Comparative Analysis of The Cut-glass bowl and Benediction by F.Scott Essay

Comparative Analysis of The Cut-glass bowl and Benediction by F.Scott Fitzgerald - Essay Example Cut-glass Bowl is a story about Evelyn Piper, a housewife in New York society who a superficial and pretty woman. Evelyn had been cheating on her husband of seven years for six months, and the affair was the talk of the town until the husband found out. The bowl in question is the center of this story because it disintegrates with Evelyn’s life to bring about several tragedies, and eventually finishes her. In the two stories, Fitzgerald uses the major characters to explore the issues of morality vs. secular, reality vs. illusion and the wistful sadness of romance, which is the focus of this comparison. The Benediction story presents a conflict between morality and secular. This is noticed when Lois asks his brother and friends at the seminary why they joined the brotherhood while still young. She believes that they should explore the other side of the world (secular) before they join the seminary studies and commit to celibacy. She questions whether the decision to celibate be fore experiencing the pleasures of the world is good or not. This presents indecision that some people who strongly wish to join seminary may have. For instance, some young Catholics are held back by the desire to got out and experience the world before committing to celibacy. As a result, the decision to hold back on joining seminary at a young age might bar some people from entering the studies and thus, living a secular life. This might also raise the question of what the society thinks about celibacy, is it morally good?. Nevertheless, Keith and his friends are satisfied with their lives at the seminary, and from them we learn that celibacy at a young age is not a bad idea. Similarly, the issue of morality in the society presents itself through the actions of Evelyn in Cut-glass Bowl. Evelyn is unfaithful to her husband as she has been seeing Gedney for a period of six months until her husband found out, and that is when she decided to end. This portrays what happens in this New York society. Housewives become too lonely until they decide to seek affection from somewhere else since the husbands are too busy to give them attention. Though this is immoral behavior, they believe that it is the right way to relieve their loneliness and frustrations experienced in marriage. Evelyn is also described as a heartbreaker defining her character before she got married. What is more fascinating in the story is that divorce is not an option for Evelyn and her husband because it is considered immoral in the society. Therefore, this implies that having an affair is not considered wrong, but divorce is, which is supported by Evelyn’s husband who acknowledges that the affair was just a mistake. Reality vs. illusion is also a concept widely explored by Fitzgerald in the two stories. For instance, in Benediction, Lois cannot separate what is reality and what is an illusion. This is revealed on her visit to her brother’s school where he is learning to become a Je suit priest. First, she wants to end her relationship with Harold, but she does not have a reason to for this. She gets the illusion that things will never work between them. She is confused about the true meaning or religion and Catholicism, in which she shows indifference towards it. However, something magical happens to her during the Benediction service whereby she experiences genuine righteousness (Brye 38). Her conversion reveals the underlying reality or ultimate truth that is

Company overview and market analysis for Audi

Company overview and market analysis for Audi Audi, this Germany brand was found by August Horch in 1899. Since this motor company established, Audi has been designing and manufacturing Audi cars in innovation and future conception. Today, Audi has became one of the three German super automobile manufacturers which producing the full range models, from economical, sport, luxury and sport utility vehicle. In the latest Audi annual report, the total revenue has reached to 29.8 billion euros with profits 1.35 billion euros by the end of 2009. What is more, Audis sales have increased significantly from 653,000 to 1,003,000 between 2000 and 2008, especially in the Middle East market and Chinese market. For example, Chinese government has agreed to purchase Audi car for officials in long term. Furthermore, Audi just launched the new supermini A1, the four door coupe A7 and the new generation flagship A8. In this essay, argument will be made that this German producer how to remain competitiveness under this changing environment. Audi C ompany and Audis P.E.S.T.E.L analysis will be covered by this German strong brand. A8 Revolution To compete against with the other two German brands Mercedes and BMW in the upscale markets, Audi has introduced the flagship model A8 in 1994. With the first vehicle using aluminum space frame technology and luxurious equipment, A8 gained considerable market share in the global executive luxury car field. The second generation of A8 launched in the end of 2002, Audis engineers met the development trend of automobile, taking a brand new A8 with new engine technology and longer wheelbase to customers. The successful sales of Audi A8 did not discontinue, Audi aims to be the number one in selling luxury car with introducing the third generation A8 in 2010. Audi has been designing and producing A8 for 16 years, the experience for making luxury car is a great treasure in this German automaker. P.E.S.T.E.L. Analysis Political Since the last century, Germany is famous for making cars, such as, Mercedes, Audi and BMW; Porsche and Volkswagen. German government also encourages these motor producers showing the Germany made car to the customers from all over the world. Audi set the headquarters in Ingolstadt and have a strong human resource with over 60,000 staff from different nationality. With the Audis global strategy implementation, this German auto manufacturer has established several large plants in different countries. Hungary and China are good examples. Economic In 2008, the global economy recession spread over the world. Fortunately, the global economy is being recovery from the end of 2009, even though some countries are still facing credit crunch, such as Ireland; but most governments from different countries had confidence to making peoples life better. For example, in Germany, government spent billions supporting and encouraging German families to purchase; in UK, government also gave benefits, which means people get extra ¿Ã‚ ¡2,000 from the current car with more than 10 year life time when exchanging a new car in a dealer. According to the Audi statistics, sales of new car have increased sharply from 2009 to 2010 in the European and North American markets. What is more, Middle East and China are still the large demand group; For example, Audi has delivered 108,000 cars to China in the first three months, compared with the total sells 705,000 cars at the same period. Social Audi is a large car manufacturer in the world, the social impact is inevitable, this German giant owns over 60,000 staff in the world, and which means Audi support more than 60,000 families every year. In this aspect, Audi has been improving the workshop condition to satisfy employees, and Audi also offer successes of creating exceptional cars when employees join the group. Manufacturing perfect cars needs large quantity qualified material, Audi have established several partnership with suppliers. Due to the economy recession, consumers are willing to choose the fuel efficiency car instead of buying the big engine SUV; Audi remained the price for customer, but added more technology into the car. Technological Technology development is the key feature of Audi Company; Audi is best known of its permanent four wheel drive system, called QUATTRO. Today, Quattro is widely used in most Audi model, and offering drivers more safety and pleasure in any situations. In China, the heavy snow spread over the southern part at the winter of 2008, compared with Audis successful performance on snowy road, the competitor Mercedes realized it is the right time to fit the four wheel drive system into saloon and sport car. In comfort aspect, Audi introduced air adapted suspension; this equipment could adjust suspension in order to achieve best performance on different road condition. In 2010, the new Audi A8 is equipped with the 8 speed transmission which offers the soft and quick acceleration in order to achieve fuel efficiency. Audi also cooperated with Italian super car Lamborghini to achieve sport value. For example, the S8 and RS model are equipped with Lamborghinis engine and transmission system. Environmental Audi paid more attention in corporate social responsibility .It is inevitable for Audi not polluting the environment, because it is a manufacturer. Audi promises to minimize the environmental impacts. In these 20 years, Audi spent billions in researching the efficiency engine; the new generation engine means more horsepower but little emissions. For example, the new TDI diesel engine has already meet the future European 5 emission standard. Furthermore, Audi announced car emissions will be cut further 20% by 2012. That is how this German maker leads the environmental car market. Legal Germany government set a group of legislation in order to protect road users safety and environment. Crash standard and European car emission limits are good examples. 4. A8: The upscale target market Audis flagship A8 L W12 takes driving to a whole new level of luxury. This is true, even though car makers and customers are paying more attention in fuel efficiency car markets on todays environmental condition, but every famous brand is still proud of their flagship, like Birkin handbag of Hermes. Flying used to be a pleasurable experience for most businessmen, especially for the fist class ticket. Cars can not fly, but Audis engineer made the dream become true. The new generation A8 providing exceptional and efficient luxury transport for passengers. A8 means technology, comfort and luxury, especially from Germany. Audis most important features, aluminium body depends on Audi Space Frame, permanent four-wheel drive Quattro and air adaptive suspension. Since the first A8 was produced in 1994, A8 has firmly established Audi name in the luxury car market. According to the research, over half of luxury cars are produced by the German super three, almost 300,000 luxury cars delivered to customers worldwide each year; in addition, around 70% of these luxury saloon are sold to outside west Europe, especially for North American market and Middle East. The luxury car market was not influenced by the economic recession; the demand for luxury cars has increased for many years, especially for the new arrivals. Audi gained highly reputation from A8s loyalty customers in these years from all over the world, due to the changing group of luxury car buyers, the percentage of 30 to 40 years olds buyers increased sharply in this ten years. Audi are also willing to these potential buyers. Changing Ages is an important factor for luxury car segmentation; emotional factor could also influence customers decision. For example, luxury car is a symbol for peoples status orientation; what is more, the luxury car always understands the fashion, trend and design. Audi A8 is the best choice for the experienced loyalty buyers and potential group customers. Overall, this new generation flagship will take more market share to Audi in the luxury market. Recommendations The 21st century is also a technology era; Audi should continue spending billions and billions in innovation in order to achieve the mass markets. Secondly, climate change is a key issue in todays world; Audi should pay more attention to social responsibility. Cutting emissions and materials recycling are good examples. Thirdly, due to the large increase demands from Asian market, Audi should enlarge its volume to satisfy this potential region, especially for the tier 2 and tier 3 cities of these countries. At last, the advertisement campaign is more and more important for car companies, Audi should design different type visual advertisement for marketing. In my personal experience, sitting in a silver Audi car with bright red from dashboard, just illustrate the meaning of an Audi car: machine with blood. Conclusions With 100 years experiences constructing motor machines, Audi became one of the most famous car manufacturer brands in the world. Audi car is illustrated by design, safety, comfort and sport. What is more, this German automaker giant achieved large market share and highly reputation from the whole world; Audi also established the products portfolio in order to meet different customers needs. For example, A4 and A6 are popular in the European market; the sales of large SUV Q7 and luxury A8 achieved considerable performance in the North American market. Furthermore, due to the scarce of resources and climate change, Audi realized it is important to decrease the environmental impacts during the operation. Like the new generation of Audis flagship A8, taking Audi to a new level of luxury; Audi company will take transportation into a new milestone.

Restaurant Review Essay -- essays research papers

Restaurant Review   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was rainy, crowded and loud at the entrance, the smell of cigarette and rum filled the air of the lobby area. It was Saturday night at the T.G.I.F in San Francisco, the Giant’s were playing so the place was packed and fans were being loud. The restaurant is located on a corner nearby Pier 39 and it almost has an Aspen look to it. The building itself is made of bricks with big colorful windows and huge cherry finished wooden doors with brass handles. Inside, the walls are cherry wood and covered with big mirrors and stuffed dear heads. The tables and chairs are all dark wood with a very rich red color. The atmosphere inside almost had an Irish pub feel to it, people were very happy and socializing loud, laughter filled the air. Men argued about whose team was better, young people laughing at jokes and friends, there were televisions tuned to sports.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The staff there were all clean cut and very down to earth but yet nice and helpful. Although we were a party of 15 and the place was packed, the wait was only 15 minutes. They sat us down and we had a waitress with us promptly to take our drink order. There cuisine is more along the line of good old fashioned Americana food. Fried foods, ribs, barbeque and burgers. They have a small variety of salads and soups but it had something for everyone, whether in a diet or not. There prices are reasonable for the amount and quality ...

The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle Chapter Nine

â€Å"I know I'm going to be sorry I asked this,† Matt said, turning red-rimmed eyes from their contemplation of I-95 to Stefan in the passenger seat beside him. â€Å"But can you tell mewhy we want these extra-special, not-available-locally, semi-tropical weeds for Elena?† Stefan looked into the back seat at the results of their search through hedgerows and rough grass. The plants, with their branching green stems and their small-toothed leaves, did look more like weeds than anything else. The dried remains of blossoms at the ends of the shoots were almost invisible, and no one could pretend the shoots themselves were decorative. â€Å"What if I said they could be used to make an all-natural eyewash?† he offered, after a moment's thought. â€Å"Or an herbal tea?† â€Å"Why? Were you thinking of saying something like that?† â€Å"Good. Because if you did I'd probably deck you.† Without actually looking at Matt, Stefan smiled. There was something new stirring inside him, something he hadn't felt for nearly five centuries, except with Elena. Acceptance. Warmth and friendship shared with a fellow being, who did not know the truth about him, but who trusted him anyway. Who was willing to take him on faith. He wasn't sure he deserved it, but he couldn't deny what it meant to him. It almost made him feel†¦ human again. Elena stared at her image in the mirror. It hadn't been a dream. Not entirely. The wounds in her neck proved that. And now that she'd seen them, she noticed the feeling of light-headedness, of lethargy. It was her own fault. She'd taken so much trouble to warn Bonnie and Meredith not to invite any strangers into their houses. And all the time she'd forgotten that she herself had invited Damon into Bonnie's house. She'd done it that night she had set up the dumb supper in Bonnie's dining room and called out into the darkness, â€Å"Come in.† And the invitation was good forever. He could return any time he liked, even now. Especially now, while she was weak and might easily be hypnotized into unlocking a window again. Elena stumbled out of the bathroom, past Bonnie, and into the guest bedroom. She grabbed her tote bag and began stuffing things into it. â€Å"Elena, you can't go home!† â€Å"I can't stay here,† Elena said. She looked around for her shoes, spotted them by the bed, and started forward. Then she stopped, with a strangled sound. Lying on the dainty crumpled linen of the bed there was a single black feather. It was huge, horribly huge and real and solid, with a thick, waxy-looking shaft. It looked almost obscene resting there on the white percale sheets. Nausea swept over Elena, and she turned away. She couldn't breathe. â€Å"Okay, okay,† Bonnie said. â€Å"If you feel that way about it, I'll get Dad to take you home.† â€Å"You have to come, too.† It had just dawned on Elena that Bonnie was no safer in this house than she was. Youand your loved ones , she remembered, and turned to grasp Bonnie's arm. â€Å"Youhave to, Bonnie. I need you with me.† And at last she got her way. The McCulloughs thought she was hysterical, that she was overreacting, possibly that she was having a nervous breakdown. But finally they gave in. Mr. McCullough drove her and Bonnie to the Gilbert house, where, feeling like burglars, they unlocked the door and crept inside without waking anyone up. Even here, Elena couldn't sleep. She lay beside Bonnie's softly breathing form, staring toward her bedroom window, watching. Outside, the quince branches squeaked against the glass, but nothing else moved until dawn. â€Å"Stefan!† She had never been so glad to see anyone in her life. She flung herself upon him before he could even shut the car door. He swayed backward with the force of her impact, and she could feel his surprise. She wasn't usually so demonstrative in public. â€Å"Hey,† he said, returning the hug gently. â€Å"Me, too, but don't crush the flowers.† â€Å"Flowers?† She pulled back to look at what he was carrying; then, she looked at his face. Then at Matt, who was emerging from the other side of the car. Stefan's face was pale and drawn; Matt's was puffy with tiredness, with bloodshot eyes. â€Å"You'd better come inside,† she said at last, bewildered. â€Å"You both look awful.† â€Å"It's vervain,† said Stefan, some time later. He and Elena were sitting at the kitchen table. Through the open doorway, Matt could be seen stretched out on the family room sofa, snoring gently. He'd flopped there after eating three bowls of cereal. Aunt Judith, Bonnie, and Margaret were still upstairs asleep, but Stefan kept his voice low just the same. â€Å"You remember what I told you about it?† he said. â€Å"You said it helps keep your mind clear even when someone is using Power to influence it.† Elena was proud of how steady her voice was. â€Å"Right. And that's one of the things Damon might try. He can use the power of his mind even from a distance, and he can do it whether you're awake or asleep.† Tears filled Elena's eyes, and she looked down to hide them, gazing at the long slender stems with the dried remains of tiny lilac flowers at the very tips. â€Å"Asleep?† she said, afraid that this time her voice was not as steady. â€Å"Yes. He could influence you to come out of the house, say, or to let him in. But the vervain should prevent that.† Stefan sounded tired, but satisfied with himself. Oh, Stefan, if you only knew, Elena thought. The gift had come one night too late. In spite of all her efforts, a tear fell, dripping onto the long green leaves. â€Å"Elena!† He sounded startled. â€Å"What is it? Tell me.† He was trying to look into her face, but she bowed her head, pressing it into his shoulder. He put his arms around her, not trying to force her up again. â€Å"Tell me,† he repeated softly. This was the moment. If she was ever going to tell him, it should be now. Her throat felt burned and swollen, and she wanted to let all the words inside pour out. But she couldn't. No matter what, I won't let them fight over me, she thought. â€Å"It's just that – I was worried about you,† she managed. â€Å"I didn't know where you'd gone, or when you were coming back.† â€Å"That's all.† Now she would have to swear Bonnie to secrecy about the crow. Why did one lie always lead to another? â€Å"What should we do with the vervain?† she asked, sitting back. â€Å"I'll show you tonight. Once I've extracted the oil from the seeds, you can rub it into your skin or add it to a bath. And you can make the dried leaves into a sachet and carry it with you or put it under your pillow at night.† â€Å"I'd better give them to Bonnie and Meredith, too. They'll need protection.† He nodded. â€Å"For now – † He broke off a sprig and placed it in her hand. † – just take this to school with you. I'm going back to the boarding house to extract the oil.† He paused a moment and then spoke. â€Å"Elena†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"If I thought it would do you any good, I'd leave. I wouldn't expose you to Damon. But I don't think he'd follow me if I went, not any more. I think he might stay – because of you.† â€Å"Don't eventhink about leaving,† she said fiercely, looking up at him. â€Å"Stefan, that's the one thing I couldn't stand. Promise you won't; promise me.† â€Å"I won't leave you alone with him,† Stefan said, which was not quite the same thing. But there was no point in pushing him further. Instead, she helped him wake up Matt, and saw them both off. Then, with a stem of dried vervain in her hand, she went upstairs to get ready for school. Bonnie yawned all the way through breakfast, and she didn't really wake up until they were outside, walking to school with a brisk breeze in their faces. It was going to be a cold day. â€Å"I had a very weird dream last night,† Bonnie said. Elena's heart jumped. She'd already tucked a sprig of vervain into Bonnie's backpack, down at the bottom, where Bonnie wouldn't see it. But if Damon had gotten to Bonnie last night†¦ â€Å"What about?† she said, bracing herself. â€Å"About you. I saw you standing under a tree and the wind was blowing. For some reason, I was afraid of you, and I didn't want to go any closer. You looked†¦ different. Very pale but almost glowing. And then a crow flew down from the tree, and you reached out and grabbed it in midair. You were so fast it was unbelievable. And then you looked over at me, with this expression. You were smiling, but it made me want to run. And then you twisted the crow's neck, and it was dead.† Elena had listened to this with growing horror. Now she said, â€Å"That's adisgusting dream.† â€Å"It is, isn't it?† said Bonnie composedly. â€Å"I wonder what it means? Crows are birds of ill omen in the legends. They can foretell a death.† â€Å"Yes,† Bonnie said. â€Å"Except for one thing. I had this dreambefore you woke us all up screaming.† That day at lunchtime there was another piece of violet paper on the office bulletin board. This one, though, read simply:LOOK IN PERSONALS. â€Å"What personals?† said Bonnie. Meredith, walking up at that moment with a copy of theWildcat Weekly , the school newspaper, provided the answer. â€Å"Have you seen this?† she said. It was in the personals section, completely anonymous, with neither salutation nor signature. Ican't bear the thought of losing him. But he's so very unhappy about something, and if he won't tell me what it is, if he won't trust me that much, I don't see any hope for us. Reading it, Elena felt a burst of new energy through her tiredness. Oh, God, she hated whoever was doing this. She imagined shooting them, stabbing them, watching them fall. And then, vividly, she imagined something else. Yanking back a fistful of the thief's hair and sinking her teeth into an unprotected throat. It was a strange, unsettling vision, but for a moment it almost seemed real. She became aware that Bonnie and Meredith were looking at her. â€Å"Well?† she said, feeling slightly uncomfortable. â€Å"I could tell you weren't listening,† sighed Bonnie. â€Å"I just said it still doesn't look like Da – like the killer's work to me. It doesn't seem like a murderer would be so petty.† â€Å"Much as I hate to agree with her, she's right,† Meredith said. â€Å"This smells like someone sneaky. Someone who has a grudge against you personally and who really wants to make you suffer.† Saliva had collected in Elena's mouth, and she swallowed. â€Å"Also somebody who's familiar with the school. They had to fill out a form for a personals message in one of the journalism classes,† she said. â€Å"And somebody who knew you kept a diary, assuming they stole it on purpose. Maybe they were in one of your classes that day you took it to school. Remember? When Mr. Tanner almost caught you,† Bonnie added. â€Å"Ms. Halperndid catch me; she even read some of it aloud, a bit about Stefan. That was right after Stefan and I got together. Wait a minute, Bonnie. That night at your house when the diary was stolen, how long were you two out of the living room?† â€Å"Just a few minutes. Yangtze had stopped barking, and I went to the door to let him in, and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie pressed her lips together and shrugged. â€Å"So the thief had to be familiar with your house,† said Meredith swiftly, â€Å"or he or she wouldn't have been able to get in, get the diary, and get out again before we saw them. All right, then, we're looking for someone sneaky and cruel, probably in one of your classes, Elena, and most likely familiar with Bonnie's house. Someone who has a personal grudge and will stoop to anything to get you†¦ Oh, my God.† The three of them stared at one another. â€Å"We're so stupid; we should have seen it right away,† said Meredith. For Elena, it meant the sudden realization that all the anger she'd felt about this before was nothing to the anger she was capable of feeling. A candle flame to the sun. â€Å"Caroline,† she said, and clenched her teeth so hard her jaw hurt. Caroline. Elena actually felt she could kill the green-eyed girl right now. And she might have rushed out to try if Bonnie and Meredith hadn't stopped her. â€Å"After school,† said Meredith firmly, â€Å"when we can take her somewhere private. Just wait that long, Elena.† But as they headed for the cafeteria, Elena noticed an auburn head disappearing down the art and music corridor. And she remembered something Stefan had said earlier this year, about Caroline taking him into the photography room at lunchtime. For privacy, Caroline had told him. â€Å"You two go on; I forgot something,† she said as soon as Bonnie and Meredith both had food on their cafeteria trays. Then she pretended to be deaf as she walked rapidly out and backtracked to the art wing. All the rooms were dark, but the photography room's door was unlocked. Something made Elena turn the knob cautiously, and move quietly once she was inside, rather than marching in to start a confrontation as she'd planned. Was Caroline in here? If so, what was she doing alone in the dark? The room appeared at first to be deserted. Then Elena heard the murmur of voices from a small alcove at the back, and she saw that the darkroom door was ajar. Silently, stealthily, she made her way until she stood just outside the doorway, and the murmur of sound resolved itself into words. â€Å"But how can we be sure she'll be the one they pick?† That was Caroline. â€Å"My father's on the school board. They'll pick her, all right.† Andthat was Tyler Smallwood. His father was a lawyer, and on every board there was. â€Å"Besides, who else would it be?† he continued. † ‘The Spirit of Fell's Church' is supposed to be brainy as well as built.† â€Å"AndI don't have brains, I suppose?† â€Å"Did I say that? Look, if you want to be the one to parade in a white dress on Founders' Day, fine. But if you want to see Stefan Salvatore run out of town on the evidence of his own girlfriend's diary†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"But why wait so long?† Tyler sounded impatient. â€Å"Because this way it'll ruin the celebration, too. TheFells' celebration. Why shouldthey get the credit for founding this town? The Smallwoods were here first.† â€Å"Oh, who cares about who founded the town? All I want is to see Elena humiliated in front of the entire â€Å"And Salvatore.† The pure hatred and malice in Tyler's voice made Elena's flesh crawl. â€Å"He'll be lucky if he doesn't end up hanging from a tree. You're sure the evidence is there?† â€Å"How many times do I have to tell you? First, it says she lost the ribbon on September second in the cemetery. Then, it says Stefan picked it up that day and kept it. Wickery Bridge is right beside the cemetery. That means Stefan was near the bridge on September second, the night the old man was attacked there. Everybody already knows he was on hand for the attacks on Vickie and Tanner. What more do you want?† â€Å"It would never stand up in court. Maybe I should get some corroborating evidence. Like ask old Mrs. Flowers what time he got home that night.† â€Å"Oh, whocares ? Most people think he's guilty already. The diary talks about some big secret he's hiding from everyone. People will get the idea.† â€Å"You're keeping it in a safe place?† â€Å"No, Tyler, I'm keeping it out on the coffee table. How stupid do you think I am?† â€Å"Stupid enough to send Elena notes tipping her off.† There was a crackle, as of newspaper. â€Å"Look at this, this is unbelievable. And it's got to stop,now. What if she figures out who's doing it?† â€Å"What's she going to do about it, call the police?† â€Å"I still want you to lay off. Just wait until Founders' Day; then you'll get to watch the Ice Princess melt.† â€Å"And to say ciao to Stefan. Tyler†¦ nobody's really going to hurt him, are they?† â€Å"Whocares?† Tyler mocked her earlier tone. â€Å"You leave that to me and my friends, Caroline. You just do your part, okay?† Caroline's voice dropped to a throaty murmur. â€Å"Convince me.† After a pause Tyler chuckled. There was movement, rustling sounds, a sigh. Elena turned and slipped out of the room as quietly as she had come in. She got into the next hallway, and then she leaned against the lockers there, trying to think. It was almost too much to absorb at once. Caroline, who had once been her best friend, had betrayed her and wanted to see her humiliated in front of the whole school. Tyler, who'd always seemed more an annoying jerk than a real threat, was planning to get Stefan driven out of town – or killed. And the worst thing was that they were using Elena's own diary to do it. Now she understood the beginning of her dream last night. She'd had a dream like it the day before she had discovered that Stefan was missing. In both, Stefan had looked at her with angry, accusing eyes, and then he had thrown a book at her feet and walked away. Not a book. Her diary. Which had in it evidence that could be deadly to Stefan. Three times people in Fell's Church had been attacked, and three times Stefan had been on the scene. What would that look And there was no way to tell the truth. Supposing she said, â€Å"Stefan isn't guilty. It's his brother Damon who hates him and who knows how much Stefan hates even the thought of hurting and killing. And who followed Stefan around and attacked people to make Stefan think maybe Stefan had done it, to drive him mad. And who's here in townsomewhere – look for him in the cemetery or in the woods. But, oh, by the way, don't just search for a good-looking guy, because he might be a crow at the moment. â€Å"Incidentally, he's a vampire.† She didn't even believe it herself. It sounded ludicrous. A twinge from the side of her neck reminded her how serious the ludicrous story really was. She felt odd today, almost as if she were sick. It was more than just tension and lack of sleep. She felt slightly dizzy, and at times the ground seemed to be spongy, giving way under her feet and then springing back. Flu symptoms, except that she was sure they weren't due to anyvirus in her bloodstream. Damon's fault, again. Everything was Damon's fault, except the diary. She had no one to blame for that but herself. If only she hadn't written about Stefan, if only she hadn't brought the diary to school. If only she hadn't left it in Bonnie's living room. If only, if only. Right now all that mattered was that she had to get it back.

Early Childhood Educator Essay

The inspiration for the Reggio Emilia approach came from Reggio Emilia, Italy. In Italy, all the preschools are centered on this approach. It is a city run program for children from birth to the age of six (Cyert Center, 2004). The philosophy is that, â€Å"children’s interactions and relationships with other children and adults are a vital component of their learning† (Schiller, 1995). Reggio Emilia schools in the United States, Italy, and other countries around the world differ greatly from standard preschools here in the United States. Some of the key differences and components of the Reggio Emilia program is its role in the community, attention to the environment, and its emergent curriculum which functions as a part of the teachers and the children. Role of the Community The community is a big part of the Reggio Emilia schools. There are regularly scheduled meetings for parents to take part in. These meetings are scheduled in the evening so that working parents are able to attend. The parents and teachers discuss issues regarding school policies, child development concerns, and curriculum planning and evaluations (Wikipedia, 2007). The parents are involved in the whole process of the education of their children. Teachers send home journals of children’s thoughts and ideas expressed in class. This kind of cooperation among teachers and parents make learning on the children’s part much easier and complete. Attention to the Environment According to Lilian G. Katz, â€Å"The physical environment of a preschool center is considered a ‘teacher’ in and of itself! † (Katz, 1990). This holds true in a Reggio Emilia school. The environment is considered the â€Å"third† teacher to the students attending this kind of program. The building itself and classrooms are filled with indoor plants, vines, and lots of natural light. Natural light enters the classrooms through wall-sized windows letting the children connect with the outside world. All of the classrooms have a door to the outside and open to a center piazza. Each classroom flows well with each other and the surrounding community. The lunch rooms, courtyards and bathrooms are designed in a way to encourage community among all the students (Wikipedia, 2007). Incorporated into each school is a common space available to all children in the school that includes dramatic play and work tables (Cyert Center, 2004). Each classroom is connected with a phone, passageway or a window. The classrooms are equipped with art centers called atelier (Gandini, 1993). In the atelier are easels, watercolors, crayons, markers, paper, and any art materials children need to be creative. Another part of the classroom has books about artists and a place where children can read comfortably (Schiller, 1995). Displayed around the classroom, among all the photographs of the children and carefully placed mirrors in the school, are works completed by the children with transcriptions of their discussions about the work. The physical environment of a preschool center is considered a ‘teacher’ in and of itself! † (Katz, 1990). Emergent Curriculum There is no time schedule where at some part of the day the students are learning about science, then language arts, and then math. The kind of schedule the students follow is that there is a group meeting when the students arrive in the morning. Then there is a work period, play period, lunch time, play time, nap time, and then another work period or play period (Hertzog, 2001). For their work period, there is no set curriculum that the teachers must follow. The curriculum is an emergent curriculum which is child centered. Emergent means that is builds upon the interests of the child. The teachers have broad goals but can follow the lead and interests of the children (Schiller, 1995). During the work periods, a teacher will work with one small group on their project while the other students are engaged in self selected activities. The projects are teacher directed and child initiated and begins with the teacher observing the children and asking the children questions on a topic that interests the child. The students then do in depth studies of the content that interests the children of that group (Wikipedia, 2007). The project moves in unanticipated directions. To avoid confusion the teachers help children make decisions about direction of study, how to research the topic, and how to represent the topic (Cyert Center, 2004). The projects can range in length from one week to the whole school year. When the students are content to be complete with their project they depict their knowledge through drawing, sculpting, dramatic play, or writing. At every school, there is a visual art specialist, an atelierista, who works closely with the other teachers and children (Gandini, 1993). The atelierista guides the children into appropriate media choices to complete their ideas and projects. Because art is such an integral part of all activities, the students’ old works, finished and unfinished, are available to them to finish or add on. While they work on their art projects, the teachers talk to the children and write down any thoughts or ideas the students have. They display the students’ discussions with their art work around the classroom and school (Schiller, 1995). In order for this curriculum to work, the teachers must also learn with the students. The teachers take turns with the following roles: observing, note taking, and recording observations between children. After all observations are recorded, they are shared with other teachers and parents in the planning of the students’ projects. It is crucial that teachers become skillful observers of the children. Their observations guide the curriculum planning and implementation (Wikipedia, 2007). Conclusion The Reggio Emilia approach to learning is a constructivist approach where the students learn at their own pace and guide the curriculum. It is all about the children. The children’s interests lead them into a project that is researched in depth at a level that they can understand. The children’s thoughts and ideas are implemented into the curriculum and planning and are shared with the community. Reggio Emilia works because the children are learning what they want to learn with the help of their parents, teachers, and the community.

Free Essays on Dear Basketball

Dear Basketball, It’s been almost 28 years since the first day we met. 28 years since I saw you in the back of our garage. 28 years since my parents introduced us. If someone would have told me then, what would become of us, I’m not sure I would have believed them. I barely remembered your name. Then I started seeing you around the neighborhood and watching you on television. I used to see you with guys down at the playground. But when my older brother started paying more attention to you, I started to wonder. Maybe you were different. We hung out a few times. The more I got to know you, the more I liked you. And as life would have it, when I finally got really interested in you, when I was finally ready to get serious, you left me off the varsity. You told me I wasn’t good enough. I was crushed. I was hurt. I think I even cried. Then I wanted you more than ever. So I practiced. I hustled. I worked on my game. Passing. Dribbling. Shooting. Thinking. I ran. I did sit-ups. I did push-ups. I did pull-ups. I lifted weights. I studied you. I began to fall in love and you noticed. At least that’s what Coach Smith said. At the time, I wasn’t sure exactly what was going on. But now I know. Coach Smith was teaching me how to love you, how to listen to you, how to understand you, how to respect you and appreciate you. Then it happened. That night, at the Louisiana Superdome in the final seconds of the championship game against Georgetown, you found me in the corner and we danced. Since then you’ve become more than just a ball to me. You’ve become more than just a court. More than just a hoop. More than just a pair of sneakers. More than just a game. In some respects, you’ve become my life. My passion. My Motivation. My inspiration. You’re my biggest fan and my harshest critic. You’re my dearest friend and strongest ally. You’re my most challenging teacher and most endearing student. You’re m... Free Essays on Dear Basketball Free Essays on Dear Basketball Dear Basketball, It’s been almost 28 years since the first day we met. 28 years since I saw you in the back of our garage. 28 years since my parents introduced us. If someone would have told me then, what would become of us, I’m not sure I would have believed them. I barely remembered your name. Then I started seeing you around the neighborhood and watching you on television. I used to see you with guys down at the playground. But when my older brother started paying more attention to you, I started to wonder. Maybe you were different. We hung out a few times. The more I got to know you, the more I liked you. And as life would have it, when I finally got really interested in you, when I was finally ready to get serious, you left me off the varsity. You told me I wasn’t good enough. I was crushed. I was hurt. I think I even cried. Then I wanted you more than ever. So I practiced. I hustled. I worked on my game. Passing. Dribbling. Shooting. Thinking. I ran. I did sit-ups. I did push-ups. I did pull-ups. I lifted weights. I studied you. I began to fall in love and you noticed. At least that’s what Coach Smith said. At the time, I wasn’t sure exactly what was going on. But now I know. Coach Smith was teaching me how to love you, how to listen to you, how to understand you, how to respect you and appreciate you. Then it happened. That night, at the Louisiana Superdome in the final seconds of the championship game against Georgetown, you found me in the corner and we danced. Since then you’ve become more than just a ball to me. You’ve become more than just a court. More than just a hoop. More than just a pair of sneakers. More than just a game. In some respects, you’ve become my life. My passion. My Motivation. My inspiration. You’re my biggest fan and my harshest critic. You’re my dearest friend and strongest ally. You’re my most challenging teacher and most endearing student. You’re m...

John Delorean

John Delorean John DeLorean was the eldest son of an automobile foundry worker, which was in Detroit. He spent all of his younger years growing up around cars with his father working at Ford Motor Company. John had a very rough childhood, but after graduating from high school he attended Lawrence Institute of Technolo- gy and came out of there with a scholarship. After graduating he went on to the Chrysler Institute to get his masters degree, and later went to school at nights so he could complete his MBA. After all John's educati- on cars DeLorean worked as an insurance salesman. Soon after he started he left and took employment with Packard. While John was with Packard he helped develop the Ultramatic, which was the first transmission to use an aluminum housing.After working a Packard not too long Semon Knudsen, a GM legend, picked up DeLorean to become a chief engineer for Pontiac.John DeLoreanKnudsen had planned to have he and DeLorean make cars to get "the young crowd"‚ , to buy. So De Lorean put a big engine into the Pontiac Tempest, the new creation became known as the G.T.O. They created the G.T.O. without being approved by GM management, because DeLorean thought that that GM would throw his great idea away. The G.T.O. was expected to fail miserably, but when it came out in 1964 the G.T.O sold over 31,00 and 312,000 over the next four years. The sales of the G.T.O. was said to save the Pontiac division (GM was unhappy that DeLorean didn't get it approved). Because of the G.T.O.'s great success he was promoted to General Manager of Chevrolet in 1969. DeL- orean's next ingenious idea was to put rubber blocks to make the car much quieter and improve the ride.Making Chevrolet a much nicer and...

Frequently Asked Questions About Slime

Frequently Asked Questions About Slime Making homemade slime is a fun and easy science project and activity for kids. However, there are lots of different types of slime, so you may be unsure which ingredients to use, how to color your slime, whether you can make substitutions for chemicals, and so on. Look at some of the most common questions and answers about slime. How Do I Make Translucent or Opaque Slime? Basically, your slime will be about as transparent as the glue you use to make it. If you use white school glue, then your slime will be opaque. If you use translucent clear or blue glue gel (or another see-through color), then your slime will be translucent.  Slime made using soluble fiber will be in-between, meaning you can still see through it but it might not be completely translucent. Can I Mix Slime Solutions in Advance? Yes, you can prepare the borax solution and glue solution days or weeks before actually making the slime.  Borax is a natural disinfectant, so you dont need to worry about it going bad or getting moldy. My Slime Has Leftover Liquid. Did I Mix It Wrong? No, your slime is fine. When you mix ingredients, only a certain amount of water is needed to produce the polymer, and excess stays behind in the bowl. Its fine to simply throw it out. Are Borax and Boric Acid Interchangeable? Borax and boric acid are not the same chemical. Borax [Na2B4O7 ·10H2O or Na2[B4O5(OH)4] ·8H2] is a salt of boric acid [B(OH)3]. When you dissolve borax in water, it forms boric acid and also the borate ion. If you have boric acid instead of borax, it can be used for slime, but the recipe is somewhat different. Either dissolve the boric acid in water (if its a powder) or else use buffered saline solution. Mix the liquid with white school glue and a bit of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). You can color the slime if you like. This slime will be less gooey and more stretchy, or putty-like, than borax slime. Can I Make Slime Without Borax or Boric Acid? There are many recipes for slime that dont require borax or boric acid. However, be aware some products do contain this chemical (such as saline solution and some detergents). Not all of the borax-free slime recipes listed online are really borax-free, but  there are some good  recipes that dont contain chemicals. How Do I Color Slime? If your glue is tinted, then your slime will be colored. You can mix food coloring in with either slime-making solution. You can also add glitter or other decorations.  You can also mix in glow powder for glowing slime, thermochromic pigment for color-change slime, or iron oxide for magnetic slime. How Long Does Slime Last? Slime doesnt go bad, but you may want to toss it if it develops mold or if it dries out. Refrigerated slime, kept in a baggie, should last for a couple of weeks  and can last months in a sealed bag unrefrigerated. If slime contains borax, it shouldnt spoil at all.  Edible slime recipes should be chilled for storage and thrown out.

Managing Organizational Culture for Improved Performance Essay

Managing Organizational Culture for Improved Performance - Essay Example 93) indicates that organisational culture has been described as a set of norms, beliefs, principles and ways of behaving that gives organisations a distinctive character. This is the same definition that many writers have used and so there is a general understanding of what it means. Norms are established patterns of behaviour which most writers agree to. 1.3 Culture Management Culture management refers to the refreshment of the existing culture within an organisation or the change of a culture that has become obsolete (Grigoruta et al 2005). 2.0 Culture and organisational performance According to Deal and Kennedy (2000) every business has a culture.’ However, sometimes it is reduced to bits and pieces and is therefore difficult to read from the outside. Some employees are loyal to their bosses while some are loyal to the union and still there are others who only care about their fellow employees. Even though there are those who only work because they need money there are time s when the culture of an organisation is strong and cohesive with everyone having knowledge of the goals and therefore working towards it. Deal and Kennedy (2000) further points out that culture has a very powerful influence whether it is weak or strong. It affects almost everything including who gets promoted, how employees dress and the spots they play. This impact suggests that ‘culture has a major impact on the success of the business.’ Deal and Kennedy (2000) provides examples of early leaders of American businesses including Harley Procter of Procter & Gamble and Thomas Watson of IBM who believed that strong culture played a role in the success of their organisations. These leaders believed that the organisation in which persons were employed helped to shape their lives and productivity. They saw their role as creating an environment which was effectively a culture within their organisations; one in which employees felt secure and thereby carry out the work necess ary to make the organisation successful. They had no magical formula but through trial and error. The cultures that these leaders built and nourished have helped to sustain their organisations through very difficult times. The organisations that they led continue to be successful as they still have strong cultures and still continue to be leaders in their industry. What Deal and Kennedy (2000) suggests is that there is no formula – they just did it by trial and error which is much like trying something until it works. This cannot be a prescription for organisations that want to improve their performance and is far from the truth. It is clear that these leaders of whom Deal and Kennedy (2000) spoke used various means which resulted in highly motivated employees who were willing to go the extra mile to ensure that these organisations achieved there goals. Motivating people and letting them feel as if they are a very important part of the organisation is an important aspect of l eadership. It is the things that are done to motivate employees that have led to successful companies. Deal and Kennedy

Essay Interview Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Interview - Essay Example Although my country also provides good educational opportunities, yet they cannot be compared to Canadian standard of education. I believe in high-end quality in education. I believe in seeking that kind of education and degree that is recognized worldwide. My own homeland also has many reputable universities that are recognized around the globe, but my dream was to seek education in Canada since I was a little child. I can find highly flexible learning opportunities in Canada. There is a wide variety of courses available there. Although I may sound like demeaning the education of my own homeland, but the truth is that I am a very patriotic person; yet, I cannot compromise on sensitive issues like education. I had to choose what was best for me, and therefore, I chose Canada. Among many other choices which I was considering about immigration for the purpose of education, I found Canada to be a country which provides protection to its citizens much more than any other country. We can call it a safe country. I feel comfortable in any part of the country without the threat of terrorism or violence. People are guaranteed protection even in bigger cities like Ottawa and Toronto. I do not feel as if I am being neglected because I am not in my own homeland. There is Canadian social help system which does not make me feel unaccompanied when I am facing difficulties settling down. There are a lot of government sponsored programs and courses that I can seek help from in my hard times. For example, if I lose my job, I shall be supported through a government funded program to back up my finances until I find a new job. Another important point that I considered was that Canada is one of the developed countries whose economical infrastructure is very strong. I can be sure to find a suitable paying job in this country. Most of the jobs are well

How does the concept of Citizenship contribute to our understanding of Essay

How does the concept of Citizenship contribute to our understanding of the experience of minority ethnic groups - Essay Example Legal British citizenship for the minorities has been changing concept recently with more regularities and demands. The citizenship requirement is not spread in an uniform way amongst the minorities; instead, the blacks seem to be having an upper hand here. "The rates of British Citizenship found across different groups contain a high degree of variance, with black Africans exhibiting the highest level of non-British citizenship in 1977," (Evans, 1999, p.105). Blacks who have migrated into Britain since the days of slavery and increased their numbers in recent decades, have become better naturalised citizens than other minorities. Complete naturalisation and acceptance of British way of life, while retaining some of their own traditional values, depends on many criteria. The main factor that should be considered here is the period of migration and the length of stay here. "These factors are the period of migration, the economic conditions of migration, the citizenship regime of the host state, and the ways in which the political cultures imported by immigrants from their original countries have combined with native political cultures," (Pennin... This means, an individual's mindset about Britain and its citizenship mainly depends upon the treatment he received from the British people after migrating here, the stereotyped models the individual has maintained in his mind and also the prejudiced or unprejudiced attitude he had developed over the years, either aided by the local population, or totally unaided. Victorians thought that the minorities were uncivilised people from far off colonies, and unfortunately they showed it in their attitude. This does not mean that there were no kind people in Victorian days. If the minorities had come into contact with well-balanced thinkers, there are instances of positive outlook where the person became happy under a helpful employer or a friend. The mass migration was from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and West Indies. The settlements were localised and some clusters emerged in London, Liverpool, Cardiff, in the early 1800s and in those days, they were all referred to as black communities. They lived a poor life, as any other immigrants of any country and tried hard to eke out a living. "A pattern of black minority ethnic settlement characterised by residential concentration, segregation and deprivation is now well-established in Britain.the day-to-day experience of most people living in Britain at that time was a white one," (Pacione, 2002, p.216). Eventually their living conditions, with their own hard work and government help, improved and along with it, improved the attitude of the British, who came to recognise the good qualities of their minorities. In any country, it is quite natural, to have wrong opinion, dislike, suspicion about the new people who look

Abraham Lincoln. His Life and Achievements Research Paper

Abraham Lincoln. His Life and Achievements - Research Paper Example He was a man of character, integrity and strength. In the present discourse, an attempt is being made to understand Lincoln’s life, achievements, struggles, failures and their impact on America based on existing literature. Lincoln’s childhood: Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12 1809 in Kentucky to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks. His childhood was something that even Lincoln was never excited about because of the poverty and other challenges he had to face (Charnwood, 13). Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States of America. His enduring struggle was to end slavery in America and to economically transform the nation. As a young boy, Abraham Lincoln was involved in helping his father and his neighbors (p. 15). Lincoln owes his mental qualities to his mother as well as his step mother. Lincoln’s step mother was instrumental in the minimal education that he received with parental support. Lincoln has the ability to attract crowd even from his earlier years of adolescence. This is evident from Charnwood’s statement, ‘Lincoln was a person of high consideration among the lads of his age and company’ (p.20). Literature related to Lincoln’s reading habits highlights his immense love for reading and reading habits. During his teenage, he read books like Aesop’s Fables, Robinson Crusoe, The Piligrim’s Progress, A History of the United States, Weem’s Life of Washington and even Revised Statuses of Indiana (Charnwood, 21). Even before he reached the age of 20, Lincoln had a deep understanding of how his nation functioned, the principles policies and its governance (Tarbell, 34). Lincoln left his home at 22 and settled in New Salem, Illinois, which were the foundational years for his future. Based on his own efforts, Lincoln acquired some formal education for next few years; he entered the legal profession at the age of 27 (Wilson, 15-19). His achievements in the field of law studies and the profession are attributed to his own hard work and constant struggle. His struggles in the profession of law as well as politics have been immense and are epitome of an ideal le ader and a winner ever since he was elected as the President. Political affiliation: Abraham Lincoln’s first successful electoral is associated with the Sangamon County as the surveyor in 1834 and followed by the Illinois house of representatives as a representative for the Sangamon County in 1836. Lincoln was elected for the Illinois legislature during subsequent 3 years (Chin, 34). As explained by Mansch, Lincoln’s entry into politics is associated with the Nebraska Bill and did succeed in winning a seat in the Illinois legislature around 1854 (p.41). But, Lincoln resigned this post because he wanted to challenge Stephen Douglas, who was responsible for opposing anti-slavery. At this time, Lincoln struggled to gain political identity. Lincoln was deeply moved by the group fighting against slavery, known as free-soilers or anti-Nebraskans that was formed during 1854. At this time, Lincoln knew that he wanted a stable party that shared his political ideals and could be lieve in creating a prominent party of the future. Two years later, i.e. in 1856, different groups with these ideals supporting anti-slavery gathered in Bloomington, which Lincoln attended. Lincoln appropriately used this opportunity to bring together various groups that were fighting against slavery, poverty, and for democracy. Lincoln’s deep desire to abolish slavery and achieve a liberal democracy had made him say, ‘I have no objection to ‘fuse’ with anybody provided I can fuse on ground which I think is right’ (qtd. in Mansch, p.41). Lincoln’s personal experiences with the blacks were minimal, yet he was aware of the slavery

Free speech video assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Free speech video assignment - Research Paper Example the the promotion of the film and the film, under the First Amendment, are protected speech, and so is the filmmaker, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, aka Sam Bacile. This paper examines the video and explains whether the filmmaker had a First Amendment right to make the film; it offers a vivid legal explanation as to why the filmmaker First Amendment right cannot be violated. Additionally, the paper looks at how the mainstream American media covered the story, how the United States government treated the issues, the filmmaker’s interpretation and explains how, assuming that I made the film, I would have handled the alleged uproar. The paper also answers the question of whether the U.S government should arrest and criminally prosecute the maker of the anti-muslim film, â€Å"The Innocence of Muslims†. FREE SPEECH VIDEO ASSIGNMENT After the distribution of the â€Å"The Innocence of Muslims†, the anti-muslim video via YouTube, protests ensued in the Middle East, in Cairo , outside the American Consulate, in Libya, which led to the killing of four Americans, among them, the American Ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens. ... Additionally, a debate with regards to whether the filmmaker, who joined the ranks of Delph and Jones, had the First Amendment right to make the film. The First Amendment of the U.S constitution establishes protection of individual rights belief, conduct and speech, in other words, rights to freedom of expression and religion. According to Nowak & Rotunda (2004), freedom of expression constitutes the freedom of assembly, freedom of press, to petition and freedom of speech. Therefore, by default, the U.S constitution is set to by all means protect the freedom of speech, even violent and hat filled speech (Cohen, 2012). The filmmaker or producer and the film distributor have the First Amendment right, since the promotion of the film and the film are protected speech and neither the promotion of the film nor the film create something like the infamous â€Å"shouting fire in a crowded theater† (Chertoff, 2012). In determining whether the filmmaker and the film distributor had Firs t Amendment right, it is important to consider whether the film, considered as speech, was intended to incite violence or was an incitement to riots – the film or speech should have not only led to violence, but the filmmaker must have intended the film to incite riots/violence. The â€Å"The Innocence of Muslims†, or the anti-muslim video did produced violence, but it is clear that it was not the filmmaker’s intention for the film to produce violence; the film did not also produce violence immediately. For this reason, the filmmaker has First Amendment rights since the film/speech is protected by the First Amendment. There is no way that the film produced by Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, aka Sam Bacile qualify as an incitement

Successful FDI Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Successful FDI - Essay Example This paper addresses benefits and disadvantages of FDI to both home and host countries and presents a brief business plan for the company linking its foreign investment proposal and analyzes its future plans. E-Walky Plc: E- Shoe and Slippers Electronic shoes and slippers from E-Walky Plc will be extremely amazing experience to the new generation. In today’s technology-driven business environment and life-style, the company plans ‘e-walking’ of new generation. E-Walky, a public limited company headquartered in Colorado, is in its very progressive stage of developing new products, e-shoes and slippers. The days yet to come are to witness how the slippers and shoes can be integrated with advanced technology to make an easier life to both sportsmen and general public. Company plans to campaign its brand name ‘E-Walky’ for its products and chooses China for its FDI. It’s truly going to be a mere micro-computer in every one’s foots, being att ached to the down-part of slippers and shoes covered by specific metals for its safety as well as water-proof purposes. These micro-chips can automatically measure the distances one walks, counts his footsteps, measure the speed of a sportsman and so on. Count-down, safety-walk and speedy-walk are some extremely useful utilities that the company itself kept secret and rather surprising to the public. Its usefulness to electronically track one’s footsteps will attract indoor players of badminton and tennis as well as outdoor players of cricket and football. Its importance to play ‘two-men game’ and group games will certainly appeal to children and youngsters. Its importance to health and convenience to use inside houses will attract both house-wives and old aged customers. More specifically, all these customers will find its operation wonderful and convenient due to the small ‘remote controller’ in their hand. E-Walky Business Plan The main objective of E-Walky is to design and develop electronic shoes and slippers to its customers in and outside the US to continuously promote the digitized life for both general public and sportsmen. The main mission is to create a generation of ‘e-walking’ with help of the highly advanced technology the company adopted in developing E-Walky shoes and slippers. The financial management of the company proposed an initial investment of $10 million to establish the enterprise based in Colorado and to expand the business by directly investing in China with an approximate expenditure of $25 million. It plans to start its R&D and manufacturing activities in the US and to sell around 1.5 million shoes in the US markets within first 12 months. At the same, the company’s operation will be held in large scale in China to market around 10 million products through major countries like Japan, UK, India, Brazil etc. The management expects that once its marketing starts in the US, it will a ttract a large number of sportsmen and other people from around the world. As planned, the penetration pricing policy would be used as a competitive tool to merit the firm and build a long-term brand image for the company (Hirschey, 2009, p. 567). The financial department proposed that the company would be able to sell more than 13 million products worldwide returning an

Free speech video assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Free speech video assignment - Research Paper Example the the promotion of the film and the film, under the First Amendment, are protected speech, and so is the filmmaker, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, aka Sam Bacile. This paper examines the video and explains whether the filmmaker had a First Amendment right to make the film; it offers a vivid legal explanation as to why the filmmaker First Amendment right cannot be violated. Additionally, the paper looks at how the mainstream American media covered the story, how the United States government treated the issues, the filmmaker’s interpretation and explains how, assuming that I made the film, I would have handled the alleged uproar. The paper also answers the question of whether the U.S government should arrest and criminally prosecute the maker of the anti-muslim film, â€Å"The Innocence of Muslims†. FREE SPEECH VIDEO ASSIGNMENT After the distribution of the â€Å"The Innocence of Muslims†, the anti-muslim video via YouTube, protests ensued in the Middle East, in Cairo , outside the American Consulate, in Libya, which led to the killing of four Americans, among them, the American Ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens. ... Additionally, a debate with regards to whether the filmmaker, who joined the ranks of Delph and Jones, had the First Amendment right to make the film. The First Amendment of the U.S constitution establishes protection of individual rights belief, conduct and speech, in other words, rights to freedom of expression and religion. According to Nowak & Rotunda (2004), freedom of expression constitutes the freedom of assembly, freedom of press, to petition and freedom of speech. Therefore, by default, the U.S constitution is set to by all means protect the freedom of speech, even violent and hat filled speech (Cohen, 2012). The filmmaker or producer and the film distributor have the First Amendment right, since the promotion of the film and the film are protected speech and neither the promotion of the film nor the film create something like the infamous â€Å"shouting fire in a crowded theater† (Chertoff, 2012). In determining whether the filmmaker and the film distributor had Firs t Amendment right, it is important to consider whether the film, considered as speech, was intended to incite violence or was an incitement to riots – the film or speech should have not only led to violence, but the filmmaker must have intended the film to incite riots/violence. The â€Å"The Innocence of Muslims†, or the anti-muslim video did produced violence, but it is clear that it was not the filmmaker’s intention for the film to produce violence; the film did not also produce violence immediately. For this reason, the filmmaker has First Amendment rights since the film/speech is protected by the First Amendment. There is no way that the film produced by Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, aka Sam Bacile qualify as an incitement

Uses of statistical information Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Uses of statistical information - Essay Example Statistics is widely used in most of the companies. In workplaces, statistics plays a major role in helping the organization to manage data. San Francisco General Hospital is one of the famous hospitals in the city.The hospital provides world class facilities and includes state of the art medical equipments. The daily reports and patient report information is stored in a unique manner. Information collection, storage and retrieval are considered as one of the important aspects of hospital maintenance. Apart from all this, information representation and data representation is also equally important. Data representation is generally carried out with the help of statistics. Statistical methods are used to represent the given data in the specified format. Hospital is one of the few places where continuous monitoring is required. Due to this reason, statistics is used in a wide manner. Statistics is used in hospitals to analyze and describe the number of patients who are treated in a part icular year. This enables the management to represent the patients according to the type of treatment. This helps them to decide on the type of treatment and also to improve their services. The statistical data enables the hospital authorities to educate people on the severance of a particular health problem or a disease, so that people implement the preventive measures. Statistical classifiers help them to analyze the patient’s information. The statistical information is often used to get an idea about the treatments provided by the hospital. (Metcalfe, 2003). The number of patients who underwent a particular treatment is represented using the statistical methods. As this seems to be an easy option, hospitals tend to follow these methods. Our hospital includes separate treatment units for inpatients and outpatients. Based on the numbers of patients who get admitted in the hospital, a statistical measure is selected. With the use of this measure, the data pertaining to the de partment is collected, calculated and represented. Categories of Statistics The major categories of statistics include descriptive and inferential statistics. Among the other types, descriptive and inferential statistics are widely used in our hospital. Descriptive statistics is used to ascertain the basis of particular information. While conducting a statistical analysis, the samples are generally summarized using any of the statistical methods. The major use of descriptive statistics is to describe the collected information in a brief manner. (Wilcox, 2010). The patient’s information is collected and the description of the samples is produced. Out of the various methods like mean, median and mode, our hospital uses the mode method. Mode is used to represent the number of patients who are affected by a particular disease. It is also used to represent the patients who frequently visit the hospital. The details about the patients are collected and represented using the mode me thod. The next statistical method is inferential statistics and it is used to derive a conclusion out of the given statistical data. The samples pertaining to a particular concept or a disease is collected and using these samples an inference is obtained. The inference is not obtained only with the available sample, instead these samples are considered as an example of the original result. The main aim of inferential statistics is to arrive at a conclusion based on the similar samples that are collected using the statistical method. Though our hospital follows the descriptive statistical method, inferential statistics is also implemented to represent the data. Random selection method is used to analyze the number of people affected by a particular disease. Based on the limited data, the hospital decides on the type of treatment, so that the patients can be treated immediately. Levels of Measurement Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics are used in our hospi

Business Development Plan and CRM: Thomas Cook Group

Business Development Plan and CRM: Thomas Cook Group 1.0 ABSTRACT Customer relationship management(CRM) consists of the processes a company uses to track and organize its contacts with its current and prospective customers. CRM in its broadest sense simply means managing all customer interactions. In practice, this requires using information about ones customers and prospects to more effectively interact with its customers in all stages of its relationship with them. We refer to these stages as the customer life cycle. The customer life cycle has three stages: Acquiring customers Increasing the value of customer retaining good customer BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT The specialist area o fbusiness development comprises a number of techniques and responsibilities which aim at gaining new customers and at penetrating existing markets. Techniques used include: assessment of marketing opportunities and target markets intelligence gathering on customers and competitors generating leadsfor possible sales advising on, drafting and enforcing sales policies and processes follow-up sales activity. Project work: Learning of the major products and services of Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. Major Clients Major Competitors Acquiring a larger market share Learning about Customer Relationship Management Objectives Acquiring new customers. Retaining existing customers To have larger market share Limitations: Sometimes it is very hard to get an appointment with a corporate client as they have tough schedules. Meeting the right person in the organization is not an easy task who has the decision making power. Lack of transparency by companies in providing their data. Time period constraint was there for carrying out analysis. 2. INTRODUCTION 2.1 Company Profile Thomas Cook Group plc is a leading international leisure travel group, created by the merger of MyTravel Group plc and Thomas Cook AG in June 2007. Thomas Cook Group plc is a fully listed company on the London Stock Exchange. Thomas Cook (India) Limited is a part of Thomas Cook Group. It remains as a subsidiary of TCIM Limited, an unlisted private company, incorporated under the laws of England and Wales having its Registered Office at Peterborough, England, U.K. and holding 55.87% of the post Rights Issue paid-up equity share capital of the Company. Thomas Cook UK Limited (TCUK) apart from holding 21.45% of the post Rights Issue paid-up equity share capital of the Company, also holds 100% holding in TCIM Limited. Thus, TCUK indirectly holds 77.31% of the present paid-up equity share capital of the Company. 2.2 Thomas Cook (India) Limited During the year 2008, the Company successfully consolidated various businesses across Thomas Cook (India) Limited and its subsidiaries. The Company derived the synergy benefits in 2008 arising out of various initiatives like network harmonization, closure of non-core and loss making units, manpower realignment, and contributions from tourism boards for marketing spends, re-negotiation with vendors due to increased bargaining power. The one-time cost of integration amounted to Rs. 69.8 million. Thomas Cook organized a 19 city Summer Holiday Sale, a pan-India Holiday road-show offering the best Holiday deals. The roadshows were very successful giving a boost to the Domestic Business. The year 2008 was focused on Domestic Tourism with its launch through the brand name: My India, My Way. During the year, packages catering to the needs of different segments of customers were created. the Company was the first Travel Company to offer Indian Rail Bookings online in partnership with IRCTC on its portal. Further, the Company also integrated with Hotels4u real time on www.thomascook.in giving its online customers first hand access to over 30,000 hotels in the Hotels4u inventory. The Company also tied-up with Axis Bank for pre-paid forex card which offers exchange upto 7 currencies. Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. is the largest integrated Travel and Travel related Financial Services Company in the country offering a broad spectrum of services that include Foreign Exchange, Corporate Travel, Leisure Travel, and Insurance. The Company launched its Indian operations in 1881 and is celebrating its 127 years of world-class service in India. Thomas Cook (India) operates in the following areas of business, namely:Leisure Travel, Corporate Travel Management, MICE, Foreign Exchange, SWIFT Network, Travel Insurance, Credit Cards, Pre-Paid Cards, Life Insurance and E-Business. Post March 31st 2008, Thomas Cook (India) Limited (TCIL) is a part of Thomas Cook Group plc UK (TCG). On March 7th 2008, TCG announced its decision to acquire TCIL from Dubai Investment Group. Thomas Cook Group plc is one of the largest travel groups in the world with a market capitalization of approximately US$6 Billion. In June 2006, Thomas Cook (India) acquired LKP Forex Limited and Travel Corporation (India) Pvt. Ltd. (TCI).TCIL presently operates in over 61 cities across almost 166 locations in the country. The company has overseas operations in Sri Lanka which is a branch of TCIL and Mauritius which is a subsidiary of Thomas Cook (India). The Company employs over 2,500 resources and is listed on both the Bombay Stock Exchange as well as the National Stock Exchange. Thomas Cook (India), over the years has received several prestigious awards such as the Golden Peacock Award for excellence in Corporate Governance and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Golden Award for Best Travel. Recently, the Company won the Best Tour Operator at the CNBC Awaaz Travel Awards 2008 and was also accredited the P1 rating which is the highest financial rating given by Crisil. 2.3 Financial Facts of the Company Revenues as on December 31, 2010 as declared in the annual report was Rs 2588 million crore. A dividend of 37.5% on the equity share capital had also been the proposed dividend on the equity capital and preference Capital absorbs Rs. 93 million for dividend and Rs. 16 million for Dividend Tax. 2.4 Listing of Shares THOMAS COOK INDIA LIMITED is listed on two Stock Exchanges in India viz. Bombay Stock Exchange Limited, Mumbai and National Stock Exchange of India Limited, Mumbai. 2.5 Principal Bankers: State Bank of India ICICI Bank Limited HDFC Bank Limited IDBI Bank Limited Deutsche Bank Standard Chartered Bank The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Apart from this Thomas Cook has won the following awards: Best Travel Agency Award2004 given by TTG Asia Part of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) for the 5th year in succession. The Golden Peacock Award for Corporate Governance, for the second time in a row. The Criteria for this award are transparency, excellence in conducting business, various levels of management, social and environmental responsibility, ethical business practice and Consistent creation of value for all the stakeholders. The National Tourism Awardfor 2001-2002 2002-2003, winning the second rank in category 1 for the company that achieved the highest foreign exchange earnings from Ministry of Tourism. National Tourism Award Best MICE Operator2006-07 National Tourism Award 3rd prize Inbound Operator2006-07 The Association of Business Communications of India(ABCI) where the company won the first prize for its website www.thomascook.co.in Awarded The Best Outbound Inbound Tour Operator of the Year award at the Hospitality India Awards 2006 hosted by Hospitality India. Recipient of the prestigious Government of India Ministry of Tourism award for Excellence in Conference Tourism Best Travel Agency India for the year 2008by TTG Asia Part of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Best Tour Operator by CNBC Awaaz in 2008 Best Outbound Tour Operatorin the 4th Hospitality India Explore the world Annual International Awards 2008 2.7 SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths Image Overall presence Customized services Efficient sales staff High focus on customer satisfaction Handling last minute transactions Weakness Inability to fully cover each market Not aggressive in advertising Opportunities Unexplored Market Hotels in Manesar Threats Other players in foreign exchange market. 3.0 INDUSTRY ANALYSIS 3.1 About Foreign Exchange Market In todays world no economy is self sufficient, so there is need for exchange of goods and services amongst the different countries. So, unlike in the primitive age the exchange of goods and services is no longer carried out on barter basis. Every country in the world has a currency that is legal tender in its territory and this currency does not act as money outside its boundaries. So whenever a country buys or sells goods and services from or to another country, the residents of the two countries have to exchange currencies. Foreign exchange market is described as an OTC (over the counter) market as there is no physical place where the participants meet to execute the deals. The largest foreign exchange market is in London, followed by the New York, Tokyo, Zurich and Frankfurt. The market are situated throughout the different time zone of the globe in such a way that one market is closing the other is beginning its operations. Therefore, it is stated that foreign exchange market is functioning throughout 24 hours a day. 3.2 Need for Foreign Exchange If an Indian company exports cotton fabrics to USA and invoices the goods in the US dollar. The American importer will pay the amount in US dollar, as the same is his home currency. However the Indian exporter requires rupees i.e. his home currency for procuring raw materials and for payment to the labour charges, etc. Thus, he would need to exchange US dollar for rupee. If the Indian exporter invoices their goods in rupee, then the importer in USA will get his dollar converted in rupee and pay the exporter. From this we can infer that in case goods are bought or sold outside the country, exchange of currency is necessary. 3.3 Following are the major bifurcations: Full fledge moneychangers these are the firms and individuals who have been authorized to take both, purchade and sale transaction with the public. Restricted moneychanger these are shops, hotels, etc that have been authorizes only to purchase foreign currency towards cost of goods supplied or services rendered by them or for conversion into rupees. Authorized dealers these are the ones who can undertake all types of foreign exchange transaction. Banks are the only authorized dealers. The only exceptions are Thomas Cook, Western Union. 3.4 Participants in foreign exchange market The main players in foreign exchange market are as follows: Customers: The customers who are engaged in foreign trade participate in foreign exchange market by availing the services of banks. Commercial Banks: They are the most active players in the foreign exchange market. Commercial banks dealing with international transaction offer services for conversion of one currency into another. They have a wide network of branches. Central Bank: In all countries Central Bank have been charged with the responsibility of maintaining the external value of the domestic currency.. Generally this is achieved by the intervention of the bank. Exchange Brokers: Forex brokers play a very important role in the foreign exchange market. However the extent to which the services of foreign brokers are utilized depends on the tradition and practice prevailing at a particular Forex market centre. Overseas Forex market Speculators 3.5 Major Competitors The major players in the foreign exchange market VKC FRR WEIZMANN FCM TT FOREX CENTRUM RR SEN MERCURY 4.0 SERVICES 4.1 Holidays Inbound Inbound Tourist refers to tourists/ travelers coming to India. Inbound tour operators promote India as a tourist destination. TCIL organizes tours for foreign tourist visiting India. TCIL organizes Individual tours, group tours and Conferences. Various services offered in inbound business are accommodation, ticketing, roundtrip, excursion, land arrangements, airport transfer etc. These services are procured from providers of these services like hotels, airlines, transporters, guides etc. within India. Customers are typically individuals and are sourced by overseas principals, tour operators or travel agents. TCI, one of the subsidiaries is among the leaders in inbound tourism and works closely with tour operators worldwide. TCI has a widely distributed network of travel agents and tour operators worldwide. It has around 20 offices in India and a total of 11 offices in USA, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Spain, China, Korea, Japan and Australia. TCIL also acts as a ground handling agent domestically for Charter flights coming from international destinations. TCIL also offers customized individual holidays, group escorted holidays, MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Conference and Exhibition) arrangements and emergency medical assistance. Inbound travelers handled by our Company are primarily from Europe and USA.TCIL enters into business arrangements with the foreign tour operators for servicing their customers when they arrive in India. 4.2 International Holidays Outbound tourist refers to Indian Nationals traveling out of India. TCIL offers outbound tour packages across approximately 50 Countries. Outbound packages include various services like air tickets, visa, travel insurance, airport transfer, hotel accommodation, sight seeing, etc. International Holidays is further classified into following categories: Group Escorted Holidays: These are ready made packages where a group of travelers is escorted by a Tour Manger. Customised Individual Holidays: Tailor made packages based on individual requirements MICE: Dealers/Employees are sent on tour by Corporates. Sales agency amongst others for Star Cruise, Rail Europe, Globus, Cosmos Tours, Greyhound, Amtrak, Rocky Mountaineer Vacations, Japan Rail and Costa Cruises 4.3 Domestic Holidays Domestic Travel refers to Indian Nationals (Tourists, Business Travelers, Students, Leisure travelers) traveling within India. Various services offered are accommodation, ticketing, roundtrip, excursions, land arrangements, airport transfer, etc. These services are procured from service providers like hotels, airlines, transporters, guides, etc. TCI, one of our subsidiaries specializes in special interest and incentive tours, conferences and air charter / cruise ship ground operations. It operates its own Taj Mahal Tour and Delhi City Tour and is a General Sales Agent (GSA) for the Palace on Wheels and the Deccan Odyssey. TCIL is an active member of various industry and professional organizations. 4.4 Air Tickets Book your Air Tickets for your travel with TCIL either offline or online through the sitewww.thomascook.in.   Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   TCIL offers a complete range for flights, right from Low Cost to Full service Airlines, to choose from. 4.5 Rail Tickets Book your Rail Tickets for your travel with Thomas Cook either offline or online through the sitewww.thomascook.in. You can choose either Indian Rail Tickets that are available via IRCTC or International Rail Tickets via Rail Europe. TCIL offers a complete range for Rail Bookings, International or Domestic. 4.6 Corporate Travel Corporate Travel forms a dominant share of overall travel business of our Company. TCIL manages the travel budgets of several large national and multinational companies. The large scale of operations enables it to effectively manage travel budgets of several Multi National Companies, Blue-Chip companies and Multinational banks to their advantage. The Company provides Integrated Travel Management / Advisory Services to more than 300 Corporates. TCIL provides customers a complete basket of products for all their travel needs: Air Reservations Hotel Reservations Land arrangements which includes sight seeing, car rental, transfers etc. Passport / Visa Service Conference / Incentive tour arrangements Foreign Exchange Insurance The branches specialize in offering tailor-made Travel Policies for each corporate, thereby bringing savings on spend. Based on requirements and volumes of business, corporate are serviced either by having a dedicated relationship team visits clients office regularly or having a dedicated expert travel consultant with Centralised Reservation System located at the clients site as an implant. 4.7 Meetings, Incentives, Exhibitions Conferences Experience:This refers to the experience of the travelers right from the time they board the airline to the foreign destination till the time they come back. The travel here is a REWARD for the dealers/employees of the company who have done well over a period of time. The company (as well as the employees) expects the trip to be an enjoyable, hassle free and fun filled experience. Thomas Cook understands their concern and provide them this experience through our:- Experienced, dependable and extensively traveled Tour Managers, who are available with the group 24 X 7, provide their personalized services to the group and at times, act as crisis managers. In contrast, the other tour companies often send their ticketing person as the tour manager. The requests for special Dietary requirements are taken care of completely. The Indians are very particular about the food they eat (e.g.) Jain food. It is made sure that the clients get the same, irrespective of the location they are traveling to. The sightseeings that are offered are often exotic and different from the rest of the tour operators. Customer Focus/Customer Centric/Exceptional Service:This primarily refers to the experience of the corporate with the sales representatives. There is a huge extent of customization in case of a MICE trip in terms of destinations, hotel requirements, conference needs, sightseeings to be covered, gala dinner venue, team building activities etc. The prime focus is always to cater to our customers specific needs and the intent is to delight the customer by always delivering more than promised by us/expected by them. Dependable:This comes out of the reputation of the company (TCIL) and the vast experience of handling a large number of MICE movements in the past. The fact that TCIL has trusted business partners (suppliers) for every destination and that there is always an experienced tour manager with the group ensures that the clients feel secure when they travel with us. Moreover, the reputation of the company ensures that there will be no let up in the service quality and there wont be any trivial financial issues. Reservoir of Knowledge:The experienced employees of the MICE business make sure that they function as a travel consultant to the client rather than being a travel agent to them. It is believed that with the expertise, TCIL is in a position to provide multiple options to our customers. This is especially true in case of clients who have a budget constraint. Once the client is provided with multiple options along with the pros and cons for the same, they are in a much better position to take a decision regarding the destination as well as the services that they expect us to provide them. Value for Money/Cost Effective: TCIL is committed to provide quality service to its clients and they do not believe in any compromise on the same (0% Compromise). It is made sure that the experience that our clients get is of a greater value than the cost that they pay for it. If TCILs cost is more than the competition, then there is ALWAYS a very strong reason for the same (which could be better quality of hotels, better airlines, EXTRA inclusions etc.). Product Innovation:Over the last decade or so, the MICE industry has been booming. Since then, some of the companies have been traveling each year (with multiple incentives/conference tours). They are always looking out for new destinations for the incentive trips. TCILs endeavour is to be ahead of the competition at all times and product innovation is one way of doing that. TCIL has promoted new destinations at different points of times which have traditionally never been thought of for a MICE trip. E.g. Jordan, Japan, Macau, Canada. Moreover, within the same destinations, TCIL has managed to change the product mix by changing the venues for Gala Dinner (at cruise, Desert Safari etc.) or including some exotic sight seeings or providing some out of the box team building activities or in any other way. Wide Reach:TCIL is confident of providing our customers with the best of the services at any destination that they wish to visit. This is due to the vast resources of the company and due to the number of trusted business partners that we have all over the world. One Stop Shop for MICE needs/Integrated travel services:Its the firm belief that once the customer enters one of our offices, all his travel needs will be catered to. TCIL provides the customer with the forex services, insurance cover and a travel card. Moreover, TCIL can service their visa requirements better than any other tour operator because of our goodwill and the relationships that we have with the various embassies/consulates. We have the ability to provide the customer with a 360 degree experience on a consistent basis. Work with Play:This is particularly true in case of the corporates who have an offsite for a conference/meeting. TCIL ensures that after a hard days work, they have a relaxed and fun filled evening. This can be done by sending them on a night cruise or by treating them to a Gala Dinner with free flow of liquor and a Live DJ. In one of the cases, we had sent a couple of VJs and RJs (RJ Taraana) from India who made sure that everyone from the group was involved in the fun activities. 4.8 Thomas Cook Credit Card Salient Features: Thomas Cook Titanium MasterCard features in brief: The card has been specially designed for frequent travelers. Attractive 6 reward points for each spend of Rs.100 on the card on Thomas Cook products Free Delivery of Foreign Exchange within city limits Rs. 5,000 discount on any Thomas Cook GIT product 1 Free Air ticket to a domestic destination on the issuance of new card Complimentary travel inconvenience insurance policy Access to MasterCard travel lounges at Airports across the world Redemption of reward points for Thomas Cook holiday packages, hotel stays, air tickets, airline upgrades, etc Conversion of Thomas Cook reward points to frequent flyer miles convert the reward points earned on card to frequent flyer miles on select domestic airlines. Positioned as a comprehensive travel card Assured gifts for the joining fees free air ticket / discount voucher Higher reward points for card swipes at Our Companys outlets Redemption of reward points against Thomas Cook products encouraged 4. 9 Travel Insurance Insurance business of being carried out through our 100% subsidiary Thomas Cook Insurance Services (I) Ltd. (TCISL). TCISL is a corporate agent of Tata AIG General Insurance Company Limited. TCISL entered insurance distribution in 2001 and offers the following products and services: TravelCare (Overseas Travel Insurance)- Travel Care offers security for travelers which covers travel insurance, hospitalization, loss of documents, Repatriation of Remains, emergency Cash Advance or any other crises which requires assistance. FamilyCare- An Overseas travel Insurance cover for entire family of 4-5 persons with single overall sum insured. ScholarCare (Overseas Student Insurance)- A customized product for all students studying abroad which ensures timely assistance in case of unexpected surprises in a foreign land. CorporateCare (Overseas Corporate Travel Insurance)- For Companies where employees travel abroad frequently on work, we have customized group policies. All foreign trips undertaken by employees in a year are covered under a single policy. TCISL provides all insurance products at all our outlets, leveraging on ability to cross sell insurance products to our Travel and Forex customers. 4.10 Foreign Exchange Thomas Cook India is the largest non banking authorized Dealer in India providing an array of foreign exchange products and services to various customer segments in India, Srilanka and Mauritius It has the largest network of branches with 144 locations across 53 cities in India including 28 airport counters in major cities working 24 x7x 365 days. It also has a vast presence in Mauritius with 12 locations including international airport and also in Sri Lanka at 3 major locations. It has been awarded the best foreign exchange company by CNBC Awaaz for the year 2008 and 2009. 4.11 Service Strategy of Thomas Cook To deliver exceptional service to all internal and external customers By Being  Ã‚  Ã‚   By Providing  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By Ensuring Proactive   Professional Service  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Personal Care Speedy Flexible Transparent Reliable Creative 5.0 FOREIGN EXCHANGE Thomas Cook has been granted an authorized dealers license (category II) by RBI to deal in foreign exchange through its designated branches. Under this license, we have been, inter-alia, granted permission to undertake the following activities: 1. Retail purchases of foreign currencies and travelers cheques. 2. Bulk purchases/sales of foreign currencies from/to authorized dealers, money changers and franchisees. 3. Release / remittance of foreign exchange for the following activities: a. Private Visits b. Remittance by tour operators/travel agents to overseas agents/principals/hotels c. Business Travel (including for Central and State Government officials) d. Fee for participation in global conferences and specialized training e. Payment of crew wages f. Film Shooting g. Medical Treatment abroad h. Overseas Education i. Remittance under educational tie up arrangements with universities abroad j. Maintenance of close relatives abroad k. Stall rentals and participation fees in connection with participation in overseas exhibitions / fairs 4. Import and export of foreign currency and export of encashed Travelers Cheques 5. Maintenance of foreign currency accounts with banks abroad and undertaking forex cover operations in India and abroad. The activities permitted by RBI are carried out only at the specific locations permitted by RBI. As an Authorized Dealer, we are a member of the Foreign Exchange Dealers Association of India. Our Company provides the foreign exchange and payment solutions for: Individual travelers Foreign exchange for leisure outbound travelers Foreign Exchange for migration, employment, medical treatment Remittances for students studying abroad, gift remittances etc Encashment services inward remittances for inbound tourists visiting India, Non Resident / Resident Indians. Corporates Travel money and remittances for business travelers. On site support for inbound tour conferences. Film production houses traveling for shoots abroad. Remittances of tour proceeds for tour operators. Institutions Bulk purchases and sales of foreign currencies from Banks, Non Bank Retailers and Money Changers. Our business model revolves around leveraging its position as an Authorized Dealer with systems, ability and experience of handling large volumes of forex transactions for both wholesale and retail customers in a highly cost-efficient manner. 5.1. Network The strong network enables TCIL to attract large wholesale clients such as public and private sector banks, FFMCs and RMCs to use our services. TCIL has a strong network of approximately 160 offices in 55 cities and 100 RMCs Hotel Franchisee. The Company has foreign exchange counters at the international airports of Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Cochin and Trivandrum which are open 24 hours and 365 days a year to cater to the needs of the international travelers. It also has a round-the clock Foreign Exchange counter at the New Delhi Railway Statio