Marketing Communication Plan of Ryanair Case Study

Marketing Communication Plan of Ryanair - Case Study Example There is no doubt that this unpalatable media propaganda about the lapses in the operations of Ryanair is threaten to exacerbate the dwindling fortunes of a potentially successful company in the wake of stifling competition in the low cost industry. It is against this background that management have committed themselves to the goal of reversing the tide of negative publication against Ryanair through a comprehensive media communication plan to be implemented in the 2009 business year. Ryanair understands that the process of realizing the comprehensive goals enshrined in the communication plan must of necessity reverberate amongst our global clientele base. We risk being pushed out of business by the contemporary challenges of the twenty first century. As an outcome of a broad based consultation exercise, Ryanair's immediate formal marketing quest is to target low and medium income earners, civil servants, students and seasonally unemployed people. For good reasons the current recession in the global economy as predicted by the World Bank is expected to run into the whole of 2009 into the early parts of 2010; the effects of the economic slowdown is definitely a fall in income levels which will compel people to opt for low flights to serve their traveling needs. The primary mission of the communication plan is to genera... The primary mission of the communication plan is to generate and sustain awareness about the innovative ingredients contained in the customer service package for the medium to long term framework. Aggressive promotional materials that will purposefully address the customer's needs as an integral component of the operations of the company. The plan will also allow for the efficient location of relevant customer information. For the 2009 marketing year, there will be considerable attention on such vital issues policy decisions, facilities, the introduction of new services, online platform for the discussion of enhancing marketing programs. Whilst pursuing these provisions, the communication plan will encourage continuity in the current list of workable marketing strategies that have served customers well in the last few years. It is expected that by so doing, the platform will be created to usher in the communication plan using a workable coordination of marketing activities. Objectives of the Marketing Communication Plan The strength of the communication plan lies in its ability to explicitly identify and recognize the following foundational objectives as the key to the success of the marketing policies of Ryanair. To positively impact on the attitude of our discontented customers with the view of attracting new customers; To be able to reach out to approximately 80% of air travelers within and outside Europe with the message of innovation in our transforming company; To create the enabling environment through incentives in the marketing strategy to boost the attractiveness of Ryanair to customers across the world. Message Strategy The increasing demands of the business climate in the twenty first century are characterized by tough competition

National Response Plan on Homeland Security Research Paper

National Response Plan on Homeland Security - Research Paper Example The plan emphasized on the handling of all incidents on the lowest jurisdictional and organizational levels where possible. Thus, the local government had the role of coordinating of incident response at the local level. It also had the mandate of communicating the level of the incident to the Department of Homeland Security for determination whether it is of National Significance. An incident of National Significance required the combined effort of the State, Federal, tribal, local, non-governmental entities and private sector to minimize loss of lives, damage and fast track the recovery process (Miskel, 2006). The three major components in this plan were the Emergency Support Function, incident and Support Annexes. To start with, the Emergence Support Function Annexes clearly stated the Federal Agencies responsibility in the coordination of support and management of resources in an emergency situation. Secondly, the Support Annexes highlighted the administrative requirements and functional processes required for the efficient and effective implementation of the Plan. Lastly, the Incident Annexes indicated the hazard situations that call for specialized treatment of the Plan (Jenkins & United States, 2008). In essence, the three components offered a clear mechanism for guiding the response towards an incident at Federal and Local level. Jenkins, W. O., & United States. (2008).  National Response Framework: FEMA needs policies and procedures to better integrate non-federal stakeholders in the revision process. Washington, D.C: U.S. Government Accountability

Justification of a Business Plan for Hotel

Justification of a Business Plan for Hotel The Justification of a Business Plan for Rebeccas Hotel Introduction The significance of business plans in all types and sizes of business organizations can never be threaten. The entrepreneurial inquiry puts the entrepreneurs in situations that require judgment. Hence, the need and identification of an approach to address these situations arise (Foss, Foss Klein, 2006, p. 4-5). Such as the justification for business plans as one of the approaches to address business problems, particularly in the event of uncertainties. The use of a business plan is one such approach as it is defined as a formal declaration of what the business wants to achieve. During uncertainties entrepreneurs should find tools to manage them (Sull, 2004, par. 2). Guinipero, Denslow, and Melton (2008) indicated that high propensity risks increase the formality of business plans. A business plan allows the anticipation of risks and improbabilities. A carefully formulated business plan should be able to communicate to stakeholders about the intended direction of the company. Through this, stakeholders should be guided with an understanding of the business situation and subsequently enable them to execute appropriate actions (Honig and Karlson, 2004, p. 30-35). To protect their interests in the business, stakeholders can be guaranteed with action in expectation of favourable business outcomes. The justification for a business plan appears to raise the significance for business successions as they posture challenges. The transition of managerial control frequently simply do not work out (Dalpiaz, Tracey Phillips, 2014, p. 3). Since this paper is based on the succession of a family business, the case study about Rebeccas family business provides insight into the important of business plans even for a small family-run hotel. This paper shall explain the importance of a business plan for Rebeccas case and consequently convince her to undertake the preparation of a business plan. Her case shall be interpret considering the mitigating factors as to why the business plan is necessary. The mitigating factors The retirement of Rebeccas parents had generally prompt the need for a business plan. Nonetheless, the presenting scenario also questions its practicality as their business is started out by her parents, has possibly overcome various business challenges, and is still currently operating, all without a business plan. The need for a business plan is followed by these conditions. Beyond these circumstances, Rebeccas succession to manage the business also presents potential threats. Though Rebeccas work as a kitchen assistant and junior cook despite having those knowledge is useful for the business since the hotel includes a restaurant, but the operation and management of a bar and hotel would require competencies which may not be sufficiently provided by her short time because she went backpacking travel in South-East Asia. Additionally, a three-year backpack travel exposure may not be suitable for Rebecca to develop an understanding of the tourism industry in their locale since the act ivities and opportunities presented in the different locations can be varied. It is important to note the difference in the tourism needs and activities of a travel destination such as the marina compared to the tourism locale Rebecca visited in her three-year adventure. On the other hand, as part of the family, she could have obtained insight into the business operations and her parents management style and business practices. Nevertheless, family-run organizations encounter unique problems due to its inherent nature (Peters Buhalis, 2004; Agyapong Boamah, 2013). Supporting literature shall clarify this in the next section. Even though Kerstin is not a part of this family but because of her relations with Rebecca and also because of her competencies and training, she can be possibly consulted about these consequences. Though small businesses are less likely to hire specialists than large corporations (Wu, Bacon, Hoque, 2014, p. 7), by moral of Rebeccas relationship to her, Kirstens expertise might be confess or at least consulted. It is, however, uncertain that her international exposure at work and the level of training would be suitable for a small family-run hotel. The nature of family-run businesses Family businesses rely on paternalism (Peters Buhalis, 2004, p. 537). Successors operate under the path of their parents especially when the founders are still around. Successors may attempt to introduce new systems and approach which may run contradicting to the family tradition when running the business. But the predecessor may not be able to let go or to completely allow the decision making processes and the management of the enterprise under the new relative-manager. The vision and goals of this relative may be inconsistent with how the parents perceive the business. Likewise, Agyapong and Boamah (2013, p. 533) described family-based relatedness in their study, which appears to produce these problems. The dynamics of family relationships may get in the way of business operations. There may be a cause of separation of the family concerns and business matters, conflicts or inefficiency may be occurred in the business. Family-run businesses are also usually characterized by informal business practices. As a result, these enterprises lack planning or the use of a systematic approach to manage the business especially when problematic activity occur. In the family businesses they commonly use improvisation by the family members (Peters Buhalis, 2004, p. 5), which lead to inconsistencies. There are no product or service standardizations or appropriate consistent controls. The informality of the practice arises from the dynamics of the family relationship. This situation is further entangled by another informal business practice which is inaccurate financial recording that results in financial losses (Peters Buhalis, 2004, p. 6). Family members also make their decisions that tend to be irrational since there appears a lack of information to guide them. In addition, misjudgement of performance indicators also occur and consequently affect the quality of future business decisions. This information could be made consistent, reliable, and more permanent when a proper business plan is created. Succession in family businesses Succession in family businesses is considered an interesting area of research. Studies focus on examining the change which aid or hinder the transfer of power to the succeeding generation, family relationships, and the process (Dalpiaz, Tracey Phillips, 2014, p. 6). A more outstanding evaluation from the studies is the causation approach which indicates that family businesses evolve linearly. In a statistical perspective, the continuity of the family business is related to certain variables which indicate the future state of the business. In the causation approach, a set of goals is identified as one of the factors in which family businesses are described to be established on. However, the goals are recognised to lack systematic process due to the informal nature of family enterprises. Nevertheless, planning, among the other components such as intentionality and resource acquisition, are essential foundations of this approach. Therefore, the continuity of the family business relies on the continuity of establishing plans. However, this time for Rebecca, a conscious formulation and systematic approach for business planning must be used. A few studies shows the reasons why business plans become critically important for family-operated businesses. The studies of Peters and Buhalis (2004) and Agyapong and Boamah (2013) provide important insights into these types of business ownership, particularly in the hotel industry. Both types of research emphasize the need for competitiveness in the industry. Peters and Buhalis (2004) claimed that the competitiveness of destinations is characterized by the domination of small businesses in the tourism and hospitality industry, as such in the case of Austria, the studys research locale. The operations of 240 small family businesses in Austrias tourism destination industry were part of the study in 2003. Research findings suggested that training is an essential element to run family businesses. In addition, a key component of this training includes the development of plans, strategies and the development of conceptualisation of new products or services among other important areas of running the family hotel business. These specific areas are being pick to emphasize the important role of business plans in the small enterprise. This research further indicate the need to develop strategic plans, both as a competitive strategy and advantage for the small family hotels. Growth and future sustainability are indicated to be the likely outcomes when strategic plans are created and then implemented. Meanwhile, Agyapong and Boamah (2013) conduct in their research the effects of business strategies and leadership in family businesses. Family hotel businesses in Ghana were the focus of this study, covering 50 small hotels in the country. The vital findings relevant to this paper is that the use of strategies, which may be provided by business plans, offer the family business the ability to predict problems, to vision the future, and to maintain flexibility. The business environment in Ghana was described to be highly competitive, and thus, the need for well-thought of strategies enable good business performance to survive in a competitive market situation. Furthermore, the unique characteristics of family businesses can be apply in implementing particular business conditions such as cost leadership and differentiation strategies (Agyapong Boamah, 2013, p. 537). In the case of Ghanas family hotel businesses, competitive strategies were purposeful to provide the assertion of survival of the 50 small hotels. Hence, the advantage of the business plan is to help the family business to be competitive in its formation. Another advantage implied in the studies is that the business plan could help support the inherent characteristics of small family businesses. Considering the scope of these two studies and similar competitive situations, those research indicate a broad-applicable situation for small family-run hotels. Alternative studies illustrate the importance of business plans for entrepreneurs in general. Brinckmann, Grichnik and Kapsa (2010, p. 24) cleverly stated in the title of their study Should entrepreneurs plan or just storm the castle? the quote of whether to create a business plan or not. This analysis study specified that planning is beneficial, although that factors such as culture and the newness of the enterprise affect the planning-performance relationship. Relevant to this, the newness of the enterprise may not be a concern for Rebeccas case, since the business has existed during her parents time. Culture appears to be a critical factor as to refer to the norms, values, and relationships within the family. Since this is identified to affect the planning-performance relationship, the guarantee of success for Rebeccas family business is yet to be determined. Besides, another research, Zahrani, Nikmaram and Latifi (2014, p.245) specified the need for developing a strategic plan, which is especially useful for succession planning. It is important for the successor to have the right outlook about the business plans. Furthermore, according to Aronoff and Ward (2014, p. 2), shared opinion help conquer conflicts within the family organizations. It is believed that since visions are reflections of values, shared visions should also result in more unify outcomes for a family business. Visions and values can be clarify when they are justify out rather than assumed. Identifying and specifying them in a business plan should help in making decisions which link to the family expectations. Conclusion Successions in family-run businesses present potential problems. This is further complicated by the inherent features of family-operated enterprises since they lack planning and is characterized by informality which results in inconsistencies, conflict, and lack of control. Research has provided evidence based on the need to develop strategic plans to ensure the future performance of the business. The planning-performance link support needs for business plans as a family-oriented business culture is identified a plausible barrier to the business success. Business plans offer the business successor a means of continuing the business with the appropriate business outlook one that reflects family vision and values. Furthermore, business plans provide a means for avoiding the consequences arising from the inherited nature of family-run enterprises. Studies specific to the hotel industry have also identified that competitive market environments can be survived by developing strategic pla ns. Presented with the benefits of developing strategies and the analysis of Rebeccas situation, Rebecca should be convinced that a means for her successful succession of the family-run hotel is through the development of a business plan. References Agyapong, A. and Boamah, R. (2013). Business strategies and competitive advantage of family hotel businesses in Ghana: The role of strategic leadership. The Journal of Applied Business Research. Volume 29. Number 2. Accessed at: cluteinstitute.com. (Accessed 15 March 2017). Aronoff, C. and Ward, J. (2016). Family business values: How to assure a legacy of continuity and success. New York: Palgrave and MacMillan. Dalpiaz, E., Tracey, P. and Phillips, N. (2014). Succession narratives in family business: The case of Alessi. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice. Accessed at: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1810/245758/ETP%20Revision%20Final.pdf?sequence=1isAllowed=y. (Accessed 14 March 2017). Foss, Foss, and Klein, (2006). Original and derived judgment: An entrepreneurial theory of economic organization. Organization Studies. Accessed at: https://brage.bibsys.no/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11250/164282/soldp200601.pdf?sequence=1isAllowed=y. (Accessed 15 March 2017). Guinipero, L., Denslow, D., and Melton, H. (2008). Risk propensity, risk perception and business plan formalization: a conceptual investigation. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management. Volume 8. Issue 4. Accessed at: http://www.inderscienceonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1504/IJEIM.2008.022312. (Accessed 16 March 2017). Honig, B. and Karlson, T. (2004). Institutional forces and the written business plan. Journal of Management. Vol. 30. Issue 1. 29 48. Accessed at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Benson_Honig/publication/228264253_Institutional_Forces_and_the_Written_Business_Plan/links/54ae9e6a0cf21670b35862b8.pdf. (Accessed 17 March 2017). Peters, M. and Buhalis, D. (2004). Family hotel businesses: Strategic planning and the need for education and training. Department of Strategy and Tourism Management. Center for Tourism and Service Economics. University of Innsbruck. Accessed at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/1109/1/fulltext.pdf. (Accessed 14 March 2017). Sull, (2004). Disciplined entrepreneurship. MIT Sloan Management Review. Accessed at http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/disciplined-entrepreneurship/. (Accessed 15 March 2017). Wu, N., Bacon, N. and Hoque, K. (2014). The adoption of high performance work practices in small businesses: the influence of markets, business characteristics and HR expertise. The International Journal of Human Resource Management. Accessed at: http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/26446/1/3876_Wu.pdf. (Accessed 16 March 2017). Zahrani, M. Nikmaram, S. and Latifi, M. (2014). Impact of family business characteristics on succession planning: A case study in Tehran industrial towns. Iranian Journal of Management Studies. Vol. 7. No. 2. 243- 257. Accessed at: https://ijms.ut.ac.ir/article_36616_8ced89c13f3bb574ef88de90a9581858.pdf. (Accessed 14 March 2017).

Henry David Thoreaus Walden and Aldo Leopolds A Sand County Almanac E

Henry David Thoreau's Walden and Aldo Leopold's A Sand County Almanac While discussing Henry David Thoreau's Walden and Aldo Leopold's A Sand County Almanac, we attempted to address an important challenge -- Is the close observation and description of nature merely an idle thing for people in today's world? It could be suggested that nature writing and the close enjoyment of natural environments is merely "recreational" and not intellectually, economically, or politically worthy of our efforts. Perhaps this activity has "spiritual value" or gives us a "sense of peace." But does it really have anything to do with the way we live in the world today? It seems to me that this question is central to the whole course of study and that we need to be able to answer it convincingly and in some detail. In my view, there can be no doubt to the correct answer. The close observation and description of nature is no idle thing. It is an act of world-making, or founding one's world view. Since behavior is determined by the ways in which one sees the world (reality), it is the groundwork of one's behavior. It is this act in which we find both Thoreau and Leopold engaged. Thoreau himself comments on its significance in the essay, "Where I Lived and What I lived For." By closely observing, but especially by describing (by using language) we establish our lives within the whole natural world. We express our desire and commitment to live within that world. Now, perhaps this sounds trivial and trite in today's world, but it is no trivial commitment for a citizen of today. Modern human life is set so firmly within a human-built world and dwells so thoroughly on human issues only that it is normal for us all to grow up and live out our lives... ... goal of that culture is to keep us outside of our human selves, located firmly within its agendas and serving its purposes. That culture does not want to acknowledge another world, a natural world. To do that would be allowing human liberation, for that would present people with a true picture of who they are and offer them a station that is not dominated by the established political/economic agenda of today. This is no idle thing; it is a powerful political issue, in fact. The established culture does not really want its citizens to live in any world but the specific one that it provides, that it has defined, and that it controls to its advantage. When we read Thoreau's Walden closely, we see this same cultural tension even one hundred and fifty years ago. Thoreau was well aware of the fact that his life at Walden Pond was a liberating counter-cultural experience.

The Leadership Education

A. Leadership education. While the debate over whether effective leaders are born that way or can learn these skills, the fact remains that even natural-born leaders need some help in understand the dynamics involved in teams. All of the U.S. military branches of services recognized this need early on and established service academies to help train their future leaders, but people in business, academia and other professions also have relevant leadership education available as well. According to Barker and Rost (2000), the content of leadership education courses required for the 21st century should address three general categories: (i) the evolution of social change and development, (ii) the processes that influence social development, and (iii) the dynamics of human nature in change processes. These authors add that, â€Å"Leadership education is aimed at producing citizens for a democratic society† (p. 3). B. Continuing education. Many professions require continuing education credits to maintain credentialing and privileges for practice; for example, lawyers and healthcare practitioners must complete a set number of credit hours each year for this purpose. While all professions may not mandate it, the individual pursuit of continuing education in any field should be regarded as a sound business investment, just as the provision of such training by organizations makes good sense. Because of the importance of having effective leaders in any organizational setting, it is vitally important for them to remain cognizant of changes and innovations in their field, as well as in allied fields that may impact their industry. Today is an excellent time to be a professional in search of continuing educational opportunities, though, because of the explosion in adult education classes designed for this purpose, particularly in online forums of various types. In this regard, Jarvis (2002) reports that, â€Å"Adult and continuing education is changing at a tremendously rapid rate in this contemporary, urban world,† and the purposes for which adult leaders are seeking continuing education have changed in fundamental ways in recent years (p. iii). Likewise, Beaudoin (2002) points out that, â€Å"The proliferation of instructional technology in the past decade, particularly in higher education settings, is having a profound impact on how teaching and learning now occurs, and is transforming the means by which institutions reach and support an emerging worldwide market across time and distance† (p. 131). This author adds that because it is so important to organizational and individual success, continuing education has a well developed format concerning not only to the planning and management of continuing education activities, but also insights in the area of leadership (Beaudoin, 2002). C. Types of education. Because every business situation is unique, leadership is taught in a variety of ways across many disciplines. According to Nirenberg (1998), â€Å"Most schools of business typically include the study of leadership as part of a survey of organizational behavior (OB) theory and not as a course in its own right. By all accounts, though, there are continuing and adult education opportunities available for virtually any vocation and avocation today through community colleges and online learning forums and even busy professionals can take advantages of these services. More importantly, though, effective leaders need to be well-rounded individuals with a basic understanding of how the business world works and what makes people behave the way they do. The types of education required for these complicated purposes are clearly a lifelong endeavor because they must continue to be updated and refined, and the more variety in the educational services taken over the course of a individual's career, the more effective leader that person will likely be. The Leadership Education A. Leadership education. While the debate over whether effective leaders are born that way or can learn these skills, the fact remains that even natural-born leaders need some help in understand the dynamics involved in teams. All of the U.S. military branches of services recognized this need early on and established service academies to help train their future leaders, but people in business, academia and other professions also have relevant leadership education available as well. According to Barker and Rost (2000), the content of leadership education courses required for the 21st century should address three general categories: (i) the evolution of social change and development, (ii) the processes that influence social development, and (iii) the dynamics of human nature in change processes. These authors add that, â€Å"Leadership education is aimed at producing citizens for a democratic society† (p. 3). B. Continuing education. Many professions require continuing education credits to maintain credentialing and privileges for practice; for example, lawyers and healthcare practitioners must complete a set number of credit hours each year for this purpose. While all professions may not mandate it, the individual pursuit of continuing education in any field should be regarded as a sound business investment, just as the provision of such training by organizations makes good sense. Because of the importance of having effective leaders in any organizational setting, it is vitally important for them to remain cognizant of changes and innovations in their field, as well as in allied fields that may impact their industry. Today is an excellent time to be a professional in search of continuing educational opportunities, though, because of the explosion in adult education classes designed for this purpose, particularly in online forums of various types. In this regard, Jarvis (2002) reports that, â€Å"Adult and continuing education is changing at a tremendously rapid rate in this contemporary, urban world,† and the purposes for which adult leaders are seeking continuing education have changed in fundamental ways in recent years (p. iii). Likewise, Beaudoin (2002) points out that, â€Å"The proliferation of instructional technology in the past decade, particularly in higher education settings, is having a profound impact on how teaching and learning now occurs, and is transforming the means by which institutions reach and support an emerging worldwide market across time and distance† (p. 131). This author adds that because it is so important to organizational and individual success, continuing education has a well developed format concerning not only to the planning and management of continuing education activities, but also insights in the area of leadership (Beaudoin, 2002). C. Types of education. Because every business situation is unique, leadership is taught in a variety of ways across many disciplines. According to Nirenberg (1998), â€Å"Most schools of business typically include the study of leadership as part of a survey of organizational behavior (OB) theory and not as a course in its own right. By all accounts, though, there are continuing and adult education opportunities available for virtually any vocation and avocation today through community colleges and online learning forums and even busy professionals can take advantages of these services. More importantly, though, effective leaders need to be well-rounded individuals with a basic understanding of how the business world works and what makes people behave the way they do. The types of education required for these complicated purposes are clearly a lifelong endeavor because they must continue to be updated and refined, and the more variety in the educational services taken over the course of a individual's career, the more effective leader that person will likely be.

Night World : Daughters of Darkness Chapter 4

What a difference a day made. Somehow, in the hot, hazy August sunlight the -next morning, Mary-Lynnette couldn't get serious about checking on whether Mrs. Burdock was dead. It was just too ridiculous. Besides, she had a lot to do-school started in just over two weeks. At the beginning of June she had been sure summer would last forever, sure that she would neversay, â€Å"Wow, this summer has gone by so fast.† And now here she stood in mid-August, and she was saying, â€Å"Wow, it's gone by so fast.† I need clothes, Mary-Lynnette thought. And a new backpack, and notebooks, and some of those little purple felt-tip pens. And I need to make Mark get all those things, too, because he won't do it by himself and Claudine will never make him. Claudine was their stepmother. She was Belgian and very pretty, with curly dark hair and sparklingdark eyes. She was only ten years older than MaryLynnette, and she looked even younger. She'd been the family's housecleaning helper when Mary Lynnette's mom first got sick five years ago. MaryLynnette liked her, but she was hopeless as a substitute mother, and Mary-Lynnette usually ended up taking charge of Mark. So I don't have time to go over to Mrs. B.'s. She spent the day shopping. It wasn't until after dinner that she thought about Mrs. Burdock again. She was helping to dear dishes out of the family room, where dinner was traditionally eaten in front of the TV, when her father said, â€Å"I heard something today about Todd Akers and Vic Kimble.† â€Å"Those losers,† Mark muttered. Mary-Lynnette said, â€Å"What?† â€Å"They had some kind of accident over on Chiloquin Road-over between Hazel Green Creek and Beavercreek.† â€Å"A car accident?† Mary-Lynnette said. â€Å"Well, this is the thing,† her father said. â€Å"Apparently there wasn't any damage to their car, but they both thought they'd been in an accident. They showed up at home after midnight and said that something had happened to them out there-but they didn'tknow what. They were missing a few hours.† He looked at Mark and Mary-Lynnette. â€Å"How about that, guys?† â€Å"It's the UFOs!† Mark shouted immediately, dropping into discus-throwing position and wiggling his plate. â€Å"UFOs are a crock,† Mary-Lynnette said. â€Å"Do youknow how far the little green men would have to travel-and there's no suchthing as warp speed. Whydo people have to make things up when the universe is just just blazing with incredible things that are real-â€Å"She stopped. Her family was looking at her oddly. â€Å"Actually Todd and Vic probably just got smashed,† she said, and put her plate and glass in the sink. Her father grimaced slightly. Claudine pursed her lips. Mark grinned. â€Å"In a very real and literal sense,† he said. â€Å"We hope.† It was as Mary-Lynnette was walking back to the family room that a thought struck her. Chiloquin Road was right off Kahneta, the road her own house was on. The road Mrs. B.'s house was on.It was only two miles from Burdock Farm to Chiloquin. There couldn't be any connection. Unless the girls were burying the little green man who'd abductedVic and Todd. But it bothered her. Two really strange things happening in the same night, in the same area. In a tiny, sleepy area that never saw any kind of excitement. I know, I'll call Mrs. B. And she'll be fine, and that'll prove everything's okay, and I'll be able to laugh about all this. But nobody answered at the Burdock house. The phone rang and rang. Nobody picked it up and the answering machine never came on. Mary-Lynnettehung up feeling grim but oddly calm. She knew what she had to do now. She snagged Mark as he was going up the stairs. â€Å"I need to talk to you.† â€Å"Look, if this is about your Walkman-â€Å" â€Å"Huh? It's about something we have to do tonight.† Mary-Lynnette looked at him. â€Å"What aboutmy Walkman?† â€Å"Uh, nothing. Nothing at all.† Mary-Lynnette groaned but let it go. â€Å"Listen, Ineed you to help me out. Last night I saw something weird when I was on the hill†¦.† She explained as succinctly as possible. â€Å"And now more weird stuff with Todd and Vic,† she said. Mark was shaking his head, looking at her in something like pity. â€Å"Mare, Mare,† he said kindly. â€Å"You really are crazy, you know.† â€Å"Yes,† Mary-Lynnette said. â€Å"It doesn't matter. I'm still going over there tonight.† â€Å"To do what?† â€Å"To check things out. I just want toseeMrs. B. If I can talk to her, I'll feel better. And if I can find out what's buried in that garden, I'll feel a wholelotbetter.† â€Å"Maybe they were burying Sasquatch. That government study in the Klamaths never did find him, you know.† â€Å"Mark, you owe me for the Walkman. For whatever happened to the Walkman.† â€Å"Uh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mark sighed, then muttered resignedly.†Okay, I owe you. But I'm telling you right now, I'm not going to talk to those girls.† â€Å"You don't have to talk to them. You don't evenhave to see them. There's something else I want youto do.† The sun was just setting. They'd walked this roada hundred times to get to Mary-Lynnette's hill-the only difference tonight was that Mark was carryinga pair of pruning shears and Mary-Lynnette had pulled the Rubylith filter off her flashlight. â€Å"You don't reallythink they offed the old lady.† â€Å"No,† Mary-Lynnette said candidly. â€Å"I just want to put the world back where it belongs.† â€Å"You want what?† â€Å"You know how you have a view of the way theworld is, but every so often you wonder, ‘Oh, myGod, what if it's really different?'Like, ‘What if I'm really adopted and the people I think are my parentsaren't my parents at all?' And if it were true, it would change everything, and for a minute you don't know what's real. Well, that's how I feel right now, and I want to get rid of it. I want my old world back.† â€Å"You know what's scary?† Mark said. â€Å"I think Iunderstand.† By the time they got to Burdock Farm, it was full dark. Ahead of them, in the west, the star Arcturus seemed to hang over the farmhouse, glittering faintly red. Mary-Lynnette didn't bother trying to deal withthe rickety gate. She went to the place behind the blackberry bushes where the picket fence had fallen flat. The farmhouse was like her own family's, but with lots of Victorian-style gingerbread added. MaryLynnette thought the spindles and scallops and fretwork gave it a whimsical air-eccentric, like Mrs. Burdock. Just now, as she was looking at one of the second-story windows, the shadow of a moving figure fell on the roller blind. Good, Mary-Lynnette thought. At least I know somebody's home. Mark began hanging back as they walked down the weedy path to the house. â€Å"You said I could hide.† â€Å"Okay. Right. Look, why don't you take thoseshears and sort of go around back-â€Å" â€Å"And look at the Sasquatch grave while I'm there? Maybe do a little digging? I don't think so.† â€Å"Fine,† Mary-Lynnette said calmly. â€Å"Then hidesomewhere out here and hope they don't see you when they come to the door. At least with the shears you have an excuse to be in the back.† Mark threw her a bitter glance and she knew she'dwon. As he started off, Mary-Lynnette said suddenly, â€Å"Mark, be careful.† Mark just waved a dismissive hand at her without turning around. When he was out of sight, Mary-Lynnette knockedon the front door. Then she rang the doorbellitwasn't a button but an actual bellpull. She could hear chimes inside, but nobody answered. She knocked and rang with greater authority. Every minute she kept expecting the door to open to reveal Mrs. B., petite, gravelly-voiced, blue-haired,dressed in an old cotton housedress. But it didn't happen. Nobody came. Mary-Lynnette stopped being polite and began knocking with one hand and ringing with the other. It was somewhere in the middle of this frenzy ofknocks and rings that she realized she was frightened. Really frightened. Her world view was wobbling.Mrs. Burdock hardly ever left the house. She always answered the door. And Mary-Lynnette had seenwith her own eyes that somebody was home here. So why weren't they answering? Mary-Lynnette's heart was beating very hard. She had an uncomfortable falling sensation in her stomach. I should get out of here and call Sheriff Akers. It's his job to know what to do about things like this.But it was hard to work up any feeling of confidence in Todd's father. She took her alarm and frustration out on the door. Which opened. Suddenly. Mary-Lynnette's fist hit air and for an instant she felt sheer panic, fear of the unknown. â€Å"What can I do for you?† The voice was soft and beautifully modulated. Thegirl was just plain beautiful. What Mary-Lynnette hadn't been able to see from the top of her hill was that the brown hair was aglow with rich chestnut highlights, the features were classically molded, the tall figure was graceful and willowy. â€Å"You're Rowan,† she said. â€Å"How did you know?† You couldn't be anything else; I've never seen anybody who looked so much like tree spirit. â€Å"Your aunt told me about you. I'm Mary-Lynnette Carter, Ilive just up Kahneta Road. You probably saw my house on your way here.† Rowan looked noncommittal. She had such a sweet,grave face-,and skin that looked like white orchid petals, Mary-Lynnette thought abstractedly. She said, â€Å"So, I just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood, say hello, see if there's anything you need.† Rowan looked less grave; she almost smiled and her brown eyes grew warm. â€Å"How nice of you. Really. I almost wish we did need something †¦ but actually we're fine.† Mary-Lynnette realized that, with the utmost civility and good manners, Rowan was winding up the conversation. Hastily she threw a new subject into the pool. â€Å"There are three of you girls, right? Are you going to school here?† â€Å"My sisters are.† â€Å"That's great. I can help show them around. I'll be a senior this year.† Another subject, quick, MaryLynnette thought. â€Å"So, how do you like Briar Creek? It's probably quieter than you're used to.† â€Å"Oh, it was pretty quiet where we came from,†Rowan said. â€Å"But we love it here; it's such a wonderful place. The trees, the little animals. . .† She broke off. â€Å"Yeah, those cute little animals,† Mary-Lynnette said. Get to the point, her inner voices were telling her. Her tongue and the roof of her mouth felt like Velcro. Finally she blurted, â€Å"So-so, um, how is your aunt right now?† â€Å"She's-fine.† That instant's hesitation was all Mary-Lynnette needed. Her old suspicions, her old panic, surged up immediately. Making her feel bright and cold, like aknife made of ice. She found herself saying in a confident, almost chirpy voice, â€Å"Well, could I just talk to her for a minute? Would you mind? It's just that I have something sort of important to tellher†¦.† She made a move as if to step over the threshold. Rowan kept on blocking the door. â€Å"Oh, I'm sosorry. Butwell, that's not really possible rightnow.† â€Å"Oh, is it one of her headaches? I've seen her in bed before.† Mary-Lynnette gave a little tinkly laugh. â€Å"No, it's not a headache.† Rowan spoke gently, deliberately. â€Å"The truth is that she's gone for a few days.† â€Å"Gone?† â€Å"I know.† Rowan made a little grimace acknowledging that this was odd. â€Å"She just decided to take a few days off. A little vacation.† â€Å"But-gosh, with you girls just getting here†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mary-Lynnette's voice was brittle. â€Å"Well, you see, she knew we'd take care of thehouse for her. That's why she waited until we came.† â€Å"But-gosh,† Mary-Lynnette said again. She felt aspasm in her throat. â€Å"Where-just where did she go?† â€Å"Up north, somewhere on the coast. I'm not sure of the name of the town.† â€Å"But . . .† Mary-Lynnette's voice trailed off. Back off, her inner voices warned.Now was the time to be polite, to be cautious. Pushing it meant showing this girl that Mary-Lynnette knew something was wrong with this story. And since somethingwas wrong, thisgirl might be dangerous†¦. It was hard to believe that while looking at Rowan'ssweet, grave face. She didn't look dangerous. But thenMary-Lynnette noticed something else. Rowan was barefoot. Her feet were as creamy-pale as the rest ofher, but sinewy. Something about them, the way they were placed or the clean definition of the toes, made Mary-Lynnette think of those feet running. Of savage, primal speed. When she looked up, there was another girl walking up behind Rowan. The one with dark golden hair. Her skin was milky instead of blossomy, and her eyes were yellow. â€Å"This is Kestrel,† Rowan said. â€Å"Yes,† Mary-Lynnette said. She realized she was staring. And realized, the moment after that, that shewas scared. Everything about Kestrel made her thinkof savage, primal movement. The girl walked as if she were flying. â€Å"What's going on?† Kestrel said. â€Å"This is Mary-Lynnette,† Rowan said, her, voice still pleasant. â€Å"She lives down the road. She came to see Aunt Opal.† â€Å"Really just to see if you needed anything,† MaryLynnette interjected quickly. â€Å"We're sort of your only neighbors.† Strategy change, she was thinking. About-face. Looking at Kestrel, she believed in danger. Now all she wanted was to keep these girls from guessing what she knew. â€Å"You're a friend of Aunt Opal's?† Kestrel asked silkily. Her yellow eyes swept Mary-Lynnette, first up, then down. â€Å"Yeah, I come over sometimes, help her withthe†-oh, God, don't say gardening-â€Å"goats. Um, I guess she told you that they need to be milked everytwelve hours.† Rowan's expression changed fractionally. MaryLynnette's heart gave a violent thud. Mrs. B. would never,everleave without giving instructions aboutthe goats. â€Å"Of course she told us,† Rowan said smoothly, justan instant too late. Mary-Lynnette's palms were sweating. Kestrelhadn't taken that keen, dispassionate, unblinkinggaze off her for a moment. Like the proverbial birdof prey staring down the proverbial rabbit. â€Å"Well, it'sgetting late and I bet you guys have things to do. I should let you go.† Rowan and Kestrel looked at each other. Then theyboth looked at Mary-Lynnette, cinnamon-brown eyes and golden eyes fixed intently on her face.Mary-Lynnette had the falling feeling in her stomach again. â€Å"Oh, don't goyet,† Kestrel said silkily. â€Å"Why don'tyou come inside?†

Free Essays on Problem Of The Trinity

Wainright, W. The Problem of the Trinity. The Trinity in the New Testament. Great Britain: William Clowes and Sons, 1962. Dr. W. Wainwright of Manchester has been writing books of this nature for a number of years. In fact he has even contributed to the â€Å"Scottish Journal of Theology†, Vol. 10, no. 3, September 1957. Belief in Christ’s divinity was expressed both in the writings of the New Testament and in the worship which was practiced in the earliest Christian communities. The belief in Christ’s divinity raised serious issues, and out of this emerged the Trinitarian problem. Even though the doctrine of the God Heads is not formally stated in the New Testament, the writings of the apostles suggest that they were dealing with such an issue as the trinity. No apostle would have dreamt of thinking that they are three divine persons whose mutual relations and paradoxical unity are beyond our understanding. However it is evident that the New Testament writers are aware that there is a problem between the relationships of Father, Son, and spirit; this fact is seen at the beginning of the fourth Gospel. Reading this chapter was very beneficial because the information presented is relevant to my research and will aid in the proper development of my paper. In particular, it provides information for the section in the research paper that deals with the Apostles and the Trinitarian doctrine. The source outlines the Apostles reactions to the trinity. It also provides information for another section of the paper that deals with the trinity as presented in the bible. I must say that even though the chapter provides vital information, it is not my main source. Throughout the chapter the author writes as though the ideas presented are recent. This was evident in his negative comments as it regards to Schleiermacher failure to include these ideas in his book â€Å"The Christian Faith†. Even though the book was writte... Free Essays on Problem Of The Trinity Free Essays on Problem Of The Trinity Wainright, W. The Problem of the Trinity. The Trinity in the New Testament. Great Britain: William Clowes and Sons, 1962. Dr. W. Wainwright of Manchester has been writing books of this nature for a number of years. In fact he has even contributed to the â€Å"Scottish Journal of Theology†, Vol. 10, no. 3, September 1957. Belief in Christ’s divinity was expressed both in the writings of the New Testament and in the worship which was practiced in the earliest Christian communities. The belief in Christ’s divinity raised serious issues, and out of this emerged the Trinitarian problem. Even though the doctrine of the God Heads is not formally stated in the New Testament, the writings of the apostles suggest that they were dealing with such an issue as the trinity. No apostle would have dreamt of thinking that they are three divine persons whose mutual relations and paradoxical unity are beyond our understanding. However it is evident that the New Testament writers are aware that there is a problem between the relationships of Father, Son, and spirit; this fact is seen at the beginning of the fourth Gospel. Reading this chapter was very beneficial because the information presented is relevant to my research and will aid in the proper development of my paper. In particular, it provides information for the section in the research paper that deals with the Apostles and the Trinitarian doctrine. The source outlines the Apostles reactions to the trinity. It also provides information for another section of the paper that deals with the trinity as presented in the bible. I must say that even though the chapter provides vital information, it is not my main source. Throughout the chapter the author writes as though the ideas presented are recent. This was evident in his negative comments as it regards to Schleiermacher failure to include these ideas in his book â€Å"The Christian Faith†. Even though the book was writte...

Ozone Alert Days and Warnings

Ozone Alert Days and Warnings Ozone is a pale blue gas with a distinctively pungent smell. Ozone is present in low concentrations throughout the  Earths atmosphere  (stratosphere). In total, ozone makes up only  0.6  ppm (parts per million) of the atmosphere. Ozone smells similar to chlorine and is detectable by many people at concentrations of as little as  10  ppb (parts per billion)  in the air.   Ozone is a powerful  oxidant and has many industrial and consumer applications related to oxidation. This same high oxidizing potential, however, causes ozone to damage mucus and respiratory tissues in animals, and also tissues in plants, above concentrations of about  100  ppb. This makes ozone a potent respiratory hazard and pollutant near ground level. However, the  ozone layer  (a portion of the stratosphere with a higher concentration of ozone, from 2 to 8 ppm) is beneficial, preventing damaging  ultraviolet light  from reaching the  Earths surface to the benefit of both plants and animals. Unhealthy Ozone Ozone depletion may be a common news story, but many forget about the dangerous formation of ozone at ground level. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in your local weather forecast may often issue an unhealthy warning based on ground level ozone measurements if ground-level ozone is going to affect people in a particular area. All persons in an area are advised to be on the lookout for health effects related to ozone pollutants when a warning or watch is issued. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that although ozone in the stratosphere protects us from harmful UV radiation, low-level ozone is dangerous. Infants, children, and those with respiratory problems may be in particular danger. What Causes Ground-Level Ozone Ground-level ozone is caused when the sun reacts with pollutants from cars and industrial plants to form ozone at or near the surface of the earth. The sunny weather you enjoy in many parts of the world may, unfortunately, be increasing the chances of the formation of ground-level ozone. Summertime is especially dangerous in many traditionally sunny areas, especially those areas with large populations. The EPA issues warnings and advisories for five major air pollutants. ground-level ozoneparticle pollutioncarbon monoxidesulfur dioxidenitrogen dioxide Ozone Alert Days According to associate writer Fred Cabral, â€Å"Ozone ignorance is a problem. Many people do not listen to the warnings given by local forecasters on the dangers of ozone.† While interviewing locals in the area, Cabral discovered 8 reasons why people choose to ignore â€Å"Ozone Alert Days†. Avoiding complacency is key to being safe from the dangers of ozone, Fred indicates, and people should not become complacent about the issue. After multiple street interviews, Cabral has investigated the ways to remain safe. In fact, ozone alert days (sometimes called ozone action days depending on where you live) are days when high heat and humidity cause unhealthy and unsafe levels of air pollution in the ozone layer. Pollution levels are monitored via the Air Quality Index, which was designed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) so that cities and states can measure and report levels of pollutants in our air.

5 Keys to Better Sentence Flow

5 Keys to Better Sentence Flow 5 Keys to Better Sentence Flow 5 Keys to Better Sentence Flow By Mark Nichol Sentences can be short. They can also be long. This is a good thing. Lack of variety is wearying. It may drive you to distraction. It’s a good thing that sentences can be short or long, because lack of variety is wearying and may drive you to distraction. Which paragraph was easier to read? If you’re like me (and why wouldn’t you be?), you’ll pick the latter example, which employs combination and subordination (the process of making one of two sentences part of the other). It’s easy to get caught up in a ratcheted conveyor belt of short, staccato sentences, but it’s also simple to introducing some variety of sentence length through these two frequently paired strategies. 1. â€Å"The money was doled out in what are known as State Revolving Funds. These are pots of cash that finance each state’s drinking-water and clean-water infrastructure improvements. â€Å" If a sentence constitutes a definition for a term introduced in the previous sentence, delete the subject from the defining sentence and link the two sentences: â€Å"The money was doled out in what are known as State Revolving Funds, pots of cash that finance each state’s drinking-water and clean-water infrastructure improvements.† 2. â€Å"The most famous was called the Wonder Fountain. The attraction shot river water 150 feet into the air from a round pool. It drew visitors from Charlotte and beyond.† This â€Å"See Dick run. See Jane run.† succession is easily folded together: Delete the first verb and make the noun phrase after it an appositive. Link the defining sentence to it as a parenthetical phrase, and emerge from that phrase to close with an additional phrase consisting of the final sentence shorn of its subject. The result: â€Å"The most famous, the Wonder Fountain, which shot river water 150 feet into the air from a round pool, drew visitors from Charlotte and beyond.† 3. â€Å"Religious or purely spiritual models are found in several faiths. They are often considered folk models because they derive from the rank-and-file citizenry.† A sentence that provides additional detail about the previous sentence can often, absent its subject, be inserted into the midst of the first sentence as a parenthetical phrase: â€Å"Religious or purely spiritual models, often considered folk models because they derive from the rank-and-file citizenry, are found in several faiths.† 4. â€Å"He stood in front of the half-empty San Luis Reservoir, built in 1962 to store water for the feds’ Central Valley Project. He painted a Dust Bowl-grim picture of Central Valley’s storied farming economy.† Replace a sentence’s subject with a participle (a verb with an -ing ending), then clip the following sentence’s subject and tack the rest of the sentence on: â€Å"Standing in front of the half-empty San Luis Reservoir, built in 1962 to store water for the feds’ Central Valley Project, he painted a Dust Bowl–grim picture of Central Valley’s storied farming economy.† 5. â€Å"Following the principles of Ayurvedic medicine, the flavors, numbering six, are defined as follows: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, astringent, and spicy. These flavors are divided into six categories, which are associated with earth, water, and fire.† When combining and subordinating sentences, look for opportunities to make a passage more concise as well. Stating the number of listed flavors is superfluous, and â€Å"are defined as follows† is a verbose and unnecessary obstacle between the reader and the list. Note, too, how em dashes are employed in order to avoid a bewildering succession of commas: â€Å"Following the principles of Ayurvedic medicine, the flavors- divided into categories associated with earth, water, and fire- are sweet, sour, bitter, salty, astringent, and spicy.† Successions of sentences don’t always merit these steps, but judicious application will improve the flow of your writing. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Types of LanguageConnotations of 35 Words for Funny PeopleRunning Errands and Doing Chores

Management, Leadership and Skills - Planning and Control Assignment

Management, Leadership and Skills - Planning and Control - Assignment Example Project management is incomplete without a good leader and project staff. These people combine their skills with technology and communication infrastructure to achieve project goals. However, increasing global competition has created multiple problems for project managers. Some of these problems include changes in goals, breakdowns in communication, unrealistic schedules, improper planning, ambiguity in goals, non-motivated and uncommitted workforce etc. In this fast-paced environment, it is therefore important to have good project managers who can overcome such issues. Project management is an integral part of the business entities now and organizations need strong project managers to lead various projects. The effectiveness of projects depends on the quality of management which is achieved by the hard work of people. In the field of project management, the workers and the staff associated with the project play an integral role in making it a success or a failure. In this research paper, project management has been discussed with in-depth details. Moreover, the role of project leaders and the impact of their leadership style on the motivation of people has also been analyzed critically. Theories related to leadership and motivation would add more value to the topic and make it more credible. Furthermore, the impact of good infrastructure in terms of smooth communication between project leaders and the project staff would also be studied deeply. The role and characteristics of project leaders heavily influence project management. According to Riaz et. al, literature has usually ignored the impact of project manager’s leadership capabilities on the success of projects as one of the most significant success factors. The authors have argued that project manager’s effective leadership style is vital for the success of projects.  

Foreign market entry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Foreign market entry - Essay Example In case of companies, there can a variety of strategies to enter into a global market thus expanding the scope of operations. Globalization is always a positive sign for those who are striving for it (Causes and Effects of Globalization, 2012). But here it is important to be noted that expansion of the operations by entering into the foreign global market is not possible for all companies. The expansion actually depends upon the resource availability of the firm. It is crucial issue that either the firm has enough resources or not. Resources play an important role in all decision making of any firm. Before going across the boundaries in a foreign market the firm has to decide its strategy that either it would export the goods in the foreign market or may acquire a local firm in the host country to start operations. Another option might be a kind of joint venture with a famous local firm of the host economy. There will be a slight difference between the acquisition of a local firm of host country or doing a joint venture with that same local firm. Whether adopt any strategy, the important point is that the result will be growth of the firm in either case (Lynch, 2013). After consideration of all the resource availability and other strategies now the point comes that what will be the factors which may affect any firm’s decision of globalization. These factors include a long list of all the possible components which may affect a firm’s operations whether local or global. These factors may be country specific or even sometimes industry specific too. There may be certain Government rules and regulations which are not feasible for any small company. In such cases the company may not expand its operations though it may possess enough resources. Similarly there will be many other policies and rules which any firm must have to obey in order to enter into the local market. Though many economies are working on it and many of them have also revised their trade rules

Bitcoins Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Bitcoins - Essay Example These bitcoins serve as money for all types of payments and receipts on the web. Individuals can maintain their own bitcoin wallet, where these bitcoins are debited or credited. Since this is a peer-to-peer currency, it does not require any central authority to issue currency or track transactions (The Economic Times, 2014). The concept of bitcoins was first published in a newspaper in 2008. However, it was only in 2009 that the first online wallet software for transacting bitcoins was released. It was called Bitcoin-Qt. Nonetheless, this software initially was poorly developed and many of its features were exploited to create more and more bitcoins. Later on, a team of core developers and experts of software were employed to monitor, develop and enhance the bitcoin way of transacting. Since then, use of bitcoins has rapidly increased. Also, there have been considerable fluctuations in the price of bitcoins. The price of bitcoins had reached its peak in 2013, during the Cypriot financial crisis. From the initial days of inception, the bitcoin system has suffered plenty of glitches with respect to technology and software system that it was based on. This was largely due to lack of proper governance and management of the software. The system was found to crash multiple times. So, individuals were not real ly eager to use it as a system of online money. Bitcoins were largely used in online gaming versions, where individuals on winning points were credited with bitcoins. Hence, only youngsters and teenagers were found to take interest in this system. Soon as greater regulations were incorporated in this sector, bitcoin exchanges were regulated whereby they were required to submit reports of bitcoin transfers. Gradually, more and more business firms and non-profit groups started to accept this form of exchange. Currently, BTC China, which is a Chinese bitcoin exchange, is the largest bitcoin exchange in the world by virtue of trade volume.

Middle East Hisory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Middle East Hisory - Essay Example The Mandate of Palestine of 1922 was borne out of the colonial designs of the British and French on the Middle East. Britain acquired Palestine, the Transjordan and Iraq, while France got Syria. It also embodied the promises these two European powers made to the Arabs and the Zionists, which eventually led to conflict. British encouragement of Zionist actions during the early years of the mandate led to increasing conflict between the Jewish immigrants and their Arab neighbors. As the Second World War loomed and the British recognized the importance of Arab support, they shifted their favors towards the Arabs at the expense of the Jewish communities who were now concentrated in fortified strongholds. As violence increased, the British decided to abandon Palestine, leaving the settlement of the Jewish question among the Zionists and Arabs. The French did not want to hand over power to the Muslims of Syria in a manner that they may be thought of giving up their traditional policy of pr otecting the Christians of the Levant. Urban populations and those of the educated Syrian elite were also demanding that Syria become independent and that Lebanon, Palestine, Transjordan, aside from the Druze and Alawite districts, become part of it. Rebels among the Druze and the nationalists led to open hostilities which did not subside until 1927. The 1952 Egyptian Revolution o... Although the king tried to institute land redistribution and other forms of reform, corruption became the main cause for the failure of his measures. Among the reasons that led to the revolution was the failed Palestine Campaign of 1948 which convinced the leaders that Farouk I was inefficient and corrupt. From 1917 to 1949, Israel occupied 78% of lands in Palestine, which was then administered by Great Britain under a League of Nations mandate. Israeli occupation led to the eviction of 750,000 Arab refugees to the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and other Arab countries. This led to Egypt's campaign against Israel in 1948 which ended in failure because of a corrupt and ineffectual government. General Neguib became commander-in-chief, president and prime minister after Farouk's abdication. Nasser was his Minister of the Interior. However, young officers in the army saw Neguib as too moderate. This resulted in his retirement and Nasser then succeeded him as prime minister in 1954. He became Egypt's president seven months later. Nasser was popular with young officers since many were recruited by him into the Free Officers movement during World War II. His republican views also attracted a large following. Increasing sympathy and concern over the plight of Palestinian Arabs who were forced to seek refuge in neighboring countries, and Nasser's espousal of Arab independence, also increased his popularity among the people and military. Most important in this period was his advocacy of liberating Palestine from Jewish occupation. His policy of Arab independence also challenged British authority, which gave him widespread support. Egypt had long endured British

Role of Mentor in Evaluating Student Learning Essay

Role of Mentor in Evaluating Student Learning - Essay Example NMC (2008) emphasizes that qualified mentors are equipped with certain qualities which helps them to facilitate learning and assess students in practice settings. Some of these qualities as defined by Kerry and Mayes (1995) are: role modelling; nurturing attribute; capable of enhancing professional competencies of mentee; and building constructive relationship not only as teacher, friend or counsellor but as one of carer that is sustained over a period of time. The mentors exert extensive influence on the learners and often act as role models for them. Consequently, the moral responsibilities of mentor are significantly more pronounced. Most importantly, in the era of fast globalization, ethical considerations and moral obligations become critical factors in healthcare industry and effective mentoring helps to inculcate and promote ethics within their profession. As per NMC (2008), mentoring involves eight major roles as: preceptor; assessor; clinical educator; clinical supervision; clinical supervisor; Practice teacher; registrant, supervisor. Preceptor primarily has basic minimum qualification of atleast twelve months’ experience in the desired area.UK government provides the facility of preceptors to all new nurses to help them to become dedicated registrants. While assessor is equipped with necessary skills to assess students’ competencies, Clinical educators, clinical supervision and clinical supervisor help the nursing students to enhance their skills in clinical setting through effective feedback. Waskett (2010) believes that it helps the students to become confident and acquire skills that improve their performance. The rest of the roles of mentor differ with different areas in healthcare and medical environment. Hawkins and Shohet (2006) assert that supervisors as mentors are important as they help

ENTREPRENEUR BUSINESS PLAN Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

ENTREPRENEUR BUSINESS PLAN - Research Paper Example This may lead to collapse of the business (TheTopTier Digital Media, 2014). Thus, to become successful entrepreneurs, appropriate skills are required to understand the market well and respond to sudden changes. Of the new ventures in United Kingdom (UK) that have flourished in past years, some have proved to be very successful and rest are earning appropriate profit that can support their venture. United Supercars is a new venture in London, UK, which will focus on selling used supercars in the market at a premium price; since the company will target high profile elite customers. The supercars are very expensive and fast sports cars, which are marketed by automakers as limited production specials. The supercars have a standard look that is modified for enhancing power and performance of these cars. The cars are also customized according to the needs of target customers. However, United Supercars will sell used supercars in London, which will be brought in from Dubai (Wade and Hulland , 2004). In Dubai, supercars are manufactured by very few automakers who sell them at premium prices. The owners of supercars sell these cars after one or two uses and these are exported by Dubai automakers overseas (Connor and Dent, 2006). In London, demand for supercars is high since the young generation is equipped with car racing skills. The demand for supercars from Dubai has increased over the year (UAEInteract, 2014). The automakers in Dubai have realized that there have been 5.4% rise in sale of used supercars to London in 2012 (Auto Exhaust & Tyres, 2014). So, United Supercars has decided to import supercars from Dubai and sell them in London. The affluent families desire to own supercars to enhance their fashion statement. McLaren is a supercar, which is not generally seen on roads of UK since it is not relevant there. This car is exclusively manufactured for the races (Douglas, 2004). The

Role of Mentor in Evaluating Student Learning Essay

Role of Mentor in Evaluating Student Learning - Essay Example NMC (2008) emphasizes that qualified mentors are equipped with certain qualities which helps them to facilitate learning and assess students in practice settings. Some of these qualities as defined by Kerry and Mayes (1995) are: role modelling; nurturing attribute; capable of enhancing professional competencies of mentee; and building constructive relationship not only as teacher, friend or counsellor but as one of carer that is sustained over a period of time. The mentors exert extensive influence on the learners and often act as role models for them. Consequently, the moral responsibilities of mentor are significantly more pronounced. Most importantly, in the era of fast globalization, ethical considerations and moral obligations become critical factors in healthcare industry and effective mentoring helps to inculcate and promote ethics within their profession. As per NMC (2008), mentoring involves eight major roles as: preceptor; assessor; clinical educator; clinical supervision; clinical supervisor; Practice teacher; registrant, supervisor. Preceptor primarily has basic minimum qualification of atleast twelve months’ experience in the desired area.UK government provides the facility of preceptors to all new nurses to help them to become dedicated registrants. While assessor is equipped with necessary skills to assess students’ competencies, Clinical educators, clinical supervision and clinical supervisor help the nursing students to enhance their skills in clinical setting through effective feedback. Waskett (2010) believes that it helps the students to become confident and acquire skills that improve their performance. The rest of the roles of mentor differ with different areas in healthcare and medical environment. Hawkins and Shohet (2006) assert that supervisors as mentors are important as they help

Role of Teacher on Society Essay Example for Free

Role of Teacher on Society Essay Who are we? What are we? A lot of what we are was implanted in us as young children by teachers who cared enough to teach it to us. Throughout my life I was taught many of the values I have today by my educators. I was instilled with the skills of how to get along with my peers, knowing right from wrong, and realizing that the best way to get what I wanted was to respect others first. The teachers I’ve had along the way have inspired me to become a better person. They have made me recognize how I wish to be like them. I too want to help children realize their full potential. I want to be a person in their lives that they can look back on and say she helped me hope and strive for the best that I could be. In today’s society there are so many distractions in students’ lives. They have to deal with family traumas, drugs, extra-curricular activities, making their place in the world, peer pressure, jobs, etc.. When all these things are on someone’s mind it’s often hard to concentrate on school work and rules. I want the students to come to my class with the attitude that it is a place of refuge. I want them to forget about their fulfilled lives and see that learning can be fun and interesting. I want to make them realize that school isn’t just a boring place where the cafeteria food is bad. I want them to be interested by finding something they enjoy doing and maybe they’ll be able to find their places in this world a little better. It is so hard to make students understand how crucial education is. Especially in today’s society. I want to try and raise their self-esteem so they can become the people they want to be. I want to be involved in their lives so maybe if they are having problems at home they can feel like they can come to me for comfort or help. There are a few teachers who I could have gone to for assistance. I now appreciate them more than ever because they made me see hope in people. I want to be like them if not better. In order to be the teacher I would like to be I first want to challenge my students to be the best they can be. I agree with a Nation at Risk when it calls for greater academic rigor, and higher expectations for students. I want to enforce these values in my classroom as well. I’ve always been a fan of learning in groups. I found that a little assistance from fellow classmates always aided me further in my learning progress. That’s why cooperative learning will definitely be applied in my classroom. Since cooperative learning helps to amplify students interactions and processing skills it will assist children to strive for the higher expectations that society will put on them as they get older. Cooperative learning can improve on students grades, self-esteem, personal relationships, and understanding of others. Which I feel is a very good incentive to try and promote in my own curriculum. The groups should be small and circular to promote easy conversation. Within the group the assignment should be shared and the work load should be evened out between how many students there are. If the labor is shared then all students will feel like they have contributed in some way and might take it more seriously if a whole group is depending on them instead of just one person. If a student understands that he or she has a responsibility to do something within their group they will more than likely do it, because if they don’t then the individuals in the group might be upset with them and it would serve as an incentive for them to do well. Students often receive approval or rewards for a job well done in their overall performance. When I obtained praise for my accomplishments I usually always tried to repeat what I did well. I’m a firm believer in awarding children and reinforcing them when they behave and do a good job. In my classroom, I will try to make students feel like they are doing things right, and maybe they will try and achieve at everything they do. I like the idea of project-based instruction as well as cooperative learning. Trying to have children learn with real life situations is a very good concept. Asking the students higher level questions and having them involved in their own projects gives the students a taste of what â€Å"real life† has to offer. It also excites and motivates students to want to learn. If I combine cooperative learning and project-based instruction in my classroom I feel that it will be an effective way of approaching learning and getting the curriculum across to the students in a fun way. I’m aware of the different fundamental principles of teaching. Which include: essentialism, perennialism, progressivism, existentialism, reconstructionism, and behaviorism. Each have their own unique techniques of teaching, but I prefer progressivism. I’m ecstatic that there was a progressivist movement that stimulated schools to broaden their curricula, making education more relevant to the needs and interests of students. I feel that it was brilliant on John Dewey’s behalf when he states, â€Å"as we alter our relationship with our environment, we ourselves are made different by the experience. † I believe that we are changed everyday by encounters we have. Everything we do alters our lives in some way and that makes us who we are. I’m a fan of progressivism because it emphasizes the ability to have intelligent free-thinking citizens. I like the idea that progressivism is a hands on technique of teaching. John Dewey thought there should be more observing and experimenting withe the subjects. He proposed a five step methods for solving problems: (1) become aware of the problem, (2) define it, (3) propose various hypotheses to solve it. (4) examine the consequences of each hypothesis in light of previous experience, and (5) test the most likely solution. I want to apply this style of teaching in my classroom and hope that the students respond as well as I think they will. In conclusion, I want to state that I feel strongly about promoting students to excel. I feel it is essential that children are confident about themselves and what they achieve while they are attending school. I want to present to the students in my classroom that they can feel free to be themselves and try to have them interacting with others. In teaching there are teachers and then there are great teachers. I will prove to be a great teacher!

Consumer Perspectives on Internet Banking

Consumer Perspectives on Internet Banking Research report Project title Some[MG2] problems about internet banking and consumers perspectives on internet banking[MG3]. Introduction Similar to the adopting of automatic teller machine, pay attention to economics change , coupled with advancements in technology, banks begin to think their use of traditional branches again and are looking at online banking services as the next new technology to reduce costs while maintaining or enhancing services to the customer[MG4]. However, whether all of people want to use internet banking[MG5]. A series of factors, such as the security of personal data, the difficult of using the internet and others are sure to play an important role in consumer’s attitude to internet banking. In this paper[MG6], i try to investigate the factors that affect an individual’s decisions to use online services and some problems that internet banking[MG7] has met by far. Critical Review of literature Security for internet banking[MG8] While it is acknowledged that Australian banks have a great record related to security of customer information, surveys shows that individual who using internet banking are weary about privacy issues such as data or code collected by hackers, whether personal information could be disclosure and use. Therefore, security is a big issue and it should be focus on. And haw to solve decrease the risk of security? According to NOIE[MG9], the security protections offered by banks and which customers participate should include careful reference to their Web sites in their publication Verification by the use of digital certificate Evidence of security protection displayed on the screen Protections of PINs and passwords On-screen and mouse operated keypads for sensitive information Virus protection At least 128-bin encryption Firewall implementation Stated limits to customer liability for unauthorised use of access codes In fact, the security framework has been investigated[MG10]. According to Labuschange[MG11], a developed framework for security is consists of a defined six-step process. Step1. List all the security requirements for an internet banking environment in general. Step2. Identify all participants and stakeholders involved in the internet banking process. Step3. Break down transaction into different autonomous actions. Step4. Map these identified actions on to the participants involved, which serve as o model for the internet banking. Step5. Use the information obtained in step 4 to determine the security requirements for a secure internet banking environment. Step6. Use these security requirements to develop the security architecture, comprising suitable security procedures, mechanisms and policy[MG12]. And it also[MG13] says Internet banking including three main areas of security which are the the user’s computer, banks and the internet , Actually, i think mobile should also put into because nowadays , mobile phone is also a functional devices which can also conduct many applications including e-banking. And many hackers have transfer their attention to the mobile[MG14]. Individual’s perspectives on internet banking Above all, we can see that the security of internet play an important role on people’s decision to choose internet banking. However, if it is the most important reason which affect people to use internet banking and if people still trust internet banking[MG15]. Actually, the following table embedded within the trust model can ensure the perspective of an individual about the issue of trust . [MG16] On the other hand, some studies have[MG17] investigated other factors why individuals select a specific bank. Important consumer selection factors include convenience, service facilities, reputation and interest rates. According to Delvin[MG18] , customers spend less time on activities such as go to a bank and therefore they want more convenience and accessibility. According to International Journal of Customer Studies, although the Internet is becoming more and more popular, it is still a new products to which lead to distrust by customers. It has six hypotheses of the customer’s attitude to internet banking. H1.speed of transaction of electronic delivery channels provides a competitive advantage for them H2. Difficulties in the use of the new technology prevent some customers from using it. H3. Many people believe that the traditional banking system work well and therefore the online presence of the bank is characterized as not necessary. H4.Internet banking costs include those associated with Internet as well as bank costs and charges. Cost influences consumers’ attitudes towards electronic services. H5. People who use electronic banking services have a higher education level than others. Education may be another factor that is characterized as important in a customer’s decision to use or not to use online services. H6. Many people complain about the lack of information concerning the new electronic channels that financial institutions use today. In conclusion, it identified that the most significant factors that affect the customers’ decisions are security, individual’s age, the difficulties of using internet, the lack of information concerning products and services provide to customers. Factors such as the speed of transactions or the cost of using the internet have little impact on an individual’s decision. Actually, with the development of technology, the use of internet is no longer a problem, as increasing number of people own their pc and start to use computer and internet. In addition, the information which can provide to customers by electrical channels such as email or message. Methodology I will use data collection[MG19] to analysis why people choose internet or not use it and i will do a survey research because this kind of research is determined as the systematic collection of data in order to explain or forecast the behaviours and decisions of a certain population. Furthermore, i will use a generalized regression model and tried to estimate the probability of an individual using or not using internet banking. This kind of methodology is to determine the important factors that affect an individual’s decision to use or not to use internet banking. Research plan[MG20] References[MG21] Department of Management Science Technology, Management Sciences Laboratory, Athens University of Economics Business, Athens, Greece,2006 Bomil, S. Ingoo, H. (2002) Effect of trust on customer acceptance of Internet banking. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 1, 247–263. Dobson, A. (2002) An Introduction to Generalized Linear Models, 2nd edn. Chapman Hall, London. Kambil, A., Kamis, M., Koufaris, M. Lucas, C.H. (2000) Influences on the corporate adoption of web technology Damien HutchinsonMatthew Warren, (2003),Security for Internet banking: a framework, Logistics Information Management, Vol. 16 Iss 1 pp. 64 73 Understanding Security in Consumer Adoption of Internet Banking 293-306. [CrossRef] Normalini M. K., T. RamayahUnderstanding Security in Consumer Adoption of Internet Banking: 685-698. [CrossRef] [MG1]Your title is very vague. Need to make it more focused. Your introduction is very vague. What is your main question? In your literature section. You are just listing different studies. Need to make some links and also why you have chosen them. Need to work on your writing skills. Learn Harvard method of referencing. Try to look at the examples that Tesfa has left on your course’s Moodle site. [MG2]Need to be more specific. Issues and concerns with internet baking †¦.. [MG3]Which country, what is your time period [MG4]Your first sentence is very long and confusing. Break it down to at least two sentences and clearly state what you intend to say. You are talking about the background? [MG5]Incomplete [MG6]research [MG7]which country and where. If you are looking at consumer behavior then it does vary from country to country; location to location; and different groups. [MG8]It would be better to state which range of theories or models you are going to look at, then try to develop different components such as security and others. [MG9]Publication date – Need to use Harvard in-text referencing. [MG10]Incomplete, not clear what you mean [MG11]Year of publication [MG12]Why have you used these two models/theories? How would they help you? [MG13]Who says? [MG14]This section is very confusing and muddled. It looks as if you can just copied a section from a textbook. You need to link it to your research question. [MG15]incomplete [MG16]where is the source? Very poor referencing. [MG17]Name them [MG18]Year of publication [MG19]This doesn’t make sense. Don’t just copy from textbooks. [MG20]Where is your word count? [MG21]Learn to use Harvard method/style of referencing

AIDS and Heterosexuals in the Australian Essay -- homosexual, health,

Study Overview The study entitled From complacency to panic: AIDS and heterosexuals in the Australian press, July 1986 to June 1988 (Lupton, 1992) reports on the preliminary findings from a content analysis of AIDS news coverage in Australian press from June 1986 to July 1988. When revealing the preliminary varying ideologies in press, Lupton stresses the importance of evaluating how the popular media selects and presents news according to societal interests. Lupton (1992) seeks to point out the common situation in Australia that most people lies on information reported by the media rather than by health professionals. She continues to use this study to illustrate if media reporting has a significant impact on shaping public attitudes and behaviour. Her study expresses a concern that the popular press has increasingly resorted to publishing false and sensational stories related to human health without factual evidence that often results in provoking panic within audiences. In order to create AIDS i nto a media sensation for the audiences, newspapers have long inclined to entertain and misinform readers by putting its blame on promiscuous heterosexuals, homosexual men, and intravenous drug users. The view of Lupton (1992) is in accord with this idea and she further seeks to explore if it applies to the Australian press in this study. The study undertakes a content analysis with all articles mentioning AIDS in Australian newspapers published between 1986 and 1988. The research demonstrates that the press generally helps the amplification to reporting AIDS as a spread to heterosexual population by supporting the first public health information campaign called the ‘Grim Reaper’ campaign (Ibid). The ‘Grim Reaper’ campaign used horrible... ...er concern towards heterosexuals in press reporting and failure of increased level of hostile treatment are worth being applied to Lupton’s study in particular (Goode and Ben-Yehuda, 1994). Bibliography Hansen, A., Cottle, S, Negrine, R., Newbold, C. (1998) Mass Communication Research Methods. Basingstoke and London: Macmillan Press Ltd Goode, Erich and Nachman Ben-Yehuda (1994) Moral Panics: The Social Construction of Deviance. Oxford, UK: Blackwell. Lupton, D. (1992) From complacenct to panic: AIDS and heterosexuals in the Australian press, July 1986 to June 1988 in Helath Education Research Theory and Practice. 7(1): pp9-20. Lupton, D. (1994) Moral Threats and Dangerous Desires: AIDS in the News Media. New York: Taylor & Francis Ltd. Summer, C. (1979) Reading ideologies: an investigation into the Marxist theory of ideology and law. London: Academic Press.

A Decision To Make :: English Literature Essays

A Decision To Make What do you do if there is a difficult decision to make, and this decision will effect your entire family and even what people think of you? Add the fact that no matter what decision you make, it will feel like a mistake. These are the things I am dealing with when trying to decide whether or not to put my son in a group home. My son is nine years old and suffers from Autism, Cerebral Palsy, and mental retardation.He was born prematurely and critically ill. Though odds were very much against him, he made it. A year later, after his first MRI, we first heard the words Cerebral Palsy. By the age of two I knew he was Autistic but we could not get a diagnosis until he was seven. He was put on medication to help his self-abusive behaviors and self-stimulation. Self-stimulation is a behavior that my son enjoys and can feel, but I do not care for them. My son would bang his head continuously, slap himself, and vomit. It is hard to imagine enjoying these behaviors but he does, and I certainly do not. We do not go on trips or in public unless my husband and myself are present to help control his behavior and our two other children's behavior. He has been known to bite and scratch strangers, steal food from other's plates while eating out, and pour drinks right on top of his head. My other children have no extra-curricular activities because I can not control him alone. He can be violent, to himself or others. On the other hand, he can be so sweet for a child who does not need hugs or kisses, though we give them anyway. The strain of caring for him can be exhausting and the responsibility is tremendous. He knows no fear and has no concept for his own safety so he must be watched constantly. He will not perform any activities of daily living, so we bathe him, brush his teeth, dress him, and change his diapers. Every door in our home has a lock that he can't reach, except the front door, which has four. Many people we have contact with mentioned group homes, but for a long time I refused to even consider it. One day, as I was cleaning up vomit for the second time that day and after I changed the fifth dirty diaper of the day, I broke down, sobbing.

American Airlines Strategy Paper Essay

Currently the airline industry as a whole seems to be on the road of recovery. We, American Airlines, the fourth largest carrier recently avoided bankruptcy, but had a summer full of pressure due to ongoing union struggles and questionable executive compensation packages. After having incurred such big losses, this recovery has come about because of the government bailout and many of our large competitors’ abilities to survive the turbulence in the industry. So far, the prospects look promising. Revenue has improved across all regions of the business. Domestic unit revenue was up almost 10 percent and Latin American revenue has increased by close to 11 percent in the last quarter of 2012 compared to the same period the prior year. We are performing better than other airlines that have filed for protection and have done so without slashing capacity. In short, American is doing the right things to return to business efficiency and customer effectiveness. In order to establish a sustainable position for the future, American Airlines must adopt a three-pronged strategy moving forward. First, we should focus on low priced operations and increased marketing strategies to improve customer demand. We have to enhance customer experience and our volume of loyal customers to build a stronger presence in Airline Industry. Second, we must focus on increasing and improving the routes to cater to large customer base. Lastly, we must address the difficulties our company might face in integrating with the culture of US Airlines. Our future success is highly dependent on these two entities efficiently operating as a single organization. Industry Analysis Current Position US Airline industry today is dominated by five major domestic carriers. United, Delta and Southwest each has more than 15 percent market share. American is fourth, with around 12 percent and US Airways is fifth with around 10 percent. Four of these five are profitable — all but American. We lost $2 billion in 2011 and $1.7 billion in the first quarter of 2012. Future Strategy Our emphasis in 2013 is on operational flexibility, international growth through alliance and selective network expansion, and domestic partnerships to reduce operational and balance sheet risks. American’s market differentiation is based on emphasizing and meeting the needs and expectations of high value customers (particularly large global corporates) and better alignment with the one world airline network and value proposition. Also, being the lead carrier between not only the United States and Latin America but, increasingly, the world and Latin America—connecting through Dallas, Los Angeles, or Miami. This strategy makes sense; if they can get all labor work groups on board, they should be able to make it happen. That is still the main challenge, as is competitor contestation, particularly from larger traditional rivals like Delta and United. Improve Customer Demand Lower Operational Costs American passenger division which already has 57 fewer planes in service than an year ago, should further shrink by another 57 planes this summer. This would improve operational efficiency. Current service levels include 275 cities with a fleet of over 1000 aircraft. American carries about 80 million passengers daily and receives more than 329,000 reservation calls, handles more than 293,000 pieces of luggage and flies more than 4300 flights in one typical day. In order to reduce costs further over 27000 jobs will have to be eliminated. Because of high competition in the industry, substantial price fluctuations occur related to fares. Enhance Customer Base Increase value added services offered through our interactive website, AA.com. Any differentiation that convenience added capabilities offer is the center of focus. Busy hiub systems and schedule patterns need to be looked at to improve efficiency and routing effectiveness, thereby enhancing customer experience. We need to do rigorous marketing to attract more customers. Our marketing is currently focused on seasonal and business travelers and much analysis is taken in order to optimize peak travel seasons as well as frequent flier miles programs and pints systems. The Making More Room in coach program is the original marketing ploy of American to project a perception of higher passenger comfort levels. As increased advertising and intense market share is gained, we will continue to remain a key player assuming passenger demand goes up as projected. We will focus on upgraded in-flight entertainment systems, football game special fares, and buy-on board meal options to further enhance customer experience. Improve Network American Airlines’ new network strategy is designed to improve profitability by offering the routes and schedules that attract and retain not only their own high value customers but also those of alliance partners, an important source of revenue through codeshare agreements and closely aligned loyalty programs. The network is the core product that works in concert with lie-flat seats, onboard amenities, and customer service. Latin America is a prominent focus, due in part to our strong presence in key hubs to Latin America such as Dallas and Miami. This is where the profits are. Passenger growth forecasts for Latin America for 2013-17 are 6 percent for Latin America North (Central America and the northern rim of South America) and 8 percent for Latin America South (southern cone countries such as Brazil and Argentina). This compares with 3.6 percent for Europe and 4.4 percent for Asia. Increase International Routes To follow the growth markets, we must change our portfolio mix to focus more on international rather than domestic routes. This is a gradual process, moving from 38 percent international and 62 percent domestic capacity in 2013 towards a 44/56 percent balance by 2017. As we refocus more of our flying towards international opportunities, it is likely to look towards increased code-sharing with domestic carriers like Alaska Airlines, jetBlue, and others to further enhance our network in places like Los Angeles and New York City. This is likely to have initial teething problems, due to terminal colocation and product disparity issues. For instance, the business passengers that we are pursuing may be disgruntled by jetBlue’s more restrictive carry-on baggage policies or by extra time and added security checks if they are required to change terminals. Refurbish domestic feed Our plan is also to diversify our domestic feed by increasing the number of regional carriers with which we do business to reduce operational and balance sheet risk. Today, we primarily get a feed from our wholly-owned subsidiary, American Eagle, which has higher costs than some other regional carriers. American Eagle is going through its own restructuring to lower its costs, and it may ultimately be spun off. Synergies with US Airlines Merger with US Airways will result in the largest carrier in US. It would create roughly $1.2 billion in financial benefits.