Six Causes of Impaired Driving Essays - 1073 Words

Six Basic Causes of Impaired Driving Advanced Age, Alcohol, Drugs, Emotions, Fatigue, Inexperience Why is impaired driving an issue and why should you care? You are only as safe as the other drivers on the road. If there was an impaired driver on the road that was distracted and, for example, ran a red light, and you were the car who was just following the rules and going through a green light, and they hit you, you are now hurt and have to deal with this issue. Impaired driving does not just affect the driver who is impaired but also others who are on the road as well. Impaired driving is a very serious and dangerous issue that many people are charged and prosecuted for. The six basic types of impaired driving are alcohol, advance†¦show more content†¦Drug-impaired driving is becoming a much more common issue on Canadas streets, and the number of people driving after taking drugs is greater than those who drive after drinking. Regardless of public perception that drugs may be less harmful to drivers, evidence is growing that drug impairment contributes to collisions. Roa dside saliva tests have become more accurate and cost-effective in recent years, particularly for the most commonly-used drugs. Drugs can cause you not to think through decisions before making them. When under the influence you have control over your body and who knows what would happen, it could be as extensive as waking up in the hospital or not waking up at all. The consequences are the same for drinking and driving pretty much. Driving while you are in an emotional state is very dangerous because this causes a mental distraction. Your mind could be on something else rather than seeing that pedestrian or seeing that light turn red. It is very important that you should not drive when you are in an emotional state! 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The Lost Symbol Chapter 122-126 Free Essays

CHAPTER 122 The secret is how to die. Mal’akh knew it had all gone wrong. There was no brilliant light. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lost Symbol Chapter 122-126 or any similar topic only for you Order Now No wondrous reception. Only darkness and excruciating pain. Even in his eyes. He could see nothing, and yet he sensed movement all around him. There were voices . . . human voices . . . one of them, strangely, belonging to Robert Langdon. How can this be? â€Å"She’s okay,† Langdon kept repeating. â€Å"Katherine is fine, Peter. Your sister is okay.† No, Mal’akh thought. Katherine is dead. She must be. Mal’akh could no longer see, could not tell if his eyes were even open, but he heard the helicopter banking away. An abrupt calm settled through the Temple Room. Mal’akh could feel the smooth rhythms of the earth becoming uneven . . . as if the ocean’s natural tides were being disrupted by a gathering storm. Chao ab ordo. Unfamiliar voices were shouting now, talking urgently with Langdon about the laptop and video file. It’s too late, Mal’akh knew. The damage is done. By now the video was spreading like wildfire into every corner of a shocked world, destroying the future of the brotherhood. Those most capable of spreading the wisdom must be destroyed. The ignorance of mankind is what helped the chaos grow. The absence of Light on earth is what nourished the Darkness that awaited Mal’akh. I have done great deeds, and soon I will be received as a king. Mal’akh sensed that a lone individual had quietly approached. He knew who it was. He could smell the sacred oils he had rubbed into his father’s shaved body. â€Å"I don’t know if you can hear me,† Peter Solomon whispered in his ear. â€Å"But I want you to know something.† He touched a finger to the sacred spot atop Mal’akh’s skull. â€Å"What you wrote here . . .† He paused. â€Å"This is not the Lost Word.† Of course it is, Mal’akh thought. You convinced me of that beyond a doubt. According to legend, the Lost Word was written in a language so ancient and arcane that mankind had all but forgotten how to read it. This mysterious language, Peter had revealed, was in fact the oldest language on earth. The language of symbols. In the idiom of symbology, there was one symbol that reigned supreme above all others. The oldest and most universal, this symbol fused all the ancient traditions in a single solitary image that represented the illumination of the Egyptian sun god, the triumph of alchemical gold, the wisdom of the Philosopher’s Stone, the purity of the Rosicrucian Rose, the moment of Creation, the All, the dominance of the astrological sun, and even the omniscient all-seeing eye that hovered atop the unfinished pyramid. The circumpunct. The symbol of the Source. The origin of all things. This is what Peter had told him moments ago. Mal’akh had been skeptical at first, but then he had looked again at the grid, realizing that the image of the pyramid was pointing directly at the lone symbol of the circumpunct–a circle with a dot in its center. The Masonic Pyramid is a map, he thought, recalling the legend, which points to the Lost Word. It seemed his father was telling the truth after all. All great truths are simple. The Lost Word is not a word . . . it is a symbol. Eagerly, Mal’akh had inscribed the great symbol of the circumpunct on his scalp. As he did so, he felt an upwelling of power and satisfaction. My masterpiece and offering are complete. The forces of darkness were waiting for him now. He would be rewarded for his work. This was to be his moment of glory . . . And yet, at the last instant, everything had gone horribly wrong. Peter was still behind him now, speaking words that Mal’akh could barely fathom. â€Å"I lied to you,† he was saying. â€Å"You left me no choice. If I had revealed to you the true Lost Word, you would not have believed me, nor would you have understood.† The Lost Word is . . . not the circumpunct? â€Å"The truth is,† said Peter, â€Å"the Lost Word is known to all . . . but recognized by very few.† The words echoed in Mal’akh’s mind. â€Å"You remain incomplete,† Peter said, gently placing his palm on top of Mal’akh’s head. â€Å"Your work is not yet done. But wherever you are going, please know this . . . you were loved.† For some reason, the gentle touch of his father’s hand felt like it was burning through him like a potent catalyst that was initiating a chemical reaction inside Mal’akh’s body. Without warning, he felt a rush of blistering energy surging through his physical shell, as if every cell in his body were now dissolving. In an instant, all of his worldly pain evaporated. Transformation. It’s happening. I am gazing down upon myself, a wreck of bloody flesh on the sacred slab of granite. My father is kneeling behind me, holding my lifeless head with his one remaining hand. I feel an upwelling of rage . . . and confusion. This is not a moment for compassion . . . it is for revenge, for transformation . . . and yet still my father refuses to submit, refuses to fulfill his role, refuses to channel his pain and anger through the knife blade and into my heart. I am trapped here, hovering . . . tethered to my earthly shell. My father gently runs a soft palm across my face to close my fading eyes. I feel the tether release. A billowing veil materializes around me, thickening and dimming the light, hiding the world from view. Suddenly time accelerates, and I am plunging into an abyss far darker than any I have ever imagined. Here, in the barren void, I hear a whispering . . . I sense a gathering force. It strengthens, mounting at a startling rate, surrounding me. Ominous and powerful. Dark and commanding. I am not alone here. This is my triumph, my grand reception. And yet, for some reason, I am filled not with joy, but rather with boundless fear. It is nothing like I expect. The force is churning now, swirling around me with commanding strength, threatening to tear me apart. Suddenly, without warning, the blackness gathers itself like a great prehistoric beast and rears up before me. I am facing all the dark souls who have gone before. I am screaming in infinite terror . . . as the darkness swallows me whole. CHAPTER 123 Inside the National Cathedral, Dean Galloway sensed a strange change in the air. He was not sure why, but he felt as if a ghostly shadow had evaporated . . . as if a weight had been lifted . . . far away and yet right here. Alone at his desk, he was deep in thought. He was not sure how many minutes had passed when his phone rang. It was Warren Bellamy. â€Å"Peter’s alive,† his Masonic brother said. â€Å"I just heard the news. I knew you’d want to know immediately. He’s going to be okay.† â€Å"Thank God.† Galloway exhaled. â€Å"Where is he?† Galloway listened as Bellamy recounted the extraordinary tale of what had transpired after they had left Cathedral College. â€Å"But all of you are okay?† â€Å"Recuperating, yes,† Bellamy said. â€Å"There is one thing, though.† He paused. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"The Masonic Pyramid . . . I think Langdon may have solved it.† Galloway had to smile. Somehow he was not surprised. â€Å"And tell me, did Langdon discover whether or not the pyramid kept its promise? Whether or not it revealed what legend always claimed it would reveal?† â€Å"I don’t know yet.† It will, Galloway thought. â€Å"You need to rest.† â€Å"As do you.† No, I need to pray. CHAPTER 124 When the elevator door opened, the lights in the Temple Room were all ablaze. Katherine Solomon’s legs still felt rubbery as she hurried in to find her brother. The air in this enormous chamber was cold and smelled of incense. The scene that greeted her stopped her in her tracks. In the center of this magnificent room, on a low stone altar, lay a bloody, tattooed corpse, a body perforated by spears of broken glass. High above, a gaping hole in the ceiling opened to the heavens. My God. Katherine immediately looked away, her eyes scanning for Peter. She found her brother sitting on the other side of the room, being tended to by a medic while talking with Langdon and Director Sato. â€Å"Peter!† Katherine called, running over. â€Å"Peter!† Her brother glanced up, his expression filling with relief. He was on his feet at once, moving toward her. He was wearing a simple white shirt and dark slacks, which someone had probably gotten for him from his office downstairs. His right arm was in a sling, and their gentle embrace was awkward, but Katherine barely noticed. A familiar comfort surrounded her like a cocoon, as it always had, even in childhood, when her protective older brother embraced her. They held each other in silence. Finally Katherine whispered, â€Å"Are you okay? I mean . . . really?† She released him, looking down at the sling and bandage where his right hand used to be. Tears welled again in her eyes. â€Å"I’m so . . . so sorry.† Peter shrugged as if it were nothing of consequence. â€Å"Mortal flesh. Bodies don’t last forever. The important thing is that you’re okay.† Peter’s lighthearted response tore at her emotions, reminding her of all the reasons she loved him. She stroked his head, feeling the unbreakable bonds of family . . . the shared blood that flowed in their veins. Tragically, she knew there was a third Solomon in the room tonight. The corpse on the altar drew her gaze, and Katherine shuddered deeply, trying to block out the photos she had seen. She looked away, her eyes now finding Robert Langdon’s. There was compassion there, deep and perceptive, as if Langdon somehow knew exactly what she was thinking. Peter knows. Raw emotion gripped Katherine–relief, sympathy, despair. She felt her brother’s body begin trembling like a child’s. It was something she had never witnessed in her entire life. â€Å"Just let it go,† she whispered. â€Å"It’s okay. Just let it go.† Peter’s trembling grew deeper. She held him again, stroking the back of his head. â€Å"Peter, you’ve always been the strong one . . . you’ve always been there for me. But I’m here for you now. It’s okay. I’m right here.† Katherine eased his head gently onto her shoulder . . . and the great Peter Solomon collapsed sobbing in her arms. Director Sato stepped away to take an incoming call. It was Nola Kaye. Her news, for a change, was good. â€Å"Still no signs of distribution, ma’am.† She sounded hopeful. â€Å"I’m confident we would have seen something by now. It looks like you contained it.† Thanks to you, Nola, Sato thought, glancing down at the laptop, which Langdon had seen complete its transmission. A very close call. At Nola’s suggestion, the agent searching the mansion had checked the garbage cans, discovering packaging for a newly purchased cellular modem. With the exact model number, Nola had been able to cross-reference compatible carriers, bandwidths, and service grids, isolating the laptop’s most likely access node–a small transmitter on the corner of Sixteenth and Corcoran–three blocks from the Temple. Nola quickly relayed the information to Sato in the helicopter. On approach toward the House of the Temple, the pilot had performed a low-altitude flyover and pulsed the relay node with a blast of electromagnetic radiation, knocking it off-line only seconds before the laptop completed its transfer. â€Å"Great work tonight,† Sato said. â€Å"Now get some sleep. You’ve earned it.† â€Å"Thank you, ma’am.† Nola hesitated. â€Å"Was there something else?† Nola was silent a long moment, apparently considering whether or not to speak. â€Å"Nothing that can’t wait till morning, ma’am. Have a good night.† CHAPTER 125 In the silence of an elegant bathroom on the ground floor of the House of the Temple, Robert Langdon ran warm water into a tile sink and eyed himself in the mirror. Even in the muted light, he looked like he felt . . . utterly spent. His daybag was on his shoulder again, much lighter now . . . empty except for his personal items and some crumpled lecture notes. He had to chuckle. His visit to D.C. tonight to give a lecture had turned out a bit more grueling than he’d anticipated. Even so, Langdon had a lot to be grateful for. Peter is alive. And the video was contained. As Langdon scooped handfuls of warm water onto his face, he gradually felt himself coming back to life. Everything was still a blur, but the adrenaline in his body was finally dissipating . . . and he was feeling like himself again. After drying his hands, he checked his Mickey Mouse watch. My God, it’s late. Langdon exited the bathroom and wound his way along the curved wall of the Hall of Honor–a gracefully arched passageway, lined with portraits of accomplished Masons . . . U.S. presidents, philanthropists, luminaries, and other influential Americans. He paused at an oil painting of Harry S. Truman and tried to imagine the man undergoing the rites, rituals, and studies required to become a Mason. There is a hidden world behind the one we all see. For all of us. â€Å"You slipped away,† a voice said down the hall. Langdon turned. It was Katherine. She’d been through hell tonight, and yet she looked suddenly radiant . . . rejuvenated somehow. Langdon gave a tired smile. â€Å"How’s he doing?† Katherine walked up and embraced him warmly. â€Å"How can I ever thank you?† He laughed. â€Å"You know I didn’t do anything, right?† Katherine held him for a long time. â€Å"Peter’s going to be fine . . .† She let go and looked deep into Langdon’s eyes. â€Å"And he just told me something incredible . . . something wonderful.† Her voice trembled with anticipation. â€Å"I need to go see it for myself. I’ll be back in a bit.† â€Å"What? Where are you going?† â€Å"I won’t be long. Right now, Peter wants to speak with you . . . alone. He’s waiting in the library.† â€Å"Did he say why?† Katherine chuckled and shook her head. â€Å"You know Peter and his secrets.† â€Å"But–â€Å" â€Å"I’ll see you in a bit.† Then she was gone. Langdon sighed heavily. He felt like he’d had enough secrets for one night. There were unanswered questions, of course–the Masonic Pyramid and the Lost Word among them–but he sensed that the answers, if they even existed, were not for him. Not as a non-Mason. Mustering the last of his energy, Langdon made his way to the Masonic library. When he arrived, Peter was sitting all alone at a table with the stone pyramid before him. â€Å"Robert?† Peter smiled and waved him in. â€Å"I’d like a word.† Langdon managed a grin. â€Å"Yes, I hear you lost one.† CHAPTER 126 The library in the House of the Temple was D.C.’s oldest public reading room. Its elegant stacks burgeoned with over a quarter of a million volumes, including a rare copy of the Ahiman Rezon, The Secrets of a Prepared Brother. In addition, the library displayed precious Masonic jewels, ritual artifacts, and even a rare volume that had been hand-printed by Benjamin Franklin. Langdon’s favorite library treasure, however, was one few ever noticed. The illusion. Solomon had shown him long ago that from the proper vantage point, the library’s reading desk and golden table lamp created an unmistakable optical illusion . . . that of a pyramid and shining golden capstone. Solomon said he always considered the illusion a silent reminder that the mysteries of Freemasonry were perfectly visible to anyone and everyone if they were seen from the proper perspective. Tonight, however, the mysteries of Freemasonry had materialized front and center. Langdon now sat opposite the Worshipful Master Peter Solomon and the Masonic Pyramid. Peter was smiling. â€Å"The `word’ you refer to, Robert, is not a legend. It is a reality.† Langdon stared across the table and finally spoke. â€Å"But . . . I don’t understand. How is that possible?† â€Å"What is so difficult to accept?† All of it! Langdon wanted to say, searching his old friend’s eyes for any hint of common sense. â€Å"You’re saying you believe the Lost Word is real . . . and that it has actual power?† â€Å"Enormous power,† Peter said. â€Å"It has the power to transform human kind by unlocking the Ancient Mysteries.† â€Å"A word?† Langdon challenged. â€Å"Peter, I can’t possibly believe a word–â€Å" â€Å"You will believe,† Peter stated calmly. Langdon stared in silence. â€Å"As you know,† Solomon continued, standing now and pacing around the table, â€Å"it has long been prophesied that there will come a day when the Lost Word will be rediscovered . . . a day when it will be unearthed . . . and mankind will once again have access to its forgotten power.† Langdon flashed on Peter’s lecture about the Apocalypse. Although many people erroneously interpreted apocalypse as a cataclysmic end of the world, the word literally signified an â€Å"unveiling,† predicted by the ancients to be that of great wisdom. The coming age of enlightenment. Even so, Langdon could not imagine such a vast change being ushered in by . . . a word. Peter motioned to the stone pyramid, which sat on the table beside its golden capstone. â€Å"The Masonic Pyramid,† he said. â€Å"The legendary symbolon. Tonight it stands unified . . . and complete.† Reverently, he lifted the golden capstone and set it atop the pyramid. The heavy gold piece clicked softly into place. â€Å"Tonight, my friend, you have done what has never been done before. You have assembled the Masonic Pyramid, deciphered all of its codes, and in the end, unveiled . . . this.† Solomon produced a sheet of paper and laid it on the table. Langdon recognized the grid of symbols that had been reorganized using the Order Eight Franklin Square. He had studied it briefly in the Temple Room. Peter said, â€Å"I am curious to know if you can read this array of symbols. After all, you are the specialist.† Langdon eyed the grid. Heredom, circumpunct, pyramid, staircase . . . Langdon sighed. â€Å"Well, Peter, as you can probably see, this is an allegorical pictogram. Clearly its language is metaphorical and symbolic rather than literal.† Solomon chuckled. â€Å"Ask a symbologist a simple question . . . Okay, tell me what you see.† Peter really wants to hear this? Langdon pulled the page toward him. â€Å"Well, I looked at it earlier, and, in simple terms, I see that this grid is a picture . . . depicting heaven and earth.† Peter arched his eyebrows, looking surprised. â€Å"Oh?† â€Å"Sure. At the top of the image, we have the word Heredom–the `Holy House’–which I interpret as the House of God . . . or heaven.† â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"The downward-facing arrow after Heredom signifies that the rest of the pictogram clearly lies in the realm beneath heaven . . . that being . . . earth.† Langdon’s eyes glided now to the bottom of the grid. â€Å"The lowest two rows, those beneath the pyramid, represent the earth itself–terra firma–the lowest of all the realms. Fittingly, these lower realms contain the twelve ancient astrological signs, which represent the primordial religion of those first human souls who looked to the heavens and saw the hand of God in the movement of the stars and planets.† Solomon slid his chair closer and studied the grid. â€Å"Okay, what else?† â€Å"On a foundation of astrology,† Langdon continued, â€Å"the great pyramid rises from the earth . . . stretching toward heaven . . . the enduring symbol of lost wisdom. It is filled with history’s great philosophies and religions . . . Egyptian, Pythagorean, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Judeo-Christian, and on and on . . . all flowing upward, merging together, funneling themselves up through the transformative gateway of the pyramid . . . where they finally fuse into a single, unified human philosophy.† He paused. â€Å"A single universal consciousness . . . a shared global vision of God . . . represented by the ancient symbol that hovers over the capstone.† â€Å"The circumpunct,† Peter said. â€Å"A universal symbol for God.† â€Å"Right. Throughout history, the circumpunct has been all things to all people–it is the sun god Ra, alchemical gold, the all-seeing eye, the singularity point before the Big Bang, the–â€Å" â€Å"The Great Architect of the Universe.† Langdon nodded, sensing this was probably the same argument Peter had used in the Temple Room to sell the idea of the circumpunct as the Lost Word. â€Å"And finally?† Peter asked. â€Å"What about the staircase?† Langdon glanced down at the image of the stairs beneath the pyramid. â€Å"Peter, I’m sure you know as well as anyone, this symbolizes the Winding Staircase of Freemasonry . . . leading upward out of the earthly darkness into the light . . . like Jacob’s ladder climbing to heaven . . . or the tiered human spine that connects man’s mortal body to his eternal mind.† He paused. â€Å"As for the rest of the symbols, they appear to be a blend of celestial, Masonic, and scientific, all lending support to the Ancient Mysteries.† Solomon stroked his chin. â€Å"An elegant interpretation, Professor. I agree, of course, that this grid can be read as allegory, and yet . . .† His eyes flashed with deepening mystery. â€Å"This collection of symbols tells another story as well. A story that is far more revealing.† â€Å"Oh?† Solomon began pacing again, circling the table. â€Å"Earlier tonight, inside the Temple Room, when I believed I was going to die, I looked at this grid, and somehow I saw past the metaphor, past the allegory, into the very heart of what these symbols are telling us.† He paused, turning abruptly to Langdon. â€Å"This grid reveals the exact location where the Lost Word is buried.† â€Å"Come again?† Langdon shifted uneasily in his chair, suddenly fearing that the trauma of the evening had left Peter disorientated and confused. â€Å"Robert, legend has always described the Masonic Pyramid as a map–a very specific map–a map that could guide the worthy to the secret location of the Lost Word.† Solomon tapped the grid of symbols in front of Langdon. â€Å"I guarantee you, these symbols are exactly what legend says they are . . . a map. A specific diagram that reveals exactly where we will find the staircase that leads down to the Lost Word.† Langdon gave an uneasy laugh, treading carefully now. â€Å"Even if I believed the Legend of the Masonic Pyramid, this grid of symbols can’t possibly be a map. Look at it. It looks nothing like a map.† Solomon smiled. â€Å"Sometimes all it takes is a tiny shift of perspective to see something familiar in a totally new light.† Langdon looked again but saw nothing new. â€Å"Let me ask you a question,† Peter said. â€Å"When Masons lay cornerstones, do you know why we lay them in the northeast corner of a building?† â€Å"Sure, because the northeast corner receives the first rays of morning light. It is symbolic of the power of architecture to climb out of the earth into the light.† â€Å"Right,† Peter said. â€Å"So perhaps you should look there for the first rays of light.† He motioned to the grid. â€Å"In the northeast corner.† Langdon returned his eyes to the page, moving his gaze to the upper right or northeast corner. The symbol in that corner was . â€Å"A downward-pointing arrow,† Langdon said, trying to grasp Solomon’s point. â€Å"Which means . . . beneath Heredom.† â€Å"No, Robert, not beneath,† Solomon replied. â€Å"Think. This grid is not a metaphorical maze. It’s a map. And on a map, a directional arrow that points down means–â€Å" â€Å"South,† Langdon exclaimed, startled. â€Å"Exactly!† Solomon replied, grinning now with excitement. â€Å"Due south! On a map, down is south. Moreover, on a map, the word Heredom would not be a metaphor for heaven, it would be the name of a geographic location.† â€Å"The House of the Temple? You’re saying this map is pointing . . . due south of this building?† â€Å"Praise God!† Solomon said, laughing. â€Å"Light dawns at last.† Langdon studied the grid. â€Å"But, Peter . . . even if you’re right, due south of this building could be anywhere on a longitude that’s over twenty-four thousand miles long.† â€Å"No, Robert. You are ignoring the legend, which claims the Lost Word is buried in D.C. That shortens the line substantially. In addition, legend also claims that a large stone sits atop the opening of the staircase . . . and that this stone is engraved with a message in an ancient language . . . as a kind of marker so the worthy can find it.† Langdon was having trouble taking any of this seriously, and while he didn’t know D.C. well enough to picture what was due south of their current location, he was pretty certain there was no huge engraved stone atop a buried staircase. â€Å"The message inscribed on the stone,† Peter said, â€Å"is right here before our eyes.† He tapped the third row of the grid before Langdon. â€Å"This is the inscription, Robert! You’ve solved the puzzle!† Dumbfounded, Langdon studied the seven symbols. Solved? Langdon had no idea whatsoever what these seven disparate symbols could possibly mean, and he was damned sure they were not engraved anywhere in the nation’s capital . . . particularly on a giant stone over a staircase. â€Å"Peter,† he said, â€Å"I don’t see how this sheds any light at all. I know of no stone in D.C. engraved with this . . . message.† Solomon patted him on the shoulder. â€Å"You have walked past it and never seen it. We all have. It is sitting in plain view, like the mysteries themselves. And tonight, when I saw these seven symbols, I realized in an instant that the legend was true. The Lost Word is buried in D.C. . . . and it does rest at the bottom of a long staircase beneath an enormous engraved stone.† Mystified, Langdon remained silent. â€Å"Robert, tonight I believe you have earned the right to know the truth.† Langdon stared at Peter, trying to process what he had just heard. â€Å"You’re going to tell me where the Lost Word is buried?† â€Å"No,† Solomon said, standing up with a smile. â€Å"I’m going to show you.† Five minutes later, Langdon was buckling himself into the backseat of the Escalade beside Peter Solomon. Simkins climbed in behind the wheel as Sato approached across the parking lot. â€Å"Mr. Solomon?† the director said, lighting a cigarette as she arrived. â€Å"I’ve just made the call you requested.† â€Å"And?† Peter asked through his open window. â€Å"I ordered them to give you access. Briefly.† â€Å"Thank you.† Sato studied him, looking curious. â€Å"I must say, it’s a most unusual request.† Solomon gave an enigmatic shrug. Sato let it go, circling around to Langdon’s window and rapping with her knuckles. Langdon lowered the window. â€Å"Professor,† she said, with no hint of warmth. â€Å"Your assistance tonight, while reluctant, was critical to our success . . . and for that, I thank you.† She took a long drag on her cigarette and blew it sideways. â€Å"However, one final bit of advice. The next time a senior administrator of the CIA tells you she has a national-security crisis . . .† Her eyes flashed black. â€Å"Leave the bullshit in Cambridge.† Langdon opened his mouth to speak, but Director Inoue Sato had already turned and was headed off across the parking lot toward a waiting helicopter. Simkins glanced over his shoulder, stone-faced. â€Å"Are you gentlemen ready?† â€Å"Actually,† Solomon said, â€Å"just one moment.† He produced a small, folded piece of dark fabric and handed it to Langdon. â€Å"Robert, I’d like you to put this on before we go anywhere.† Puzzled, Langdon examined the cloth. It was black velvet. As he unfolded it, he realized he was holding a Masonic hoodwink–the traditional blindfold of a first-degree initiate. What the hell? Peter said, â€Å"I’d prefer you not see where we’re going.† Langdon turned to Peter. â€Å"You want to blindfold me for the journey?† Solomon grinned. â€Å"My secret. My rules.† How to cite The Lost Symbol Chapter 122-126, Essay examples

Essay About Music free essay sample

I wake up ring from a terrifying nightmare, looking around for my mommy. The light turns on. She comes up and sits on the bed, saying everything is okay. I tell her a monster was coming after me, in between my heavy breathing. A light peaceful voice starts coming out of her mouth. Rock a bye baby on the tree top, when the wind blows the cradle will rock. My eyes slowly shout and Im back to sleep again. We learn music in Elementary School. Dont you remember learning your first song and singing it to all the parents? Its a great learning tool for the searchers.Learning nursery rhymes, learning the alphabet, even simple songs to remind you of your multiplication tables. Music is used everywhere, not just on the radio or your pod. Everyone listens to music in some way. Music is every. Inhere including in an elevator. We will write a custom essay sample on Essay About Music or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As I step in to an elevator, sea of staring faces and in an enclosed space, my heart beats a little faster. The first thing heard is the music, with its relaxing and calms melody. We have something for our mind to focus on, and not all the people around you or to member that were claustrophobic.Music is everywhere we go, even in store. What the purpose of this? Why that is easy, its to make the customer as comfortable as possible. When we are comfortable were in a good mood, ready and willing to spend our money. If you like it or not music is a huge part of our lives. The good balances the bad. Music leads to a healthy life. Music changes ones mood, or is used to help release a set of emotions. One would need to integrate music; whether playing it, listening to it, or using it.

Private equity firms buying publicly traded businesses an Example of the Topic Economics Essays by

The growing trend: Private equity firms buying publicly traded businesses Purchases of publicly traded businesses by private equity firms: Private equity markets are witnessing a flurry of activity and growing at a phenomenal rate because of large deals. On the whole, private-equity firms made a spending close to $50 billion during 2006, which is five times what they spend for instance in the U.S. healthcare company purchase deals in 2005, in the opinion of Dealogic- a company that follows global M&A activities. To continue with the example, the U.S. healthcare industry that is worth $1.8 trillion or more than $1 of every $7 spent in the nation's economy is gearing towards for investment from Private equity firms, in the opinion of industry analysts and firms involved. For instance the $32.7 billion deal of hospital operator HCA Inc. led by private-equity firms Bain Capital LLC, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co and Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity which was agreed to by the shareholders during November 2006. (Japsen, 4) Need essay sample on "The growing trend: Private equity firms buying publicly traded businesses" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed University Students Often Tell EssayLab professionals: Who wants to write paper for me? Specialists propose: Get Help In Writing An Essay Buy Essays Online Paper Writers For Hire Best Essay Writing Service Best Essay Writing Service The main drivers of these activities are due to the inherent size of the healthcare industry and its fragmented nature of functioning throughout the nation due to which it appears natural that investments by publicly traded companies are unable to tackle the growing U.S. medical-care system on its own. In the opinion of private-equity firms, publicly traded companies such as HCA are drawn towards private ownership in part since it eases them of the pressure of reporting regarding their earnings on a regular basis to the Wall Street and the public. (Japsen, 4) Who is going to be impacted and how: Private-equity firms are possibly the newest phenomena on the Wall Street at the moment, equipped with the financial muscle to buy the publicly traded companies. The impact of this has been in more ways than one. The reach of the private equity companies into the financial markets is poised to change the structure of the stock market by way of placing a rising number of big-ticket companies beyond the reach of small and average investors besides placing several retirees pension and retirement funds into increased speculative investments compared to earlier. Basically this a refurbished form of the leveraged buyout -- LBOs firms of the 1980s under which these firms enter into deals with companies that are undervalued, put them into shape and dispose them following earning of a quick profits in a very short time. Their secret has all along been the efficient use of debt that is normally close to 70 cents of every dollar invested. As they stack debt on the companies which they enter int o deals, private equity firms free up their own money, thereby permitting them to make more investments and maximize their potential returns. (Krantz, 10) The amount invested in private equity touched $139.6 billion during 2005 which was double the amount compared to 2003, according to Citigroup authorities. This figure is more than $135.8 billion which were invested in stock mutual funds in 2005. And because private equity firms are sitting on huge stockpile of cash, they are assuming a more crucial and developing financial strength currently. For instance, Jack Welch, former CEO, GE, Robert Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television and U2's Bono, have taken the private equity route. During 2006, some of the large U.S. players gobbled by private equity firms included Neiman Marcus which was bought for $4.9 billion, Toys R Us for $$6.6 billion and Computer Services firm SunGuard Systems for $11.3 billion. However the much talked about deal that was the biggest private equity deal in recent years was the acquisition of Hertz Car Rental Company for $15 billion by a group of firms. In a sharp departure from what was happening dur ing the 1980s in which the companies were bought and rebuild, the current trend has been that the private equity firms is putting qualified management groups who are capable of raking in more profits from less performing companies. (Krantz, 10) Will some benefit while others lose? It is observed that only big names have been benefited by the Private Equity deals. A slew of giant companies like Clear Channel Communication, Cable Vision, Readers Digest, SunGuard Data Systems, MGM and the hospital major HCA have been bought out through private equity deals. There has been no respite from this with the Blackstone Group disclosing about its intention to buy Equity Office Properties Trust-the nation's largest owner of office buildings, in a deal that was unprecedented. However as the number and size of the private equity deals have risen, eyebrows have been raised regarding whether the leveraged buyout market which they are fueling might eventually leave some companies and shareholders shattered. The Securities and Exchange Commission is also probing into accusations of insider trading and multi-million dollar fraud. (The New Face of Capitalism) There have been instances where shareholders have filed lawsuits to put an end to some of the deals, like the buyout of hospital chain HCA. Astoundingly huge payouts in the form of dividend payouts to private equity buyers from companies such as Hertz have often made the firms appear to be hungry. In the past, private equity firms remained in a secluded corner of the financial world, satisfied with buying, building and running strong companies. A lot continue to do just that. However the fact that made them popular during the 1980s was that there were more and more of leveraged buyouts wherein the groups added huge borrowings to their own cash primarily due to the liberal debt laws which safeguarded profits from the tax authorities. (The New Face of Capitalism) Happenings of recent years have made apparent that satisfaction for both countries as well as individual companies can be risky in the current global economy. The present encouraging outlook for US can be upturned rapidly. Given the increased competition within the companies and industries, winners and losers are not decided once. Recent researches have depicted that 50% of America's economic growth comes from firms which were non-existent about 10 years ago. Not do these high-growth firms create jobs, they also are less comparatively likely to fail, build substantially more wealth in the form of profits, sales and value, pay higher wages, give higher employee benefits and make more investment in research and development. Besides, high growth firms inspire growth and the development of other non-high-growth firms. (Buss, 53) What is prompting this activity? The pace of activity in private equity deals has been so hectic that even the corporate giants Texas Instruments, Dell Computers and Home Depot could be the next targets of private equity firms. The main drivers of this activity is the manner in which the management strategies and methodologies equip private equity firms to show impressive results which is beyond the reach of others. By observing the companies owned by major private-equity firms and discussing with the executives who manage them, it is found that there is a unique procedure of management which is strikingly distinct from what happens in majority of the publicly traded companies or majority of the private companies that are traditionally managed. The differences start at the most basic level with new objectives. (Colvin; Charan, 18) Private equity firms desire to enter into deals with companies for their portfolio, rebuild them and dispose them off within a timeframe of 3 to 5 years. The ultimate buyer might be another company in the portfolio company's industry, a new private-equity firm or the public, through an Initial Public Offering -- IPO. The period of holding is sometimes less than a year to as long as ten years. Nevertheless, the ultimate objective from the day the deal is inked is to sell the company at a profit. The definition and the underlying meaning of 'Pay' is altogether different concept in private equity owned companies. It is observed that whereas a lot of public companies express regarding matching the pay of executives with performance, they normally award stock options and limited stock over and above greater pay packages, thereby giving the executives a great deal to gain, and little to lose. (Colvin; Charan, 20) Moreover, in case of big companies, these options show the wealth of the entire company and not the particular business a manager who is in charge of. This is in sharp contrast in case of private equity firms where the mode of functioning is much more serious. It is not just that a greater proportion of the executive's pay is linked to his business performance, but top managers might also be needed to contribute a sizeable chunk of their own money into the business deal. This is because putting own money builds an ownership frame of mind instead of a corporate mentality. The resulting difference shapes the manner in which one spends the money. Besides, one more thing that is prompting this activity is that people just attempt to put in more effort when their money is at stake. For instance, in the opinion of Pramod Bhasin of Genpact, an outsourcing company owned by GE, becoming owners makes one strive and put all-out effort to attain targets and look for newer areas where the busines s could be reached. (Colvin; Charan, 20) References Buss, Terry. F. Capital, Emerging High-Growth Firms and Public Policy: The Case Against Federal Intervention. Praeger. 2001. Colvin, Geoffrey; Charan, Ram. Private Equity, Private Lives. Fortune Magazine. 27 November, 2006. pp: 18-20 Japsen, Bruce. Private equity is shot in the arm for industry. Chicago Tribune. 30 December, 2006. pp: 4-5 Krantz, Matt. Private Equity Firms Spin Off Cash. USA Today.16 March, 2006. p. 10-11. Roane, Kit R. The New Face of Capitalism. US News and World Report. 26 November, 2006.

The Morality of Euthanasia essays

The Morality of Euthanasia essays In contemporary American society, a general topic for moral discussion is euthanasia, the act of painlessly ending the life of a person for reasons of mercy. This is usually done in cases in which the person is hopelessly sick or injured. Although by this definition euthanasia may clearly seem to be morally permissible, it is cause for much debate and controversy in todays American culture. In this essay, I will defend the view that euthanasia is almost always morally acceptable, exceptions being non-voluntary active euthanasia, (which will be defined shortly), or cases in which the patient has been suicidal before the diagnosis of a disease or a debilitating accident. Before beginning my arguments, I think it important to first discuss the different types of euthanasia. Voluntary active euthanasia is when the patient wishes to end their life, and this is done through such means as injecting them with a lethal dose of a drug, therefore dying of unnatural causes. Voluntary passive euthanasia occurs when the patient wishes to end their life, but death is caused naturally by removing a life-sustaining machine or by not starting treatment for a disease. Non-voluntary active euthanasia is simply active euthanasia in which the patient is unable to express their wishes and a loved one makes the decision for them. Non-voluntary passive euthanasia is passive euthanasia under the same circumstances as non-voluntary active euthanasia. (There also exists another form, involuntary euthanasia, which directly violates the patients wishes, which seems to simply be homicide; therefore I will not further discuss this issue). Another act that falls within the scope of euthanasia is Physician Assisted Suicide. This is when a physician provides the information, means, or supervision for the successful suicide of their patient at the patients request. Moving on to my argument supporting the morality of euthanasia, ...

Analysis Of The Reasons Of Democratization

Analysis Of The Reasons Of Democratization In general, the reasons of democratization shift in different countries. Samuel P. Huntington raises five main elements to explain his points of view. The author would like to examine how these five factors resulted in the democratization in South Korea and are the exclusive reasons. Besides, does China have difficulty to become a democratic country only because it lacks of these five conditions? Infection results: it means when the other countries start to call for the democracy, the countries nearby would be affected and the citizens would appeal to their government to reform and therefore forms the domino effect. For instance, the third wave in East Europe in 1990’s and the fourth wave democratization in North Africa in 2011. The collapse of the authoritarian government: when the current regime couldn’t provide the basic need of its people and maintain the order of the politics, civilians will call for the reform and even the revolution to rebuild the democratic reg ime. The collapse of USSR is one of the examples and we can see that due to its serious problem brought by the economic recession. The growth of economic system: the notion of the liberalism indicates that the boost in economic growth will create the richer middle-class which would ask for the opportunities of getting involved in politics. In this kind of situation, the social mobilization and the information will become faster to decrease the legitimacy of the authoritarian government. South Korea and Taiwan belong to this part. The choice of political leaders: one of the crucial keys come from the elites of the ruling classes, especially when the leaders become aware of the transition of the environment makes the democracy is the only cure to maintain the current regime. For instance, the former President of South Africa Frederik Willem de Klerk leaded South Africa to a democratic country. Influence of actors outside of the country: the impact of actions from foreign organizations or countries would construct the pressure to the autocratic regime. For example, the collapse of the Philippine of Marcos regime. The reasons for South Korea’s democratization The reasons for South Korea’s democratization are extensive and diversified. We can take our points of view from different angles including economic growth, social structure, political culture and the transition of history. The theory of Huntington elaborate the overall structure enables us to relate different events happened in South Korea to the factors of democratization. The author would like to use Huntington theory as the main stream to explain the reasons of democratization. We can general discover some of the elements of the theory of Huntington are the main reasons to give an impetus to the democratization but some are not. Economic growth is not necessary to become the direct element to democratization of South Korea Just like Huntington mentioned in his book of the third wave, â€Å" An overall correlation exists between the level of economic development and democracy have no level or pattern of economic development is in itself either necessary or sufficient to bring about democratization.†Ã‚   [ 1 ]   We can conclude from most of the third wave countries that the success of the democratization of third countries that there will be mass middle-class emerging before the formal democratization. This could be proved by the countries in the third wave are mostly the higher developing countries.   [ 2 ]   However, the GDP growth rate in South Korea in 1960 -1980’s is averagely 8.5-8.9%   [ 3 ]   , which is higher than lots of Latin American countries. But the time of democratization in South Korea was later than Latin American countries. This is explained by Huntington in his article in 1984 that he thought this is an exception.   [ 4 ]   To conclude, Huntington pointed out there might be two reasons; the first one is the tradition Confuci anism emphasize the structure of the social levels, authority, community, and loyalty which postponed the society’s requests of democracy, and the second reason is because the rapid economic growth happened in a relatively equal income distribution environment. However, when it reached the critical point in 1980’s, it forced South Korea to begin its democratization.   [ 5 ]

MARKETING - FINAL CHAPTER PROBLEMS Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MARKETING - FINAL CHAPTER PROBLEMS - Article Example In this case, Eric (2010) showcases constructs of relationship marketing as it identifies with health care customers and practitioners. With regards to the website refreshing after every ten minutes to keep track of appointments, it is a strategy that aims at developing long-term, cost-effective link for a mutual benefit between the organization and the customer. While focusing on the relationship marketing, organizations shift their focus from individual transactions such as convincing a customer to make use of the clinic services, â€Å"to a long-term loyalty – identifying the institution as a regular health care provider† (Eric, 2010). Customers require high-quality services and retaining a customer requires strategy. Delayed, canceled, or unplanned appointment visits are areas that have, for a long time, been haunting customers and health care institutions as the result of these variables is loss of customers or flawed customer service. However, the invention of a s ervice that enables tracking, observation, and keeping of appointments adapts the contemporary notion of shifting from the individual transaction (patient visit, referral, and sale) to the establishment of a longer-term relationship. The refreshing website is a marketing tool that specifically addresses customer satisfaction, service quality, time and resource management, and accomplishment of customer retention (Eric, 2010). Question 2: Chapter 8 â€Å"I’ve sold products all my life and have been successful. Marketing a food product is no different from marketing a hotel, airline, or hospital.† The above point is naive in all aspects. Firstly, marketing is a process through which a seller of a product or provider of a service uses promotional means and integrated marketing communication to convince customers into buying or using a product or a service. As pointed by the above quotation, the term sold is past tense for sell and means the ability to complete a single tr ansaction by offering a product or service in exchange for money. The naivety of the above point starts with the confusion of selling and marketing. In addition, neither marketing nor selling is a skill (with regards to the question posed, the board expects understanding of selling and marketing concepts but the interviewee portrays selling as an event based on sheer luck) and neither can be measured through the consideration of periodic success. Moving on to the second part of the quotation; products differ from one another and comparing food products to hotels, airlines, or an hospital shows a high degree of naivety. Food products are mostly sold in food shops, restaurants, and/or grocery stores and capturing a market for these products depends on fewer variables than providing services in the health care sector (Berkowitz, 2010). Food products appeal to various people all the time and this industry does not necessarily require loyalty like the health care sector. Health care prod ucts depend on variables such as product positioning (drugs, machines), branding (machines, e.g. in radiology), and diffusion of innovation (rate of adoption of a product). Diffusion of innovation is determined by relative advantage (advantage of new product over existing ones), compatibility (compatibility with existing values and customs creates adoptability), complexity (affects adoption of products), divisibility (trial on a limited basis), and communicability (easy communication of benefits). Reflecting on the

See the dis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

See the dis - Essay Example What is more important is the content transferred and the copyrights attached to the content. Thus, if there has been a transfer of some content that has been protected by copy right, then this means of file sharing is considered to be illegal. On the other hand, if the content is not protected by copyright, then file sharing may or downloading may not be illegal. Thesis The main reason why unauthorized file sharing is illegal in most countries is that it is considered equitable to theft. Arguments However, sharing or downloading may not always classify as theft. The famous economist and noble prizewinner, F. A. Hayek explains how conventional property rights and copyrights are different in reference to their supply capacities. While it may not be possible for the supply of a material property to be unlimited, it may very likely be that an intangible object has an unlimited supply (Hayek, pp. 23-25). Consequently, because there is an unlimited supply of an intangible asset, accessing that object may not affect the availability of that object to anyone. This implies that theft, where one takes the object of possession away from the owner cannot materialize in case of the intangible asset because the owner would still posses the intangible object. Thus, in essence, unauthorized file transfer is not illegal. Karl Sigfrid, the author of the op-ed submission, who has been arguing in the favor of decriminalizing file sharing and downloading, has also argued along similar lines to support his stance. Another strong arguments that have often being used to support the imposition on copyrights and thus, to make file transfers illegal is that of the potential loss that the owner of the file or the programme might have when his files are transferred to people. Take the instance of a music composer who is at loss when his music files are transferred to others. However, at a closer look the transfer of such files does not bring about any loss to the owner because in the end the owner still has an access to his files at the same time when others do (Lemely, pp. 30-34). More importantly, many artists, musicians, and composer have noted how file sharing benefits them by providing a forum for displaying and publicizing their work. Despite these arguments, the practice of file transfer and downloading is illegal when the file is copyrighted. This is because the owners of the intellectual property (the files that are transferred) state that their intangible property is subject to the same protection as a tangible asset because that intellectual property has some value attached to it. In other words downloading files without the permission of the owner is the same as encroaching on a private property or stealing. Skeptics may argue against this notion by explaining how stealing causes a loss to an individual. On the other hand, the acquisition of the files via file sharing does not add up to the cost of the owner. Nor does it cause any form of a loss of value , so comparing intellectual property with a tangible possession is absurd. However, there needs to be a closer inspection of how the usage of the intellectual property without paying for it is a cost to the owner in terms of the loss of the potential monetary benefits that he/she may have been entitled to receive otherwise. Using that intellectual

Internet addiction Essay Example for Free

Internet addiction Essay Addiction pertains to a behavioral issue that is mainly characterized by an urge to consume a particular item or perform a specific activity repeatedly (Pies, 2009). Addiction is different from abuse, which is technically a less serious version of this behavioral problem. The act of repeatedly performing an action or consuming a specific substance is mainly influenced by external and internal factors. Addiction is largely influenced by the physiological and psychological effect that an individual achieves when he performs a specific action or consumes a particular item. It is also possible for social factors to affect an individual to repeatedly perform a specific action. The Internet is one of the latest networks that links people to the rest of the world by enabling them to communicate and gather information at the fastest and most efficient way to date (Collier, 2009). The accessibility of the Internet in almost every place in the community has resulted in its integration into various settings, including business offices, academic institutions and homes. Aside from communication and the transfer of data from one computer user to another, the Internet currently serves as the prime source for entertainment to the public. It is now possible to download music, videos and even literature with such ease and precision. Alongside the availability of this helpful technology, there are also a number of negative effects that are associated with Internet use. The human psyche has been influenced by the Internet, which in turn has resulted in an addiction that is similar to the repeated actions involved in drug or alcohol use. This consequence has affected not only the addicted individual himself, but also his immediate family and co-workers. To date, there is no official term that could be employed to designate this particular addiction to the Internet (Zboralski et al. , 2009). However, it is quite easy to describe the activities of this behavioral issue based on the actions of an individual, including the need to check certain websites continuously and spending an extended period of time in front of the computer. In addition, Internet addiction could also involve frequent and continuous participation in online games, email, chat or messenger sessions. Controversy regarding the actual designation of Internet addiction is currently under the scrutiny of psychologists and other analysts. According to Pies (2009), the psychological manifestations associated with Internet addiction are similar to the other types of addiction, including that of drug and alcohol dependency. However, the physiological relationship of Internet addiction to the human body still needs to be further examined. Pies (2009) suggested that there must be an underlying medical condition that pushes an individual to repeatedly use the Internet, yet this still has to be identified. It is still thus premature to call Internet addiction as a disease, with the current insufficient amount of information that has been gathered on these occurrences. In an attempt to determine the extent of Internet addiction in the general society, a number of investigators have attempted to examine the frequency of Internet use in relation to the purpose of its use. In a study conducted by Zboralski et al. 2009) among school-age children, it was observed that 25% of the study population was strongly dependent to the Internet, including primary school children. Another interesting observation is that children who did not have siblings or children who were experiencing family problems were more likely to be addicted to Internet use. It is also alarming to find out that Internet-dependent children showed a greater susceptibility to enact aggressive behavior, as well as succumb to anxiety and depression. Deprivation of Internet use among addicts also results in withdrawal symptoms, as well as the development of an anxious stance. There are also cases wherein Internet addicts experience nausea and sweating when they engage in excessive use of the Internet, otherwise called computer binges (Collier, 2009). It is also observed that some Internet addicts undergo hyperarousal during interaction on the Internet. Unfortunately, there is no mention of other physiological responses to these reports, such as changes in the blood pressure or the heart rate of any study participants. It is thus recommended that for the time being, anecdotal, case and clinical reports be compiled for future reference and review.

Oliver twist - I am going to analyze how Charles Dickens portrayed Essa

Oliver twist - I am going to analyze how Charles Dickens portrayed Oliver's life to show his audience the poverty, sickness and desperation that he saw around him ever since he was young. Oliver twist essay I am going to analyze how Charles Dickens portrayed Oliver's life to show his audience the poverty, sickness and desperation that he saw around him ever since he was young. The fictitious character Oliver twist was born into extreme poverty. As Dickens writes: 'It remained a matter of considerable doubt whether the child would survive to bear any name at all.' Charles Dickens had first hand experience of poverty; his parents were imprisoned for a year for being offenders of the poor laws- they hadn't enough money to support their family and got into debt, which they couldn't pay. So Charles spent most of his time walking around the dirty back streets of London, where he witnessed a great deal of poor people who had been reduced to criminals, prostitutes and beggars who lived surrounded by poverty, disease and abandoned children whose parents were either dead or not able to look after their offspring financially. The vast division in society of lower and upper classes influenced Dickens to write to tell other people what the conditions for the poor were really like. He had to be subtle; he didn't want to alienate his upper class audience. So he wrote a novel, revolving around memorable characters and places to entertain his audience. Dickens knew that people learnt more and were more willing to listen whilst being entertained, so he wrote history as entertainment. Dickens' audience consisted of two groups: the sub-literate who were the poor that attended his readings as they couldn't read, and the... ...e white waist coated gentleman was right or not, I should perhaps mar the interest of this narrative (supposing it to possess any at all), if I ventured to hint just yet, whether the life of Oliver Twist had this violent termination or no. Dickens was uncertain of who Oliver was going to turn out to be until the novel was well established. He was planning the story as he went along, writing each chapter separately instead of planning the whole novel. Overall, Oliver Twist is one of the great novels written with a desire to send a message out to people, and a message that changed people's perspectives of poor life in those times, which I believe is the reason that it is remembered so well to this day. From reading this book I have learnt about the circumstances of those times in a way not possible from reading a textbook. I saw it through a child's eyes.

Philippine Literature

A Brief History of Philippine Literature in English I. Pre-Colonial Period –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Consisted of early Filipino literature passed down orally; oral pieces have a  communal  authorship – it was difficult to trace the original author of the piece since oral literature did not focus on ownership or copyright, rather on the act of storytelling itself; –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many oral pieces became lost in the wave of the new literary influence brought about by the Spanish colonization; however, according to the  Philippine Literature: A History & Anthology, English Edition (Lumbera, B. amp; Lumbera C. ), the pre-colonial period of Philippine literature is considered the longest in the country’s history; –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Literature in this period is based on tradition, reflecting daily life activities such as housework, farming, fishing, hunting, and taking care of the children as well; –  Ã‚   Oral pieces told stories which explained heroes and their adventures; they attempted to explain certain natural phenomena, and, at the same time, served as entertainment purposes;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pre-colonial literature showed certain elements that linked the Filipino culture to other Southeast Asian countries (e. g. oral pieces which were performed through a tribal dance have certain similarities to the Malay dance); –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This period in Philippine literature history represented the ethos of the people before the arrival of a huge cultural influence – literature as a cultural tradition, than a form of art that had a particular set of decorum.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Early Forms of Philippine Literature:   Ã‚   Bugtong (riddles; a bugtong contains a metaphor called,Talinghaga), Salawikain (proverb);     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚   Pre-colonial poetry – Tanaga (expresses a view or a value of the world), Ambahan (songs about childhood, human relationships, hospitality; sung by the Mangyan), Duplo (verbal jousts/games), Bayok (thoughts about love), Balagtasan (performed on stage);   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚   Epic poetry – romantic heroes and heroines that are a reflection of the world as perceived by the early Filipinos.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Notable Works of the Pre-colonial Period:   Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚     Ã‚   Tuwaang, Lam-ang, Hinilawod, BantuganII. Spanish Colonial Period (Mid-16th – late 19th century) –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Spanish culture, as reflected in the works of this literature period, showed a clash with the pre-colonial Filipino literature in the beginning. However, due to the length of stay of the colonizers, the Spanis h culture was eventually imbued in the Filipino literature of the period; –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Religion became an important theme that had influenced the early Filipino writings which had the presence of paganism – â€Å"Christian Folk-Tale†;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In addition, the influence of religion, besides on the daily life of the natives, was lead by the friar/missionary/parish priest who were appointed by the Spanish government; –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Despite the goal of the Spanish government to turn the country into a full-fledged European colony, the Spanish influence ironically inspired a reformation from the natives, which eventually turned into a revolution; –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Yet regardless of the conflicts that plagued the relationship between the Spaniards and the Filipinos, a sense of nationalism was formed among the oppressed, and had caused them to rise up to a nat ionalistic cause;   The  essay  genre was recognized amidst the scene of editorial protest – Jose Rizal and Plaridel (Marcelo H. Del Pilar) were among those who opt in using the pen in voicing out the people’s cry instead of the sword; –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Introduction of the roman alphabet that gradually replaced the ‘alibata’; –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Filipino literature of this period became the predecessor of many more literary works to come in the ages, wherein the theme of nationalism and freedom of speech would be evident.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Philippine Literature and Art during the Spanish Period:   Ã‚   Pasyon and Sinakulo (religious dramas performed during the Holy Week);   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚   Narrative Poems – Awit; Corrido;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚   Komedya – a theat rical performance which captured the ideal European lifestyle as portrayed by medieval characters  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Notable Works of the Spanish Period: o  Ã‚   Doctrina Christiana (1593) – the first book ever published in the Philippines; printed by the Dominican Press;   Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚   May Bagyo Mat’ May Rilim – according to literary historian, Bienvenido Lumbera, is the first printed literary work in Tagalog;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚   Ang Mahal na Passion ni Jesu Christong P.Natin na Tola (1704) – eventually referred to as â€Å"Pasyon,† was written by Gaspar Aquino de Belen; an example of Christian folk epic in which the passion of Jesus Christ was written in relation with the plight of the Filipino people who were oppressed by the colonizers, as well as the values of a Filipino;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚   Ninay (1885 ) – first Filipino novel written; Pedro Paterno;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚   Florante at Laura – Francisco â€Å"Balagtas† Baltazar; though there are symbols and themes which dictate the protest of the Filipino against the Spanish regime, it is uncertain as to whether or not Balagtas had intended the issue – which was subtly derived from his work – since he left no notes or additional pieces hat may affirm the conclusion;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚   Noli Me Tangere (1887) and El Filibusterismo (1891) – Jose Rizal; works which created an impact on the national consciousness and love for one’s country against the abusive government of the Spaniards;     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚   La Solidaridad – Propagandist newspaper. III. American Colonial Period (Late 19th – Mid-20th century) –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Th e gradual decline of the Philippine literature written in Spanish; –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The English language eventually became the medium of writing and instruction in schools; –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As the Spanish colonizers left the country in accordance with the Treaty of Paris, the spirit of nationalism and the desire to be acknowledged of independence did not disappear just yet. Instead, these uniting forces geared into revolting against the new colonizers; –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During the American colonization period, Philippine literature reflected the ethos of its people under a new role.However, these day-to-day experiences under a new foreign influence, as well as sentiments, were expressed through the English language; –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Spanish ‘sarsuwela’ was eventually replaced by the ‘drama’; –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One majo r influence of the American occupation on the Filipino literature is its refining in the context of the content and the form. Furthermore, because of this broadened knowledge on the field of literature through the education provided by the American government, Philippine literature has become more than a tradition formed by culture. It has become an art which succeeding poets, fictionists, and playwrights continue to build upon and enrich in every generation; –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Beginning with Rizal’s use of social realism as one of the major hemes for his two major novels, the literature during the American colonization also became an involvement, not just reflecting the Filipino experience – a strengthened sense of nationalism deeply rooted in the Filipino pride and culture; –  Ã‚  Ã‚   Unlike in the Spanish colonization period wherein female writers (e. g. Gregoria de Jesus) were overshadowed by their more dominant, male contemporar ies – as a result of the education only being provided to a selected and privileged few –   during the American occupation, women have had their opportunity to enhance their talent by being educated on the craft. In addition, the growing popularity of works written by Filipina writers is the result of the growing audience appreciating literature by females.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Philippine Literature and Art during the American Period:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚   Short Story o  Ã‚   Poetry in English   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚   Free Verse in Poetry   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚   Drama  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Notable Works of the American Period: o  Ã‚     Mga Agos sa Disyerto (1964) – Efren R. Abueg, Edgardo M. Reyes, Eduardo Bautista Reyes, Rogeli o L. Ordonez and Rogelio R. Sikat; this short story anthology brought fiction into the age of modernism;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚   Ako ang Daigdig (1940) – Alejandro G. Abadilla; free verse poem;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚   Sa Dakong Silangan – Jose Corazon de Jesus; a poem written in the vernacular http://lourdesbraceros. weebly. com/a-brief-history-of-philippine-literature-in-english. html Philippine Literature Literature  (from  Latin  litterae  (plural);  letter) is the  art  of  written work  and can, in some circumstances, refer exclusively to published sources. The wordliterature  literally means â€Å"things made from letters† and the  pars pro toto  term  Ã¢â‚¬Å"letters†Ã‚  is sometimes used to signify â€Å"literature,† as in the  figures of speech†arts  and letters† and â€Å"man of letters. † Literature is commonly classified as having two major forms—fiction and non-fiction—and two major techniques—poetry and prose.Literature may consist of texts based on factual information (journalistic or non-fiction), as well as on original imagination, such as  polemical  works as well asautobiography, and reflective essays as well as  belles-lettres. Literature can be classified according to historical periods, genres, and political influences. The concept of  genre, which earlier was limited, has broadened over the centuries. A genre consists of artistic works which fall within a certain central theme, and examples of genre include  romance,  mystery,  crime,  fantasy,  erotica, and  adventure, among others.Important historical periods in  English literature  includeOld English,  Middle English, the  Renaissance, the 17th Century  Shakespearean  and  Elizabethan  times, the 18th Century  Restoration, 19th Century  Victorian, and 20th Century  Modernism. Important political movements that have influenced literature include  feminism,  post-colonialism,  psychoanalysis,  post-structuralism,  post-modernism,  romanticism, and  Marxism. Literature's three main divisions When most people speak of literature they may be talking about short stories, novels, poems, verse, odes, plays, tragedies, even limericks.This wide variety of terms describing types of literature, at first, appears overwhelming. However figuring all of this out is simplified when you take into account that the menagerie of types begins with three major paradigms: prose, poetry, and drama. Prose Prose  is derived from a Latin root word,  prosa, that means â€Å"straightforward† (other scholars argue that the root for â€Å"prose† is  proversa oratio,  which means † straightforward discourse. † Prose is generally defined as direct, common language presented in a straightforward manner. A victim of  identity by negation,  prose is frequently defined as â€Å"that which is not poetry. Prose demonstrates purposeful grammatic design in that it is constructed strategically by the author to create specific meaning. Prose also contains  plot  and the attendant narrative structures of plot. In most cultures, prose narrative tends to appear after a culture has developed  verse. Prosegenres  are many and varied, ranging from science fiction to romance. The major generic divisions of prose are: * novel  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ A lengthy fictional prose narrative. * novella  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ A fictional prose narrative ranging from 50 to 100 pages, most common in science fiction and detective fiction. * short story  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ a brief fictional prose narrative. anecdote  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ A very brief account of some interesting, usually humorous, event. Poetry Poetry, from the Greek  poetes  which means â€Å"doer† or â€Å"creator,† is a catch-all term that is applied to any form of rhythmical or metrical composition. While poetry is considered to be a subset of  verse  (and also considered to be superior to verse) both are rhythmical/metrical. What distinguishes poetry from verse is its â€Å"imaginative quality, intricate structure, serious or lofty subject matter, or noble purpose. † Most culture's first serious literary works are poetry (In Western tradition, we need look only as far as Homer and Hesiod).The purposes of poetry are said to include: 1. A  didactic  purpose , meaning that it aims to instruct the reader. 2. Unique insight that is not available in other genres. 3. To provide pleasure to the reader. 4. To uplift the reader to some higher insight or meaning. Drama Drama, is simply a work that is written to be performed on stage by actors. From the Greekdran, meaning â€Å"to do,† drama is thought to have developed from ancient religious ceremonies. For instance, Greek  comedy  is traced to ancient fertility rites. Tragedy  (which comes from the Greek word Philippine Literature Literature  (from  Latin  litterae  (plural);  letter) is the  art  of  written work  and can, in some circumstances, refer exclusively to published sources. The wordliterature  literally means â€Å"things made from letters† and the  pars pro toto  term  Ã¢â‚¬Å"letters†Ã‚  is sometimes used to signify â€Å"literature,† as in the  figures of speech†arts  and letters† and â€Å"man of letters. † Literature is commonly classified as having two major forms—fiction and non-fiction—and two major techniques—poetry and prose.Literature may consist of texts based on factual information (journalistic or non-fiction), as well as on original imagination, such as  polemical  works as well asautobiography, and reflective essays as well as  belles-lettres. Literature can be classified according to historical periods, genres, and political influences. The concept of  genre, which earlier was limited, has broadened over the centuries. A genre consists of artistic works which fall within a certain central theme, and examples of genre include  romance,  mystery,  crime,  fantasy,  erotica, and  adventure, among others.Important historical periods in  English literature  includeOld English,  Middle English, the  Renaissance, the 17th Century  Shakespearean  and  Elizabethan  times, the 18th Century  Restoration, 19th Century  Victorian, and 20th Century  Modernism. Important political movements that have influenced literature include  feminism,  post-colonialism,  psychoanalysis,  post-structuralism,  post-modernism,  romanticism, and  Marxism. Literature's three main divisions When most people speak of literature they may be talking about short stories, novels, poems, verse, odes, plays, tragedies, even limericks.This wide variety of terms describing types of literature, at first, appears overwhelming. However figuring all of this out is simplified when you take into account that the menagerie of types begins with three major paradigms: prose, poetry, and drama. Prose Prose  is derived from a Latin root word,  prosa, that means â€Å"straightforward† (other scholars argue that the root for â€Å"prose† is  proversa oratio,  which means † straightforward discourse. † Prose is generally defined as direct, common language presented in a straightforward manner. A victim of  identity by negation,  prose is frequently defined as â€Å"that which is not poetry. Prose demonstrates purposeful grammatic design in that it is constructed strategically by the author to create specific meaning. Prose also contains  plot  and the attendant narrative structures of plot. In most cultures, prose narrative tends to appear after a culture has developed  verse. Prosegenres  are many and varied, ranging from science fiction to romance. The major generic divisions of prose are: * novel  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ A lengthy fictional prose narrative. * novella  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ A fictional prose narrative ranging from 50 to 100 pages, most common in science fiction and detective fiction. * short story  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ a brief fictional prose narrative. anecdote  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ A very brief account of some interesting, usually humorous, event. Poetry Poetry, from the Greek  poetes  which means â€Å"doer† or â€Å"creator,† is a catch-all term that is applied to any form of rhythmical or metrical composition. While poetry is considered to be a subset of  verse  (and also considered to be superior to verse) both are rhythmical/metrical. What distinguishes poetry from verse is its â€Å"imaginative quality, intricate structure, serious or lofty subject matter, or noble purpose. † Most culture's first serious literary works are poetry (In Western tradition, we need look only as far as Homer and Hesiod).The purposes of poetry are said to include: 1. A  didactic  purpose , meaning that it aims to instruct the reader. 2. Unique insight that is not available in other genres. 3. To provide pleasure to the reader. 4. To uplift the reader to some higher insight or meaning. Drama Drama, is simply a work that is written to be performed on stage by actors. From the Greekdran, meaning â€Å"to do,† drama is thought to have developed from ancient religious ceremonies. For instance, Greek  comedy  is traced to ancient fertility rites. Tragedy  (which comes from the Greek word

Lush Marketing Plan

Program: MSC Management MARKETING MANAGEMENT [pic] ASSESSMENT Submitted to: Programme Administrator: Carrie flitcroft Lecturer: Nichole Dunlop Submitted by: DATED: 19th APRIL 2012 Executive Summary This report is to provide a marketing plan and analysis of entering in uk market for lush cosmetic’s products over the next three years. This report explores and considers the various factors which impacts lush cosmetic’s product in term of entering the market.There are methods which can be taken with this organisation, were researched; the main focus will be to: †¢ Spread information about fresh handmade cosmetic product. †¢ Advertise existing products and introduce new products to the market. †¢ Expand market by existing and new products such as massage bars, shampoo bars, kids soaps, naked products †¢ Expand sales through online retailing websites, high street store. The main focus of this report is growth a three-year Marketing Plan of lush products wh ich will improve the sale of company in the UK market.The main elements of this report will include: †¢ Introduction about lush and clarify lush’s position †¢ Analyse the UK structure market †¢ Marketing objectives †¢ Marketing strategy †¢ Strategic implementation and control 1. lush and where is lush now? 2. 1 Lush Lush is a handmade cosmetics company headquartered in Poole, Dorset in the UK. In 1994, husband and wife Mark and Mo Constantine opened the first Lush store in Poole under the name Cosmetic House Limited. Lush adopted its current name on 10 April 1995.There are now more than 600 stores in 43 countries. Lush produces and sells a variety of handmade products, including soaps, shower gels, shampoos and hair conditioners, bath bombs, bubble bars, hand and body lotions and face masks. Lush uses fruits and vegetables, essential oils, synthetic ingredients, honey and beeswax in their products. In addition to not using animal fats in their product s, they are also against animal testing and perform tests solely with volunteers instead. As the company was in its early stages it has limited distribution.Now, Lush sells products in UK France, USA, Philippine, Australia and more than 38 countries, however its objective is expand in the future. 2. 2. The SWOT With the SWOT Analysis, the paper describes Lush’s internal and external environment which essential for its process of strategic planning. From a SWOT Analysis† a marketing strategy can be developed using corporate strengths, avoiding corporate weaknesses, benefits form the future opportunities and regards of future risks† (Bohm, 2009). Strength: |Weakness: | |All the products are fresh handmade |Low cash flow | |Lush only focus on making ethical products |Less marketing and advertising | |Reduce packing cost |Less outlet and store | |Environmental green products, close to nature. Prices are high considering the position they are | |Less or no artificia l ingredients | | |Wide range of products | | |Unique display style | |Opportunities: |Threats: | |People wish to use fruit and vegetable made skin care products |Less knowledge for use of lush products | |Using recycled material will increase interst from customers |Strong competition | |Against animal testing increase customer loylty |Lowing speed to made products | |Lush can develop further with in the uk and many more countries | | |Very few compatitors as sole ethical companies | | 2. 3. Lush position Through SWOT analysis (Appendix 1), Lush has low market share but high grow rate.Lush’ position can be seen in Boston Consulting Group Matrix (Figure 1). Figure 1: Lush’s position in Boston Matrix [pic] showing lush position in market Clarifying the lush’s position is very useful and essential for them to orient their objectives and do marketing planning and strategy. â€Å"There is no point deciding where your business is going until you have actually dec ided with great clarifies where we are now† (Sir John Harvey Jones, ex ICI chairman). 3. The UK structure market 3. 1. Market analysis Market analysis is determining the attractiveness of a market and looking for growth opportunities and threats related to the strengths and weaknesses of the company (Aaker, 2008). 3. 2. Customer analysis The most strategic market-planning contexts, the first logical step is to analyse the customers†(Aaker and McLoughlin, 2010, pp 26). Customer analysis is one of the important factors used to create the success of a firm as it enables firms to understand the current activities of customer and their behaviour, which helps firm to increase profits and competitive advantage in the market (Paley, 2006). Hand made cosmetics is a fairly new market which is up coming within the cosmetics industry, where the issues of production and trading can be complex. According from the survey of Mintel (2007-2008), 60% customers thinks it is important that a company acts ethically (See appendix 3). 4. The marketing objectives of lush 4. 1. MissionMission and Vision Fresh handmade cosmetics lush believes in making effective products out of fresh fruit and vegetables , the finest essential oils and safe synthetics, without animal ingredients , and in writing the quantitative ingredient list on the outside †¦ in buying only from companies that test for safety without the involvement of animals and in testing our products on humans †¦ in making our own fresh products by hand, printing its own labels and making its own fragrances †¦ in long candlelit baths, sharing showers, massage and filling the World with perfume and the right to make mistakes, lose everything and start again †¦ that its products should be good value, that we should make a profit and that the customer is always right †¦ that words like â€Å"fresh† and â€Å"organic† have honest meaning beyond marketing 4. 2. lush’s objectiv e in the next 3 years A company often plan its objectives based on the existing products and new products in existing market and new market.However, in limited report, my study only focuses on analyzing marketing strategy of Lush in the UK market. 4. 2. 1. New opportunities online Selling online may the huge potential market for Lush to afford in the UK market. The internet has been hugely important as in many other areas of retail. About 70% adults use shopping online, especially the ages from 25 to 34, the rate is around 85% (See appendix 4). In addition to online retailers, there is a growing number of websites and blogs devoted to green issues. Many of the sites give full detailed information about ethical production and the different ingredients used, websites helps to increase selling by improving knowledge about ethic products for consumers.Lush can use their own website to sell products or through big website such as Amazon or Argos in the UK. 5. Marketing Strategy If Lush w ants to achieve the above objectives, its products need to be created a successful mix of: the right product, sold at the right price, in the right place and using the most suitable promotion (Marketing Mix’ 4P). 5. 1. Promotion strategy â€Å"A retailer could stock the most attractive merchandise priced very competitively and have a convenient location but still fail to attract customers if he or she did not communication with them† (Cox& Britain, 2000). The UK structure market analyze (Part 3. 1) stated that the issue of handmade cosmatics products complicated and not all of the UK customers understand it.Therefore, promotion should be the first step Lush need to carry out before they can sell their products. The customer analyze (Part 3. 2) indicates that if Lush wants to sell their fresh hand made products, they should improve knowledge about handmade production for the customers. And the success of the Lush’s promotion are informing, persuading and remindin g customers about Lush’s handmade products through advertising, publicity, personal selling and sales promotion. a. Advertising Advertising is a non-personal communication of information usually paid for and usually persuasive in nature, about products, services, or ideas by identified sponsors through various media (Kotler, 1999).The objectives of lush’s advertising in the first year is bring lush image to the UK customer awareness. In the UK, advertising by press is popular, about 29. 6% total share in 2009 (See appendix 7). However, internet advertising has quickly developed, increase 39. 5% in 2008 (See Appendix 6). As a result, lush should focus on two advertising ways: press and internet. b. Sale promotion In short-term incentives, lush can encourage consumers by promotion activities. For example, in special holiday such as Christmas, mother’s day, valentine’s day, season sale, Lush sells online with free shipping, or discount price for old season p roducts. c. Personal sellingPersonal selling is oral communication with potential buyers of a product with the seller’s representative through face to face or telephone contact to gain benefit. Personal selling is an option help lush to improve knowledge about handmade cosmetics for the UK customers. d. Public relations (PR) LUSH has generously supported seven Small Change Fund projects in full, through the Charity Pot Program. 100% of the retail price (minus taxes) of LUSH Charity Pot hand and body cream goes directly to carefully selected charities around the world that support animal rights, environmental protection, and humanitarian concerns That is an advantage of lush to create a good image in public.Hence, public relation activities are essential in building lush brand in the UK market. Distribution strategy Distribution strategy (place strategy) refers to how an organisation will distribute the product or service they are offering to the end user. Efficient and effect ive distribution is important if the organisation is to meet its overall marketing objectives. There are three main common distribution strategies included intensive distribution, exclusive distribution and selective distribution (Hollensen, 2008). With the specific characteristics of handmade cosmetics products, lush should choose the second or the third: exclusive or selective distribution. a. Selling online (exclusive distribution)As the paper analyses in the lush objectives (Part 4. 2. 1), selling online is potential distribution channel for lush. Thus, firstly, lush need to develop their website to become more attractive with customers. Consumers can conveniently shopping with lush website like easily select, purchase even exchange or refund. The website keeps continuously updating new products and offers. Secondly, lush can sell their products through other famous shopping websites in the UK such as Amazon or Argos. Thanks to three websites, customer can faster know lush produ cts. b. Opening shops in England (selective distribution) Recently, lush only sells through 100 shops in England.But in the UK, there is high rate of consumers buying cosmetic products in high street and department store, 56% and 32% (Figure 3) Figure 3: Where they regularly buy cosmetics products, November 2000 Base: 1,526 adults aged 15+ [pic] Source: Ipsos MORI/Mintel As a result, lush should open their own more lush shops in some of big cities in England. Opening the shops in England, lush can realise in the second years of strategy. The first years, lush should focus on develop selling online and promote brand. 5. 3. Product strategy A product is anything that is offered to a market for attention acquisition, use or consumption and that might satisfy a need or want (Kotler et al, 2008). a. Developing existing product: naked solid bars Because of the reasons which were introduced in lush’s objectives (part 4. . 2), the target product which is chose as the most important p roduct in the UK market is naked solid bar products. Although lush can introduce and sell all their collection such as bathing bars, massage bars and henna bars but in the 3 years of objectives the main product lush should focus on is only naked solid bars. Product design Recently, lush has limited the number of design, naked conditioning bars, shampoo bars. lush should invest to variety products not only particular solid bars but also some liquid kind of hand made products. Product quality lush products are guaranteed high quality made from fruit and vegetables. Product featureAll of lush products are fresh handmade from fruit and vegetables. It makes the specific for Lush’s products. That is also the reason why the price is often higher. Brand Lush now is not famous brand but Lush can promote itself like Oxfam as ethical brand. b. Experimenting new product: makeup products Based on the analysis in lush objectives (part 4. 2. 3), lush can experiment new product makeup produc ts in the UK market in the third years of strategy. Preparing introduce makeup in the third year, lush need to research the UK makeup market, customer analysis, and designing in the first two years. 5. 4. Price strategy Pricing has greatest impact on immediate performance of the business (Gilligan, 2009).With particular characteristics of ethical and handmade cosmetics, price of lUSH is just right. Figure 4: lush’s price lush |TOO CHEAP JUST RIGHT | TOO EXPENSIVE In the first three years, Lush is a not well – known in the UK market, therefore, at that time, Lush should focus on promotion strategy to improve brand value in customer’s image. It can be implementation by price strategy. In the first three years, Lush can attract new customers by reducing their profit to sell their product with cheaper price. For example, the price can be changed: Figure 5: lush’s accessories price change |Old price |New price | |Bath bombs |From ? 3. 15 to ? 2. 40 |From ? 3 to ? 2 | |Snow fairy |From ? 15 to ? 13 |From ? 13 to ? 5 | |Shower scrub |? 8 |? 7 | Price is one of the most flexible elements as it can be changed quickly. Using right price is important factor for Lush to achieve their objectives. 6. Strategic implementation and control Figure 5: Implementation time table strategy |Task |2013 |2014 | | |% |% |% | | | | | | |It is important that a company acts ethically |60 |59 |61 | | | | | | |I have refused to buy products from a company of |45 |45 |45 | |which I disapproved | | | | | | | | | |I like to buy products from companies who give |41 |38 |45 | |something back to society | | | | | | | | | |I only buy products from a company with whose |19 |18 |20 | |ethics I agree | | | | Taken from the TGI survey of around 25,000 adults SOURCE: BMRB GB TGI Q4 (July 2007-June 2008)/Mintel Appendix 4: Internet penetration at home/work/place of study or elsewhere, by demographic group and working status, Internet quarterly report, 2003-08 | | Appendix 7: [pic]