Walt Disney Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Walt Disney - Assignment Example Steve Jobs who is blessed with an innovative brain is the co-founder of Apple Inc; whereas, the Disney has already gained a good stature among its customers across the globe. Hence, Disney’s repute and Jobs’ technical expertise together would assist the Walt Disney to achieve infinite heights in market. It is known to everyone that Jobs’ relentless effort was the only factor that lifted Pixar and Apple sky-high. If he can bring his innovativeness to this new venture, he will uplift the staid company to a leading laboratory for media convergence (case study, p.269). The success of Jobs’ all ventures can be attributed to his thoughtful strategies and product differentiation. He believes that product/service quality is an essential element for business success. With the creative application of multimedia and computer animation, Jobs could knock out six blockbusters. Similarly, Jobs’ stance at Pixar while competing with Apple was appreciable. Jobs never feared rivals’ products; instead, he deeply concentrated on improving the aesthetic appeal and quality of his products while pursuing his business. Evidently Jobs’ successfully experimented business ideas would contribute to the profitability of the Disney.

Philips Kotler Marketing Management Essay Example for Free

Philips Kotler Marketing Management Essay Analyzing Consumer Markets Since marketing starts from the customer, it is of primary importance to understand the psyche of the customers and their buying motives. This chapter talks about the various behavioural patterns that govern the decision making process of a customer. A marketer needs to understand these factors affecting the customer’s purchase decisions so as to design an appropriate marketing strategy. Factors affecting Consumer Buying Behaviour 1. Cultural Factors a. Culture Frames traditions, values, perceptions, preferences. E.g. Child learning from family surroundings. b. Sub-culture Provides more specific identification and socialization. Include nationalities, religions, racial groups and geographic regions. c. Social Class – Homogeneous and enduring divisions in a society which are hierarchically ordered. Members share similar tastes and behaviour. 2. Social Factors a. Reference Groups – Have direct or indirect influence on person’s attitude and behaviour. Primary groups: regular interaction, e.g. family, friends, neighbours. Secondary groups: religious, professional, trade union groups. Aspirational Groups: ones that a person hopes to join. Dissociative groups: whose values or behaviour and individual rejects. b. Family – Family of orientation: parents and siblings. Acquires orientation towards religion, politics and economics, sense of personal ambition, self worth and love. Family of procreation: spouse and children. More direct influence on buying behaviour. c. Roles and Status – Role consists of activities a person is expected to perform. Each role carries a status. Marketers must be aware of the status symbol of each product. Chapter 6 Analyzing Consumer Markets 3. Personal Factors a. Age and Stage in the Life Cycle – Tastes are age related. Markets should also consider critical life events or transitions. b. Occupation and Economic Circumstances – Economic Circumstances like spendable income, savings, assets, debts, borrowing power etc affect consumption patterns. c. Personality and Self Concept – Personality, set of distinguishing characteristics that influence his/her buying behaviour. Consumers match brand personality with their ideal self concept instead of their actual self concept. d. Lifestyle and Values 4. Psychological Factors a. Motivation: Freud’s theory of id, ego and super ego; Maslow’s need hierarchy theory; Herzberg’s two factor model. b. Perception: Process by which we select, organize and interpret information inputs. In marketing, perceptions are more important than reality. c. Learning – Induces changes in behaviour arising from experience. Marketers can build demand by associating the product with positive drives. d. Memory – Short term and long term memory. Build brand knowledge and brand recall as node in memory. Problem Recogniton Information Search Evaluation of Alternatives Purchase Decision Postpurchase Behaviour The Buying Decision Process Problem Recognition Customer recognises a need triggered by internal or external stimuli. Marketers need to identify circumstances that trigger needs. Information Search Two levels of involvement – Heightened attention when person becomes more receptive to information about the product. At next level consumer may enter into active information search, looking for reading material, phoning friends etc. Evaluation of Alternatives Factors influencing a particular choice over the other include attitudes, beliefs and expectancy value. Purchase Decision Between purchase intention and purchase decision, 2 intervening factors come into play- Attitudes of others and Unanticipated situational factors. Marketers should understand that these factors provoke  risk and should provide information to reduce it. Post purchase Behaviour Marketers must monitor postpurchase satisfaction, postpurchase actions, and postpurchase product uses. Chapter 6 Analyzing Consumer Markets Trends Level of customer involvement Involvement Significant Insignificant Differences in Brands High Complex Buying Behaviour Low Variety Seeking Dissonance Reducing Habitual 1. Complex Buying Behaviour: When a customer purchases something for the first time. 2. Variety Seeking: Consumers will keep switching varieties just out of boredom. Eg- Biscuits. Marketer should keep introducing new products and display the product prominently. 3. Habitual: Buying the same thing out of habit and not out of loyalty. Distribution network should be excellent in this case. Maintain consistency in product and advertising. 4. Dissonance Reducing: In case of repeat purchase of same product.

Preventing Effects of Global Warming

Preventing Effects of Global Warming Rachel Tomsett How can we as a species prevent the continued effects of global warming and to what extent has irreversible damage already occurred? Global warming, also known as climate change, describes the rising temperature of the atmosphere and ocean. Throughout all of earth’s history climate has been a very fluctuate factor (for example the ice age). However if you take into account how much organisms on earth have evolved into their stable habitats and how each one depends on their habitats to survive, fluctuations will be much more harmful now, especially to humanity and the animals humanity relies on e.g. Honeybees. The main cause of global warming is thought to be the result of humanities actions, for example; Co2 emissions (from cars and other transport) interfering with the O-zone layer causing, Deforestation in rainforests (from workers creating space for cattle grazing) and Farming (many fertilizers contain nitrous oxide which is harmful to the O-zone layer, and sheep/cattle produce large amounts of methane which is also a harmful greenhouse chemical). In the century atmospheric temperature has risen ~1à ¢-à ‚ ¦ F and Oceanic temperature ~0.18à ¢- ¦F (1). Whereas this may not have an immediate effect; in the future this will cause extreme weather conditions such as droughts, wildfire and mass flooding/intense rainstorms. Although to an extent we can already see this beginning to happen, for example if we look into the statistics of how many acres of land per year are destroyed by wildfire (see figure 1) we can clearly see an incline in the more recent years as Co2 emissions and temperature also increase( see fig. 2). This would make sense as dryer conditions make an easier/quicker path for fire to spread. However looking into the source of figure one we can see updated statistics which indicate a drop in the number of wildfires after this graph was made, although this could be due to human intervention and preservation methods. As well as being a mass inconvenience for humanity these effects could also be very damaging to other species on earth, this is why scientists are focused on looking into/exploring alternative methods to try and lessen the rate of climate change. If conditions were to change too much or too rapidly many species would not be able to survive or adapt into this new climate and in relation we may see a mass bottle neck in species, or in the most extreme cases; extinction. On the other hand we may see a certain species flourish and grow in this new environment which may lead to a tip/collapse in an eco-system which would cause other species to suffer. Not to mention if climate change carries on at the rate it’s climbing earth may soon be inhospitable to humanity, our future generations. Although scientists know global warming is irreversible there are still certain methods humanity can adapt to lessen the rate. For example scientists have been looking into alternate energy to try and encourage more people to switch from fossil fuelled energy to a more eco-friendly and renewable energy sources. 21.3 billion tons of CO2 (carbon dioxide) are produced by the burning of fossil fuels per year (2), which obviously contributes to the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere and in turn further damages the O-zone layer but these new energy sources use natural methods which are easily replenished such as; solar energy, wind energy and hydro energy which do not produce any harmful emissions. This is obviously a great solution to lessen the rate of climate change; if more people started using these methods of energy we could cut emissions down by the masses and slow the rate of Global warming a considerable amount. These solutions are relevant in the fact that they don’t r elease greenhouse gases and harness natural power without any mass destruction and harm to the environment and habitat around it.   However methods such as these are expensive and aren’t as cost effective as non-renewable sources, so economically it is not the best choice, especially for poorer countries. On the other hand because non-renewable sources are coming close to running out (unless new sources/mines are found), the price for nonrenewable energy is beginning to climb higher and higher (due to less availability and more demand), which in turn (and partly due to advancing technology) basic renewable energy sources are becoming cheaper and more obtainable, for instance towns people may choose to have a certain number of solar panels on their roof due to the declining prices (see fig 4). In just one year the price for 16 solar panels to be installed has gone from  £15000 to  £7500 which is a 50% saving (see Fig. 3). However methods on a larger scale, for example wind farms, (to generate a substantial amount of energy) would need anywhere between a dozen or hundreds (see fig. 5). Which obviousl y, again, would costs a great amount and not many countries could afford them leading to more economical problems; especially since sometimes they come with instillation prices and taxes. One environmental problem that would face the panels is in countries like the UK. The weather is extremely variable and sunlight is at its most intense in summer when less energy is needed, say for heating because the weather is warmer and for lighting because the days are longer in summer. ‘The ratio between summer and winter inputs is unfavorable’. However other countries like France and USA have a much more constant input. (3). A social/economic problem with solar panels is that if one would want to produce energy on a larger scale the panels would need to be in a very large place with access to sunlight. These are called Photovoltaic power stations (or solar farms). The placing also contributes to how much power these panels generate; the slope of the location, the axis in which the panel is mounted on, hemisphere, ect. This of course will take up large amounts of field space that may have been previously used for farming (see fig 6) or recreation. In which case the farmer of company could see a loss in profit from the missing land (as farming can’t be done under these panels unlike wind farms) and the civilians could argue that the land is being wasted. As far as the panels effect on human life, past the implications, are next to none. However, other wildlife which may have resided in the open space before it became a solar farm will have had their habitat destroyed and would have had to migrate so mewhere else, which would cause a disturbance to the wildlife. Another implication of renewable energy is a social issue based around Wind farms, many people oppose having wind farms/ turbines around their homes/towns. Theresa Groth and Christine Vogt have done a study (4) in which they mailed a questionnaire to different town and counties to gather an idea of what the general opinion is on Wind turbines and their usefulness, many responded to the questionnaire by saying turbine placement near their residence increased uncertainty and concern of them, next to no one focusing on the positive outcomes like clean energy/no emissions. Others claim that the visual appearance of the turbines ruins the landscape. As for the actual risk to humans from these wind farms a report was published in 2007 by the U.S. National research Council (5),  it concluded that although low-frequency vibrations are not well understood in their relation/effect on humans, and that of course sensitivity to the vibrations varies greatly among people, wind turbines would not be a major concern/threat to people beyond a half-mile. Of course there are still people/scientists who disagree but further research need to be done on Humans and their sensitivity to low frequency vibrations/noise. And for the effect on other living organisms beside humans; ground animals such as cattle and grounded wildlife (deer/badgers) do not seem to mind the turbines and carry on with grazing/hunting (see fig. 6). However, flying wildlife e.g. birds and bats seem to have a higher mortality rate around areas with wind turbines, presumably due to flying into the structure or spinning blades. However according to studies and surveys birds have the ability to detect the wind turbines and anyway more research shows wind turbines have not reduced bird populations so much so that there will be a noticeable effect (unbalance in the food chain/eco system.). To get a further understanding of how the climate is changing scientists use a number of methods to obtain data they can evaluate and compare for more answers. For example the US Global Change Research Programme (USGCRP) publishes a National Climate Assessment which looks into how climate affects different regions of the US. It also observes the long/short term changes in climate and the ozone layer using satellites and monitoring icecaps melting and sea levels. It also aids scientists in predicting any future changes to the environment and if we are at risk of being vulnerable to natural disasters. For example; by studying these satellites that collect all this data scientists can observe change in conditions such as the rising of waters upstream to a village in Bangladesh. The satellite will take pictures from space and use their altimeter to measure the distance between itself and the river surface revealing the change in height of upstream locations and seeing as the data is near ly instant allows scientists to look at potential flooding risks downstream closer to the village ect. (6).  This recent method of using advanced technology is much more reliable and quicker than using a ground based network, taking into account how the ground network doesn’t extend as far upstream as the satellite and information isn’t as instant as the satellite. An example of a ground based network is the Flash Flood Early Warning System which was introduced in 2013 to give warnings to locals about an upcoming flash flood. However this service only provided a small amount of warning time (~3 hours) which is a very small amount of time compared to that the satellite can provide. Although this is not a prevention method it is the best scientists can do without interfering with the local towns or river path. Which would have an effect on the locals and their crops as the water source would either be diverted or be behind flooding barriers. An alternative method to renewable energy and a disaster forecast is the reconstruction of forests. Trees are responsible for absorbing Carbon Dioxide and converting it to Oxygen which then is released back into the atmosphere. However, in these past couple of decades deforestation has become a major industry and 12-15 million hectares of forest are lost each year  (7).  There are a number of reasons for this; making space for cattle farming, harvesting wood for fuel and illegal logging. This isn’t just harmful for our atmosphere but lots of animals are in danger or threatened because of their habitat being destroyed. So as an alternate method I think that scientists should look into claiming more forest as protected/private land and look into the replantation of forests where ever possible. Not to mention looking into cracking down on illegal activities in the forests (logging/hunting) and enforcing punishment. Although this may create a social implication, more so in tro pical isolated regions, as some small villages believe certain animal skin to be medicine and use the wood for heat and fuel, also only surviving on cattle and crops in the spaces where trees used to grow. Perhaps another suggestion would be roof top gardens in cities, which will create space for plants to photosynthesise and exchange carbon dioxide for more oxygen. Although the building would have to approve planning permission and would take a certain amount of time to grow, and would need a lot of care I think it would be an interesting method to try and reduce the carbon concentration in the atmosphere, interfering with the O-zone layer. Another alternate method that would greatly help with cutting humanities carbon emissions is if more people purchased and used electric cars. Electric cars do not produce tailpipe emissions and are much more eco-friendly, they have been introduced before but never really caught on as technology was lacking and there were limited charging places. Even now the battery life does not last as long as say a petrol fuelled car and the charging time takes so much longer than a simple refuel, but if scientists were to look into and experiment more with the concept and perhaps have a charging station at every petrol station people might begin to adapt to the idea and in turn lessen their carbon emissions. Although battery powered cars are considerably more expensive than the usual petrol/diesel ones, battery prices are beginning to decline, much like the solar panel prices. So maybe in the future it will catch on just as well as the panels. Bibliography 1)  http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/critical-issues-sea-temperature-rise/ Sea Temperature Rise-National Geographic-Unknown author-Unknown date published- Date used 20/3/15 2) http://www.environmentlaw.org.uk/rte.asp?id=192 Human activities-Environment Law-Unknown author- Unknown date published- Date used 20/3/15 3) (Book) Man and The environment-Cambridge Social Biology Topics-Alan Cornwell-First published in 1983-date used 20/3/15 Because this book is quite old I can’t find much information or the book it’s self-there for I’m beginning to question its reliability mainly for the fact it’s 32 years old and a lot of advancement has been made in the past thirty years and climate and attitudes have also changed. However after lots of searching I found that the author was Head of the Science Division at Bulmershe College of Higher Education in Reading, Berkshire. It was published by the Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge which leads me to believe that even though it is old it is accurate of its time and was valid and maybe still is valid today, as the author clearly had scientific knowledge and access to studies and information. It has lots of picture evidence as sources to back up their points and is very in depth, including diagrams of cycles and chemical equations of relevant reactions. Whilst researching and validating a table they had used in the Air pollutant section (pa ge 37) ‘Deaths Due to Urban Smog’ I decided to research the numbers and dates to see if they were similar. Looking at figures it is clear to see they were rounded to the nearest thousand (Place: London) and again London had many more deaths than New York or Belgium, which supported the table in the book. Over all I can conclude that this is quite a reliable source. 4) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148113004370 Rural wind farm development: Social, environmental and economic features important to local residents-Science Direct-Theresa M. Grotha and Christine A. Vogtb- Date Published 23/9/13 –Date used 20/3/15 5) http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=11935page=158 Environmental Impacts of Wind-Energy Projects (2007) (4 Impacts of Wind-Energy Development on Humans)-National academic press- Us Research Council-Date published ~2007- Date used 20/3/15 I believe this to be a very reliable sauce for my discussion. It is a legal document put together by scientists from the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine and is sponsored by the Executive Office of the President. It is a thorough document recording individual’s research and findings. Each department is tied to global warming in some way, the sciences exploring how climate is changing, engineering exploring ways to combat the speed of climate change and professors of medicine dealing with those affected by climate change, eg. Pollution sickness and short term treatments. Looking into some of the individual members who participated I can clearly see a range of people from different states which shows that their findings aren’t exclusive to just one area and aren’t biased from one person but have a range of opinions and points to discuss . The purpose of this report is to give an idea of the impact wind turbines have on the surrounding environment, in great detail. In checking the facts of the paper I came across this fact ‘In recent years, the growth of capacity to generate electricity from wind energy has been rapid, growing from almost none in 1980 to 11,603 megawatts (MW) in 2006 in the United States and about 60,000 MW in 2006 globally’ after a thorough search many other websites seemed to also have this data so I conclude that is a reliable source. 6) http://www.globalchange.gov/news/preparing-for-floods-satellite-data-servir-bangladesh preparing for Floods with Satellite Data: SERVIR in Bangladesh- globalchange.gov-Unknown author- 16/3/15 published- date used 20/3/15 7) http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/about_forests/deforestation/ Deforestation-WWF-Unknown author-Unknown date published-Date used 20/3/15

I Am A Hunter Essay example -- Personal Narrative Writing

One cold and bleak December day, I set off into the woods with the sole intention of shooting a grouse for dinner. There would be no sport today; no explosive flushes, no finely crafted double barreled shotguns, no spectacular wing shots. They have their place but not today. A semester at college had made me hungry for fresh, clean, unprocessed meat. I would shoot the bird in the head, on the ground, with a .22 rifle. I was unashamedly out to kill. It was getting dark when I glanced up into the dark boughs of the spruce. I had searched every alder thicket, brush pile, and apple tree that I knew of and here, not one hundred yards from my back door, was the dark, unmistakable, silhouette of a grouse. I slowly raised my rifle, took careful aim, and slowly pulled the trigger. With the snap of the shot, it somersaulted to the ground. My heartbeat quickened as I rushed over to where the bird had fallen . . . Man is a predator and therefore by nature, a hunter. Do not doubt this. While we do not possess the speed of the cheetah, the rapier-like talons of the falcon, nor the strength of the bear, we do have the greatest weapon of all- our superior ability to think. It was the great equalizer that brought us the club, the spear, and the 30.06. For over ninety-nine percent of our history we have utilized weapons as hunter-gather societies (Caras 7), with males traditionally doing the bulk of the hunting. Certainly the remaining one percent is too short a time in our evolutionary history to lose complete touch with our instincts. True, today's "civilized," sedentary world has rid us of our original need to hunt but it has not completely rid us of the urge to hunt in all of us. There are still those of us, for what ever reason, maybe ... ...id. Walden and On the Duty of Civil Disobedience. Macmillan Publishing Co. New York. 1962. U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service. 1985 National Survey of Hunting, Fishing, and Wildlife Associated Recreation. Washington, D.C. 1988. Works Referenced Casada, Jim (editor). Tales of Whitetails. South Carolina University Press. 1992. Chatwin, Bruce. The Songlines. Viking Penguin. 1987. Hemingway, Ernest. The Green Hills of Africa. Charles Scribner's Sons. New York. 1935. Johnson, Roger. Aggression- In Man and Animals. W.B. Company. Philadelphia. 1972. Leopold, Aldo. A Sand County Almanac. Oxford University Press. London. 1949. Marsh, Peter. Aggro- The Illusions of Violence. J.M. Dent. London. 1978. Robinson William and Eric G. Bolen. Wildlife Ecology and Management. Macmillan Publishing Co. New York. 1984.

Deception Point Page 56

â€Å"He's breaking the law,† Gabrielle said. Isn't he? â€Å"Or so Marjorie Tench would have you believe. Candidates accept behind-the-scenes donations all the time from big corporations. It may not be pretty, but it's not necessarily illegal. In fact, most legal issues deal not with where the money comes from but how the candidate chooses to spend it.† Gabrielle hesitated, feeling uncertain now. â€Å"Gabs, the White House played you this afternoon. They tried to turn you against your candidate, and so far you've called their bluff. If I were looking for someone to trust, I think I'd stick with Sexton before jumping ship to someone like Marjorie Tench.† Yolanda's phone rang. She answered, nodding, uh-huh-ing, taking notes. â€Å"Interesting,† she finally said. â€Å"I'll be right there. Thanks.† Yolanda hung up and turned with an arched brow. â€Å"Gabs, sounds like you're off the hook. Just as I predicted.† â€Å"What's going on?† â€Å"I don't have a specific yet, but I can tell you this much-the president's press conference has nothing to do with sex scandals or campaign finance.† Gabrielle felt a flash of hope and wanted badly to believe her. â€Å"How do you know that?† â€Å"Someone on the inside just leaked that the press conference is NASA-related.† Gabrielle sat up suddenly. â€Å"NASA?† Yolanda winked. â€Å"This could be your lucky night. My bet is President Herney is feeling so much pressure from Senator Sexton that he's decided the White House has no choice but to pull the plug on the International Space Station. That explains all the global media coverage.† A press conference killing the space station? Gabrielle could not imagine. Yolanda stood up. â€Å"That Tench attack this afternoon? It was probably just a last-ditch effort to get a foothold over Sexton before the President had to go public with the bad news. Nothing like a sex scandal to take the attention away from another presidential flop. Anyhow, Gabs, I've got work to do. My advice to you-get yourself a cup of coffee, sit right here, turn on my television, and ride this out like the rest of us. We've got twenty minutes until show time, and I'm telling you, there is no way the President is going Dumpster-diving tonight. He's got the whole world watching. Whatever he has to say carries some serious weight.† She gave a reassuring wink. â€Å"Now give me the envelope.† â€Å"What?† Yolanda held out a demanding hand. â€Å"These pictures are getting locked in my desk until this is over. I want to be sure you don't do something idiotic.† Reluctantly, Gabrielle handed over the envelope. Yolanda locked the photos carefully in a desk drawer and pocketed the keys. â€Å"You'll thank me, Gabs. I swear it.† She playfully ruffled Gabrielle's hair on her way out. â€Å"Sit tight. I think good news is on the way.† Gabrielle sat alone in the glass cubicle and tried to let Yolanda's upbeat attitude lift her mood. All Gabrielle could think of, though, was the self-satisfied smirk on the face of Marjorie Tench this afternoon. Gabrielle could not imagine what the President was about to tell the world, but it was definitely not going to be good news for Senator Sexton. 65 Rachel Sexton felt like she was being burned alive. It's raining fire! She tried to open her eyes, but all she could make out were foggy shapes and blinding lights. It was raining all around her. Scalding hot rain. Pounding down on her bare skin. She was lying on her side and could feel hot tiles beneath her body. She curled more tightly into the fetal position, trying to protect herself from the scalding liquid falling from above. She smelled chemicals. Chlorine, maybe. She tried to crawl away, but she could not. Powerful hands pressed down on her shoulders, holding her down. Let me go! I'm burning! Instinctively, she again fought to escape, and again she was rebuffed, the strong hands clamping down. â€Å"Stay where you are,† a man's voice said. The accent was American. Professional. â€Å"It will be over soon.† What will be over? Rachel wondered. The pain? My life? She tried to focus her vision. The lights in this place were harsh. She sensed the room was small. Cramped. Low ceilings. â€Å"I'm burning!† Rachel's scream was a whisper. â€Å"You're fine,† the voice said. â€Å"This water is lukewarm. Trust me.† Rachel realized she was mostly undressed, wearing only her soaked underwear. No embarrassment registered; her mind was filled with too many other questions. The memories were coming back now in a torrent. The ice shelf. The GPR. The attack. Who? Where am I? She tried to put the pieces together, but her mind felt torpid, like a set of clogged gears. From out of the muddled confusion came a single thought: Michael and Corky†¦ where are they? Rachel tried to focus her bleary vision but saw only the men standing over her. They were all dressed in the same blue jumpsuits. She wanted to speak, but her mouth refused to formulate a single word. The burning sensation in her skin was now giving way to sudden deep waves of aching that rolled through the muscles like seismic tremors. â€Å"Let it happen,† the man over her said. â€Å"The blood needs to flow back into your musculature.† He spoke like a doctor. â€Å"Try to move your limbs as much as you can.† The pain racking Rachel's body felt as if every muscle was being beaten with a hammer. She lay there on the tile, her chest contracting, and she could barely breathe. â€Å"Move your legs and arms,† the man insisted. â€Å"No matter what it feels like.† Rachel tried. Each movement felt like a knife being thrust into her joints. The jets of water grew hotter again. The scalding was back. The crushing pain went on. At the precise instant she thought she could not withstand another moment, Rachel felt someone giving her an injection. The pain seemed to subside quickly, less and less violent, releasing. The tremors slowed. She felt herself breathing again. A new sensation was spreading through her body now, the eerie bite of pins and needles. Everywhere-stabbing-sharper and sharper. Millions of tiny needle-point jabs, intensifying whenever she moved. She tried to hold motionless, but the water jets continued to buffet her. The man above her was holding her arms, moving them. God that hurts! Rachel was too weak to fight. Tears of exhaustion and pain poured down her face. She shut her eyes hard, blocking out the world. Finally, the pins and needles began to dissipate. The rain from above stopped. When Rachel opened her eyes, her vision was clearer. It was then that she saw them. Corky and Tolland lay nearby, quivering, half-naked and soaked. From the looks of anguish on their faces, Rachel sensed that they had just endured similar experiences. Michael Tolland's brown eyes were bloodshot and glassy. When he saw Rachel, he managed a weak smile, his blue lips trembling. Rachel tried to sit up, to take in their bizarre surroundings. The three of them were lying in a trembling twist of half-naked limbs on the floor of a tiny shower room. 66 Strong arms lifted her. Rachel felt the powerful strangers drying her body and wrapping her in blankets. She was being placed on a medical bed of some sort and vigorously massaged on her arms, legs, and feet. Another injection in her arm. â€Å"Adrenaline,† someone said. Rachel felt the drug coursing through her veins like a life force, invigorating her muscles. Although she still felt an icy hollowness tight like a drum in her gut, Rachel sensed the blood slowly returning to her limbs. Back from the dead. She tried to focus her vision. Tolland and Corky were lying nearby, shivering in blankets as the men massaged their bodies and gave them injections as well. Rachel had no doubt that this mysterious assemblage of men had just saved their lives. Many of them were soaking wet, apparently having jumped into the showers fully clothed to help. Who they were or how they had gotten to Rachel and the others in time was beyond her. It made no difference at the moment. We're alive.

Niccoli Machiaveli essays

Niccoli Machiaveli essays In The Qualities of the Prince the author, Niccolo Machiavelli, generates an interesting question; do the desired ends justify the means used in order to achieve them? Machiavelli uses simple comparisons, subtle contradictions, and historical facts to support his view on this ethical issue. In modern society, if one can provide a positive outcome that is satisfying to all, others should not be concerned with the means which were taken in order to get there. The concept of a negative means ultimately establishing a positive outcome is a necessary technique used by any man of authority and is often the last resort of an ethical decision. One who holds any position of authority or rank understands the difficulty it takes in order to acquire satisfaction from his people; for they tend to be placed on a higher level and therefore become judged by their actions. Machiavelli uses several examples and techniques to portray what qualities a prince must maintain to keep his empire pleased while at the same time perform the dirty deeds required for success. The Author discusses six topics filled with historical facts to prove that the ends ultimately do justify the means used in accomplishing them. On the issue of praise or blame Machiavelli states that since a prince has such high qualities to live up to one must be prudent enough to know how to escape the bad reputation of those vices that would lose the state for him (40). Because a prince is pressured into generosity his only resort is to be a miser and manipulate the minds (Machiavelli 46) of his people in order to refrain from being taken advantage of. For you become either poor and despised or, in order to escape poverty, rapacious and hated (Machiavelli 43). On the topic of honesty Machiavelli states that one of authority should be a great hypocrite and liar (Machiavelli 46) in order to succeed as a grea ...