Certificate program & education

My employment in the field of education may be coincidental but is probably attributable to my quest for learning and advancing knowledge in all aspects of my life. Additionally, I believe in the notion that no matter what a businessman’s product is, this person is definitely in the education business.To succeed, the individual must constantly educate his customers on the many advantages of doing business with him, train them on how to use the product efficiently as well as effectively and therefore make never-ending improvement in their lives. It is against this background that I would wish to apply for an admission to University of Colorado to pursue a Certificate in Leadership Studies.My decision to settle for this certificate program was mainly informed by several reasons. Firstly, a teacher is definitely a leader and the program would help me expand my knowledge in leadership skills. This knowledge, I believe, would be helpful in my Junior Reserve Officer’s Trainin g Corps (JROTC) classes.The certificate would complement the values of citizenship, service to my country, personal responsibility as well as accomplishments, the very virtues that the JROTC program wishes to instill into every American through teaching which is my career.Additionally, I believe in the process of continuous evaluation, improving on my weak areas and carrying on the desirable virtues for the sake of my country and humanity at large, which I in turn pass over to my students. With the dynamic nature of education, I take it as my responsibility to be abreast with the most current knowledge.Leadership Studies and other related courses such as Conflict Resolution Management are therefore becoming increasingly important, more so for those in social responsibilities. In this bid, the University of Colorado’s Certificate Program would make me a better teacher by equipping me with more knowledge and leadership skills that are inclined towards my career as a teacher.Tho ugh I have a degree in Business Administration, I must say that the future looks bright although I have not reached the epic. I would wish to purse a Masters in Education after this certificate. This would career-wise place me in a better position and I would even be better equipped to serve humanity at a position which is much higher.In addition, it would ensure an increased remuneration and package that would transform both to my personal growth as well as that of my family. As such, a certificate in Leadership Studies would form a good foundation for a Masters as all are inclined towards the field of education and would also be part of my greater continuous improvement personal policy.My decision for a certificate in Leadership Studies at Colorado University was further informed by a critical analysis based on accruing costs and benefits. Apart from the great reputation that the University of Colorado holds in the world of Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps, I was loo king a local university that could offer me a Certificate that carries international recognition, and at a pocket friendly price.Whether on distance learning mode or otherwise, to me, Colorado university appeared as the most viable option, more so for a veteran like me.Moreover, I consider education as the asset that does not build dreams but also ensures their realization. It is the asset that that rekindles hope, as through it, a bright future is foreseen. Irrespective of age, education turns a weak person to an energetic one while confidence within an individual is built through educational accomplishments. Through education, one not only understands themselves but also discovers their potential, grabs opportunities and is therefore able to pursue success into its greatest heights.  As a conclusion, I wish to make a worthy contribution to my life and humanity at large, and only through education can I secure the chance to do so. It also bears noting that through this certificat e, I wish to open up my mind and expand my horizons in all aspects, and this remains my objective as I place my application for consideration into admission to Colorado University.

Classic Airlines and Marketing Essay

Marketing September 17, 2012 Classic Airlines and Marketing Classic Airlines, the fifth largest airline carrier, currently serves 240 cities with more than 2,300 daily flights. However, Classic Airlines has experienced over the past three years a decline in their frequent flier program Classic Rewards along with customer confidence declining as well and stock prices has decreased by 10% according to University of Phoenix, 2012. Marketing is assigned the task of revamping the customer loyalty program and increasing membership while operating under a 15% reduction in expenses across the company. The challenges that the marketing management is faced with include a downward turn of morale among the employees; retaining and recruiting of new members for Classic Rewards, and the lack of support from upper management. Marketing management is the process of â€Å"creating, communicating, and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders† (Kotler & Keller, 2006, p. 6). Identifying Marketing Challenges The marketing management team has identified that the majority (60%) of its Reward membership are at the basic tier, 25% are on the Silver Rewards level, and only 15% are Gold Rewards members. Of these members 80% are business travelers with the remaining 20% leisure travelers. With this information, marketing instituted surveys to determine what the needs of the members are. The replies from the business traveler ranged from the dislike for connections and delays, the desire for quality service, and the idea that the frequent flier points are the result of the airline’s investment in the customer. Whereas, the leisure traveler is more interested in lower air fare and is more willing to have more connections if it will save the traveler money. Strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of Classic Airlines top three competitors—British Airlines, Northwest Airlines, and United Airlines—were completed by John Hartman, Senior Vice President of Human Resources. Based on the SWOT analysis, all three competitors have a strong and successful loyalty program. A common weakness between the three companies is the union at each airline. An opportunity recognized by the three companies is the customers’ needs are constantly changing and the airline industry is rebounding. Fuel and equipment along with competition are considered weaknesses by the three organizations. Gathering input from the Classic Rewards members was the responsibility of Renee Epson, Senior Vice President of Customer Service. Interviews of 500 Gold and Platinum Classic Rewards members revealed that advertising campaigns are failing in conveying an accurate and meaningful picture of the airline. In regard to the Classic reward program only 30% were either satisfied or very satisfied with the program and upgrades available. When asked if the members flew on other airlines, all categories excluding those who fly seven to 12 times a year responded that they flew other airlines more often than Classic Airlines. Only 8% have been Classic Rewards members for more than five years with the majority been members for one to three years. Strategic Planning The marketing management team has been performing strategic planning to implement a value chain. A value chain states Kotler and Keller, (2006), â€Å"identifies nine strategically relevant activities that create value and cost in a specific business† (p. 38). The team has identified opportunities, weaknesses, strengths, and threats for Classic Airlines’ competitors and through surveys and interviews for Classic Airlines. The identification of the concerns of the Rewards program members enables the marketing team to address these concerns and implement recommendations for improving the Classic Rewards program. This is part of the new offering realization program that enables Classic Airlines to develop and implement new high-quality products while remaining within the budget. Another part of the value chain is the identification of new markets to attract new customers. Classic Airlines needs to rebuild its customer relationship management process this in turn will improve relationships and understanding with both internal and external customers. Conclusion Classic Airlines marketing management is working on improving the organization’s rewards program while remaining within the budget that has a 15% decrease with the result of increasing the profits. A major challenge for the marketing management team is the lack of support from upper management. However, the team has begun the strategic planning of implementing a value chain method. The use of a SWOT analysis, surveys, and interviews of current customers has provided the team with an insight of the issues that must be addressed. Marketing is a process of delivering value to its customers while managing customers’ relationships and producing revenue and profit for the company and its stakeholders. References Kotler, P. , & Keller, K. (2006). Marketing Management (12th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson-Prentice Hall. University of Phoenix. (2012). Scenario: Classic Airlines. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, MKT571-Marketing website

Discuss the respective contributions of the scientific management Essay

Discuss the respective contributions of the scientific management approach and the human relations approach to managing people i - Essay Example However, human relations approach to managing people has not been able to totally replace the scientific management approach in all industries. In fact Richardson (1996) considers modern strategic management as the major problem causer in modern society rather than problem-solver. Richardson finds that scientific management is alive and used for strategic development in the highly competitive and productivity-conscious, organized world. Through time and motion studies it is possible to break down the work into simple tasks which could then enable the management to find the one best way to handle the task. Through this method it is possible to break down every step to the extent that it is possible to determine the amount of time that the worker could be allowed a break for drinking water. The workers then have to work like automated machines. Thus, to make the most effective use of human resources people have to be managed in this way. This principle of scientific management can ampl y be found in the way the fast food industry manages mass production based on the management principles of efficiency, calculability, predictability and control (Allan, Bamber, Timo, 2006). This sector is based on the classic Taylorist principles. Jobs are simplified, routinised and there is clear division of labor. ... There is practically no human relations approach in this sector even though they have developed the production system based on Taylorist principles. Taylor maintained that workers often performed tasks that were unnecessarily wasteful, hazardous and exhausting (Peck & Casey, 2004). Hence the work should be broken up into small parts and each step should be optimized. Taylor also suggested that the breaking up of the tasks should be done by talking with the workers of the ‘one best way’ (Peck & Casey, 2004) but in the fast food industry employee decision making and discretion have been totally eliminated; workers’ interactions are controlled by employers (Allan, Bamber, Timo, 2006). The fast food sector is thriving globally despite only partially adopting scientific management and not having human relations approach to managing people. A good team needs and informed, intelligent leader, according to Taylor (Darmody, 2007). Managers have the responsibility of motiva ting their employees and instructing them of the best way of performing the task. The aim is to attain efficiency and maximize productivity. Taylorism or the scientific management separates the labor process from the skills of workers. The jobs are simplified and routinised so that less skilled workers would be able to comfortably work on it and the management would be less dependent on skilled workforce. It also states that the conception and planning should be in the hands of the management while the shop floor is concerned only with the execution of predetermined plans. Decision making is centralized and every step of the labor process is controlled through formal rules and procedures. This is precisely what is happening even today not only in the fast food industry but even at the

The Glycosylation Profile of Proteins in Biological Fluids Research Paper

The Glycosylation Profile of Proteins in Biological Fluids - Research Paper Example The kinds of buyers who are expected to be frequently served are habitual shoppers who buy products at same places over and over and in the same manner. These shoppers get awareness once they have run out of a product and use only information provided or easily available. Once they visit retail outlets they discover new products. In the evaluation stage, they are likely to fall back on long-held preferences since they are brand loyal but they are also susceptible to change. To make the purchase, they have to be reminded and their purchase can be planned or unplanned. In the last stage of post-sale service, they perform moderate evaluations unless switching brands (Nunes & Cespedes, nap). The best channel for this device places it in several factory outlet stores, websites and use of catalogue so that the buyer can get the information wherever they are used to shop. To create awareness of the product, salespersons or adverts can be placed at their favourite sites or factory locations and enough information provided to convince them to change their preferences. Such adverts or sales promotions keep reminding them of the need to buy such devices. Once they buy the product, they are likely to repeat the purchase as they become brand loyal. The open system is essential for such shoppers as they prefer buying everything in one place and not much concerned with product quality assurance. Targeted e-mail campaigns can also be used to remind such customers of the need to buy the devices.

Sustainable Agriculture and Ecology Research Paper

Sustainable Agriculture and Ecology - Research Paper Example When an ecosystem is able to maintain and retain productivity for a long period of time, it can be classified as sustainable. There are numerous defects in the methods by which humans conduct their agricultural activity. They often consider their needs and neglect those of other living organisms. This in turn results in destruction of these organisms which can have an effect on the ecological cycle and result in undesirable outputs from farming. The prolonged effects of such destructive methods of farming also include diminishing of biodiversity. The essence of agriculture is to create products for humans which they can use for food, or for recreational uses in cases of tobacco. Some individuals and countries also depend on agriculture for economic purposes; however this raises the question, if farming is intended to be beneficial and humans rely on the lands for numerous purposes, what is the essence of damaging land that brings a vast amount of benefits to society? While food produ ction in the past century has risen gradually over time, it has adversely affected soil productivity, which will have affects on food availability in the near future. Even though agriculture is a basis for humans well being by providing food, it also resulting in consequences on a wide scale to soil indiscreetly and must be changed to maintain needs of present without compromising food production for future generations. For this reason agricultural scientists have strategized methods by which humans can farm and benefit both themselves and the environment. The term sustainable agriculture was first used by Gordon McClymont, an Australian agricultural scientist. This paper will analyze the biological methods which have been used in sustainable agriculture and illustrate the mechanisms by which they are used. It will also analyze the reasons why implementing such policies is beneficial to society. One major benefit of sustainable agriculture is that it helps preserve and maintain the ecosystem, which despite ignorance of most individuals, has an essential part in many aspects of human life. Some of the major energy sources used by humans have been predicted to run out in the next few decades. Hence, the country will require ecosystems as an energy source and to some extent a financial resource (Day et al., 2009). Ecosystems as an energy source are also beneficial to the quality of air in the environment as they produce less harmful byproducts. The biodiversity in different nations will determine the amount of energy sources, which can in turn result in an improvement the nation’s economy. This situation requires ecologists to further studies into functioning of ecosystems and find ways in which they can be preserved and used as energy sources (Day et al., 2009). Other strategies such as implementing Participatory Learning and Action Research and Systems Ecology for improvement of approaches taken in research have been suggested. This in turn will enable t he formulation of strategies that allow a smooth transition of current agricultural methods into approaches that are more sustainable. The two procedures have similar foundations and hence can be merged and utilized to obtain sustainable agricultural transitions (Eksvard & Rydberg, 2010). The methods can be used to improve the decision making as they analyze human activity from a broader perspective and offer a large scale upon which patterns of human activity are compared. These two

Health Policy in Florida Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Health Policy in Florida - Assignment Example According to the research, it can, therefore, be said that  a few reasons when combined produce the effect of the unusually high price of healthcare in the state of Florida. For example, the state has passed many statutes and regulations since 1985 that require transparency disclosures from physicians and hospitals but this disclosure does not include insurance companies. Ultimately, they exploit this opportunity. For example, a website administered by the state authorities called www.floridahealthfinder.gov provides consumers average and medical services charged by the hospitals but it does not mention reimbursement rates. Keeping this prices as secrets prevent lawmakers and healthcare policymakers from making better policies. Florida healthcare Coalition has put out many reports pointing out flaws in the system over the past years but they did not sit well with the hospitals. According to Becky Cherney, FHCC President and CEO, they blame the committee for coming up with biased da ta. There are also some genuine hurdles in making the process transparent. For instance, providing healthcare pricing to consumers in a form that they can readily understand is complicated because every patient has unique needs. One cannot just put a standard for disclosing to the public to which every healthcare facility would adhere to. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 supports the notion that healthcare is a right and not a privilege. The intent of the law is to secure the maximum number of US citizens with healthcare. Making health care available to every individual at an affordable price is the motive of such an act. The affordable care act tends to create new incentives for changing clinical practices. The change in such practices as needed to provide better coordination and quality. Such coordination also gives physicians more information so they can practice their medical skills better than before. However, wasting funds and abusing health care programs cost taxpayers billions of dollars.

Project Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Project Management - Research Paper Example The secondary challenge is based on the optimization of resources in a well organized manner (Larson & Gracy, 2003). We are living in the world of modern technology where execution of different software applications has made the complex methods simpler. Similarly, there are many software tools available that have made the process of project management much more effective and efficient. For fulfilling this purpose, Microsoft project is one of the basic tools that have captured the most of the importance these days. It has helped in the costs reduction, improved productivity, enhanced collaboration as well as it provides the facility of connected platforms. There are Ten Commandments of using MS project: 1. Thou shall save incremental versions of one's work. 2. Thou shall provide the right level of detail to the right project participant. 3. Thou shall not waste time trying to get MS Project to do things that a good spreadsheet would do. 4. Thou shall change today's date to the appropr iate time when creating a status report. 5. Thou shall check to make sure the program is doing what you want it to do. 6. Thou shall be patient in using the tutorial and help function to learn MS Project. 7. Thou shall save forests by printing only those pages one needs. 8. Thou shall help each other in mastering this program. 9. Thou shall not go insane by working with this software for more than 1 hour at a time. 10. Thou shall always remember that you are in control, not the software. Most Important Commandment Providing right level of detail to the right project participant is the key element or the soul of any successful project therefore, it is the most important commandment among the 10 commandments. For this commandment, information is the basic component that is required to attain the desired results. Information related to planning, execution, implementation, controlling, resources, time, budget, scheduling plays an effective role in pre-decision making process (Larson & G racy, 2003). It is also very important to discuss in detail and in-depth, each and every characteristic of the project with the project member to run it effectively. On the other hand, it is very important that each member of the project should be updated with the relevant information according to the role and project specifications. For example, the higher the role is, the greater would be the amount of information provided. However, the basic reason in the failure of any project depends on the lack of information provided by the management to any project member. 11th commandment can be added to use Microsoft Project i.e. Thou shall be tested rigorously to check the functionality of it with respect to the requirements laid down during the start of the project. Advantage of Using Project Management Software Application overshadow the disadvantages The advantages overshadow the disadvantages because the chances of project success increase by the successful implementation of these app lications. It manages the overall budget of the project, evaluates the risks associated with it, calculation of the costs and lastly, the business forecasting. It also helps in developing the performance reports and charts. It is a user-friendly software overall ( Mochal, 2006). What you need to know about the software is the approximate project management software market share that it takes to be sure that this tool is quite popular and it holds a majority of its customer

History of India and China Course Profile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

History of India and China Course Profile - Essay Example This course has deepened my interest in history. I found the archaeology of China very interesting.   We followed China’s evolutionary trajectories from the last Paleolithic groups that gathered hunting to the dynasty of Bronze Age Shang in second millennium BC’s second half. We learned that the sociopolitical evolution of China was multicentric. Competition and factionalism played a huge role in shaping the sociopolitical evolution of China. We studied the history of the ancient temple, Angkor Wat. It was a very special time in many ways. Not only did it preserve the history in terms of being the largest religious monument of ancient times, but its architecture also suggests how it shifted from being a religious place primarily from Hindus through to the Buddhists. An interesting finding was that it was the largest city in the world till the start of the Industrial Revolution. We were also surprised to know that Mahendraparvata, a lost city, has also been identified in it. The archaeology of India was also very interesting. The Mughal palaces and architecture were very elegant and inspiring. India’s archaeology made me realize how long have people been practicing Hinduism and Buddhism. Other things I learned about included but were not limited to the 7 billion think piece and Surviving In Bangladesh Having taken this course, I have become more conscious with respect to environmental health and safety. I have decided to change my life in ways that are better for the environmental protection. One day, someone from my 9th or 10th generation will be studying our archaeology.

Business Ethics and Deontology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Ethics and Deontology - Essay Example Moreover, the field of ethics in the business module observes ethical controversies with regard to various social responsibilities within the business process and also includes the ethical conditions of the professional entities, the fundamental rights of the employees, employment discrimination and positive actions among other concerns (Scribd Inc., 2012). The objective of this paper is to identify three major ethical issues that were raised in the WorldCom case in its various business processes and to evaluate those issues using the deontological ethics guidelines. Moreover, the ethical issues faced by WorldCom will also be critically assessed through implementing Kant’s Categorical Imperative model of business ethics. Three Major Ethical Issues of WorldCom An ethical controversy significantly affected WorldCom during its business operations and most importantly upon its sustainability in the business market. The organization had faced financial distress during the scenario of US bankruptcy in the year 2001. However, WorldCom emerged from bankruptcy fortification after reporting its accounting irregularities of USD 11 billion. The accounting irregularities in WorldCom had resulted in its being prosecuted against security charges of many of the organization’s senior executives (Scharff, 2005). ...Corporate Acquisition Strategy of WorldCom The core business strategy of WorldCom was highly focused to develop the organizational growth through an effective acquisition strategy which was quite complex and a lengthy process of operation. Mergers and acquisitions process in an organization is a delicate process to efficiently execute and can cause various problems in order to effectively overcome the concerns (Cernusca, n.d.). WorldCom had performed 65 acquisitions worldwide through its effective business strategies and was regarded as one of the major business organizations in the telecommunication industry. WorldCom had spent almost USD 60 billion bet ween the years 1991 to 1997 in its acquisition processes and accumulated a debt amount of more than USD 40 billion (Moberg & Romar, 2012). The acquisition strategy of the organization significantly focused on acquiring larger firms across the different regions of the world. The acquired organizations facilitated WorldCom to achieve larger market share along with strengthening their core competencies, however, it was observed that WorldCom failed to generate desired profit from its acquired organizations. The major ethical issues were raised due to various types of accounting scandals as well as certain unethical practices in the accounting department of the organization (Davis, Miksiewicz, Nitta, Rothenberger, & Scalera, 2011).

The Success of State Reconstruction Varies according to the Scale of S Literature review

The Success of State Reconstruction Varies according to the Scale of State Collapse - Literature review Example Reconstruction of States following conflicts is usually conducted with the help of various countries and organizations in the spirit of peace, development, and brotherhood of nations, infusing financial and human resources into a target State. In most cases, donor countries provide assistance in the forms of technical expertise and establish cooperative development programmes for locales where the State has no capacity to provide for the needs and protect the right of its populace. Many developed countries like the United States of America, Japan, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom, have their own foreign aid agencies and programmes providing technical and financial assistance to other countries rising from collapse, poverty or underdevelopment affecting its populace. Â  Most foreign development interventions normally follow the necessity for consent and cooperation of a recipient country. International development projects and programmes normally involve the infusion of technical advice and assistance from foreign international experts, and in some cases, these experts are tasked to manage key functions of governance within target countries. International development programmes and projects may range from the delivery of basic human services like healthcare services, agricultural and food development, to the restructuring and strengthening of judicial and legal systems of target/host countries. The first organizations to establish development assistance packages, through the study, expansion, and institutionalization of good governance as an accepted policy for development, are the World Bank (WB) and the United Nations (UN) through its various agencies and international programmes. The World Bank is best known for its implementation of economic governance programmes in the form of technical assistance and loan packages. The United Nations, on the other hand, focused on the delivery of basic human services and assistance as well as resolving conflict and legal issues within target or recipient countries. Food and agriculture improvement programs of the UN are the World Food Program (WFP) and programs by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), with healthcare development, like provision of water, sanitation, and general health, implemented by the World Health Organization and the UN International Children’s Educational Fund (UNICEF).

The true nature of Richards character Essay Example for Free

The true nature of Richards character Essay In his opening soliloquy, the true nature of Richards character is revealed, his villainy being divulged in the devious plans that he has plotted in order to usurp the throne. An array of puns, metaphors, and antitheses are used with ironic flair to convey the undertones in his monologue, granting the audience valuable insight to the play. The language that is used masterfully conveys the sarcasm in Richardss words, this being seen in the antithesis of winter and summer in the first two lines. The contrasting metaphors in these lines are seemingly used as a tool to relay the contrary meanings in his words, suggesting that what he speaks is not what he thinks. This hence serves as a hint to the fact that he is not entirely happy about the victory of the son of York- a pun for the house of York, as it was followed by the crowning of his brother. Also, it is evident that Richard is not agreeable to changes in his life, this being exemplified in another antithesis seen in stern alarums changed to merry meetings (1.1.7). In fact, he explicitly speaks of this unhappiness in the line where he states that in this weak piping time of peace, he has no delight to pass way the time (1.1.24-25). As such, it is clear that Richard is one who is innately evil; he is never satisfied in peaceful times, with chaos seemingly the only thing would truly allow him to feel alive. Furthermore, the covert bitterness that he feels is subtlely made known with the suggestive and deliberate comparison of wartime activities and the present ones; And now, instead of mounting barbed steeds.he capers nimbly in a ladys chamber (1.1.10-12). With this, he implies that the glorious tasks that he has accomplished in war have been reduced to frivolity in peacetime; spending his time in the company of women. In the subsequent lines, Richard proceeds on to an extensive elaboration on the ugliness of his physique; the deformities that separate him from society. The assonance in cheated of feature emphasizes and reminds the audience of the extent of his ugliness, perhaps, also suggestive of his moral deformities. Once again, the bitterness is evident in his tone as he claims that nature is unfair towards him hence preventing him from proving a lover. He then goes on to proclaim that he is thus determined to prove a villain (1.1.30), as though the fact that nature has create him as such was reason enough, and the sole motivations for his evil ways. Here, it would seem that Richard is attempting to find justification for his wrongdoings, and that the evil in his nature is merely a by-product of the unfairness of his physical appearance. Apart from the soliloquy, it would be difficult for the audience to grasp Richards character as he scarcely exhibits such honesty throughout the play. As such, the fact that the soliloquy is used as a dramatic device in Richards opening speech is extremely important; it gives the audience an accurate insight to his true character. Finally, Richard launches into the evil plans that he has made in order to acquire the throne, conveying them with little feeling or guilt. This is stark proof of his ruthlessness, also serving as a foreshadow to the further evil that he was to commit with the progression of the plot. It is interesting to note that Shakespeare chooses to put Richards self-depreciating lines before his plans. This is perhaps, done so to allow the audience to feel some pity for him before they are enlightened to his evil, and also understand the motivations behind all his wrongdoing. In the conveyance of his plans, Richard shows brutal honesty in his admittance of his evil nature and compares himself to his brother, King Edward. Once again, the use of antithesis is seen in the comparison of his brothers true and just nature to his own false and treacherous one. Here, Richard shamelessly reveals to the audience his plans to exploit the good character of his own brother, a further affirmation of his evil nature. Richards use of language in the soliloquy presents him as a witty and charismatic individual to the audience. In spite of his evil nature and deformed physique, Richard appeals to the audience by speaking directly to them in all but brutal honesty with regards to himself. His interesting choice of formal and figurative elements of language also makes him a dramatic and intriguing character, allowing the audience to appreciate the side of him which is not seen in other parts of the play. In Laurence Olivier and Al Pacinos performance of the opening soliloquy, the audience is exposed to very different interpretations of Richards character. While Olivier begins his monologue facing the audience, Pacino does his with his back constantly faced to the camera, with only one side of his face revealed. The choice of Pacinos body positioning creates a sinister impression perhaps, a reflection of Richards dark nature. On the other hand, the fact that Olivier chooses to allow a full frontal view of his face depicts the straightforwardness of Richards character, an aspect that is overtly presented in his soliloquy. Also, while Oliviers intonation throughout his monologue is almost delivered in a sing-song manner, Pacino alternates between quiet utterances and whispers. This contrasting intonation puts forth another difference in the actors interpretation of Richard; while Olivier is spirited and confident, Pacinos presentation is more subdued and seemingly, defeated. This sense of defeat is also apparent in the manner in which Pacino lets himself fall back against the wall behind him as he speaks of his physical appearance, a subtle indication to the resignation that he feels. However, it is important to note that there is one similarity in the way that both actors deliver their lines; the conveyance of a sense of bitterness which is especially apparent in the lines of self-analysis. While Olivier relays this with the rising of his voice, Pacino does so in a much more subtle manner; with the down turning of his lips. The differences in the actors portrayal of Richard can also be observed in the different aspects of mise-en-scene. One such difference can be seen in the costumes; Oliviers Richard is garbed in richly coloured and stylised clothes, the emphasis being evidently put on his kingly status. On the other hand, Pacino does not dress the like; opting to instead don costumes that make him appear plain and quite common. As such, it is evident that Pacino is attempting to instil a sense of realism to the interpretation of Richard perhaps, the fact that apart from the riches and status, he is just an ordinary man. In addition, the types of lighting used in both scenes also create a very different atmosphere; while Olivier makes use of artificial lighting to simulate daytime, Pacino does the opposite, using low-key lighting which shrouds his surroundings in darkness and shadows. The result of using low-key lighting has a pronounced effect on the audiences view of Pacino in the play as his face is almost always hidden in the shadows, a sense of mystery is created around his character. Interestingly, the contrast of the greenery visible through the windows to the dark interior walls in Pacinos scene reflects a covert facet of Richards inner world; he is caged by the demons within himself, living in a darkness that separates him from everyone else. The manner in which the audience interprets both scenes is also affected by the editing of the shots. In comparison to Oliviers six shots in seven minutes, Pacino does eighty-nine in the same time span, with the speed of the cuts creating a sense of spontaneity that is often seen in theatre performances. (Method acting and Pacinos looking for Richard, pg.7). Also, the fast sequences can be seen as a reflection of Richards mind; it moves at great speeds as he is constantly plotting against his brothers and thinking of ways to usurp the throne. The constant switching of scenes between Pacinos soliloquy and the various commentaries also creates a sense of suspense for the audience, compelling them to wait in anticipation and at the same time, allowing a better understanding of Richards character. More importantly, the fast rhythm of Pacinos play keeps the audiences on their toes, creating a sense of constant change that is ever present in the chaotic world that Richard thrives in. Hence, it is apparent that the Richard that Olivier and Pacino attempts to present are vastly different. The aspects of mise-en-scene and the fashion in which they act and deliver their lines serve to further illustrate this fact. While Oliviers play is highly dramatized with fake medievalism, Pacino chooses to put forth a much more realistic version, creating a Richard that is much more relevant and comprehensible to the contemporary audience. References Shakespeare, William. Richard III. 2nd revised Ed. New York, Signet Classics. 1998. Print. Su, Peirui. Method Acting and Pacinos Looking for Richard. CLC web: Comparative Literature and Culture. Volume 6 Issue 1. Purdue University Press. (March 2004). Web.

The Vision Of Audi Company Marketing Essay

The Vision Of Audi Company Marketing Essay Mr.August Hoch originated a company named Horch and Co in 1899 and then he developed his first automobile in 1901. As he encountered management problem, he left his company in 1909 and created a new company called Audi afterward. The brand of Audi Automobile in 1910 was GmbH and Audi continue to produce cars until the First World War. In 1931, Auto Union was formed. Before Second World War, this union among manufacturers had prodigious success. Manufacturers had a new start in Ingolstadt, Germany after the war as a lot of military vehicles maintenance and spare parts were needed. Since Auto Union unable to generate massive profit, the company was closed in 1960 and coincidently permitted the rediscovery of Audi. The vision of Audi Company is Audi- the premium brand. Audi Company emphasized its core brand Audi on the challenges of the future when adopting its strategy 2020. This strategy became firmer contour since Year 2011 because the mission of Audi Company We delight customers worldwide was explored deeper. Audi products are convincing in its brand values, sportiness, permissiveness and also superiority. The mission statement also plays an important role on the path to lead Audi to become the leading premium brand. Audi defined its customer delight in four areas of action which are, we define innovation, we live responsibility, we create experience, and we shape Audi. There are also four objectives of Audi Company which are continuous growth, superior financial growth, global image leader and attractive employer worldwide. Generally, target market is defined by gender, age, social-economic grouping, geography or any other combination of demographics. Audi Company targets on upper middle class consumers which comprises of professional employees at the upper level of company ladder, celebrities and businessman. Besides that, most of the Audi products are designed to be high in velocity therefore Audi targets male rather than female as according to surveys, majority of the female will not purchase a automobile because of its high velocity but they are only focusing on the artistic design and comfort level that a vehicle can offer whereas for men, high velocity will be the main criteria. Moreover, male which have age ranging from 30 to 65 years old are more preferred because Audi, for now, are non-economical product, it is impossible for young men who are still fresh in the society to afford a luxury car. Marketing Mix Strategies Promotion Promotion is one of the key elements of marketing mix strategies that informing, persuading and influencing a consumer decision. The components of the promotion mix are personal selling, advertising, sales promotion, publicity and direct marketing. Audi implemented a strong marketing strategy consisting of digital and television advertising in order to hit their target sales. According to the journal Audi all-time sales record driven by strong digital advertising, it stated that Audis TV advertising helping it top 100,000 vehicles sold in United States for the first time in 2010(Rachel Lamb, 2010). Besides that, another Audi strong initiative is its social media and digital strategy. For instance, Audi consistently updates its company news or products new feature through social networking sites such as Facebook and its own Web to make sure consumer can get the latest news instantly. Direct marketing is a channel that allows business to communicate straight to the customer. As a major car manufacturer, Audi does not only focus on innovation but also tried to attract new customer. Audi targeted prospective buyers with a mailer which using Royal Mails Mailsort ® 1400 service to deliver it. This mailer would deliver the new technological features that the new vehicle model had. Sales promotion is one of the key elements in promotion strategy that offer incentives for buyer to purchase the selected items. However, Audi doesnt do much sales promotion compare to other car companies such as Toyota, Nissan and Honda. The sales promotion of Audi company deals offered only happen at dealership level. They usually dont rely on these kinds of promotions because Audi has already established their brand in the automobiles world. Moreover, Audi utilizes personal selling techniques in their entire retail store. The salesperson in Audi retail stores are knowledgeable of the brand and should be trained to understand what their customers are looking for. Personal selling can be considered as an important source of marketing information. The salesperson should act as problem solvers and advisor for customer rather than using hard-selling strategy, it might help Audi to build a long-term relationship with customers. Besides that, Audi also sends representatives to retail stores to keep sale associate up to date on their merchandise and the technology behind to give the consumer better feel of the product. Pricing Marketers are concern on the pricing strategy with the objectives to be competitive and to raise profit as well as return on investment. Setting the right price is vital to trigger the companys impressions towards the potential customers. Audi as a luxurious brand with prestige brand image hires premium pricing as one of its pricing strategies. The price of a product will affect customers perceptions towards its quality. Customers often associate prestige with high prices because it is common that high quality raw materials and components are never cheap. Therefore it is reasonable for Audi to position its brand through premium pricing. According to Bojan IliĆ¡ and Vesna MiliĆ¡eviĆ¡, the business history of a number of enterprises proved that reducing in price for certain prestige products brought negative effect on sales. In fact, Audi automobiles, the quality leader, are always for society of at least upper-middle class. Below is a diagram regarding price-quality strategies. pricing strategy.jpg Source: www.atkinson.yorku.ca Besides, like other automobile companies, Audi also uses optional product pricing. All companies will not hesitate to increase the amount customers spend once they start purchasing, so do Audi. There are optional or extra products or equipment for customers to add on to their automobiles. For instance, customers can choose to equip their vehicles with pearl colour effect with an additional charge of RM4,000 or the normal one. Other optional equipments that Audi offers are Bang Olufsen sound system, electronically opening closing tailgate, panaromic glass roof and MMI navigation system with reverse camera. Another pricing strategy that Audi employs is geographical pricing strategy. This pricing strategy is quite useful as there are variations in prices in different parts of the world. A very good example is that Audi vehicles are cheaper in Langkawi Island than in Peninsular Malaysia. This strategy may not seem fair for areas which pay higher price but Audi makes professional pricing decision based on the distance and economic situation of the those areas to avoid negative impact on the demand of its products. Product Product strategy includes tangible and intangible elements. Tangible products are things that we can see, touch, and feel whereas intangible products comprise things such as the image of the offering and the psychological aspects of pricing. For instance, customer will form a perception that expensive goods are usually high quality products. As known worldwide, Audi produces different types and classes of luxury cars to suit the taste and preference of the demanding customers. Automobile that Audi offer ranges from normal family suite sedan car to throttling speed sports cars. However, the technology use in building each automobile is similar which fulfill two of the product strategy criteria- product features and product quality. The body frames of the cars that Audi produces are fully galvanized to prevent corrosion and rusting. Additionally, the full-body zinc coating has proved to be very effective in preventing rust. Moreover, the bodys resulting durability even surpassed Audis own expectations, causing the manufacturer to extend its original 10-year warranty against corrosion perforation to currently 12 years and this factor has form a perception for the customer that Audi automobiles are superior in quality and cars made to last. Besides body frame, even the space frame and engine, all are building using high quality materials. Furthermore, the design and layout of the automobile are attractive and unique. Audi refused to adopt the traditional rear-wheel drive layout favored by its two arch rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW, preferring either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Besides, Audi also have a deep length of product line. Audi Company target both upper class and middle class customers by producing normal sedan cars to sports cars and even MPV cars. The models are classified into normal Audi cars, Audi coupà ©s and SUVs, S (Sport) and RS (RennSport/Racing) models. With each of these category lines, Audi came out various models with different design and specification so that it can further penetrate the market of automobiles. Additionally, Audi also apply branding strategy where the brand of Audi symbolizes the four overlapping rings. The four rings represent the four labels of Auto Union: Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer. Place Under marketing mix strategy, place actually is refer to distribution of the product. This means that all aspects which related to how goods and services are transfer from the producer to the end consumer. This also indicates that how is the coordination of wholesalers or retailers involved in moving those products from head office, factory or warehouse, to the end consumer. Audi sites comprise the two German plants in the worldwide network, which are in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm. There are seven production facilities which are in China, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Slovakia, Spain and Belgium. The channels using by Audi is from producer to distributor to wholesaler to dealer and to customer. Euromobil Sdn Bhd is one of the distributors for Audi who buys large quantities of Audi cars from manufacturer and then creates smaller units and delivers the cars to their customer. It opened a state-of-the-art Audi Hangar which cost around RM30 million to provide as a one-stop centre for Audi customers. With well-equipped work bays, Euromobil intend to provide a complete services support and convenience to Audi customers. Audi also expanded its distribution network by opening a brand new showroom in the financial capital which located in Mumbai. Car dealers are important in promoting and selling their products. A dealer network and team understand what a brand, product, enterprise, competition and consumers really mean is the key to Audis success in marketing. Audi City London is an innovative dealership experience delivered by one of the most advanced technology retail environment. This digital environment features multi-touch display help configuring Audi vehicle from millions of possible combinations. This will help people place greater emphasis on a direct personal bond of trust with their vehicle brand. In addition, Audi are very convenience to access, there are sold in specialized outlets, shopping mall and also major department stores. For example, there was an Audi Display zone from 31 August to 2 September 2012 at Orion Mall, Malleswaram. Therefore, people will easily get the latest information about Audi and can easily get them. Market Opportunities Audi was known as one of the top automobile producer in the world for its sports series cars and also normal sedans which are the dream cars of almost all car owners. By just relying on the current market will not be sufficient for the rapidly changing customer preferences but to come up with new innovative ideas to maintain and expand its market opportunities. We discovered a way that Audi Company might find it useful way in grabbing its market opportunity by modifying its cars especially the S (sports) and RS (RennSport/Racing) models to strengthen the image of the company by building fantastic sports series cars that no one ever built. To be outstanding, Audi must produce car which beyond what everyone is doing which is having a jet powered engine with the complement of rocket building material which are able to withstand intensive heat and even can absorb large impact during collision, and the last one will be the fuelling system will be 100% eco-friendly and economical. The first step is to use a jet engine instead of the normal valve engine to be empowered its car. By applying the jet powered engine inside our sports cars which approximately will reach a speed of 450mph, it will replace Bugatti Veyron to be the fastest sports car in the world and lets name it as Audi TurBoo. It is a limited edition product. Although Audi TurBoo is such a high velocity sports car it still can withstand a large impact when collide with object. To complement its high velocity, Audi company should joint venture with one of the rocket building company that supply rocket and rocket spare parts to NASA- Rockwell International company, by having their supply on building material, technology and labor power (expertise) they can build the car chesses using titanium and aluminum to help keep the car weight down which contributes to faster velocity and higher resistance against any impact. Furthermore, the car body will be build using the same material but in the middle of the two pieces of metal it contains the Reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) and thermal tiles which are the components that provide for the most heat protection for a during breaking through our atmosphere and out to space, these material are used where reentry temperature exceeds 1,260  °C (2,300  °F). For the last thing that customer ever considers about is the fueling system. The fuel is cheaper than the price of a liter of petrol can cost. First of all, for the fuel part, the cars are going to run on liquid hydrogen and oxygen, Hydrogen, a light and extremely powerful propellant it has the lowest molecular weight of any known substance and burns with extreme intensity (5,500 °F). In combination with an oxidizer such as liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen yields the highest specific impulse, or efficiency in relation to the amount of propellant consumed, of any known propellant and yet they also are storable, transportable, reliable, less complex and the most important thing is it just 98cents per gallon. Other than modifying a sports car, Audi should form a subsidiary company to target younger middle market which is the majority population. The subsidiary company adopts operation of the parents company and is under the supervision of Audi. We suggest that the name of the new subsidiary company to be JIMT, this name is created based on the initial of four founders of the new subsidiary company and it is easy to be pronounced and remembered. JIMT Atom is a mini sized economical car produce under Audi Company which target at young and upper-middle class buyers. The small but perfectly formed JIMT Atom takes the small luxury car spoils for comfortable compare to other mini sized car. On the move, it makes consumer feels as solid and composed as Audis bigger and more expensive models vehicle, while the petrol and diesel engine delivers a strong blend of performance and economy. As despite its premium image, Audi would not cost a fortune to run this project. An attractively priced, low tax bills, rock-solid resale values and pre-paid servicing package help Audi keep running costs to a minimum level. Besides, standard feature of JIMT Atom include LED interior lighting package, Xenon plus headlamps, light and rain sensor as well as automatic air conditioning. The LED interior lighting provides several alternatives of lighting for the interior of JIMT Atom. Furthermore, Xenon plus headlamps use less energy consumption and last longer than standard dipped lights. The light, rain and air condition sensor is an optional feature in which headlights, wiper and air condition function automatically according to the weather. Among the advantages of owning a small car like JIMT Atom is fuel saving because it consumes lesser fuel and energy without affecting the performance standard. As many people emphasize on maneuverability of vehicles, small cars are easier to control and are much easier to park in crowded parking spaces. Moreover, JIMT Atom is able to pick up speed more quickly than other heavier vehicles. Recommendations To implement the market opportunities that mentioned above, Audi Company is suggested to hire world famous celebrity to be the spokesperson of their developed products. Celebrities not only bring enormous impact toward their adorers but also influence the publics purchasing behaviour. The reason behind this phenomena is because public has the psychological perception that a product is of superior quality with the renowned spokesperson. This also indirectly promotes the new innovated products through the spokespersons popularity. For instance, we suggest Audi Company to hire a young pop star such as Girls Generation, Justin Bieber and Hyuna to advertise JIMT Atom. JIMT Company will sponsor JIMT Atom to the contracted spokesperson for the usage in his/her concert, movie or music video. By this way, the rate of exposure of JIMT Atom will be higher rather than displaying in the traditional showroom. Therefore, the chain effect of hiring young pop star is increase in sales by obtaining support from younger generation as they would like to imitate their idols trend. Moreover, increasing rate of exposure leads to strong brand position and preference which caused JIMT Atom to become the first brand choice whenever the public think of buying a vehicle. As for Audi TurBoo, we would like to recommend Audi Company to hire a famous racer such as Michael Schumacher and sponsor him a brand new Audi TurBoo for racing competition. With his professional skills and techniques, we are pretty sure that this sports car best suited him as he has the capability to bring out the innate qualities of Audi TurBoo. Thus, the strengths of this product are explicitly revealed and intensely impress the public. Hence, public confidence towards Audi Company will be greatly boosted making the reliability of Audis product to be increase undoubtedly. In order to obtain higher profit, we propose Audi Company to organize a tour which permits Audis loyal customer to have a visit at Audis manufacturing department with the main objective to deliver the information about Audis high credibility and guaranteed product quality. Potential customers will have the opportunity to recognize the utmost effort of Audis management before a product is being commercialized to the market. Paying a visit to the manufacturing department also allows the visitors to witness the conscientiousness of Audis workers in accomplishing their tasks. In return, loyal supporters will definitely transform as advocators and circulate the good name of Audi to the people whom they associate. Since buying a vehicle is a high involvement purchasing decision, inviting potential customers for a tour to the manufacturing department, in fact, is helping them to collect as much information as possible which they absolutely need in making a purchasing decision. By comparing the information gathered, customers can easily differentiate the merits of JIMT Atom or Audi TurBoo with other similar products such as Mini Cooper Coupe, Volkswagen Beetle, BMW Z4 coupe and Lamborghini Gallardo. As for the welfare of potential customers, this may assist them in making a right investment decision as well as improve customer satisfaction. As mentioned, Audi TurBoo is a limited edition product in which its core purpose is to enhance the brand image rather than gain profit because of its high technological product which signifies a logo of success. Although Audi TurBoo is unaffordable for majority, producing Audi TurBoo will not cause a penny loss to the company but instead the up surged brand image boost up the sales of other products of Audi, a few example, JIMT Atom, Audi R8 and Audi A6. Audi TurBoo symbolizes the highest achievement of prestige automobile industry, resulting Audi Company as the quality leader and placing Audi in the most competitive position in continuous motion. In a nutshell, we strongly recommend Audi to set up subsidiary company- GIMT and produce GIMT Atom under the umbrella of Audi and implement the concept of Audi TurBoo into practice to enhance the sales of all ranges of Audi products. Conclusion In summary, Audi Company fully utilized the 4Ps marketing mix strategies to produce their products with its luxurious, exclusive capability to display style and comfort together to improve customers satisfaction and attract new customers. Audi keep tracks with the needs and wants of the people and designs its cars to meet the requirements of the people to gain sales for its company. Moreover, Audi has shown its significant progress in the field of technological innovations and superiority as it puts a lot of attentiveness and effort to success in automobile industry. The Audi Company also employed workers who are dedicated and hardworking and those workers really formed Audi excellently with their innovative, creative and class-apart design. From this assignment, we can understand and gain more knowledge about 4Ps marketing mix strategies. Besides that, we also know that how important marketing strategy and marketing mix for a company to success in the market and also the way how company can use marketing mix effectively to sustain competitively in the market. Through this assignment, we also know that creativity and innovative in developing new products is very important to gain competitive advantages among its competitors. 3483words

Article Analysis: Philippine Public Administration

Article Analysis: Philippine Public Administration William Christian P. Dela Cruz Corpuz, Onofre. (1986). â€Å"Is There a Philippine Public Administration?†. Reprinted from Philippine Journal of Public Administration 30 (4) (October 1986): 368-382. An Article Critique In his article entitled â€Å"Is There a Philippine Public Administration?†, Dr. Onofre Corpuz attempts to explain and define the scope of government as he believes that this is crucial to establishing the scope of one’s personal life, which ought to remain private and â€Å"inviolable from public invasion†. He writes, â€Å"The fact that the scope of government has not been discussed is not strange†. As such, the article focuses on the role of government and its scope in an effort to answer the fundamental question concerning the existence of a â€Å"Philippine† Public Administration. Although the essay has no explicit â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no† answer to the question at hand, it goes without saying that there is indeed a Philippine Public Administration inasmuch as there are major Philippine institutions that shape such, to wit: education, politics, and government. By looking into the logical development of the ideas presented in the article, it can be said that the author’s way of putting his message across is descriptive, historical, and discursive. In explaining the transition of each Philippine institution, the author employs details of different regimes in Philippine history and links them to the question at hand. It is also discursive because the author spends a lot of time dealing with several details that are only slightly connected with the article’s main thesis. On Philippine education, he asserts that history and science are the weakest aspects, which I think is evident in the status quo. The book of Ferdinand Marcos entitled â€Å"Tadhana†, which was written in 1976, is also mentioned in the article. Corpuz implies that the latter is not reminiscent of the true history of the Filipinos inasmuch as its main characters are foreigners and majority of the people that it features are Spaniards. He describes the Filipinos’ lack of a sense of history as â€Å"fateful† and the sense of nationhood in the civil service as â€Å"fuzzy†. He also mentions how media continues to influence a large number of audience at present, laments over the way we treat standards of precision and quality, and explains the repercussions of the government’s act of neglecting the Bureau of Standards. He writes, â€Å"It is the same reason for the fantasy of having many intellectuals in the country†. On Philippine politics, the author briefly reminisces the Filipinos’ past experiences under the Spanish regime. During this period, the author writes, â€Å"The Filipinos were deprived of any meaningful experience in the politics of civil government†. The gobernadorcillos or town mayors, who were chosen from the upper class, were nothing more than figureheads of the Spaniards. Yet, beyond the politics of civil government, the local upper class developed its own politics, which was the pueblo religious fiesta. Members of prominent pueblo families competed for a post called â€Å"hermano mayor†, the one who sponsors and presides over the celebrations. Efforts and personal expenditures were necessary to achieve this in exchange for few days of personal glory. The author argues that the main objective of the politics of civil government is to serve the general welfare of the community, which is far different from the politics of the fiesta that only seeks personal success and that of the family, after one prevails over his opponents. In other words, the goal of the former is entirely public, while the goal of the latter is clearly private. The author argues that this kind of politics, which is only contested by the people of the upper class as it keeps average people out, remains evident at present and even became the basis during the American period. On Philippine government, the author describes the quality of public administration during the American period as manifested by the way equipment, from tables and tools to books, were kept by property officers. However, the American regime was only limited as its only purpose was to govern the country as a colony, thereby maintaining â€Å"US presence† in the East. During this period, not all levels of education were funded by the national government. For example, elementary schools were run by municipal governments. Despite all these, the traditional structure of Philippine society remained with the principalia on top and the common people below them. Because the Americans have introduced the concept of â€Å"popular elections†, they thought they have already established a â€Å"working democracy†. The achievement of autonomy in 1935 marked the emergence of Filipino concepts of politics and government. The author mentions the expansion of the national government as it has taken full control of Philippine educational institutions. The author also talks about how â€Å"connections† between private businessmen and politicians developed during the time when private enterprises were regulated by the government. The author writes, â€Å"Even in the best of times, public administration cannot perform its roles well†. In his immortal argument, the author asserts, â€Å"The period of nationhood is much shorter than the history of colonial experience†. Despite this, the author still believes that the kind of public administration that exists in the country is truly Filipino, citing the concept of political padrinos and the one-man leadership in political parties. Furthermore, he talks about the Civil Service Commission and the defects inherent in this constitutional commission. He argues that problems related to public administration remains pervasive as our political culture has failed to regard civil service as the â€Å"foundation of government†. He even compares the civil service to the Pasig River, which, as we all know, is biologically dead. In the end, the author implies the need to improve the public administration in the country as it is the only way to attain development for the people. According to Corpuz, the only good thing is the fact that the entirety of the peopleâ€⠄¢s lives is not yet covered by the scope of government, which means that we can still pursue our personal interests privately. He ends his article with a goal, â€Å"to have a public administration that is an image of higher ideals and values†. Overall, it can be said that this article has contributed a lot to the present state of Philippine Public Administration as it provides a clear background of the major institutions that continue to influence this field. According to Brillantes and Fernandez (2008), this is one of the two essays used in the introductory course in Public Administration both at the graduate and undergraduate level; the other essay is that of Dr. Raul De Guzman. This alone proves the fact that indeed, this article serves as a major reference of almost all researches or studies in the field of Public Administration at present, which is why Dr. Corpuz is considered an eminent scholar of the said field. Although the author has properly substantiated his claim regarding the existence of a Philippine Public Administration, it can’t be denied that he has not clearly answered all the major questions raised at the beginning of his essay. As I have said earlier, the article seems to be discursive because it deals with a lot of things that are not relevant to the main thesis. I have also observed the lack of a smooth transition between paragraphs in the article. It appears as if every sub-heading was not connected to each other as they were discussed independently. Even in the article’s concluding statements, the scope of government, which the author ought to define, remains unclear, although the question regarding the scope of private life was partly addressed. What readers are sure about is the fact that the public administration that exists in the country is indeed Filipino. To improve this article, it would be better if answers to the questions raised in the introductory part were explicitly given, not implied. Also, I think that the use of figurative language (I refer to the choice of words) is counterproductive insofar as comprehensibility is concerned. In other words, I think there is a need to simplify the article in order to easily put its message across various readers. It would also be better if the author defined the scope of every institution as basis for the scope of the entire government, which remains poorly defined, so to speak.

Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy :: Thomas Hardy

Far From the Madding Crowd is considered the first great novel of Thomas Hardy. Margaret Drabble, editor and novelist, cites the novel as "the first of Thomas Hardy's great novels, and the first to sound the tragic note for which his fiction is best remembered" (Hardy xiii). Hardy was born in 1840 and began life as an architect. He wrote his first novel, The Poor Man and the Lady, in 1867. It was not received well. Four years later he wrote three more novels, two anonymously and one bearing his name; they were received slightly better then the first. His popularity and fame did not bloom until the release of his fifth novel, Far From the Madding Crowd. This novel launched him into the public eye and helped him to become the amazing writer and creator of the Wessex novels, as we know him today. The major turning point in Hardy's life was the reception of his novel, Jude the Obscure. Because of the major conflict concerning the book and it's readers, Hardy swore to never write fiction again. Approximately thirty years later, after writing some poetry and short stories, Hardy dies and is buried next to Dickens in Westminster Abbey. His heart is buried in the Wessex countryside in the parish churchyard at Stinsford. Far From the Madding Crowd is the first of Hardy's notorious Wessex novels. The main characters in the novel are Bathsheba Everdene, Gabriel Oak, Sergeant Troy and Farmer Boldwood. The novel begins with Oak and Everdene being introduced and Oak asking for Everdene's hand in marriage. She, of course, says no. After Oak's sheep are killed in a freak accident, he must venture out and look for new work and winds up on Everdene's farm in Weatherby where he becomes head shepherd. Everdene continues to flirt with Oak and also with the neighboring landowner, Boldwood, whom ends up proposing to her as well. Again, her reply is, no. Finally we are introduced to the young Sergeant Troy, who also asks for Bathsheba's hand in marriage and this time we are shocked to find out the her reply was, yes! Towards the end of the novel we find out that Troy has also seduced and impregnated a young milkmaid who has died in childbirth. Boldwood goes crazy and kills Troy because of his passion for Bathsheba and her refusal of him, and Bathsheba ends up betrothed to Oak.

Means To Tragic Ends (oedipus :: essays research papers

Does man really have free will, or does free will lie within a system of limitations that gradually compose a web of circumstantial fate that ultimately cannot be torn apart? The events in both Oedipus The King and Antigone controversially suggests that man ultimately chooses his own deeds and endures fate and the responsibilities for them. These events brought by fate are unmistakably aggravated by certain characteristics within the characters. Oedipus, from Oedipus The King, Antigone, and Creon, both from Antigone possess such flawed characteristics that lead to their tragic ends.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oedipus possesses a multitude of characteristics, some of them common to other characters, but pride is exceptionally prevalent. This characteristic, which margins with utter arrogance, appears to be one of the dominant flaws that causes Oedipus’ tragic downfall. This is plainly established in the beginning of the play in which he states “I Oedipus whom all men call the great.'; (p11.8). This is strengthened by the Priest’s replies of “...Oedipus, Greatest in all men’s eyes,'; (p12.40) and “Noblest of men'; (p12.46).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  However, pride is not the only characteristic which contributes to Oedipus’ tragic end. There exists his temper, which is initially presented in the argument between Teiresias and himself. After Teiresias speaks the truth as factual, Oedipus replies “Do you imagine you can always talk like this, and live to laugh at it hereafter?'; (p26.367) and then soon after calls Teiresias a “fool'; (p29.433). His temper is also exposed when he threatens to banish or kill Creon after Creon’s attempted reasoning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another contributing factor is his suspicion for others, this is evident where he questions Teiresias “Was this your own design or Creon’s?'; (p.27.377). He is falsely rationalizing that Teiresias is secretly plotting, in coalition with Creon, to overthrow him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Moreover, Oedipus has an unrelenting pursuit for the truth, which is demonstrated when he finally believes that he is the murderer and that Polybus was not his father. Nonetheless, he continues with his search with an extensive questioning of both his wife Jocasta and the messenger.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Furthermore, Oedipus exhibits self-loathing and a desperation towards the end of the play. After the facts have been voiced, he desperately attempts to rationalize the evidence and states, “You said that he spoke of highway robbers who killed Laius. Now if he uses the same number, it was not I who killed him. One man cannot be the same as many. But if he speaks of a man travelling alone, then clearly the burden of the guilt inclines towards me.

The Teaching of Saint Gregory Essay -- Christology, God, Creation

A. â€Å"The Teaching of Saint Gregory† contains many theologically concepts as God and Creation, Christology, human Sin and salvation, eschatology and resurrection. Owing to the limited space, I will only explore some key elements which I think are worthy to be discussed. First, Gregory depicts the God’s attributes – it begins with the faith of Trinity- God created the world and humankind, the Son saved humankind and the Spirit sustained the world (259, 263, 362). There is no one before God and there is no creator (259). God is incomprehensible and almighty (259, 366). God created two kinds of creatures: visible (the creatures in the world) and invisible (angels, include the evil â€Å"Follower behind†) (262, 278). Second, man was created in God’s image–which gave man rational mind and independent will so that man will be aware of God. (273), praise God (261) and live in a good life with God. (Enoch’s life 294). Third, in Christology, Gregory emphasizes the incarnation of the Son is not a sudden idea, not a phantom (402) but an eternal redemption plan of God. All the prophecies was foreshadowing Christ (342) and concerning Christ (377). Gregory skims the life and teaching of Jesus but emphasizes much in Christ’s death and resurrection. Jesus humbled Himself to the indignity of death (385, 587-595), came to bridge the separated, to build up what was destroyed (591). In Gregory’s view, the cross of Christ is the anti-type of the tower of Babel. The tower stands for scattering, represents God’s wrath of human’s sin; the cross stands for gathering that Jesus redirects people back to God (584, 585). With the promise of God’s spirit dwelling in the believers, Gregory further insists the Martyrs live and intercede for men (596-597) which ... ...however, find a light to solve the problem of illiteracy. Armenians is the only nation who maintains Christianity as the national religion to recent decades. Reasons for success are many, like a distinct geography, recurred prosecutions, and the martyrs linked with national pride could be the dominant factors; but also, the book of Teaching of St. Gregory is definitely a significant reason to keep the Armenians’ faith in the long history. Its â€Å"non-difficult,† comprehensive, systematic way explaining God’s demand, human’s sin & responsibility, God’s protection with whom in prosecution; provide reason, strength and faith for Armenians to live their lives faithfully. Another important thing the church can do is to adopt new technology, A-V computerized aids to polish the traditions of Christian faith and provide a fresh expression of Christianity to our neighbours.

Barcelona Olympics

When Barcelona was selected to host the 1 992 Summer Olympics, the city (as well as Catalonia and Especial as a whole) welcomed the incredible opportunity. In addition to the obvious nationalist pride and international recognition hosting the games entails, their excitement was also fueled by the potential that the opportunity represented. As the International Olympic Committee explains in their â€Å"Factories – Legacies of the Games,† recent Olympic games have resulted in â€Å"long lasting legacies for their citizens,† with many cities utilizing the games as a â€Å"catalyst for urban renewal† (International 013).This was indeed the case for Barcelona, which became almost a new city entirely between 1 986 (upon first being selected) and the Opening Ceremonies. Overall, the effects of the 1 992 Barcelona Summer Olympics can be seen in three main areas: the city's economy, the culture and international perception Of Barcelona abroad, and the city's urban development. Overall, ?6. 7 billion were spent on the games, most of which was spent on improving infrastructure. Overall, the city reaped a profit of ?7. 2 million from the games themselves (Flyleaves 2012).The long-lasting economic effects and cagey, however, have been much more significant. For example, the Barcelona Organizing Committee invested ?2 billion in constructing and improving four main sporting venues. Today, these venues welcome nearly 1 people each year for various conferences, concerts, and sporting events and they support nearly 450 permanent jobs (International 2013). In terms of specific areas of economic development, immediately upon their nomination, unemployment underwent a dramatic fall, the housing market boomed, and the construction industry expanded at an exponential rate.The Barcelona Olympics were also unique economically, in that Barcelona was able to sustain this economic growth for decades to come. In fact, until the recent recession that affected mos t of Western Europe, the city recorded growth in every economic indicator: employment, investment, and new construction. Thus, not only did Barcelona benefit at the time from the games, â€Å"it succeeded in maintaining the growth generated, on a scale never seen before† (Acid 2002).In terms of employment, Barcelona unemployment rate was cut in half from 18. 4% to 9. 6%. Not only was employment provided during the preparation and the games themselves, but nearly 20,000 permanent jobs ere created due to Olympic-related investment in infrastructure and facilities (Acid 2002). In terms of investment, one-third of the event was funded by the private sector and a third of this was with foreign capital. Private investment focused predominately on the construction of housing hotels, and business centers.The rationale for this private investment was the expectation of improvement in the city's level of attractiveness for conducting foreign business and attracting future foreign inves tment. Finally, in terms Of new construction, the sector multiplied by nearly 3. 5 times, despite the fact hat Barcelona building potential was already quite exploited (Acid 2002). One final area of economic development was in tourism. Between 1986 and 2014, Barcelona hotel capacity increased threefold and the number of visitors from abroad increased by sevenfold, reaching 7. Million visitors a year. In this regard, Barcelona legacy has been more â€Å"intense and sustained than that of any other modern host city' (Acid 2002). Therefore, the Barcelona Olympics have become an economic model for present-day Olympics – an exceptional performance by a city with an extraordinary and sustained opacity to ride the â€Å"Olympic wave† (Taylor 2012). The reasons for this dramatic increase in tourism are a direct result of the second broad area of change experienced by Barcelona as a result of the games.Throughout the games and opening and closing ceremonies, Barcelona put on a large promotional show, highlighting the culture of Barcelona almost more so than the rest of Spain as a whole. As a result, the games â€Å"changed the way people thought of Barcelona† (Taylor 2012). Between 1 990 and 2001, the city went from being the 1 lath â€Å"Best City in Europe† to the 6th and is now rated the 12th most popular destination for rigorists in the world, twenty years after the games. More than simply presenting the culture that already existed (Steelers, flamenco, etc. , Barcelona did a bit of lying and presented a somewhat contrived culture. For example, the games were heavily sponsored by Estella Adam and Don Simon, producers of beer and sangria respectively. So, despite the fact that Barcelona is not known for its beer and that sangria is not actually popular for the locals here, the international community was presented a clear relationship between these two brands and the city. Nowadays, bars in the United States boast selections of â€Å"Sp anish beer and Anglia,† leading international tourists to equate these with the culture of Spain and Barcelona.Because so many tourists began to request these when they traveled to Barcelona, things have come full circle and many local bars now advertise their sangria and â€Å"typical Barcelona beers. † As Adam Taylor of Business Insider explains, â€Å"Nowadays we think of the Spanish city as a land of palm trees, sand, and sangria but its easy to forget that before the games in 1 992, it was a much different place† (Taylor 2012). In fact, none of the palm trees in Barcelona are native to the city – most of them were planted in the six ears between the announcement of Barcelona as the host city and the actual games.One final cultural development of note, the Olympics helped transform Spain into a â€Å"sporting juggernaut,† with world-class athletes in soccer, basketball, cycling, and tennis. Many assert this is a direct result of investment in sp orting facilities and training before and after the Olympics (Barr 2012). As Spanish sportswriter Juan Jose Paradise explains, â€Å"the Barcelona Olympics put the Spanish flair for sport and drama on international display† (Barr 2012).Nowadays, the names Real Madrid and FCC Barcelona re synonymous with prestige and glory in a way that could not have been imagined before the games. This interest in sport has translated at an interpersonal level as well. According to the International Olympic Committee, the increase in the proportion of the population doing some kind of physical activity at least once a week increased from 36% in 1 983 to 51% in 1 995 and women's participation in organized sports increased 10% nationwide during the same period (International 2013).One final area of development for Barcelona before, during, and after the Olympics is in the urban renewal that took place. Most significantly, Barcelona today is characterized strongly by its beachfront. However, th e city did not really have a beach before. Rather, the Barcelona Olympic Committee created two miles of beachfront and a modern marina by demolishing industrial buildings on the waterfront before the games (Taylor 2012). For the city, the Olympics represented a significant effort to restructure.

BIO refining

Over the last 35 years Presidents have promised to make sure that America would not have a future energy problem. Yet concern for oil and energy has also grown over the decades as the economies for both the united States and other countries have expanded. On April 28, 2010 in Macon, Missouri, President Obama gave a short speech at the POET BIO refining plant where he talked about the subjects of foreign oil dependency. The environmental costs of relying fossil fuels, and clean and alternative energies.Not o mention al the new Jobs that he believes will be created by following his energy security plan. Obama was honest in talking about how moving forward clean energy is a long-term plan that could take decades to come to fruition. In searching the University Library I did not discover any articles that openly opposed investing In alternative energies. Even though I was hoping to find at least one that was strongly opposed to Investing In clean energy to use as an opposing viewpoint. I have become somewhat of a conservationist.I am a strong supporter of recycling, and reducing what ends up in the landfills. I believe that we do need to invest in renewable energy, and that changes do need to be made to protect the environment and reduce global warming. In the end more drilling is only a temporary solution to reducing America's dependency on foreign OLL regardless of what country the OLL comes from. I was Door In ten Mont AT January, wanly makes me a Capricorn. I nouns I ah not put much faith in astrology I do find that I possess many of the Capricorn traits.I have often been labeled as being negative, but I defend myself as being a realist. My biggest peril is locking myself into Just one way of thinking. While writing this essay about drilling for more oil I found it to be a much more complex issue. There are some extremist organizations like Greenback (mm. ‘. Greenback. Org) that would have all the oil exploration immediately halted. While I understand the ir viewpoint, I do not often approve of their methods.

Last Sacrifice Chapter Seven

THE PROBLEM WAS, OF COURSE, that I soon lost myself in the darkness. After living in the wilds of Montana, I was used to how completely the night could swallow you once you stepped away from even the tiniest hint of civilization. I was even used to wandering the twists and turns of dark forests. But the St. Vladimir's terrain had been familiar. The woods of West Virginia were new and foreign, and I had completely lost my bearings. Once I was pretty sure I'd put enough distance between me and the motel, I paused and looked around. Night insects hummed and sang, and the oppressive summer humidity hung around me. Peering up through the leafy canopy of trees, I could see a brilliant sky of stars, totally untouched by city lights. Feeling like a true wilderness survivor, I studied the stars until I spotted the Big Dipper and figured out which direction was north. The mountains Sydney had driven us through had been to the east, so I certainly didn't want to go in that direction. It seemed reasonable that if I hiked north, I'd eventually hit an interstate and either hitchhike or walk my way back to civilization. It wasn't an airtight plan, but it wasn't the worst one I'd ever had, not by a long shot. I wasn't really dressed for hiking, but as my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I managed to avoid most trees and other obstacles. Following the tiny road out of town would have been easier–but was also what Dimitri would expect me to do. I fell into a steady, subconscious rhythm as I made my way north. I decided it was a good time to check in on Lissa, now that I had time on my hands and no guardians trying to arrest me. I slipped into her mind and found her within the depths of the guardians' headquarters, sitting in a hallway lined with chairs. Other Moroi sat nearby, including Christian and Tasha. â€Å"They'll question you hard,' Tasha murmured. â€Å"Especially you.' That was to Christian. â€Å"You'd be my first choice if something illicitly blew up.' That seemed to be everyone's opinion. From the troubled look on her face, I could see Tasha had been as surprised by my escape as I had. Even if my friends hadn't filled her in on the whole story yet, she had probably pieced most things together–at the very least, who was behind it. Christian gave her as charming a smile as he could manage, like a kid trying to dodge being grounded. â€Å"They'll know by now that it wasn't caused by magic,' he said. â€Å"The guardians will have scoured every inch of those statues.' He didn't elaborate, not in public, but Lissa's mind was working along the same lines as his. The guardians would know now the explosion hadn't been elemental. And even if my friends were the primary suspects, the authorities would have to wonder–just as I had–how teenagers would get a hold of C4. Lissa nodded her agreement and rested her hand on Christian's. â€Å"We'll be okay.' Her thoughts turned to both Dimitri and me, wondering if we'd made it out according to the plan. She couldn't focus on finding Tatiana's killer until she knew we were safe. Like me, the breakout had been a hard choice: freeing me put me in more danger than keeping me locked up. Her emotions were keyed up, prickly and a bit wilder than I would have liked. So much spirit, I realized. She's using too much. Back at school, she'd managed it with prescription medication and later through self-control. But somewhere, as our situations grew increasingly complicated, she'd allowed herself to wield more and more. Recently, she'd used astonishing amounts, and we'd come to take it for granted. Sooner or later, Lissa's reliance on spirit would catch up with her. With us. â€Å"Princess?' A door across from Lissa opened, and a guardian peered out. â€Å"We're ready for you.' The guardian stepped aside, and inside the room, Lissa heard a familiar voice say, â€Å"Always a pleasure speaking with you, Hans. We should do it again sometime.' Abe then appeared, strutting out with his usual swagger. He stepped past the guardian in the doorway and gave Lissa and the Ozeras a winning, all-is-right-in-the-world grin. Without a word, he strode past them toward the hall's exit. Lissa almost smiled but reined it in, putting on a sober look as she and her companions entered. The door shut behind them, and she found herself facing three guardians seated at a table. One of them I'd seen around but had never met. I think his last name was Steele. The other two I knew well. One was Hans Croft, who ran the guardians' operations at Court. Beside him–to my astonishment–was Alberta, who was in charge of St. Vladimir's guardians and novices. â€Å"Lovely,' growled Hans. â€Å"A whole entourage.' Christian had insisted on being present when Lissa was questioned, and Tasha had insisted on being present with Christian. If Abe had known the interrogation time, he probably would have joined the group too, undoubtedly followed by my mother †¦ Hans didn't realize he'd dodged a house party. Lissa, Christian, and Tasha sat down opposite the guardians. â€Å"Guardian Petrov,' said Lissa, ignoring Hans's disapproval. â€Å"What are you doing here?' Alberta gave Lissa a small smile but otherwise kept in professional guardian mode. â€Å"I was here for the funeral, and Guardian Croft decided he'd like an outside opinion for the investigation.' â€Å"As well as someone familiar with Hathaway and her, uh, associates,' added Hans. Hans was the kind of guy who got straight to the point. Usually, his attitude bothered me–that was my normal reaction to most authority figures–but I did respect the way he ran operations here. â€Å"This meeting was intended just for you, princess.' â€Å"We won't say a word,' said Christian. Lissa nodded and kept her face smooth and polite, even though there was a trembling in her voice. â€Å"I want to help †¦ I've been so, I don't know. I'm so stunned about everything that's happened.' â€Å"I'm sure,' said Hans, voice dry. â€Å"Where were you when the statues exploded?' â€Å"With the funeral procession,' she said. â€Å"I was part of the escort.' Steele had a pile of papers in front of him. â€Å"That's true. There are plenty of witnesses.' â€Å"Very convenient. What about afterward?' asked Hans. â€Å"Where did you go when the crowd panicked?' â€Å"Back to the Council's building. That's where all the others were meeting up, and I thought it'd be safest.' I couldn't see her face but could feel her trying to look cowed. â€Å"I was afraid when things started going crazy.' â€Å"We also have witnesses to support that,' said Steele. Hans drummed his fingers on the table. â€Å"Did you have any prior knowledge about any of this? The explosions? Hathaway's breakout?' Lissa shook her head. â€Å"No! I had no clue. I didn't even know it was possible to get out of the cells. I thought there was too much security.' Hans ignored the dig on his operations. â€Å"You've got that bond thing, right? You didn't pick up anything through that?' â€Å"I don't read her,' explained Lissa. â€Å"She sees my thoughts but not the other way around.' â€Å"That,' said Alberta, speaking up at last, â€Å"is true.' Hans didn't contradict her but still wasn't buying my friends' innocence. â€Å"You realize, if you're caught concealing information–or aiding her–you'll face consequences almost as serious as hers. All of you. Royalty doesn't exempt you from treason.' Lissa lowered her gaze, as though his threat had frightened her. â€Å"I just can't believe †¦ I just can't believe she'd do this. She was my friend. I thought I knew her. I didn't think she could do any of these things †¦ I never thought she'd murder anyone.' If not for the feelings in the bond, I might have taken offense. I knew the truth, though. She was acting, trying to distance herself from me. It was smart. â€Å"Really? Because not long ago, you were swearing up and down that she was innocent,' pointed out Hans. Lissa looked back up and widened her eyes. â€Å"I thought she was! But then †¦ then I heard about what she did to those guardians in the escape †¦' Her distress wasn't entirely faked this time. She still needed to act like she thought I was guilty, but the news of Meredith's condition had reached her–which truly had shocked her. That made two of us, but at least I now knew Meredith was okay. Hans still looked skeptical at Lissa's change of heart but let it go. â€Å"What about Belikov? You swore he wasn't a Strigoi anymore, but obviously something went wrong there as well.' Christian stirred beside Lissa. As an advocate for Dimitri, Christian grew as irritated as us at the suspicions and accusations. Lissa spoke before Christian could say anything. â€Å"He's not Strigoi!' Lissa's remorse over me vanished, her old, fierce defense of Dimitri kicking in. She hadn't expected this line of questioning about him. She'd been preparing herself to defend me and her alibi. Hans seemed pleased at the reaction and watched her closely. â€Å"Then how do you explain his involvement?' â€Å"It wasn't because he was Strigoi,' said Lissa, forcing her control back. Her heart was pounding rapidly. â€Å"He changed back. There's no Strigoi left.' â€Å"But he attacked a number of guardians–on more than one occasion.' It looked like Tasha wanted to interrupt now and defend Dimitri as well, but she visibly bit her lip. It was remarkable. The Ozeras liked to speak their minds, not always tactfully. â€Å"It wasn't because he was Strigoi,' Lissa repeated. â€Å"And he didn't kill any of those guardians. Not one. Rose did what she did †¦ well, I don't know why. She hated Tatiana, I guess. Everyone knew that. But Dimitri †¦ I'm telling you, being Strigoi had nothing to do with this. He helped her because he used to be her teacher. He thought she was in trouble.' â€Å"That was pretty extreme for a teacher, particularly one who–before turning Strigoi– was known for being level-headed and rational.' â€Å"Yeah, but he wasn't thinking rationally because–‘ Lissa cut herself off, suddenly caught in a bad situation. Hans seemed to have realized quickly in this conversation that if Lissa was involved with recent events–and I don't think he was certain yet–she would have an airtight alibi. Talking to her, however, had given him the chance to pursue another puzzle in my escape: Dimitri's involvement. Dimitri had sacrificed himself to take the fall, even if it meant others not trusting him again. Lissa thought she'd made people think his actions were a former teacher's protective instinct, but apparently, not everyone was buying that. â€Å"He wasn't thinking rationally because?' prompted Hans, eyes sharp. Before the murder, Hans had believed Dimitri truly had become a dhampir again. Something told me he still believed that but sensed there was something big dangling before him. Lissa stayed silent. She didn't want people thinking Dimitri was Strigoi. She wanted people to believe in her powers to restore the undead. But if Dimitri helping a student didn't seem convincing enough to others, all that mistrust might surface again. Glancing at her interrogators, Lissa suddenly met Alberta's eyes. The older guardian said nothing. She wore that neutral, scrutinizing expression that guardians excelled at. She also had an air of wisdom about her, and Lissa briefly allowed spirit to show her Alberta's aura. It had good, steady colors and energy, and in Alberta's eyes, Lissa swore she could see a message, a knowing glint. Tell them, the message seemed to say. It'll create problems–but they won't be as bad as your current ones. Lissa held that gaze, wondering if she was just projecting her own thoughts onto Alberta. It didn't matter who'd come up with the idea. Lissa knew it was right. â€Å"Dimitri helped Rose because †¦ because they were involved.' As I'd guessed, Alberta wasn't surprised, and she seemed relieved to have the truth out there. Hans and Steele, however, were very surprised. I had only seen Hans shocked a few times. â€Å"When you say â€Å"involved,' do you mean †¦' He paused to structure his words. â€Å"Do you mean romantically involved?' Lissa nodded, feeling horrible. She'd revealed a big secret here, one she'd sworn she'd keep for me, but I didn't blame her. Not in this situation. Love–I hoped–would defend Dimitri's actions. â€Å"He loved her,' said Lissa. â€Å"She loved him. If he helped her escape–‘ â€Å"He did help her escape,' interrupted Hans. â€Å"He attacked guardians and blew up priceless, centuries-old statues brought over from Europe!' Lissa shrugged. â€Å"Well, like I said. He wasn't acting rationally. He wanted to help her and probably thought she was innocent. He would have done anything for her–and it had nothing to do with Strigoi.' â€Å"Love only justifies so much.' Hans clearly wasn't a romantic. â€Å"Shes underage!' exclaimed Steele. That part hadn't escaped him. â€Å"She's eighteen,' corrected Lissa. Hans cut her a look. â€Å"I can do the math, princess. Unless they managed some beautiful, touching romance in the last few weeks–while he was mostly in isolation– then there were things going on at your school that someone should have reported.' Lissa said nothing, but from the corner of her eye, she could see Tasha and Christian. They were trying to keep their expressions neutral, but it was obvious this news wasn't a surprise to them, no doubt confirming Hans's suspicions that illicit things had been going on. I actually hadn't realized Tasha knew about Dimitri and me and felt a little bad. Had she known that part of his rejection of her had been because of me? And if she knew, how many others did? Christian had probably tipped her off, but something told me more people were probably starting to find out as well. After the school's attack, my reaction had likely been a big clue about my feelings for Dimitri. Maybe telling Hans now wasn't so big a deal after all. The secret wouldn't be a secret much longer. Alberta cleared her throat, speaking up at last. â€Å"I think we have more important things to worry about right now than some romance that may or may not have happened.' Steele gave her an incredulous look and slammed his hand against the table. â€Å"This is pretty serious. Did you know about it?' â€Å"All I know is that we're getting distracted from the point here,' she replied, neatly dodging the question. Alberta was about twenty years older than Steele, and the tough look she gave him said that he was a child wasting her time. â€Å"I thought we were here to figure out if Miss Hathaway had any accomplices, not dredge up the past. So far, the only person we can say for sure that helped her is Belikov, and he did it out of irrational affection. That makes him a fugitive and a fool, not a Strigoi.' I'd never thought of my relationship with Dimitri as â€Å"irrational affection,' but Alberta's point was taken. Something in Hans's and Steele's faces made me think soon the whole world would know about us, but that was nothing compared to murder. And if it cleared Dimitri of being a Strigoi, then it meant he'd be imprisoned instead of staked if ever captured. Small blessings. Lissa's questioning continued a bit longer before the guardians decided she was free and clear of any part in my escape (that they could prove). She did a good job playing surprised and confused the whole time, even mustering a few tears over how she could have so misjudged me. She spun a little bit of compulsion into her act too–not enough to brainwash anyone, but enough that Steele's earlier outrage transformed to sympathy. Hans was harder to read, but as my group left, he reminded Tasha and Christian that he would be speaking with each of them later, preferably without an entourage. For now, the next person in the hot seat was waiting in the hall: Eddie. Lissa gave him the same smile she'd give any friend. There was no indication that they were both part of a conspiracy. Eddie nodded in return as he was called to the room for his interrogation. Lissa was anxious for him, but I knew his guardian self-control would make sure he stuck to the story. He probably wouldn't pull the tears Lissa had, but he'd likely act just as shocked by my â€Å"treason' as she had. Tasha left Christian and Lissa once they were outside, first warning them to be careful. â€Å"You've gotten out of this so far, but I don't think the guardians have completely cleared you. Especially Hans.' â€Å"Hey, I can take care of myself,' said Christian. Tasha rolled her eyes. â€Å"Yes. I see what happens when you're left to your own devices.' â€Å"Hey, don't get all pissy because we didn't tell you,' he exclaimed. â€Å"We didn't have time, and there were only so many people we could get involved. Besides, you've done your share of crazy plans before.' â€Å"True,' Tasha admitted. She was hardly a role model for playing by the rules. â€Å"It's just that everything's gotten that much more complicated. Rose is on the run. And now Dimitri †¦' She sighed, and I didn't need her to finish to guess her thoughts. There was a profound look of sadness in her eyes, one that made me feel guilty. Just like the rest of us, Tasha had wanted Dimitri's reputation restored. By freeing the queen's accused assassin, he'd seriously damaged any chance at acceptance. I really wished he hadn't gotten involved and hoped my current escape plan paid off. â€Å"This'll all work out,' said Christian. â€Å"You'll see.' He didn't look so confident as he spoke, and Tasha gave him a small, amused smile. â€Å"Just be careful. Please. I don't want to see you in a cell, too. I don't have time for jail visits with everything else going on.' Her amusement faded, and her outspoken activist mode kicked in. â€Å"Our family's being ridiculous, you know. Can you believe they're actually talking about running Esmond for us? Good God. We've already had one tragedy after another around here. At the very least, we should try to salvage something out of this mess.' â€Å"I don't think I know Esmond,' said Christian. â€Å"Moron,' she said matter-of-factly. â€Å"Him, I mean. Not you. Someone's got to talk sense into our family before they embarrass themselves.' Christian grinned. â€Å"And let me guess: you're just the one to do it?' â€Å"Of course,' she said, a mischievous gleam in her eye. â€Å"I've already drawn up a list of ideal candidates. Our family just needs some persuasion to see how ideal they are.' â€Å"I'd feel bad for them if they weren't still being assholes to us,' Christian remarked, watching his aunt walk away. The stigma of his parents turning Strigoi still lingered after all these years. Tasha accepted it more gracefully–despite her complaining–if only to be able to participate in the Ozera family's larger decisions. Christian made no such attempts at civility. It was terrible enough to be treated as less than other Moroi, to be denied guardians and other things royals were entitled to. But from his own family? It was especially harsh. He refused to pretend it was acceptable. â€Å"They'll come around eventually,' said Lissa, sounding more optimistic than she felt. Any response of Christian's was swallowed when a new companion fell into step with them: my father. His abrupt appearance startled both of my friends, but I wasn't surprised. He probably knew about Lissa's interrogation and had been skulking outside the building, waiting to talk to her. â€Å"It's nice out,' said Abe amiably, looking around at the trees and flowers as though the three of them were on a nature walk through Court. â€Å"But it's going to be scorching when the sun comes up.' The darkness that was giving me so much trouble in the woods of West Virginia made for pleasant, â€Å"midday' conditions for those on a vampiric schedule. Lissa gave Abe a sidelong glance. With eyes well-tuned to low light, she had no difficulty taking in the brilliant teal dress shirt under his beige sports jacket. A blind person could have probably seen him in that color. Lissa scoffed at Abe's faked casualness. It was a habit of his, opening with small talk before moving on to more sinister topics. â€Å"You're not here to talk about the weather.' â€Å"Trying to be civilized, that's all.' He fell silent as a couple of Moroi girls passed them. Once they were well out of ear-shot, he asked in a low voice, â€Å"I assume everything went well at your little meeting?' â€Å"Fine,' she said, not bothering to fill him in about â€Å"irrational affection.' She knew all he'd care about was that none of their associates had been implicated. â€Å"The guardians have Eddie now,' said Christian. â€Å"And want me later, but I think that'll be it for all of us.' Lissa sighed. â€Å"Honestly, I have a feeling the interrogation was the easy part, compared to what's coming.' She meant figuring out who had really killed Tatiana. â€Å"One step at a time,' murmured Abe. â€Å"No point in letting the larger picture overwhelm us. We'll just start at the beginning.' â€Å"That's the problem,' said Lissa, kicking irritably at a branch lying across the cobblestone path in front of her. â€Å"I have no idea where to start. Whoever killed Tatiana did a good job covering their tracks and shifting it all to Rose.' â€Å"One step at a time,' repeated Abe. He spoke in that sly tone of his that annoyed me sometimes, but to Lissa today, it was grating. Until now, all of her energy had been focused on getting me out of jail and somewhere safe. That was the goal that had driven her and kept her going in my escape's aftermath. Now, after some of the intensity had faded, the pressure of it all was beginning to crash down on her. Christian put an arm around her shoulders, sensing her dismay. He turned to Abe, unusually serious. â€Å"Do you have any ideas?' Christian asked Abe. â€Å"We certainly don't have any real evidence.' â€Å"We have reasonable assumptions,' Abe replied. â€Å"Like that whoever killed Tatiana would have had access to her private rooms. That's not a long list.' â€Å"Its not short either.' Lissa ticked off people on her fingers. â€Å"The royal guards, her friends and family †¦ and that's assuming no one altered the guardians' records of her visitors. And for all we know, some visits were never logged at all. She probably had secret business meetings all the time.' â€Å"Unlikely she'd have business meetings in her bedroom, in her nightgown,' mused Abe. â€Å"Of course, it depends on the type of business, I suppose.' Lissa stumbled, realization stunning her. â€Å"Ambrose.' â€Å"Who?' â€Å"Hes a dhampir †¦ really good-looking †¦ He and Tatiana were, um †¦' â€Å"Involved?' said Christian with a smile, echoing the interrogation. Now Abe came to a stop. Lissa did the same, and his dark eyes met hers. â€Å"I've seen him. Sort of a pool boy type.' â€Å"He'd have access to her bedroom,' said Lissa. â€Å"But I just can't–I don't know. I can't see him doing this.' â€Å"Appearances are deceiving,' said Abe. â€Å"He was terribly interested in Rose back in the courtroom.' More surprise for Lissa. â€Å"What are you talking about?' Abe stroked his chin in an evil-villain sort of way. â€Å"He spoke to her †¦ or gave her some signal. I'm not really sure, but there was some kind of interaction between them.' Clever, watchful Abe. He'd noticed Ambrose giving me the note but hadn't fully realized what had happened. â€Å"We should talk to him then,' said Christian. Lissa nodded. Conflicting feelings churned inside of her. She was excited by a lead– but upset that it meant kind, gentle Ambrose might be a suspect. â€Å"I'll take care of it,' said Abe breezily. I felt her gaze fall heavily on him. I couldn't see her expression, but I did see Abe take an involuntary step back, the faintest glimmer of surprise in his eyes. Even Christian flinched. â€Å"And I'm going to be there when you do,' she said, steel in her voice. â€Å"Do not attempt some crazy torture-style interrogation without me.' â€Å"You want to be there for the torture?' asked Abe, recovering. â€Å"There won't be any. We'll talk to Ambrose like civilized people, understand?' She stared hard at him again, and Abe finally shrugged in acquiescence, as though being overpowered by a woman half his age was no big deal. â€Å"Fine. We'll do it together.' Lissa was a little suspicious at his willingness, and he must have picked up on that. â€Å"We will,' he said, continuing walking. â€Å"This is a good time–well, as good as any time–for an investigation. Court's going to get chaotic as the monarch elections get under way. Everyone here will be busy, and new people will start pouring in.' A breeze, heavy with humidity, ruffled Lissa's hair. The promise of heat was on it, and she knew Abe would be right about sunrise. It would be worth going to bed early. â€Å"When will the elections happen?' she asked. â€Å"As soon as they put dear Tatiana to rest. These things move fast. We need our government restored. She'll be buried tomorrow at the church with a ceremony and service, but there'll be no repeat of the procession. They're still too uneasy.' I felt kind of bad that she hadn't received a full queenly funeral in the end, but then, if it meant her true murderer was found, maybe she would have preferred it that way. â€Å"Once the burial happens and elections begin,' Abe continued, â€Å"any family who wants to put out a candidate for the crown will do so–and of course they'll want to. You've never seen a monarchial election, have you? It's quite a spectacle. Of course, before the voting occurs, all the candidates will have to be tested.' There was something ominous in the way he said â€Å"tested,' but Lissa's thoughts were elsewhere. Tatiana had been the only queen she'd ever known, and the full impact of a regime change was staggering. â€Å"A new king or queen can affect everything–for better or worse. I hope it's someone good. One of the Ozeras, maybe. One of Tasha's people.' She glanced hopefully at Christian, who could only shrug. â€Å"Or Ariana Szelsky. I like her. Not that it matters who I want,' she added bitterly. â€Å"Seeing as I can't vote.' The Council's votes determined the election's winner, so again, she was locked out of the Moroi legal process. â€Å"A lot of work will go into the nominations,' Abe explained, avoiding her last comment. â€Å"Each family will want someone to further their interests but who also has a chance of getting votes from–‘ â€Å"Oomph!' I was thrust harshly out of the calculating world of Moroi politics and back into the wilds of West Virginia–very painfully so. Something solid and fierce slammed me against the hard-packed earth, leaves and branches cutting my face and hands. Strong hands held me down, and Dimitri's voice spoke in my ear. â€Å"You should have just hidden in town,' he said, a little amused. His weight and position allowed me no room to move. â€Å"It would have been the last place I looked. Instead, I knew exactly where you'd go.' â€Å"Whatever. Don't act so smart,' I said through gritted teeth, trying to break out of his hold. Goddamn it. He was smart. And once again, the closeness of him was disorienting. Earlier, it had seemed to affect him too, but he'd apparently learned his lesson. â€Å"You made a lucky guess, that's all.' â€Å"I don't need luck, Roza. I'll always find you. So, really it's up to you how difficult you want this situation to be.' There was an almost conversational tone to his voice, made all the more ridiculous by the situation we were in. â€Å"We can do this over and over, or you can do the reasonable thing and just stay put with Sydney and me.' â€Å"It's not reasonable! It's wasteful.' He was sweating, from the heat and undoubtedly because he'd had to run pretty hard to catch up with me. Adrian wore a cologne that always made me heady, but the natural scent of Dimitri's warm skin was intoxicating too. It was amazing to me that I could keep noticing these little things–and be attracted to them–even when I was legitimately mad at him for keeping me captive. Maybe anger was a turn-on for me. â€Å"How many times do I have to explain the logic behind what we're doing?' he asked in exasperation. â€Å"Until you give up.' I pushed back against him, trying again to get loose, but all it did was put us closer together. I had a feeling the kissing trick wouldn't work this time. He jerked me to my feet, keeping my arms and hands pinned behind my back. I had a little more room to maneuver than I had on the ground, but not quite enough to break free. Slowly, he began trying to make me walk back toward the direction I'd come from. â€Å"I am not letting you and Sydney risk getting in trouble with me. I'll take care of myself, so just let me go!' I said, literally dragging my feet. Seeing a tall, skinny tree, I stuck one leg out and hooked myself onto the trunk, completely bringing us to a halt. Dimitri groaned and shifted his grip to get me away from the tree. It almost gave me an escape opportunity, but I didn't even manage two steps before he had a hold of me again. â€Å"Rose,' he said wearily. â€Å"You can't win.' â€Å"How's your face feeling?' I asked. I couldn't see any marks in the poor lighting but knew the punch I'd given him would leave a mark tomorrow. It was a shame to damage his face like that, but he'd heal, and maybe it would teach him a lesson about messing with Rose Hathaway. Or not. He began dragging me again. â€Å"I'm seconds away from just tossing you over my shoulder,' he warned. â€Å"I'd like to see you try.' â€Å"How do you think Lissa would feel if you got killed?' His grip tightened, and while I had a feeling he'd make good on his over-the-shoulder threat, I also suspected he wanted to shake me. He was that upset. â€Å"Can you imagine what it would do to her if she lost you?' For a moment, I was out of snappy retorts. I didn't want to die, but risking my life was exactly that: risking my life. No one else's. Still, I knew he was right. Lissa would be devastated if anything happened to me. And yet †¦ it was a risk I had to take. â€Å"Have a little faith, comrade. I won't get killed,' I said stubbornly. â€Å"I'll stay alive.' Not the answer he'd wanted. He shifted his hold. â€Å"There are other ways to help her than whatever insanity you're thinking of.' I suddenly went limp. Dimitri stumbled, caught by surprise at my sudden lack of resistance. â€Å"What's wrong?' he asked, both puzzled and suspicious. I stared off into the night, my eyes not really focused on anything. Instead, I was seeing Lissa and Abe back at Court, remembering Lissa's feeling of powerlessness and longing for her vote. Tatiana's note came back to me, and for a moment, I could hear her voice in my head. She is not the last Dragomir. Another lives. â€Å"Youre right,' I said at last. â€Å"Right about †¦ ?' Dimitri was at a total loss. It was a common reaction for people when I agreed to something reasonable. â€Å"Rushing back to Court won't help Lissa.' Silence. I couldn't fully make out his expression, but it was probably filled with shock. â€Å"I'll go back to the motel with you, and I won't go running off to Court.' Another Dragomir. Another Dragomir needing to be found. I took a deep breath. â€Å"But I'm not going to sit around and do nothing. I am going to do something for Lissa–and you and Sydney are going to help me.'