Standard Of Monopolized The Oil Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Standard Of Monopolized The Oil Industry - Essay Example Buying Competitors Though most of Standard Oil’s takeovers aimed at gaining competitive advantage, they also benefitted the acquired company too. Rockefeller and his partners gained confidence from the competitors through wide-ranging volunteer association. Standard Oil also offered the former executives, of the acquired companies, high positions in the new company and was assured parity in management and was assimilated into the management because they were experienced and were well acquainted with the oil industry and local markets (Montague 76-81). The Standard Oil trust comprised of different companies in the industry which attained competitive advantage and maintained an even competition among the members. Rockefeller perceived the buyouts of the other refineries in Cleveland as foreseeable. He is quoted noting â€Å"the battle of the new idea of cooperation against competition† (Montague 52). In his mind, huge industrial amalgamations referred to as monopolies wou ld substitute competition and individualism in the oil industry. Rockefeller used hardball tactics to buy out the competitors. In 1874, the company started purchasing new oil pipeline networks. This assisted the company to amputate the flow of oil to the other companies that Rockefeller wanted to acquire. When a competing company made efforts to build a rival pipeline across Pennsylvania, Standard Oil purchased the land along the way to barricade the way. In the end, Standard Oil obtained control of all the pipelines within the nation. Notably, Standard Oil had attained full control of 90 percent of United States refining companies (Montague 176) Discounted Shipping Rates In order to attain a competitive advantage over its competitors, Standard Oil surreptitiously organized for reduced shipping rates from railroads. This aimed at reducing the average costs incurred by the company. Rockefeller had a fascination for efficiency that was unparalleled.

School Prayer Essay Example for Free

School Prayer Essay In simple terms, prayer is talking to God or a god. During that conversation, the person praying may use his or her own words or, â€Å"a set order of words,† such as the Lord’s Prayer to speak to God, may â€Å"request or wish† something from a God. The conversation may be vocal or silent. Questions involving school prayer are among the most argumentative questions posed to the courts. This has been the case decades ago and still occurring today. The history of prayer in the public education system is a story of legal rendering. The relationship between religion and government in the United States is governed by the First Amendment of the Constitution, which both prevents the government from establishing religion and protects privately initiated religious expression and activities from government discrimination. The First Amendment establishes certain limits on the conduct of public school officials as it relates to religious activity, including prayer. The First Amendment says, â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, [known as the Establishment Clause], or prohibiting the free exercise thereof [known as the Free Exercise Clause],† (U.  S. Constitution) When deciding a case, the court has to balance between favoring a religion and prohibiting it. Landmark Case: Engle vs. Vitale The Supreme Court has many times held that the First Amendment requires public school leaders to be neutral in their treatment of religion. This means not showing favoritism toward any religion but yet not showing any hostile expression towards any religious doings, such as prayer. One of the most famous court cases involving religion and public schools happened in a New York City school district in the 1950s. Each morning before classes started, students would say a twenty-two word prayer that was created by the school board. Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our Country. A few parents objected, saying that this school promoted prayer violated the First Amendment. The New York Supreme Court ruled against the parents, who was represented by Stephen Engle. After taking their claim to a higher court numerous times, the court case Engle v. Vitale (1962), finally made it to the Supreme Court. In 1962 the Supreme Court Judges voted, the vote was 6 to 1, deciding that the twenty-two word prayer was unconstitutional. It was decided that the prayer, â€Å"singled out a particular religious practice contradicting the Establishment Clause of the First Amendement. † (Haas 48) This landmark case is one of the significant case laws used in order to determine neutrality in questions of school prayer. It was decided that teachers and other public school officials may not lead their classes in prayer, devotional readings from the Bible, or other religious activities. Engel v. Vitale, 370 U. S. 421 (1962) Violation of the Establishment Clause: Sante Fe v. Doe While school leaders may not lead their students in prayer, according to 105 ILCS 20/5, Students do have the right to pray at school. They must respect the schools policies, regulations, and rules that are in place regarding any disruption to the educational system. This being said, â€Å"students may read their Bibles during study hall or other non-structured time, may say grace, and may discuss religion with their peers during non-directed free time, such as time spent on the playground, on a school bus, in the hallways, or in the cafeteria. † (Braun 184) This student right and Illinois compiled statute was tested in the case of Sante Fe Independent School District v. Doe. Santa Fe v. Doe centered on the Santa Fe Independent School District policy allowing student-led prayer before football games. Santa Fe Independent School District had a history of student-led prayer. The students were elected by their peers to lead prayer at a school event. An Appellate Court ruling found that the district’s policy was unconstitutional in accordance with the Establishment Clause. The Court stated that the policy was not only an actual endorsement of prayer, but also a perceived endorsement, and, therefore, sent a message to nonbelievers that they were outsiders and that believers were the favored group in the community If the prayer is student lead, driven, and initiated it does not go against the constitution. The Supreme Court ruled saying, â€Å"The delivery of such a message, over the schools public address system, by a speaker representing the student body, under the supervision of the school faculty, and pursuant to a school policy that explicitly and implicitly encourages public prayer is not properly characterized as private speech† (Santa Fe v. Doe, 2000). Moment of Silence for Prayer: Wallace v. Jaffrey? So far a few things have been decided. The first is that any school-sponsored religious practice is prohibited because it is in violation of the Establishment Clause. The second thing is that students do have a right to freely exercise their personal religious practices as long as they do it during non-structured times; but where does the law stand on moments of silence that schools use for personal prayer times? After court cases such as Engle vs. Vitale it was obvious that religion in schools was diminishing. To counter back at these Supreme Court rulings many states started establishing moments of silence at the beginning of each school day as a substitute for the vocal prayer that had been taken away. These moments of silence are permissible as long as they are done for a secular purpose. Wallace v. Jaffrey is the only case that the Supreme Court has heard on a moment of silence in schools. The case contested an Alabama law that established a moment of silence for the purpose of â€Å"meditation or voluntary prayer† (Wallace v. Jaffrey, 1985). The court found that the statue was unconstitutional because it was enacted solely for the purpose of promoting religion in schools. The majority opinion found that any statute establishing a moment of silence that included the word â€Å"prayer† was unconstitutional. 1985 the Supreme Court concluded that Alabama’s silent meditation and prayer statute violated the Establishment Clause. Alexander 217) Explaining how this ruling came to be, an understanding of how our courts can make such a decision is needed first. The Establishment Clause Tests: The Supreme Court uses three tests to determine violations of the Establishment Clause. The tests may be considered singularly or together to determine constitutionality. The court has repeatedly stressed that the Constitution prohibits public schools from teaching children in religion. But it is not always easy to determine exactly what constitutes teaching or school sponsorship of religious acts. To help explain the establishment clause, which is often a question in issues of school prayer, the court uses several tests. The three main tests include the Lemon, coercion, and endorsement test. Lemon Test: The Lemon test gets its name from the 1973 decision in Lemon v. Kurtzman, in which the Court struck down a state program that was giving aid to religious elementary and secondary schools. The Lemon test is a three prong test, each part being just as important as the other two. Using the Lemon test, a court must first determine whether the law or government action in question has a secular purpose. This prong is based on the idea that government should only concern itself in civil matters, leaving religion to the conscience of the individual. Second, a court would ask whether the state action has the primary effect of advancing or inhibiting religion. Finally, the court would consider whether the action excessively entangles religion and government. While religion and government must interact at some points while co-existing in society, the concern here is that they do not so overlap and intertwine that people have difficulty differentiating between the two. Although this test has come under fire from certain Supreme Court Justices, it has never been over turned, and it is still used to guide decisions in courts today. Coercion Test: Some justices propose allowing more government support for religion than the Lemon test allows, their support stands with the coercion test. Justice Kennedy created the coercion test in Lee v. Weisman. The coercion test is used to determine whether or not the government coerced participation in the religious activity. In regard to public schools, it is used to determine whether or not students experienced a coercive effect. Based on the 1992 case of Lee v. Weisman, 505 U. S. 577 the religious practice is examined to see to what extent, if any, pressure is applied to force or â€Å"coerce† individuals to participate. The Court has defined that the government does not violate the establishment clause unless it, (1) provides direct aid to religion in a way that would tend to establish a state church, or (2) coerces people to support or participate in religion against their will. Even the coercion test is subject to varying interpretations. This was evident and illustrated in Lee v.  Weisman. Endorsement Test: The third test that was proposed by Justice Sandra Day OConnor is the endorsement test. It was used in the 1984 case of Lynch v. Donnelly, asking whether a particular government action amounts to an endorsement of religion, thus violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Its with this test that a government action is invalid if it creates a perception in the mind of a reasonable observer that a religion is being endorsed or disapproved. The endorsement test has been included into the Lemon test. While the endorsement test has been applied in many cases, it has not produced a conclusive answer to the question of constitutionality in all cases. There is a forth test that is sometimes used in establishment-clause decisions, it is the neutrality test. While the Lemon, coercion, and endorsement test are used in matters of expression the neutrality test is mainly used in issues dealing with funding. Making sure the government is giving neutral aid to public and religious schools with no religious promotion. Because of its dealings and ruling in funding matters, the neutrality test is not often used in issues of prayer in public schools. The Wallace case is legally significant for representing the value of neutrality underlying the Establishment Clause. It also showed the significance for the Lemon test as the main test for evaluating the constitutionality of public school involvement in religion. The Court in Wallace showed its position that the Establishment Clause â€Å"‘requires the state to be a neutral in its relations with groups of religious believers and non-believers. ’† (Lofaso 30) The Court then concluded that Alabama’s moment-of-silence statute violated the Establishment Clause because it failed the purpose prong of the Lemon test: â€Å"The legislature enacted . . for the sole purpose of expressing the State’s endorsement of prayer activities for one minute at the beginning of each school day. Does Location of the Prayer Matter? It was almost a half-century ago that the Supreme Court in Engle v. Vitale established that daily prayer in the classroom is unconstitutional. Since then, this thought has grown due to cases where location of the prayer have been put into question. Now the Supreme Court extends their thinking to include, â€Å"any particular form of prayer which is to be used as an official prayer in carrying on any program of governmentally sponsored religious activity. The Supreme Court continued to keep watch even when school prayer moved outside the classroom to a graduation ceremony. In Lee v. Weisman, principals at public schools in Providence, Rhode Island invited clergy to speak at graduations. The principals provided the clergy with guidelines, which essentially boiled down to keeping the prayers nonsectarian. When Principal Lee invited a rabbi to give a prayer at Nathan Bishop Middle School’s graduation, Deborah Weisman and her parents objected. When the Weismans alleged a violation of the Establishment Clause, the school board argued that an event as significant as graduation warranted prayer. The lower courts agreed with the Weismans and the Supreme Court affirmed. The school board argued that graduation was a voluntary event. The Court dismissed this argument, finding graduation to be an important event in a student’s life that must not be forfeited due to different religious beliefs and that the government must not get involved. In 1992 the Court decided that it was unconstitutional for a member of the clergy to deliver an invocation or benediction at a public school graduation, and that in doing so, the school endorsed religion and required students who were non-believers to accept the religious practices. Conclusion: Supreme Court decisions provide insight into the debate against school prayer. Because of the various Court rulings on the school prayer issue, we do have a foundation to base other decisions off of when issues arise with mixing church and state in the public educational system. Students today can not be forced to recite any prayer that has been endorsed by the school, but they may practice a moment of silence during the school day as long as they are not required to use that time for prayer. Students are also free to exercise their religious beliefs. They may read their Bibles during non structured time and pray as long as they are following the rules and regulations regarding school disruption. If at any time the state gets involved, or the activities become school-sponsored then the religious acts are unconstitutional and violate the First Amendment. It is important to remember that the United States exists today because the founders sought to live in a country free from government interference, especially concerning religion. Individuals are free to exercise their beliefs as long as they are not forcing those beliefs unto others.

Cultural Perspectives in Tom Robbins Even Cowgirls Get the Blues :: Even Cowgirls Get the Blues Essays

Cultural Perspectives in Tom Robbins' Even Cowgirls Get the Blues Literary works are always affected by the times and places in which they are written. Those crafted in Western America often reflect conflicts that occurred between advancing civilization and the free spirited individual. The 1970’s was a particularly popular time for authors to introduce new ideas for living in the modern world. There are few authors who captured the essence and feeling of culture quite like Tom Robbins. Robbins comments on the differences and similarities between Western civilization and Eastern philosophies. His text offers philosophical and cultural meaning that is completely original. Certain beliefs are threaded through out the content of the story. He includes significant content reflecting the laws of physics; how motion and force affect the life process. Through the dialogue and action of his characters, Robbins illustrates how two very different ideals can coexist. Robbins intentions are to expand cultural perspectives and awareness through his novels. His use of metaphors and stylistic diction emphasizes further how thoughtful and awesome his work is. Tom Robbins writing offers an insightful perspective into cultural themes of our modern world. Robbins writing reflects different lifestyles, and philosophies. His characters are eccentric and complex; yet retain a familiar quality that allows them to be adored by the reader. His characters often possess personality traits like those he admires—women in particular. The characters, plot, and writing style all reflect Robbins thoughts about the world. In 1967, Robbins introduced Sissy Hankshaw to the world. In his novel Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, Sissy dedicates her life to hitch-hiking across the globe. She is one of many characters whose attitude and actions conflict with stereotypical Western values. She is unbiased in nature and insightful about the world around her. The Cowgirls Quest Sissy takes on hitch-hiking as her life mission mostly because she was gifted in one area imperative to successful hitching: Sissy develops abnormally large thumbs. Robbins comments on how he pondered the opposable thumb: the one small physical difference that catapulted the homo sapiens ahead of other species. Hitch-hiking becomes Sissy’s passion--her purpose in life--at a very young age. The extraordinarily large thumbs not only gave her the will, but also isolate her from the other children. She accepts the fact that she is different from everyone else, but also acknowledges the negative view of her digits is not universal.

welfare :: essays research papers

Images of Welfare   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands: one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These words are uttered in elementary schools, high schools, and various events and meetings throughout the nation everyday. We usually do not associate the image of welfare with the American flag or think about it as we recite the allegiance. We, however, associate it with images of prosperity and freedom. As I look closely at the last words of this allegiance: â€Å"†¦with liberty and justice for all.† I remember the number of homeless who beg in the streets, those who for one reason or another await assistance in the social services office, and those who because of the color of their skin or gender association have yet to receive their share of benefits.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Webster’s dictionary, welfare means â€Å"Well-doing or well-being in any respect; the enjoyment of health and the common blessings of life; exemption from any evil or calamity; prosperity; happiness.† Before taking classes such as this, my connotation of welfare was totally opposite. Welfare always meant something bad. When I heard the word ‘welfare’ I pictured a homeless person or an immigrant who’s only dream was a better life, but found it was not as easy as it seemed. When I heard about someone on welfare I was quick to jump to conclusions. I’d assume he or she was lazy and just didn’t want to work or that he or she was in some sort of trouble. Looking at Webster’s meaning I notice the words â€Å"respect† and â€Å"the common blessing of life.† I have come to realize those on welfare are people too and deserve the respect everybody else does. They may have come upon hard times or made a mistake or two, but because of the prejudice and stereotypes of others, find themselves stuck in a position where all they have is their â€Å"common blessing of life.

Blood Promise Chapter Eleven

I stared at Mark for several long seconds. Finally, stupidly, I asked, â€Å"Did you say†¦ heal?† Mark stared at me in equal surprise. â€Å"Yes, of course. She can heal other things, right? Why not this?† â€Å"Because†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I frowned. â€Å"That doesn't make any sense. The darkness†¦ all the bad side effects†¦ those come from Lissa. If she could just heal it, why wouldn't she heal it out of herself?† â€Å"Because when it's in her, it's too ingrained. Too tied into her being. She can't heal it the way she can other things. But once your bond has pulled it into you, it's like any other sickness.† My heart was pounding in my chest. What he was suggesting was too ridiculously easy. No, it was just ridiculous, period. There was no way after all that we'd been through that Lissa could heal that rage and depression the way she could a cold or a broken leg. Victor Dashkov, despite his wicked schemes, had known an astonishing amount about spirit and had explained it to us. The other four elements were more physical in nature, but spirit came from the mind and soul. To use that much mental energy-to be able to do such powerful things-couldn't be done without devastating side effects. We'd been fighting those side effects from the beginning, first in Lissa and then in me. They couldn't just go away. â€Å"If that were possible,† I said quietly, â€Å"then everyone would have done it. Ms. Karp wouldn't have lost her mind. Anna wouldn't have committed suicide. What you're saying is too easy.† Mark didn't know who I was talking about, but clearly it didn't matter for what he wanted to express. â€Å"You're right. It's not easy at all. It requires a careful balance, a circle of trust and strength between two people. It took Oksana and me a long time to learn†¦ many hard years†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His face darkened, and I could only imagine what those years had been like. My short time with Lissa had been bad enough. They'd had to live with this a lot longer than we had. It had to have been unbearable at times. Slowly, wonderingly, I dared to give credence to his words. â€Å"But now you guys are okay?† â€Å"Hmm.† There was a flicker of a wry smile on his lips. â€Å"I'd hardly say we're perfectly okay. There's only so much she can do, but it makes life manageable. She spaces out the healings as long as we can handle it, since it takes a lot out of her. It's draining, and it limits her overall power.† â€Å"What do you mean?† He shrugged. â€Å"She can still do the other things†¦ healing, compulsion†¦ but not to the levels she would if she wasn't always healing me.† My hope faltered. â€Å"Oh. Then†¦ I couldn't. I couldn't do that to Lissa.† â€Å"Compared to what she's doing to you? Rose. I have a feeling she'd think it was a fair trade.† I thought back to our last meeting. I thought about how I'd left her there, despite her begging. I thought about the lows she'd been experiencing in my absence. I thought about how she'd refused to heal Dimitri when I'd thought there might still be hope for him. We'd both been bad friends. I shook my head. â€Å"I don't know,† I said in a small voice. â€Å"I don't know if she would.† Mark gave me a long, level look, but he didn't push me on the matter. He glanced up at the sun, almost as if he could tell the time from it. He probably could. He had that surviving-in-the-wilderness kind of feel to him. â€Å"The others will wonder what happened to us. Before we go†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, plain silver ring. â€Å"Learning to heal will take time. What worries me the most right now is this vigilante mood you're in. The darkness is only going to make it worse. Take this.† He extended the ring to me. I hesitated and then reached for it. â€Å"What is it?† â€Å"Oksana infused it with spirit. It's a healing charm.† Once again, shock ran through me. Moroi charmed objects with elements all the time. Stakes were charmed with all four of the physical elements, making them lethal to Strigoi. Victor had charmed a necklace with earth magic, using the base nature of earth to turn the necklace into a lust charm. Even Sydney's tattoo was a charm of sorts. I supposed there was no reason that spirit couldn't charm objects too, but it had never occurred to me, probably because Lissa's powers were still too new and too foreign. â€Å"What's it do? I mean, what kind of healing?† â€Å"It'll help with your moods. It can't get rid of them, but it'll lessen them-help you think more clearly. Might keep you out of trouble. Oksana makes these for me to help between healings.† I started to slip it on, but he shook his head. â€Å"Save it for when you really feel out of control. The magic won't last forever. It fades just like any other charm.† I stared at the ring, my mind suddenly open to all sorts of new possibilities. A few moments later, I slipped it into my coat pocket. Paul stuck his head out the back door. â€Å"Grandmother wants to leave now,† he told me. â€Å"She wants to know why you're taking so long and said to ask why you'd make someone as old as her keep waiting and suffering with her back.† I recalled how fast Yeva had been walking while I struggled to keep up with my load. Her back hadn't seemed all that bad to me, but again, I remembered that Paul was only the messenger and spared him my commentary. â€Å"Okay. I'll be right there.† When he was gone, I shook my head. â€Å"It's hard being worthy.† I moved toward the door, then gave Mark a backward glance, as a random thought occurred to me. â€Å"You're telling me that going off on your own is bad†¦ but you aren't a guardian either.† He smiled at me again, one of those sad, wry smiles. â€Å"I used to be. Then Oksana saved my life. We bonded and eventually fell in love. I couldn't stand to be separated from her after that, and the guardians would have assigned me elsewhere. I had to go.† â€Å"Was it hard to leave them?† â€Å"Very. Our age difference made it even more scandalous.† A strange chill ran through me. Mark and Oksana were the embodiment of the two halves of my life. They fought against a shadow-kissed bond as Lissa and I did and also faced the same condemnation for their relationship that Dimitri and I had. Mark continued, â€Å"But sometimes, we have to listen to our hearts. And even though I left, I'm not out there recklessly going after Strigoi. I'm an old man living with the woman he loves and tending his garden. There's a difference-don't forget that.† My mind was reeling when I returned to the Belikov house. Without the bricks, the walk back had been a lot easier. It had given me a chance to ponder Mark's words. I felt like I'd received a lifetime of information in a one-hour conversation. Olena was going about the house, doing her normal tasks of cooking and cleaning. While I would personally never want to spend my days doing those sorts of domestic duties, I had to admit there was something comforting about always having someone who was around, ready to cook and worry about me on a daily basis. I knew it was a purely selfish desire, just as I knew my own mom was doing important things with her life. I shouldn't judge her. Still, it made me feel warm and cared for to have Olena treat me like a daughter when she hardly knew me. â€Å"Are you hungry?† she asked automatically. I think one of the greatest fears in her life was that someone might go hungry in her home. Sydney's perpetual lack of appetite had been a nonstop worry for Olena. I hid a smile. â€Å"No, we ate at Mark and Oksana's.† â€Å"Ah, that's where you were? They're good people.† â€Å"Where is everyone?† I asked. The house was unusually quiet. â€Å"Sonya and Karolina are at work. Viktoria's out at a friend's, but she'll be glad you're back.† â€Å"What about Sydney?† â€Å"She left a little while ago. She said she was going back to Saint Petersburg.† â€Å"What?† I exclaimed. â€Å"Left for good? Just like that?† Sydney had a blunt nature, but this was abrupt even for her. â€Å"The Alchemists†¦ well, they're always on the move.† Olena handed me a piece of paper. â€Å"She left this for you.† I took the note and immediately opened it. Sydney's handwriting was neat and precise. Somehow this didn't surprise me. Rose, I'm sorry I had to leave so quickly, but when the Alchemists tell me to jump†¦ well, I jump. I've hitched a ride back to that farm town we stayed in so that I can pick up the Red Hurricane, and then I'm off to Saint Petersburg. Apparently, now that you've been delivered to Baia, they don't need me to stick around anymore. I wish I could tell you more about Abe and what he wants from you. Even if I was allowed to, there isn't much to say. In some ways, he's as much a mystery to me as he is to you. Like I said, a lot of the business he deals in is illegal-both among humans and Moroi. The only time he gets directly involved with people is when something relates to that business-or if it's a very, very special case. I think you're one of those cases, and even if he doesn't intend you harm, he might want to use you for his own purposes. It could be as simple as him wanting to contract you as a bodyguard, seeing as you're rogue. Maybe he wants to use you to get to others. Maybe this is all part of someone else's plan, someone who's even more mysterious than him. Maybe he's doing someone a favor. Zmey can be dangerous or kind, all depending on what he needs to accomplish. I never thought I'd care enough to say this to a dhampir, but be careful. I don't know what your plans are now, but I have a feeling trouble follows you around. Call me if there's anything I can help with, but if you go back to the big cities to hunt Strigoi, don't leave any more bodies unattended! All the best, Sydney P.S. â€Å"The Red Hurricane† is what I named the car. P.P.S. Just because I like you, it doesn't mean I still don't think you're an evil creature of the night. You are. Her cell phone number was added at the bottom, and I couldn't help but smile. Since we'd ridden to Baia with Abe and his guardians, Sydney had had to leave the car behind, which had traumatized her almost as much as the Strigoi. I hoped the Alchemists would let her keep it. I shook my head, amused in spite of her warnings about Abe. The Red Hurricane. As I headed upstairs to my room, my smile faded. Despite her abrasive attitude, I was going to miss Sydney. She might not exactly be a friend-or was she?-but in this brief time, I'd come to regard her as a constant in my life. I didn't have many of those left anymore. I felt adrift, unsure what to do now. I'd come here to bring peace to Dimitri and had only ended up bringing grief to his family. And if what everyone said was true, I wasn't going to find many Strigoi here in Baia. Somehow, I couldn't picture Dimitri, wandering the road and farms for the occasional prey. Even as a Strigoi -and it killed me to think those words-Dimitri would have a purpose. If he wasn't returning to the familiar sights of his hometown, then he would be doing something else meaningful-inasmuch as a Strigoi could. Sydney's comment in the note had verified what I kept hearing over and over: Strigoi were in the cities. But which one? Where would Dimitri go? Now I was the one without a purpose. On top of it all, I couldn't help but replay Mark's words. Was I really on an insane vigilante mission? Was I foolishly rushing to my death? Or was I foolishly rushing into†¦ nothing? Was I doomed to spend the rest of my days wandering? Alone? Sitting on my bed, I felt my mood plummet and knew I had to distract myself. I was too susceptible to dark emotions as long as Lissa used spirit; I didn't need to further encourage them. I slipped on the ring that Mark had given me, hoping it would bring some sort of clarity and tranquility. I felt no noticeable difference, though, and decided to seek peace from that same place I always did: Lissa's mind. She was with Adrian, and the two were practicing spirit again. After some initial bumps in the road, Adrian was proving a quick study at healing. That had been the first of Lissa's powers to manifest, and it always irked her that he made more progress on what she had to teach him than vice versa. â€Å"I'm running out of things for you to heal,† she said, setting some tiny potted plants onto a table. â€Å"Unless we start cutting off limbs or something.† Adrian smiled. â€Å"I used to tease Rose about that, how I was going to impress her by healing amputees or something equally absurd.† â€Å"Oh, and I'm sure she had a smartass response for you each time.† â€Å"Yes, yes, she did.† His face was fond as he recalled the memory. There was a part of me that was always insanely curious to hear them talk about me†¦ yet at the same time, I always felt bad at the grief my name seemed to invoke. Lissa groaned and stretched out on the carpeted floor. They were in a dorm lounge, and curfew was swiftly approaching. â€Å"I want to talk to her, Adrian.† â€Å"You can't,† he said. There was an unusual seriousness in his voice. â€Å"I know she still checks in on you-that's the closest you'll get to talking to her. And honestly? That's not so bad. You can tell her exactly how you feel.† â€Å"Yeah, but I want to hear her talk back like you do in your dreams.† This made him smile again. â€Å"She does plenty of talking back, believe me.† Lissa sat up straight. â€Å"Do it now.† â€Å"Do what now?† â€Å"Go visit her dreams. You always try to explain it to me, but I've never actually seen it. Let me watch.† He stared, at a loss for words. â€Å"That's kind of voyeuristic.† â€Å"Adrian! I want to learn this, and we've tried everything else. I can feel the magic around you sometimes. Just do it, okay?† He started to protest again but then bit off his comment after studying her face for a moment. Her words had been sharp and demanding-very uncharacteristic for her. â€Å"Okay. I'll try.† The whole idea of Adrian trying to get into my head while I was watching him through Lissa's head was surreal, to say the least. I didn't quite know what to expect from him. I'd always wondered if he had to be asleep or at least have his eyes closed. Apparently not. He instead stared off at nothing, his eyes going vacant as his mind left the world around him. Through Lissa's eyes, I could see some of the magic radiating off him and his aura, and she tried to analyze each strand. Then, without warning, all the magic faded. He blinked and shook his head. â€Å"Sorry. I can't do it.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Probably because she's awake. Did you learn anything by watching?† â€Å"A little. Probably would've been more useful if you'd actually made the connection.† Again, Lissa had that petulant tone. â€Å"She could be anywhere in the world, you know, on any schedule.† His words were smothered by a yawn. â€Å"Maybe we can try at different times of the day. I've been getting her†¦ actually, close to this time. Or sometimes I catch her really early in the day.† â€Å"She could be close by then,† said Lissa. â€Å"Or on a human daylight schedule in some other part of the world.† Her enthusiasm dropped. â€Å"Right. That too.† â€Å"How come you guys never look like you're working?† Christian strolled into the room, looking amused at Lissa sitting on the floor and Adrian sprawling on the couch. Standing behind Christian was someone I hadn't thought I'd see anytime soon. Adrian, who could detect women a mile away, also immediately noticed the newcomer. â€Å"Where'd you get the jailbait?† he asked. Christian shot Adrian a warning look. â€Å"This is Jill.† Jill Mastrano allowed herself to be nudged forward, her light green eyes impossibly wide as she looked around. â€Å"Jill, this is Lissa and Adrian.† Jill was one of the last people I'd expected to see here. I'd met her a little over a month ago. She was in ninth grade, which meant she'd be here on the upper campus in the fall. She had the same super-slim build that most Moroi had, but it was paired with height that was impressive even by vampiric standards. It made her look rail-thin. Her hair fell in light brown curls to the middle of her back and would be beautiful-when she learned how to style it properly. For now, it was kind of messy, and her overall impression-while cute-was kind of awkward. â€Å"H-hi,† she said, looking from face to face. As far as she was concerned, these were Moroi gold star celebrities. She'd nearly passed out when she first met me and Dimitri, thanks to our reputations. From her expression, she was in a similar state now. â€Å"Jill wants to learn how to use her power for good instead of evil,† said Christian with an exaggerated wink. That was his coy way of saying Jill wanted to learn how to fight with her magic. She'd expressed the interest to me, and I'd told her to find Christian. I was glad she'd had the courage to take me up on my advice. Christian was a campus celebrity too, albeit an infamous one. â€Å"Another recruit?† asked Lissa, shaking her head. â€Å"Think you'll keep this one around?† Jill gave Christian a startled look. â€Å"What's that mean?† â€Å"After the attack, lots of people said they wanted to learn to fight with magic,† Christian explained. â€Å"So they found me, and we worked together†¦ once or twice. Then everyone faded away once it got hard, and they realized they had to keep practicing.† â€Å"It doesn't help that you're a mean teacher,† pointed out Lissa. â€Å"And so now you've got to recruit among children,† said Adrian solemnly. â€Å"Hey,† said Jill indignantly. â€Å"I'm fourteen.† Immediately, she flushed at having spoken so boldly to him. He found it amusing, as he did so many other things. â€Å"My mistake,† he said. â€Å"What's your element?† â€Å"Water.† â€Å"Fire and water, huh?† Adrian reached into his pocket and pulled out a one-hundred-dollar bill. He snapped it out straight. â€Å"Sweetheart, I'll make you a deal. If you can make a bucket of water appear and dump over Christian's head, I'll give you this.† â€Å"I'll add in ten,† laughed Lissa. Jill looked stunned, but I suspected it was because Adrian had called her â€Å"sweetheart.† I took Adrian for granted so often that it was easy to forget he really was a hot guy. Christian pushed Jill toward the door. â€Å"Ignore them. They're just jealous because spirit users can't go charging into battle like we can.† He knelt down to Lissa's height on the floor and gave her a quick kiss. â€Å"We were practicing in the lounge upstairs, but I've got to walk her back now. I'll see you tomorrow.† â€Å"You don't have to,† said Jill. â€Å"I can get back there fine. I don't want to be any trouble.† Adrian stood up. â€Å"You aren't. If anyone's going to step up and be the knight in shining armor here, it might as well be me. I'll take you back and leave the lovebirds to their lovebirding.† He gave Jill a grand bow. â€Å"Shall we?† â€Å"Adrian-† said Lissa, a sharp note in her voice. â€Å"Oh, come on,† he said, rolling his eyes. â€Å"I've got to head back anyway-you guys are of no use once curfew comes. And honestly, give me some credit here. Even I have boundaries.† He gave Lissa a meaningful look, one that told her she was an idiot for thinking he was going to hit on Jill. Lissa held his gaze for a few moments and realized he was right. Adrian was a scoundrel at times and had never made his interest in me a secret, but walking Jill home wasn't part of some grand seduction. He really was just being nice. â€Å"All right,† said Lissa. â€Å"I'll see you later. Nice meeting you, Jill.† â€Å"You too,† said Jill. She dared a smile at Christian. â€Å"Thanks again.† â€Å"You better show up for our next practice,† he warned. Adrian and Jill started to step out the door, just as Avery stepped through it. â€Å"Hey, Adrian.† Avery gave Jill a once-over. â€Å"Who's your jailbait?† â€Å"Will you guys stop calling me that?† exclaimed Jill. Adrian pointed at Avery chastisingly. â€Å"Hush. I'll deal with you later, Lazar.† â€Å"I certainly hope so,† she said in a singsong voice. â€Å"I'll leave the door unlocked.† Jill and Adrian left, and Avery sat down next to Lissa. She seemed animated enough to be drunk, but Lissa smelled no liquor on her. Lissa was rapidly learning that some part of Avery was always just vivacious and carefree, regardless of intoxication. â€Å"Did you really just invite Adrian to your room later?† asked Lissa. She spoke teasingly but had been secretly wondering if something was going on between them. And yeah, that made two of us who wondered. Avery shrugged. â€Å"I don't know. Maybe. Sometimes we hang out once you guys are all tucked into bed. You aren't going to get jealous, are you?† â€Å"No,† laughed Lissa. â€Å"Just curious. Adrian's a good guy.† â€Å"Oh?† asked Christian. â€Å"Define ? ®good.'† Avery held up her hand and began ticking items off with each finger. â€Å"He's devastatingly handsome, funny, rich, related to the queen†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You got your wedding colors picked out?† asked Lissa, still laughing. â€Å"Not yet,† said Avery. â€Å"I'm still testing the waters. I figured he'd be an easy notch on the Avery Lazar belt, but he's kind of hard to read.† â€Å"I really don't want to be hearing this,† Christian said. â€Å"Sometimes he acts like a love 'em and leave 'em type. Other times, he mopes like some heartbroken romantic.† Lissa exchanged a knowing glance with Christian that Avery didn't catch while talking. â€Å"Anyway, I'm not here to talk about him. I'm here to talk about you and me busting out of here.† Avery threw her arm around Lissa, who nearly fell over. â€Å"Out of where? The dorm?† â€Å"No. This school. We're going off on a wild weekend to the Royal Court .† â€Å"What, this weekend?† Lissa felt like she was three steps behind, and I didn't blame her. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because it's Easter. And her royal majesty thought it would be ? ®lovely' if you could join her for the holiday.† Avery's tone was grand and high-pitched. â€Å"And, since I've been hanging out with you, Dad's decided I'm on good behavior now.† â€Å"Poor oblivious bastard,† murmured Christian. â€Å"So he said I can go with you.† Avery glanced at Christian. â€Å"You can too, I guess. The queen said Lissa could bring a guest-in addition to me, of course.† Lissa looked into Avery's radiant face and didn't share her enthusiasm. â€Å"I hate going to Court. Tatiana just goes on and on, giving what she thinks is useful advice for me. It's always boring and miserable now.† Lissa didn't add that she'd once found Court fun-when I'd gone with her. â€Å"That's because you haven't gone with me yet. It'll be a blast! I know where all the good stuff is. And I bet Adrian'll come too. He can push his way into anything. It'll be like a double date.† Slowly, Lissa began to acknowledge that this might be fun. She and I had managed to find a little of the â€Å"good stuff† that hid underneath the polished surface of Court life. Every other visit since had been just as she described-stuffy and businesslike. But now, going with Christian and wild, spontaneous Avery? That had potential. Until Christian ruined it. â€Å"Well, don't count me in,† he said. â€Å"If you can only bring one person, bring Jill.† â€Å"Who?† asked Avery. â€Å"Jailbait,† explained Lissa. She looked at Christian in astonishment. â€Å"Why on earth would I bring Jill? I just met her.† â€Å"Because she's actually serious about learning to defend herself. You should introduce her to Mia. They're both water users.† â€Å"Right,† said Lissa knowingly. â€Å"And the fact that you hate it at Court has nothing to do with it?† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Christian!† Lissa was suddenly getting upset. â€Å"Why can't you do this for me?† â€Å"Because I hate the way Queen Bitch looks at me,† he said. Lissa didn't find this convincing. â€Å"Yeah, but when we graduate, I'll be living there. You'll have to go then.† â€Å"Yeah, well, then give me this small vacation first.† Lissa's irritation grew. â€Å"Oh, I see how it is. I have to put up with your crap all the time, but you can't go out of your way for me.† Avery glanced between them and then stood up. â€Å"I'll leave you kids to work this out on your own. I don't care whether Christian or Jailbait goes, as long as you're there.† She peered down at Lissa. â€Å"You are going, right?† â€Å"Yeah. I'll go.† If anything, Christian's refusal had suddenly spurred Lissa more. Avery grinned. â€Å"Awesome. I'm going to head out of here, but you two had better kiss and make up when I'm gone.† Avery's brother Reed suddenly appeared in the doorway. â€Å"Are you ready?† he asked her. Every time he spoke, it always came out as sort of a grunt. Avery flashed the others a triumphant look. â€Å"See? My gallant brother, coming to walk me back before those dorm matrons start yelling at me to leave. Now Adrian'll have to find a new and exciting way to prove his chivalry.† Reed didn't look very gallant or chivalrous, but I supposed it was nice of him to come walk her back to her room. His timing had been eerily perfect. Maybe she was right about him not being as bad as people always thought. As soon as Avery was gone, Lissa turned on Christian. â€Å"Are you really serious about me bringing Jill instead of you?† â€Å"Yep,† said Christian. He tried to lie back into her lap, but she pushed him away. â€Å"But I'll count the seconds until you return.† â€Å"I can't believe you think this is a joke.† â€Å"I don't,† he said. â€Å"Look, I didn't mean to get you all worked up, okay? But really†¦ I just don't want to deal with all that Court drama. And it would be good for Jill.† He frowned. â€Å"You don't have anything against her, do you?† â€Å"I don't even know her,† said Lissa. She was still upset-more so than I would have expected, which was odd. Christian caught hold of Lissa's hands, face serious. Those blue eyes she loved softened her anger a little. â€Å"Please, I'm not trying to upset you. If it's really that important†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Like that, Lissa's anger diffused. It was abrupt, like a switch. â€Å"No, no. I'm fine bringing Jill-though I'm not sure she should be hanging out with us and doing whatever Avery has in mind.† â€Å"Give Jill to Mia. She'll look after her for the weekend.† Lissa nodded, wondering why he was so interested in Jill. â€Å"Okay. But you're not doing this because you don't like Avery, are you?† â€Å"No, I like Avery. She makes you smile more.† â€Å"You make me smile.† â€Å"That's why I added on the ? ®more.'† Christian gently kissed Lissa's hand. â€Å"You've been so sad since Rose left. I'm glad you're hanging out with someone else-I mean, not that you can't get everything you need from me.† â€Å"Avery's not a Rose replacement,† said Lissa quickly. â€Å"I know. But she reminds me of her.† â€Å"What? They have nothing in common.† Christian straightened up and sat beside her, resting his face against her shoulder. â€Å"Avery's like how Rose used to be, back before you guys left.† Both Lissa and I paused to ponder that. Was he right? Before Lissa's spirit powers had begun showing, she and I had lived a party girl lifestyle. And yes, half the time I was the one coming up with the crazy ideas to find a good time and get us into trouble. But had I been as out there as Avery seemed sometimes? â€Å"There'll never be another Rose,† said Lissa sadly. â€Å"No,† agreed Christian. He gave her a brief, soft kiss on the mouth. â€Å"But there will be other friends.† I knew he was right, but I couldn't help but feel a small stab of jealousy. I also couldn't help feel a small amount of worry. Lissa's brief spurt of irritation had been kind of out of the blue. I could understand her wishing Christian could go, but her attitude had been a little bitchy-and her almost jealous worry over Jill was weird too. Lissa had no reason to doubt Christian's feelings, certainly not over someone like Jill. Lissa's moodiness reminded me too much of the old days. Most likely she was overtired, but some instinct-maybe it was part of the bonding-told me something was wrong. It was a fleeting sensation, one I couldn't quite get a hold of, like water slipping through my fingers. Still, my instincts had been right before, and I decided I'd be checking in on Lissa more frequently.

Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Essays

Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Essays Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Essay Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Essay Student Name: Lee Cheuk Fung Jerff Student ID No. : LE0002110 Course No. : MGT 195 Course Name : Business Policy and Strategy Title of the Assignment: Strategic Planning at The Chronicle Gazette Date of submission: 8 DEC 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 3 2. State of the newspaper publishing industry today 2. 1Data on Circulation and Revenue 4-6 2. 2 Top 20 U. S. Newspapers Print Circulation 7-8 3 Why newspapers are facing declining circulations and revenues? 3. 1 External Assessment . 11 Rise of the Web , Internet and free information 9 3. 12 Economic downturn put company into the trouble 9 3 Internal Assessment of The Chronicle Gazette 4. 13 Strengths 10 4. 14 Weaknesses 10 4 Strategies in publishing industry to cope with the Challenges 11,12 5 Steps to deal with the challenge 13 6. 1 Short-term steps 6. 2 Long-term steps Strategic Planning at The Chronicle Gazette 1. Introduction The Chronicle Gazette is a leading newspaper in the United States with a circulation of 225,000 customers. Over the past few years, it has been facing a decline in its customer base and revenues. This is mainly due to the increasing dominance of the Internet as a means of disseminating information and news. Susan Feinman, the publisher of The Chronicle Gazette, noted the criticalness of the problem and worried this will become the 21st century equivalent of buggy whip manufacturers. The company is not looking for band-aid solutions but an insight of all the challenges and to work out an effective business strategy. As The Chronicle Gazette has been a steady decline in subscriptions and revenues, this report will present the strategic vision of where the newspaper publishing industry stands today and where it is headed over the next decade. 3. State of the newspaper publishing industry today The U. S. newspaper industry is in the midst of a historic restructuring, buffeted by a deep recession that is battering crucial advertising revenues, long-term structural challenges as readership to free news and entertainment on the Internet, and heavy debt burdens weighing down some major media companies. As the distress mounts – seven U. S. newspaper companies have filed for bankruptcy in the past years – lawmakers are debating possible legislation to assist the industry. Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will hold a series of workshops in 2009 to look at challenges facing newspapers, television, and radio in the Internet age. There are now about 1,400 daily newspapers in the United States and thousands of community papers, which generally publish weekly or biweekly. A handful of papers, including the Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and the New York Times, have a national print readership topping a million or more. The top 50 papers account for about a third of circulation, among them the big city papers that had some of the largest circulation declines in 2008. Overall, the newspaper industry, including printers, reporters, advertising salespeople and other personnel, was a roughly $50 billion business in 2002, according to Census Bureau data, employing about 400,000 people. Over the past few years, there has been a steady decline in the readership of newspapers. Anincreasing number of people are using the Internet to read and view news online for free. Due tothe advancements in Internet, people have free access to news and information online twentyfour hours a day and seven days a week. The news content is available in real time and can beaccessed anytime anywhere in the world. The majority of these online news providers do not levy a fee. As a result, the number of readers willing to pay for news content is reducing and this has a direct impact on the sales of newspapers. 2. 1Data on Circulation and Revenue The following tables and data demonstrating the decline of print circulation and revenue of the newspaper industry A) U. S. Newspapers Circulation in the last decade U. S. Newspapers Circulation forecast Starting decline from the early 90’s (B) Top 20 U. S. Newspapers Print Circulation (Six-Month Period Ending in March 2009) Daily PrintSix Months NewspaperCirculationEnding Mar 2009 USA TODAY 2,113,725 -7. 46% The Wall Street Journal 2,082,189 0. 61% The New York Times 1,039,031-3. 55% Los Angeles Times 723,181 -6. 55% Th e Washington Post 665,383 -1. 16% New York Daily News 602,857 -14. 26% New York Post 558,140 -20. 55% Chicago Tribune 501,202 -7. 47% Houston Chronicle 425,138 -13. 96% The Arizona Republic 389,701 -5. 72% The Denver Post 371,728 NA Newsday 368,194 -3. 01% The Dallas Morning News 331,907 -9. 88% Minneapolis Star-Tribune 320,076 -0. 71% Chicago Sun-Times 312,141 -0. 04% San Francisco Chronicle 312,118 -15. 72% The Boston Globe 302,638 -13. 68% Cleveland Plain Dealer 291,630 -11. 70% Detroit Free Press 290,730 -5. 90% The Philadelphia Inquirer 288,298 -13. 72% Source: Nielsen Online and Editor Publisher. (C) Newspapers Advertising Revenue (D) Top 25 U. S. Newspapers Circulations As of mar 2011 Why newspapers are facing declining circulations and revenues? 4. 2 External Assessment 3. 11 Rise of the Web , Internet and free information The key challenge of traditional newspaper are too much free information from everywhere, internet , web, free newspaper and app. People can know all the things though the forum of a website. And the development of iphone , ipad, and smartsphone let the electronic reading grow fast. Prin t circulation for daily papers fell by 13. 5% from 2001 to 2008, and 17. 3% for Sunday editions. Losses are mounting. Average daily newspaper print irculation fell 7% alone during the six-month period ending March 31, 2009, compared too the same period in 2008 As print circulation declines, online readership is soaring. U. S. newspaper websites averaged more than 73 million individual visitors a month in the first quarter of 2009, up 10. 5% from the same period in 2008. Newspapers are attracting online readers from well beyond their local communities including other cities and countries. Newspaper executives point to surging online readership as an endorsement of their product, saying public interest in news has increased, not diminished. But readership trends are complex, as habits and preferences evolve in response to the enormous array of information available on the Internet, television, and through devices such as hand-held readers and cell phones. Though readers want news, they do not necessarily want it from a traditional paper, and are using multiple sources. For example, there is just one newspaper in the top five news websites. The biggest news websites, in descending order are : MSNBC Digital Network, CNN Digital Network, Yahoo! News, AOL News, and NYTimes. com. MSNBC had nearly twice the online audience of the New York Times. Now is the technology era, television, radio and internet is more popular. The reader can more easily get some information and up to the minute news in them. They are the most threats to newspaper publishing industry. The Chronicle Gazette has the fixed supplier to furnish to the paper and printing inks, also long-term cooperation between us. Therefore, the bargaining power of suppliers is in medium-high level. Many competitors exist in the market. Also, the substitute products come out, such as Yahoo, MSNBC, Hotmail and 24-hours cable news, etc. In additional, they are free. The readers will towards them. Therefore the bargaining power of customers is high. Other so-called aggregators run websites that mix links to newspapers’ stories with some original content, and bloggers frequently mingle newspaper and other reporting with their own commentary and insights. Increasingly individual stories are displayed on the Web as discrete products, separate from a broader newspaper. About 22% of readers who visited newspaper websites arrived indirectly, by first clicking onto online search engines like Google, with another big share arriving through the front page of Web portals like Yahoo or MSN, according to one analysis. A separate 22% came from traffic moving between media and news websites, containing links to specific stories. Once readers arrive at newspaper websites, they spend less time there, on average, than print readers spend reading a traditional newspaper, though some studies show that time online has been increasing. Web readers spend an average of 53 minutes a week with newspapers – or just under eight minutes a day. It is also found, however, that 22% of readers had recently dropped a paid print newspaper or magazine subscription because they could get the paper free online. 3. 2 Economic downturn put company into the trouble The financial crisis in 2008 and the European debt problem let the newspaper industry is in trouble. Some large newspaper companies took on significant debt shortly before the economic downturn hit. Legacy costs are a complicating factor. Many newspapers have traditional, defined-benefit pension plans, which now appear underfunded due to large losses in mar ket investments. It will have to make bigger cash contributions to its pension plans in coming years than previously expected, due to poor market returns and changes in pension law. The company cautioned investors that â€Å"the contributions will place additional strain on the company’s liquidity needs. Investors have soured on newspapers. Some large newspaper companies saw their stock prices drop by more than 80% last year – far beyond the overall decline in the publishing industry and various stock indices. Newspaper stock prices rebounded a bit in 2009, but are still near historic lows. With revenues declining and their ability to raise new capital impaired, some newspaper companies are in danger of breaching financing agreements with their lenders. If that happens, lenders could terminate lines of credit and call in existing loans. 3 Internal Assessment of The Chronicle Gazette 4. 1 Strengths * Good reputation on brand name for good quality * Accumulated significant market share * With experienced and professional workforce * Conservative corporate investment policy which had minimized lost during the economic recession * Top Managements all have the will to change and are ready for transformation 4. 2 Weaknesses Deficient in proactive action to the challenge of Internet and Web threats * Without a focus work team to nurture innovative ideas and develop new products * Inadequate of interaction with audiences in both online website and traditional print newspaper and so can have updated news. * Insufficient technology knowledge and experience in terms of people and equipments * A rigid hierarchy organizational structure which impede employees’ motivation to propose new ideas or changes 5. Strategies in publishing industry to cope with the Challenges The newspaper industry in the United States is faced with multiple challenges of reducedreadership, increased costs and competition from new media companies, such as Google. Amajority of the newspapers have online versions of their editions on websites. They have alsoother measures to increase circulation and improve profitability. Newspapers have increased the prices for both the subscriptions and single buy purchase. They are also analyzing the markets they serve to understand the cost-benefit dynamic of each market. As a result, some newspapers have cut back on circulation to remote areas where the revenues earned are more than the cost of delivery. The Wall Street Journal is one of the leading newspapers in the United States, which has changed its market strategy and business model to overcome the challenges in the publishing industry. Through its website, www. wsj. com, the paper provides online access of its news content to readers. As of April 2010, the Wall Street Journal had 414,025 e-subscriptions. Though the website is available online, not all of the content is free. The Journal has formulated a mixed price strategy where it provides both free and paid content. The popular sections of the news content, such as politics, sports, arts and entertainment is free. Niche coverage such as editorials, opinions and articles on business and financial topics can be viewed only for a fee. Indepth coverage, analysis, opinions and reviews are available only to paid users(PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2010). By adopting this strategy of free and paid access, the WallStreet Journal has been able to increase its e-readership base. The free access to popular content attracts more traffic on its website. This brings in more advertising revenues and increases profitability. At the same time, it helps in building a relationship with new readers. They are aware of the useful content available on wsj. com and are willing to pay for more in-depth coverage and analysis. Another important measure taken by the Wall Street Journal is embracing the digital revolution and becoming a part of it. The Wall Street Journal is available on Apple’s iPad. This move helps the Journal to widen its market and tap younger readers who are technologically savvy. As of June 2010, the Journal had sold more than 10,000 subscriptions and generated $2. million in revenues from the iPad (Business Insider, Inc. , 2010). There are companies at the other end of the spectrum in the newspaper industry who have adopted drastic measures to cope with the challenges. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer was facing significant losses for a few years. In 2008, the paper’s losses amounted to $14 million. As aresult, i ts owner The Hearst Corporation decided to shut down its print operations (GuardianNews and Media Limited, 2010). The Company had to make the hard decision of stopping publication of the 146-year old newspaper. It stopped delivery to nearly 117,600 weekday readers (Hearst Seattle Media, LLC, 2010). In March 2009, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer rolled out its final print edition. It decided to publish only the online version, www. seattlepi. com of the paper. The paper reduced its staff headcount drastically from 165 to 20 (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2010). Since the paper transformed into an entirely digital web format, its website, www. seattlepi. com, has had 4 million visitors per month with 40 million page views. With a reduced headcount, the website covers major topics, such as politics, sports and local happenings by itself. It also sources stories through wire services and other news agencies. The website also makes use of 150 local bloggers for regional content (World Editors Forum, 2010). 6. Steps to deal with the challenge 7. 1. Short-term steps For the short-term, The Chronicle Gazette should study its organization structure and ensure that the human capital is being effectively used in the business. And it will publish the edition tabloid for free. And we will recruit the new employee have experience in technology, he will establish the E-newspaper and for future technology and internet issue. . 2. Long-term steps Adopt a multimedia mindset, viewing the business as a portfolio of products and services with different business models, pricing and distributions strategiesWe establish email and discussion area in our web-site for the reader offer the information. First of all, it is to attract much more reader to our platform. Second, we will know their favorite orientation in they provided the data. T hird, it can increase the subject in our newspaper and E-newspaper by reader offered data.

Satanism Essays - Church Of Satan, Left-Hand Path, Satanism

Satanism Essays - Church Of Satan, Left-Hand Path, Satanism Satanism Sociology/Psychology I am hoping I can somehow make this seem like a psychological report without making it lose any of it's important details. My goal in writing this paper is to hopefully make people understand and agree that Satanism is not a "Devil Worshipping," animal mutilating, child scarifying cult organization. The psychological thing comes in when people say Satanism is wrong or evil, they hear the word Satan and automatically assume that it must be bad. They make these assumptions without even taking the time to find the facts and understand them. I'll start off by saying that Satanists do not worship the devil! A Satanist believe that he or she as an individual rule their own destiny and are the god of their own lives. Satanism is a religion based on the reality that man is an animal, like all others. They choose to separate themselves from a society where natural behavior is suppressed and the strong support the weak. The average Satanist disagrees with much of Christianity. In many ways Chr istians are considered the enimies. Christians say Satan is a fallen angel, not a God. All religions have gods and demons, some of which are forbidden by a typical society. Satan is one among these, originally conceived by the Hebrews, long before the birth of Jesus. Most Satanists are familiar with the teachings of Christianity, and have read the Bible or part of it. They simply consider the Bible to be false and disregard it much like Christians would disregard books which represent the foundation of another religion. Satanism is not considered a religion for the white race and should not be confused with or grouped together with skinheads, The KKK, Nazi's, Neo-Nazi's, or people who support white power. Satanists are not teenage vandals, not gang murderers, not psychopathic murders, not child molesters or vicious rapists. Satanists do not sacrifice young children or animals. The ninth and tenth of the Eleven Satanic Rules of The Earth forbid this, in fact, animal sacrifices are primarily used in the Afro-Caribbean syncretistic religions such as Voodoun, Candomble', and Santeria. Child Sacrifices are used in Television and by journalists to improve ratings. A Satanist does not practice baby breeding or child molestation. Evidence does not support what is said to occur. If the number of murders said to be committed by Satanists' was accurate some bodies would have been found by now. Members of the Church of Satan are involved and advanced exactly as their own desires, abilities, and accomplishments dictate. There are no set activities, meetings, or contacts. A new member comes into the organization ideally with his or her own goals and plans of achieving them. When being brought to the church of Satan new members are told to not let anyone tell you what to believe or what to do. Advice or recommendations are one thing; orders or commands quite another. Remember that you are a free being, not a pawn in someone's power fantasy. They believe the weaker elements of society should serve the stronger elements of society or perish. Satanists support any means of returning to the order of Darwin's Natural Selection Process, this is inclusive of elimination of welfare to selective sterilization of those weaker elements. Weak elements are determined by performance and intelligence, not race or religion. So where does Satan come into all of this? Satanists believe Satan (and other gods) is not so much an entity as a force of nature. These gods are not all concerned with the life of mortals. Satan is a very powerful word that serves as an isolation between Satanists and society. It is this separation that a true Satanist appreciates and holds dear. the separation of a society where the strong and willing work for what they need and want but are forced to support the weak through welfare and charity. Satanists' know their opinions may not be politically correct, but they still obey the laws governing man on this planet and they expect the same protection under the laws as other minorities, races and religions. There are several divisions of the believe systems of various "Satanic" groups. Satanism has changed so much from it's original form. For instance a group that are

How to Punctuate Descriptions of Colors

How to Punctuate Descriptions of Colors How to Punctuate Descriptions of Colors How to Punctuate Descriptions of Colors By Mark Nichol Use of hyphens and commas in phrases that include names of colors is the cause of some confusion among writers. Here’s a discussion of when to insert or omit these punctuation marks when referring to colors. As with most other phrasal adjectives, pairs of words that together describe the color of an object should be hyphenated: A suit that is dark blue (referring to degree of saturation) is a dark-blue suit, and a suit that is blue gray (identifying a combination of colors) is a blue-gray suit. (Note, too, that a modifying phrase referring to color, like most phrasal adjectives, is not hyphenated when it follows rather than precedes the noun it modifies.) The previous rule applies not only to combinations of colors but to degrees (â€Å"greenish-blue dress,† â€Å"a dress that is greenish blue†) or comparisons (â€Å"snow-white fabric,† â€Å"fabric that is snow white†) of color. Remember, too, that light has two distinct meanings: A light green package is a green package that doesn’t weigh much; a light-green package is a package that is a light shade of green. When the adjective or phrasal adjective follows the noun or noun phrase, and no hyphenation occurs, the distinction is still clear: The first description is of a green package that is light, and the second is of a package that is light green. When the name of a color is one of two or more adjectives preceding a noun, whether and which of the adjectives are separated by commas depends on whether they are coordinate adjectives or not whether they each modify the noun, rather than one modifying a phrase consisting of an adjective and a noun. For example, in â€Å"a tall, green pole,† a comma separates the two adjectives because they are coordinate, or equivalent. To test this fact, either replace the comma with and (â€Å"a tall and green pole†) or reverse the order of the adjectives (â€Å"a green, tall pole†). If these changes make sense (even though the original syntax is better), the adjectives are coordinate, meaning that they both refer to the pole, and the comma is required. In â€Å"a weathered green pole,† by contrast, the adjectives are noncoordinate: Weathered and green do not each modify pole; weathered modifies â€Å"green pole,† so no comma is necessary. Various references to combinations of two or more colors are also distinguished by the use or omission of hyphens. For example, â€Å"She has only black and white shoes† means that all of the person’s shoes are either black or white, but â€Å"She has only black-and-white shoes† means that the person’s shoe collection consists only of shoes in which each pair is black and white. â€Å"Yellow, pink, and red flowers† refers to flowers colored yellow, pink, or red, whereas â€Å"yellow-pink-and-red flowers† denotes tricolored flowers. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Slang Terms for MoneyWhenever vs. When Ever50 Musical Terms Used in Nonmusical Senses

Questions on Western Heritage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Questions on Western Heritage - Essay Example The Greco-Roman culture was restored and the period saw transformations in many areas such as the growth of city-states, mastery of arts, secularism and emphasis on the individual. There was also use of slaves, strengthening of papacy, and intellectual growth based on study of classical literary works of Greece and Rome (Spielvogel, 347- 352). Q2: How events or developments in Renaissance mark a break or departure from the key characteristics of middle Ages. The middle Ages were characterized by lack of classical culture and were the period 1000yrs between the end of Roman Empire and the new era of renaissance. The developments in renaissance marked a breakaway from the characteristics of the middle ages in that it emphasized on individuality, secularism and revival of antiquity. The middle Ages were characterized by many problems such as political disorder, economic recession and Black Death. During renaissance, the economy was recovering hence the growth of trade and increased weal th for merchants. As a result, there was need for cheap labor in form of slaves hence the emergence of slave trade. During middle ages, slaves were used in agricultural activities and slavery had declined but during Renaissance, slaves were skilled workers for making handcraft goods or as nursemaids and playboys (Spielvogel, 345). Due to economic recovery and increased wealth, the Italians reverted to secularism instead of Christian moral principles which were emphasized during middle ages (Spielvogel, 341). Morality was abandoned as basis for analysis of political activity; therefore, a ruler could break the rules and do wrong if necessary. According to Machiavelli, a leader was supposed to secure allies and win wars by force or fraud. The Catholic Church was also broken down to protestant churches due to the spirit of secularism which brought about corruption in the church. Another event that marked departure from Middle Ages was the intellectual renaissance. The antiques of the G reeks and Romans were revived and used in study of humanity. Individuals were seen as possessing abilities which they could utilize for perfecting their art. The individual was viewed as â€Å"a universal person capable of achieving in many areas of life’ (Spielvogel, 341). Individuals were thus taught using literary works of the Greece and Rome and were engaged in various occupations instead of relying on the clergy. Q3: What was humanism? How does it reflect this new spirit of Renaissance? Spielvogel defines humanism as â€Å"an intellectual movement based on the study of classical literary works of Greece and Rome† (p. 352). The materials studied and taught in schools as humanities include: grammar, poetry, ethics, and history. Besides teaching, other humanists were involved in other occupations such as secretaries in city-states. The humanist movement is credited with the development of renaissance in the 14th century. Humanism reflects the new spirit of Renaissan ce through the ideas of humanists such as Leonardo Bruni (1370-1444) who uses Cicero as an inspiration for an ideal Renaissance. The spirit of Renaissance is reflected in the way individuals are encouraged to participate in the life of the state. He emphasized that intellectuals should live active lives for the sake of

Comparing HIPAA & GLBA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Comparing HIPAA & GLBA - Essay Example HIPAA was signed into law in 1996. Electronic transactions have also been under the scope of this act due to the fact that information systems have been dramatically evolving, which poses a risk for the avenues of how information is transmitted. Since HIPAA puts strict regulations in patient information, blue cross blue shield was force to renovate its strategy. Due to HIPAA and ACA, blue cross blue shield was forced to think of new strategies. For example, it used the benchmark principle to tell the hospitals to reduce its cost by 10%, which was indirect method. A more direct approach would be to tell the hospital to directly cut the staff. In this particular scenario, blue cross blue shield gave full control to the hospital to reduce its cost which could mean eliminating paper waste, cutting salaries, reducing leisure activities. Both HIPAA and ACA influence insurance and hospitals to securely dispose medical information of patients. A challenge for any healthcare provider and its subsidiaries is the fact that fraud has become a serious issue in this era. In order to combat fraud, Congress enacted HIPPA and the ACA have implemented some procedures to combat fraud. The HIPAA and ACA are both critical legislations that ensure patient privacy. This is a key element to prevent fraud in most cases. Individuals seeking information must submit their PHI or SHI in order to prevent other individuals from claiming insurance compensation on behalf of others. Similarly to the HIPAA, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Modernization Act is designed to facilitate and provide integrity to consumers against financial institutions that offer products. Undoubtedly, protecting the privacy of consumer information is critical towards harnessing the growth of business and protecting the integrity of information that is transferred. Thus, the GLB act not only covers federal banking agency

Hnd Computing And Software Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Hnd Computing And Software Engineering - Essay Example If we are to analyze the elements stated above should be followed and must be present in order to do these things. First, one must have to plan the necessary movements and execution of it for it is the backbone of the task. Included in this task is the ocular of the place including surveying of the place, determining the available resources such as the electricity, nearest Internet service provider, the place where satellites and cables should be installed are among those things that should be given enough attention. In this case, problems definitely would arise and it is a common saying that in every problem, there is a solution. However, one cannot solve the problem if it is not analyzed and classified whether it is a well-defined or ill-defined one. To be able to know the differences of these two, it is necessary to define them. Ill-defined problems are those that are hard to define and most of the times they do contain things and elements that are hard to describe. In the same thing, most of experts and analysts agree that many important problems are ill-defined. On the other hand, the website http://www.si.umich.edu/SI502/slides/lecture11/tsld012.htm (2006) stated that well defined problems can be known as such "if initial conditions, solution, and methods can all be described." These things are best illustrated by mathematical problems, jigsaw puzzles and the likes. The same thing in this kind of problem, there is only a certain solution which one can easily track and preempt the outcome of the problem. By knowing these two types of problems, the shortcomings and other related troubles would be known and would be given solutions. Going back to the focal point, in the first problem wherein installation of internet network is required to three branches of the institute, the recognition as to whether it is a well or ill-defined problem is vital. If we are to analyze, problems that may be included in the well defined are the likes of the number of computer needed to be fielded in a certain branch, the type of internet service provider, the required number of memories that each of the computer set needs, the strategic location where the computer sets should be placed and the number of manpower needed for the installation and maintenance of the aforementioned gadgets are among those things that should be considered in this category. HND COMPUTING AND SOFTWARE ENGINEERING 3 In the ill-defined problems, the dilemma regarding what virus might struck in the computer sets, the capability of the manpower to execute the demand, the uniformity of performance of the computer sets in the three branches and other related problems are among those that are to be included in this kind of problem. The next thing after determining the problems is the execution of things that are to be done in order to have solutions in these things. For example in the well defined category, in determining the number of computer sets that are to be fielded in every branches, the size of the location of each branches is vital and is a big factor in order to know if how many computer sets would fit in the location without sacrificing the quality of the performance of the computer and the comfort of those who are using the facility. The determination of the internet-service providers

TV ratings Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

TV ratings - Coursework Example For example, if channel CBS shows Criminal Minds at 10pm and has a rating of 25 then, according to Nielson, 25% of the household audience is watching the program. In addition, an individual needs to find the market share of a program as it is the estimate percentage of the number of households who have television and are watching the program. For example, if channel ABS airs the program Dance with the stars at 8.00pm and has a market share of 40 this means that 40% of the people watching TV at that particular time are watching the same program. Moreover, to have spot trends in the market help Media Managers identify audience problems. For example, if channel fox airs master chef at 7.00am, which has weak ratings, then there is a possibility that the ratings could recover after some time. This is because the program may be aired at a time when the target audience is not available. Lastly, tracking numbers of people helps to know if people are watching the program. The Nielson report captures viewers of all age groups. However, it may be difficult to know the actual numbers between women and men ages, as much as these numbers matter most to advertisers. The result is that the audience splits due to the gender and age groups, therefore the number of people watching certain programs reduce significantly (Beville, 9). The target audience for most of the top ten programs attracts young families. This is because programs such as modern family, is a family program and the parents together with the kids can watch the program that is suitable for all family viewing. In addition, programs like criminal minds and the big-bang theory allows all members of the family to watch. 18-49 years is the target age of most of the top 10 programs. I feel the target audience for the top 10 shows attracts families because, the programs are friendly to everyone in the family and parents do not have to censor worst scenes,

Do you Think the Principles of Design Affect Everyday Life Essay - 9

Do you Think the Principles of Design Affect Everyday Life - Essay Example Normally, this not by accident, it is because of a careful planning based on principles of design. Usually, the majority of people prefer their lives to have balance, they do not like living on the edge. People want to order in their lives. The same applies to design. Balance in design is concerned with the way a designer distributes the weight on every side of the image. When a designer gives much weight to the right side as to the left, the bottom and the top, this is referred to as symmetry. There is a number of ways to create symmetry. Asymmetrical page in a newspaper would have the right side and the left side of the page balanced. Doing this sometimes is ok; however, having everything balanced in a publication all the time is boring. People like balance in their lives, however they do not like seeing at symmetrical things always. Occasionally, it is necessary to approach media design of an image via asymmetry. This implies dissimilar but equal visual weight on each side. Thus, you would give one side of the page more weight via visuals, lettering, color etc. This implies that you do not have a page in the sense that all regions of the page are equal in what they contain (Sayre, 106). In design, balance is achieved via optical weights. This implies that a designer/artist decision on the significance of elements, and their positioning on the page lead the viewer through the page. In other words, the designer guides the viewer’s eyes where he wants them to go- from the most significant to what he thinks is least. The designer knows what he considers most significant elements and those that are not very important and thus he arranges them in such a manner. The scale is something that works naturally. It is basically arranging spaces in an image in an attractive relationship.  Ã‚  

TV ratings Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

TV ratings - Coursework Example For example, if channel CBS shows Criminal Minds at 10pm and has a rating of 25 then, according to Nielson, 25% of the household audience is watching the program. In addition, an individual needs to find the market share of a program as it is the estimate percentage of the number of households who have television and are watching the program. For example, if channel ABS airs the program Dance with the stars at 8.00pm and has a market share of 40 this means that 40% of the people watching TV at that particular time are watching the same program. Moreover, to have spot trends in the market help Media Managers identify audience problems. For example, if channel fox airs master chef at 7.00am, which has weak ratings, then there is a possibility that the ratings could recover after some time. This is because the program may be aired at a time when the target audience is not available. Lastly, tracking numbers of people helps to know if people are watching the program. The Nielson report captures viewers of all age groups. However, it may be difficult to know the actual numbers between women and men ages, as much as these numbers matter most to advertisers. The result is that the audience splits due to the gender and age groups, therefore the number of people watching certain programs reduce significantly (Beville, 9). The target audience for most of the top ten programs attracts young families. This is because programs such as modern family, is a family program and the parents together with the kids can watch the program that is suitable for all family viewing. In addition, programs like criminal minds and the big-bang theory allows all members of the family to watch. 18-49 years is the target age of most of the top 10 programs. I feel the target audience for the top 10 shows attracts families because, the programs are friendly to everyone in the family and parents do not have to censor worst scenes,

Analysis of a company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analysis of a company - Essay Example Such moves by Thomas Cook have been seen as part of its strategy to eliminate competition and expand in a horizontal way. Thomas Cook has 19000 employees with 800 stores. It owns popular travelling brands such Airtours, Direct holidays, Cresta, Sunworld and Sunset. The company has also vertical integration strategy denoted by its ownership of 44 aircrafts to its fleet. The company has also other plans apart from the travel plan including financial services such as foreign exchange and Thomas Cook credit card. In 2012, the company was an official Olympic and Paralympics supporter by offering accommodation and transport. The success of Thomas Cook is denoted by number of sales, revenue and market share (Thomas Cook Para 4). Thomas Cook is better placed in terms of commanding the travel and tourism industry. The company is considered very reliable in terms of customer service. Being an old player in the industry, Thomas Cook has been able to build trust to its customers. For instance, in 2009, the company was trusted by over 22 million passengers. A total of 9 billion pounds was added to the trust as a way of assuring its customers that the company cannot go into bankruptcy. The other strength is the fact that the company has been at the top by its strategy of eliminating competition by horizontal integration. Additionally, the company has been able to comply with the laid down laws and regulations that govern operations of travel and tourism firms. The UK travel industry is controlled by strict rules and regulations. Any tour operator is required to sell a package approved by a DTI approved body. Several insurance requirements must be adhered to by any tour operator. With all these regulations, the company has overcome them and this places it at a better position to compete with its opponents effectively. The command of the market denoted by its 30% market share is critical in that the company has an advantage of effectively controlling the

Why Intelligent People Fail Essay Example for Free

Why Intelligent People Fail Essay 1. Lack of motivation. A talent is irrelevant if a person is not motivated to use it. Motivation may be external (for example, social approval) or internal (satisfaction from a job well-done, for instance). External sources tend to be transient, while internal sources tend to produce more consistent performance. 2. Lack of impulse control. Habitual impulsiveness gets in the way of optimal performance. Some people do not bring their full intellectual resources to bear on a problem but go with the first solution that pops into their heads. 3. Lack of perserverance and perseveration. Some people give up too easily, while others are unable to stop even when the quest will clearly be fruitless. 4. Using the wrong abilities. People may not be using the right abilities for the tasks in which they are engaged. 5. Inability to translate thought into action. Some people seem buried in thought. They have good ideas but rarely seem able to do anything about them. 6. Lack of product orientation. Some people seem more concerned about the process than the result of activity. 7. Inability to complete tasks. For some people nothing ever draws to a close. Perhaps it’s fear of what they would do next or fear of becoming hopelessly enmeshed in detail. 8. Failure to initiate. Still others are unwilling or unable to initiate a project. It may be indecision or fear of commitment. 9. Fear of failure. People may not reach peak performance because they avoid the really important challenges in life. 10. Procrastination. Some people are unable to act without pressure. They may also look for little things to do in order to put off the big ones. 11. Misattribution of blame. Some people always blame themselves for even the slightest mishap. Some always blame others. 12. Excessive self-pity. Some people spend more time feeling sorry for themselves than expending the effort necessary to overcome the problem. 13. Excessive dependency. Some people expect others to do for them what they ought to be doing themselves. 14. Wallowing in personal difficulties. Some people let their personal difficulties interfere grossly with their work. During the course of life, one can expect some real joys and some real sorrows. Maintaining a proper perspective is often difficult. 15. Distractibility and lack of concentration. Even some very intelligent people have very short attention spans. 16. Spreading oneself too think or too thick. Undertaking too many activities may result in none being completed on time. Undertaking too few can also result in missed opportunities and reduced levels of accomplishment. 17. Inability to delay gratification. Some people reward themselves and are rewarded by others for finishing small tasks, while avoiding bigger tasks that would earn them larger rewards. 18. Inability to see the forest for the trees. Some people become obsessed with details and are either unwilling or unable to see or deal with the larger picture in the projects they undertake. 19. Lack of balance between critical, analytical thinking and creative, synthetic thinking. It is important for people to learn what kind of thinking is expected of them in each situation. 20. Too little or too much self-confidence. Lack of self-confidence can gnaw away at a person’s ability to get things done and become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Conversely, individuals with too much self-confidence may not know when to admit they are wrong or in need of self-improvement.

Importance of Ankle Brachial Pressure Index (ABPI)

Importance of Ankle Brachial Pressure Index (ABPI) Ankle Brachial Pressure Index test use as a tool of foot assessment in diabetic patient to reduce rate of lower extremity amputation. INTRODUCTION This essay will reflect on the importance of ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI) use as a tool while performing foot assessment (FA) to identify diabetic patients who are at risk of foot ulcers and detecting vascular impairment in diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) hence preventing lower extremity amputation (LEA). FA helps to detect the level of risk of a diabetic patient developing a foot ulcer (Singh N et al., 2005, Grawford F et al.,2007). When there is no early detection and intervention, foot ulcers deteriorate resulting in amputation of the affected limb (Kerr M, 2012, Young MJ et al., 2008). All diabetic patients should perform annual FA to identify any abnormality (American Diabetes Associaton 2012) and those who are at risk should have FA done more frequently (Frykberg RG et al., 2006). Gibbs’ model of reflection (Gibbs 1988) is used in this discussion because it is easy to use, simple and is a good guidance of reflection. 25% of diabetic people will develop foot ulcer due to diabetes (Singh N et al., 2005) while 85% of diabetic patients with foot ulcers can lead to LEA (Pecoraro RE et al., 1990, Margolis DJ et al., 2005). â€Å"The emotional and financial costs of diabetic foot disease are high† (Close-Tweedie, 2002). Approximately 400 cases of LEA are performed yearly in Mauritius due to complication of Diabetes, costing about Rs 50,000 to Rs 100,000 for each limb amputation (Apsa International 2014, Mauritius Research Council 2012). However 85% of level of amputation can be reduced through a multidisciplinary team by early detection of foot problems, proper FA, empowering patient by giving them health education, close monitoring and proper care (International Diabetes Federation 2005, Pecoraro RE, 1990). DESCRIPTION The Government of Mauritius is doing much effort to increase the quality of life of diabetic people, national digital retinal screening service and podiatry services are available (Millenium Development Goals Status Report 2013). Foot ulcer clinics have been set up in all regional hospitals in Mauritius. During my training as a foot ulcer nurse I happened to do an ABPI (see Appendix 1) while doing FA with a patient whom I will call Mr John who has a non healing ulcer in his left hallux. His foot has never been assessed by a health care professional and he was not aware of FA. The ABPI result was 0.7 (see Appendix 2) indicating that he has moderate peripheral arterial disease. He was referred to the vascular surgeon by the treating Doctor. The result was confirmed through a colour duplex Doppler showing significant and arterial stenosis below the knee by greater than 60%. The patient underwent revascularization. Proper management of the wound was done, compression was not applied (Vow den K and Vowden P, 2002) and now the ulcer is showing good signs of healing. FEELINGS Getting the opportunity to follow the foot ulcer management course made me overwhelm. I was so enthusiastic to learn new ways and techniques of FA that I will apply with patients acting as a barrier to protect them from stumbling into the pitfall of foot complications hence preventing amputations. Before undertaking the module I was not aware of the importance of FA in preventing LEA. A 10g Semmes Weinstein monofilament is used to check loss of sensation in neuropathy and a hand-held doppler use to calculate ABPI to assess the vascular flow was far from my know how. After undertaking the module and wider reading with endeavours, though there were many ups and downs due to time constraint, now I feel more self-confident and have more expertise in practicing ABPI while doing FA. Having been able to detect the cause of non healing ulcer of Mr John through an ABPI while doing FA, I felt very happy and eventually this has motivated me to learn the module more correctly. I was determined t o put ABPI technique into practice in my field of work so that I can manage patient correctly and refer them to the appropriate channel for specific treatment through multidisciplinary team (John Ovretveti, 1996). EVALUATION I have learnt that foot problems related to diabetes occur very quickly, causing rapid tissue breakdown which is often complicated by infection (Edmonds et al., 1986) and eventually may lead to LEA (Close-Tweedie J, 2002). Factors influencing wound healing are hyperglycaemia (McInnes, 2001), change in metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins because of insulin deficiency (Cooper, 1990). Furthermore many factors prevent the normal process of wound healing at cellular level including delayed closure, contraction retarded due to delayed myofibroblast phenotype, granulocytes effect, no collagen synthesis, chemotaxis defects and no growth factors (Close-Tweedie J, 2002). Therefore, if there is decrease in tissue perfusion and oxygenation, wound healing will not take place (Terranova, 1991). Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) in the lower extremity is a condition where there is narrowing of arteries in the legs and feet due to accumulation of fatty substance called plaque, inside the walls of arteries. This result in poor blood supply to the muscles and tissues in the legs and feet hereby causing pain, tissue death and even gangrene. It is important to assess the arterial perfusion as impaired circulation contribute to non healing ulcer (Akbari CM, 2003). When assessing diabetic foot, the palpation of ankle pulses should not be used alone to detect arterial disease (Vowden K and Vowden P, 2002) and â€Å"distal perfusion can only be accurately assessed by the correct application of Doppler† (Whiteley et al., 1998). The ABPI is a simple, quick, non-invasive tool use to identify PAD(Bhasin N and Scott DJA, 2007). However, ABPI is not as easy to perform as it appears. I have done an ABPI with Mr John and this has helped in identifying the cause of the non healing ulcer. This was due to impaired blood circulation and the patient has been directed to the proper pathway to restore the blood flow. Hence this has helped the wound to show good signs of healing. ANALYSIS It is through performing an ABPI with Mr Brown that the cause of the non healing wound has been detected. I am pondering on how many patients have non healing ulcers due to impaired circulation and FA has not been done including ABPI. So ABPI is done on all diabetic patients with or without foot ulcers who are coming to our clinic for FA and they are being referred to proper channel for further management. My aim is to prevent diabetic patients to have foot complications and reduce the rate of LEA. ABPI result help us to evaluate the vascular supply, level of ischaemia, level of pain in the leg, determine the prognosis for patients having vascular disease and guide whether the patient should undergo revascularization or do angioplasty, stenting or bypass surgery of lower extremity. (Grenon SM et al., 2009). By interpreting the ABPI resuIts, now I am sure and certain of what types of bandaging to use, what dressing materials and medications to use to treat and help healing of ulcers. ABPI also guides us to decide whether debridement of the wound should be done or not and what type of offloading techniques to be implemented. CONCLUSION The fundamentals basics for healing of DFU are good perfusion, debridement, infection control, and pressure mitigation. To obtain successful outcome in the management of DFU is to recognize the etiological factors (Wu SC et al., 2007). Doing an ABPI help to improve the management of diabetic patients. The ABPI assessment was of great help to know the risk of the foot. For those having no ulcers, they are being managed by the correct channel to prevent complications from arising, while those having an ulcer are also diverted to correct pathway of treatment including surgeons and foot care nurses to manage foot problems correctly under the guidance of all expertise available at the hospital level. ACTION PLAN Now having well grasped the module workbook, I have allocated myself with a good time of reflection about how previously diabetic patients, with or without ulcers, were being treated and what was the complication and drawbacks we had in our system. After I have well understood the importance of ABPI during my studentship at the module and from my personal experience gained during the management of diabetic foot ulcer, now I make it a must that all diabetic patients, attending hospital from any sections, have an appointment to screen their foot with an ABPI done. Eventually, canalizing them through the correct pathways for further investigations and management required with the goal to reduce the rate of LEA. However, ABPI is contraindicated when there is excruciating pain in the leg or foot, in the presence of deep venous thrombosis as the thrombus may be dislodged and in patient with renal failure doing dialysis. ABPI results should be interpreted with care in patients having heavily calcified or incompressible vessels, where they may be misleadingly high. (Grenon SM et al., 2009). REFLECTION In this work piece of reflection, I have demonstrated how I use ABPI on diabetic patients to reduce the rate of LEA. Observing the result being achieved by this assessment, other members of health care providers insist about the implementation of this typical assessment. We are now more eager to know about the ABPI result on diabetic patients prior moving forward with any kind of management. I feel happy that my knowledge gained from the module are being put into practice and ABPI assessment has proved to be a great tool to reduce LEA which has been the aim of the government since long. REFERENCES Akbari CM, Macsata R, Smith BM, Sidawy AN. Overview of the diabetic foot. Semin Vasc Surg 16:3-11, 2003. American Diabetes Association. Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes-2012. Diabetes Care, Volume 35, Supplement 1, January 2012. Apsa.mu, (2014). Foot Care Clinic | Apsa International. [online] Available at: http://apsa.mu/services/foot-care-clinic/ [Accessed 22 June 2014]. Bhasin N and Scott DJA. Ankle Brachial Pressure Index: identifying cardiovascular risk and improving diagnostic accuracy. 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Foot care for people with diabetes: the economic case for change. NHS Diabetes, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 2012. Margolis DJ, Allen-Taylor L, Hoffstad O, Berlin JA. Diabetic neuropathic foot ulcers and amputation. Wound Repair Regen 13:230-236,2005. Mauritius Research Council, Ebene. Impact of food quality on human health, Feb 2012. [online] Available at: http://www.mrc.org.mu/document2012/nationalgroup/Impacts%20of%20Food%20Quality%20on%20Human%20Health.pdf [Accessed 21 June 2014]. McInnes A (2001). Guide to the assessment and management of diabetic foot wounds. The Diabetic Foot 4 (Suppl 1):S1-11. Millennium Development Goals Status Report 2013, Government of the Republic of Mauritius. [online] Available at http://www.undg.org/docs/13330/Muaritius-MDG-Status-Report-2013.pdf [Accessed 21 June 2014]. Ovretvet John. Five ways to describe a multidisciplinary team. Journal of Interprofessional care, vol 40, no 2, 1996. Pecoraro RE, Reiber GE, Burgess EM. Pathways to diabetic limb amputation. 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Young MJ, McCardle JE, Randlall LE, et al. Improved survival of diabetic foot ulcer patint’s 1995-2008: possible impact of aggressive cardiovascular risk management. Diabetes Care 2008; 31: 2143-47. APPENDIX 1 – Procedure of performing ABPI by Huntleigh Healthcare 2002 Patient is reassured and procedure is explained. Make sure patient is in supine position, comfortable, relaxed with sufficient rest. †¢ An appropriate sized cuff is placed around the upper arm and the brachial systolic blood pressure is measured. †¢ The equipment and the arm should be at heart level. †¢ When the brachial pulse is felt, ultrasound contact gel is applied. †¢ The probe of the Doppler should be at an angle of 45 degree and is moved till the best signal is obtained. †¢ The cuff is inflated until the signal disappeared, then is deflated slowly so that the probe is not moved from the line of the artery and at the point where the signal returns, the pressure is recorded. †¢ The procedure is repeated in the other arm. †¢ The highest of the two values of systolic pressure is used for the ABPI calculation. †¢ The systolic pressure of the ankle is taken by placing an appropriate sized cuff around the ankle immediately above the malleoli. The equipment should be at heart level. If any ulcer is present, it should be protected with a plastic film. †¢ The dorsalis pedis pulse is felt and contact gel is applied. The cuff is inflated until the signal disappear, then is deflated slowly and ensure the probe is not moved from the line of the artery and at the point where the signal returns, the pressure is recorded. †¢ The procedure is repeated for the posterior tibial. †¢ The highest systolic pressure reading is used to calculate the ABPI for that leg. †¢ Same procedure is applied in the other leg. †¢ The ABPI is calculated for each leg using the formula below. ABPI = Highest systolic pressure recorded at the ankle of dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial for that leg divided by the highest systolic brachial pressure of right and left arm. APPENDIX 2 – Reading of ABPI by Huntleigh Healthcare 2002 ABPI > 1.0 to 1.4 is considered as normal ABPI ABPI > 0.5 and ABPI ABPI >1.4 indicates calcification Page 1