A Thief of Time Essay

In Tony Hillermans’ story, â€Å"A Thief of Time† (Hillerman, 2002) the author tells about murder and vanishings of people as Navaho detectives, Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn and Officer Jim Chee search for answers as to why, on the Indian grounds, that people are vanishing and why a well-known anthropologist is missing. Fear encompasses the tale of the ancient Indian grounds where detectives take center stage in looking for clues in the buried ruins that has caused so much confusion. When the backhoe is missing, this mysterious event sets Jim Chee in motion as he tries to uncover what really happened and he won’t stop until he finds the reason. His partner in this bizarre mystery is still coping with the loss of his spouse. Joe Leaphorn just wants to complete one more detective job before retirement. The younger officer; Chee isn’t ready for any type of quitting. Chee is excited about the fact that he may uncover something that includes not only the theft of the backhoe, but he is serious about uncovering the reason that two men have disappeared. Native Americans remain mysterious but the author tries to bring to life, what their true objectives are in this story. The Navaho detectives demonstrate their deep desire to do what is right in this story and offer us a good look into the lives of the Navaho Indian culture. The rummaging through the Indian grounds, unearths many various descriptions of what it’s like to live as a Navaho Indian and as these charming detectives did deep into the ground as they search for missing bodies and mechanical equipment, they discover a mystery that is worth looking into. Reference Page Hillerman, Tony. (2002) A Thief of Time. Harper Collins.

Maritime Law Essay

On January 6th, 2007 the vessel collided with â€Å"M. V Container† while approaching to pilot station. The cause of the collision was due to wrong plotting position of 3rd officer from â€Å"Never Struck† and wrongful act on COLREG 72 from â€Å"M. V Container†. Owners of the â€Å"M. V Container† claimed her damage cargo hold No 1. Cargo owner of fertilizer claimed to owner against delays. 4. general average vs. particular average (a) General average is incurred for the benefit of all interests but the particular average is in connection with just one of the many interests. b) General average is always voluntary and intentional but the particular average is an accidental or unexpected calamities. (c) General average is shared by all those who have benefited by the general average act. Particular average is paid by the insurer. (d) General average may include expenditure and sacrifice along with loss, whereas the particular average results from a loss or damage. 5. Conditions implying General Average In order for an act of sacrifice or expenditure to be considered an act of general average, six conditions must prevail. a) Common Maritime Adventure – More than one party must be involved in the adventure so as to be ‘common’ (shipowner, cargo owner). (b) Real and Common Danger – all parties must have been actually benefited by the sacrifice due to a peril that endangers the adventure. (c) Extraordinary – loss must be distinguished from ordinary loss because ordinary loss is not allowed for general average contributions. (d) Intentional – decisions must be made and the loss must be voluntary. (e) Reasonableness – unreasonable and unnecessary sacrifice or expenditure is not valid. f) Success – the sacrificial actions must be able to save the property involved in a common maritime adventure from a particular danger. Where the ship and cargo is totally destroyed altogether, there will be no quest ion of general average. 6. CASE ANALYSIS In the case of â€Å"Never Struck† and â€Å"M. V Container†, it was due to the negligence of 3rd officer in â€Å"M. V Container† who did not condone to Prevention of Collision Regulations 1972 which is a breach of international law, causing the two vessels to collide. Although â€Å"Never Struck† did have a fault of its own, it did not however breach the international law of sea navigations. In applying the rules of Prevention of Collision Regulations 1972, Part A, section 2(a) and section 2(b), referred to as the â€Å"General Prudential† rule and provides for non-conformance with stated rules in order to prevent a collision, because what is paramount is to avoid or minimize the damaging effects of a collision, as opposed to blindly following the rules to the letter. The overall intent is to minimize actual collision taking place rather than rule compliance in itself. Due to negligence on the part of â€Å"M. V Container† she will not be able to claim against â€Å"Never Struck† for the repairs of the cargo hold No 1. The cargo loss in the cargo hold No 1 which was lost due to the accident may however bring about an action in tort. If there was any further loss of cargo which was jettisoned in order to save the ship or expenses incurred after the collision in order to save the adventure may be liable for general average. As for â€Å"Never Struck†, the cargo owner may claim either â€Å"Never Struck† or â€Å"M. V Container† against delays. However it should and would not be considered in general average claims. Same as for the case of â€Å"M. V Container†, the cargo loss which was lost due to the accident may however bring about an action in tort. If there was any further loss of cargo which was jettisoned in order to save the ship or expenses incurred after the collision in order to save the adventure may be liable for general average. 7. CONCLUSION As a conclusion, collisions may lead to a series of claims and actions. These series of events may bring about the application a number of acts. It is important though to understand that General Average only exist if the act of sacrifice or expenditure is voluntary in order to save a common adventure from total loss at sea.

Succubus Revealed Chapter 1

This wasn't the first time I'd worn a foil dress. It was, however, the first time I'd done so in a family-friendly setting. â€Å"Vixen!† Santa's voice rang out above the mall crowd, and I hurried away from where I'd been corralling a group of Burberryclad kids. It wasn't actually Santa Claus calling me, of course. The man sitting in the holly-and-light-bedecked gazebo was named Walter something-or-other, but he asked that those of us working as his â€Å"elves† refer to him as Santa at all times. Conversely, he had christened all of us with either reindeer or Seven Dwarves names. He took this job very seriously and said the names helped him stay in character. If we questioned that, he'd start regaling us with tales of his extensive career as a Shakespearean actor, one that he claimed had come to an end because of his age. We elves had our own ideas about what might have cut his career short. â€Å"Santa needs another drink,† he told me in a stage whisper, once I reached his side. â€Å"Grumpy won't get me one.† He inclined his head toward another woman dressed in a green foil dress. She was holding back a squirming boy while Santa and I conducted our conversation. I met her pained expression and then glanced down at my watch. â€Å"Well, Santa,† I said, â€Å"that's because it's only been an hour since the last one. You know the deal: one shot in your coffee every three hours.† â€Å"We made that deal a week ago!† he hissed. â€Å"Before the crowds picked up. You have no idea what Santa endures.† I didn't know if it was part of his acting method or just a personality quirk, but he also referred to himself in the third person a lot. â€Å"A girl just asked for SAT scores good enough to get her into Yale. I think she was nine.† I spared him a moment's sympathy. The mall where we were earning holiday pay was in one of Seattle's more affluent suburbs, and the requests he got sometimes went beyond footballs and ponies. The kids also tended to be better dressed than me (when I wasn't in elf-wear), which was no small feat. â€Å"Sorry,† I said. Tradition or not, I sometimes thought putting children on an old guy's lap was already creepy enough. We didn't need to mix alcohol into it. â€Å"The deal stands.† â€Å"Santa can't take much more of this!† â€Å"Santa's got four hours left of his shift,† I pointed out. â€Å"I wish Comet was still here,† he said petulantly. â€Å"She was much more lenient with the drinks.† â€Å"Yes. And I'm sure she's drinking alone right now, seeing as she's unemployed.† Comet, a former elf, had been generous with Santa's shots and also partaken of them herself. Since she was half his weight, though, she hadn't held her liquor as well and had lost her job when mall officials caught her taking off her clothes in The Sharper Image. I gave a curt nod to Grumpy. â€Å"Go ahead.† The little boy hurried forward and climbed onto Santa's lap. To his credit, Santa switched into character and didn't pester me (or the boy) further about a drink. â€Å"Ho ho ho! What would you like for this nondenominational winter holiday season?† He even affected a slight British accent, which wasn't really necessary for the role but certainly made him seem more authoritative. The boy regarded Santa solemnly. â€Å"I want my dad to move back home.† â€Å"Is that your father?† asked Santa, looking toward a couple standing near Grumpy. The woman was pretty and blond, with the look of someone in her thirties who'd been preemptively hitting the Botox. If the guy she was plastered all over was old enough to be out of college, I would have been very surprised. â€Å"No,† said the boy. â€Å"That's my mom and her friend Roger.† Santa was silent for a few moments. â€Å"Is there anything else you'd like?† I left them to it and returned to my post near the line's start. Evening was wearing on, increasing the number of families turning out. Unlike Santa's, my shift ended in less than an hour. I could get in a little shopping time and miss the worst of the commuting traffic. As an official mall employee, I got a considerable discount, which made drunken Santas and foil dresses that much easier to bear. One of the greatest things about the happiest time of the year was that all the department stores had extensive cosmetics and fragrance gift sets out right now, gift sets that desperately needed a home in my bathroom. â€Å"Georgina?† My dreams of sugarplums and Christian Dior were interrupted by the sound of a familiar voice. I turned and felt my heart sink as I met the eyes of a pretty middle-aged woman with cropped hair. â€Å"Janice, hey. How's it going?† My former co-worker returned my stiff smile with a puzzled one. â€Å"Fine. I . . . I didn't expect to see you here.† I also hadn't expected to be seen here. It was one of the reasons I'd chosen to work outside the city, to specifically avoid anyone from my old job. â€Å"Likewise. Don't you live in Northgate?† I tried not to make it sound like an accusation. She nodded and rested her hand on the shoulder of a small, dark-haired girl. â€Å"We do, but my sister lives over here, and we thought we'd visit her after Alicia talks to Santa.† â€Å"I see,† I said, feeling mortified. Wonderful. Janice was going to go back to Emerald City Books and Cafe and tell everyone that she'd spotted me dressed as an elf. Not that that could make things worse, I supposed. Everyone there already thought I was the Whore of Babylon. It was why I'd quit a few weeks ago. What was an elf dress on top of that? â€Å"Is this Santa any good?† asked Alicia impatiently. â€Å"The one I saw last year didn't get me what I wanted.† Over the buzzing of the crowd, I just barely heard Santa saying, â€Å"Well, Jessica, there's not much Santa can do about interest rates.† I turned back to Alicia. â€Å"It kind of depends on what you want,† I said. â€Å"How did you end up here?† asked Janice, with a small frown. She actually sounded concerned, which I supposed was better than her gloating. I had a feeling there were a number of people at the bookstore who would have loved the idea of me suffering – not that this job was so bad. â€Å"Well, this is just temporary, obviously,† I explained. â€Å"It gives me something to do while I interview for others, and I get a mall discount. And really, it's just another form of customer service.† I was trying hard not to sound defensive or desperate, but with each word, the intensity of how much I missed my old job hit me more and more. â€Å"Oh, good,† she said, looking slightly relieved. â€Å"I'm sure you'll find something soon. Looks like the line's moving.† â€Å"Wait, Janice?† I caught hold of her arm before she could walk away. â€Å"How . . . how's Doug?† I'd left behind a lot of things at Emerald City: a position of power, a warm atmosphere, unlimited books and coffee . . . But as much as I missed all of those things, I didn't miss them as much as I missed a single person: my friend Doug Sato. He, more than anything, was what had spurred me to leave. I hadn't been able to handle working with him anymore. It had been terrible, seeing someone I care about so much regard me with such contempt and disappointment. I'd had to get away from that and felt I'd made the right choice, but it was still hard losing someone who'd been a part of my life for the last five years. Janice's smile returned. Doug had that effect on people. â€Å"Oh, you know. He's Doug. The same, wacky Doug. Band's going strong. And I think he might get your job. Er, your old job. They're interviewing for it.† Her smile faded, as though she suddenly realized that might cause me discomfort. It didn't. Not much. â€Å"That's great,† I said. â€Å"I'm happy for him.† She nodded and told me good-bye before hurrying forward in line. Behind her, a family of four paused in their frantic texting on identical cell phones to glare at me for the holdup. A moment later, they hunched back down again, no doubt telling all their Twitter friends about every inane detail of their holiday mall experience. I put on a cheery smile that didn't reflect what I felt inside and continued helping with the line until Sneezy, my replacement, showed up. I got him up to speed on Santa's drinking schedule and then abandoned the holiday nexus for the mall's back offices. Once inside a bathroom, I shape-shifted out of the foil dress, trading it for a much more tasteful sweater and jeans combo. I even made the sweater blue so that there would be no confusion. I was off the holiday clock. Of course, as I walked back through the mall, I couldn't help but notice I was never off the clock for my main job: being a succubus in the illustrious service of Hell. Centuries of corruption and seduction of souls had given me a sixth sense for spotting those most vulnerable to my charms. The holidays, while ostensibly being a time of cheer, also tended to bring out the worst in people. I could spot the desperation everywhere – those hoping to frantically find the perfect gifts to win over the ones they loved, those dissatisfied with their ability to provide for their loved ones, those dragged along on shopping trips to create a â€Å"perfect† holiday experience they had no interest in. . . . Yes, it was everywhere if you knew how to look for it: that sorrow and frustration tucked in amongst the joy. Those were exactly the kinds of souls that were ripe for the taking. I could have picked off any number of guys if I wanted to tonight and taken care of my quota for the week. My brief exchange with Janice had left me feeling strange, however, and I couldn't muster the energy to go strike up a conversation with some discontent suburban businessman. Instead, I consoled myself with impulse purchases for myself and even found a couple of much-needed gifts for others, proving that I wasn't totally and completely selfish. By the time I left, I felt confident traffic had died down and would give me an easy drive back to the city. As I walked past the center of the mall, I heard Santa ho-ho-ho-ing loudly while waving his arms energetically around, much to the terror of a small child on his lap. My guess was that someone had cracked and broken the drinking rule. On the way home, I noticed I had three voice mail messages, all from my friend Peter. Before I could even attempt to listen to them, the phone rang. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"Where are you?† Peter's frantic voice filled up the small space of my Passat. â€Å"In my car. Where are you?† â€Å"At my apartment. Where else? Everyone's here!† â€Å"Everyone? What are you talking about?† â€Å"Did you forget? Damn it, Georgina. You were a lot more punctual when you were unhappy and single.† I ignored the jab and scanned through my mental calendar. Peter was one of my best friends. He was also a neurotic, obsessive compulsive vampire who loved hosting dinners and parties. He usually managed to throw something together at least once a week, never for the same reason, so it was easy to lose track. â€Å"It's fondue night,† I said at last, proud of myself for remembering. â€Å"Yes! And the cheese is getting cold. I'm not made of Sterno, you know.† â€Å"Why didn't you just start eating?† â€Å"Because we're civilized.† â€Å"Debatable.† I pondered whether I wanted to go or not. Part of me really just wanted to get home and snuggle with Seth, but I had a feeling he'd be working. I likely couldn't expect snuggling for a while, whereas I could appease Peter right now. â€Å"Fine. Start without me, and I'll be there soon. I'm just getting off the bridge now.† Wistfully, I drove past Seth's exit and instead set my sights on the one that would take me to Peter's place. â€Å"Did you remember to bring wine?† he asked. â€Å"Peter, until a minute ago, I didn't even remember I was supposed to be at your place. Do you really need wine?† I'd seen Peter's wine cabinet. On any given day, he had a dozen each of reds and whites, both domestic and international. â€Å"I don't want to run out of the good stuff,† he said. â€Å"I seriously doubt you're going to – wait. Is Carter there?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Okay. I'll pick up some wine.† I showed up at his apartment ten minutes later. His roommate and apprentice, Cody, opened the door and gave me a broad, fang-filled smile. Light, music, and the scent of fondue and potpourri washed over me. Their home put Santa's gazebo to shame and had decorations filling every square inch. And not just Christmas ones. â€Å"Since when do you guys have a menorah?† I asked Cody. â€Å"Neither of you are Jewish.† â€Å"Well, we're not Christian either,† he pointed out, leading me toward the dining room. â€Å"Peter wanted to take a multicultural slant this year. The guestroom is all done in Kwanza decorations, if you know someone looking for a truly tacky overnight experience.† â€Å"It is not tacky!† Peter stood up from a table where our other immortal friends sat around two tubs of melted cheese. â€Å"I can't believe you're so insensitive to other people's religious views. Jesus Christ! Is that boxed wine?† â€Å"You said you wanted wine,† I reminded him. â€Å"I wanted good wine. Please tell me it's not blush.† â€Å"Of course it's blush. And you didn't tell me to bring good wine. You said you were worried Carter would drink all your good wine. So I brought this for him instead. Your wine is safe.† At the mention of his name, the only heavenly creature in the room looked up. â€Å"Sweet,† he said, accepting the box from me. â€Å"Santa's little helper delivers.† He opened up the box's dispenser and looked at Peter expectantly. â€Å"Do you have a straw?† I sat in an empty seat beside my boss, Jerome, who was contentedly dipping a piece of bread in molten cheddar. He was the archdemon of all of Seattle and chose to walk the earth looking like a circa 1990 John Cusack, which made it easy to forget his true nature sometimes. Fortunately, his brimstone personality always came out the instant he opened his mouth. â€Å"You're here less than a minute, Georgie, and already you've made this get-together fifty percent less classy.† â€Å"You guys are eating fondue on a Tuesday night,† I retorted. â€Å"You were well on your way without me.† Peter had settled himself back down and was trying to appear calm. â€Å"Fondue is very classy. It's all in the presentation. Hey! Where'd you get that?† Carter had set the wine box on his lap, dispenser on top, and was now drinking from it with an enormous straw that I suspected had been literally conjured from thin air. â€Å"At least he's not doing that with a bottle of Pinot Noir,† I told Peter good-naturedly. I helped myself to a fondue fork and speared a piece of apple. On the other side of Jerome, Hugh busily typed away on his phone's keyboard, reminding me of the family at the mall. â€Å"Telling the world about this lowbrow party?† I teased. Hugh was an imp, a type of hellish administrative assistant, so he could have actually been buying or selling souls via his phone for all I knew. â€Å"Of course,† said Hugh, not looking up. â€Å"I'm updating Facebook. Do you know why Roman won't answer my friend request?† â€Å"No clue,† I said. â€Å"I've barely spoken to him in days.† â€Å"When I talked to him earlier, he said he had to work tonight,† Peter explained, â€Å"but that we should go ahead and draw for him.† â€Å"Draw?† I asked uneasily. â€Å"Oh Lord. Tell me it's not Pictionary night too.† Peter sighed wearily. â€Å"Draw for Secret Santas. Do you even read the e-mails I send?† â€Å"Secret Santas? Seems like we just did that,† I said. â€Å"Yeah, a year ago,† said Peter. â€Å"Just like we do every Christmas.† I glanced over at Carter who was quietly drinking his wine. â€Å"Did you lose my hat? You look like you could use one.† The angel's chin-length, blond hair was even more unkempt than usual. â€Å"Tell us what you really think, Georgina,† he replied. He ran a hand over his hair, but it somehow only made things worse. â€Å"I'm saving it for a special occasion.† â€Å"If I get your name again, I'll buy you two hats so you don't have to ration yourself.† â€Å"I wouldn't want you to go to the trouble.† â€Å"No trouble at all. I get a discount at the mall.† Jerome sighed and set down his fork. â€Å"Are you still doing that, Georgie? Don't I suffer enough without having to endure the humiliation of a succubus who moonlights as a Christmas elf?† â€Å"You always said I should quit the bookstore and find something else to do,† I reminded him. â€Å"Yes, but that was because I thought you'd go on to do something respectable. Like become a stripper or the mayor's mistress.† â€Å"This is just temporary.† I handed Carter the elegant crystal wineglass that had been sitting by my plate. He filled it with wine from the box and gave it back. Peter groaned and muttered something about despoiling Tiffany's. â€Å"Georgina doesn't need material things anymore,† teased Cody. â€Å"She's paid in love now.† Jerome fixed the young vampire with a cold stare. â€Å"Do not ever say anything that saccharine again.† â€Å"You're one to talk,† I said to Cody, unable to hide my smile. â€Å"I'm surprised you could drag yourself away from Gabrielle tonight.† His face immediately grew dreamy at the mention of his ladylove. â€Å"That makes two of us,† observed Peter. He shook his head bitterly. â€Å"You guys and your perfect love lives.† â€Å"Hardly perfect,† I said at the same time Cody said, â€Å"It is perfect.† All eyes fell on me. Hugh even looked up from his phone. â€Å"Trouble in paradise?† â€Å"Why do you always assume that? And no, of course not,† I scoffed, hating myself for the slip. â€Å"Things are fantastic with Seth.† And they were. Just speaking his name sent a flood of joy through me. Seth. Seth was what made everything worthwhile. My relationship with him was what had caused the rift between me and my former co-workers at the bookstore. They saw me as the reason for his breakup with Doug's sister. Which, I suppose, I was. But no matter how much I'd loved that job, giving it up was a small price to pay to be with Seth. I could endure being an elf. I could endure the quotas he and I put on our sex life, to ensure my succubus powers didn't suck him dry. With him, I could handle anything. Even a future of damnation. There were just a couple of teeny-tiny things about my relationship with Seth that gave me pause. One had been eating at me for a while, one I kept trying to ignore. But now, suddenly, with my immortal friends watching me, I finally drummed up the courage to address it. â€Å"It's just . . . I don't suppose any of you told Seth my name, did you?† Seeing Peter open his mouth in confusion, I immediately amended, â€Å"My real name.† â€Å"Why would that ever come up?† asked Hugh dismissively, returning to his texting. â€Å"I don't even know your real name,† said Cody. â€Å"Are you saying it's not Georgina?† I regretted the words already. It was a stupid thing for me to worry about, and their reactions were just proving that point. â€Å"Do you not want him to know your name?† asked Hugh. â€Å"No . . . it's fine. I just, well. It's just weird. A month or so ago, when he was half-asleep, he called me by it. Letha,† I added, for Cody's benefit. I managed to say the name without tripping over it. It wasn't a name I welcomed. I'd shed it centuries ago, when I became a succubus, and had been taking assumed names ever since. In banishing that name, I'd banished that former life. I'd wanted to erase it so badly that I'd sold my soul in exchange for everyone I'd known forgetting I existed. That was why the conversation with Seth had totally blindsided me. There was no way he could've known that name. You are the world, Letha . . . he had told me drowsily. He hadn't even remembered saying it, let alone where he'd heard it. Don't know, he'd told me, when I questioned him about it later. Greek myths, I guess. The River Lethe, where the dead go to wash away the memories from their souls . . . to forget the past. . . . â€Å"That's a pretty name,† said Cody. I shrugged noncommittally. â€Å"The point is, I never told it to Seth. But somehow, he knew it. He couldn't remember anything about it, though. Where he heard it.† â€Å"He must have heard it from you,† said Hugh, ever practical. â€Å"I never told him. I'd remember if I had.† â€Å"Well, with all the other immortals traipsing through here, I'm sure it came up from one of them. He probably overheard it.† Peter frowned. â€Å"Don't you have an award with your name on it? Maybe he saw that.† â€Å"I don't really leave my ‘Best Succubus' award lying around,† I pointed out. â€Å"Well, you should,† said Hugh. I eyed Carter carefully. â€Å"You're being awfully quiet.† He paused in drinking from the wine box. â€Å"I'm busy.† â€Å"Did you tell Seth my name? You've called me it before.† Carter, despite being an angel, seemed to have a genuine affection for us damned souls. And like an elementary school boy, he often thought the best way of showing that affection was by picking on us. Calling me Letha – when he knew I hated it – and other pet names was one such tactic he used. Carter shook his head. â€Å"Sorry to disappoint you, Daughter of Lilith, but I never told him. You know me: model of discretion.† There was a slurping sound as he neared the wine's end. â€Å"Then how did Seth find out?† I demanded. â€Å"How'd he know the name? Someone must have told him.† Jerome sighed loudly. â€Å"Georgie, this conversation is even more ridiculous than the one about your job. You already got your answer: either you or someone else slipped up and doesn't remember. Why does everything have to be so dramatic for you? Are you just looking for something to be unhappy about?† He had a point. And honestly, I didn't know why this had bugged me so much for so long. Everyone was right. There was no mystery here, nothing earth-shattering. Seth had overheard my name somewhere, end of story. There was no reason for me to overreact or assume the worst – only a tiny, nagging voice in my head that refused to forget about that night. â€Å"It's just weird,† I said lamely. Jerome rolled his eyes. â€Å"If you want something to worry about, then I'll give you something.† All thoughts of Seth and names flew out of my head. Everyone at the table (except Carter, who was still slurping) froze and stared at Jerome. When my boss said he had something for you to worry about, there was a strong possibility it meant something fiery and terrifying. Hugh looked startled by this proclamation too, which was a bad sign. He usually knew about hellish mandates before Jerome did. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked. â€Å"I had a drink with Nanette the other night,† he growled. Nanette was Portland's archdemoness. â€Å"Bad enough she still won't let me forget the summoning. She was also going off on some bullshit about how her people were more competent than mine.† I glanced briefly at my friends. We weren't exactly model employees of Hell, so there was a very good chance that Nanette was right. Not that any of us would tell Jerome that. â€Å"So,† he continued, â€Å"when I denied it, she demanded we step up and prove what superior Hellish minions we are.† â€Å"How?† asked Hugh, looking mildly interested. â€Å"With a soul pledge drive?† â€Å"Don't be ridiculous,† said Jerome. â€Å"Then with what?† I asked. Jerome gave us a tight-lipped smile. â€Å"With bowling.†

Develope a project schedule Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Develope a project schedule - Essay Example These shall also not involve any physical construction of project parts. Rather, there shall be a lot of boardroom work to ensure that the outcome of the feasibility studies is extensively digested. For instance the total cost of the project that emerges from the feasibility study shall be discussed on ways of meeting up those costs. The planning activities shall also include the setting up of an overseer committing and the drawing of a general plan s. following the planning stage shall be the actual execution of the project. This stage is thus named the execution stage and shall involve several ground work rather than boardroom work. There shall for instance be a system design project where the master plan system to be used in the construction of the project target shall be designed. More to this, all engineers shall be on site to put parts and pieces of the project together to ensure that actual manufacturing goes on. The last but one stage is the control stage. This stage shall have two phases. The two phases involve on-the-ground evaluation and off-the-ground evaluation. On-the-ground evaluation involves a rapid and continuous evaluation and monitoring exercise that shall be carried out on the project execution stage. This means that from time to time, there shall be officers who shall be monitoring and giving reports on the progress of the work. The off-the-grounds phase shall also be a generalized evaluation activity for the project after everything has ended. After this stage, the project shall successfully be closed. Looking at the various stages and the activities involved, the following duration for execution has been designed. The motive for allocation of time is from the perspective that the overall aim of the project is to save a lot of time in the construction of a unit machine. The whole project should therefore be executed in a total of eight (8) weeks. From the schedule table, it

Speluncean Explorer Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Speluncean Explorer Case - Essay Example The jury will hear the arguments from both the parties and then he will decide the truth or punishment. Normally in adversarial system the trial will be followed by an inquiry of the issue. In my opinion, the judge Natural who upheld the judgment, but reduced the punishment to 20 years life in prison, is more likely to be the best judge who acted as per the criminal justice system in Ukraine. In criminal procedures, the humanity or morality will only at the second place. At first place the as per the criminal justice system the judges need to analyze that whether the crime has been committed by the accused or not. They should confirm that enough evidences are there to sentence the culprits. So the first duty of the judges is to ensure that enough evidences are there against the culprit. The circumstances under which the crime has been conducted, comes only after the crime is established. The circumstances of the crime only used to determine how much punishment needs to be enforced. If the judge feels that the culprit has no other way other than the crime to escape, the judge can consider a liberal approach towards the culprit. Or in other words if the crime was conducted under no forceful conditions then the culprit needs maximum punishment. Here in this Speluncean Explorer Case, the crime was conducted only when there was no other way for the culprits to escape. So the judge can think of a liberal approach towards the culprits. But at the same time, under no circumstances, a person can take the life of another person because of its immense value. Since nobody can create a life in the laboratory, nobody can take the life of another person also. So in this case judge Natural is absolutely right in his judgment in my opinion. He has analyzed all the aspects of the crime both legally and morally. Though the culprits may be right legally, morally they were not. Capital punishment has to be reduced considering all the

University of Queensland Admissions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

University of Queensland Admissions - Essay Example In addition, as a third year student undertaking the real estate option, this is the opportune time for me to go on an exchange program to UQ because of the unique real estate classes like REDE3202 being offered that attracts considerable international investments. Furthermore, I will have the opportunity to learn and experience the upward swing of the current real estate curve in Australia. The benefits of taking the real estate and business classes abroad would be significant in the fact that I would be able to learn them in an English speaking global perspective, which is where I plan to utilize my real estate degree in the future. In addition to the business offerings, I can fulfill my required elective credits through the various unique and interesting UQ course offerings such as the marine biology of Australia. Overall, the University of Queensland offers the best academic environment and is the perfect fit to keep my academic progress in line. Professionally, University of Que ensland and Australia, in general, holds major opportunity for me to pursue international business connections and develop myself as a business executive. This is because I plan to immerse myself as much as possible into the business world to meet new people and develop connections, but most importantly to gain experience in an international business culture. I believe this global perspective will greatly enhance how I view and manage business and what I can apply back in my home country Canada.

Other Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Other - Article Example A proper grounding on child development in this case will be of help in making the educators understand how to touch the hearts of these little children. Male role models upon the lives of children are essential since they act the roles of models (Hendricks, Joanne &Patricia 24). This information is important in helping me develop proper strategies of shaping great morals and talents upon young children and encourage those seeking to be part of this field. As they say, it is easier to bend a tree while it is in its early stages†¦so are children. The four levels of the pyramid module as presented are designed to address the diverse needs of children. They include; the act of building and nurturing a responsive relation between children and other people, the implementation of high-quality supportive environments, the use of social and emotional supports in as teaching strategies and lastly planning intense individualized interventions with a motive of promoting and intensifying support to children. When designing and maintaining learning centers a number of factors need consideration. Placement calls for a clear set boundary to let children concentrate on their play and learning without interruption. It is important to consider the numbers by making sure that there are adequate centers to accommodate all the children without congestion. In addition to this, there should be enough materials enabling children carry out their plans in social play. Art material, dramatic play props and toys should be availed in these centers. Lastly, images that include books reflecting the diversity of the community also play a significant role in a learning centre. While striving to support peer interaction, it will be of importance for me to consider making enough centers that would allow children the opportunity of interacting with others socially. Selecting a wide range of materials and activities relevant to the different needs of children will be of importance too. According

Doing the assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Doing the assignment - Essay Example This trend is exemplified by Mitsubishi Motors Corp. v. Soler 1 in which the United States Supreme Court held that antitrust disputes arising from international contracts are arbitrable. The court reached this conclusion against the background of a long line of U.S. cases that considered antitrust law fundamental to the ideological and economic integrity of the United States. 2 Underlying the Supreme Court’s decision in Mitsubishi was the presumption that the arbitrators in the case would respect the imperative provisions of the U.S. Sherman Act (which embodies U.S. antitrust principles), despite the fact that the applicable law in the case was Swiss Law. It thus seems that the increasing acceptance of international arbitration as a legitimate alternative to litigation implies an expectation on the part of States that arbitrators will, like judges, respect the basic notions of justice and in appropriate cases apply the mandatory provisions of relevant laws. It is one thing to grant parties the power to organize their dispute resolution process in a manner compatible with their objectives; it is a different matter to suggest that parties to an international arbitration are entirely free from the demands of public policy and fundamental provisions of relevant laws. 3 The integrity of international arbitration and its endurance as a viable alternative to litigation would seem to rest on arbitrators’ continual respect for public policy of States whose legitimate interests are implicated in arbitration disputes. Arbitrators therefore have to balance their respect for the autonomy of the parties’ will with the need to apply mandatory provisions of laws that are relevant to the dispute. In this chapter, we will examine the impact of mandatory rules in resolving the merits of a dispute before international arbitrators. The problem posed by mandatory rules in international arbitration will be put in perspective by

Not in My School Yard by Shepherd (2009). Article Review Essay

Not in My School Yard by Shepherd (2009). Article Review - Essay Example Several external resources have been consulted in writing this paper so that a holistic view of the topic the article under discussion deals with can be presented. The Main Issues Julia Shepherd’s report throws light on some neglected educational problems in our society. The primary focus of the report is on the parents of children with Down’s syndrome. Down’s syndrome is a genetic disease which causes mental retardation and other psychological co-morbidities. In childhood, a patient of Down’s syndrome has problems in learning because they have serious cognitive and behavioural difficulties, which hampers normal growth of mental capabilities and by the time puberty sets in, the mental condition of the patient is considerably different from that of his/her peers in the same age group (Alton, 1998). Conventionally, it is thought that these children need special education which can address their specific needs (Alkin, Freeman, and Kasari, 1999). Nevertheless in her report, Shepherd (2009) reports that most of the parents of children with Down’s syndrome wish to send their children to the local mainstream schools so that they can read and write with normal children in a normal classroom environment. The parents want that their children are acquainted with the community and the local people; and a mainstream school is the best place to achieve this. Nevertheless, most of the schools are reluctant to accept the children with Down’s syndrome. Particularly in the senior schools, children with Down’s syndrome are becoming increasingly unwelcome and their parents are being compelled to shift their children to some special school. The gravest aspect of this problem is that the local authorities are not cooperating with the parents in their confrontation with the local schools. Instead, in a situation of persuasion on the part of the helpless parents, a local authority may even go to the extent of cutting down the special ed ucational facilities and assistive therapies provided by the Government to redress the learning problems of a child with Down’s syndrome (Shepherd, 2009). The Voices The report under discussion has been written in third person and the reporter has avoided making personal remarks. The report can be identified as an example of investigative journalism where Shepherd (2009) has conducted an interview based survey to dig out the reality of UK school education system. In this way, the report becomes the voice of the parents of children with Down’s syndrome. The intended audience are general public and government officials, who must contemplate on the problems faced by the unfortunate parents seriously, and then attempt to provide humanistic solutions. Information Available in the Article The article is highly informative since it provides direct feedback and interview discussions with responsible NGO officials and parents of the children with Down’s syndrome. Shepher d (2009) mentions that a study for the Down Syndrome Educational Trust conducted back in 2002 show that if a child with Down’s syndrome receives education in a mainstream school instead of a special school, he/she can build up about 5 to 6 six years faster spoken language capability and literacy. Furthermore, Bob Black (who is the information director at Down Syndrome Education International) admits to Shepherd (2009) during an interview that under pressure from the mainstream school authorities, parents of the children with Down’s syndrome are being compelled to transfer their children to some special school and the battle is being gradually lost. Moreover, when the parents are

Rhetorical analysis over an inconvenient truth Research Paper

Rhetorical analysis over an inconvenient truth - Research Paper Example This increasing trend is the reason the earth is warming and its climate changing. Greenhouse gasses are predominantly man-made. (Lean, Pearce, 2006). People are the cause but their collective acknowledgement of the global warming problem has been slow. Because of this apathy, if the population of the planet were to immediately discontinue polluting the air with carbon dioxide emissions, climate changes would still continue long into the future. Humans are creating a planet that will experience major climactic changes in the near future, a shameful circumstance. The film by Al Gore An Inconvenient Truth is pointed directly at citizens and politicians of the U.S. who, for reasons unknown to Gore and the rest of the civilized world, are either unaware or deny global warming exists except in the mind of liberal environmentalists. To this end, Gore attacks the misconceptions perpetrated by large corporations such as oil and auto companies which believe they will be the losers if limits o f CO2 emissions are legislated in the U.S. For example oil and gas company Koch Industries has given $73 million to climate denial groups. (Vidal, 2010). Recent commercials touted the benefits of CO2, how it wasn’t harmful because it was natural.

Education Essay Example for Free

Education Essay Curriculum is defined as â€Å"a program of courses to be taken in pursuit of a degree or other objective† (Harvey, 2004). Meanwhile, the tests may impact the local curriculum in such a way that it becomes â€Å"strengthened and enriched† (Seattle Public Schools, 2007). Let us take for instance, the â€Å"Washington Assessment of Student Learning†, which is actually a series of tests that assists ensure that student will grasp the â€Å"foundational skills and knowledge that educator, parents, nd community leaders say are important to their success in life† (Bergeson, n. d. ). Since the â€Å"Washington Assessment of Student Learning† helps determine the performance of each student, as well as, the school, this is then utilized to â€Å"improve teaching and to do a better job of meeting every student’s academic needs† (Bergeson, n. d. ). Another proof that tests impact on curriculum is the fact that the â€Å"Washington Assessment of Student Learning† is established â€Å"to create a set of common learning standards† (Bergeson, n. . ). This means that the test indeed helpful in the curriculum, for without the existence of common learning standards, nothing will be improved on the part of curriculum (Bergeson, n. d. ). Last but not least, if a certain student fails in the â€Å"Washington Assessment of Student Learning†, the performance of the student will be tackled with the teacher along with an authorized employee from the â€Å"Advanced Learning Office† (Bergeson, n. d. ). They will then try to come up with â€Å"an individualized action plan† which â€Å"outlines what interventions will be put into place and what types of assessments will be administered to monitor student academic growth† (Seattle Public Schools, 2007). This now serves as the individual curriculum of the student which may turn into the school’s curriculum if the students have the same case as the aforementioned (Seattle Public Schools, 2007). On a final note, as backed up in the aforementioned, tests then greatly impact local curriculum.

Contemporary Canadian Business Law Essay Example for Free

Contemporary Canadian Business Law Essay A minor named Alice entered into a contract with Silver Flatware Ltd. for purchasing silverware on a long-term credit contract. The goods was delivered but the payment was not yet been fully made by Alice. Before she attain the age of majority, Alice repudiated the contract and refused to return the silverware. The company demanded a return of the silverware and refused to refund. The company sued Alice for the balance of purchase price. The legal issues in this case are whether Alice has the legal capacity to the contract and whether Alice has the right to repudiate the contract. If the second question is answered affirmative, what the effect of repudiation will occur in this case? Should Alice return the silverware and should she be liable to the lost of teaspoons? Finally, should the Silver Flatware Ltd. Refund the money had been paid by Alice? The plaintiff’s argument would be that the defendant must return the goods if she wants to repudiate the contract. The lost of teaspoons should be counted as damage to the goods and the plaintiff is entitled to recover the loss by charging compensation from the defendant. The defendant’s argument would be that she has the right to repudiate the contract since she was a minor while entering into the contract and she repudiated the contract before her attaining of the age of majority. The defendant has the option to repudiate the contract because the contract has not been fully performed and it was signed for purchasing non-necessary goods. The defendant was entitled to a return of the payment as she was a minor at the time she entered into the contract. The defendant was not liable to the lost of teaspoons since it was not a direct result of the minor’s deliberate act and it was not recoverable by the merchant. In my opinion, the probable decision of the court would be that the defendant must return the goods and the plaintiff must refund all the monies paid by the defendant. The defendant must return the goods before the plaintiff is obliged to return the monies paid. The defendant is not liable to the lost parts of the goods. The reasons for the probable decisions are as follows. Firstly, public policy dictates that minors should not be bound by their promises. The defendant did not have the legal capacity to a contract since she entered into the contract and repudiated the contract before her attaining of the age of majority. Secondly, the contract has not been fully performed as the defendant has not made full payment of the goods, so the contract is voidable at the defendant’s option. Thirdly, the goods purchased was a non-necessary goods since the silverwork is commonly considered as luxury but not necessary. Therefore, the plaintiff is not liable on such contract. According to the reasons stated above, the defendant who is a minor has the right to repudiate the contract at any time and at her option, for the reason of the contract has not been fully performed and it was for purchasing non-necessary goods. Additionally, once the contract has been repudiated, the minor is entitled to a return of any deposit paid to the adult contractor. Since the minor has purchased the goods on credit and taken delivery, the minor must return the goods before the merchant is obliged to return any monies paid. Finally, the loss of loosing teaspoons is not recoverable by the merchant because there is no evidence provided to proof that the loss is a direct result of the minor’s deliberate act.

Types Of Retail Formats In India

Types Of Retail Formats In India In this term paper we study about different retail formats prevailing in India and various ownership styles followed by these retail stores and after discussing all the aspects we find out that which ownership style is efficient for retailers and is suitable for coming retailers and also has future growth. We find out franchises is best form of ownership. It converted mom-pop stores into organized form by providing franchises to the owners of the stores. TYPES OF RETAIL FORMATS IN INDIA India is growing at a great pace and the retail sector is also developing with it. Big Indian business houses are entering into retail sector and are adopting various retail formats for their business which are best suited to them. We can divide Indian retail market in three forms which are mentioned below: Store Retailers Non-store retailers Service retailers STORE RETAIL FORMATS: Mom-and-pop Store These are family owned stores which provide small quantity of merchandise or goods to the customers. They are individually run and target the smaller sections of the  society. These stores provide high standard services. They provide home delivery and credit facility without any interest to its customers. Convenience Store Convenience is offered in a lot of ways to the customers through easily accessible store locations and small store size that allows the customers to do quick shopping and fast checkout. The product selection offered by these retailers is very limited and the price of the products can be high. Supermarkets Supermarket is another popular retail format in India. A supermarket is a grocery store which deals in food and household goods. They offer a fairly huge range of products and self service. People usually go to the supermarkets to buy goods in large quantities so that they can stock those goods for later consumption. They provide products for reasonable prices and of medium to high quality. Department Store Department stores are classified as general merchandisers. Some carry a more selective product line. For instance, while Sears carries a wide range of products from hardware to cosmetics, Nordstrom focuses their products on clothing and personal care products. Category Killers The specialty stores are called Category Killers. These stores are specialized in their fields and they offer only one category of products. The most popular examples of category killers include wall-mart and electronic stores like Best Buy and sports accessories stores like Sports Authority. Discount Stores Discount stores offer price reduction Discount stores offer price reduction Discount stores offer product at lower price than market price. The main reason behind this low price is the additional stock left over towards the end of any season. Discount stores sell their goods at a reduced rate with an aim of drawing bargain shoppers. Mass Discounters These are general and specialty store that provide huge discounts on their merchandise to finish block stock and its small difference between discount stores and mass discounters is that it provide lesser services to customers. Warehouse Stores These are the type of mass discounters that provide comparatively less price than the traditional mass discounters. Moreover, these stores often requires the buyers to make the purchases in quantities that are greater than what can be purchased at mass discount stores. These retail outlets provide few services and product selection can be limited. The retail design and layout is as the name suggests that is warehouse style with consumers often selecting products off the ground from the shipping package. Some forms of warehouse stores called warehouse clubs require customers to purchase memberships in order to gain access to the outlet. Street vendors The Street Vendors or hawkers who sell products on the streets are quite popular in India. They try to attract the customers attention through shouting out about their product mix. Street vendors are found in almost every city in India and the business capital of Mumbai has a number of shopping areas which are comprised mainly of street vendors. These hawkers not only sell just clothes and accessories but also local food. Kiosks Kiosks are box-like shops which sell small and cheap items like cigarettes, toffees, newspapers and magazines, water packets, tea and coffee. These are most commonly found on every street in a city and target primarily to the local residents. Hypermarkets Hypermarkets in India are a combination of supermarket and department store. These are large retailers that provide all kinds of groceries and general goods. Big Bazaar and Reliance Fresh are hypermarkets that attract enormous crowds. Malls Malls are the largest retail format in India Malls are the largest retail format in India These are the largest retail format in India. Malls provide everything that a person wants to buy under one roof. From clothes and accessories to food or cinemas, malls provide all of this, and more. Examples include Spencers Plaza in Chennai, India, Alpha one in Amritsar and Viva collage in Jalandhar . NON-STORE RETAIL FORMATS: Catalog Retailers Retailers such as Lands End and LL Bean have built their business by having customers place orders after seeing products that appear in a mailed catalog. Orders are then delivered by a third-party shipper. E-retailers Possibly the most publicized retail model to evolve in the last 50 years is the Retailer that principally sells via the Internet. There are thousands of online-only retail sellers of which Amazon.com is the most famous. These retailers offer shopping convenience including being open for business all day, every day. Electronic retailers or e-tailers also have the ability to offer a wide selection of product since all they really need in order to attract orders is a picture and description of the product. That is, they may not need to have the product on-hand the way physical stores do. Instead an e-tailer can wait until an order is received from their customers before placing their own order with their suppliers. This cuts down significantly on the cost of maintaining products in-stock. Vending Vending machines is a automatic machine from where we can purchase items like coldrinks, chocolates by throughing coins in it.While most consumers are well aware of vending machines allowing customers but newer devices are entering the market containing more expensive and bulkier products. These systems require the vending machine have either Internet or telecommunications access to permit purchase using credit cards. SERVICE RETAILERS: Service retailers are those which provide different services to customers. Such as: OWNERSHIP STYLES FOLLOWED BY DIFFERENT CATEGORY RETAILERS: Individually Owned and Operated: This structure refers to single ownership stores having one or more stores under it. Single ownership of retail outlets most frequently occurs with small retail stores, though there are some cases, for instance in the automotive or furniture industries, where single ownership involves very large outlets. Advantages: There are no restrictions on who,where and what type of business a person want to open. A person can start any legal business without any problem. Disadvantages: Because of the ease and flexibility of getting started, there can be a lot of competition in a particular area for a certain type of customer.There is no branding, no preset guidelines and a great deal of risk in this business model Franchises: Purchasing a franchise is buying the right to use a name, product, concept and business plan. The franchisee will receive a proven business model from an established business. Advantages: All of the business operation processes have been established. The franchisee receives help from a network and customers are already familiar with name .Same marketing strategies are opted which are used by other franchises .Most all of the risk associated with starting a retail business has been reduced. Disadvantages: Franchisees pay a fee, or royalty, based on sales each year. Franchisee have huge amount to spend to get a franchisee and there is no flexibility and freedom allowed in this form.   Dealership: Retailers may find the business model of a licensed dealership as a mix of franchise and independent retailer. The licensee has the right (sometimes this is exclusive) to sell a brand of products. Unlike a franchise, the dealer can sell a variety of brands and there generally no fees to the licensor. Dealerships may or may not be identified as an authorized seller or by the companys trademark. Advantages: There may be some branding or product name recognition by the customer. The dealership relation is much more flexible than that of a franchise. This may be a good business model for part-time retailers or those just starting in retail. Disadvantages: Dealer have to spend huge amount to get a dealership Corporate Chain: A retail chain consists of multiple retail outlets owned and operated by a single entity all performing similar retail activities. While the number of retail outlets required to be classified as a chain has never been specified, we will assume that anyone owning more than five retail locations would be considered a chain. EFFICIENT OWNERSHIP TYPE: If you are based in India and have sufficient money to invest in a new business, then you must surely consider a good franchise business option. There are different types of franchise business in India that are hugely successful and looking for expansion. Franchising is one of the popular models of business looked as a win-win model by both the franchisor and the franchisee. In fact, this business concept is a great way of expanding a proven business model by leveraging the resources and the enterprise of potential franchisees. In fact, buying a franchise business in India is a better option as compared to starting your own business from scratch. Today, there are different platforms where you can look for a franchise business. You can check out details in local newspapers or browse the Internet to look for information about companies or brands interested in expansion of their business. In fact, websites are the best ones to find information on find about best franchise business in India based on different categories. For example, if you are a person who is interested in Play School business then you need to first find out all the available franchisors who would be allowing you to join under them as a franchisee. Contact them and if they find your proposal interesting, then you can become a part of their brand. Remember, it is the dream of every company to increase their brand visibility and franchising is the best way to do so. There are so many companies in India who have high faith in franchising concept and have utilized this concept to promote their brands. Apart from Indian companies, there are many International brands that have spread their business in different parts of India through franchising. The franchising industry in India has thus become an important tool for all brands to woo the customers and expand their business territories. DEFINATION: franchise is a form of channel in which one party, the franchisor, controls the business activities of another party, the franchisee. Under these arrangements, an eligible franchisee agrees to pay for the right to use the franchisors business methods and other important business aspects, such as the franchise name. For instance, McDonalds is a well-known franchisor that allows individuals to use the McDonalds name and methods to deliver food to consumers. Payment is usually in the form of a one-time, upfront franchise fee and also on-going percentage of revenue. While the cost to the franchisee may be quite high, this form of retailing offers several advantages to both the parties: Advantages to franchisee: One of the most important advantages of buying a franchise is that the entrepreneur does not have to incur all the risk involved with creating a new business. Typically, the areas that entrepreneurs have problems with in starting a new venture are product acceptance, management expertise, meeting capital requirements, knowledge of the market, and operating and structural controls. Product Acceptance- The Franchisee usually enters into a business that has an accepted name, product or service. That credibility already exists based on the years the Franchise has existed. An entrepreneur who tries to start a shop would be unknown to the potential customers and would require significant effort and resources to build credibility and a reputation in the market. Management Expertise- Another important advantage to the Franchisee is managerial assistance provided by the franchisor. Each new franchisee is often required to take a training programme on all aspects of operating the franchise. This training could include classes in accounting, personnel management marketing and production. The training and education offered is actually an important criterion. That the entrepreneur should consider in evaluating any Franchise opportunity. If the assistance in starting up the business is not good, the entrepreneur should probably look elsewhere for opportunities unless he or she already has extensive experience in the field. Capital Requirements- Starting a new venture is usually costly in terms of both time and money. The franchise offers an opportunity to start a new venture with up front support that could save the entrepreneur significant time and possibly capital. Some franchisors conduct location analysis and market research of the area that might include an assessment of traffic, demographics, business conditions, and competition. In some cases, the franchisor will also finance the initial investment to start the franchise operation. The initial capital required to purchase a franchise generally reflects a fee for the franchise, construction costs, and the purchase of equipment. Knowledge of the Market- Any established franchise business offers the entrepreneur years of experience in the business and knowledge of the market. This knowledge is usually reflected in a plan offered to the franchisee that details the profile of the target customer and the strategies that should be implemented once the operation has begun. Advantages to franchisor: This type of arrangement can offer an array of advantages for the franchisor. Additional Revenue- Whenever a franchisor grants a new franchise location, he enters into a franchise agreement in which the franchisee agrees to pay fees or royalties. The franchisor can use these additional sources of revenue to reduce operating expenses such as advertising and distribution costs. The revenue can also be used to increase the franchisors cash flow. Reduced Risk of Expansion- Franchises allow the franchisor to expand her business by using the capital and resources from the franchisee. Although the franchisor often assists the franchisee in finding sources of capital to get started, the franchisee is still the one responsible for obtaining the financing and is on the hook to pay back any loan or other debt obligations. Ease of Quality Control- A franchise agreement requires the franchisee to follow corporate guidelines when operating his business. For example, a McDonalds franchisee is required to make hamburgers a specific way and may not deviate. For the franchisor, this means fewer concerns about the quality of the product that is sold, and he doesnt have to worry about a rogue franchisee who wants to do things his own way. Ease of Expansion- A franchisor can easily expand her business by granting new franchises to franchisees in untapped markets. She may be able to locate potential franchisees who are more familiar with the nuances of a particular market than she is, which increases the chances for success. The franchisor will reap the benefits of additional royalties and increased brand recognition. Increased Royalties- A franchisee may be more motivated than an employee, such as a branch manager of a satellite operation. Since the franchisee has a personal financial stake in the success of the business, he may be more likely to work harder. For the franchisor, the result is more revenue through increased royalties. Due to its advantages to both franchisee and franchisor it consider efficient form of ownership.

Essay --

Character Development: John: In the novel, we see John changing in many aspects. First, he gain some of his legacies. Like resistant to heat and being able to talk to other creatures. For the first time in his life, John finds a place of which he can truly call paradise. For example, on page 258, John says: â€Å"I don’t want to leave. I have a friend, and I have a girlfriend. I am not going to leave.† He’s found people that actually care about him and don’t care about who he really is. After Henri telling him he will never be a normal person, John starts to get worried that he won’t be with Sarah forever. John begins training and starts to prepare to fight the Mogadorians after refusing to leave Paradise because he’s caused too much attention. Henri tells him many times but since he’s found a place where he belongs, he doesn’t want to leave. Mark Who would’ve expected Mark to be the guy to save John’s life in the end. On page 439, it says: â€Å"Mark, I owe you more than I’ll ever be able to repay.† Then Mark responds with: â€Å"You don’t owe me a thing† This passage is critical to the development of Mark’s Character because in the book, the first day John came to class, Mark tripped him, at the Halloween fair, he hurt him. The hatred between these two was burning hot. I kind of find it ironic that the person who wanted to kill John ended up saving his life. This leads me to the question of Why did Mark all of a sudden change ? I think Mark changes because he realizes that with him being mean to everyone else, he lost friends and the most important of them all was his girlfriend of the time, Sarah. Significant Passages â€Å"We’ve done all we could. And what’s done is done.† (pg.418) This quote is critical to the development ... ...like he says on page 440, â€Å"I’ll come back to you. I promise you if it’s the last thing I do, I’ll come back to you.† Book vs. Movie I felt like I liked the book better than the movie because in the movie, I felt like things were moving a bit too fast and in the book, they go into detail. The movie was also missing some scenes like Mark’s house burning down, it changed up some facts in the end. In the movie, John convinces Number six to let Sam come with them but in the book, it seems as though they both have their own agreement together. I felt like because I read the book before watching the movie, I knew what was happening like the scars coming on John’s body. One more thing. In the movie, they never mention the magazine They walk Among Us. They only mention it when Henri goes to the writer’s house. But overall, I thought the book was far better than the movie.

Chinese Kinship Systems Essay -- China Chinese Kin Kinship Essays

Chinese Kinship Systems Works Cited Missing It would be impossible to disagree with the statement that â€Å"Chinese kinship is based on male predominance†. In fact this statement may even be under-emphasizing the control and absolute power that males wield across all levels of Chinese society. Of course, where their power initially comes from though, is through the family or termed differently the â€Å"jia†. It is this extended or ideal family that cultivates the consistent patrilineal form of control/descent and dictates that residence in said â€Å"jia† is primarily patrilocal. That being said, what I hope to be able to create over the following pages is a clearer understanding of the ideal (Chinese) system of control. This ideal system,based on the ideal of male predominance, is outlined impeccably in the writings of Baker, Watson and Xiaotong. There are also excellent examples of an ideal â€Å"jia† and its power structure in Wolf’s ethnography, â€Å"The House of Lim†. But Wolfà ¢â‚¬ s ethnography also outlines examples whereby the ideal system of dominance is not always put into practice or is just not as smooth running as the writings of the 3 former anthropologists would have you believe. It is my aim then, to include examples of a patriarchal system encountering problems and realities that are difficult to explain in an â€Å"ideal† sense.There is little doubt, according to Baker, that the first and foremost aspect to understanding Chinese families and society at large is the importance placed on male relationships and descent that is traced through a male line. In contrast, women in Chinese society were given little thought and even less power. They were to be used as reproducers of the male line and to aid in home/farm labour, apart from this; women had only small amounts of power and responsibility. In fact, the patriarchal system demanded that a wife’s only connection with her husband’s family be through the husband himself. He r future then, was caught up with his and her sons only, and she is expected â€Å"to see her husband’s interests as paramount in importance† (Baker, 1979).Yet, women and childbirth, were essential to the continuation of the patrilineal system, which started with the birth of a son or sons to any kinship system be they peasant or gentry class. It was considered vitally important in Chinese society, that a wife bare a son as soon as possible not only for the... ...cumstances would be in Chieng-cua’s position –is still alive and now has a son (Lim A-bok) who is contributing a full share to the family budget. Undoubtedly this ambiguity in structure of the family influences the attitudes of Lim A-pou and her son†.This ambiguity was the eventual death of the united Lim family. Walls were mounted, positions dissolved and property/wealth were divided up as equally as possible. It was not though, the death of the patrilineal system. Patrilocal residence would continue for all of the Lim (future) families, ancestral worship would also continue and male dominance and gender inequality would still reign supreme. In fact very little underneath the surface or socially would change at all, the family would remain a residential and economic unit composed primarily of males. And in order to reproduce itself it would still be forced to import women as brides, and dispose of females born into it by marrying them off to other families. F inally, it would continue to lay heavy stress on relationships through males, and tended to play down those through females, while there was an accompanying stress on the importance of men as opposed to women (Baker, 1979).

Learning Forgiveness :: Personal Narrative Essay Example

Learning Forgiveness When I opened my yearbook, I began to reminisce about my half year of high school in China. As I flipped through the pages of the yearbook, a picture of an old man with a benevolent smile caught my eyes. Daydreaming about the incident, my eyesight became hazy, and I felt my hands becoming swollen, which always refreshes my memory of his profound words. His name is Mr. Zang, my high school teacher in China. A very thin and tall man, Mr. Zang is very caring and always tries to understand the students' concerns and finds joy in having conversations with them. Mr. Zang and I used to discuss my plans to go to the US and why I studied English so intensively. He helped give me confidence that I would find success in the US, and I began to think of him as a very respectable man. When I found out that Mr. Zang, unlike most teachers in China, never hit students, I began to respect him even more. Unfortunately, other students had negative opinions of him and thought he was a coward. "You know what? Your favorite teacher, Mr. Zang, is really sissy." Chang-Min screamed, pointing a finger at me. "I think he is afraid of students. That's why he can't hit students." Staring at him enraged that he would speak badly about my favorite teacher, I dashed at him and yelled, "Don't talk about Mr. Zang that way. OK?" A constant troublemaker at school, Chang-Min was shocked that I stood up to him and looked at me surprised. He thought I was always introspective and would never stand up for myself, and he could sense his hard-earned notoriety slipping away. Looking at his ridiculous, surprised face, I grew even angrier. Ironically, to defend a teacher who didn't hit students, I resorted to violence to deal with Chang-Min. Suddenly, I kicked him in the stomach, and we started fighting. Phil-bong, the vice-principal, caught us and brought us to the student life center for punishment. Phil-bong didn't even ask us why we fought; he simply asked who hit first. Admitting that I did, Phil-bong proceeded to beat my hands until they were swollen and reddish. Watching me getting hit by Phil-bong angered Mr. Zang, and afterwards he asked me why I hit Chang-Min. Mr. Zang convinced Phil-bong to forgive me, and I started to blame my classmate for my sore hands, and I asked Mr.

Malaysia Airlines Essay

Malaysia airlines:   what they did in real life and outcome performance after their adjustment and solution? Malaysia Airlines reduces fuel costs Malaysia Airlines reduces fuel costs on 40 aircrafts, including their A380 fleet, with SITA’s FMS Wind Uplink service. Flight Management System (FMS) calculations are constantly updated by the new service, therefore the airline can adjust flight plans easily owing to adjusting wind and weather conditions. The system also let the aircraft using fuel more cost effectively. From trials results, Wind Uplink saved of up to 600 kilograms of fuel within one flight. Captain Izham Ismail, Director of Operations for Malaysia Airlines, said: â€Å"This new service from SITA delivers savings straight away. We have already trialed SITA Wind Uplink with great success in reducing our fuel costs. It has also helped improve our final fuel on board predictions and made our estimated time of arrival predictions more accurate. We are experiencing real business benefits following introduction of this service at Malaysia Airlines.† Katrina Korzenowski, Director, Aircraft Services, Asia Pacific, SITA, said: â€Å"Wind Uplink enables airlines to take advantage of beneficial changes in weather so crews can bring flights in on time and on budget, reducing fuel costs whenever possible. Due to high fuel prices, we anticipate increased demand for Wind Uplink in the future and are already in discussions with many other potential customers. In addition, because Wind Uplink is packaged as a single service, it can be up and running in just a few hours for SITA Flight Briefing Service and AIRCOM Datalink customers—without any capital expenses.† Resources http://www.sita.aero/content/malaysia-airlines-reduce-fuel-costs-with-sita-s-wind-and-weather-service Etihad presents solution to MAS Etihad developed a track record of partnership and investing with MAS. The reason is MAS would provide Etihad a stronger offline network in Southeast Asia. Etihad put its code on Garuda-operated flights in five offline Indonesian destinations from Jakarta to Singapore. MAS can also provide Etihad connection to Indonesia. Indonesia is the second largest international market for MAS. During the limited code share, Kuala Lumpur-Bali is also one of seven MAS-operated routes covered. http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/malaysia-airlines-considers-tie-up-with-etihad-as-restructuring-process-slowly-begins-172934

Revenge in the Great Expectations Essay

Revenge is a primary theme in the novel Great Expectation by Charles Dickens. In this novel, many characters go out of their way to extract revenge, leading them to misfortunes such as death and imprisonment. Dickens makes it very clear that nothing positive can come from revenge through his characters and the results that come from their revenge. These acts range from petty resentment filled with passion, to long and drag out strife laced with malice, to lifelong vendettas driven by hatred. Revenge comes in many forms—and for Orlick, his was the sort of petty resentment filled with passion, rather than stone cold hatred. In the novel, Orlick acts as the main antagonist; he is described as tardy, as Pip explained: â€Å"he was†¦never in hurry, and always slouching.† (102), and hostile, by telling Pip that â€Å"the Devil lived in a black corner of the forge†¦and it was necessary to make a fire once in seven years with a live boy and I might consider myself fuel.† (102). Orlick was also abusive due to his outburst at Mrs Gargery when she pose her opinion on the fact that Joe was letting both Pip and Orlick have a half-holiday by saying â€Å"I’d hold you, if you was my wife. I’d hold you under the pump and choke it out of you.† Despite being mere words, from that moment on; Orlick held a grudge on both Pip and Mrs Gargery. Orlick resented Mrs Gargery for her attitude towards him. And he resented Pip for having everything Orlick wanted; at the forge, Pip was favoured and Orlick was â€Å"bullied and beat.† In Orlick’s eyes Pip â€Å"was always in Old Orlick’s way since ever you was a child.† (388) This tempts him into extracting revenge, by assaulting Mrs Gargery, he justifies his actions by telling Pip that â€Å"it was done through you,† (389) Orlick blames Pip for his misfortunes, and hates Pip to the extent that he attempted to murder him. Orlick says â€Å"I’m a going to have your life!† (388) this is an allegory—and has two meanings: one literal, and one figurative. Orlick literally wants to take Pip’s life, and kill him, depositing of his body so no one would ever know of his crime. However on the other hand, Orlick figuratively wants Pip’s life—his resentment of Pip comes from his jealousy. Orlick wishes to have Pip’s life, to be favoured, to be liked, to be a gentleman. But when his plans of killing Pip fails, and Orlick resorts  to breaking into Pumblechook’s house, and robs and beats him, h e is ultimately caught and imprisoned—this reveals the result of obtaining revenge, and how it will lead only to misfortunes. Nothing good can come from revenge as shown by Orlick’s eventual destination: prison. Like Orlick, Magwitch wishes to extract his revenge as well—which is a long dragged out strife between him and Compeyson. Magwitch loathes Compeyson for setting him up as a scrape goat in their trial. Because Compeyson looked like a gentleman he had a more lenient punishment than Magwitch—who faced most of the blame for both of their crimes. Due to this, Magwitch has sworn to â€Å"smash that face of his (Compeyson’s), and I swore Lord smash mine! To do it.† (322) Magwitch was willing to give up anything, and everything to get his revenge on Compeyson. He wanted Compeyson to face his wrath and feel his suffering; Magwitch was willing to give up his chance of freedom in doing so. He could’ve â€Å"got clear of these death-cold flats likewise—if I hadn’t made discovery that he was here.† (34) In the beginning of the novel, Pip meets the escaped convict—later introduced as Magwitch, who had filed down his leg iron to the point where he could’ve broken it off, and flee from the marshes—but when he had heard Compeyson had escaped as well, he gave up his freedom, to search for Compeyson. The guards, along with Pip and Joe later found Compeyson and Magwitch in a ditch—fighting each other. Magwitch gave up his chance to flee, and forsake his freedom in the name of revenge and was dragged back to the prison alongside Compeyson. Which begs the question, what is the result of chasing revenge? Magwitch was then sentenced to imprisonment for the rest of his life—where upon if he ever escaped again, he’d face the death sentence. Magwitch is sent off to New South Wales, where he worked several jobs—and made a handsome amount of money all of which he sent to Pip through Jaggers anonymously. It isn’t until later in the novel does Magwitch sneaks back to England as an escaped convict, under an alias and he reveals to Pip that he is Pip’s benefactor. Pip’s discovery makes him very discontent but later realizes the only way to get Magwitch out of his life is to help him escape England, on a boat. However again on his journey to fredoom Magwitch is faced with the same dilemma, when their steam boat is intercepted by another boat and Compeyson is on it. Magwitch is forced to choose between freedom and revenge; and he again chooses the latter, tackling Compeyson, they both sink into the water—only Magwitch comes up. As  expected, Magwitch is sentenced to death—immediately, only his sentence is delayed when he is stricken by illness. At this point, Magwitch’s death is ascertained, either he was going to die of illness or he was going to die at his sentence. This was the result of Magwitch’s actions; by choosing revenge over all else—not just once, but twice. These results help emphasis that revenge is nothing more than a gateway to misfortunes, and in Magwitch’s case that gate way is to death. Miss Havisham faces a lifelong vendetta driven by her hatred of all mankind. This vendetta of her, twists her personality in cruel, sadistic and vicious ways. Out of all the characters in this novel, Miss Havisham is less active in her campaign of revenge—but she holds the longest and most pure revenge. Miss Havisham achieves her revenge through her adoptive daughter Estella. Estella is never given the opportunity to forge her own ideas and personality—instead she is objectified into a young and beautiful tool, used exclusively for avenging Miss Havisham’s broken heart. There are many instances of Miss Havisham’s cruel and sardonic personality revealed through the words she says and her actions and responses to Pip. In the beginning of the novel, she has asked Estella to play with Pip, but she refuses to play with such a common boy—in return Miss Havisham says â€Å"Well, you can break his heart.† (54) She says it in a way that makes the human heart seem almost like a toy that can be easily broken and would be irrelevant if it did so. This demonstrates Miss Havisham’s view on men, and how th ey should have their hearts broken as she once did—and how she’s trained Estella to do. Miss Havisham gains much pleasure from the discomfort and humiliation of men, she has no problem hurting anyone in order to extract her revenge—not even Pip is spared, someone who had done nothing to often her, beside be born the wrong gender. Miss Havisham lets Pip believe that she was his benefactor and that Estella was his, but when this was proven untrue and Pip confronts her she says â€Å"Yes†¦I let you go on†¦ [but] who am I, for God’s saje, that I should be kind!† This shows Miss Havisham’s view on life; she wonders why it is that she should be kind, when the world hasn’t been kind to her. Why should she be nice, when the world hasn’t been nice to her. Why she should love, when the world hasn’t loved her. This idea of hers later becomes the very idea that eventually destroys her. Miss Havisham lives through Estella, she gains pleasure from seeing men swoon and pursuit Estella’s attention. She  enjoys decorating Estella in jewel—almost like she was a doll to be shown off, not at all like a daughter. However, her actions lead to many consequences—because of her lack of affection for Estella, Estella then grows up to be a â€Å"beautiful creature† rather than a human. Estella claims that she has no heart so she cannot show anyone love, not even Miss Havisham, who craved attention and love. This outrages Miss Havisham, how could her own daughter not love her? The answer was simple, â€Å"I am what you have made me. Take all the praise, take all the blame; take all the success, take all the failure, in short, take me.† (277) Estella reveals the nature of their relationship, for her entire life Miss Havisham has only learned to take, and never had she given, she lived a selfish life—and was intent on acquiring revenge. She took the happiness away from Pip, she took away Estella’s humanity and replaced it with a cold, hard, and beautiful exterior, and mostly she took away her own life. Miss Havisham froze in time, the moment she decided to avenge herself, and she gave away her life, her emotions and feelings all in the name of revenge. Like the clocks in her house, everything was frozen in Miss Havisham—because she wanted nothing more than to see other suffer as she did. Only in doing this, she forced herself to suffer even more. Miss Havisham eventually dies—alone, and unloved. This shows the result of pursuing revenge as obsessively as Miss Havisham did; in return all she had left was a ruined estate, a monster for a daughter, relatives who were after her wealth, and a life time of sorrow. Throughout this novel, Dicken’s idea and opinion revolving around revenge becomes quite clear. It is evident that nothing good can come of revenge; and misfortunes befall those who attempt to achieve it. Dickens makes an example out of his characters, to illustrate the aftereffect of being consumed by revenge—and acting upon its temptation. Nothing good can come from trying to avenge oneself, no matter how small or large the act is: the results will all be the same.

Islamic Change Over Time Essay Essay

By the early eighteenth century, the Ottoman Empire was in decline. The weak rulers of the empire left the way open for power struggles among officials, religious experts, and Janissary commanders. Provincial administrators and landholders conspired to drain revenue from the central treasury. The general economy suffered from competition with the West as imported goods ruined local industry. European rivals took advantage of Ottoman weakness. The Austrians pushed the Ottomans from Hungary and the northern Balkans. Russia expanded into the Caucasus and Crimea. The subject Christian peoples of the Balkans challenged their rulers: the Greeks won independence 1830, and Serbia won independence in 1867. European military assaults and diseases destroyed existing civilizations. African and Asian civilizations were able to withstand the early European arrival, but the latter’s continuing development by the end of the eighteenth century made them dominant. The subordinate civilizations reacted differently. Some retreated into an idealized past; others absorbed ideas from their rulers. The various efforts at resistance did not all succeed. Some civilizations survived; others collapsed. The leaders and thinkers of the Islamic world were divided about how to reverse decline and drive back Europeans. They argued over a spectrum ranging from a return to the past to the adoption of Western ways. By the nineteenth century, the Arabs under the weakened Ottoman Empire were exposed to the danger of European conquest. The loss of Islamic territory to the Europeans engendered a sense of crisis in the Middle East. The Muslims had faced the threat of the West since the Middle Ages. Muslims shared many aspects of culture with Judeo-Christian and Greek tradition; their civilization had contributed to the rise of the West. The Muslims had many centers to defend; the fall of the Ottoman Empire did not mean the end of Islamic independence. They had time to learn during the long Western advance. Muslims could cling to the truths of Islam and survive as a people,

Foundation and Empire Acknowledgments

The date was August 1, 1941. World War II had been raging for two years. France had fallen, the Battle of Britain had been fought, and the Soviet Union had just been invaded by Nazi Germany. The bombing of Pearl Harbor was four months in the future. But on that day, with Europe in flames, and the evil shadow of Adolf Hitler apparently falling over all the world, what was chiefly on my mind was a meeting toward which I was hastening. I was 21 years old, a graduate student in chemistry at Columbia University, and I had been writing science fiction professionally for three years. In that time, I had sold five stories to John Campbell, editor of Astounding, and the fifth story, â€Å"Nightfall,† was about to appear in the September 1941 issue of the magazine. I had an appointment to see Mr. Campbell to tell him the plot of a new story I was planning to write, and the catch was that I had no plot in mind, not the trace of one. I therefore tried a device I sometimes use. I opened a book at random and set up free association, beginning with whatever I first saw. The book I had with me was a collection of the Gilbert and Sullivan plays. I happened to open it to the picture of the Fairy Queen of lolanthe throwing herself at the feet of Private Willis. I thought of soldiers, of military empires, of the Roman Empire – of a Galactic Empire – aha! Why shouldn't I write of the fall of the Galactic Empire and of the return of feudalism, written from the viewpoint of someone in the secure days of the Second Galactic Empire? After all, I had read Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire not once, but twice. I was bubbling over by the time I got to Campbell's, and my enthusiasm must have been catching for Campbell blazed up as I had never seen him do. In the course of an hour we built up the notion of a vast series of connected stories that were to deal in intricate detail with the thousand-year period between the First and Second Galactic Empires. This was to be illuminated by the science of psychohistory, which Campbell and I thrashed out between us. On August 11, 1941, therefore, I began the story of that interregnum and called it â€Å"Foundation.† In it, I described how the psychohistorian, Hari Seldon, established a pair of Foundations at opposite ends of the Universe under such circumstances as to make sure that the forces of history would bring about the second Empire after one thousand years instead of the thirty thousand that would be required otherwise. The story was submitted on September 8 and, to make sure that Campbell really meant what he said about a series, I ended â€Å"Foundation† on a cliff-hanger. Thus, it seemed to me, he would be forced to buy a second story. However, when I started the second story (on October 24), I found that I had outsmarted myself. I quickly wrote myself into an impasse, and the Foundation series would have died an ignominious death had I not had a conversation with Fred Pohl on November 2 (on the Brooklyn Bridge, as it happened). I don't remember what Fred actually said, but, whatever it was, it pulled me out of the hole. â€Å"Foundation† appeared in the May 1942 issue of Astounding and the succeeding story, â€Å"Bridle and Saddle,† in the June 1942 issue. After that there was only the routine trouble of writing the stories. Through the remainder of the decade, John Campbell kept my nose to the grindstone and made sure he got additional Foundation stories. â€Å"The Big and the Little† was in the August 1944 Astounding, â€Å"The Wedge† in the October 1944 issue, and â€Å"Dead Hand† in the April 1945 issue. (These stories were written while I was working at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia.) On January 26, 1945, I began â€Å"The Mule,† my personal favorite among the Foundation stories, and the longest yet, for it was 50,000 words. It was printed as a two-part serial (the very first serial I was ever responsible for) in the November and December 1945 issues. By the time the second part appeared I was in the army. After I got out of the army, I wrote â€Å"Now You See It-† which appeared in the January 1948 issue. By this time, though, I had grown tired of the Foundation stories so I tried to end them by setting up, and solving, the mystery of the location of the Second Foundation. Campbell would have none of that, however. He forced me to change the ending, and made me promise I would do one more Foundation story. Well, Campbell was the kind of editor who could not be denied, so I wrote one more Foundation story, vowing to myself that it would be the last. I called it â€Å"-And Now You Don't,† and it appeared as a three-part serial in the November 1949, December 1949, and January 1950 issues of Astounding. By then, I was on the biochemistry faculty of Boston University School of Medicine, my first book had just been published, and I was determined to move on to new things. I had spent eight years on the Foundation, written nine stories with a total of about 220,000 words. My total earnings for the series came to $3,641 and that seemed enough. The Foundation was over and done with, as far as I was concerned. In 1950, however, hardcover science fiction was just coming into existence. I had no objection to earning a little more money by having the Foundation series reprinted in book form. I offered the series to Doubleday (which had already published a science-fiction novel by me, and which had contracted for another) and to Little-Brown, but both rejected it. In that year, though, a small publishing firm, Gnome Press, was beginning to be active, and it was prepared to do the Foundation series as three books. The publisher of Gnome felt, however, that the series began too abruptly. He persuaded me to write a small Foundation story, one that would serve as an introductory section to the first book (so that the first part of the Foundation series was the last written). In 1951, the Gnome Press edition of Foundation was published, containing the introduction and the first four stories of the series. In 1952, Foundation and Empire appeared, with the fifth and sixth stories; and in 1953, Second Foundation appeared, with the seventh and eighth stories. The three books together came to be called The Foundation Trilogy. The mere fact of the existence of the Trilogy pleased me, but Gnome Press did not have the financial clout or the publishing knowhow to get the books distributed properly, so that few copies were sold and fewer still paid me royalties. (Nowadays, copies of first editions of those Gnome Press books sell at $50 a copy and up-but I still get no royalties from them.) Ace Books did put out paperback editions of Foundation and of Foundation and Empire, but they changed the titles, and used cut versions. Any money that was involved was paid to Gnome Press and I didn't see much of that. In the first decade of the existence of The Foundation Trilogy it may have earned something like $1500 total. And yet there was some foreign interest. In early 1961, Timothy Seldes, who was then my editor at Doubleday, told me that Doubleday had received a request for the Portuguese rights for the Foundation series and, since they weren't Doubleday books, he was passing them on to me. I sighed and said, â€Å"The heck with it, Tim. I don't get royalties on those books.† Seldes was horrified, and instantly set about getting the books away from Gnome Press so that Doubleday could publish them instead. He paid no attention to my loudly expressed fears that Doubleday â€Å"would lose its shirt on them.† In August 1961 an agreement was reached and the Foundation books became Doubleday property. What's more, Avon Books, which had published a paperback version of Second Foundation, set about obtaining the rights to all three from Doubleday, and put out nice editions. From that moment on, the Foundation books took off and began to earn increasing royalties. They have sold well and steadily, both in hardcover and softcover, for two decades so far. Increasingly, the letters I received from the readers spoke of them in high praise. They received more attention than all my other books put together. Doubleday also published an omnibus volume, The Foundation Trilogy, for its Science Fiction Book Club. That omnibus volume has been continuously featured by the Book Club for over twenty years. Matters reached a climax in 1966. The fans organizing the World Science Fiction Convention for that year (to be held in Cleveland) decided to award a Hugo for the best all-time series, where the series, to qualify, had to consist of at least three connected novels. It was the first time such a category had been set up, nor has it been repeated since. The Foundation series was nominated, and I felt that was going to have to be glory enough for me, since I was sure that Tolkien's â€Å"Lord of the Rings† would win. It didn't. The Foundation series won, and the Hugo I received for it has been sitting on my bookcase in the livingroom ever since. In among all this litany of success, both in money and in fame, there was one annoying side-effect. Readers couldn't help but notice that the books of the Foundation series covered only three hundred-plus years of the thousand-year hiatus between Empires. That meant the Foundation series â€Å"wasn't finished.† I got innumerable letters from readers who asked me to finish it, from others who demanded I finish it, and still others who threatened dire vengeance if I didn't finish it. Worse yet, various editors at Doubleday over the years have pointed out that it might be wise to finish it. It was flattering, of course, but irritating as well. Years had passed, then decades. Back in the 1940s, I had been in a Foundation-writing mood. Now I wasn't. Starting in the late 1950s, I had been in a more and more nonfiction-writing mood. That didn't mean I was writing no fiction at all. In the 1960s and 1970s, in fact, I wrote two science-fiction novels and a mystery novel, to say nothing of well over a hundred short stories – but about eighty percent of what I wrote was nonfiction. One of the most indefatigable nags in the matter of finishing the Foundation series was my good friend, the great science-fiction writer, Lester del Rey. He was constantly telling me I ought to finish the series and was just as constantly suggesting plot devices. He even told Larry Ashmead, then my editor at Doubleday, that if I refused to write more Foundation stories, he, Lester, would be willing to take on the task. When Ashmead mentioned this to me in 1973, I began another Foundation novel out of sheer desperation. I called it â€Å"Lightning Rod† and managed to write fourteen pages before other tasks called me away. The fourteen pages were put away and additional years passed. In January 1977, Cathleen Jordan, then my editor at Doubleday, suggested I do â€Å"an important book – a Foundation novel, perhaps.† I said, â€Å"I'd rather do an autobiography,† and I did – 640,000 words of it. In January 1981, Doubleday apparently lost its temper. At least, Hugh O'Neill, then my editor there, said, â€Å"Betty Prashker wants to see you,† and marched me into her office. She was then one of the senior editors, and a sweet and gentle person. She wasted no time. â€Å"Isaac,† she said, â€Å"you are going to write a novel for us and you are going to sign a contract to that effect.† â€Å"Betty,† I said, â€Å"I am already working on a big science book for Doubleday and I have to revise the Biographical Encyclopedia for Doubleday and -â€Å" â€Å"It can all wait,† she said. â€Å"You are going to sign a contract to do a novel. What's more, we're going to give you a $50,000 advance.† That was a stunner. I don't like large advances. They put me under too great an obligation. My average advance is something like $3,000. Why not? It's all out of royalties. I said, â€Å"That's way too much money, Betty.† â€Å"No, it isn't,† she said. â€Å"Doubleday will lose its shirt,† I said. â€Å"You keep telling us that all the time. It won't.† I said, desperately, â€Å"All right. Have the contract read that I don't get any money until I notify you in writing that I have begun the novel.† â€Å"Are you crazy?† she said. â€Å"You'll never start if that clause is in the contract. You get $25,000 on signing the contract, and $25,000 on delivering a completed manuscript.† â€Å"But suppose the novel is no good.† â€Å"Now you're being silly,† she said, and she ended the conversation. That night, Pat LoBrutto, the science-fiction editor at Doubleday called to express his pleasure. â€Å"And remember,† he said, â€Å"that when we say ‘novel' we mean ‘science-fiction novel,' not anything else. And when we say ‘science-fiction novel,' we mean ‘Foundation novel' and not anything else.† On February 5, 1981, I signed the contract, and within the week, the Doubleday accounting system cranked out the check for $25,000. I moaned that I was not my own master anymore and Hugh O'Neill said, cheerfully, â€Å"That's right, and from now on, we're going to call every other week and say, ‘Where's the manuscript?'† (But they didn't. They left me strictly alone, and never even asked for a progress report.) Nearly four months passed while I took care of a vast number of things I had to do, but about the end of May, I picked up my own copy of The Foundation Trilogy and began reading. I had to. For one thing, I hadn't read the Trilogy in thirty years and while I remembered the general plot, I did not remember the details. Besides, before beginning a new Foundation novel I had to immerse myself in the style and atmosphere of the series. I read it with mounting uneasiness. I kept waiting for something to happen, and nothing ever did. All three volumes, all the nearly quarter of a million words, consisted of thoughts and of conversations. No action. No physical suspense. What was all the fuss about, then? Why did everyone want more of that stuff? – To be sure, I couldn't help but notice that I was turning the pages eagerly, and that I was upset when I finished the book, and that I wanted more, but I was the author, for goodness' sake. You couldn't go by me. I was on the edge of deciding it was all a terrible mistake and of insisting on giving back the money, when (quite by accident, I swear) I came across some sentences by science-fiction writer and critic, James Gunn, who, in connection with the Foundation series, said, â€Å"Action and romance have little to do with the success of the Trilogy – virtually all the action takes place offstage, and the romance is almost invisible – but the stories provide a detective-story fascination with the permutations and reversals of ideas.† Oh, well, if what was needed were â€Å"permutations and reversals of ideas,† then that I could supply. Panic receded, and on June 10, 1981, I dug out the fourteen pages I had written more than eight years before and reread them. They sounded good to me. I didn't remember where I had been headed back then, but I had worked out what seemed to me to be a good ending now, and, starting page 15 on that day, I proceeded to work toward the new ending. I found, to my infinite relief, that I had no trouble getting back into a â€Å"Foundation-mood,† and, fresh from my rereading, I had Foundation history at my finger-tips. There were differences, to be sure: 1) The original stories were written for a science-fiction magazine and were from 7,000 to 50,000 words long, and no more. Consequently, each book in the trilogy had at least two stories and lacked unity. I intended to make the new book a single story. 2) I had a particularly good chance for development since Hugh said, â€Å"Let the book find its own length, Isaac. We don't mind a long book.† So I planned on 140,000 words, which was nearly three times the length of â€Å"The Mule,† and this gave me plenty of elbow-room, and I could add all sorts of little touches. 3) The Foundation series had been written at a time when our knowledge of astronomy was primitive compared with what it is today. I could take advantage of that and at least mention black holes, for instance. I could also take advantage of electronic computers, which had not been invented until I was half through with the series. The novel progressed steadily, and on January 17, 1982, I began final copy. I brought the manuscript to Hugh O'Neill in batches, and the poor fellow went half-crazy since he insisted on reading it in this broken fashion. On March 25, 1982, I brought in the last bit, and the very next day got the second half of the advance. I had kept â€Å"Lightning Rod† as my working title all the way through, but Hugh finally said, â€Å"Is there any way of putting ‘Foundation' into the title, Isaac?† I suggested Foundations at Bay, therefore, and that may be the title that will actually be used 1. You will have noticed that I have said nothing about the plot of the new Foundation novel. Well, naturally. I would rather you buy and read the book. And yet there is one thing I have to confess to you. I generally manage to tie up all the loose ends into one neat little bow-knot at the end of my stories, no matter how complicated the plot might be. In this case, however, I noticed that when I was all done, one glaring little item remained unresolved. I am hoping no one else notices it because it clearly points the way to the continuation of the series. It is even possible that I inadvertently gave this away for at the end of the novel, I wrote: â€Å"The End (for now).† I very much fear that if the novel proves successful, Doubleday will be at my throat again, as Campbell used to be in the old days. And yet what can I do but hope that the novel is very successful indeed. What a quandary!