Strategic Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Marketing - Assignment Example the researcher ventures to critical evaluate the four major components of market orientation which in turn enables companies to satisfy the needs and demands of their customers thereby maximizing value for the shareholders. Given the fact that companies puts the interest of customers on top of their priority list, their level of satisfaction is enhanced by several strategies implemented by company managers that are aimed towards proper competitor profiling and inter-functional coordination. All of this is achieved via adequate collection of analysis of market intelligence. In this particular project the researcher will conduct a critical assessment of all of the above mentioned factors as well as highlight the effectiveness with which the researcher’s company conducts market orientation. By doing so, the researcher will be able to identify the gaps that exist in the company’s market orientation strategies and make appropriate recommendations to the managing director. The report is being addressed to the managing director of XYZ Company with the underlying aim of setting forth the effectiveness of the company with respect to the fundamental components of market orientation. Given the fact that having an effective marketing orientation strategy in place is one of the most pivotal activities to be performed by an organization, the researcher endeavours to pin point certain strategies that would enable the organization to enhance its market orientation effectiveness. In a world that is characterized by rapid changes in customer preferences, even faster progress in the field of technology and increasing intensity of competitive contention, it becomes pivotal for organizations to develop a mechanism in order to generate information related to the market, analyze the same and respond in view of that. The cluster of activities set forth by organizations everlastingly in order to scrutinize, analyze as well as respond to the transformations in the market is termed as

Bacolod Public Plaza Essay Example for Free

Bacolod Public Plaza Essay * The Bacolod Public Plaza is one of the notable landmarks of Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occidental, Philippines. It is located in the heart of the downtown area, near the city hall and across from the San Sebastian Cathedral. The plaza is a trapezoidal park with a belt of trees around the periphery and a gazebo at the center. Scattered within the trees are four circular fountains. * The plaza was constructed in 1927 as a place for recreation, political, spiritual and cultural activities. It is quite a popular site for outdoor picnics and concerts. The gazebo is often used to house a bandstand and inscribed along the sides of the roof are the names of Western classical musiccomposers Beethoven, Wagner, Haydn, and Mozart. The plaza is the heart of the MassKara Festival celebration.[1] The MassKara Festival is a week-long celebration held each year in Bacolod City every third weekend of October nearest October 19, the citys Charter Anniversary. The Bacolod public plaza is the final destination of MassKara street dancing competition which is the highlight of the celebration. Capitol Park and Lagoon * The Capitol Park and Lagoon is a provincial park located in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, in Philippines. One of the features of the park is matching sculptures depicting a woman standing alongside a water buffalo and that of a man pulling another water buffalo. * These sculptures are located at the northern and southern ends of the lagoon. These figures were executed by Italian sculpture Francesco Riccardo Monti who also did the sculptures of the Metropolitan Manila Theater and the University of the Philippines Visayas Iloilo campus. * Guillermo Tolentino also contributed as a sculptor of the figures.Popular activities at the park include jogging, aerobics, school dance rehearsals, promenading, Arnis and martial arts practice and feeding the tilapias of the lagoon. * The main landmark in the park is the Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol building. It is the official seat of the Governor of the province. Different government offices of the province serving its thirteen cities and municipalities are also located in the vicinity of the park. San Sebastian Cathedral * Cathedral of San Sebastian was founded in April 27, 1876 by Bishop Mariano Cuartero but the cornerstone was laid and it was inaugurated in the January 20 in the year 1882. Now, referred to as the Bacolod Cathedral is located along the Rizal Street across the Bacolod City Public Plaza. * The structure of cathedral is made up of coral stones and lime quarried of Guimaras Island and Palawan wood. Visitors of the cathedral will instantly notice the baroque architectural style as the pillar, walls; foundations of the church are coral stones. * The statue of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Bacolod is there on one side of the faà §ade while the resurrected Jesus Christ is there in the mid section of the faà §ade. The statue of San Sabestian is there inside the church on the main altar. Other highlights of the church are the flag stand with the logo of Recoletos and the old Stations of the Cross made up of plaster of Paris. Negros Museum * Visit to Negros Museum of Bacolod is the best way of getting acquainted with the history of this city. This museum is a perfect blend of artwork, relics and artifacts which enables you to understand the present and past of the city. * The museum exhibits several must see galleries such as JGM Gallery of International Folk Art and Folk Toys. This is an excellent place to visit with children as it focuses on playing items from all round the World. * There are around three thousand toys for playing. Other must visit sections of the museum for children include The TUKLAS Childrens Library, Resource and Activity Center etc. * The workshop is also organized by the museum where children can learn paintings, sculpting and to experience their hands on various forms of pottery. The museum also exhibits numerous other must see exhibits such as the Iron Dinosaurs, fifty boat, sugar industry and much more. THE BALAY NEGRENSE * The Balay Negrense is a museum in Silay City, Negros Occidental in the Philippines, showcasing the lifestyle of a late 19th-century Negrense sugar baron. It is notable for being the first museum to be established in the province of Negros Occidental. * The house is of the type called bahay na bato, literally house of stone, however, reflecting American colonial influences, the lower storey is not constructed of stone but of concrete. The foundation posts are made out of trunks of the balayong tree, a local hardwood; the floorboards are of the same material. Bacolod-Silay International Airport * Bacolod-Silay International Airport (IATA: BCD, ICAO: RPVB) is the main airport serving the general area of Bacolod City, the capital city of Negros Occidental in the Philippines. This airport replaced the Bacolod City Domestic Airport in 2007. The Bacolod-Silay International Airport inherited its IATA and ICAO airport codes from the former. * The airport is located fifteen kilometers northeast of Bacolod City on a 181-hectare site in Barangay Bagtic, Silay City. The airport, which is built to handle international traffic, is expected to become the primary gateway to Negros Island. It is one of the three international airports envisioned to serve the Western Visayas region, alongside Kalibo International Airport and the New Iloilo Airport. * The Bacolod-Silay International Airport is designated as an International Airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, a body of the Department of Transportation and Communications that is responsible for the operations of not only this airport but also of all other airports in the Philippines except the major international airports. POPE JOHN PAUL II TOWER * The John Paul II Tower stands at the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. reclaimed area where the Pope held a Mass in February 20, 1981. It was built to commemorate the event that happened twenty-nine years ago when the late Pope John Paul II visited Bacolod City. * At the entrance of the tower stands an eight-foot sculpture of John Paul made of synthetic bronze and fiberglass created by Brother Tagoy Jakosalem. On top of the tower is a 12-foot stainless steel lighted cross made and donated by Architect Ramiro Garcia, former vice mayor of Bacolod. * This eight-story glass tower was inaugurated on February 18, 2010 with the holy presence of Archbishop Joseph Edward Adams, Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, assisted by the Bishop of the Diocese of Bacolod, his Excellency, Msgr. Vicente Navarra. * The donor of the 700 square-meter lot at the reclamation area and the eight-story building just a few steps away from SM City Bacolod is lawyer Simplicio Palanca. It is covered in glass panels and houses personal possessions of John Paul. * On top of the tower is a breathtaking view of Bacolod City and the Guimaras Strait. It is also equipped with a glass enclosed elevator, a water system and a generating set. The JPII Tower will not just be Bacolods fine tourist attraction but a testament on how strong our catholic faith is. ARANETA AND LACSON ST. * Lacson Street is one of the major streets in the city of Bacolod. It is the main artery leading to the north part of Negros. * Its counterpart is the Araneta St., which will lead you to the south. Here in Bacolod, Lacson Street is regarded as the chic side of the City.It is where Banks, Hotels, Malls, first class Restaurants, Park, coffee shops and bars are located. * Because of its potential to be one of the center of activities, Mayor Bing transformed this place into a Huge party arena. It is now called as the Festival Strip during Masskara and Bacolaodiat festivals for 2 years now. * During festival season, the road is totally blocked (from 4th st. all the way to Ramos intersection.) Bars and Restaurants are placing tables and chairs on the street, Bandstands are everywhere, Party lights in every corners and people are simply enjoying. * Party starts at 7pm and ends in the wee hours of the morning. Who would have thought that Lacson street would come this far? I actually never thought it will be a hit until i went there and partied with my friends during the electric masskara which happened last October. * The atmosphere is so festive, police are everywhere which makes the place more safe. It was totally awesome and worth for an experience. LA SALLE AVENUE: * The University of St. La Salle (USLS), located in La Salle Avenue, Bacolod City, Philippines, is a Catholic private university run by the De La Salle Brothers. Established in 1952 as La Salle College Bacolod, it is the second oldest campus originally founded by the congregation in the country.The university is a member of De La Salle Philippines, a network established in 2006 comprising 17 Lasallian institutions in the country. * USLS was founded by Br. Dennis Ruland FSC, Br. Hugh Wester FSC, and Br. V. Felix Masson FSC. La Salle College-Bacolod opened with 175 male students from Prep to Grade 5, under seven faculty members. The school building was unimpressive, built amidst sprawling muddy grounds and borded by cane fields of adjoining lands. * In the 1960s La Salle College-Bacolod expanded from Grade School to College. This was made possible through donations by alumni, parents and benefactors. The school became co-educational in 1966. On July 5, 1988, La Salle College-Bacolod was formally elevated to university status and christened University of St. La Salle during rites graced by then Honorable Secretary of Education Lourdes Quisumbing. CINCO DE NOVIEMBRE: * IT WAS a tour-de-force performance as sugarcane ‘trabajadores’ and ‘hacendados’ played their roles for one day only as members of the Negros Revolutionary Movement. The ‘hacendados’ promoted themselves (or were told) to become captains of the army. The ‘obreros’ were excited (because of their devotion to the landlords) to act as soldiers. * There was also the obligatory dose of cheesy humor and wisecracks because the soldiers trained in the cane fields were only armed with bolos and spears. Some of the ‘hacendados’ managed to ride on their own horse. The adventurous few had their carabaos as if going to a royal tournament. Some references mentioned Nicolas Golez, Leandro Rama Locsin, Timoteo Unson, Melecio Severino and Vicente GamboayBenedicto as the potent leaders of Silay revolution. * The preparation had a cocktail of ornate finesse because the lords of the haciendas put on their gallant uniform like swaggering sword-wielding stars. The most important characters were the ‘jornaleros’ who gave their iconic cinematic hugs to their wives and parents as if they would be facing dramatic imminent doom in their attack at the garrison of the Spaniards. My creative amalgamation takes an egalitarian stand as I picture out hundreds of Silaynons in assault formation in front of Farmacia Locsin owned by Leandro Locsin (now, the Cinco de Noviembre Marker). * Melecio Severino and Nicolas Golez could have followed the advice of Sun Tzu in his book The Art of War. â€Å"In war, the general receives his commands from the sovereign, collects his army and concentrates his forces. . . . If we wish to wrest an advantage from the enemy, we must not fix our minds on that alone, but allow for the possibility of the enemy also doing some harm to us, and let this enter as a factor into our calculations.† * The basest instincts were at their best and the nationalistic Silaynons enthusiastically marched towards the Spanish garrison while chanting ‘Binangon,’ the hymn of the Negros revolution written by Kabayao of Sagay. Silaynons could be heroes after death but it was not a biopic where they were thinking of their lives as heroes after the historic surge. That could also be their grandest, nuttiest scheme yet. Silaynons were out to prove that they got nuts. As fighters for freedom, our ancestors were visionaries, dreamers, people who would consider victory in another shape. * The agony for the Spaniards did not last long. The rickety old garrison was already surrounded with a lavish cast prepared for a high-octane scene and the few civil guards inside under the command of Lt. Maximiano Correa had no way to avert disaster. Juan Viaplana, a local Spaniard and ‘empresario’, explained to Correa that the only way to stay alive was to surrender peacefully. * That was it, but the agreement papers mentioned that the civil guards gave up only after a heroic resistance against overwhelming odds. There was a bloody man-to-man combat and the civil guards stood their ground with Correa. That was nefarious and the dull, plodding scene of what could have been the ‘First Bloodless Revolution’ in Philippine history was made popcorn to save Spanish honor. November 5, 1898; Saturday. Before the day ended, The Philippine flag made by Olympia Severino, Eutropia Yorac and Perpetua Severino was raised for the first time at Silay plaza. The one-day revolution flows with a vibrant kinetic energy loaded with high-speed maneuvers. It ended like a Silay piaya—crisp outside, sweet inside. Happy Negros Day! OLD CITY HALL: * Bacolod City, situated on the northwestern part of the island of Negros, is bounded by the Guimaras Strait on the west, the municipality of Talisay on the north, the municipality of Murcia on the east, and Bago City on the South. * The City has land area of 156.1 kilometers. In 1970, it had a population of 187,300. It has a cool invigorating climate with abundant rainfall. The majority of the people speak Ilonggo and the rest speak Cebuano. * Bacolod, the Sugar City in the Philippines, is one of the most progressive and elite cities in the country. Along its highway, sugarcane plantation is a typical scene; coconut and rice are also grown. The people are engaged in livestock, fishing and pottery. * Bacolod was derived from the Ilonggo word bakolod meaning stonehill since the settlement was founded in 1770 on a stonehill area, now the district of Granada and the former site of the Bacolod Murcia Milling Company. * Due to the Muslin raids in 1787, Bacolod was transferred towards the shorline. The old site was called Da-an Banwa, meaning old town. * In 1894, by order of Governor General Claveria, through Negros Island Governor Manuel Valdeviseo Morquecho, Bacolod was made the capital of the Province of Negros. Bernardino de los Santos became the first gobernadorcillo and Fray Julian Gonzaga the first parish priest. * The succes of the revolution in Bacolod was attributed to the low morale of the local Spanish detahcment-due to its defeat in Panay and Luzon and to the psychological warfare of Generals Aniceto Lacson and Juan Araneta. In 1897, a battle in Bacolod was fought in Matab-ang River. * A year later, on November 5, 1898, the Negrense Revolucionarios, armed with knives, bolos, spears, and rifle-like nipa stems, and pieces of sawali mounted in carts, captured the convento where Coronel de Castro y Cisneros, well-armed casadores and platoons of civil guards, surrendered. * Two days later, on the 17th, most of the revolutionary army gathered together to establish a Provisional Junta and to confirm the elections of Aniceto Lacson as president, Juan Araneta as war-delegate, as well as the other officials. * On March 1899, the American forces led by Colonel James G. Smith occupied Bacolod, the revolutionary capital of the Provisional Republic of Negros. * Bacolod City was occupied by the Japanese forces on May 21, 1942. Three years after, it was liberated by the American forces on May 29, 1945. * By virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 326, enacted by the National Assembly, the City of Bacolod was created on June 18, 1938. NEGROS NIGHT LIFE: Bacolod Nightlife * Are you planning a visit to Bacolod City and wondering what to do for fun at night in Bacolod? Participating in the local nightlife scene can be a lot of fun when you travel to a new city, but figuring out where the locals go isnt always easy. Here are 5 of the best Bacolod nightlife options for you to consider. Bacolod locals enjoy these top nightlife activities and if youre here for a visit, you will too! 1. Begin with a drink and dinner at one of Bacolods restaurants. Because so many people live and work right in the city, Bacolod restaurants are a big part of the Bacolod nightlife scene and tend to be full every night of the week. 2. Spend part of your evening at one of the many Bacolod comedy club. Youll have your choice of stand-up, improv, ensembles, open mic, and other formats. You can also find national headliners as well as local talent. 3. Or, spend the evening at the movies. In addition to a few theaters that show first-run movies such as the SM Cinema, youll find lots of other theaters and other venues for watching foreign language, indie, classic, experimental, and other film genres. 5. Stop by one of the many Bacolod bars. If youre interested in exploring Bacolod nightlife, youll probably end up in one (or more) of our popular bars, where a lot of Bacolod locals have fun at night in the city. 6. End your evening at one of Bacolods disco clubs Where do you go toward the end of the evening? Thats easy a Bacolod disco club. Bacolod has a wide range of choices from casual to dress, all featuring DJs and every kind of music that you can imagine. Most of these popular Bacolod nightlife spots get going around 10pm and then close at 2am after last call. RAMOS DIZON MUSEUM: * Housed in the ancestral home of Raymundo L. Dizon and Hermelinda V. Ramos, the Dizon-Ramos Museum is one of the many reasons you will visit Bacolod, Philippines. It was constructed in 1950 and shows the architecture of after-war Bacolod. The house is a blend of modern and neo-classic which makes anyone appreciate its past. The visitors get a sense of how upper-middle class lived in Bacolod in the 1950s. * In 2007, the house of Ramos and Dizon was converted into a museum, thus the name Dizon-Ramos Museum, a year after Hermelinda meet her creator. The museum was blessed andinaugurated on August 15, 2007. Among the artifacts deemed worthy to preserve for posterity are immense collections of naff ceramics, glassware, and religious knick-knacks. The first floor of the museum comprises of the Main Exhibit Hall which boasts a collection of a hundred pictorial reproductions which tried tocaptivate the rich history of Bacolod City and the prominent family, the Dizon-Ramos. Some of the photographs were taken in 1937 when Raymundo, also known as â€Å"Munding† and Hermelinda, also known as â€Å"Ermy† were wed. The photographs are ordered chronologically by decades, thus giving the visitors a coup d’oeil into the city’s baronial past and their family. There are three bedrooms on the left side of the house. It contains some memorabilia of the family. PANAAD PARK AND STEDIUM: * The Panaad Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located inside the Panaad Park and Sports Complex in Bacolod, Philippines. Owned by theNegros Occidental provincial government, it is used for football matches, and is the adopted home of the Philippines national football team. * It played host to football at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games and was later the venue of the qualifiers of the 2007 ASEAN Football Championship or ASEAN Cup, in which the Philippines, Cambodia, Timor Leste, Brunei and Laos participated. The stadium has a seating capacity of 15,500 at the bleachers, but holds approximately 20,000 people with standing areas. * Aside from the football field, the stadium features a rubberized track, and the Sports Complex features an Olympic-size swimming pool, basketball court and other sports facilities. Surrounding these structures are cabanas. * The stadium is also the home of Panaad sa Negros Festival, a week-long celebration participated in by all cities and municipalities in the province held annually during the summer. The festival is highlighted by merry-making and field demonstrations at the stadium. The stadium itself features replicas of the landmarks of the thirteen cities and municipalities of Negros Occidental. * The stadium was recently considered to host the semifinal matches of the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cupbetween the Philippines and Indonesia, but was disqualified for not satisfying the standards of theASEAN Football Federation. On February 9, 2011, the stadium hosted a match between thePhilippines national football team and Mongolia in the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification with an attendance of 20,000 people. CAPITOL SHOPPING AREA: * The Bacolod Capitol Shopping Center is known as the Chinatown of Bacolod City because of the numerous Chinese business establishments in the area. Perhaps, only a few Bacolodnons, especially the younger generations, knew that it is a tragedy which gave birth to Shopping. * In 1955, a big fire gutted the area bounded by Araneta, Gonzaga, Locsin and Luzuriaga which is growing commercial center where most Chinese business establishments were located. The business establishments also doubled as residents so these Chinese were also displaced because of the fire. * Alfredo Montelibano Sr. saw an opportunity to attract the displaced Chinese businessmen so he developed the 27-hectare property north of Bacolod which gave way to the Capitol Shopping Center. Mr. Montelibano also donated a half-hectare property to the Bacolod Chinese Catholic Association where Hua Ming School and church are now located. * The Montelibano family has already transformed what used to be cogonland into Villamonte Subdivision and the upscale Capitolville Subdivision. During the time that the Capitol Shopping Center was being constructed, the exclusive boy’s school La Salle Bacolod and St. Scholastica Academy were already operating not far from Shopping. It’ not surprising then that the area became a prominent commercial center in Bacolod after its completion. * However, through the years, various business establishments re-opened in Bacolod downtown area and big malls opened in the city which took away customers from the Shopping area. Years of neglect have deteriorated most establishments in the Shopping area and even parts of the roads need to be rehabilitated. Capitol Shopping Center has lost its luster as a business center and no longer attracted investments and only a few new establishments located in the area in recent years. * In the hope of reviving the once prime commercial district, Bacolod City Mayor Bing Leonardia recently signed City Ordinance no. 576 naming the Capitol Shopping Center as the Bacolod City Chinatown. * The ordinance was authored by Councilor Dindo Ramos and co-authored by Councilor Em Ang stipulated that the city government will appropriate at least P15 million initial funding for the improvement of the infrastructure such as the welcome arch, greening and landscaping as well as road concreting. * The city government, through theordinance, hoped to attract investors by returning up to 70% of the cost of a project that will be put up at the Chinatown Center in the form of tax credits spread over five years. * The revival of the Capitol Shopping as the Bacolod Chinatown was lauded by the Filipino-Chinese Community since the Chinatown has been an important economic, cultural and spiritual hub for the Filipino-Chinese in Bacolod City. * Just like the way the Filipino-Chinese has risen from the ashes of the great fire of 1955, the renewal of interest in the Bacolod Chinatown Center will hopefully give way to the rebirth of the once robust business center.

1950s :: American America History

1950's The 1950's were quite radical in fact, this is the decade that began rock n' roll, the civil rights movement, better family living, advances in technology, Fashion, medical research, other wonderful things this country was not used to seeing or hearing. The 1950's were looked at more as a state of mind or a way of living rather than just another decade or time era in American history. Everything was peaceful now, which looking back on the two world wars and the great depression this country was not used to at all. Nobody worried about war, nobody worried about how they were going to feed their children and keep a roof over their heads because everyone had jobs and the economy was doing great. (Edey, Maitlanded.57) Teenagers were having more fun than ever too. Rock n' roll was introduced to them and they all seemed at the time to know what they wanted out of life, to go to school, graduate, get a job, get married, and have children all in that order just as their parents had. (Clayton , Andrew.24) The 1950's were the most influential decade in American history because the civil rights act began, fashion was completely new and trendy, there were much advancement in entertainment and medicine, and suburban life was much more "functional" than any other decade in American history. One reason the 1950's were the most influential decade in American history is because rock and roll was introduced to the country and it let people forget about their morals for a while and just let loose to have fun. (Pareles, John.3) Elvis Presley was quite the king of rock and roll, with songs like hound dog, don't be cruel, and love me tender and ready teddy Elvis lit up the stage. ("Elvis Presley-Biographical Timeline-The Fifties") Elvis was born on January 8th 1935. He purchased his first guitar in 1946 for $12.95 at the local hardware store. In 1954 Sam Phillips teams Elvis up with local musicians Scotty Moore (guitar) and Bill Black (bass). By November of 1955 Elvis had signed his first record contract with RCA His contract was for $40,000, and a $5,000 signing bonus for Elvis. In April of 1956Elvis signed a seven-year movie contract with Hal Wallace and Paramount Pictures. The most famous film Elvis came out with ; Jailhouse Rock came out in May of 1957. This is the film tha t really helped Elvis launch his career.

Estimated Heat Distribution by Convection in Water Essay

Introduction This report assesses the distribution of heat by convection in water to estimate the heat conductivity of water. The transfer of heat from a heating coil to a fluid is conduction but the heat transfer within the fluid is convection. This is basically fluid flow of particles arising from nature, heat, chemical or kinetics. The distribution of heat is assessed with various factors introduced. In this case a magnetic stirrer and a motor. This report presents an estimate of the effect of free and forced convention on the distribution of heat in water. Experimental method The apparatus were arranged as shown in fig. 1. A beaker of five litre capacity was places on a motor, four litres (4L) of cold water was put in a beaker. A heating coil and three thermometers were placed at various depths in the beaker of water and their various distances from the base of the beaker were recorded. Power was supplied to the motor and heating coil and at intervals of four minutes each; the temperatures on all three thermometers were read simultaneously. After four successful readings, the electricity supply was disconnected and the ambient temperature was recorded. This same procedure was repeated twice, the first with a magnetic stirrer and the next time without the magnetic stirrer but the motor operating. Distance from base (m) Temperature (C) Heating Coil 0.08 – T1 0.02 24 T 2 0.09 24 T 3 0.12 24 Table 1. Distances of apparatus and initial temperature readings of the water. Table 1 shows the ambient temperature readings collected before the experiment was carried out. It also shows the positions of the heating coil and thermometers from the base of the of the beaker. Results The time was kept in minutes to measure the intervals at which readings were taken. The temperature of the water was measured with thermometers in degreed Celsius and recalculated in degrees Kelvin and the positions of the heating coil and thermometers were also measured in meters. Time (minutes) T1 (0.02m) T2 (0.09m) T3 (0.12m) 0 24 24 24 4 24 28 32 8 24 39 42 12 24 46 49 16 24 54 56 Table 2: Free convection Time (minutes) T1 (0.02m) T2 (0.09m) T3 (0.12m) 0 20 20 20 4 26 26 26 8 32 32 32 12 37 37 37 16 42 42 42 Table 3: Forced convection (stirrer and motor) Time (minutes) T1 (0.02m) T2 (0.09m) T3 (0.12m) 0 20 20 20 4 20 29 32 8 21 36 38 12 21 44 46 16 22 51 54 Table 4: Forced convection (motor only) Fig 2: Free convection Fig 3: Forced convection (stirrer and motor) Fig 4: Forced convection (motor only) The readings and results derived from the experiment are being used to calculate an estimate amount of energy input and compare it with the theoretical value. Q represents energy input represents the power input t represents the duration for which the water was heated at 220v = 300w, but since 240v was used corrected value of = 300 240220 = 358 w = 16 minutes60 = 960s = 327.3960 = 314208J = 314.2 KJ Experiment 1. Free convection Assuming density of water to be 1000kg/m3 Cp = 4.18KJ/kgK = 24 – 24 = 0 = 54 – 24 = 30 = 56 – 24 = 32 = 4/34.18(0 +30 +32) = 345.55KJ Experiment 2. Forced convection (stirrer and motor) = 42 – 20 =22 = 42 – 20 =22 = 42 – 20 =22 = 4/34.18(22 +22 +22) = 367.84KJ Experiment 3. Forced convection (motor only) = 22 – 20 = 2 = 51 – 20 = 31 = 54 – 20 = 34 = 4/34.18(2 +31 +34) = 373.41KJ Estimates of errors involved in this experiment are a follows:- Time = 1 second in 60 seconds Length = 0.01 meters of 0.1 meters Temperature = 1 C Discussion In the experiment that involved forced convection from both the motor and stirrer the heat distribution was better and more accurate. This can be confirmed by the comparison of the energy input calculated based on experimental values with the energy input calculated based on the theoretical values. Readings to support this is shown in Table 3 and fig 3. A poor distribution of heat occurred in the first experiment where the water was heated freely. This is represented in Table 2 and figure 2 and by comparison of the experimental and theoretical values of the energy inputs. In experiment 3 where only the motor was used the graph 3 and figure 4 shows a better distribution of heat compared to experiment 1. Conclusion In a freely heated body of water, higher temperatures are taken from closer to the surface and lower temperatures towards the bottom. With introduction of kinetic energy from the stirrer and motor, the velocity of fluid flow increased thereby increasing the rate of heat transfer and the even distribution of heat through the water. This shows that water is a poor conductor of heat energy if heated with free convection.

Father of Modern Management Essay

The satisfaction of social needs is something that is achievable for most individuals. People can meet others who share similar interests by joining relevant clubs or associations and can mix with peers by attending relevant social functions. There are also dating agencies and dinner clubs for those who are seeking companionship. Where ‘social services’ are often required to assist is when a person is unable to easily or practically address these social needs, for example, someone who is elderly or housebound. Organisations such as Age Concern provide facilities like luncheon clubs and day centres, where individuals can benefit from company and conversation. They also collate information on other available resources like reminiscence and friendship groups (Age Concern, 2008). There are many routes to satisfying esteem needs. These include finding challenges of a vocational or academic nature or becoming part of a community group to gain a sense of achievement and social inclusion. For some, actively satisfying their own esteem needs can be a daunting process. Where ‘social services’ can assist is in providing accessible services in a variety of formats. One example is the Gateway Team, part of Poole Social Services (Borough of Poole, 2008) who list their aim as: â€Å"To enable adults in Poole to achieve, maintain and enjoy emotional and social well-being through the provision of a specialised service. † This includes free psychology and counselling services and workshops aimed at addressing anxiety and depression or providing assertiveness training. It also focuses on actively helping individuals to attain social inclusion by providing ideas for getting involved in the local community. Additionally, help is given by sourcing self-help material in the form of books or online resources. The Gateway Team is merely one localized example to highlight available support but this picture is replicated throughout the country with the provision of services available from local authorities, charities, volunteer groups and private organisations. Moving on to self-actualisation, it is important to differentiate between this level and the others within Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. As it is concerned with a constantly evolving set of ambitions rather than a basic set of needs, self-actualisation does not require a ‘safety net’ provided by social services. However, the social services framework can be utilised by enterprising individuals to help realise their potential. For example, undertaking volunteer work can build confidence, increase social networks and heighten the sense of well-being. Additionally, career prospects can be significantly enhanced as â€Å"73% of employers would employ a candidate with volunteering experience over one without† (TimeBank, 2008). In conclusion, this essay has demonstrated that social services, in the widest definition of the term, provide a wide range of facilities to address the Hierarchy of Needs as set out by Maslow. Although society is far from perfect and the eradication of neither poverty nor suffering is likely to be achieved, the assistance available in this country to those in need is comprehensive. Imagine what life was like for those most in need before the welfare state was established and before charities and other caring organisations became widespread. Consequently, the aim should be to bolster this supportive network and make it the very best it can be. Just like people, social services must continue to strive to fulfil its potential. Reference List Abraham Maslow – Father of Modern Management (2007) Available from: http://www. abraham-maslow. com/m_motivation/Hierarchy_of_Needs. asp [Accessed: 4 October 2008]. Age Concern Kingston upon Thames (2008) Social Activities [online]. Available from: http://www. ageconcernkingston. org/whatwedo_socialactivities. htm [Accessed: 5 October 2008]. BBC News Online (2004) Homeless Face More Violent Crime [online]. Available from: http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/uk/4099727. stm [Accessed: 5 October 2008].

Cather in the Rye essays

Cather in the Rye essays Without a doubt, J.D. Salinger is one of the best twentieth-century America authors. He is best known for his book, Catcher in the Rye, a book about a seventeen-year-old teenager, struggling through his teenager years, falling into a depression and trying to understand the real world. The straightforward approach to his novel caused a hurricane of controversy in America. It was the first time an author, dared to tell it how it really is and tried to open Americas eyes to understand the thoughts of a typical adolescent teenager. This straightforward, simple read is nonetheless used in many schools today for its rich content of symbolism and truthfulness. This book has had a huge impact on teenagers all over the world.1 The story of J.D. Salingers life begins on January 1, 1919 in New York City. He was born into a wealthy family; his father was a Jewish cheese importer.2 Salinger attended many prep schools. This is where he was first inspired to become a writer. In his quest to become a writer he wrote many short stories, many of which were never published.3 In his later years, Salinger joined the military. He participated in World War II where he became emotionally distraught and sought psychiatric help. Mostly due to the fact that he was half Jewish and witnessed the brutally that Jews were experiencing in Germany. Ironically, he would never write about his involvement in the military or his Jewish descent.4 Upon his return home, he attended college and met his soon to be wife Sylvia. However, the marriage did not last, and after the divorce, Salinger began to seriously write. He began practicing a life of seclusion and Buddhism. He published a few stories during that time period, but his claim to fame did not occur, until after the publication of the Catcher in the Rye.5 After the publication of the Catcher in the Rye, the book drew in a wide range of recognition mostly, because of its time of release. The novel...

Beringer Blass wine estate

Beringer Blass wine estate SWOT analysisStrengths- Strong brand name with many international brands- Second most producer of wine in the world- First mover advantage in quality products- High economy of scale by large scale of production- High rate of return by maintaining cost structure and high profit margin- Highest growth rate of the company- Many brands around the world- International expansion by merger and acquisitionWeakness- Return on capital employed for combined operations decreasing- Wine club revenue is falling- Business differentiation is limited to only alcoholic beverages- Employee motivation and management not specifically defined- Lack of cost reduction structure- Product and accessories features enhancement is slow- Lack Aggressive marketing and advertising campaign- Product localization is not well justified- Distribution network is some how dependent on other small companies- Only few countries has been targeted yetOpportunities- Premium wine consumption is increased every year steadily- U S market is the largest market in the world and also the most profitable- UK market has the highest growth rate and this market still growing rapidly through this market more revenue can be generated.Swot analysis image- Merger and acquisition with branded companies like southcorp can increase company's market share- Business diversification into related beverage like cold drinks and water- Business diversification can into whisky, vodka to capture more alcoholic market- Wine accessories business can be expanded to many other countries- Wine club can be started to other countries as now it is limited to only few countriesThreats- Wine consumption has declined in many countries like France, Argentina etc- Wine production in many countries is decreasing- As this product is controlled for ages above 21, many government changing laws on time...

3 Ways Kids Can Teach Us About Content Writing and Delivery

3 Ways Kids Can Teach Us About Content Writing and Delivery Do you ever feel like your business writing is overly formal? Stilted? Drab? You’re not alone. Companies face the same problem, often bringing in experts like me because so many of their employees write and deliver content that makes their audience yawn, or worse, hit â€Å"Delete.† To address this issue, I ask clients the following question frequently: â€Å"How would you say or explain this to a child?† Here are three places I recommend using this trick to transform content into something people actually want to read: 1) Your LinkedIn profile. In presentations like How to Put Your Personality into Your LinkedIn Profile, I suggest doing this exercise: Explain what you do for work to a 5-year-old. That way, instead of using big words that few people understand, you will be forced to present what you do in a simplified, engaging way. You might not use the exact same words you’d use to talk to someone 35 or 55 years your junior, but something might come out that is fresh and refreshing! Here’s how one LinkedIn user, Jess Hornyak, describes herself: Its safe to say I don’t fit into a traditional bubble. Im an art director, but Im really so much more. Im a strategist. A writer. An artist. A competitor. Its why I’m looking for people who could use a little more non-traditional in their everyday lives. Plus, it means Im never bored. And definitely not boring. Do you see the childlike energy in what she wrote? She definitely keeps me reading! I challenge you to put this type of wonder in your own LinkedIn profile, even in subtle ways. Your readers will appreciate it. They might even pick you first for the kickball team. 2) Video scripts and videos. When I was working with a company who writes video scripts and then produces the videos to explain its product to users, I was fortunate to have the speaker from the video in the room. I asked her to read her script, and she asked if I wanted her to use her â€Å"video voice.† â€Å"Sure!† I said. It turned out that her video voice sounded like she was reading and presenting, rather than like she was talking to me. I asked her to read the script as if she were reading to a child. She started to see that the script contained so much lingo that it was actually impossible to read it that way. A conversation ensued about how to create less terminology-dense content for the company’s users. Shortly thereafter, I encountered a perfect example of kid-friendly content. Take a couple of minutes to listen to the audio for this Social Media Examiner article on How to Use Showcase Pages for Business. You’ll notice the excitement, even giddiness in her voice. You can hear her smiling. That’s the voice we use to talk to little ones. You may also notice a nice amount of variety in sentence structure in the Social Media Examiner article. There are shorter sentences, longer sentences and questions mixed in throughout. That’s how we talk to kids too. Not all of your content will be read aloud in an audio or video. But reading content aloud to yourself or another person, even if it’s being sent in an email or posted on a site, will give you a great sense of how it sounds to the reader. After all, most readers read things with an internal voice that we want to sound conversational and not bore us to death. 3) Instructional materials. When we talk to kids we don’t say things like, â€Å"These toys need to be picked up by you.† No. We say, â€Å"Pick up your toys!!† You’ll notice that the first sentence is written in passive voice (for a tutorial on passive vs. active voice, see Grammar Girl’s article on the topic). If you’re a writer, you know that passive voice takes more words and generally puts people to sleep much faster than active writing. Yet technical writers often default to phrases like, â€Å"The search box is found in the upper right corner of your screen. When a search term is entered into the box, the site will be searched.† Are you asleep yet? What about something more like this: â€Å"Looking for something on our site? Just enter what you want in the search box in the upper right corner of your screen. Presto! Your search results appear!† That second option is much more kid-friendly, isn’t it? Of course, depending on your company’s brand, you might choose to use words like â€Å"Presto† – or not. Always be appropriate to your company brand guidelines. Or you might get sent to your room. If you’re having trouble breaking out of adult speak, try talking to an actual child about any of the above three items. Or, do this exercise: Write a script where you invite a child in your life to go on a trip to Disney World. How would you talk? What questions would you ask? How would they respond? Writing this way will jostle your brain and wake up some creativity cells. Let’s face it: We’re kids at heart. And with everything we’re juggling on a daily basis, we can have the attention span of a 5-year-old. So let’s keep our communications simple and wondrous. Tap into your inner kid and have fun!

Junior high vs. High School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Junior high vs. High School - Essay Example In the middle school model, the students do not have a chance to develop socially with the other students from the advanced classes. a) Possibly, due to the junior high school model, the students can identify their areas of interest at the early ages and start working to realize their dreams. However, the clusters based on self-chosen electives may lead the students to make wrong choices due to peer pressure. As per the middle school model, the teachers and students can develop well-organized schedules to guide the learning process. Conversely, the fixed times may develop fixed mindsets in the younger children making them difficult to adjust when moving to the junior high schools. a) i) In the junior model, there is a specialization of what the teams intend to teach the students since they are professionals meeting to discuss issues in the same subject area. Nevertheless, a single department may perform better compared to others leading to preference of one subject. Such preference may cause poor performance. ii) In the middle school model, there is a collective focus on the students leading to a common focus on what areas to tackle regarding the children. In contrast, some teachers may fail to take part in the processes as they collectively make suggestions and decisions due to lack of specified responsibilities. b) Always, the teachers bring new strategies to tackle the challenges that the children face. Therefore, it is important for them to continue meeting daily to help them identify and solve problems that face the students. a) i) Concentrating on the content does not allow the students to gain the hands-on skills needed to solve the life challenges. Rather, they equip the children with the mastery of the material to achieve high scale of education. ii) The middle school model allows the students to develop skills that will help them

Introduction to health behaviour change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Introduction to health behaviour change - Essay Example Prochaska and Velicer (1997) state that â€Å"health behavior change involves progress through six stages of change: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and termination.† The first two stages often prove to be the most difficult for the smokers to cope with. The preparation and action stages can be implemented with some difficulties but through commitment, these can be overcome. Maintenance and termination are quite easy once the war against quitting smoking has been won. There are quite a number of benefits that can be achieved from health behaviour change in society and individual. Behaviour change among individuals who smoke is advantageous in that they will reduce the risks of contracting smoking related diseases such as lung cancer. For any smoker, it is never too late to quit smoking since this is the only strategy that can guarantee good healthcare. Behaviour change among smokers is also important to the society at large. Non smokers are affected through passive smoking so if smoking is eradicated, this means that the health of the nonsmokers is not negatively impacted by substances from tobacco smoke. There is growing evidence that both active and passive smoking are harmful to health in Hong Kong. According to McGhee et al. (2006), â€Å" In the Hong Kong population of 6.5 million in 1998, the annual value of direct medical costs, long term care and productivity loss was US$532 million for active smoking and US$156 million for passive smoking†¦Ã¢â‚¬  These statistics paint a gloomy picture over the state of healthcare system in the Hong Kong. Therefore, concerted efforts need to be taken in order to address this problem in society. Positive behaviour change has been identified as the best solution that can help address the problem. There are many advantages of adopting this strategy. The TTM significantly assists in changing the behaviour of the smokers in many ways. For instance, it is known that it

Marketing Principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing Principles - Essay Example It will help the organization to develop effective future strategies in order to improve business performance. 4Ps of Marketing The 4Ps marketing mix framework will help to determine Coca Cola’s price, place, promotion and product development strategy. Product The Coca Cola Company is the leading manufacturers and distributors of soft drinks. The organization has wide range of differentiated and diverged product line. These strategies helped the organization to ensure significant competitive advantages over its competitors. Aggressive product development and continuous differentiation of products helped the organization to meet the needs and demand of target customers (Dost 14). Recently, the organization faced several legal and social issues regarding high pesticides and calories level in cold drinks. But, the organization started to introduce healthy, differentiated and calorie free soft drinks for target customers to maintain sustainability in business performance and busin ess operation. Price The Coca Cola Company implemented advanced technology in each and every business operation processes. This strategy helped the organization to reduce business operation cost. Low business operation cost helped the organization to implement competitive pricing strategy. ... Most importantly, the Coca Cola Company always motivates is distributors and suppliers to follow the organizational policies (Peterson 29). It actually helps the organization to maintain sustainability. Promotion Coca Cola Company uses different promotional mediums in order to give adverts for existing products. Print and digital media advertisings help the organization to attract children and youths. In addition to this, effective social media advertising or online promotions help the organization to target mass target audience (Carmody 143). Moreover, giving sponsor to popular sporting teams, event and campaigns helps Coca Cola Company to create effective customer awareness. General Costs of Marketing The Coca Cola Company has become the leading organization within the industry due to effective adoption and implementation of brand extension and umbrella branding strategy. Slowly and gradually, the organization is increasing its product portfolio to increase market share meet curren t market demand. It is important for the organization to market this developed product portfolio successfully in order to avoid business losses. Truly, the organization spends a significant part of its business profit in the marketing activities. For example, the organization spent almost 2.9 billion US dollars in USA for promotion purpose. On other hand, the organization spent 2.3 billion Euros in UK to create significant customer awareness. The organization managed to get successful business outcome through these promotional marketing strategies which are aggressively backed by huge marketing cost. However, the organization failed to get success through few products due to limited acceptance of these

Leadership and Organizational Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Leadership and Organizational Culture - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that there are totally four CEO’s whose leadership style is different. The leadership style of an individual highly depends upon the individual behaviour of the person and set of attitude and beliefs molded in his mind. Some believe firmly that autocratic leadership style will bring out more productivity. Some believe that participative leadership is best and some others feel that free reign is best. The behaviour and the set of attitude possessed by the person is what make the person implement such leadership strategy within the organization. This study outlines that leading can be done in many ways depending upon the individual parameters. Leadership issues are mostly found in organizations and it is highly oriented towards the top level management within the organization. The overall effectiveness of the organization is depended upon the capability of the leader to manage the resources effectively and efficiently to achieve the organizational goals and objectives with an increase in the overall productivity. It is not only the responsibility of the leader to clearly identify and define the goals and objectives of the business, but also involves designing and framing useful methods by which those goals and objectives can be accomplished. â€Å"In organizations, leadership is about influencing employees to buy into the vision of the leader, motivating them to deploy all resources available at their disposal to achieve objectives set by the leader†.

Increasing Service Quality at a Nationwide Restaurant Chain Essay

Increasing Service Quality at a Nationwide Restaurant Chain - Essay Example Simply put, quality of service is the customers’ expectation and evaluation of the level of ease and comfort he is supposed to have while enjoying or operating the products or services of the providing organization. For example, if a restaurant chain is classified as having a four or five star rating, not only would it have a there would be a certain level of proficiency expected in the provision of these services as well. In fact, when we enter a five star restaurant we expect a certain ambience and care and support that emanates from the reception area and goes right through the whole establishment. Empathy, reliability, responsiveness and assurance of the expected level of service are what gives the restaurant its rating and the customer’s perception of the actual services provided gives the satisfaction level of these benefits. Elements of Service Quality There can be many elements of service quality, but they all boil down to the five most important ones which are as under: a. Reliability: This is the ability of the service provider to provide what was promised, in an accurate and dependable manner. b. Assurance: This is the ability of the service provider to convey trust and confidence that what is desired will be carried out. It also reflects the knowledge and courtesy of the service provider while dealing with customer requests or complaints. c. Tangibility: This refers to the physical facilities and equipment at the hotel. Everything from the working style to the dress of the employees should send the message of a caring and responsive attitude to customer needs

Law and policy for social work practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Law and policy for social work practice - Essay Example 2012, p. 1423). To provide better health and safety services to the children require all stakeholders to work together according to the laid down policies. It is important for the organizations and individuals to understand their roles in protecting and sustaining the interests of the children. Every action and decisions made should also be aimed at achieving the intended outcomes for the benefit of the child and the entire family (Johnson and Cahn, 1995, p. 16). Case Study Rochdale Child Abuse Case: Exploited Girls Faced ‘Absolute Disrespect† In Williams (2012, Rochdale Child Abuse Case) there is a case of an institution that deals with sexually abused adolescent girls in United Kingdom. The institution was faced with a situation in which some young girls were discriminated by the people who were supposed to take care of them. For instance, there were nine guys who had jointly slept with five girls after enticing them with material things and then added drugs in their in their foods (The policy, Ethics and Human Rights Committee. 2012, p.17). However, the protection council assumed that the young girls had submitted to the sexual molesters out of their own accord. Among the council members who were assisting the victims, three of them left their jobs. Most of the cases handled by the Rochdale were not adequately solved as was discovered by a Local Safeguarding Council. On contrary to the reasoning of the Rochdale council, the Crisis Intervention Team believed that the girls were abused by the rapists. Most cases are now transferred to Sunrise group who are presently assisting 106 teenager girls (Williams (2012, Rochdale Child Abuse Case) This case was faced with several quandaries, with one being the inability to distinguish the issue of young girls and those of adult ladies. For example the assumption that the young ladies had contended to sexual performance out of their own accord yet they were below majority age (The policy, Ethics and Human Rig hts Committee. 2012, p.13). These adolescents needed protection of the law under child Act which never happened. Also most of the staff members working with the group had left the organization before the issues were settled. Therefore, there was no one to confess in favour of the victims thereby resulting to injustice of the young girls. Consequently, the justice for the victims was delayed as the team sought for vital information to help them convict the suspects as anyone who have not attained the age of 18 years (Williams (2012, Rochdale Child Abuse Case). The 1989 and the 2004 children Acts refers to a child Section 17 of the Children’s Act 1989 define â€Å"children in need† as those who are not able to achieve a satisfactory level of health or development, those development has been impaired, those who lack service. Under section 17(10) of the Children Act 1989, the disabled are also referred to a children in need (Oxford Journals, 2012, p.1437). The various poli cies set out in the children act 2004, indicates that the child should be health, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution to the society and be able to sustain themselves economically in future. Children need to feel loved, valued, and supported by a chain of individuals who are reliable and shows affection. They also need to feel respected, understood, listened to and to have their emotional feelings being considered and attended to. In the case of Rochdale, the institution neglected children who had been victims of rape

Increasing Service Quality at a Nationwide Restaurant Chain Essay

Increasing Service Quality at a Nationwide Restaurant Chain - Essay Example Simply put, quality of service is the customers’ expectation and evaluation of the level of ease and comfort he is supposed to have while enjoying or operating the products or services of the providing organization. For example, if a restaurant chain is classified as having a four or five star rating, not only would it have a there would be a certain level of proficiency expected in the provision of these services as well. In fact, when we enter a five star restaurant we expect a certain ambience and care and support that emanates from the reception area and goes right through the whole establishment. Empathy, reliability, responsiveness and assurance of the expected level of service are what gives the restaurant its rating and the customer’s perception of the actual services provided gives the satisfaction level of these benefits. Elements of Service Quality There can be many elements of service quality, but they all boil down to the five most important ones which are as under: a. Reliability: This is the ability of the service provider to provide what was promised, in an accurate and dependable manner. b. Assurance: This is the ability of the service provider to convey trust and confidence that what is desired will be carried out. It also reflects the knowledge and courtesy of the service provider while dealing with customer requests or complaints. c. Tangibility: This refers to the physical facilities and equipment at the hotel. Everything from the working style to the dress of the employees should send the message of a caring and responsive attitude to customer needs

Knowledge Management literature review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Knowledge Management literature review - Essay Example This research will use the mixed-method design, but will lean more toward the evidences that have been quoted in various knowledge management studies. Since the Knowledge management area of study is relatively new area of study not much of quantitative information is readily available in free domain. This will be the primary limitation of the research submission. The primary and most important source used for this literature review is book named 'The Handbook of Knowledge Management written by Thomas J. Beckman, a research scholar from The George Washington University, Baltimore country. The main reason for considering this book as a primary source is that it serves the role as a key reference book in integrating views of researchers in and practitioners of knowledge management. Even though the field of knowledge management is evolving and is still maturing, this book is considered as a first step in helping to formulate methodologies, techniques, and practices for making knowledge management a sound field (Beckman, 2003). Professor D. Neef of the Management Decisions (Venters W. , 2008) Institute feels that "In order to understand Knowledge Management, it is necessary to see the subject within the broader context of the enormous changes taking place in the global economic framework itself" (Neef, 1999). Alfred Marshall, a forefather of neo-classical economics (Venters W. , 2001), was one of the earliest authors to state explicitly the importance of knowledge within economic affairs; "Capital consists in a great part of knowledge and organisation knowledge is our most powerful engine of production (Marshall, 1965)." All the above stated definitions form the basis for the evolution of Knowledge Management as a separate branch of study. But this view of looking at the subject was contrasted (Nonaka, 1995) by some researchers like Nonaka and Takeuchi as they feel that neo-classical economists only consider the utilization of the existing knowledge and they are not very concerned and particular about creation of new knowledge (Venters W. , 2001). Another important material which was helpful in this research is The Blackwell Handbook of Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management (Smith M. E., 2005). It is a state-of-art international handbook about the emerging field of Knowledge Management which occupies a central position in the fields of contemporary management and organizational theory. The author of the book has drawn together analyses and critical commentary from the leading experts on organizational learning and knowledge management around the world. Links are made to existing bodies of theory in the root disciplines of economics, psychology and social theory, while the challenging implications for research and future paths of inquiry are outlined and discussed (Smith E. , 2005). The special issue on Knowledge Management and e-research technologies is another material that has been of great help in working on this paper (Venters W. , 2008). This special issue of Knowledge Management Research & Practice will focus on the role of technology within wider debates on knowledge management. Information and Communication technologies lend themselves to the capture, transfer and

Platos’ Lysis or Friendship Essay Example for Free

Platos’ Lysis or Friendship Essay Socrates advised Hippothales that the latter should not be so generous with his praises for the person he admires and loves because it would only make the beloved egoistic and vain.   Socrates believed that Hippothales will end up losing him that way.   Hippothales adored Lysis and Socrates likened his pursuit to a hunter scaring his prey away. Socrates asked to meet Lysis and with Menexenus engaged in philosophical discussions of love, friendship, desires, good and evil.   Following were the thoughts of Plato through Socrates: One is not truly happy if he is not at liberty to do the things he wants. I disagree on this.   Given an unlimited freedom to do as he pleases may not necessarily make a man happy in the end.   If a person without money chose to rob a bank instead of finding a decent job, the consequences of his action will make him miserable. People love those whom they find useful and who serve certain ends to them. I agree.   They value those who have done them a favor, those who cared and nurtured them, and those whom they depend upon.   Children love their parents for feeding and clothing them when they were young to do those things for themselves.   Parents love their children for the joys they bring.   Patients love their doctors for treating them of their illness and nursing them back to health. These things can not be said of others who have never been a part of their life. Those who still need a teacher are without knowledge or wisdom and therefore have  nothing to be arrogant about. I disagree on two counts.   First, knowledge and wisdom do not always come from the confines of a classroom. Like they say, experience is a great teacher. We learn from everyday encounters.   How we handle what life throws our way is knowledge nobody can teach us.   Second, good deeds and honest life do not require exceptional knowledge or wisdom.   These are enough reasons for a simple man to be proud of. Do not put your beloved in an exalted position by singing praises and feeding his ego  unceasingly.   It would be best to have him see himself as he is. Agree.   Love is real and true if one tries to see the beloved for what he is and not make someone out of him that he is not him at all.   This is to say that the lover must not be blind to the faults and imperfections of the beloved. Love is not always reciprocated, the lover loves the beloved and the beloved may not  love him back, at worst even hate him. Disagree.   I would say that they become true lovers only at the time when they had both seen the virtues and accepted the flaws of each other. They would commit to a relationship only when they are able to find comfort in their love for each other. Men are hated by people they love and loved by people they hate. Slightly agree.   Yes, people may hate those they love but only for reasons that may not necessarily cause them to love less.   They may just be minor irritants, like the wife hating the husband for always being late for dinner.   Ã‚  On the other hand, loving those they hate is the superficial love of the voters to a president who despite his personal indiscretions have done wonders for the economy. A man may be his friend’s enemy and his enemy’s friend. Agree.   A friend is one’s moral guardian.   A friend would not hesitate to stop a man from committing sin or what might cause him pain later.   The friend might not take it well at first and such might cause them misunderstanding, at which point they become enemies.   On the other hand, if his enemy’s life is at stake and it is only the man who can save him and he does, then they at that instant become friends. Like attracts like. Disagree.   It is not always the case.   It is more common to find opposites that attract.   People have always gone for the excitement of others completely different from them.   New ideas and novel ways of doing things that may complement his own.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Plato, through Socrates, defended his philosophies with clarity and profundity that left Menexenus and Lysis in awe and admiration. References Stevenson, Daniel C. (1994-2000).   Lysis or Friendship by Platos.   Web Atomics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved April 29, 2008, from http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/lysis.1b.txt

Benefits of Thermo-chemical Networks

Benefits of Thermo-chemical Networks Application cases and economic benefits of thermo-chemical networks ABSTRACT Thermo-chemical potential of absorption and desorption has high potential to capture and use residual heat at low temperature ranges. Due to loss-free transport and storage of the captured energy potential, long-distance transport and medium-term storage offer interesting potentials to utilize residual heat. Therefore, the aim of the EU H2020 project H-DisNet is to develop networks similar to district heating networks using thermo-chemical fluids (TCF) instead of water. The paper will give an introduction to the technology that can provide heating, cooling and drying services in one network and discuss its economics. First, use cases describe promising application scenarios. Requirements are derived from the use cases, first, for the novel technology and, second, the application situations, i.e. the buildings or industrial processes, in which the services are applied. This includes temperature and humidity requirements as well as further conditions of a useful application. Depending on the services requirements, features of the thermo-chemical technology, such as the used TCF, will be determined so that the thermo-chemical technology is able to satisfy the service requirements. Operation modes will be presented the show, how in specific use cases the technology would work. An outline of the operation of a network will be presented. Second, for an economic assessment, conventional existing solutions for the services, for which thermo-chemical technology is proposed, will be described. These conventional technologies form the background for an economic comparison. The aim of the economic comparison is to show the benefits of the thermo-chemical technology for the key stakeholders involved in such a network. The aim is to provide evidence that the thermo-chemical network technology is marketable. INTRODUCTION Nowadays, an always increasing attention has been placed on reducing the energy consumption used for heating, cooling and drying with a resulting abatement in the CO2 production. As a matter of fact, a massive quantity of fossil fuel is used as primary energy source for air-conditioning and industrial operations causing a constant conversion to C02 that is swiftly rising and expediting the global climate change. It has been calculated that the energy depleted for heating and cooling of buildings (residential or in the service sector) and industrial processes accounts for 50% of the EUs annual energy consumption [1]. This is mostly due to the fact that almost half of the EUs buildings are old and lack in efficiency, renewable energy is narrowly used in these sectors and a huge amount of heat produced by industrial processes is dissipated into the atmosphere or into water, missing the opportunity for its recovery. Through the development of an optimized, more efficient and less cost-consuming utilization of the energy sources, it will be possible to achieve a decrease in the energy imports, obtaining a diminution in the costs and, at the same time, an environmental benefit, represented by a reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases. District heating is one of the possible technologies in the direction of this purpose because it remarkably concurs to a better use of the energy sources, particularly the renewable energies. Nevertheless, this technology presents several drawbacks, such as the temperature required that can preclude the utilization of some technologies that work with lower temperatures, the remarkable heat losses occurring during the transportation in pipelines and the need for integration with storage systems in order to obtain the match between the demand and the sources in time and location. Therefore, this paper will be addressed to the description of Intelligent Hybrid Thermo-Chemical District Networks, an innovative type of district network based on the employment of thermo-chemical fluids (TCFs) instead of water as energy storage medium. Through this technology it will be feasible to obtain an energy-efficient exploitation of the resources, particularly the unemployed low-grade industrial heat and thermal renewable, leading to the achievement of a sustainable energy system. Moreover, by the usage of liquid desiccant as TCF in order to obtain a loss-free long-distance transport and a medium-term storage it will be possible to obtain significant cost reductions, making this technology absolutely interesting for citizens, workers and industry. The paper starts in Section 2 with a description of the liquid desiccant technology in order to understand the ability of this system for heating and cooling applications. Section 3 reports the characteristics and the main advantages arising from the integration of the TCF with the district network. Section 4 detects the possible business models interested in the utilization of the Hybrid District Network. The last two section of the paper address the subject from an economic point of view, identifying the cost factors for this kind of system (Section 5) and the associated economic savings related to the different applications (Section 6). LIQUID DESICCANT TECHNOLOGY The current research on Hybrid District Networks is related to the requirement of obtaining a district network which allows the connection with consumers at a greater distance, such as for the heating and cooling of residential and service buildings that are usually located far from industrial plants. In fact, the temperature level of waste heat and renewable energy is generally too low, bringing to higher volumes that are responsible for increased energy leaks and higher costs, related to a higher expense for the pipelines. In this direction, it has to be seen the always growing interest in absorption and reversible thermo-chemical processes for district heating. The closed district network system is a well-developed technology that employs absorption heat pumps and chillers to supply heating and cooling for residential and service buildings (!!REPETITION). However, this technology does not allow to profit from industrial waste energy or renewable energy that are located in a remote position respect to the service, besides not allowing a time shift between the source and the demand side. For this reason, an innovative open system district heating system, based on the employment of liquid desiccant as the thermo-chemical transporter of energy, which allows to split the regeneration and absorption side and to locate them in different places, is under study. Desiccant-based TCFs have the potential to provide simultaneous and multiple on-site functions and services, such as heating, cooling, de/re-humidification, energy storage and energy transport. Liquid desiccants exploit the hygroscopic properties of a salt (MgCl2, CaCl2, LiBr, LiCl etc.) solution for the removal of the moisture from the ambient outdoor air, until the attainment of a situation of equilibrium of its vapour pressure with that of the incoming air. For this reason, the dehumidification capacity of the desiccant can be evaluated through its equilibrium vapour pressure. For example, an industrial process waste-heat driven air-conditioning system is shown in Fig.X in a counter-flow packed bed configuration. FIG. The strong TCF-solution (i.e. TCF-rich relative to water), typically a desiccant, is sprayed at the top of the absorber, ambient air (or gas) enters the absorber at the bottom and transfers its moisture to the TCF. As some heat is liberated, the TCF solution temperature rises and hence the solution vapour pressure. The heat exchange process typically takes place over a packed bed/spray tower or gravity driven wetted wall column designed with the minimum pressure drop (Jain et al., 2007) with output humidity controlled by the temperature and concentration of the TCF solution. The dehumidified air exits at the top of the absorber and can be used to meet plant specific energy demands. The warm but now diluted TCF solution leaves the bottom of the absorber and it is pumped for regeneration. The regeneration process has typically the same configuration as the absorber and it is driven by the incoming industrial process waste heat gas stream; the now diluted TCF is sprayed over this stream and water in the TCF solution evaporates, reducing the gas temperature and increasing its humidity. The now strong TCF solution is pumped back to the absorber to restart the air-conditioning process. Industrial manufacturing plants typically have multiple demands for energy in their locality; the previously described system can exploit the low-grade process waste heat to supplement (or even replace) local demands: (1) Industrial Drying, because the ambient air (or other gases) can be dried and then cooled for utilisation elsewhere on site; (2) Heating and/or Humidification, since the ambient air is heated as it passes through the absorber, which yields a warmer and more humid gas stream that can be used locally with corresponding savings in energy demands; (3) Cooling, by utilising the dry air as the an input into an evaporative cooling system, an additional re-humidification stage can be used to produce a cooling effect and thus to supplement local air-conditioning loads; and (4) Loss-Free Energy Storage, since through the transformation of heat to TCF potential is possible to transport and store heat and TCF potential into the hybrid district network with almost total lack of e nergy loss. As there is significant potential for thermal energy storage thus meeting/offsetting hourly, daily and seasonal energy supply/demand. THERMO-CHEMICAL NETWORK TECHNOLOGY The aim of a Hybrid Thermo-Chemical District Network is to broaden the use of district networks through the realization of a multifunctional optimized system, able to simultaneously fulfill heating, cooling and drying operations and also to be integrated with already existing thermal district networks, leading to the achievement of a more sustainable process. Through the recovery of industrial waste heat and the exploitation of low temperature energy sources (e.g. renewables, such as solar thermal or geothermal) is possible to obtain via the regeneration process a TCF with high energy in the state of TCF-concentrate that is used as a thermo-chemical energy storage medium. This is one of the peculiar advantages of the innovative district network because the thermo-chemical energy storage in the concentrate liquid desiccant is roughly losses, offering the opportunity to enhance the storage term between hours and days, which enables to fill the mismatch in the schedule between available heat and demand, to heighten the transport distance of the heat, that can be long up to 50 km [X] with pipelines characterised by a reduced or absent insulation with a resulting reduction in costs. This feature, together with the increased energy density of the TCF-concentrated (higher than the water, employed in the conventional district heating system) will lead to the obtaining of a very promising system from an economic point of view. Moreover, the characteristics of transport and cheapness of this cutting-edge technology enable to serve also the regions with lower heat demand. Another advantage is that the salts used in the solution as liquid desiccants in an open district network system (MgCl2, MgSO4, CaCl2, LiBr, LiCl, Ca(NO3)2, TEG) are in most of the cases cheap and, for the characteristics of open system, they have to be as much as possible non-toxic and environmental harmless. Particularly, the MgCl2 (produced as by-product from sea-water processing) and the CaCl2 (produced from industrial processes) result to be extremely cheap and hence economically viable. The environmental benefit represented by the reduction in the primary energy consumption and in the CO2 production is another key property of this system. Furthermore, the simpler pipeline infrastructure, which is characterised by the utilization of recyclable plastic pipes without any anti-frost protection, will allow to significantly reduce the exploitation of raw materials. Lastly, the liquid desiccants present hygiene properties that can ensure humidity control of the process air, leading to an amelioration of the indoor comfort and forestalling the maturation of mould fungus. ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF HYBRID DISTRICT NETWORKS The attainment of benefits in terms of financial, technological and environmental features are the main conditions for the spread of the thermo-chemical district network. The aim is to achieve profitability and efficiency for both suppliers and consumers, converting costs into revenues. The implementation of this strategy could lead several benefits to different classes: (1) Citizens could profit from a monthly and yearly cost reduction for energy-effective heating and cooling calculated to be ranging from â‚ ¬ 1500-2000 to â‚ ¬ 300-500 [X], simultaneously achieving a better indoor comfort, ensured by the humidity control of the thermo-chemical system. Moreover, this could lead to a greater stabilization of the energy costs, because the network is mostly based on the usage of renewable energies, which cost is more predictable respect to fossil fuels, characterised by a highly volatile price. (2) Industry could also be enormously interested in the employment of district thermo-chemical networks to extent of reducing its energy costs by 4-10% with investments characterised by a payback period lower than 5 years [X] and of obtaining a sustainable process, able to decrease its energy consumption. Concurrently, this technology could lead to a more environmental har mless process with reductions in the CO2 and air pollution, contributing to a significant improvement in the related health problems. In order to estimate the economic potential of the technology an analysis based on the study of business cases involved on the employment of waste heat has been taken as the point of reference [x]. The main four identified sectors are: (1) Built Environment Business To Customer (B2C); for this business model, the customer base are new buildings and offices together with   the renewal of utility buildings (mostly property of the municipalities), apartments (usually possessed by housing corporations) and offices. Another possibility is the utilization of TCFs into an already existing hybrid network in order to improve its energy efficiency. Municipalities and housing corporations have a fundamental role in this business model because in most of the cases they have a previously established relationship with the formerly defined customers. To extent of achieving the success of the project is indispensable that both of the parts, public party and individuals, have an interest in saving energy and this is ensured by an equal split of the profit between the parts.   (2) Built Environment Business To Business (B2B);

Technology taking over Parenting Essay -- essays research papers

Technology in the world today is becoming more advanced than ever. Parenting is being made easier and harder for some families because of the new technology. Some families do not have the money for the new additions to the technological world and other families have everything they have ever imagined. Amitai Etzioni is a professor at George Washington University. He has written nineteen books including the article â€Å"High-Tech Parenting.† It appeared in The American Enterprise in January of 1998. Etzioni writes on how a relationship between parent and child is becoming nothing more than a virtual relationship. Time usually spent together at home over a homemade dinner is now time spent on the cell phone. I feel that the technology world is coming up with many new features for the parents to make it easier for them. Parents are being given the advantage of blankets to put their children to sleep instead of them having to do it themselves. The parenting world is getting easier. Too busy parents count on beepers and cell phones to keep their children in reach. Instead of the kids counting on the random talks on the way to the movies, mall, or during a long walk on the beach, they now count on a ring or an upbeat tune to let them know its time to talk. This â€Å"beep-and-ring relation† is what is becoming of the families today. This information is very true and Etzioni makes a good point. These parents do not have time for their kids and they use electronics and other devices to talk to them. All families have different morals and the way they teach their kids to do certain things. Etzioni implies there is only one way to do that, cell phones. The readers are most likely to agree with this statement which then leads them to believe eve... ...er families will not punish their kids, no matter what the circumstance is. They were never taught to punish so their kids are that way too. This is when the kids delay turning off the TV or doing their homework until the last minute. In Conclusion, Etzioni is talking only to the business people of the world and not the everyday mom with four kids in the van. He does not take note that all families are different and that not all families have the same morals. He is one sided and exaggerates on the situation. He may not have grown up in a family where mom or dad was at home and his childhood is what he thinks everyone’s is like. Cell phones conversations are replacing the traditional one on one time with daughter and mother, son and father, etc. Etzioni’s article has very good points made in it. It also has points that could be changed to fit the average lifestyle.

Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 6

The weather didn't break by my engagement dinner a few days later, and even at five o'clock in the afternoon the air was hot and humid. In the kitchen, I'd overheard the servants gossiping that the strange, still weather was a result of the animal-killing demons. But discussion of the demons did not stop people from all over the county coming to the Grange Hall to celebrate the Confederacy. The coaches backed up beyond the stone drive and showed no sign of slowing their onslaught toward the imposing stone structure. â€Å"Stefan Salvatore!† I heard as I stepped out of the coach behind my father. As my feet hit dirt, I saw Ellen Emerson and her daughter, Daisy, walking arm in arm, trailed by two maids. Hundreds of lanterns lit the stone steps leading to the white wooden doors, and carriages lined the curved walkway. I could hear strains of a waltz coming from inside the hall. â€Å"Mrs. Emerson. Daisy.† I bowed deeply. Daisy had hated me ever since we were children, when Damon had dared me to push her into Willow Creek. â€Å"Why, if it isn't the gorgeous Emerson ladies,† Father said, also bowing. â€Å"Thank you to both of you for coming to this small supper. It's so good to see everyone in town. We need to band together, now more than ever,† Father said, catching Ellen Emerson's eye. â€Å"Stefan,† Daisy repeated, nodding as she took my hand. â€Å"Daisy. Y look more beautiful every day. Can ou you please forgive a gentleman for his wicked youth?† She glared at me. I sighed. There was no mystery or intrigue in Mystic Falls. Everyone knew everyone else. If Rosalyn and I were to get married, our children would be dancing with Daisy's children. They would have the same conversations, the same jokes, the same fights. And the cycle would continue for eternity. â€Å"Ellen, would you do me the honor of allowing me to show you inside?† Father asked, anxious to make sure the hall was decorated according to his exacting specifications. Daisy's mother nodded, and Daisy and I were left under the watchful gaze of the Emersons' maid. â€Å"I've heard Damon's back. How is he?† Daisy asked, finally deigning to talk to me. â€Å"Miss Emerson, we best be going inside to find your mama,† Daisy's maid interrupted, tugging Daisy's arm through the wide double doors of the Grange Hall. â€Å"I look forward to seeing Damon. Do give him that message!† Daisy called over her shoulder. I sighed and stepped into the hall. Located between town and the estate, the Grange had once been a meeting spot for the county's landed gentry but had now become a makeshift armory. The walls of the hall were covered with ivy and wisteria and, farther up, Confederate flags. A band on the raised stage in the corner played a jaunty rendition of â€Å"The Bonnie Blue Flag,† and at least fifty couples circled the floor with glasses of punch in their hands. Father had obviously spared no expense, and it was clear that this was more than a simple welcome dinner for the troops. Heart-heavy, I headed over to the punch. I hadn't walked more than five steps when I felt a hand clap my back. I prepared myself to give a tight smile and accept the awkward congratulations that were already trickling in. What was the point of having a dinner to announce an engagement that everyone seemed to know about? I thought sourly. I turned to find myself face-to-face with Mr. Cartwright. I instantly composed my expression into something I hoped resembled excitement. â€Å"Stefan, boy! If it isn't the man of the hour!† Mr. Cartwright said, offering me a glass of whiskey. â€Å"Sir. Thank you for allowing me the pleasure of your daughter's company,† I said automatically, taking the smallest sip I could muster. I'd woken up with a terrible whiskey headache the morning after Damon and I spent time at the tavern. I'd stayed in bed, a cool compress on my forehead, while Damon had barely seemed affected. I'd heard him chasing Katherine through the labyrinth in the backyard. Every laugh I'd heard was like a tiny dagger in my brain. â€Å"The pleasure is all yours. I know it's a good merger. Practical and low risk with plenty of opportunity for growth.† â€Å"Thank you, sir,† I said. â€Å"And I am so sorry about Rosalyn's dog.† Mr. Cartwright shook his head. â€Å"Don't tell my wife or Rosalyn, but I'd always hated the damn thing. Not saying it should have gone and gotten itself killed, but I think everyone is getting themselves all worked up over nothing. All this discussion of demons you hear all over the damn place. People whispering that the town is cursed. It's that kind of talk that makes people so afraid of risk. Makes them nervous about putting their money in the bank,† Mr. Cartwright boomed, causing several people to stare. I smiled nervously. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Father acting as host and shuttling people toward the long table at the center of the room. I noticed each place was set with Mother's delicate fleur-de-lis china. â€Å"Stefan,† my father said, clapping his hand on my shoulder, â€Å"are you ready? Y have everything ou you need?† â€Å"Yes.† I touched the ring in my breast pocket and followed him to the head of the table. Rosalyn stood next to her mother and smiled tightly at her parents. Rosalyn's eyes, still red from crying over poor Penny, clashed horribly with the oversize, frilly pink dress she was wearing. As our neighbors took their seats around us, I realized that there were still two empty seats to my left. â€Å"Where's your brother?† Father asked, lowering his voice. I glanced toward the door. The band was still playing, and there was anticipation in the air. Finally, the doors opened with a clatter, and Damon and Katherine walked in. Together. It wasn't fair, I thought savagely. Damon could act like a boy, could continue to drink and flirt as if nothing had consequence. I'd always done the right thing, the responsible thing, and now it felt as though I was being punished for it by being forced to become a man. Even I was surprised by the surge of anger I felt. Instantly guilty, I tried to squelch the emotion by downing the full glass of wine to my left. After all, would Katherine have been expected to come to the dinner by herself? And wasn't Damon just being gallant, the good elder brother? Besides, they had no future. Marriages, at least in our society, were approved only if they merged two families. And, as an orphan, what did Katherine have to offer besides beauty? Father would never let me marry her, but that also meant he wouldn't let Damon marry her either. And even Damon wouldn't go so far as to marry someone Father didn't approve of. Right? Still, I couldn't tear my eyes away from Damon's arm around Katherine's tiny waist. She wore a green muslin dress whose fabric spread across her hoop skirts, and there was a hushed murmur as she and Damon made their way to the two empty seats at the center of the table. Her blue necklace gleamed at her throat, and she winked at me before taking the empty seat next to my own. Her hip brushed against mine, and I shifted uncomfortably. â€Å"Damon.† Father nodded tersely as Damon sat down to his left. â€Å"So do you think the army will be all the way down to Georgia by winter?† I asked Jonah Palmer loudly, simply because I didn't trust myself to speak to Katherine. If I heard her musical voice, I might lose my nerve to propose to Rosalyn. â€Å"I'm not worried about Georgia. What I am worried about is getting the militia together to solve the problems here in Mystic Falls. These attacks will not be stood for,† Jonah, the town veterinarian who had also been training the Mystic Falls militia, said loudly, pounding his fist on the table so hard, the china rattled. Just then, an army of servants entered the hall, holding plates of wild pheasant. I took my silver fork and pushed the gamey meat around my plate; I had no appetite. Around me, I could hear the usual discussions: about the war, about what we could do for our boys in gray, about upcoming dinners and barbecues and church socials. Katherine was nodding intently at Honoria Fells across the table. Suddenly I felt jealous of the grizzled, frizzy-haired Honoria. She was able to have the one-on-one conversation with Katherine that I so desperately wanted. â€Å"Ready, son?† Father elbowed me in the ribs, and I noticed that people were already finished with their meals. More wine was being poured, and the band, who'd paused during the main course, was playing in the corner. This was the moment everyone had been waiting for: They knew an announcement was about to be made, and they knew that following that announcement there would be celebrating and dancing. It was always the way dinners happened in Mystic Falls. But I'd never before been at the center of an announcement. As if on cue, Honoria leaned toward me, and Damon smiled encouragingly. Feeling sick to my stomach, I took a deep breath and clinked my knife against my crystal glass. Immediately, there was a hush throughout the hall, and even the servants stopped midstep to stare at me. I stood up, took a long swig of red wine for courage, and cleared my throat. â€Å"I †¦ um,† I began in a low, strained voice I didn't recognize as my own. â€Å"I have an announcement.† Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Father clutching his champagne flute, ready to jump in with a toast. I glanced at Katherine. She was looking at me, her dark eyes piercing my own. I tore my gaze away and gripped my glass so tightly, I was sure it would break. â€Å"Rosalyn, I'd like to ask your hand in marriage. Will you do me the honor?† I said in a rush, fumbling in my suit pocket for the ring. I pulled out the box and knelt down in front of Rosalyn, staring up at her watery brown eyes. â€Å"For you,† I said without inflection, flipping open the lid and holding it out toward her. Rosalyn shrieked, and the room burst into a smattering of applause. I felt a hand clap my back, and I saw Damon grinning down on me. Katherine clapped politely, an unreadable expression on her face. â€Å"Here.† I took Rosalyn's tiny white hand and pushed the ring on her finger. It was too large, and the emerald rolled lopsidedly toward her pinkie. She looked like a child playing dress-up with her mother's jewelry. But Rosalyn didn't seem to care that the ring didn't fit. Instead, she held out her hand, watching as the diamonds captured the light of the table's candles. Immediately, a crush of women surrounded us, cooing over the ring. â€Å"This does call for a celebration!† my father called out. â€Å"Cigars for everyone. Come here, Stefan, son! Y ou've made me one proud father.† I nodded and shakily stepped over to him. It was ironic that while I'd spent my entire life trying to get my father's approval, what made him happiest was an act that made me feel dead inside. â€Å"Katherine, will you dance with me?† I heard Damon's voice above the din of scraping chairs and clinking glassware. I stopped in my tracks, waiting for the answer. Katherine glanced up, casting a furtive look in my direction. Her eyes held my own for a long moment. A wild urge to rip the ring off Rosalyn's finger and place it on Katherine's pale one nearly overtook me. But then Father nudged me from behind, and before I could react, Damon grabbed Katherine by the hand and led her out to the dance floor.

Igniting Young Minds Essay

Swami Vivekananda’s success Mantras for youth! â€Å"My Faith is in the Younger Generation, the Modern Generation, out of them will come my workers. They will work out the whole problem, like Lions.† Swami Vivekananda expressed this confidence in the youth of this country exactly 50 years before the end of Colonial Rule while speaking to a mammoth gathering of youngsters in Madras. Swami ji himself was the embodiment of youth, dynamism and vibrancy. The life and ideals of Swami ji are the greatest inspiration for the youth of our nation. In a short life of 39 years, 5 months and 22 days, this great man conquered the entire world with his message. Many great personalities both in India and across the world became deeply inspired by Swami ji. The writings of Swami ji can ignite the minds of the reader.. Anybody who has come into either direct or indirect contact has witnessed an ocean of change in his or her life. Today, the youth of this country faces various challenges and I am certain that the message of Swami Vivekananda has the power to wonderfully guide them into the future. PURPOSE OF LIFE Swami ji always held that the real birth of the individual takes place when the purpose of his life germinates. He believed that he who does not have a purpose is nothing but a walking-talking corpse.It is extremely important not to decide the purpose of life with the narrow objective to be something or the other. Think of doing not becoming and in this process you will certainly become something. Once the purpose of life is clear, all actions of life become driven by that purpose. SELF-CONFIDENCE A precursor to do anything in life is to have confidence in the self. Swami Vivekananda attached more importance to self-confidence than even faith in God! â€Å"He is an atheist who does not believe in himself. The old religions said that he was an atheist who did not believe in God. The new religion says that he is an atheist who does not believe in himself,† he famously stated. Unfortunately, we have limited ourselves without knowing our capabilities. Many times we feel that we can do ‘only this much’ despite being blessed with tremendous capabilities. If our youth is determined, there can be nothing impossible for them to achieve in the world! But, for this we must regain our self-confidence. Swami ji always believed that everything that is happening around us be it small, big, positive or negative gives us the opportunity to manifest the potential within. DEDICATION For any endeavor to attain the pinnacle of success, dedication to the cause is absolutely essential. Swami Vivekananda once said, â€Å"To succeed, you must have tremendous perseverance, tremendous will. ‘I will drink the ocean’, says the persevering soul; ‘at my will mountains will crumble up’. Have that sort of energy, that sort of will; work hard, and you will reach the goal.† Another quality that Swami Vivekananda spoke of was patience. He said, â€Å"Be like the pearl oyster. There is a pretty Indian fable to the effect that if it rains when the star Svà ¢ti is in the ascendant, and a drop of rain falls into an oyster, that drop becomes a pearl. The oysters know this, so they come to the surface when that star shines, and wait to catch the precious raindrop. When a drop falls into them, quickly the oysters close their shells and dive down to the bottom of the sea, there to patiently develop the drop into the pearl. We should be like that.† Very often, it so happens that we take on a task with immense enthusiasm but as time passes by, the same enthusiasm fizzles out. Pursuing a challenge with utmost dedication is indeed a road to success for our youth. TEAMWORK This era belongs to organization and teamwork. Be it any sector from science, technology to business, teamwork constitutes a major cornerstone to attaining the desired results. When he was in USA, Swami Vivekananda was greatly impressed by the spirit of teamwork there and he thought of the need to re-vitalize this spirit of teamwork in India. Leading by example, he founded the Ramakrishna Mission and organized Sanyasis to work towards nation building. Friends, if the present youth walks on the hallow path of Swami ji’s ideals and beliefs it will merely be a matter of time before India adorns the mantle as the leader of the World. In any case, we are the most youthful nation in the world but simply that is not enough. It is necessary to arm our youth with the relevant knowledge and skill that will convert this mammoth potential to desired results. India is celebrating Swami Vivekananda’s 150th Birth Anniversary and Gujarat is commemorating the entire year as ‘Yuva Shakti Varsh’. It is indeed high time that we resolve to follow these ideals of Swami Vivekananda and take this youthful nation to greater heights as the leader of the world.