What is Wisdom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What is Wisdom - Essay Example So what is intelligence? What are qualities of shrewd individual? Who is an astute individual? Researchers have characterized the term ‘wisdom’ in an unexpected way. Now and then it is viewed as the more created and refined type of presence of mind. It is accepted that astuteness can be created by understanding. Some others think about it as the capacity to foresee results and representing the benefit of everyone. A standard acknowledged meaning of Wisdom is the capacity to settle on right decisions without having total data. Robert M May says â€Å"the Wise Men and Wise Women of history realized that we should go to resources past those of sense and reason in managing inquiries of wholes and qualities. Feeling and instinct are as significant resources of the mind as are sensation and acumen, if not more so.† (May, 2004). Dr. Robert Sternberg, an educator of Psychology and Education at Yale University, characterizes shrewdness as â€Å"the utilization of knowledge and experience as interceded by esteems toward the accomplishment of a typical decent through a parity among intrapersonal, relational, and additional individual interests, over the short and long terms, to accomplish a parity among adjustment to existing situations, forming of existing conditions, and determination of new environments.† (Sternberg). This meaning of shrewdness contains three significant focuses, for example, position of qualities inside knowledge, significance of activity and wisdom’s drive towards balance. In this way, intelligence turns into the capacity to recognize reality. â€Å"He, O men, is the smartest who, similar to Socrates, realizes that his astuteness is in truth worth nothing.† with regards to above citation, some may contend that from a commonsense perspective shrewdness, or what it causes a people to be, brings nothing. Socrates, for his being savvy accomplished nothing. He was denounced, denied of his opportunity. He was attempted by a jury which is designated by a dominant part of the residents. Were every one of those residents insightful? Very few will concur. It

Evolution and future of mobile marketing Essays

Advancement and eventual fate of versatile showcasing Essays Advancement and eventual fate of versatile showcasing Essay Advancement and eventual fate of versatile advertising Essay Presentation These yearss notice runs have gotten a hard endeavor for an advertizer in view of ever expanding customer s norms for making a decision about the arrival on contributing each piece great as to bring through the focused on customer s viewpoints. Creation is the cant in the business as it attempts to make selling possibilities and difficulties. Portable selling is a signifier of commercial that objectives clients of handheld, for example, itinerant telephones and PDA s. Its slogan is whenever anyplace selling. The migrant notice industry has grown up and has reformed the way the purchaser gets promotion. With over a large portion of the universe s populace having an itinerant telephone, its conceivable is yet to be to the full abused. This examination will look to inquire about the difficulties that the business face to go a standard broad communications through some auxiliary research, importance discharges and my industry contacts. It will other than do a push to put the great beyond of roaming promotion especially in India taking into history the bing stages, a work in progress stages and arranged stages. Furthermore, an of import thought will be the buyer perceptual experience of this medium and understanding their viewpoints. Point The essential point of this proposal is to investigate: The study the improvement of roaming selling especially in India. Endeavor to put the great beyond of itinerant promotion. Endeavor to look into shoppers reactivity to versatile selling. To cognize the open help partnership of roaming promotion, each piece far as holding an effect on buy assurance of a customer is concerned. Defense FOR THE STUDY Versatile commercial is a significant vertical of my anxiety in India, giving to MNC s in India. I am other than be aftering a migrant selling stock in the nearby from now on. Besides, roaming selling has still parcel of way to venture out to go a predominant press with a cluster of chance for developing. This will end up being an aspiring examination as it will look to put the advertizer, purchaser demeanor towards roaming ad while taking into history the mechanical advancements of this industry which will be extremely productive for me when I will get down improvement of my product. Henceforth, would wish to arraign it as my nation of overview. RESEARCH QUESTION With thought to my experience in this industry, this examination proposes to show an infiltration into the turn of events and the conceivable in the future of the traveling promotion showcase. Coming up next are my central research requests: How roaming notice advanced especially in India? Innovative advancements till day of the month? Key members inside the business? Future projects made to build up the substance and estimation capablenesss of traveling ad? Customer receptivity of this medium? Imperfections of the bing stages? How the customers from various areas respond to comparative ad? A definitive reason will be to put a commercial stage that depends on consent or affectation based hypothetical record which while set uping new customers can keep exchange name genuineness without settling on ad experience of both the exchange name and the shopper. Writing REVIEW Grouped surveies have been finished by names Heinonen A ; Strandvik, Advertising Research Foundation, Harvey, who all have pushed he portable notice as a useful notice medium. Also, a bunch of online beginnings each piece great as my industry contacts will be utile in grouping some utile research informations. Research Methodology Test will be founded on: Online Research contemplating four areas of this industry: creators, commercial authorities, publicizing exchange names and purchasers. Customer data will be assembled from an extent of trustworthy beginnings, for example, designing help providers who have existent clasp informations to back up its prosperity. Genuine universe occasion surveies Dependability of Datas The wide extent of stuff grouped for this examination originates from a variety of beginnings, and in spite of the fact that while each endeavor will be made to cross check and formalize these discoveries, reality of a portion of the stuff can non be ensured. The greater part of conclusions shaped inside this exploration will by and by, be taken directly from the earliest starting point, which will gracefully believability and dependableness to the data. Nonetheless, a large number of the meetings with cardinal figures will be gathered from specializer sites that are in direct association with the business, and in spite of the fact that the steadfastness of these destinations might be addressed, the notoriety of such locales gives adequate reinforcement to the data to be trusted. The finishing up choice will be drawn without anyone else, the essayist, and will be gotten from all the informations and data gathered.

Win Leslie Jamisons New Book MAKE IT SCREAM, MAKE IT BURN

Win Leslie Jamisons New Book MAKE IT SCREAM, MAKE IT BURN Were giving away five copies of Leslie Jamisons new book Make It Scream, Make it Burn (you remember Jamison from The Empathy Exams). Take a look at the description below: With the virtuosic synthesis of memoir, criticism, and journalism for which she has become known, Leslie Jamison offers us fourteen new essays that are by turns ecstatic, searching, staggering, and wise. In its kaleidoscopic sweep,  Make It Scream, Make It Burn  creates a profound exploration of the oceanic depths of longing and the reverberations of obsession. Among Jamisons subjects are 52 Blue, deemed the loneliest whale in the world; the eerie past-life memories of children; the devoted citizens of an online world called Second Life; the haunted landscape of the Sri Lankan Civil War; and an entire museum dedicated to the relics of broken relationships. Jamison follows these examinations to more personal reckonings with elusive men and ruptured romances, with marriage and maternity in essays about eloping in Las Vegas, becoming a stepmother, and giving birth. Often compared to Joan Didion and Susan Sontag, and widely considered one of the defining voices of her generation, Jamison interrogates her own life with the same nuance and rigor she brings to her subjects. Indeed, this refusal to hide this emotional and intellectual frankness is precisely the quality that makes her questing and irrepressible voice impossible to resist. Just complete the form below and sign up for our nonfiction newsletter True Story to enter! Stay up to date on nonfiction book news, reading recommendations, deals, and more! This sweepstakes is open to residents of the United States (excluding Puerto Rico and all other U.S. territories). Entries will be accepted until 11:59 pm, August 31, 2019. Winners will be randomly selected.  Complete rules and eligibility requirements available here. Sorry. This form is no longer available.

663352 inst Essay - 1515 Words

#663352 Topic: How Big Global Businesses Compare Writer Deadline: 6pm Number of sources: 4 Writing Style: APA Type of document: Essay Academic Level:Undergraduate Number of Pages: 4 (Double Spaced) Category: Business Language Style: English (U.S.) Order Instructions: Assignment 1: How Big Global Businesses Compare Due Week 4 and worth 200 points Select one (1) global industry, such as the automobile or cell phone industry. Next, use the Internet to research three (3) major international competitors within the chosen industry. Take note of manner in which the popular international business press (e.g., newspapers, magazines, e-zines, press releases, etc.) depicts the selected companies.†¦show more content†¦Provide a rationale for your response. Weight: 15% Did not submit or incompletely compared and contrasted the three (3) models of culture. Did not submit or incompletely selected one (1) of the researched international competitors, and ascertain the model of culture that is most appropriate for the selected international competitor. Did not submit or incompletely provided a rationale for your response. Partially compared and contrasted the three (3) models of culture. Partially selected one (1) of the researched international competitors, and ascertain the model of culture that is most appropriate for the selected international competitor. Partially provided a rationale for your response. Satisfactorily compared and contrasted the three (3) models of culture. Satisfactorily selected one (1) of the researched international competitors, and ascertain the model of culture that is most appropriate for the selected international competitor. Satisfactorily provided a rationale for your response. Thoroughly compared and contrast ed the three (3) models of culture. Thoroughly selected one (1) of the researched international competitors, and ascertain the model of culture that is most appropriate for the selected international competitor. Thoroughly provided a rationale for your response. 2. Recommend the type of economic system that best relates to each of the

An Introduction to Representational Art

The word representational, when used to describe a work of art, means that the work depicts something easily recognized by most people. Throughout our history as art-creating humans,  most  art has been representational. Even when art was symbolic, or non-figurative, it was usually representative of something. Abstract (non-representational) art is a relatively recent  invention and didnt evolve until the early 20th-century. What Makes Art Representational? There are three basic types of art: representational, abstract, and non-objective. Representational is the oldest, best-known, and most popular of the three. Abstract art typically starts with a subject that exists in the real world but then presents those subjects in a new way. A well-known  example of abstract art is Picassos Three Musicians.  Anyone looking at the painting would understand that its subjects are three individuals with musical instruments–but neither the musicians nor their instruments are intended to replicate reality. Non-objective art does not, in any way, replicate or represent reality. Instead, it explores color, texture, and other visual elements without reference to natural or constructed world. Jackson Pollock, whose work involved complex splatters of paint, is a good example of a non-objective artist. Representational art strives to depict reality. Because representational artists are creative individuals, however, their work need  not look precisely like the object they are representing. For example, Impressionist artists such as Renoir and Monet used patches of color to create visually compelling, representative paintings of gardens, people, and locations. History of Representational Art Representational art got its start many millennia ago with Late Paleolithic figurines and carvings. Venus of Willendorf, while not too terribly realistic, is clearly meant to show the figure of a woman. She was created around 25,000 years ago and is an excellent example of the earliest representational art. Ancient examples of representational art are often in the form of sculptures, decorative friezes, bas-reliefs, and busts representing real people, idealized gods, and scenes from nature. During the middle ages, European artists focused largely on religious subjects. During the Renaissance, major artists such as Michaelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci created extraordinarily realistic paintings and sculptures. Artists were also commissioned to paint portraits of members of the nobility. Some artists created workshops in which they trained apprentices in their own style of painting. By the 19th century, representative artists were beginning to experiment with new ways of expressing themselves visually. They were also exploring new subjects: instead of focusing on portraits, landscapes, and religious subjects, artists experiments with socially relevant topics related to the Industrial Revolution. Present Status Representational art is thriving. Many people have a higher degree of comfort with representational art than with abstract or non-objective art. Digital tools are providing artists with a wider range of options for capturing and creating realistic images.   Additionally, the workshop (or atelier) system continues to exist, and many of these teach figurative painting exclusively. One example is the School of Representational Art in Chicago, Illinois. There are also whole societies dedicated to representational art. Here in the United States, the Traditional Fine Arts Organization comes quickly to mind. A web search using the keywords of representational art (your geographical location) should turn up venues and/or artists in your area.

Gillette Marketing Free Essays

Gillette Razor corporation was founded in 1901 by King Camp Gillette as the American Safety Razor Company. In 1895, while working as a salesman for Gillette envisioned an inexpensive, double-edge blade that could be clamped over a handle and simply disposed of when the blade dulled. Gillette spent many years searching for an inventor or engineer that could help him in making the dream a reality. We will write a custom essay sample on Gillette Marketing or any similar topic only for you Order Now Many people told him it couldn’t be done but in 1901 William Nickerson, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology educated machinist, took on the task aided with the designs provided by Gillette. Production of the razor started in early 1903 and in October of the same year, the newly renamed, Gillette Safety Razor Company began advertising and selling their razor sets for $5 each. Additional blades sold for $1 for twenty As we mentioned earlier King Gillette vision was to make the shaving experience simpler, safer, inexpensive and time saving. The Gillette Company is globally focused on consumer products marketer that seeks competitive advantage in quality, personal care and personal use products. On their very beginnings Gillette Company was mainly focus on men’s grooming products; in 1902 they introduced the first safety razor using a disposable blade and they started advertising their product with the first ad appearing in a magazine. By 1908, Gillette Company started operating not only in U. S. but also in Canada, England, France and Germany. Around this time they introduce their second best advertising campaign which was the face of King’s Gillette on each of their razors pack. This advertising campaign was very successful on countries outside of U. S. because people recognized the face of King’s Gillette and they referred to them as â€Å"the king with the man’s face. † During the following twenty years the company kept introducing new products with new technology. By 1939, the company developed a sports advertising campaign and they purchased the radio broadcast right to the World Series. Later on, in 1942 the company sponsored a group of sport advertising which they called â€Å"Gillette Cavalcade of Sports. This included the orange bowl, the sugar bowl, and the Kentucky Derby; which according to the company history website this â€Å"sports advertising programs, remained an important vehicle for Gillette advertising. Later on, around 1970’s the company developed a new advertising campaign to advertise their product line of Right Guard and soft dry deodorants and Adorn and white Rain hair sprays. The company continues intro ducing innovation in shaving technology, and at the same time developing new ad campaigns to emphasize the more profitable shaving systems over disposable shavers. Around 1990, the company decided to change a little bit their target market so they introduce the Gillette Venus Vibrance, which is the female version of the M3 power Venus blades for man. The introduction of female razors was very positive for the company, but this was not the only new program development that Gillette Company will have. Around the same year Gillette’s company acquired four successful U. S. divisions, and those were the personal care division (Oral-B product care),the Toiletries Division (right guard deodorant and antiperspirant), the paper Mate Division and The Safety Razor Division. These divisions did help the company’s revenues but most of the company’s revenue was generated by the razors division. The company found sport advertising campaigns to be very successful so around the year of 2005, the company introduce a new advertising campaign featuring sports champions; such as Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and Thierry Henry to announce the new Gillette’s new product line. â€Å"Fusion Gamer Saver† and the line of this campaign was â€Å"prepare to be your best today. † this advertising campaign was very successful not only in U. S. but also in many different countries. In addition, to this campaign the company also introduced multimedia advertising, store promotions, direct marketing, sponsorships and celebrity television commercials; for instance Jennifer Lopez, she is the celebrity that advertises the Venus Razor. Another important advertising that Gillette Company introduces is their web page. In this page the company introduc es their line as â€Å"Being a G man means taking pride in grooming to help you look, feel and be your best. So here people can find their products, Gillette science (innovations of the product, from then to now), and product coach, for man and women. Product coach is a very interesting feature, because guys can play with this picture and see how they might look with certain type of beard color or hair color; and it is also available for women, so they can also choose how they want to look. One of the most recent successful advertising campaigns that Gillette introduced was the Young Guns, with Ray Rice, Kyle Busch, Evan Longoria, Carlos Gonzales, Matt Ryan and Denny Hamlin. This current promotions are focusing on Young man, so this shows that Gillette is not only focus on targeting older man, they are focus on personal care and personal use product for man and women of different ages. Gillette has an incredible amount of the market share of disposable razors. Gillette holds 72% of the market, while their closest competitor, Schick has a mere 18 % and the number 3 company, Bic has 6%. When compared all other brands in the world, through 2010, Gillette is ranked 13th according to Interbrand. com. They currently have a brand value of 23,298,000,000. How to cite Gillette Marketing, Papers

Great Expectations By Charles Dickens Essay Example For Students

Great Expectations By Charles Dickens Essay Our third stimulus was a talk from a senior teacher in our school, who had previously spent many years working in an African school. Amongst the many things I learnt from him, perhaps the most vivid was the attitude presented towards intellectualism, and the desire to do well. The teacher explained how in Africa one must pay hefty fees in order to attend school and how only a few children are be funded by each village. This of course puts immense pressure upon pupils to do well academically, as it is anticipated they will go on to get a good job and return with money to their village. It is perhaps no wonder, that education is such an exciting thing to them and a huge privilege. The teacher talked of how some pupils were so eager to do well, that they rocketed, a term used for pupils who studied when they were meant to be sleeping. He even did the same to [emailprotected], a person who had edicated his life toward helping. When Magwitch finally revealed to him that he was Pip’s benefactor all Pip had to say was, â€Å"Oh, no, no, no†¦ Was there no one else! ’ †¦ Estella, Estella! † (522) All Pip cared about was himself and getting together with Estella. It was not until the loss of people very close to Pip, Magwitch and Miss. Havisham, that he began to realize that goodness does not come from material possessions, and social standing, but from inside a person. When Pip lost Magwitch, his eyes were opened and he realized how ignorant and selfish he had een to the people who cared for him. On the other hand, Joe, was pretty much the opposite of Pip in his satisfaction with life. Joe realized fully, the value of true goodness. He was completely satisfied with the way he lived and who he was. Joe did not have to learn this the hard way as Pip did, because Joe never had a problem with who he was. He never needed to be better or higher in society than he was, just to prove it to himself or for someone else. Joe even tries to help Pip feel more satisfied with his life by telling him that e is actually Very uncommon in many ways. â€Å"You’re oncommon small. Likewise you’re a oncommon scholar. † And he encourages him, â€Å"you must be a common scholar afore you can be a oncommon one,† (565) to help Pip through his times of low self-esteem- Joe is also very forgiving. Even with all the selfish ways Pip treated him when he was â€Å"a gentleman†, Joe still continued to carp. for and love Pip. When Pip was ill, Joe was by his side, and when Pip was in debt, Joe, even though he is not wealthy, pays off his bills for him. .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7 , .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7 .postImageUrl , .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7 , .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7:hover , .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7:visited , .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7:active { border:0!important; } .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7:active , .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7 .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u41798e1ac0c62e07a5f365029f9ffcc7:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: â€Å"Barbie Doll† And â€Å"La Migra† EssayThis frame of mind nd knowledge of true goodness leads to Joe living a very peaceful, pleasant, and satisfying life. In the book, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, while some characters must find out that true goodness and character does not come from status or material possessions, but from just plain kindness, the hard way, there are those gentle more peaceful characters who realize the true value of goodness. It is obvious that those who realize this will lead better, more satisfying lives, and not have to figure it out for themselves the hard way.

University of Chicago college essay free essay sample

University of Chicago extended essay, application for the 2012-2013 school year Prompt Dont write about reverse psychology. Don’t you dare read this essay. Don’t dangle on every word, do not devote your full attention to it because it is not worth it. So why are you still reading? I did not spend much time on it anyway. I did not think about it in the shower, about whether I should obey the spirit or the letter of the prompt. I did not challenge myself. I never thought about how much fun it is to do chores as long as no one has told you to do them. I did not think about whether fewer kids would drink if it were legal, or if I would have eaten my broccoli if my mom had told me not to. See, I did not put much thought into this at all, so do not read another word. We will write a custom essay sample on University of Chicago college essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is a mind trick; a lie told as a means to an end; an easy way out. It is mysterious and dangerous communication. Especially between parents and children, it is extremely confusing and lays a foundation for distrust. After all, if you tell your child not to go outside every day because you really want him to, he will end up playing in the backyard during a lightning storm. Why should he listen to you at all if he has disobeyed you before and you encouraged it? I am not saying that there is no place in the world for untruth. I am old enough to know that life is not a Disney movie, and that sometimes the value of the truth can be beaten by the consequences of telling it. If you need a little mind trick to get your child to eat her vegetables once or twice, it is not the end of the world. But I worry about the misuse of communication. I visualize a baby holding a loaded gun. What is scary about the image is not that the baby is malicious and wants to kill someone, but that the baby cannot possibly comprehend the power it holds. Communication is as powerful as that loaded gun, and just as dangerous in immature hands. Today more than ever, you often cannot read the face at the other end of a conversation. You cannot hear the stutter or wavering words within a text or instant message. You cannot tell what is a lie. You also cannot see the effect of your actions. You cannot see the hurt in someone else’s eyes after you press send. The destructive power of communication snarls behind the names people call each other and the words people use to tear each other down. But I believe in the constructive power of communication. I believe that the best discoveries will be sculpted from collaboration, using communication in pursuit of common goals as opposed to selfishly as a means to an end. I believe that you can only confidently understand your own ideas when others have challenged them. I believe that one person’s words to others can change the world. I just hope that they think before they speak.

10 Types of Marriage Records for Family History

10 Types of Marriage Records for Family History The different types of marriage records that might be available for your ancestors, and the amount and kind of information they contain,  will vary depending on the location and time period, as well as sometimes the parties religion. In some localities, a marriage license may include the most details, while in a different locality and time period more information might be found in the marriage register. Locating all available marriage record types increases the chance of learning additional information- including confirmation that the marriage actually took place, the names of parents or witnesses, or the religion of one or both parties to the marriage. Records of Intentions to Marry Marriage Banns - Banns, sometimes spelled bans, were public notice of an intended marriage between two specified persons on a particular date. Banns began as a church custom, later proscribed by English common law, that required the parties to give advance public notice of their intention to marry over three consecutive Sundays, either in church or a public place. The purpose was to give anyone who might have an objection to the marriage, to state why the marriage should not take place. Usually, this was because one or both of the parties was too young or already married, or because they were more closely related than allowed by law.Marriage Bond - a monetary pledge or guarantee given to the court by the intended groom and a bondsman to affirm  that there was no moral or legal reason why the couple could not be married, and also that the groom would not change his mind. If either party declined to go through with the union, or of one of the parties was found to be ineligible- for example, already married, too closely related to the other party, or underage without parental approval- the bond money was generally forfeit. The bondsman, or surety, was often a brother or uncle to the bride, although he could also be a relative of the groom, or even a neighbor of  a  friend of either of the two parties. The use of marriage bonds was especially common in the southern and mid-Atlantic states through the first half of the nineteenth century. In colonial Texas, where Spanish law required colonists to be Catholic, a marriage bond was used in a slightly different fashion- as a pledge to local authorities in situations where there was no Roman Catholic priest available that the couple agreed to have their civil marriage solemnized by a priest as soon as the opportunity came available.Marriage License -   Perhaps the most commonly found record of a marriage is the marriage license. The purpose of a marriage license was to ensure that the marriage conformed to all legal requirements, such as both parties being of lawful age and not too closely related to one another.  After confirming there were no impediments to the marriage, a  license form was issued by a local public official (usually the county clerk) to the couple intending to marry, and granted permission to anyone authorized to solemnize marriages (minister, Justice of the Peace, etc.) to perform the ceremony.  The marriage was usually- but not always- performe d within a few days after the granting of the license. In many localities both the marriage license and the marriage return (see below) are found recorded together. Marriage Application - In some jurisdictions and time periods, law required that a marriage application to be filled out before a marriage license could be issued. In such situations, the application often required more information than was recorded on the marriage license, making it especially useful for family history research. Marriage applications may be recorded in separate books, or might be found with the marriage licenses.   Consent Affidavit - In most jurisdictions, individuals under the lawful age could still be married with  the consent of a parent or guardian as long as they were still above a minimum age. The age at which an individual required consent varied by locality and time period, as well as whether they were male or female. Commonly, this might be anyone under the age of twenty-one; in some jurisdictions, lawful age was sixteen or eighteen, or even as young as thirteen or fourteen for females. Most jurisdictions also had a minimum age, not allowing children under the age of twelve or fourteen to marry, even with parental consent. In some cases, this consent may have taken the form of a written affidavit, signed by the parent (usually the father) or legal guardian. Alternatively, the consent may have been given verbally to the county clerk in front of one or more witnesses, and then noted along with the marriage record. Affidavits were also sometimes recorded to affirm that both individuals were of legal age. Marriage Contract or Settlement - While much less common than the other marriage record types discussed here, marriage contracts have been recorded since colonial times. Similar to what we would now call a prenuptial agreement, marriage contracts or settlements were agreements made prior to marriage, most commonly when the woman owned property in her own name or wished to ensure that property left by a former husband would go to his children and not the new spouse. Marriage contracts might be found filed among the marriage records, or recorded in the deed books or records of the local court.In areas governed by civil law, however, marriage contracts were much more common, used as a means for both parties to protect their property, regardless of their economic or social status. Marriage licenses, bonds,  and  banns all indicate that a marriage was  planned  to take place, but not that it actually happened. For proof that a marriage actually took place, youll need to look for any of the following records: Records Documenting That a Marriage Took Place Marriage Certificate  - A marriage certificate confirms a marriage and is signed by the person officiating at the marriage. The downside is, that the original marriage certificate ends up in the hands of the bride and groom, so if it hasnt been passed down in the family, you may not be able to locate it. In most localities, however, the information from the marriage certificate, or at least verification that the marriage actually took place, is recorded at the bottom or on the back of the marriage license, or in a separate marriage book (see  marriage register  below). Marriage Return / Ministers Return  - Following the wedding, the minister or officiant would complete a paper called a  marriage return indicating that he had married the couple and on what date. He would later return it to the local registrar as proof that the marriage occurred. In many  localities,  you can find this return  recorded at the bottom or on the back of the marriage license. Alternatively, the information may be located in a Marriage Register (see below) or in a separate volume of ministers returns. The lack of an actual marriage date or  marriage  return does not always mean the marriage didnt take place, however. In some  cases,  the minister or officiant may have simply forgotten to drop off the return, or it wasnt recorded for whatever reason. Marriage Register  - Local clerks generally recorded the marriages they performed in a marriage register or book. Marriages performed by another officiant (e.g.  minister, justice of the peace, etc.) were also generally recorded, following receipt of the  marriage  return. Sometimes marriage registers incorporate information from a variety of marriage documents, so may include the names of the couples; their ages, birthplaces, and current locations; the names of their parents, the names of witnesses, the name of the officiant and the date of marriage. Newspaper Announcement  - Historical newspapers are a rich source for information on marriages, including those which may predate the recording of marriages in that locality. Search  historical newspaper archives  for engagement announcements and marriage announcements, paying special attention to clues such as the location of the marriage, the name of the officiant (may indicate religion), the members of the marriage party, the names of guests, etc. Dont overlook religious or ethnic newspapers if you know the ancestors religion, or if they belong to a specific ethnic group (e.g. the local German-language newspaper).

Good species Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Good species - Essay Example Second is the United Nation which replaced the League of Nation established in the year 1945 purposed to promote peace and stop chaos between nation-states. Third, is the global World Trade Organization (WTO), established to encourage free trade between nations. Fourth, are the regional organizations e.g. EU, NATO, AOS and AU and Product-specific IGOs like OPEC (Campbell, MacKinnon, and Stevens 51-121). NGOs, on the other hand, are private and individualized organizations that are free from government involvement. There are three classes of NGOs that are the environmental, humanitarian/Human rights and development. Environmental NGOs have obligations to promote clean and natural environment globally. Environmental NGOs duties involve the initiation of water, land and air clean-up; animal, landscape and resource preservation; and maintainable land use and resources (Campbell, MacKinnon, and Stevens 51-121). Development NGOs offers aid to promote social, political and economic growth in third world countries. Its efforts are on the expansion of economic and social structures, which enhance communities and terminate poverty in the society. Development NGOs duties involves school establishment, offering small loans to individuals, establishment of health-care amenities and programs, and providing farming education to the communities (Campbell, MacKinnon, and Stevens 51-121). Humanitarian/ Human rights NGOs have the obligation to supervise and report all abuses to human rights. Amnesty International is the most eminent NGOs responsible in researching and taking actions to stop and prevent human rights abuses. The organization carry out its duties with the guidance of rights reserved in Universal Declaration of Human Rights; rights that ask all the governments and other potent bodies obey the law. The organization duties involve various operations formulated to terminate women violence,

Marine back from Deployment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marine back from Deployment - Essay Example Normally, soldiers defend their nations and their people. The great sense of duty and patriotism remains the major driving force for their actions in the field or against known enemy. The person’s experience in Afghanistan was an eye opener for him. There was only mistrust amongst the people of Afghanistan and general public was suspicious and fearful. The environment of uncertainty was most discouraging and was inclined to foster subtle aggressiveness and simmering violence both amongst the marines and people. This was a dangerous situation where innocent people often used to become the scapegoat and target of army and terrorists both. All during his stay, marine was even wary of the intentions of even the innocent children! The life of marine in overseas deployment, especially in unknown terrain that is strife ridden, is full of risks. Their long absence from home not only makes them homesick but often contributes in developing doubts and distrust in human

Akhism, Guild system in the ottoman empire

Akhism, Guild system in the ottoman empire GUILD SYSTEM IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE: FROM AKHISM TO GEDIK SYSTEM Akhism which is an organization founded by the Turkish people in Anatolia, is an important guild system for the Ottoman State when we take its regulatory role (of the social order) into consideration. In this paper, I will give detailed information about Akhism until its removal, including its origin, its importance, its guild organization, its norms and its roles in the society. Akhism; being an Arabic word which meant â€Å"brotherhood†, was the name given to the unions of artisans (esnaf) and craftsmen (zanaatà §Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±) between the 13th and 20th centuries. Akhi organizations were the associations which have been training their own craft members, which have been organizing and controlling the economic constitutions of the society (ÇaÄÅ ¸atay, 1989:1) and as in all pre-capitalist societies, in Ottoman State, production was organized within the guild organization which had four levels as â€Å"errand boy† (à §Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±rak), â€Å"apprentice† (yamak), â€Å"qualified workman† (usta), and â€Å"master† (Belge, 2005:312). Western orientalists say that the origins of the Akhism go back to the Islamic Futuwah tradition. The Arabic word Futuwah means youthful qualities. These youthful qualities are courage, generosity, hospitality and being skilled in all kinds of physical exercises (ÇaÄÅ ¸atay,1989:2-3). Although some Western social scientists think that Futuwah and Akhism have the same meaning and the same role, Ã…Å ¾anal Gà ¼Ãƒ §là ¼ (2007) think that they are different. They say that although Futuwah is more authoritarian and more religion based, Akhism is an organization which regulates the working conditions and every kind of needs of the artisans; and which is existing within the society, not being separated from it. Akhi organization which is based on the rules put by Islam scholars tries to provide ethical and well-behaved lifestyle to the artisans; and to ameliorate their craft level to a certain degree to protect standardization. Akhism is seen as the consequence of the service lacks of the state such as supplying security to the individuals, to their properties and to their honor; altering communication and education system, and providing equality of rights where there is not a strong juridical system. It is said that in Anatolia, Turkish people shaped and developed Futuwah organization and formed Akhism which is more different than Futuwah and which is proper to Turkish people. Although Futuwah tradition was more authoritarian about religion; and was commanding to the artisans to obey to the Islamic authority; Akhis had a big deal at the issues of economy and politics besides the morality. While Futuwah tradition gave more importance to the individual virtues and military characteristics; Akhism was an organization which helped Ottoman State to put military and administrative institutions in order and which constituted artisan and craftsmen corporations (CaÄÅ ¸atay, 1989: 1). The contribution of the guild system in the Ottoman States foundation period may not be despised (Belge, 2005:312). In Anatolia, the foundation of the Akhi organizations was the result of political and socio-economical necessities. At the 13th century, Turks who arrived in Anatolia from Turkestan for escaping from Mongolian invasion formed craft and commercial organizations among themselves to protect their solidarity and to survive amongst the native Byzantine craftsmen. They thought that they could exist only if they sell high quality and standard goods, in a sense by improving their own craft and commercial organizations. The organizations adopted the futuwwatnamas religious and moral rules as their laws and this led to the foundation of Akhism with the leadership of Akhi Evran and Abul-Hakaik Mahmud. Later, Akhi organizations were divided into 32 main branches of trade or art and fixed 740 Principles in their futuwwatnamas to form the moral and religious life. Every Akhi had to know 124 necessary Principles (Cagatay, 1989:48-51). According to Koprà ¼là ¼ (1984), the artisans who were members of these organizations had to obey to the strict moral rules. There were strong moral and solidarity ties among the members. Besides to protect their common interests, they were organized to provide moral control to each other in their all kind of worldly activities (economic, social). This statement shows us that Akhi organizations were important controlling mechanisms. Every branch of craft which was joined to an Akhi organization was recognizing a superior Protector and was accepting a chain of Protectors for the trade (for the tradesmen). The organization of Akhi was set up independently in each town and villages. But, they maintained their relationship with other towns and other villages. In each branch of Akhi organization which is a guild organization, Akhi Baba was the chairman of craftsmen of the guilds situated in the region (ÇaÄÅ ¸atay, 1989: 201). Fuat (1977) said that in 14th century, as Akhi organizations played a part in structuring military and administrative institutions of Ottoman state and in organizing social life within the society, to be a member of these organizations was accepted to be honored. There were also sultans who were Akhis such as Orhan Ghazi, Sultan I.Murat. Ottoman state was supporting Akhis and was providing them some privileges. In his book of â€Å"Ahilik nedir?†, ÇaÄÅ ¸atay (1990) mentioned that Akhism was a multi-dimensional social organization. Its social roles may be grouped as below; To establish a hierarchical order based on four stages such as â€Å"errand boy† (à §Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±rak), â€Å"apprentice† (yamak), â€Å"qualified workman† (usta), and â€Å"master† in workplaces. Members have to be stayed a definite time in each stage to be educated. The ties between the members have to be sincere as the relationship of fathers and sons and the craft has to be based on strong moral and occupational basis Producers and consumers self-interests and relationships have to be organized in a way which will not cause any problem between them To establish an organization which provides meeting and guest houses in all cities and all villages. Fuat (1977) mentioned that Akhi Baba who was the chairman of the craftsmen (of the guild) of a region and who was democratically elected by the members was responsible of making the zawia built. His commands and his warnings had to be obeyed. They had the administration power where the Sultan was absent. Zawias were places where religious and moral books were read, where Akhis were enjoying with dance or music. This shows that Akhis were not only religious peoples. According to ÇaÄÅ ¸atay (1990), Akhi organization which was religion (Islam) based was a solid occupational and moral system. Their solidarity and their helping each other within the Akhi organization caused their superiority over the non-Muslims artisans and craftsmen. This situation continued until the second half of the 15th century. Belge (2005) said that when the society began to put its own rules; guilds had been transformed to social strata and they had lost their autonomy and authority; and they became limited to the production function. ÇaÄÅ ¸atay (1989) mentioned that Fatih Sultan Mehmed eliminated their political and moral power in the cities because of their expanded authority in the empire. The original Akhi spirit has been lost among the Ottoman craft-guilds by the end of 16th century, and they became occupational organizations which impose discipline to artisans and craftsmen. They lost their autonomy and became bound to the local representatives of c entral government (qadis) and then, qadis had the authority to choose Akhi leaders (Akhi Babas). According to Sencer (1999), although they hold some economic privileges and a degree of control over their members and production, they lost their autonomy and their administrative power. ÇaÄÅ ¸atay (1989) said that some craft branches rejected heavy regulations of the state and state tolerated some of them because of their importance to the economy. Thus, some craft-guilds such as leather and shoe trade could continue their occupation and they preserved their rules and their Akhi Baba tradition. So, we may say that when the state guaranteed its power, took the authority back from the Akhi organization and this caused the end of the privileges of Akhism. Guild was a typical medieval organization system; it was a conservative organization with its own logic. As their production was demand based, they had not a market problem. They had not an aim to expand their market. Although it was acceptable to have some qualified workmen (usta) who were seen as better and who were preferred for some needs; guild organization and logic behind it was preventing competition between craftsmen, especially in economic issues. This equality was functioning as law thanks to the fear of being opposed to the ethical rules which were accepted to be represented by their pir (who had started their craft work and who is thought to be a prophet) to whom they had a strong commitment (Belge, 2005:313). Esnaf (artisan) was the plural of the word class. At these times, in every war and expedition, there was a group of artisan and prostitutes who were moving with the army for logistics and some services. Evliya Celebi who had the best writings about the Ottoman guilds said that in 17th century; there were also thief and pickpocket guilds. He explained that this situation was not astonishing by saying in pre-capitalist times; Ottoman State was ordering people to be a member of an organization, to be in solidarity with the other members in this organization; and to be under the surveillance of this organization for having the right of free circulation in the city (Belge, 2005:313). This shows us that Akhi guilds had a responsibility to shape social life in cities by taking control of their members. After the 17th century, as Ottoman Empire was expanding to the new lands and as the non-Muslim population was increasing, the number of non- sectarian occupational organizations augmented. In this situation, Ottoman state wanted to erase the distinction between Muslims and non-Muslims. By a reform in 1727, guilds became reorganized within a new system called gedik which was not so different than the Akhi occupational organization in terms of the working process. But, what was different was that in gedik, there was not religious differentiation. Gedik meant monopoly and privilege. State had taken the authority of electing the person who would be the chairman of the guild. Therefore, guilds had lost their initiatives outside the state. Thus, guild was choosing the candidates and the state was electing them (Belge, 2005:313). According to ÇaÄÅ ¸atay (1990), state began to fix the number of masters within all trades (meslek). Somebody outside the gedik could not perform the same craft of this gedik independently or could not sell the goods produced in these gediks according to the rules of the state. The state took the authority of giving mastery licences from the guild. State established gedik system for increasing central authority over the guilds. As the Muslim character of the guilds disappeared when the guilds became open to the non-Muslim artisans, the meeting place of the guild members of the Akhi organizations which was zawia was no more a meeting place for guild members. In these times, when non-Muslim could establish their own guilds, the new meeting place became lonca. Gedik type work organization which began in 17th century continued until 1860. As there was a monopoly rule at gediks, without a necessity, the number of workshops was not changed by the state. This meant that the number of workshops was stable at a number decided by the state. In gedik system, nobody could open a shop without getting his mastery licence from the state and also, they could not perform their skills. Monopoly rules aim was to prevent changes in numbers of craftsmen at the city, to obstruct the tenants to increase the rents, to impede the performance of craft outside the gediks and to protect the system of being educated in the gedik, starting as errand boy (ÇaÄÅ ¸atay, 1989:111-118). So, state took the control completely. In the 19th century, after the declaration of Tanzimat Command in 3 November 1839, Ottoman State made trade treaties with foreign countries. Liberal economy of the foreign countries based on laisser-faire obliged Ottoman State to eliminate traditional monopoly over the craft and the trade seeing that monopoly rule was damaging the development of craft and trade and also, was causing states increased economic dependency to the Europe. Thus, the gedik system and all monopolies were abolished in 17 June 1861 with the command of Abdà ¼lmecit. The traditional craft-guilds continued until the Second Constitutional Monarchy period next to the newly established modern occupational associations. As the capitalist economy gained access in Ottoman State, traditional craft-guilds lost their all power and IttihatTerakki rule let this organization to create modern chambers as esnaf odalarÄ ± in 1910 (ÇaÄÅ ¸atay, 1989:216-217). The Akhi organization is considered to be the basis of todays some institutions such as Esnaf Chamber (Esnaf OdasÄ ±), Trade Chamber (Ticaret OdasÄ ±), labor unions, BaÄÅ ¸-Kur, Turkish Standarts Institute (Tà ¼rk StandartlarÄ ± Enstità ¼sà ¼) and municipality (oztà ¼rk, n.d). Looking Akhis mode of dressing, according to ÇaÄÅ ¸atay (1989), they were not wearing silk clothes; they were not using gold ornaments. Because, in Islam, silk and gold were forbidden for men to use. Their turban (sarÄ ±k) was 5-6 metre. Their clothes were at the colors of blue, white, black and green. In zawias, guild members were learning Koran, Sufism, the languages Turkish, Persian, Arabic; they were dealing with history, literature; and also, they were learning how to cook, how to play game, how to play an instrument. Every Akhi organization had its own flag. In every craft-guild, there was mà ¼tevelliwho was taking care of every kind of problems about their craft. He was controlling private and occupational life of the members; he was organizing ceremonies of â€Å"errand boy†, â€Å"apprentice†, â€Å"qualified workman†, and â€Å"master†. ÇaÄÅ ¸atay (1989) said that every craft guild had 2 kinds of members such as internal (dahili) and external (harici). Externals were retired and disabled members. Internals were divided in to 4 groups: Errand boy: He has to be younger than 10 years old. His presence to work had to be provided by his father or his protector (veli) Apprentice: After working for 2 years without wage, errand boys were promoted to the apprentice position with a prepared ceremony. In these ceremonies, master was mentioning his solidarity and talents. The chairman of the ceremony was giving advices to the child about not lying, not leaving his ritual worship (namaz) and continuing his solidarity to the shop, being respectful to his parents; to his qualified workman and to his master. Chairman was deciding a weekly wage to be given by his master. Qualified workman: He has to be apprentice for 3 years. Ceremony was done in craft-guild. This day, he was wearing for the first time the clothes belonging to his craft branch. His master and other 3 masters were witnessing about his good morality. Chairman was giving necessary advices. Master: He had to be qualified workman for 3 years. There shouldnt be any complaints about him. He had to be peevish about educating errand boy. He had to have good relations with apprentices; he had to have a strong commitment to his craft. During his ceremony of being master, chairman was mentioning which prophet was the pirof their craft, and he was giving advices about doing the trade honestly, being respectful to other craftsmen and customers and being merciful to the public. At these times, education was not the responsibility of the state. Therefore, at these times, religious rules were the basis of the society. In Akhism, religion was the main point. Akhi organization was trying to make adopted a well-behaved (ahlà ¢klÄ ±) life to the craftsmen. Akhis were saying that if in this world, they would have a well-behaved lifestyle, in the other world (in ahiret), they would be rewarded by the God, by pointing Koran. In Akhi organizations, it was learned to gain money honestly without making any tricky act. It was learned that the money which they have been gaining had to be permissible (helà ¢l). Craftsmen had to give priority to his craft more than everything. Craftsmen believed that their pir who had first started their craft was a prophet. Thats why, on every shops wall, there was this couplet (ÇaÄÅ ¸atay, 1989:157): â€Å"Her seher besmeleyle aà §Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±lÄ ±r dà ¼kkanÄ ±mÄ ±z Hazreti . dir pirimiz, à ¼stadÄ ±mÄ ±z† Important Akhi rules What they have to do Eli aà §Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±k olmalÄ ±: He has to be generous KapÄ ±sÄ ± aà §Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±k olmalÄ ±: His door has to be open SofrasÄ ± aà §Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±k olmalÄ ±: His dining table has to be open What they should not to do Gozà ¼ kapalÄ ± olmalÄ ±: He has not to be plotter Dili baÄÅ ¸lÄ ± olmalÄ ±: He has not to say any bad words Beli baÄÅ ¸lÄ ± olmalÄ ±: He has not to dishonor anybody According to Cumbur (1975) cited in Tà ¼rk Esnaf TeÃ…Å ¸kilatÄ ±nÄ ±n kuruluÃ…Å ¸u ve Denizli, Akhism had four principles such as: Kuvvetli ve galipken affetmek Hiddetliyken yumuÃ…Å ¸ak davranmak Dà ¼Ãƒâ€¦Ã… ¸manlÄ ±Ãƒâ€žÃ… ¸Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ± dostlukla, kotà ¼là ¼Ãƒâ€žÃ… ¸Ãƒ ¼ iyilikle karÃ…Å ¸Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±lamak Kendi ihtiyacÄ ± varken elindekini baÃ…Å ¸kasÄ ±na vermek In this project, my subject was Akhism as a guild system in the Ottoman Empire. I tried to answer my research question which is â€Å"the effects of the guild organizations norms to the craftsmens process of production†. Firstly, I defined the world Akhism and its origins. Than, I mentioned its role and its importance in the society, I talked about its foundation, its development, and its weakening reasons. I stated its control mechanisms and the reasons of the decline of their control in the society. I expressed the reasons behind the change of the system (gedik). I indicated its work organization (errand boy, apprentice, qualified workman and master), the norms within the organization and the effects of the norms to the guilds production process; and lastly, I also denoted why Akhi organization was removed. I think that I could answer to my research question. In this project, my argument was that the norms of the guild organization were mainly shaped by religion. I saw that my argument was true. Because, in Akhi organizations, religion was the main point and the norms were based on futuwwatnamas religious and moral rules (Islamic Futuwah traditions laws); and also, a well-behaved lifestyle was ordered to craftsmen to be rewarded in ahiret by the God. To sum up, in this project, with the aim of analyzing the effects of the guild organizations norms to the craftsmens process of production and with the aim of verifying my argument, I made a literature review on Akhism. I gave detailed information about Akhism starting from its foundation until its removal, including its importance, its organization, its norms and its roles in the society.

Succubus on Top CHAPTER 21

I woke up the next morning with the worst hangover of my life, and that's saying something. It was actually the cold air that woke me, blowing in through the shattered windows and whipping the curtains around. Seattle had mild winters, but it was still November. I shape-shifted on a heavy sweater and then noticed that Sol's blood had not disappeared from my skin during last night's transformation, the blood had dried to fine, glittering red crystals on me and everything else. I picked up his discarded silk shirt and discovered it did a pretty good job at wiping them off. The previous night was a blur, and I had trouble remembering the fine details. I supposed I could blame whatever mystery liquid I'd drank for that. Looking around at the wreckage brought a lot of the events back to me, and the rest I pieced together. Not wanting to linger in this place, I found my cell phone and called for a cab. As I rode back into Seattle, I decided I wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep some more. My shift didn't start until later; Doug was opening. Wait. No, he wasn't. Doug was in a hospital bed. Sighing, I directed the driver to take me to the bookstore. Three voice-mail messages waited for me when I arrived in the office. One was from the author we had doing a signing that night, E. J. Putnam. All was in order with his flight; he expected to be here as scheduled. The second message was Beth calling in sick. Jesus. Couldn't anyone stay healthy anymore? That put us down two people now. Warren wrapped up the messages, saying he'd be back from Florida later today and would stop in tonight. I decided to be mad at him out of sheer principle. I'd spent the last week dealing with chaos; he'd been golfing in eighty degree weather. I got the store running and then staked out a register. Short-staffing will keep a person busy, at least. It gave me little time to reflect on last night's events. Or Doug. Or the fact that Seth hadn't come in today. Or my fight with Bastien. â€Å"Are you Georgina?† I looked up into the face of a pretty Japanese-American woman. Her face and build just barely crossed over into plumpness, and she wore her black hair in a high ponytail. Something about her smile seemed familiar. â€Å"I'm Maddie Sato,† she explained, extending a hand. â€Å"Doug's sister.† I shook her hand, astonished. â€Å"I didn't know Doug had a sister. â€Å" Her smile quirked a little. â€Å"Lots of them, actually. We're kind of spread out around the country. We all sort of do our own thing.† â€Å"So you came to†¦see Doug?† I hesitated to bring up such a delicate subject, but why else would she be here? She nodded. â€Å"I've been with him this morning. He's doing great and said to tell you hello.† That was the best news I could have received. â€Å"He woke up.† â€Å"Yes. He's grumpy and punchy but otherwise fine. He said he has some CDs in your office he wants. He asked if I could pick them up.† â€Å"Sure, I'll show you,† I said, leading her toward the back. Wow. Doug's sister. â€Å"How'd you find out about Doug?† â€Å"Seth Mortensen called me.† I stumbled and nearly walked into a display of gardening books. â€Å"How do you know Seth?† â€Å"I write for Womanspeak magazine. Seth had some questions about a feminist organization that he needed answered for his book, and Doug gave him my e-mail address about a month ago. So, we've been in touch a couple times. When Doug†¦got sick, Seth tracked down my number in Salem and called last night. â€Å" Part of me felt a little jealous that Seth had an e-mail correspondence with her that I hadn't known about, but I immediately quashed such feelings. What he'd done had been terribly considerate. And typical of him. Quietly efficient and kind. I led Maddie into the office and found the CDs in a drawer. â€Å"Did you drive up last night or this morning?† She shook her head. â€Å"Actually Seth picked me up.† â€Å"I†¦what? In Salem? That's, like, four hours away.† â€Å"I know. It was really nice. I don't have a car, so he drove right down after he called, got me in the middle of the night, and then brought me to Doug.† My God. Seth had made an eight-hour round-trip last night. No wonder he wasn't here; he'd gone home to crash. That also meant he hadn't necessarily taken off from the hospital to get away from me. He'd done it to help Doug. A pleasant flutter spread through me at this, half of it relief, half of it a response to still more evidence of Seth's continuing decency and consideration of others. Maddie left me her cell phone number and promised to send my good wishes to Doug. As she was leaving my office, Janice entered it. â€Å"Hey Georgina, Lorelei Biljan's here.† â€Å"Oh, okay. Wait.† I did a double take. â€Å"You mean E. J. Putnam. â€Å" â€Å"No. It's definitely Lorelei. E. J.'s a guy.† â€Å"I know that,† I said. â€Å"But her signing's a week from today. Putnam's is today. I had a message about it and everything.† â€Å"I don't know. I just know she's here.† A horrible sinking feeling built up in me. I followed Janice out and shook hands with a small, solidly built middle-aged woman. I'd seen Lorelei Biljan's pictures in her books. Everything was the same from her brown pixie haircut to her characteristic black clothing. â€Å"I'm going to see some sights today but wanted to check in first,† she told me. â€Å"Oh. Okay. Great.† I smiled thinly, willing myself to keep breathing. We chatted a little bit more, and as soon as she was gone, I tore back to Paige's office and ransacked her desk. Sure enough, her schedules showed both authors coming in today. On the master staff calendar, however, she'd put them on separate days. Our own in-store posters also had them on separate days, but checking newspaper ads, I saw them again scheduled for the same day. Our website declared both appeared today, which meant we'd have fans of both here tonight. Good grief. This was like some bad, clich? ¦d sitcom. We had two dates for the dance. I sat at Paige's desk and rubbed my temples. How had this happened? How had perfect, efficient Paige messed up? I quickly answered my own questions: because she had other things on her mind. She had an increasingly complicated pregnancy on her hands, one that had kept her out for almost three weeks now. A distraction like that would let anyone make mistakes. Unfortunately, I had to deal with them. Andy stuck his head inside. â€Å"Oh, hey, there you are. Bruce said to ask you if any of us can help in the caf? ¦. They're short. And Seth just called the store's main line. Said to tell you he can't do the thing tomorrow. â€Å" â€Å"Seth called?† I asked stupidly. So he wasn't asleep. And the â€Å"thing† tomorrow had been a date to see a local Celtic band play at a pub. But he was cancelling. The noble reasons I had attributed to him for keeping away from me suddenly seemed less altruistic. â€Å"Okay. Thanks.† I stared into space. My world was falling apart around me. I wasn't speaking to the two men I cared about the most. I was in charge of a bookstore that didn't have enough people to run it. Two authors were coming tonight, each expecting to have center stage to promote their books. We didn't have room for that. And to top it all off, I felt like shit. The residual effects of that drug had left me with a wicked headache, and I hadn't gotten nearly enough sleep. Killing a god will really wear you out. I had too much to do and not enough energy or willpower to do it. Let alone the means. I needed a miracle. Divine intervention. And as feasible as that might seem in my line of work, it probably wasn't going to happen. Unless†¦ Divine intervention? I found my purse and pulled out one of the packets of ambrosia. Those weird crystals pulsed out at me as I stared at them. What would happen? Nocturnal Admission had risen to stardom in a short time on these. Could I survive one hellish day at work? Would these give me the stamina and know-how to get through it? Or would I just turn into a slobbering sex kitten? I no longer believed Sol had given these to me last night. That had indeed been a date-rape drug. But these†¦these might be able to offer me some sort of inspiration to get out of this mess. Of course, there was the whole dangerous addiction and withdrawal problem. But this was my first time. Even mortals had to go through a couple doses before things got nasty, and Carter had said it would take even longer for me to hit the downside. I was probably safe, so long as I didn't get too into whatever it was I was about to become. Maybe it was the fatigue, but I didn't hesitate further. Don't overthink it, just act. I ordered a white-chocolate mocha from the caf? ¦ and dumped the crystals in once I was back in my office. â€Å"Bottoms up,† I muttered, just before knocking it all back. When I'd finished, I rested my head on the desk and waited for something to happen. Anything. Mostly I still felt sleepy. I yawned. When did this stuff kick in? How would I know? And good grief, what would I do if this turned into a disaster too? What if it made my day worse? I mean, not that it could get worse. I had two authors booked for tonight. The jealousy Tammi had once joked about could very well occur. Two was a bad number. Two led to rivalry. Add more, and it becomes a friendly group matter, not a one-on-one competition for space and spotlight. I'd been to big events where lots of authors spoke and read. Sometimes they sat on a panel and answered questions together about writing, inspiration, and publishing. Getting those perspectives was neat. It was a cool opportunity for fans of all the writers, and then later, said fans could have books signed by multiple authors. Those events were big deals. They took a lot of planning and a lot of advertising, not to mention a lot of staff. I sat up a couple minutes later, realizing I'd long since jolted to alertness. I didn't have time to note when that had happened or what it meant. I had too many things to do. My mind raced. In a flash, I was out on the main floor, hunting down Andy. I handed him a staff roster. â€Å"I need you to call every person who's not working today – except for the sick ones. See if they'll come in. Preferably for the rest of the day. If not, we'll take what we can get. Then ask everyone here who's not closing if they can close. Tell them they'll get time-and-a-half.† Andy stared as though he'd never seen me before, but I didn't give him time to question me. I went back to my office, paged Maria, and called Maddie Sato while I waited. When Maddie answered, I explained to her what I hoped she could do for me. She sounded surprised by my request, but she agreed nonetheless. She also promised to make another phone call for me that I wasn't too keen on making myself. Maria appeared just as Maddie and I hung up. Maria worked part-time and was shy and quiet. She preferred to avoid the registers if she could, being much happier lost in the shelves. She was also an amazing artist. I handed her a piece of poster board from our supply cabinet. â€Å"I need you to make a poster for tonight's event.† â€Å"The signing?† she asked. â€Å"Er, signings?† Everyone had heard about the double booking by now. â€Å"Not just a signing. It's a literary extravaganza. It's†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I came up with and then promptly rejected several possibilities. â€Å"It's the Emerald Lit Fest.† Boring, but straightforward. Sometimes that was better than a gimmick. â€Å"Yes. The first annual one. And put on here that these authors will be there.† I handed her a list I'd already made up. â€Å"Mention that they'll autograph books. And that we'll have drawings for prizes.† I thought some more, making it up as I went along. The ideas just leapt off my tongue. â€Å"And that 10 percent of all sales will be donated to the Puget Sound's Literacy Project.† â€Å"Wow,† she said. â€Å"I didn't know all this was going on.† â€Å"Yeah,† I agreed briskly. â€Å"Me either. Draw it, type it, cut and paste, whatever. Just do it. I need it in twenty minutes. And it needs to look good. â€Å" She blinked and then immediately set to work. While she did, I made phone calls. Print ads were a no-go, but almost everyone had a website. I called the big papers and the small artsy ones. I also called the local writers' groups and convinced them to e-mail their members. Finally, I called radio stations. They were less willing to do anything on short notice, but they were my best bet at immediate advertising. I could have the DJs mention us without a formal commercial. That took a bit of finagling, but we had an account with most of them already that guaranteed payment, and the charitable angle was hard to resist. Okay, I was hard to resist. Even over the phone, I could hear myself wooing and persuading with an unholy skill. Maria stopped working at one point to stare at me with an almost hypnotized look. Shaking her head, she returned to her poster. Andy popped in with the annotated roster. We hadn't roped in quite as many as I would have liked, but we'd definitely increased our numbers. And most of the current staff was staying. Maria finished her poster just then, and it did look good. I drove to the print shop that usually handled our business and turned the poster over to them. â€Å"No,† the manager told me flatly, making my manic flurry of activity come to a screeching halt. â€Å"I can't do all that in under an hour. Three hours maybe. â€Å" â€Å"Hour and a half?† I cajoled. â€Å"It's for charity. An emergency situation just came up.† She frowned. â€Å"An emergency literacy situation?† â€Å"Literacy is always an emergency. Do you know how many children in the Puget Sound area struggle with reading due to lack of resources and education?† Fortunately, being in the book business, I knew all the grim stats. By the time I was done with her, that battle-axe was nearly in tears. She'd do my order, she promised, and she'd do it in my original hour. While those were being printed, I traveled over to Foster's Books. Locally owned, that store wasn't as big as Emerald City, but it had the same sort of reputation as a local landmark. Technically, we were rivals. Garrett Foster, the owner, looked up when I entered. â€Å"Looking for a job?† â€Å"I've got one for you,† I told him sweetly, leaning on his counter. â€Å"I need you to get in touch with Abel Warshawski for me.† Abel Warshawski was a reclusive local author who wrote wildly popular books about the Pacific Northwest. He and Garrett were longtime friends, so Abel only did appearances at Foster's. Garrett arched a grizzled eyebrow. â€Å"Abel only comes here. You know that. â€Å" â€Å"I do. Which is why I didn't ask for his number.† I laid into Garrett then about how half of Emerald City's staff were in dire health. I talked about charity and literacy statistics. I pointed out that we weren't technically rivals anyway, since he was in Capitol Hill and I was in Queen Anne. Besides, the book industry was like a family. We all had the same goals. â€Å"My God, woman,† he murmured when I finished. I didn't think I'd taken a breath during my entire spiel. â€Å"Are you sure you don't want a new job?† â€Å"I just want Abel for the night.† He bit his lip. â€Å"Think we could get Mortensen over here for a signing some time?† â€Å"Hmm.† I considered this. Bartering was in my blood. â€Å"That depends. You guys close a few hours earlier than us, right? Think we could get a few of you to help us out tonight? Paid, of course.† â€Å"You've got some balls,† he muttered. He stared at me, still thinking, but I knew I had him. He couldn't resist. â€Å"Okay, but only if we get Mortensen during a hot time – around his next release.† â€Å"Done.† I didn't like sharing Seth, but lots of big authors made multiple Seattle appearances when a new book came out. I hoped Seth didn't mind being whored out. Oh, well. That was for later. Before I left, I bought all of Foster's American Mystery and Womanspeak magazines. He hesitated a moment as he rang them up. â€Å"Hey†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He looked me over. â€Å"I don't suppose you read that story Mortensen wrote†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Well,† I said with a breezy smile, no longer caring about my doppelganger, Genevieve, â€Å"let's just say he's not the first man I've given some ‘inspiration' to.† As a parting gift, I also gave Garrett one of our advertisements since I'd had the print shop make me a few to take with me before starting the big order. He stared at the poster incredulously. â€Å"You already put Abel on it! Before you even talked to me!† I left him gaping and went to pick up my posters. I returned to the bookstore and distributed them among three of the staff, arming each with a list of places to hang them. I sent them off and then managed the bookstore end of things, which mostly involved moving a lot of furniture and assigning employee duties for tonight. When six o'clock rolled around, it really was like a miracle had occurred. Signings normally occurred in the second floor caf? ¦. That spot still made up the heart of the show, but I'd had the rest of the second floor cleared out. That meant a lot of shelves and displays got crammed together while the speakers were on, but it didn't matter so much. Most of the people there wanted to hear the authors, not browse books quite yet. And what people we had. E. J. Putnam and Lorelei Biljan had each drawn in their respective science fiction and literary fiction crowds. That was big enough, but my advertising had drawn in even more. We were packed. We needed every inch of space rearranging the furniture had allowed. I couldn't remember ever having this many people in the store. Putnam and Biljan had been a little shaken – and initially unhappy – to find themselves in the midst of the Emerald Lit Fest rather than an ordinary signing. I passed off the confusion as a miscommunication with their people and thanked them for helping the charity. I also reminded them this was a good opportunity to show off for people who normally read other genres, and it wasn't even like either writer was slighted†¦too much. Each of them got to read a ten-minute excerpt and then field fifteen minutes of questions. It was a bit expedited for a signing, yes, but it worked and gave us time to then have a Q&A session with our full panel of authors, consisting of the two headliners plus Seth, Maddie, and Abel. Prize-drawings occurred throughout it all, and I emceed everything myself, not even knowing what I said half the time. â€Å"I can't believe you gave Seth second-billing to Putnam and Biljan,† Andy remarked softly to me during the panel. Only those two authors had been given exclusive spotlight. â€Å"He's bigger than both of them put together.† â€Å"He's also extremely good-natured,† I murmured back. Now that I had a momentary breather, I couldn't stop drinking Seth in. I felt like I hadn't seen his whimsical smile and brown eyes in ages. In fact, I hadn't ever seen that particular Captain and Tennille shirt he wore. I wanted to run up to him but held back. Maddie had been the one to ask him to participate, on my behalf. It was one of the things I'd asked her to do this morning. When all the speaking was done, I had the staff more or less move everything back. We left the caf? ¦ cleared out and set up a table for each of the authors to do signings. Even Maddie, who was fairly obscure, had some takers. Womanspeak had sort of a cult reputation, and I think she'd gained a few fans during the panel. Passing by Seth as he spoke to a fan, I caught his eye and paused. A moment of awkwardness hung between us that even my ambrosia-induced mania could not overcome. We had too much unresolved business between us yet. â€Å"Thank you,† I said simply. â€Å"Thank you for doing this.† â€Å"Well,† he said after a moment. â€Å"You know me. I haven't missed an Emerald Lit Fest yet. I'm not about to start now.† The store was nowhere near emptying when closing came, so we let them stay, especially since we were doing a hell of a business. It was around then that Warren showed up. He stood next to me and joined me in a survey of the crowd around us. â€Å"Why,† he said after a moment, â€Å"do I feel like a parent who has just returned home and found his teens throwing a party?† â€Å"Paige double-booked Biljan and Putnam. This seemed like the logical solution.† â€Å"And when did you discover the double-booking?† â€Å"This morning.† â€Å"This morning,† he repeated. â€Å"So, instead of, say, moving furniture on the first floor and simply having two concurrent signings, you decided – with less than a day's notice – to have a star-studded, massively advertised soiree with more people than this store can hold?† I blinked. Wow. That really would have been a simpler solution. â€Å"It's a ‘fest,' actually. Not a soiree. And don't forget it's for charity.† Warren jerked his head toward me. â€Å"We're donating this to charity?† â€Å"Only 10 percent,† I assured him. â€Å"But there's actually a woman here from the Literacy Project who was so impressed that she wants to talk about us getting involved in a much bigger fundraiser with them. It probably won't be until next year – in the spring, of course. We wouldn't want to conflict with the next Emerald Lit Fest.† â€Å"The next one?† â€Å"Well, yeah. It's a tradition now.† I'd been riding the high from all of this pretty steadily all night. I was still so high, in fact, I probably could have arranged and implemented the second Emerald Lit Fest for tomorrow morning. Something suddenly occurred to me. â€Å"Hey, am I in trouble?† He rubbed his eyes. â€Å"Georgina, you are†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shook his head. â€Å"Beyond words. And not in trouble. Definitely not. We won't do this much business on Black Friday.† He gave me one of his nicer smiles, reminiscent of our more intimate days. â€Å"Why don't you go home now? You need it. Your pupils are really big.† â€Å"Are you throwing me out? Are you sure I'm not in trouble?† â€Å"You're not in trouble. But I've heard about how much overtime you've been putting in, as well as†¦other things. Paige is going to be here next week, and we'll sit down and talk then.† He suddenly did a double take. â€Å"Is that Garrett Foster working one of our registers?† I walked home reluctantly. It wasn't easy abandoning one's brainchild. I still felt high and giddy, like pure adrenaline ran in my veins. I couldn't just go home. I needed to do something. Plan something. Anything active. A few guys glanced at me as we passed each other, and I smiled provocatively at them, nearly making one run into a garbage can. Maybe there were other ways of being active tonight. My cell phone rang, and I answered without thinking. It was Bastien. â€Å"Damn it. I forgot I was supposed to be screening my calls. I'm still not speaking to you.† â€Å"Don't hang up. I have to talk to you.† â€Å"No, I told you – â€Å" † Fleur ,I'm leaving.† I heard a strained, weary tone to his voice. He wasn't talking about going out for the night. My euphoric glow dimmed a little. â€Å"You're leaving Seattle.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because it isn't going to work with Dana. We both know it.† I stood in front of my building now and stared at it blankly, waiting for some ambrosia inspiration to give me the insight that would help Bastien finally woo Dana. Nothing happened, so I did the only thing I could. â€Å"I'll be right over.† I found his door unlocked when I arrived and walked inside. â€Å"Mitch† stood in the kitchen with his back to me, hands resting on the island, entire posture slumped. I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my head against his back. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I whispered. â€Å"Me too.† â€Å"The cooking thing didn't pan out?† I almost laughed at my own pun. God, this ambrosia was great. â€Å"No. Although, I can make a lovely creme brulee now. I have some in the refrigerator if you want to try it.† He sighed. â€Å"But no, it wasn't working. And you knew that, didn't you?† He turned around so that we faced each other. I looked away. â€Å"Yeah. But I didn't want to†¦I dunno. I hoped, I guess. Hoped it would work out.† We stood there in silence for a while. No matter how angry I was at him, I hated seeing him like this. Devastated. Defeated. † Fleur, I want to apologize about that night – â€Å" â€Å"No, it's not all your – â€Å" â€Å"Just listen to me first,† he admonished. â€Å"There's something I have to tell you. Something about Seth.† And then, just like every other time I visited, the doorbell rang. The incubus waved an annoyed hand. â€Å"Leave it.† â€Å"It could be her.† â€Å"I don't care. I don't want to see her.† Maybe he was pessimistic, but I'd eaten the Food of the Gods. I felt like I could do anything. I knew I could do anything. My confidence and cleverness knew no bounds. I had created a new tradition at Emerald City in a matter of hours. Surely I could still find some last glimmer of hope for Bastien if I had a chance to speak to Dana face-to-face. â€Å"There still might be a way,† I told him as I walked to the door. † Go invisible if you want. I want to talk to her. â€Å" â€Å"If it's even her,† he called after me. But it was her. â€Å"Tabitha.† She smiled. â€Å"I thought I saw you come in.† I returned her smile with my own. A dazzling one. I wasn't going to be shy and idiotic around her anymore. I should never have been that way under normal conditions, let alone now, when I was at my finest. â€Å"I'm so glad you could stop by,† I told her, warmth oozing out of every pore. I beckoned her in as though I lived there. As much as she saw me over there, I might as well have. â€Å"Please, come inside. Let me get you something to drink.† For the first time, I saw Dana off guard. I was not the Tabitha she knew, and she didn't know how to handle it. Bastien stood in the kitchen, invisible, arms crossed defiantly over his chest. I winked at him and then turned back to Dana. â€Å"Mitch is out for a while, if you wanted to see him.† â€Å"Oh. That's fine. I can, um, stay for a little while†¦I guess.† She seemed unnerved by my control of the situation. I poured us both iced tea, and we sat down at the table. I led us into conversation about our days, telling her about an awesome charity event I'd been to at a downtown bookstore. Dana recovered some of her composure and returned to her smooth and controlled self. Her bigoted nature aside, the woman could manage a decent conversation, and we clicked. Too bad she didn't channel her intelligence into more useful areas, I thought. As we talked about assorted things, the solution to the whole Dana situation struck me – it was so obvious. I don't know if it was the ambrosia or not, but I couldn't believe how blind we'd all been. How had none of us figured out the problem with her? What kind of seduction experts were we? Bastien was right. Dana was a lost cause. For him. â€Å"Dana,† I interrupted in a most un-Tabitha way, â€Å"I'm really glad you came over tonight because there's something I've needed to ask you.† She choked on her tea. â€Å"Yes?† I propped my elbows on the table, resting my chin in my hands so I could have solid eye contact. â€Å"You said a little while ago that you and Bill had lost the romance and that you didn't care. But you know what? I don't believe that. I think you miss it. I think you crave it. But not with him.† Dana's face went pale, eyes wide. Bastien, standing nearby, wore a similar look. I didn't care. We had nothing to lose at this point. â€Å"Am I right?† I leaned closer. â€Å"There is something missing, isn't there? And you were lying about not knowing what's sexy. You know. You know what turns you on, and you want it. You want it so bad, you can taste it.† I swear, you could have heard a pin drop in the room. Dana worked forcibly to control her breathing, staring and staring at me as though I might vanish if she blinked. â€Å"Yes,† she finally croaked. â€Å"You've been right about a lot of things. Like how we can't choose who we want. And yes†¦I think we both know what I'm talking about, Tabitha.† Some of her old confidence began to return. â€Å"At first, I wasn't sure. You were so hard to read. But then, after I saw how awkward things were with you and your boyfriend – how you never wanted to talk about him and said you weren't attracted to him – I knew for sure. That little lingerie show you put on for me cinched it. You were amazing. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I'd already seen you naked in the hot tub, and that had been agonizing enough. I had to see you naked again. And then, as I talked to you more, I realized you were intelligent too. Just like tonight.† She took a deep, quaking breath and reached out her hand to cover mine, fingers slowly dancing along my skin. â€Å"You're right. I do want something. So bad I can taste it. I know it's wrong, and I know it's immoral, but I can't help myself. I can't help who I want. Can't help wanting you.† No wonder Bastien hadn't been able to close the deal. Dana had wanted me. Probably from the moment I stepped out of the pool in that skimpy bathing suit. Staring at her, I thought about all the horrible things her group did. I also thought about Bastien being tortured by some demon. In some cases, being immortal wasn't always a blessing. Now, I could save him from that fate and send a little payback to the CPFV. I smiled back at Dana, letting my body language speak for me as the tension mounted. I admit, I was a little surprised that all of my previous encounters had been read as advances on her, but well, whatever. The invisible incubus had run out of the room somewhere around â€Å"I had to see you naked again.† He returned now, wielding the video camera. Seeing my calculated silence, he waved the camera at me frantically, glee all over his face. I held the power now to change everything. The power to achieve what Bastien had been fighting for. To save him and humiliate the CPFV. If I could just pull this off. The ambrosia had proved today that my strongest talents lay in improvisation and planning, the ability to multitask and solve problems. That was great. It made me feel better about myself than I had in a while. It was probably what had led me to realize the truth about Dana too. But what about my earlier musings about the ambrosia? In regard to sex? Was my sexual prowess still a key part of me? Had the ambrosia enhanced that too? Could I rock some man – or woman – in bed? Looking at Dana and her now-obvious lust, I knew the answer. I gave a sultry laugh and jauntily brushed my hair out of my face. I could and would rock her world. I was a team player, after all. For both teams. Squeezing her hand, I moved toward her. â€Å"I feel exactly the same way.†

Pain in the Chain

Exceso is a hypothetical company taken from a Harvard Case Study. In reference to the four assigments we want to present our analyze. The Case study describes the situation of Exceso, which is a manufacture and the supply chain of Exceso. The Situation shows that they are obviously in trouble. In the following we try to summarize their problems. As the manufacture in the supply chain they have many different problems. It seems to be that they have over-ambitious sales targets, which affected the whole supply chain process. Furthermore Exceso heavily discounting their products in order to increase their customer base.Perhaps that leads to more trouble in the next period. â€Å"If we go with deeper discounts, we’ll move more product. Duh! But it’s not going to sell through. It’ll end up in their warehouse. We know that. † This quotation shows that Exceso could have problem to increase their turnover in the next period because the market is saturated. Based o n your analysis we want to offer some solutions in order to improve the situation of Exceso. We try to provide a suggestion on an optimal supply chain design. As a start Exceso have to change their output obsessed outlook and shall adhere to their customers’ demands.All participants in the supply chain have to work together. They need a collaborative, planning system. This involve a strong tie relationship between Exceso and their distributors. Furthermore they have to work out a shared interest business plan. They have to amalgamate their forecasts, where possible. Finally they need a demand-based product mix planning. How could be this aims be achieved? What is necessary to be done for implementing your suggestion? In our opinion they could implement an electronic data interchange system (EDI) for example a supplier – portal based on an internet-platform.EDI is very useful in the supply chain because it helps to structure the information flow. Moreover the communicat ion with EDI leads to more speed in which trading partner receives and incorporates the information in comparison to paper documents. Likewise it could reduce errors such as shipping an billing errors. Finally it will hopefully keep disparities between over- and underproduction to a minimum. Sharing information could replace high stocks and perhaps they are able to handle increasing demands.

What Are Feedlot Beef, Organic Beef and Grass-Fed Beef

Opponents of factory farming are increasingly turning to grass-fed beef and organic beef. But what do these terms mean, and how are they different from feedlot beef? What Is Feedlot Beef? Cattle in the U.S. start life on a pasture, nursing from their mothers and eating grass. When the calves are about 12 to 18 months old, they are transferred to a feedlot where they eat mostly grain. Grain is an unnatural diet for cows, but raising cows in feedlots is cheaper than raising them on large pastures, where they can roam and graze on grass. Because the cows in feedlots are crowded, they are more likely to become sick and are more likely to be given routine antibiotics as a preventive measure. Cows raised in this way are also typically given growth hormones so that they can reach slaughter weight faster. Because grain-fed cows grow faster, farmers can produce more meat in a shorter amount of time. After approximately six months in a feedlot, the cattle are sent to slaughter. Raising cows in feedlots is environmentally harmful because of the concentration of wastes and because of the inefficiency of feeding grain to cattle. Estimates of the number of pounds of grain required to produce a pound of beef range from 10 to 16 pounds. Many people also have health concerns regarding hormones and antibiotics. According to Dr. Dale Woerner, assistant professor with the Center for Meat Safety Quality at Colorado State University, 97% of the beef produced in the U.S. is grain-fed feedlot beef, while the other 3% is grass-fed. What Is Grass-Fed Beef? Grass-fed cattle start out the same way as feedlot cattle – raised on a pasture, nursing from their mothers and eating grass. When 97% of the cows go to feedlots, the other 3 percent remain on pastures and continue to eat grass, a more natural diet than the grain that is fed to cattle in feedlots. However, grass-fed beef is also environmentally destructive, because more land and other resources are required to raise the animals. Cattle raised to be turned into grass-fed beef are usually a smaller breed. They grow slower and have a lower slaughter weight. Organic Versus Grass-Fed Some people confuse organic beef with grass-fed beef. The two categories are not the same but are not mutually exclusive. Organic beef comes from cattle who are raised without antibiotics or growth hormones and are fed an organically-grown, vegetarian diet. This diet may or may not include grains. Grass-fed beef comes from cattle raised solely on grass, hay, and forage. Grains cannot be included in the diets of grass-fed cattle, but the grass and hay may or may not be organically grown. If the hay and grass in a grass-fed cow’s diet are organic, then the beef is both organic and grass-fed. Although producers of organic beef and grass-fed beef both claim that their products are more eco-friendly and more humane than feedlot beef, all three types of beef are environmentally destructive and result in the slaughter of the cattle.