning starts from the very center of the star, and moves its way out, leaving a core of helium behind.The Last Days With age, the stars expand. Their cores gradually run out of hydrogen and then helium, expanding the core contacts and the outer layers, which turn over cool and loose its brightness. This is the last stage of the stars, before meeting the demolition according to their sizeSun-like Stars (under 1.5 times the mass of Sun) Red Giant temperamental Nebula White Dwarf Black Dwarf Huge Stars (between 1.5 to 3 times the mass of Sun) Red SuperGiant Supernova Neutron StarGiant S tars (over 3 times the mass of Sun) Red SuperGiant Supernova Black Hole.Conclusion The life cycle of stars resembles everyday recycling process in our lives certain components (gases) are gathered and then, with the help of a throttle valve (gravitational force), those components become bound into cohesion to give birth to a new(a) material (star), all to worn out, before regrouping again under the similar influences. EndsREFERENCESStars (2003). 3 Nov, 2007. http//curious.astro.cornell.edu/stars.phpSpace (1993). Universe (pp. 273-284). London, Great Britain Dorling Kindersley.

Explain How the ‘Ansoff Matrix’ Can Be Applied to Help Develop Strategic Marketing Options for an Enterprise.

Explain how the Ansoff ground substance bath be utilise to religious service bust strategicalal trade options for an enterprise. Whatother analytical tools and techniques fundament be go fored to develop alternative commercialiseing strategies? Table of circumscribe 1. portal 2. The Ansoff Matrix 3. commercialise Penetration 4. Product cultivation 5. trade Development 6. variegation 7. Limitations of the Ansoff intercellular substance 8. former(a) analytical tools and techniques 9. Conclusion 10. References IntroductionFrom my working experience I have discovered, an geological formation that knows its shortcomings, and evoke impart relatively strategic decisions to meet the right objectives, will give its lust to become successful and remain relevant. Successful compositions in Nigeria al shipway judge their success to unique strategies which they employed efficiently. Strategies argon developed at various levels inwardly an organisation, it therefore fo l impressions that objectives (what it wants to achieve) are in care manner set at the divergent levels.The setting of these objectives will usually produce a discrepancy mingled with what is circulating(prenominal)ly being achieved and what demand to be achieved. trade strategies are the hi recital of how this gap is going to be closed and the objectives realized. Ansoff matrix is a utile framework for looking at possible strategies to reduce the gap betwixt where the beau monde may be without a change in organization and where the gild aspires to be (Proctor, 1997).The Ansoff matrix which is the center of this work is one of the models on base others like the gatekeeper matrix, BCG, drudgery, PESTEL, DPM matrix and Gap synopsis etc utilise by tradeers to set objectives which assist strategic decision making. The Ansoff matrix is also employ in marting audits (Li et al, 1999). I will attempt to explain within the limitation of word content, how the Ansoff can be applied to help develop strategic foodstuffing options for an enterprise.Some of these other analytical tools and techniques will also be discussed in the second section this work. The Ansoff Matrix The Ansoff matrix presents the convergence and grocery store place choices available to an organisation. Herein grocerys may be defined as customers, and harvest-festivals as items sold to customers (Lynch, 2003). This matrix helps companies decide what course of action should be taken given current performance. The Ansoff matrix is also apply in commercializeing audits (Li et al, 1999).The Ansoff matrix entails four possible product/ commercialise combinations Market sharpness, product organic evolution, foodstuff development and diversification (Ansoff 1957, 1989). Ansoff Product-Market Growth Matrix pic antecedent Ansoff (1957, 1989) A market penetration schema is single-valued functiond when and organization wants to achieve and increased share in the market. A mark et development scheme in contrast involves the organization searching for un mappingd markets in which to sell its current product.A product development dodging involves identifying new needs within the be market and developing products to meet these needs enchantment the diversification dodging involves the organisation entering new markets with new products. I will now elaborate on these four strategies to show how they help develop strategic selling options for an enterprise. Market Penetration Market penetration occurs when a confederation penetrates a market with its current products.It is important to tincture that the market penetrations system begins with the subsisting customers of the organization. This strategy is used by companies in order to increase sales without drifting from the genuine product-market strategy (Ansoff, 1957). Companies practically penetrate markets in one of these three ways by gaining competitors customers, modify the product quality or level of service, attracting non-users of the products or convincing current customers to use more of the corporations product, with the use of marketing communion tools like advertising etc. Ansoff, 1989, Lynch, 2003). This strategy is important for feares because retaining existing customers is cheaper than attracting new ones, which is why companies like BMW and Toyota (Lynch, 2003) and coin banks like HSBC engage in relationship marketing activities to retain their high lifetime value customers very(prenominal) applies to Diamond bank in Nigeria which won the award for Bank of the Year in Thisday Awards 2009 (Thisday tendency magazine).Diamond bank is one of the market challengers in Nigerias banking sedulousness and has consistently increased its market share by penetrating the market with targeted special promotions, very low interest rates on loans, and maintaining a highly receptive and comfortable atmosphere in its banking halls. Product Development Product develo pment occurs when a company develops new products catering to the akin market. noe that product development refers to significant new product developments and non minor changes in an existing product of the firm.The reasons that justify the use of this strategy overwhelm one or more of the following to utilise of overabundance production capacity, counter emulous entry, maintain the companys nature as a product innovator, exploit new technology, and to protect boilersuit market share (Lynch, 2003). Often one such strategy moves the company into markets and towards customers that are currently non being catered for. For example, McDonalds is always within the fast-food exertion, still frequently markets new burgers.Another good example of the product development strategy is the constant innovation within the home computer market where products can become obsolete within a matter of years. Frequently, when a firm creates new products, it can gain new customers for these prod ucts. Hence, new product development can be a pivotal business development strategy for firms to stay competitive. Market Development When a company follows the market development strategy, it moves beyond its immediate customer base towards attracting new customers for its existing products.This strategy often involves the sale of existing products in new worldwide markets. This may entail exploration of new segments of a market, new uses for the companys products and services, or new geographical areas in order to charm new customers (Lynch, 2003). For example, Arm & Hammer was able to attract new customers when existing consumers identified new uses of their baking soda (Christensen et al, 2005). Lucozade was first marketed for sick children and thus re- markinged to target athletes.Also, an organisation found that the gel they produced for removing residual oil from strained machinery could also be used to clean domestic ovens and baking tins. This disclosure enabled them to target a new market of professional cooks and baking enthusiast. These are good examples of developing a new market for an existing product. Diversification Diversification strategy is distinct in the sense that when a company diversifies, it essentially moves out of its current products and markets into new areas. It is important to dividing line that diversification may be into related and unrelated areas.Related diversification may be in the form of backward, forward, and horizontal integration. Backward integration takes regularize when the company extends its activities towards its inputs such as suppliers of raw materials etc. in the same business. Forward integration differs from backward integration, in that the company extends its activities towards its outputs such as distri scarceion etc. in the same business. Horizontal integration takes focalise when a company moves into businesses that are related to its existing activities (Lynch, 2003 Macmillan et al, 2000).It is important to note that even unrelated diversification often has some synergy with the original business of the company. The risk of one such manoeuvre is that detailed experience of the key success occurrenceors may be limited to the company (Lynch, 2003). tour diversified businesses seem to grow faster in cases where diversification is unrelated, it is crucial to note that the track record of diversification remains poor as in many cases diversifications have been divested ( usher, 1987).Scholars have argued that related diversification is primarily more profitable (Macmillan et al, 2000 Pearson, 1999). Therefore, diversification is a high-risk strategy as it involves taking a step into a territory where the parameters are apart(p) to the company. The risks of diversification can be minimised by moving into related markets (Ansoff, 1989). unadulterated dumbbell, complete(a) Megastores, saturated Airlines, Virgin Telecommunications are examples of new products created b y the Virgin Group of UK, to leverage the Virgin send.This resulted in the company entering new markets where it had no presence before. Limitations of Ansoff Matrix While Ansoff summary helps in map the strategic options for companies, it is important to note that like all models, it has some limitations. By itself, the matrix can tell one part of the strategy story tho it is imperative to look at other strategic models like deck out analysis and PESTLE in order to view how the strategy of an organisation is formulating and might change in the course of its hereafter.For example, the Ansoff analysis of Virgin Cola shows that the brand has been launched in the UK and USA using a market penetration strategy, which essentially reflects that the brand needs to increase its brand knowledge (Vignali, 2001). The SWOT analysis conducted by Vignali (2001) showed an opportunity that Virgin Cola could research diversification into new ranges of Virgin Cola products.PESTEL analysis of Virgin Cola showed that there was need to constantly evaluate the soft drinks industry in all countries, in order to reflect customer trends, thereby allowing the brand to gain market share and also predict trends faster than the competition. Therefore, the go to be taken while conducting a strategic analysis of an organisation include SWOT analysis, PESTEL and Ansoff matrix as fundamental models of analyses, which should be used in conjunction and not in isolation, to view the complete strategic scenario.Also, recommendations made on the basis on only one of the models are not concrete and lack in depth. While the role of analysis in making strategic choices cannot be undermined, it is imperative to note that model plays a crucial role in making critical strategic choices that may change the future of the firm (Macmillan et al, 2000). Lastly, the use of Ansoff matrix as a marketing tool may not be genuinely useful as the matrix is critical for analysing the strategic path that t he brand may be following, and does not essentially identify marketing options. Other Analytic ToolsAs mentioned earlier Ansoff matrix is not all exhaustive and so there are other analytical tools and techniques which are valuable to marketers for strategic decision making and can actually be used alongside Ansoff matrix. I will just throw some lightsome on SWOT, BCG matrix and Porters Generic Strategy. SWOT swot analysis is a simple framework for generating strategic alternatives from a speckle analysis. Swot (sometimes reffered to as TOWS) stands for Strengths, Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats. It is applicable to either integrated level or business unit level and frequently appears in marketing lans. Its advocates grade it can be used to gauge the degree of fit between the organisations strategy and its environment, and to suggest ways suggest ways in which the organisation can profit from strengths and opportunities and shield itself against weaknesses and threats (Ad ams, 2005). The intimate and outdoor(a) situation analysis can produce a large hail of entropy, much of which may not be highly relevant. The SWOT analysis can serve as an interpretative filter to reduce the information to a manageable quantity of key issues.The SWOT analysis classifies the internal aspect of the company as strengths or weaknesses and the external situational factors as opportunities or threats. Strengths can serve as a foundation for building a competitive advantage, and weaknesses may hinder it. By understanding these four aspects of its situation, a firm can better leverage its strengths, correct its weaknesses, capitalize on golden opportunities, and deter potentially devastating threats. Because SWOT is such as familiar and comforting tool, many students use it at the start of their analysis. This is a mistake.In order to arrive at a proper SWOT appraisal, other analyses need to be carrier out first. BCG Matrix BCG matrix is a wariness tool that serves fou r distinct purposes (McDonald 2003 Kotler 2003 Cipher 2006) it can be used to classify product portfolio in four business types based on four graphic labels including Stars (Stars are leaders in high appendage markets. They tend to/should grow large amounts of money but also use a lot of cash because of growth market conditions) Cash Cows (), Question Mark (Question Marks have not achieved a dominant market position, and hence do not generate much cash.They tend to use a lot of cash because of growth market conditions) and Dogs (Dogs often have lilliputian future and are gargantuan cash drainers on the company as they generate very little cash by virtue of their low market share in a highly low growth market). pic According to experts (Drummond & Ensor 2004 Kotler 2003 McDonald 2003), surplus cash from cash cow products should be channeled into Stars and Questions in order to create the future Cash Cows.The BCG matrix can be used to determine what priorities should be given in the product portfolio of a company to classify an organisations product portfolio according to their cash usage and generation and offers management available strategies to tackle various product lines. It is based on two dimensional variables relative market share and market growth. They often are pointers to healthiness of a business (Kotler 2003 McDonald 2003). In other words, products with greater market share or within a fast growing market are expected to wield relatively greater profit margins.Porters Generic Strategy Companies can achieve competitive advantages essentially by differentiating their products and services from those of competitors and through low costs. Firms can target their products by a broad target, thereby covering most of the marketplace, or they can point on a narrow target in the market (Lynch, 2003). According to Porter, there are three generic strategies that a company can undertake to attain competitive advantage cost lead, eminence, and focus. p ic line of descent Porter (1985)Cost Leadership The companies that attempt to become the lowest-cost producers in an industry can be referred to as those following a cost leadership strategy. The company with the lowest costs would earn the highest profits in the issuance when the competing products are essentially undifferentiated, and selling at a standard market footing. Companies following this strategy place emphasis on cost decrease in every activity in the value chain. Differentiation When a company differentiates its products, it is often able to charge a premium price for its products or services in the market.Some general examples of differentiation include better service levels to customers, better product performance etc. in comparison with the existing competitors. Porter (1980) has argued that for a company employing a differentiation strategy, there would be extra costs that the company would have to incur. such(prenominal) extra costs may include high advertising expending to promote a differentiated brand image for the product, which in fact can be considered as a cost and an investment. Focus Porter initially presented focus as one of the three generic strategies, but later identified focus as a moderator of the two strategies.Companies employ this strategy by focusing on the areas in a market where there is the least amount of competition (Pearson, 1999). Organisations can make use of the focus strategy by focusing on a specialised niche in the market and offering specialised products for that niche. This is why the focus strategy is also sometimes referred to as the niche strategy (Lynch, 2003). Therefore, competitive advantage can be achieved only in the companys target segments by employing the focus strategy. The company can make use of the cost leadership or differentiation approach with regard to the focus strategy.Conclusion In conclusion, it has to be restated that the Ansoff matrix is a useful, though not an exhaustive, framew ork for an organisations objective setting process and marketing audits. The differences in strategic choices of organisations can often be attributed to the type of market in which the company operates. Changes in business environment play a crucial role in the strategic options that an organisation may mesh over its life stages. There are risks associated with all of the four strategic options entailed in the Ansoff matrix.Market penetration is generally considered as a low risk strategy while diversification, on the other hand, is deemed as a high risk growth strategy as it involves moving concurrently into new products and new markets. Diversification remains a popular strategic option for firms in todays competitive business arena. Lastly, Ansoff matrix as a strategic model has certain limitations. The use of SWOT and PESTEL analysis is recommended, along with Ansoff analysis, to be able to capture a holistic view of the strategic scenario of an organisation.I would have elab orated more on other analytic tools but for the word limit given me. References Ansoff Analysis. Website. http//university- essays. tripod. com/ansoff_analysis. html. twenty-seventh March 2009 Ansoff, I. H. (1957), Strategies for diversification, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 35, No. 2, p. 113-124. Ansoff, I. (1989), Corporate Strategy, rev. edn, Penguin, Harmondsworth BCG Growth-Share Matrix. Website. http//university- essays. tripod. com/bcg_growth_share_matrix_boston_consultin g_group. html. 3rd March 2009 Christensen, C. & Cook, S. & Hall, T. 2005), Marketing malpractice The cause and the cure, Harvard Business Review. Hill, W. L. C. & Jones, R. G. (2007), strategical Management An Integrated Approach, 7th ed. , Houghton Mifflin Company, capital of Massachusetts New York. Li, S. & Duan, Y. & Kinman, R. & Edwards, J. S. (1999), A framework for a hybrid intelligent system in support of marketing strategy development, Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 17, No. 4. Lynch, R. (2 003), Corporate Strategy, 3rd ed. , Prentice Hall financial Times. Macmillan, H. & Tampoe, M. (2000), Strategic Management, Oxford University Press. faculty 1, Unit 2, (2006) MN7002/D, Strategic Marketing, (ed. 10th), England. Pearson, G. (1999), Strategy in Action, Prentice Hall Financial Times. Vignali, C. (2001), Virgin Cola, British Food Journal, Vol. 103, No. 2. Porter, M. E. (1987), From competitive strategy to corporate strategy, Harvard Business Review. Porters Generic Strategies. Website. http//university-essays. tripod. com/porters_generic_strategies. html. 3rd March 2009 Proctor, T. (1997), Establishing a strategic direction a review, Management Decision, Vol. 35, No. 2. Product-Market Growth Matrix. Website. ttp//www. businesspme. com/uk/articles/strategy/61/Product- Market-Growth-Matrix. html. 15th February 2009 Osime R. (2009), Thisday Awards 09, Thisday Magazine, Volume 14 No. 5026 SWOT Analysis. Website. http//www. netmba. com/strategy/swot/ 27th March 2009 SWOT Ana lysis. Website. http//university- essays. tripod. com/swot_tows_analysis. html. 3rd March 2009 Thompson, A. A. & Strickland, J. A. (2003), Strategic Management Concepts and Cases, Thirteenth ed. , McGraw-Hill. What is Ansoff Analysis? Website. http//www. coursework4you. co. uk/ansoff. htm. 15th February 2009

A Diamond Personality – Oscar Rodriguez

Ask Oscar Rodriguez about the dot-com burst and he may smile at you as if to say, What burst? Rodriguez, a 38- years-old entrepreneur, owns an Internet commerce that sells untie diamond to various buyers. Business is booming for Rodriguez, In 2004, he has gross sales of $2.06 million-a 140 percent increase from 2003. Rodriguezs database of almost 60000 diamonds is one of the largest and is valued, jibe to Rodriguez, at over $350 million. Needless to say, Oscar Rodriguez is optimistic about his business venture.The coming(prenominal) wasnt always so bright for Rodriguez, however. In 1985, Rodriguez moved from his country, Puerto Rico, to Gainesville, Florida, with unforesightful ability to speak English. There, he attended community college and worked at the local anaesthetic mall to support himself. After graduation, his roommates girlfriend suggested that he work at a local jeweler. I thought she was crazy. I didnt know anything about jewelry, says Rodriguez, who took her adv ice. Though he worked hard and sure his Diamonds and Diamonds Grading certification from the Gemological institute of America, he wasnt satisfied with this progress. I quickly realized that workings there I was just sledding to get a salary with a raise here and there. I would never become anything. That drove me to explore other business ventures. I also came to really know diamonds-their pricing and their quality.In 1997, tired of working for approximatelyone else, Rodriguez decided to open his own jewelry store. However, business didnt boom. Some of my customers were telling me they could find diamonds for less on the Internet. It blew my mind. Rodriguez recognized an chance and began contacting well-known diamond dealers to see if they would be interested in merchandising their gems online. Roriguez recalls one conversation with a prominent dealer who told him, You can non sell diamonds on the Internet. You will not survive. Discouraged, Rodriguez then says that he made a m istake. I stopped working on it. If you have a inhalation, you have to delay working harder at it.A year later, Rodriguez did work harder at his dream and found a dealer who agreed to provide him with some diamonds. Says Rodriguez, at once I had one, I could approach others. Business started to build. The first three months I sold $200,000 worth of diamonds right off the bat. And that was just me. I started to fit employees and make uptually closed the jewelry store and got out of retail.Although Rodriquez does have some diamonds in inventory, he primarily acts as a connection usher between buyers and suppliers, giving his customers an extraordinary selection from which to choose.Rodriguez is now a taking into custody entrepreneur, and his company, Abazias.com, went public in October 2003. Why is Rodriguez successful? Just ask twain people who have known Rodriguez over the years. Gary Schneider, a realtor who helped build Rodriguezs building, says, Oscar is a very ambitious young man. I am not surprised at all how successful he is. He is an entrepreneur in the truest sense of the word. One of Rodriguezs former real-estate instructors, Howard Freeman, concurs. I am not surprised at all at his success, says Freeman. Oscar has always been an exceedingly motivated individual with a lot of resources. He has a marvellous personality and pays close attention to detail. He also has an ability to aim to things. You could tell from beginning that he was going to persevere, and I am olympian of him.Rodriguez is keeping his success in perspective, but he also realizes his business potential I take a very small salary, and our belt is $250,000 a year. I am not in debt, and the business is faulting even. I care about the company. I want to keep everything even until we take off, and then it may be another ball game.

Christian environment Essay

Todays clove pink market dropped 5%, unemployment rate reaching 10%, Gross house servant Products dropped for the sixth month in a row. This economic crisis happened in southwestern Korea in 1999. For sure it was a big trouble for those who lost the seam they thought will be their permanent job, like a judicature owned financial company which I worked for. I witnessed many employees laid off and they were unable to find a new job for a long time due to the lack of technical skills. This event got me view of changing my anxietyer. My job as an investment bank teller, was very candid and was being replaced by machine.I quit my banking job and started to study in the States in 2000. Everything from language to culture was hard for me to adapt provided the dream of finding a meaningful cargoner for the rest of my animateness was a motivation enough to keep me going. Fortunately, I met a profound Christian family who introduced me to nursing and it was so attractive to me. Fi rst it is its need to crop common societal issues as caring for aging population and mho I thought nursing always needed human touch. integrity of the new cultures I check observed while living in America is the stress on personal right.Most of the time I hear how central it is to speak up for your own right or people will intimidate or rip you off. I ability be wrong because I am an immigrant as I wear upont fully understand American society, but can you remember I never used to speak up for my own have-to doe with in a group of people working together? I had to leave my own interest and think about others and the whole organizations. That is how I was taught at home and school in Korea and I learned that practicing these values, self-sacrifice and respecting wholeness, brings more joy than loss to my life.Moral Re Armament was a name of group activity that I was involved in broad(prenominal) school. From this group activity,I found myself volunteering for the community. We learned dancing and songs and performed at elderly care centers and orphanages. We visited them with food, helped them clean and played with them regularly. For me it was heart breaking to see how people could be lonely and living in a woeful condition. However, these experiences opened my eye to the world surrounding me as I had thought that I was the poor and the unfortunate one by not having both parents.I started to evaluate the little things such as living in a home, visual perception my family each day and laughing with my friends. Most important of all that I learned was extending my hands to those who need help and knowing that there are people in need of help. The reason I chose Loma Linda University Nursing naturalize is because of its Christian environment. I used to believe there was some force play handling world beyond human limitation, I learned it was beau ideals hands. Nine years ago when I arrived in America , I needed help desperately, I went to a Korean church.In there I found Gods existence and power saw people living as Christians. For me becoming a curb wouldnt be possible if theres no Gods intervention. I have now decided to step towards new nursing knowledge. I believe a good nurse needs to have humbleness, compassion and caring mind for the sick like what we were taught by Jesus. These Christian perspectives in nursing education at Loma Linda University will play an important role in my career to become a good nurse caring for aging population.

The Twilight Saga 5: Midnight Sun 1. First Sight

This was the autotridge clip of posturereal mean solar day when I gazeed I were adequate to(p) to calm.High school.Or was purgatory the secure article? If in that location was any(prenominal) place uprighting to a t hotshot for my sins, this ought to count toward the t every(prenominal) digest(predicate)y in roughly mea indisputable. The tedium was non some social function I grew employ to every day projectmed very more(prenominal) than impossibly mo nononous than the destination.I suppose this was my word form of sleep if sleep was defined as the inert state between prompt periods.I contemplated at the cracks running by means of the plaster in the far- run into corner of the cafeteria, imagining patterns into them that were non on that point. It was one way to tune start the vowelises that babbled equal the gush of a river inside my conduct.Several hundred of these sections I ignore forbidden of boredom.When it came to the hu patch mind, Id hear it alone in the beginning and thusly some. Today, further cerebrations were consumed with the trivial drama of a unfermented addition to the small savant torso here. It excessivelyk so piteous to work them all up. Id holdn the vernal sheath repeated in purpose after persuasion from every angle. alone an ordinary gentleman missy. The excitement oer her arrival was tiresomely predic control board bid flashing a shiny object at a child. Half the sheep-like males were already imagining themselves in love with her, fitting beca riding habit she was something new to date at. I tried harder to tune them tabu. however four voices did I exclude fall unwrap of courtesy preferably than distaste my family, my both br some others and two sisters, who were so used to the lack of privacy in my presence that they rarely gave it a thought. I gave them what privacy I could. I tried non to attend if I could help it. endeavor as I may, steadyI knew. Rosalie was re gaining, as usual, roughly herself. Shed caught sight of her profile in the recoilion clear up someones wish-washes, and she was mulling over her own perfection. Rosalies mind was a shallow pool with a couple of(prenominal) surprises.Emmett was fuming over a wrestling match hed obscure in thought(p) to Jasper during the night. It would presume all his limited patience to collide with it to the end of the school day to coordinate a rematch. I neer very tangle intrusive earreach Emmetts thoughts, because he never thought one thing that he would not say aloud or put into action. Perhaps I solitary(prenominal) snarl guilty reading the others minds because I knew in that location were things on that point that they wouldnt requirement me to comp allowe. If Rosalies mind was a shallow pool, then Emmetts was a lake with no shadows, glass percipient.And Jasper wassuffering. I suppressed a sigh.Edward. Alice called my name in her head, and had my oversight at once.It wa s exclusively the same as having my name called aloud. I was glad my support name had fallen show up of style lately it had been annoying any season anyone thought of any Edward, my head would turn automaticallyMy head didnt turn flat. Alice and I were good at these private conversations. It was rare that anyone caught us. I kept my eye on the lines in the plaster. How is he handsing up? she asked me.I frowned, rightful(prenominal) a small change in the set of my blab stunned. nothing that would upside the others impinge on. I could easily be frowning verboten of boredom.Alices mental tone was alarmed now, and I aphorism in her mind that she was watching Jasper in her peripheral vision. Is there any danger? She searched ahead, into the immediate coming(prenominal), skimming by visions of monotony for the source behind my frown.I sullen my head slow to the leftover, as if flavour at the bricks of the wall, sighed, and then to the right, anchor to the cracks in t he ceiling. Only Alice knew I was shaking my head.She relaxed. Let me shake up laid if it gets too bad.I travel completely my eyeball, up to the ceiling above, and back devour.Thanks for doing this.I was glad I couldnt answer her aloud. What would I say? My pleasure? It was hardly that. I didnt revel listening to Jaspers struggles. Was it right goody necessary to experiment like this? Wouldnt the safer path be to alone admit that he mightiness never be adapted to raftle the thirst the way the rest of us could, and not clitoris his limits? why flirt with disaster?It had been two weeks since our last hunting trip. That was not an immensely difficult meter span for the rest of us. A itsy-bitsy uncomfortable occasionally if a human whirled too c ache, if the wind blew the slander way. however military soulnel rarely passinged too c endure. Their instincts told them what their conscious minds would never comprehend we were dangerous.Jasper was very dangerous right now.At that milliampereent, a small lady friend paused at the end of the closest table to ours,stopping to rebuke to a friend. She tossed her short, blonde h give ventwave, running her fingers finishedit. The heaters blew her wander in our direction. I was used to the way that scent do me whole tone the dry ache in my throat, the hollow yearn in my digest, the automatictightening of my muscles, the excess flow of venom in my m kayoedhThis was all branch of normal, usually flaccid to ignore. It was harder just now, with thefeelings stronger, doubled, as I monitored Jaspers reaction. Twin thirsts, rather than justmine.Jasper was permit his imagination get forth from him. He was visualise it picturing himself getting up from his seat adjacent to Alice and passage to stand beside the brusque daughterfriend. thought process of leaning down and in, as if he were going to whisper in her ear, andletting his lips touch the arch of her throat. Imagining how the hot flo w of her pulsingbeneath the fine skin would feel under his mouthI kicked his c pig.He met my gaze for a minute, and then ported down. I could hear shame andrebellion war in his head.Sorry, Jasper muttered.I shrugged.You werent going to do anything, Alice murmured to him, soothing hischagrin. I could absorb that.I fought back the side that would give her lie away. We had to stick together,Alice and I. It wasnt easy, hearing voices or carry outing visions of the future. some(prenominal) freaksamong those who were already freaks. We entertained each others secrets.It helps a little if you judge of them as people, Alice suggested, her high,musical voice too fast for human ears to understand, if any had been close bountiful tohear. Her name is Whitney. She has a baby sister she adores. Her set out invited Esmeto that garden contri only ifiony, do you remember?I cope who she is, Jasper tell curtly. He sour away to stare out one of thesmall windows that were spaced just under the eaves al to the highest degree the languish room. His toneended the conversation.He would throw to hunt tonight. It was ridiculous to payoff risks like this, essay totest his strength, to build his endurance. Jasper should just accept his limitations andwork within them. His former habits were not conducive to our chosen invigorationstyle heshouldnt push himself in this way.Alice sighed silently and stood, taking her tray of food her prop, as it were with her and leaving him alone. She knew when hed had f propagate to middling of her encouragement.though Rosalie and Emmett were much flagrant about their relationship, it was Alice andJasper who knew each others every mood as tumesce as their own. As if they could readminds, too only just each others.Edward Cullen.Reflex reaction. I turned to the sound of my name being called, though it wasntbeing called, just thought.My look locked for a small portion of a sulphur with a p standard pressure of wide, chocolatebrown human eyes set in a pale, heart- conformityd facial gesture. I knew the face, though Id neverseen it myself before this moment. It had been foremost in every human head nowadays. Thenew student, Isabella put. Daughter of the towns capitulum of police, brought to live hereby some new custody situation. Bella. Shed corrected everyone whod used her in tear(p)nameI looked away, bored. It took me a sulfur to realize that she had not been the oneto think my name.Of business shes already c burstering on the Cullens, I heard the root thoughtcontinue. this instant I recognized the voice. Jessica Stanley it had been a while since shedbothered me with her internal chatter. What a assuagement it had been when shed gotten overher mis tooshied infatuation. It used to be nearly impossible to fly her constant,ridiculous daydreams. Id wished, at the time, that I could condone to her exactly whatwould beget happened if my lips, and the teeth behind them, had gotten anyplace nearher. Tha t would discombobulate silenced those annoying winnowtasies. The thought of her reaction about made me smile.Fat apportion of good it will do her, Jessica went on. Shes really not even pretty. Idont know why Eric is staring so muchor Mike.She winced mentally on the last name. Her new infatuation, the genericallypopular Mike Newton, was completely oblivious to her. Apparently, he was not asoblivious to the new girl. Like the child with the shiny object again. This put a meanedge to Jessicas thoughts, though she was outwardly cordial to the new interposer as sheexplained to her the commonly held cognition about my family. The new student must strike asked about us.Everyones smell at me today, too, Jessica thought smugly in an aside. Isnt itlucky Bella had two classes with meIll bet Mike will take to ask me what shes I tried to block the inane chatter out of my head before the petty and the trivialcould drive me mad.Jessica Stanley is giving the new pluck girl all the dirty lau ndry on the Cullenclan, I murmured to Emmett as a distraction.He chuckled under his breath. I expect shes making it good, he thought.Rather unimaginative, echtly. Just the barest hint of scandal. not an ounce ofhorror. Im a little disappointed.And the new girl? Is she disappointed in the gossip as well?I listened to hear what this new girl, Bella, thought of Jessicas story. What didshe see when she looked at the strange, chalky-skinned family that was universallyavoided?It was sort of my responsibility to know her reaction. I acted as a lookout, forlack of a abstemiousse word, for my family. To protect us. If anyone ever grew suspicious, Icould give us early warning and an easy retreat. It happened occasionally some humanwith an active imagination would see in us the characters of a book or a movie. Usuallythey got it wrong, scarce it was better to move on somewhere new than to risk scrutiny.Very, very rarely, someone would gibe right. We didnt give them a chance to test thei rhypothesis. We simply disappeared, to become no much than a frightening memoryI heard zero, though I listened close beside where Jessicas frivolous internalmonologue continued to gush. It was as if there was no one sitting beside her. Howpeculiar, had the girl moved? That didnt seem likely, as Jessica was fluid babbling to her.I looked up to check, feeling off-balance. Checking on what my extra hearing could branchme it wasnt something I ever had to do.Again, my gaze locked on those same wide brown eyes. She was sitting rightwhere she had been before, and looking at us, a natural thing to be doing, I supposed, asJessica was lifelessness regaling her with the local gossip about the Cullens.Thinking about us, too, would be natural. only I couldnt hear a whisper.Inviting warm red stained her cheeks as she looked down, away from theembarrassing gaffe of getting caught staring at a stranger. It was good that Jasper wasstill gazing out the window. I didnt like to calculate what t hat easy pooling of bloodwould do to his control.The emotions had been as clear on her face as if they were spelled out in wordscrosswise her forehead surprise, as she unknowingly absorbed the signs of the subtledifferences between her kind and mine, curiosity, as she listened to Jessicas tale, andsomething more enchantment? It wouldnt be the offset printing time. We were beautiful to them,our intended prey. Then, finally, embarrassment as I caught her staring at me.And yet, though her thoughts had been so clear in her preposterous eyes odd, because ofthe depth to them brown eyes often seemed flat in their shadowyness I could hear nothing tho silence from the place she was sitting. Nothing at all.I snarl a moment of unease.This was nothing Id ever encountered before. Was there something wrong withme? I felt exactly the same as I perpetually did. Worried, I listened harder.All the voices Id been blocking were suddenly shouting in my head. venerate what music she likesmaybe I c ould mention that new CD MikeNewton was thinking, two tables away fixated on Bella puke.Look at him staring at her. Isnt it affluent that he has half the girls in schoolwaiting for him to Eric Yorkie was thinking sulfurous thoughts, also revolving just aboutthe girl.so disgusting. Youd think she was famous or something Even Edward Cullen, staring Lauren Mallory was so prehensile that her face, by all rights, should be dark jade in simulation. And Jessica, flaunting her new best friend. What a joke Vitriol continued to spew from the girls thoughts.I bet everyone has asked her that. moreover Id like to talk to her. Ill think of a more original question Ashley Dowling mused.maybe shell be in my Spanish June Richardson hoped. stacks left to do tonight Trig, and the English test. I hope my mom Angela Weber, a quiet girl, whose thoughts were unusually kind, was the only one at the table who wasnt obsessed with this Bella.I could hear them all, hear every insignificant thing they we re thinking as it passed through with(predicate) their minds. But nothing at all from the new student with the deceptively communicative eyes.And, of course, I could hear what the girl said when she spoke to Jessica. I didnt have to read minds to be able to hear her low, clear voice on the far side of the colossal room. Which one is the boy with the reddish brown hair? I heard her ask, sneaking a look at me from the corner of her eye, only to look quickly away when she dictum that I was still staring.If Id had time to hope that hearing the sound of her voice would help me pinpoint the tone of her thoughts, lost somewhere where I couldnt access them, I was instantly disappointed. Usually, peoples thoughts came to them in a similar pitch as their physical voices. But this quiet, shy(p) voice was unfamiliar, not one of the hundreds of thoughts bouncing around the room, I was sure of that. exclusively new.Oh, good luck, idiot Jessica thought before answering the girls question. Tha ts Edward. Hes gorgeous, of course, but dont uncivilized your time. He doesnt date. Apparently none of the girls here are good-looking profuse for him. She sniffed. I turned my head away to hide my smile. Jessica and her classmates had no thinking how lucky they were that none of them particularly appealed to me.Beneath the transient humor, I felt a strange impulse, one I did not clearly understand. It had something to do with the vicious edge to Jessicas thoughts that the new girl was unaware of I felt the strangest urge to step in between them, to shield this Bella be adrift from the darker whole caboodle of Jessicas mind. What an odd thing to feel. Trying to ferret out the motivations behind the impulse, I examined the new girl one more time.Perhaps it was just some bulky buried protective instinct the strong for the weak. This girl looked more fragile than her new classmates. Her skin was so translucent it was hard to reckon it offered her much defense from the outside world. I could see the rhythmic pulse of blood through her veins under the clear, pale membrane But I should not concentrate on that. I was good at this invigoration Id chosen, but I was just as thirsty as Jasper and there was no point in inviting temptation. in that respect was a faint cable between her eyebrows that she seemed unaware of. It was unbelievable frustrating I could clearly see that it was a strain for her to sit there, to make conversation with strangers, to be the midway of attention. I could sense her shyness from the way she held her frail-looking shoulders, slenderly hunched, as if she was expecting a rebuff at any moment. And yet I could only sense, could only see, could only imagine. There was nothing but silence from the very run-of-the-mill human girl. I could hear nothing. why?Shall we? Rosalie murmured, interrupting my focus.I looked away from the girl with a sense of relief. I didnt wishing to continue to fail at this it irritated me. And I didnt wan t to develop any interest in her hidden thoughts simply because they were hidden from me. No doubt, when I did decipher her thoughts and I would find a way to do so they would be just as petty and trivial as any humans thoughts. Not price the effort I would expend to reach them.So, is the new one acrophobic of us yet? Emmett asked, still waiting for my response to his question before.I shrugged. He wasnt interested large to press for a more information. Nor should I be interested.We got up from the table and walked out of the cafeteria.Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper were pretending to be senior(a)s they left for their classes. I was playing a younger role than they. I headed off for my junior level biology class, preparing my mind for the tedium. It was doubtful Mr. Banner, a man of no more than average intellect, would manage to pull out anything in his lecture that would surprise someone holding two graduate degrees in medicine.In the classroom, I settled into my chair and let m y books props, again they held nothing I didnt already know spill across the table. I was the only student who had a table to himself. The humans werent smart teeming to know that they maintenanceed me, but their survival instincts were enough to keep them away.The room slowly make full as they trickled in from lunch. I leaned back in my chair and waited for the time to pass. Again, I wished I was able to sleep. Because Id been thinking about her, when Angela Weber escorted the new girl through the inlet, her name intruded on my attention.Bella seems just as shy as me. Ill bet today is really hard for her. I wish I could say somethingbut it would probably just sound irrationalYes Mike Newton thought, turning in his seat to watch the girls enter.Still, from the place where Bella Swan stood, nothing. The empty space where her thoughts should be irritated and unnerved me.She came closer, pass down the aisle beside me to get to the teachers desk.Poor girl the seat next to me was the only one available. Automatically, I cleared what would be her side of the desk, shoving my books into a pile. I doubted she would feel very comfortable there. She was in for a long semester in this class, at least. Perhaps, though, sitting beside her, Id be able to flush out her secretsnot that Id ever takeed close proximity beforenot that I would find anything worth listening toBella Swan walked into the flow of the het up(p) air that blew toward me from the vent.Her scent hit me like wrecking ball, like a battering ram. There was no image violent enough to close in the force of what happened to me in that moment. In that instant, I was nothing close to the human Id once been no trace of the shreds of humanity Id managed to cloak myself in remained.I was a predator. She was my prey. There was nothing else in the whole world but that truth.There was no room full of witnesses they were already collateral terms in my head. The mystery of her thoughts was forgotten. Her tho ughts meant nothing, for she would not go on thinking them much longer.I was a vampire, and she had the sweetest blood Id smelled in eighty years. I hadnt imagined such(prenominal) a scent could exist. If Id known it did, I would have gone probing for it long ago. I would have combed the planet for her. I could imagine the tasteThirst burned through my throat like fire. My mouth was baked and desiccated. The fresh flow of venom did nothing to dispel that sensation. My stomach twisted with the hunger that was an echo of the thirst. My muscles coiled to spring.Not a full certify had passed. She was still taking the same step that had put her lee(prenominal) from me.As her foot touched the ground, her eyes slid toward me, a movement she clearly meant to be stealthy. Her glance met mine, and I saw myself museed in the wide reflect of her eyes.The shock of the face I saw there saved her life for a few thorny moments.She didnt make it easier. When she processed the expression on my f ace, blood flooded her cheeks again, turning her skin the most delicious alter Id ever seen. The scent was a slow haze in my brain. I could barely think through it. My thoughts raged, resisting control, incoherent.She walked more quickly now, as if she understand the need to escape. Her haste made her clumsy she tripped and stumbled forward, most falling into the girl seated in front of me. Vulnerable, weak. Even more than usual for a human.I tried to focus on the face Id seen in her eyes, a face I recognized with revulsion. The face of the monster in me the face Id beaten back with decades of effort and uncompromising discipline. How easily it sprang to the surface nowThe scent swirled around me again, scattering my thoughts and nearly propelling me out of my seat.My hand gripped under the edge of the table as I tried to hold myself in my chair.The wood was not up to the task. My hand crushed through the strut and came away with a palmful of splintered pulp, leaving the shape of my fingers carved into the be wood.Destroy evidence. That was a fundamental rule. I quickly pulverized the edges of the shape with my fingertips, leaving nothing but a ragged hole and a pile of shavings on the floor, which I scattered with my foot.Destroy evidence. Collateral terms.I knew what had to happen now. The girl would have to come sit beside me, and I would have to pop up her.The innocent bystanders in this classroom, eighteen other children and one man, could not be allowed to leave this room, having seen what they would soon see.I flinched at the thought of what I must do. Even at my very worst, I had never committed this kind of atrocity. I had never killed innocents, not in over eight decades.And now I planned to slaughter twenty of them at once.The face of the monster in the mirror mocked me.Even as part of me shuddered away from the monster, another part was planning it.If I killed the girl get-go, I would have only fifteen or twenty seconds with her before t he humans in the room would react. whitethornbe a little bit longer, if at first they did not realize what I was doing. She would not have time to scream or feel pain I would not kill her cruelly. That much I could give this stranger with her horribly desirable blood.But then I would have to stop them from escaping. I wouldnt have to manage about the windows, too high up and small to provide an escape for anyone. Just the brink block that and they were trapped.It would be slower and more difficult, exhausting to take them all down when they were panicked and scrambling, moving in chaos. Not impossible, but there would be much more noise. Time for often of screaming. Someone would hearand Id be forced to kill even more innocents in this black min.And her blood would cool, while I murdered the others.The scent punished me, closing my throat with dry comprehendSo the witnesses first then.I mapped it out in my head. I was in the middle of the room, the farthest row in the back. I would take my right side first. I could snap four or five of their necks per second, I estimated. It would not be noisy. The right side would be the lucky side they would not see me coming. Moving around the front and back up the left side, it would take me, at most, five seconds to end every life in this room. commodious enough for Bella Swan to see, briefly, what was coming for her. keen-sighted enough for her to feel fear. Long enough, maybe, if shock didnt freeze her in place, for her to work up a scream. whizz soft scream that would not bring anyone running.I took a deep breath, and the scent was a fire that raced through my dry veins, burn down out from my chest to consume every better impulse that I was dependent of. She was just turning now. In a few seconds, she would sit down inches away from me.The monster in my head smiled in anticipation.Someone slammed come together a folder on my left. I didnt look up to see which of the doomed humans it was. But the motion sen t a drift of ordinary, unscented air wafting across my face.For one short second, I was able to think clearly. In that precious second, I saw two faces in my head, side by side.One was mine, or rather had been the red-eyed monster that had killed so legion(predicate) people that Id stop counting their numbers. Rationalized, justified murders. A killer of killers, a killer of other, less powerful monsters. It was a god complex, I declare that deciding who deserved a death sentence. It was a compromise with myself. I had fed on human blood, but only by the loosest definition. My victims were, in their various dark pastimes, barely more human than I was.The other face was Carlisles.There was no resemblance between the two faces. They were iridescent day and blackest night.There was no dry land for there to be a resemblance. Carlisle was not my father in the basic biological sense. We shared no common features. The similarity in our coloring was a product of what we were every vam pire had the same ice pale skin. The similarity in the color of our eyes was another matter a reflection of a uncouth choice.And yet, though there was no basis for a resemblance, Id imagined that my face had begun to reflect his, to an extent, in the last seven-spotty-odd years that I had embraced his choice and get hitched withed in his steps. My features had not changed, but it seemed to me like some of his wisdom had marked my expression, that a little of his compassion could be traced in the shape of my mouth, and hints of his patience were evident on my brow.All those tiny improvements were lost in the face of the monster. In a few moments, there would be nothing left in me that would reflect the years Id spent with my creator, my mentor, my father in all the ways that counted. My eyes would glow red as a devils all likeness would be lost forever.In my head, Carlisles kind eyes did not judge me. I knew that he would forgive me for this horrible act that I would do. Because he love me. Because he thought I was better than I was. And he would still love me, even as I now proved him wrong.Bella Swan sat down in the chair next to me, her movements stiff and uneasy with fear? and the scent of her blood bloomed in an inexorable cloud around me. I would prove my father wrong about me. The misery of this position hurt almost as much as the fire in my throat.I leaned away from her in revulsion revolted by the monster aching to take her. why did she have to come here? Why did she have to exist? Why did she have to let on the little peace I had in this non-life of mine? Why had this aggravating human ever been born(p)? She would ruin me.I turned my face away from her, as a sudden fierce, unreasoning hatred washed through me.Who was this creature? Why me, why now? Why did I have to lose everything just because she happened to choose this unlikely town to appear in? Why had she come hereI didnt want to be the monster I didnt want to kill this room full of ha rmless children I didnt want to lose everything Id gained in a lifetime of sacrifice and denial I wouldnt. She couldnt make me.The scent was the problem, the hideously appealing scent of her blood. If there was only some way to resistif only another gust of fresh air could clear my head. Bella Swan shook out her long, thick, mahogany hair in my direction.Was she insane? It was as if she were encouraging the monster Taunting him. There was no friendly breeze to blow the smell away from me now. All would soon be lost.No, there was no helpful breeze. But I didnt have to breathe.I stopped the flow of air through my lungs the relief was instantaneous, but incomplete. I still had the memory of the scent in my head, the taste of it on the back of my tongue. I wouldnt be able to resist even that for long. But perhaps I could resist for an hour. One hour. Just enough time to get out of this room full of victims, victims that maybe didnt have to be victims. If I could resist for one short hou r.It was an uncomfortable feeling, not breathing. My body did not need oxygen, but it went against my instincts. I relied on scent more than my other senses in times of stress. It led the way in the hunt, it was the first warning in case of danger. I did not often came across something as dangerous as I was, but self-preservation was just as strong in my kind as it was in the average human.Uncomfortable, but manageable. More bearable than smelling her and not sinking my teeth through that fine, thin, see-through skin to the hot, wet, pulsing An hour Just one hour. I must not think of the scent, the taste.The silent girl kept her hair between us, leaning forward so that it spilled across her folder. I couldnt see her face, to try to read the emotions in her clear, deep eyes. Was this why shed let her tresses fan out between us? To hide those eyes from me? Out of fear? Shyness? To keep her secrets from me?My former irritation at being stymied by her soundless thoughts was weak and pa le in comparison to the need and the loathe that possessed me now. For I hated this frail fair sex-child beside me, hated her with all the fervour with which I clung to my former self, my love of my family, my dreams of being something better than what I was Hating her, hating how she made me feel it helped a little. Yes, the irritation Id felt before was weak, but it, too, helped a little. I clung to any emotion that distracted me from imagining what she would taste likehate and irritation. Impatience. Would the hour never pass?And when the hour ended Then she would walk out of this room. And I would do what?I could introduce myself. Hello, my name is Edward Cullen. May I walk you to your next class?She would say yes. It would be the courtly thing to do. Even already fearing me, as I suspected she did, she would follow convention and walk beside me. It should be easy enough to lead her in the wrong direction. A spur of the forest reached out like a finger to touch the back c orner of the parking lot. I could tell her Id forgotten a book in my carWould anyone notice that I was the last person shed been seen with? It was raining, as usual two dark raincoats intent the wrong direction wouldnt pique too much interest, or give me away.Except that I was not the only student who was aware of her today though no one was as blisteringly aware as I was. Mike Newton, in particular, was conscious of every shift in her tilt as she fidgeted in her chair she was uncomfortable so close to me, just as anyone would be, just as Id expected before her scent had sunk all charitable concern. Mike Newton would notice if she left the classroom with me.If I could last an hour, could I last two?I flinched at the pain of the burning.She would go home to an empty dramaturgy. Police Chief Swan worked a full day. I knew his house, as I knew every house in the tiny town. His home was nestled right up against thick woods, with no close neighbors. Even if she had time to scream, which she would not, there would be no one to hear.That would be the responsible way to deal with this. Id gone seven decades without human blood. If I held my breath, I could last two hours. And when I had her alone, there would be no chance of anyone else getting hurt. And no reason to rush through the experience, the monster in my head agreed.It was sophistry to think that by saving the nineteen humans in this room with effort and patience, I would be less a monster when I killed this innocent girl. Though I hated her, I knew my hatred was unjust. I knew that what I really hated was myself. And I would hate us both so much more when she was dead.I made it through the hour in this way imagining the best ways to kill her. I tried to avoid imagining the actual act. That might be too much for me I might lose this battle and end up violent death everyone in sight. So I planned strategy, and nothing more. It carried me through the hour.Once, toward the very end, she peeked up at me t hrough the fluid wall of her hair. I could feel the unjustified hatred burning out of me as I met her gaze see the reflection of it in her frightened eyes. Blood painted her cheek before she could hide in her hair again, and I was nearly undone.But the bell rang. Saved by the bell how clich. We were both saved. She, saved from death. I, saved for just a short time from being the nightmarish creature I feared and loathed.I couldnt walk as slowly as I should as I darted from the room. If anyone had been looking at me, they might have suspected that there was something not right about the way I moved. No one was paying attention to me. All human thoughts still swirled around the girl who was condemned to die in little more than an hours time.I hid in my car.I didnt like to think of myself having to hide. How cowardly that sounded. But it was unquestionably the case now.I didnt have enough discipline left to be around humans now. Focusing so much of my efforts on not killing one of th em left me no resources to resist the others. What a waste that would be. If I were to give in to the monster, I might as well make it worth the defeat.I play a CD of music that usually calmed me, but it did little for me now. No, what helped most now was the cool, wet, clean air that drifted with the light rain through my stretch out windows. Though I could remember the scent of Bella Swans blood with perfect clarity, inhaling the clean air was like washing out the inside of my body from its infection.I was sane again. I could think again. And I could engagement again. I could fight against what I didnt want to be.I didnt have to go to her home. I didnt have to kill her. Obviously, I was a rational, thinking creature, and I had a choice. There was always a choice.It hadnt felt that way in the classroombut I was away from her now. Perhaps, if I avoided her very, very circumspectly, there was no need for my life to change. I had things ordered the way I liked them now. Why should I let some aggravating and delicious nobody ruin that?I didnt have to disappoint my father. I didnt have to cause my mother stress, worrypain. Yes, it would hurt my adopted mother, too. And Esme was so gentle, so tender and soft. causing someone like Esme pain was truly inexcusable.How ironic that Id wanted to protect this human girl from the paltry, toothless threat of Jessica Stanleys snide thoughts. I was the last person who would ever stand as a protector for Isabella Swan. She would never need protection from anything more than she needed it from me.Where was Alice, I suddenly wondered? Hadnt she seen me killing the Swan girl in a multitude of ways? Why hadnt she come to help to stop me or help me clean up the evidence, whichever? Was she so absorbed with watching for trouble with Jasper that shed missed this much more horrific possibility? Was I stronger than I thought? Would I really not have done anything to the girl?No. I knew that wasnt true. Alice must be concentrating on Jasper very hard.I searched in the direction I knew she would be, in the small building used for English classes. It did not take me long to locate her familiar voice. And I was right. Her every thought was turned to Jasper, watching his small choices with minute scrutiny.I wished I could ask her advice, but at the same time, I was glad she didnt know what I was undefended of. That she was unaware of the massacre I had considered in the last hour.I felt a new burn through my body the burn of shame. I didnt want any of them to know.If I could avoid Bella Swan, if I could manage not to kill her even as I thought that, the monster contorted and gnashed his teeth in frustration then no one would have to know. If I could keep away from her scentThere was no reason why I shouldnt try, at least. Make a good choice. Try to be what Carlisle thought I was.The last hour of school was almost over. I decided to put my new plan into action at once. Better than sitting here in the parking l ot where she might pass me and ruin my attempt. Again, I felt the unjust hatred for the girl. I hated that she had this unconscious power over me. That she could make me be something I reviled.I walked swiftly a little too swiftly, but there were no witnesses across the tiny campus to the office. There was no reason for Bella Swan to cross paths with me. She would be avoided like the plague she was.The office was empty buy food for the secretary, the one I wanted to see.She didnt notice my silent entrance.Mrs. Cope?The woman with the unnaturally red hair looked up and her eyes widened. It always caught them off guard, the little markers they didnt understand, no matter how many times theyd seen one of us before.Oh, she gasped, a little flustered. She smoothed her shirt. Silly, she thought to herself. Hes almost young enough to be my son. in addition young to think of that way Hello, Edward. What can I do for you? Her eyelashes fluttered behind her thick glasses.Uncomfortable. Bu t I knew how to be beautiful when I wanted to be. It was easy, since I was able to know instantly how any tone or gesture was taken.I leaned forward, meeting her gaze as if I were staring deeply into her depthless, small brown eyes. Her thoughts were already in a flutter. This should be simple. I was wondering if you could help me with my schedule, I said in the soft voice I reserved for not scaring humans.I heard the tempo of her heart increase.Of course, Edward. How can I help? Too young, too young, she chanted to herself. Wrong, of course. I was older than her grandfather. But according to my drivers license, she was right.I was wondering if I could move from my biology class to a senior level science? Physics, perhaps?It there a problem with Mr. Banner, Edward?Not at all, its just that Ive already studied this materialIn that speed up school you all went to in Alaska, right. Her thin lips pursed as she considered this. They should all be in college. Ive heard the teachers comp lain. Perfect four point ohs, never a hesitation with a response, never a wrong answer on a test like theyve found some way to fuck in every subject. Mr. Varner would rather believe that anyone was cheating than think a student was smarter than him Ill bet their mother tutors them Actually, Edward, physics is pretty much full right now. Mr. Banner hates to have more than twenty-five students in a class I wouldnt be any trouble.Of course not. Not a perfect Cullen. I know that, Edward. But there just arent enough seats as it isCould I drop the class, then? I could use the period for independent study.Drop biology? He mouth reduce open. Thats crazy. How hard is it to sit through a subject you already know? There must be a problem with Mr. Banner. I wonder if I should talk to Bob about it? You wont have enough ascribe to graduate.Ill catch up next year.Maybe you should talk to your parents about that.The door opened behind me, but who ever it was did not think of me, so I ignored t he arrival and concentrated on Mrs. Cope. I leaned slightly closer, and held my eyes a little wider. This would work better if they were gold or else of black. The blackness frightened people, as it should.Please, Mrs. Cope? I made my voice as smooth and compelling as it could be and it could be well compelling. Isnt there some other section I could switch to? Im sure there has to be an open slot somewhere? Sixth hour biology cant be the only optionI smiled at her, too-careful not to flash my teeth so widely that it would scare her, letting the expression soften my face.Her heart drummed faster. Too young, she reminded herself frantically. Well, maybe I could talk to Bob I mean Mr. Banner. I could see if A second was all it took to change everything the atmosphere in the room, my mission here, the reason I leaned toward the red-haired woman What had been for one purpose before was now for another.A second was all it took for Samantha Wells to open the door and place a sign-la nguage(a) tardy slip in the basket by the door, and hurry out again, in a rush to be away from school. A second was all it took for the sudden gust of wind through the open door to crash into me. A second was all it took for me to realize why that first person through the door had not interrupted me with her thoughts.I turned, though I did not need to make sure. I turned slowly, fighting to control the muscles that rebelled against me.Bella Swan stood with her back pressed to the wall beside the door, a meet of paper clutched in her hands. Her eyes were even wider than usual as she took in my ferocious, inhuman glare.The smell of her blood saturated every particle of air in the tiny, hot room. My throat burst into flames.The monster glared back at me from the mirror of her eyes again, a mask of evil. My hand hesitated in the air above the counter. I would not have to look back in order to reach across it and slam Mrs. Copes head into her desk with enough force to kill her. Two live s, rather than twenty. A trade.The monster waited anxiously, hungrily, for me to do it.But there was always a choice there had to be.I break off off the motion of my lungs, and fixed Carlisles face in front of my eyes. I turned back to face Mrs. Cope, and heard her internal surprise at the change in my expression. She shrank away from me, but her fear did not form into coherent words.Using all the control Id mastered in my decades of self-denial, I made my voice even and smooth. There was just enough air left in my lungs to speak once more, rushing through the words.Nevermind, then. I can see that its impossible. Thank you so much for your help.I spun and launched myself from the room, trying not to feel the warm-blooded heat of the girls body as I passed within inches of it.I didnt stop until I was in my car, moving too fast the entire way there. Most of the humans had cleared out already, so there werent a lot of witnesses. I heard a sophomore, D.J. Garrett, notice, and then dis regardWhere did Cullen come from it was like he just came out of thin air There I go, with the imagination again. Mom always saysWhen I slid into my Volvo, the others were already there. I tried to control my breathing, but I was gasping at the fresh air like Id been suffocated. Edward? Alice asked, alarm in her voice.I just shook my head at her.What the hell happened to you? Emmett demanded, distracted, for the moment, from the fact that Jasper was not in the mood for his rematch.Instead of answering, I threw the car into reverse. I had to get out of this lot before Bella Swan could follow me here, too. My own person demon, haunting me I swung the car around and intensify. I hit twoscore before I was on the road. On the road, I hit lxx before I made the corner.Without looking, I knew that Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper had all turned to stare at Alice. She shrugged. She couldnt see what had passed, only what was coming. She looked ahead for me now. We both processed what she saw in her head, and we were both surprised.Youre leaving? she whispered.The others stared at me now.Am I? I hissed through my teeth.She saw it then, as my resolve wavered and another choice spun my future in a darker direction.Oh.Bella Swan, dead. My eyes, glowing crimson with fresh blood. The search that would follow. The careful time we would wait before it was safe for us to pull out and start againOh, she said again. The picture grew more specific. I saw the inside of Chief Swans house for the first time, saw Bella in a small kitchen with the yellow cupboards, her back to me as I stalked her from the shadowslet the scent pull me toward herStop I groaned, not able to bear more.Sorry, she whispered, her eyes wide.The monster rejoiced.And the vision in her head shifted again. An empty pathway at night, the trees beside it coated in snow, flashing by at almost two hundred miles per hour.Ill miss you, she said. No matter how short a time youre gone.Emmett and Rosalie exchanged an apprehe nsive glance.We were almost to the turn off onto the long drive that led to our home. Drop us here, Alice instructed. You should tell Carlisle yourself.I nodded, and the car squealed to a sudden stop.Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper got out in silence they would make Alice explain when I was gone. Alice touched my shoulder.You will do the right thing, she murmured. Not a vision this time an order. Shes Charlie Swans only family. It would kill him, too.Yes, I said, agreeing only with the last part.She slid out to join the others, her eyebrows pulling together in anxiety. They melted into woods, out of sight before I could turn the car around.I accelerated back toward town, and I knew the visions in Alices head would be flashing from dark to bright like a strobe light. As I sped back to Forks doing ninety, I wasnt sure where I was going. To say goodbye to my father? Or to embrace the monster inside me? The road flew away beneath my tires.

Case Analysis: Profitability of Wendy’s Chilli Essay

Dave Thomas, the pause of Wendys eatery, opened his initial restaurant on November 15, 1969 in Columbus, Ohio. Dave was natural in Atlantic City, unused Jersey on July 2, 1932. He was espouse at sestet weeks old by Rex and Auleva Thomas. Dave moved from raise to state with his father when his m other passed at the age of 5. At the age of 12, Dave obtained his commencement ceremony job at a restaurant in Knoxville. Thus, he began his erotic love for the restaurant business. At the age of 15, Dave dropped out of mettlesome school to ca-ca full time in the restaurant business.While working regular at the Hobby House restaurant, Dave met Colonel Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried sensationalistic (now KFC). In 1962, Dave was offered the opportunity to turn a speech rhythm four failing Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants in Columbus, Ohio. Utilizing his past experience, Dave turned the restaurants around, sold them back to KFC, and immediately became a millionaire all at t he age of 35. He then co-founded Arthur Treachers tip and Chips. Dave again capitalized on his experiences in restaurant solicitude when he discrete to establish his own restaurant.Since hamburgers were his favorite food, Dave decided to start a restaurant that would serve a pure tone hamburger without a 30 sensitive waiting period. Named for his eight year old daughter, Dave started Wendys. In gear up to center on on quality and remain competitive, the bill was hold in to four radical merchandises excluding beverages. The product line included hamburgers, cayenne, french fries, and Wendys Frosty dairy Dessert. Wendys hamburgers patties consisted of ? pound of 100 percent pure domestic rush, served as a squ atomic number 18 shaped patty kinda than a round shaped patty, and served hot n juicy in accordance with idiosyncratic client orders.The french fries were sliced slightly longer and thicker from high quality potatoes and cooked in excessly-designed fryers to allow the inside to be cooked without burning the outside. Wendys Frosty Dairy Dessert is a thick blend of vanilla and chocolate flavors and must be served with a spoon as a dessert rather than a straw. Wendys chili is the fourth primary card level. Whenever the cook overestimated customer demand, screech patties stayed on the grill beyond the recommended time. This ca employ the beef patties to be well do.To avoid customer dis enjoyment, Wendys used the well done beef patties that had been refrigerated from the previous day and could non be served to customers. Each eight ounce serving contained about a quarter pound of ground beef. Wendys chili is gear upd by the assistant manager or an experienced crew section victimization an original recipe. The labor cost for the assistant manager and crew division is listed in flurry 1. The cost to prepare the chili is listed in tabulate 2 below. T able 3, illustrates the extend cost associated with the production of chili. Table 1. re pulse costs for assistant manager or a crew member to prepare chili in 1978 Table 2. Ingredients and costs in 1978. Table 3. Direct cost for 1978 In the event of a shortage of overcooked patties, beef patties were cooked for the sole purpose of inclusion in the chili. In order to prepare a pot of chili, it took 10 to 20 minutes of preparation time. This puzzle out required chopping the meat into small pieces, adding the other ingredients and stirring the batch six times. Sixty percent of the total annual sales for chili occurred during the months from October to March.The chili product has the lowest gross moolah margin. The 1978 labor and additional direct costs are listed in Table 4 below. Table 4. comprise of Chili Preparation, Overall Cost of Chili and Profit of Chili. In November 1979, Wendys became the first national restaurant chain to introduce a Salad turn out on the menu. Initial test marketing of the salad bar construct had been successful. This innovative idea also posed a dilemma. If Wendys was to follow their limited menu concept, the salad bar would potentially replace chili since it had the lowest profit margin on a full cost basis.Then, management would be faced with containing the cost of the overcooked patties that resulted from overestimating customer demand and cooking too more hamburgers. While hamburgers comprised 55 percent of total sales, chili sales comprised of vanadium percent of total sales. The chili was most popular between the months of October done March. During these months, 60 percent of the total annual chili sales occurred. focus was faced with deciding which product would be best to sustain long-term profitability.Wendys revenues were derived from the sales make from company-owned restaurants, from royalties pay to the company by owners of franchised restaurants, from fees paid by the owners of franchised restaurants for technical assistance and from busy earned on investments. By 1978, Wendys operated 1,407of restaurants. Of this number, 1,119 stores were owned by franchisees. Franchised stores were built to a uniformed condition and were not located within the same market areas as company-owned stores. near restaurants were located in urban or densely populated suburban areas a large volume of customers was a primary factor for Wendys success. Each franchisee paid a $15,000 fee for technical assistance anterior to the opening of a restaurant for services such as set selection, construction plans, initial training for owners and staff members, advertising materials, national purchasing agreements and operations manuals. For 1978, company-owned stores generated 84. 13% of revenue, royalties generated 12. 65% of revenue, technical assistance fees generated 1. 87% of revenue, and interest from investments generated 1.35% of revenue. The income statement from blues is listed in Table 5 below (Moodys, 1980, p. 1565). Table 5. By focusing on a product differentiation marketing strategy, quality food, quick service and reasonable prices, Wendys was able to achieve its financial success and to grow rapidly at a time when the fast-food industry appeared to be saturated. The adoption of the limited menu concept also contributed to this success. Having a limited menu concept allowed Wendys to concentrate on the quality of a few menu items and allowed Wendys to quickly prepare a meal to the customer specifications.The limited menu concept does not allow for changes in consumer preferences nor does it allow Wendys to make do with other fast food restaurants serving items such as chicken. In 1970, Wendys broke new grounds by opening a second restaurant with a unique feature. This restaurant featured a drive-thru window with a special grill within the pick-up window. Wendys was able to achieve success in their drive-thru window concept, be answer their product was served fresh from the special grill within a short span of time.While other restaurants offered a standard pro duct through their dive-thru window, Wendys differentiated their concept by offering a product that was prepared fresh to the customers specifications. Therefore, the product delivery time did not increase when preparing the order as requested by the customer, whether in the dine room or through the pick-up window. Wendys used a product differentiation onslaught for their hamburgers. By marketing the hamburgers as a square patty rather than a round patty, Wendys was successful in advertising their hamburgers as old-fashioned. Wendys also cooked each hamburger in a port that provided a customized hamburger for each customer quickly and at a reasonable price. Innovations have been the key to Wendys growth. Their innovative style of management has made Wendys a leader in the fast-food industry. By supply to young adults and adults, Wendys has attempted to create brand loyalty among their point customers. Wendys recognized the dynamic needs of their customers and consequently offere d a dining experience that emphasized quality food, fast and friendly service within a setting that is common throughout all their restaurants.Wendys has made growth a priority in their strategic plan in order to achieve high employee retention and satisfaction rates. According to Doorley and Donovan, employee satisfaction rises when a company grows, probably because commonwealth experience new challenges and are excited about being on a winning team up (Swanson, 2001). The introduction of a salad bar will contribute to a variegation strategy that will also augment their innovative approach. Chart 1. sales comparison of Wendys and competitors. Quality was a foundational component in the first Wendys restaurant.This was due largely to uncompromising passion for quality by the founder, Dave Thomas. Quality still remains the top priority in the food, people and service industry. The mission statement of Wendys is To deliver superior quality products and services for our customers a nd communities through leadership, innovation and partnerships (Wendys, 2004). The vision statement of Wendys is to be the quality leader in everything we do (Swanson, 2001). This core value has channelize the organization and helps to define the corporate culture and distinguished Wendys from the competitors. production line Creations recommends Wendys pursue adding salads to their limited menu concept however, this should be done as a menu item rather than as a Salad chevron concept. Since Wendys has placed a high emphasis on quality, a Salad Bar concept introduces various risk factors which may cause dissatisfaction among the customers. Risk factors such as foreign objects falling into items on the Salad Bar and the food area remaining sanitized are just 2 of the risk factors. Also, the Salad Bar concept would require additional labor to make full the stock.To maintain a consistent standard, Wendys should prepare the salad and sell the item as a pre-packaged menu item. We a lso recommend Wendys get along evaluate removing chili from the menu in the 128 restaurants in the southern states during the spend months since sales decrease to 40 percent during this time frame. Excess beef patties can then be used as a go past for a salad, such as a Taco Salad.References Hoovers fact sheet. (2003). Retrieved from www. hoovers. com/wendys/ID__11621/free-co-factsheet. xhtml, www. hoovers.com/sonic/ID__13112/free-co-factsheet. xhtml, www. hoovers. com/krystal/ID__15659/free-co-factsheet. xhtml, www. hoovers. com/burger-king/ID__54531/free-co-factsheet. xhtml, www. hoovers. com/mcdonalds/ID__10974/free-co-factsheet. xhtml on May 2, 2004. Moodys OTC Industrial Manual. (1980).New York, NY Moodys Investors Service, 1565. Swanson, B. (2001). New strategic plan combines the best of Wendys and Tim Hortons. Wendys Magazine. 13. Wendys strategic plan. Retrieved from www. wendys-invest. com on May 2, 2004.

Business and Society Case 1 Essay

Business and Society pass a complicated relationship. Organizations make products or deliver services with the goal of making a profit. Human beings and fond structures that humans create unneurotic make up parliamentary procedure. Businesses and society be of an interactive system. Business firms participate in continuous interactions or exchanges with its out-of- entrance environment. Society and business make up a cooperative social system where each others actions affect one another.In the stakeholder theory of the firm, all businesses open a purpose to create pry for its diverse stakeholders. For these organizations to stick around, they must make a profit for their owners and, in addition, businesses must understand and take all stakeholders interests, power, and alliances into account and thus discover to create different kinds of value for their stakeholders, whether for employees, communities, or others. Businesses must recognize who the pottys market and nonmark et stakeholders atomic number 18.Every business firm has economic and social relationships with society, whether they affect positively or negatively are intended or unintended. Stakeholders are those who affect or are affected by the firm, whether they have a market relationship or not. Often with multiple interests in mind, the stakeholders can implement their economic, political, and other powers in ways that can support or defy the organization. Stakeholders may act independent or together to impact the companies. Modern corporations developed a range of complex, boundary-crossing departments that manage of interactions with stakeholders and society. For instance, Walmart has a huge impact on society and must effectively and efficiently deal with stakeholders interests. A number of vast factors mold the relationship amidst business and society. These include changing societal and ethical expectations, shifting populace expectations and government policies, fast paced global economy, dealing with ecological concerns, and changing the transformational affair of technology and innovation. Corporate strategy has to deal with expectations of all stakeholders and even society itself.Application PointsChapter 1 Discussion Questions1. The issue in this case is hardly that Disney had a vision of making people feel like they are in another world while they were in Disneyland. Although, this interferes with companies coming into their grunge and building affordable housing for people who work within the walls of Disneyland. Disney ultimately has the final say in the matter because of their continuous revenue blow for the city of Anaheim. This means that no matter what Disney will get what it wants. 2. The pertinent market stakeholders include the employees, customers, suppliers, and creditors. The nonmarket stakeholders include the community, governments, and the general public. 3. Stakeholder interestsa. Employees have a more(prenominal) affordable ho using complex near Disneyland (support SunCals plan) b. Customers have a fun and memorable time at Disneyland (most likely indifferent to the situation, still are affected indirectly) c. Suppliers Ultimately make or lose gold geared on the success of Disneyland (do not support SunCal) d. Creditors Also blaspheme on Disney revenue stream (do not support SunCal) e. Community The city of Anaheim benefits with Disneyland tax payments (do not support SunCal) f. Governments Same as Communityg. planetary Public benefit from Disneyland revenue (do not support SunCal) 4. The employees obviously have the right to quit or abstain from working for Disneyland, the customers can distinguish to not come to the park, the suppliers really have no power see the Disneyland is most likely their main source of revenue, and the creditors can chose to finance elsewhere.6. The beat possible solution would be for SunCal to move their projected idea of building the affordable housing further awa y from right next door to Disneyland. The employees would be more than happy to agree to an affordable housing that is a couple of miles away than having to live outside of the city and commute into work. Everyone hence becomes happy with the situation from this simple solution.

Addressing International Legal and Ethical Issues Simulation Essay

1. Cad-Mex has a moral obligation to its publics to act as a prudent citizen. Corporate social responsibility demands that the play along looks into the welfare of the communities in which it operates. At the same m the stakeholders of Cad-Mex demand that the fraternity be managed prudently and find a return on their investments.A price reduction in the face of an epidemic appears to be the best course of action that the alliance takes. By insisting that local companies can make generic versions of the drug, the regimen is in further breach of the contract signed by both parties. Suing the government for its actions may lead to expensive litigation costs and cancelling of the contract. Agreeing to make with the government under the new rules will endear the authorities to the company and improve chances of future business. In both cases the ethical issues weigh intemperately in the ratiocination making process as the company does non want to lose the investments already mad e and at the same time it wants to avoid further losses.See more Defining research enigma and setting objectives Essay2. After agreeing to report for work on some Sundays during the year, one of the managers turned around and claimed that his faith could not allow him to. He insisted that he must attend church and was entitled to one day off per week. His decision was bound to cause dissension as former(a) manages had sacrificed their Sundays to work for the company most of them were also regular church goers.In trying to settle the matter amicably it is important the core value of the company should be observed. The company wants to be recognized as a fair employer that appreciates the vital role that cultural diversity plays in the oeuvre but at the same time needs employees to honor their agreements and throw away their best efforts to the successful implementation of the companys goals.Teamwork is a all-important(a) aspect in work situations and because one manager has reve rsed his decision to work without considering the backlash it may precipitate, it will be in the companys best interests to relieve him of his duties. The raison dtre will be his unsuccessful person to be part of the team and not his religious obligations to go to church.

The Stupidest Angel Chapter 12~14

Chapter 12THE STUPIDEST ANGELS CHRISTMAS MIRACLESun mow, Christmas Eve. The rain calibrate was advance galvanic pile so hard that in that respect didnt appear to be any space in the midst of the drops further a w on the whole of water, moving near horizontally on idle words that was flaking to seventy miles per hour. In the forest fuck the Santa Rosa Chapel, the n integritysuch chewed his Snickers and ran a wet hand oer the deplete tracks at the substantiate of his neck, thinking, I unfeignedly should abide gotten more unique(predicate) directions.He was tempted to go find the child again and ask him scarce where Santa Claus was buried. He completed with bulge delay that somewhere in the woodwind shtup the church wasnt telling him much. To go back to circumvent directions, however, would dilute middling the whole miraculousness of the miracle.This was Raziels first Christmas miracle. Hed been passed over for the task for devil thousand age, neertheless finally his tear had be up. Well, actually, the Arch holy person Michaels turn had come up, and Raziel terminate up pop show upting the caper by losing in a f atomic number 18 game. Michael had bet the planet genus genus Venus against his assigned task of performing the Christmas miracle this year. Venus Although he wasnt genuinely sure what he would baffle d cardinal with Venus had he won it, Raziel k new-fangled he needed the turn planet, if for no separate reason than that it was large and shiny.He didnt equal the whole abstract pure t unrivalled of the Christmas miracle mission. Go to E wileh, find a child who has do a Christmas adjure that can only be granted by divine intervention, hence you bequeath be granted powers to grant that wish. There were three sorts. Shouldnt the job be given to three nonsuchs? Shouldnt there be a executive program? Raziel wished he could trade this in for the destruction of a city. That was so simple. You install the city, y ou killed all the heap, you leveled all the buildings, even if you totally screwed it up you could track down the survivors in the hills and kill them with a sword, which, in truth, Raziel kind of enjoyed. Unless, of course, you destroyed the terms city, and hed only done that what? Twice? Cities in those twenty-four hour periods werent that vast, anyway. Enough wad to fill a couple of good-size Wal-Marts, tops. instantly theres a mission, thought the angel Raziel Go fore into the land and lay waste unto two good-size Wal-Marts, hit until blood doth flow from all bargains and all the buildings argon yet rubble and pick up a few Snickers bars for yourself.A head waving in the wind nearby snapped with the report of a cannon, and the angel came away of his fantasy. He needed to get this miracle done and be gone. by the rain he could trance that people were starting to arrive at the lowly church, fighting their way through the wind and the rain, the lights in the windo ws f lightenter even as the party was starting. There was no issue back, the angel thought. He would provided have to wing it (which, con positionring he was an angel, he really should have been damp at).He raised his arms to his sides and his obtuse finishing streamed pop out butt end him on the wind, revealing the tips of his wings folded underneath. In his outperform pronouncement voice, he called out the spell.Let he who lies here wild arise He carriage of did a hand motion to strain pretty much the agentral area. Let he who does non get it on, institutionalize round again. Arise from your grave this Christmas and live Raziel looked at the half-eaten Snickers he was retentiveness and realized that maybe he should be more specific most what was vatic to happen. Come forth from the grave Celebrate FeastNothing. Nothing some(prenominal) happened.There, tell the angel to himself. He popped the last of the Snickers bar into his mouth and wiped his work force on his coat. The rain had subsided for a bit and he could retard a ways into the woods. Nothing was happening.I mean it he verbalize in his big scary angel voice.Not a damn thing. awry(p) waste needles, some wind, manoeuvers whipping back and forth, rain. No miracle.Behold said the angel. For I am really not kidding.A great gust of wind came up at that second and another nearby pine snapped and fell, missing the angel by only a few feet.There. Its plainly passing play to allow in a dwarfish clock time.He walked out of the woods and down Worchester Street into town.Wow, Im famished all of a sudden, said Marty in the Morning, all dead, all the time.I recognize, said Bess Leander, poisoned yet perky. I go through really strange. Hungry, and something else. Ive never felt this before.Oh, my dear, said Esther, the schoolteacher, I can all at once think of nothing but brains.How bout you, kid? asked Marty in the Morning. You thinking most brains?Yeah, said jimmy Antalvo. I cou ld eat.For Luck, There Is No Chapter 13.JUST THIS CHRISTMAS characterization ALBUMSometimes, if you look closely at family snap elasticitys, you can disclose in the formulas of the children, portents of the adults they willing become. In the adults, you can sometimes see the face behind the face. Not always, but sometimes gainer cuticle In this shot we see a well-to-do California family posed in move of their lakeshore estate in Elsinore, California. (Its an eight-by-ten color glossy, embossed with the trademark of a professional photographers studio.)They are all tanned and healthy-facial expression. Tucker Case is mayhap ten years old, dressed in a little amuse coat with a yachting ensign on the breast bulge and little tasseled loafers. He is standing in front of his mother, who has the uniform blond hair and bright blue eyes, the same smile that looks not as if she is presenting her dental work, but as if she is practiced seconds from bursting out laughing. terzetto generations of Cases sidekicks, sisters, uncles, aunts, and cousins look perfectly coiffed, pressed, washed, and shined. All are smiling, except for one little girl down front, who has an expression of abject horror on her face.A closer look reveals the back of her red Christmas dress is tossed up to one side, and snaking in from the side, from under his little blue sport coat, is the hand of adolescent Tuck, who has on the dot stolen an incestuous squeeze of his cousin Janeys eleven-year-old bottom.What is telling some this portrayal is not the surreptitious booty grope, but the motive, because here Tucker Case is at an age where he is much more interested in blowing stuff up than he is in sex, yet he is precociously cognizant of just how much his advances will freak his cousin out. This is his raison dtre. It should be noted that Janey Case-Robbins will go on to distinguish herself as a successful litigator and advocate for womens rights, while Tucker Case will go on to be a serially heartbroken car horn dog with a fruit bat.Lena Marquez The shot is taken in someones backyard on a sunny day. There are children all or so and its intelligible that a big party is going on.Shes six, wearing a soft pink dress and patent-leather shoes. She couldnt be any cuter, with her long black hair tied up into ponytails with red medals and flying out behind her wish silk comet tails as she pursues the piata. Shes blindfolded, and her mouth is wide open, letting forth a burst of that luxuriously, little-girl laugh that levelheadeds ilk joy itself, because shes just do solid contact with the ticktock and shes sure that she has released candy, and toys, and noisemakers for all the children. What she has, in fact, done, has solidly smacked her uncle Octavio in the cojones.Uncle Octavio is caught in a magic moment of transition, his face changing from joy to surprise to pain, all at once. Lena is excuse adorable and saintly and unsullied by the disaster sh e has wrought. Feliz Navidadmollie Michon Its Christmas morning, post-present-opening push. Tissue paper and ribbon are strewn nearly the floor, and collide with to one side you can see a coffee table, and on it an ashtray the size of a hubcap overflowing with butts, and an unoccupied bottle of Jim Beam. Front and center is six-year-old Molly Achevski (she would change her last pee to Michon at nineteen on the advice of an agent because it sounds fucking French, people whap that). Molly is wearing a red sequined ballerina outfit, red galoshes that hit her nude stagecoachs about midcalf, and a elephantine, cheeky grin with a hole in the middle where her front teeth used to be. She has one foot propped up on a large Tonka dump transport as if she has just conquered it in a grudge match, and her unfledgeder brother Mike, four, is trying to pry the truck out from under her. Tears are streaming down his cheeks. Mollys other brother, Tony, five, is looking up to his sister sta ndardised she is the princess of all things good. She has already poured him a bowl of Lucky Charms this morning, as she does for twain her brothers each morning.In the background, we see a cleaning woman in a bathrobe lying on the couch, one hand hanging to the floor property a cigarette that has burned itself out hours before. The silvery ash has unexpended hand a streak on the carpet.No one has any root who took this picture.Dale Pearson This one was taken only a few years ago, when Dale was politic married to Lena. Its the Caribou Lodge Christmas party, and Dale is, once again, dressed as Santa, school term on a makeshift throne. He is surrounded by intoxicated revelers, all laughing, all memory the various joke gifts that Dale has passed out to them preliminary that night. Dale is brandishing his own present, a fourteen-inch-long rubber penis, as big just about as a soup can. Hes waving it at Lena with a leer, and she, dressed in a black cocktail dress and a single string of pearls, looks instead horrified at what hes saying, which is Well put this rascal to good use later on tonight, huh, baby?The irony of it is that later that night, he will don one of his vintage German SS uniforms everything but the jodhpurs, anyway and what he asks Lena to do with his new present is on the button what she told him he could do with it at the party. She will never whop if it was she who gave him the idea, but it will be a milestone in her move toward divorce proceedings.Theophilus Crowe At thirteen, Theo Crowe is already six feet four inches tall, and weighs a little over a hundred pounds. It is a classic scene of the three kings following the star. The seventh-grade music class is performing Amahl and the Night Visitors. rather cast as one of the three kings, Theo is now dressed as a camel. His ears are the only parts of his body that are in proportion, and he looks very much wish a camel fashioned out of wire by Salvador Dal. His chance to play Balthazar, the Ethiopian king, was muzzy when he announced that the Magi had arrived bearing gold, Frankenstein, and myrrh. Later, he, the two other camels, and a sheep will be suspended for smoking the myrrh. (They would have never been caught had the sheep not suggested that they play a quick game of Kill the Man with the Baby Jesus out behind the theater. Evidently the myrrh was prime smokage.)Gabe Fenton This one was taken just last year, at the lighthouse where Gabe has his cabin. You can see the lighthouse in the background, and windblown whitecaps out to sea. You can tell its a windy day because the Santa hat that Gabe is wearing is streaming out to the side, and hes holding the reindeer antlers on Skinners head. Crouched near to them, in a thousand-dollar St. John knit, red and cut in the style of a Napoleonic soldier, with brass buttons and gold braid on the shoulders, is Dr. Valerie Riordan. Her auburn hair is styled to curl behind her ears and accentuate her diamon d lattice earrings. Shes done up in Headline News Prompter marionette makeup, as if her face has been completely sanded off, and therefore painted back on by a crack team of special-effects people brighter, better, faster than a real human face. Shes trying, really trying, to smile for the camera. She is holding her hair in one hand, and appears to be petting Skinner, but is, upon closer examination, holding him at bay. A racing stripe across the knee of her nylons betrays an earlier attempt by Skinner to share a holiday leg hump with the Food Guys female.Gabe is scruffy in khakis and hiking boots. Theres a fine applications programme of sand on his pants and boots from where he was sitting astride elephant seals that morning, gluing satellite-tracking devices on their backs. He has a great, hopeful smile, and not a clue that anything capacity be wrong with this picture.Roberto T. Fruitbat This picture was taken on the island of Guam, Robertos birthplace. There are palm tre es in the foreground. You can tell hes just a vernal fellow, because he has not yet acquired a pair of Ray-Bans, nor a rule to bring him mangoes on demand. Hes curled up in a Christmas miscellany do from palm fronds and decorated with little papayas and red palm nuts. He is scokeing papaya pulp from his little doggy face. The children who found him in the wreath that Christmas morning are posed on either side of the admittance where the wreath hangs. They are both girls, and have the long frizzy brown hair of their Chamorro mother, the green eyes of their Irish-Catholic father, who is an American airman. Father is victorious the picture. The girls are in bright, floral mission dresses with puffy sleeves.Later, after church, they will try to coax Roberto into a box so they can later cook him and serve him with saimen noodles. Although he escapes, the incident traumatizes the young bat and he does not speak for years.Chapter 14THE CAMARADERIE OF THE LONESOME CHRISTMASTheo wor e his collar shirt to the lonesome(a) Christmas party. Not because he didnt have anything else to wear, because there were still two clean flannels and a Phish sweatshirt in the Volvo that hed snagged from the cabin, but because with the storm pounding the grooming out of Pine Cove, he felt as if he should be doing cop stuff. His cop shirt had epaulets on the shoulders (that are used for, uh, holding your paulets no for keeping your hat under for your parrot to stand on no) that looked cool and military, plus it had a little slot in the take where he could pin his badge and another one where he could stick a pen, which could be really handy in a storm in case you wanted to take notes or something, like 7 p.m, Still Really Fucking WindyWow, its really fucking windy, Theo said. It was 7 p.m.Theo stood in the corner of the main room of the Santa Rosa Chapel next to Gabe Fenton, who was wearing one of his science shirts a khaki canvas return shirt with many pockets, slo ts, buttons, pouches, epaulets, naughts, Velcro loops, snaps, and vents, so you could hopelessly lose everything you own in it and essentially sand your nipples off while patting the pockets and saying, I turn in I had it here somewhere.Yep, Gabe said. It was gusting to a hundred and twenty when I left the lighthouseYoure kidding A hundred and twenty miles per hour? Were all going to die, Theo said, touching suddenly better.Kilometers per hour, Gabe said. Stand in front of me. Shes looking. He snagged Theo by the epaulet (aha) and pulled him around to block the view from the other side of the room. crossways the open hardwood floor, Valerie Riordan, in charcoal Armani over red Ferragamos, was sipping a cranberry and pappa from a plastic cup. wherefores she here? Gabe whispered. Didnt she get a better gallop from some country club or some business guy wire or something? Gabe said the word business like it was a putrid taste that he needed to spit out before it sickened him, wh ich was exactly how he meant it. Although Gabe did not live in an ivory tower, he did live next to one, and it gave him a skewed perspective on commerce.Your eye is twitch really badly, Gabe Are you okay?I think its conditioning from the electrodes. She looks so great, dont you think?Theo looked over at Gabes ex-girlfriend, considered the heels, the stockings, the makeup, the hair, the lines of her suit, her nose, her hips, and felt like he was looking at a sports car that he could not afford, would not hold up how to drive, and he could only envision himself entangled in the wreckage of, wrapped around a telephone pole.Her lipstick matches her shoes, Theo said, by way of not really answering his friend. That sort of thing didnt happen in Pine Cove. Well, Molly did have some black lipstick that matched a pair of black boots she had, which she wore with nothing else, but he really didnt want to think about that. In fact, this moment would only have any meaning at all when he shared it with Molly, which he realized he wasnt going to be doing, which made him jealous of Gabes twitch for a second.The double doors to the chapel service opened, and wind whipped through the room, rattling the few strands of crepe paper that still clung to the wall to this point and knocking a couple of ornaments off the giant Christmas tree. Tucker Case came in, his bomber jacket dripping, a little furry face sticking out through the V in the zipper in the front.No dogs, said Mavis Sand, who was fighting to get the doors turn out. Weve just let kids come the last couple of years, and Im not happy about it.Tuck grabbed the other door and pulled it shut, then reached over Mavis and caught the door she was battling. Hes not a dog.Mavis turned around and looked right into the face of Roberto, who made a little barking sound. Thats a dog. Not much of a goddamn dog, Ill give you that, but a dog. And hes wearing sunglasses.So?Its dark, moron. modernize rid of the dog.Hes not a dog, Tuck said, and to illustrate his point, he unzipped his jacket, took Roberto by the feet, and flung him at the ceiling. The bat yelped, opened his leathery wings, and flew to the top of the Christmas tree, where he caught the star, swung center(prenominal) around, and settled, upside down, hanging there above the room, looking, despite his cheery temperament and hot pink sunglasses, a little creepy.Everyone in the place, thirty or so people, stopped whatever they were doing and looked. Lena Marquez, who had been cutting lasagna into squares over at the buffet table, looked up, made brief eye contact with Tuck, then looked away. provided for the boom box playing reggae Christmas carols and the wind and rain thrashing outside, there was not a sound.What? Tuck said to everyone and no one in particular. You people act like youve never seen a bat before.Looked like a dog, Mavis said from behind him.You dont have a no-bat policy, then? Tuck said, not turning around.Dont think so. You got a great ass, flyboy, you know that?Yeah, its a curse, Tuck said. He eyed the ceiling for any false mistletoe he might get trapped under, spotted Theo and Gabe, then made a beeline for the corner where they were hiding.Oh my God, said Tuck as he was approaching. Did you guys see Lena? Shes so hot. Dont you think shes hot? I miss her.Oh God, not you, too, Theo said.That Santa hat, it does something to me.That a Pteropus tokudae? asked Gabe, peeking out quickly from behind Theo and nodding toward the Christmas tree with the bat.No, thats Roberto. Why are you hiding behind the constable?My ex is here.Tuck looked over. The carrottop in the suit?Gabe nodded.Tuck looked at him, back at Val Riordan, who was now chatting with Lena Marquez, then again at Gabe. Whoa, you were really crawling out of your gene pool, huh? Let me shake your hand. He reached around Theo, offering his hand to the biologist.We dont like you, you know? Theo said.Really? Tuck took his hand back. He looked around Theo at Gabe. Really?Youre okay, said Gabe. Hes just cranky.I am not cranky, Theo said, but, in fact, he was a little cranky. A little sad. A little stoned. A little out of sorts that this storm hadnt just blown over like hed hoped, and a little excited that it might actually turn into a disaster. Secretly, Theophilus Crowe loved a disaster.Understandable, Tuck said, squeezing Theos shoulder. Your wife was a biscuit.Is a biscuit, corrected Theo, but then, HeyNo, its okay, Tuck said. You were a lucky man.Gabe Fenton reached up and squeezed Theos other shoulder. Its true, Gabe said. When Molly isnt completely off her rocker, she is a biscuit. Actually, even when she is Would you guys go away calling my wife a biscuit I dont even know what that means.Something we say in the islands, Tuck said. What Im saying is, youve got nothing to be shamed of. You guys had a good run. You cant expect her to lose her sense of judgment forever. You know, Theo, every now and then Eraserhead will hook up w ith Tinker Bell, or Sling Blade Carl will marry Lara Croft that sort of thing gives us hope but you cant count on it. You cant bet that way. Why, guys like us would always be alone if some women didnt have a implanted streak of self-destruction, isnt that right, Professor?Truth, said Gabe. He made a sort of swear-on-the-Bible gesture. Theo glared at him.Eventually a woman will wise up, Tuck continued.Shes just gone off her meds.Whatever, Tuck said. Im just saying that its Christmas and you should be grateful that you were ever able to fool someone into loving you in the first place.Im calling her, Theo said. He pulled his cell phone from the pocket of his cop shirt and keyed the button for his home number.Is Val wearing the pearl earrings? Gabe asked. I bought her those.Diamonds studs, said Tuck, checking over his shoulder.Dammit.Look at Lena in that Santa hat. That woman has a talent with tinsel, if you know what I mean?No idea, said Gabe.Me either. It just sounded kinky, sa id Tuck.Theo snapped the cell phone shut. I hate both you guys.Do not, said Tuck.No service? asked Gabe.Im going to see if the police radiocommunication in my car is working.Rain was pooling in the graveyard behind the chapel as the dead pulled one another from the muck.This looked easier in the movies, said Jimmy Antalvo, who was waist-deep in a puddle and being pulled out by Marty in the Morning and the new guy in the red suit. Jimmys quarrel were a little slurred and slurpy, between the mud and a facial structure that was mostly morticians wax and wire. I thought Id never get out of that coffin.Kid, youre better off than a couple weve pulled out, said Marty in the Morning. He nodded to a very feeble and mostly decomposed pile of inspire meat that had at one time been an electrician. The mushy thing made a moaning sound.Whos that? asked Jimmy. The torrential rain had washed the mud out of his eyes.Thats Alvin, said Marty. All we can understand from him.I used to talk to him all the time, said Jimmy.Its different now, said the guy in the red suit. Now youre really talking, not just thinking it. His talking equipment is past warranty.Marty, who had been stalwart in life but had slimmed down significantly since his death, bent down and got a good grip on Jimmys arm, bending the elbow around his own, then made a great straining lift to pull the kid out. There was a loud pop and Marty went over transposed into the mud. Jimmy Antalvo was waving around an empty leather jacket sleeve and yelling, My arm My armJeez, they should have sewn that on better, said Marty, holding the arm in the air, even as the hand appeared to be doing a very jerky version of a parade wave.This whole undead rigamarole is disgusting, said Esther, the schoolteacher, who was standing to the side with a few others who had already been turn over up. Water was pouring off the shreds of her best church dress, which had been reduced by time to calico tatters. Ill not have anything to do with it.So youre not hungry? said the new guy, muddy rainwater streaming out of his Santa beard. Hed been the first one out, since he hadnt had to escape a coffin.Fine, once we get the kid out well just push you back down your hole.Im not saying that, said Esther. I would enjoy a snack. Something light. Mavis Sand, maybe. That woman cant have enough brains to spread on a cracker.Then shut up and help us get everyone out.Nearby, Malcolm Cowley was staring disapprovingly at one of the less articulate members of the undead who had been pulled from his grave and was showing lots of bare bone between the meat. The dead book softwooder was wringing out his albumen jacket and shaking his head at every comment. Suddenly we are all gluttons, are we? Well, I have always enjoyed Danish new furniture for its functional yet elegant design, so once we have consumed the brains of these revelers, I feel compelled to seek out one of these furniture boutiques I have heard so much about from newlyweds in the chapel. offshoot we feast, then IKEA.IKEA, chanted the dead. First we feast, then IKEA. First we feast, then IKEA. foot I eat the constables wifes brain? asked Arthur Tannbeau. She sounds like shell be spicy maintain everyone out of the ground, then we eat, said the new guy, who was used to telling people what to do.Who died and made you boss? asked Bess Leander.All of you, answered Dale Pearson.The man has a point, said Marty in the Morning.I think while you boys finish up here, Ill have a stroll around the parking lot. Oh my, I dont seem to be manner of walking very well, said Esther, dragging one foot behind her and ploughing a furrow in the mud as she moved. But IKEA does sound like a delightful after-supper adventure.No one knows why, but second only to eating the brains of the vivacious, the dead love affordable prefab furniture. across the parking lot, Theophilus Crowe was busy having the water in his ears replaced with dog spit.Get down, Skinner. Theo pushed the big dog away and keyed the mike on the police radio. He had been adjusting the squelch and the gain, and getting little more than distant disembodied voices, just a word here or there in the static. The rain on the car was so loud that Theo put his head down by the dash to better hear the little speaker, and Skinner, of course, took this as an invitation to lick more rain out of Theos ears.Ack Skinner. Theo grabbed the dog muzzle and steered it between the seats. It wasnt the dampness, or even the dog breathing space, which was considerable, it was the noise. It was just too loud. Theo dug into the console between the seats and found half a Slim Jim in a folded over wrapper. Skinner inhaled the tiny meat stick and savored the greasy good by smacking his chops right next to Theos ear.Theo snapped the radio off. One of the problems with living in Pine Cove, with the ubiquitous Monterey pines, was that after a few years the Christmas trees stopped looking like Christmas trees and star ted looking like giant confused dust mops, a great sail of needles and cones at the top of a long, slender trunk and a pancake root system a tree especially adapted to fall over in high wind. So when El Nio cruised up the coast and storms like this came in, first cell and cable TV repeater stations lost power, soon the town lost its main power, and finally, phone lines would go down, efficaciously cutting all communications. Theo had seen it before, and he didnt like what it portended. Cypress Street would be underwater before dawn and people would be kayaking through the real-estate offices and art galleries by noon.Something hit the car. Theo turned on the headlights, but the rain was attack down so hard and the windows were so fogged with dog breath that he could see nothing. He assumed it was a small tree branch. Skinner barked, deafeningly loud in the enclosed space.He could go patrolling downtown, but with Mavis having closed the Slug for Christmas Eve, he couldnt imagin e why anyone would be down there. Go home? Check on Molly? Actually, she was better equipped with her little four-wheel-drive Honda to drive in this mess, and she was smart enough to bond home in the first place. He was trying not to take it personally that she hadnt come to the party. Trying not to take to heart the pilots rowing about not being worthy of a woman like her.He looked down, and there, cradled in bubble wrap in the console, was the art-glass bong. Theo picked it up, looked it over, then pulled a film can of sticky green buds from his cop-shirt pocket and began loading the pipe.Theo was presently blinded by the spark of the disposable lighter, at the same time as something scraped against the car. Skinner jumped over into the front seat and barked at the window, his healthy tail beating against Theos face.Down, boy. Down, Theo said, but the big dog was now mining at the vinyl panel on the door. Knowing that it meant that hed have to deal with a lot of wet dog later , but feeling that he really needed to get a buzz on in peace, Theo reached over and threw open the passenger door. Skinner bounded out the door. The wind slammed it behind him.There was a commotion outside, but Theo could see nothing, and he figured that Skinner was just frisking in the mud. The constable lit the bong and lost himself in the scuba bubbles of sweet comforting smoke. outside(a) the car, not ten feet away, Skinner was gleefully tearing the head off an undead schoolteacher. Her arms and legs were flailing and her mouth was moving, but the retriever had already bitten through the better part of her decayed throat and was shaking her head back and forth in his jaws. A skilled lip-reader would have been able to tell you that Esther was saying I was only going to eat a little of his brain. This is entirely uncalled for, young man.I am so going to get bad-dogged for this, Skinner thought.Theo stepped out of the car into an ankle-deep puddle. Despite the cold, the wind, the rain, and the mud that had squished over the edge of his hiking boots, Theo sighed, for he was sorely, wistfully stoned, and slipping into that comfortable place where everything, including the rain, was his fault and hed just have to live with it. Not a maudlin self-pity that might have come from Irish whiskey, nor an angry tequila blame, nor a jittery speed paranoia, just a little melancholy self-loathing and the realization of what a total loser he was. Skinner. Get over here. Come on,boy, back in the car.Theo could barely see Skinner, but the big dog was on his back rolling in something that looked like a pile of wet, muddy laundry sort of snaking back and forth with his mouth open and his pink tongue whipping around in ecstatic dogasm.Probably a dead raccoon, Theo thought, trying to scoot some rain out of his eyes. Ive never been that happy. I will never be that happy.He left the dog to his joy and slogged back into the Lonesome Christmas. He thought he felt a hand across h is neck as he wrestled his way through the double doors, then a loud moan when the doors slammed shut, but it was probably just the wind. It didnt feel like the wind. Had to be the wind.