My first apartment. A small studioâ€"but it's mine. Or, at least, I'm paying rent on it, so as far as I'm concerned, that makes it mine, all mine! I feel like a grown up for the first time. Thus, I have decided to celebrate by having a dinner party. The trouble is, I'm new to the area, and all of my friends are still back home. But I'm inventive and resourceful. So, I decided, since I don't have any real-life friends, I might as well invite my fictional ones instead! There was, however, one other potential problemâ€"the smallness or virtual lack there of, of kitchen space in my studio. But again, I found a quick and easy solution. I thought, perhaps the best way to hold a dinner party so that all the strangers who are present get to know one another better is to hold a potluck, the sort of party where everyone brings his or her favorite foods to the affair. Asking the guests to bring music as well might be a good idea

Before starting a competitor analysis, we need to underline the main aspects that need to be addressed in such an analysis. According to one of the marketing sites[1], these are:
• Names of competitors
• Summary of each competitor's products
• Competitors' strengths and weaknesses
• Competitors' strategies and objectives
• Strength of the market I will pick one of the competitors in the clothing industry and go through each of these steps. I have picked Benetton as one of the most representative companies in the clothing industry. Today, Benetton is present in 120 countries around the entire world. The initial Italian style was worked on and applied to the different brands that make up the Benetton group nowadays. I am referring here to Sisley ("more fashion-oriented[2]") and to the sportswear brands Playlife and Killer Loop. The retail network of 5,000 stores generated in 2003 a total turnover of 1.9 billion euros. If we are referring to the Benetton products, we should note the fact that the company has chos

Introduction Although technology investments have maximized operational efficiencies and streamlined costs among the top corporations in the United States and beyond, the business models of leading organizations must still change dramatically to reflect new performance measures (Harvard Business Review, 1998). The value of successful businesses in the future will be based on their ability to build relationships with customers, meet heightened expectations for service and effectively use economic management strategies. Today's organizations are changing their business models and organizational design to focus on innovative growth strategies, such as building long- lasting, loyal customer relationships. This paper describes the nature and direction of growth and business strategies in two U.S. industriesâ€"the retail and healthcare industries. The Retail Industry With overall growth of the retail industry reflecting population growth rates, meeti

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the topic of euthanasia, or physician-assisted suicide. Physician-assisted suicide continues to be a hotly contested issue in our nation today. There are emotional arguments for both sides of the debate, but physicians should withdraw treatment and focus on pain management rather than playing "God" and ending people's lives. Physician-assisted suicide is morally and ethically wrong, and it should not be condoned in this country.

Barn Burning is one of the best and most intriguing stories of William Faulkner that presents to us the darker side of human psyche and explores the impact of man's so-called evil side and the causes that give birth to it. It is however not a simple story even if it appears to be one on first reading. The story is complex because it deals with a controversial issue of evil. Through the constant struggle between good and evil, the author wants us to see who is evil and what is evil in the real sense of the word. On the surface, the story revolves around a poor white man who doesn't want to be employed by his white master as he considers this employment a kind of imprisonment. In order to avenge the cruel treatment of his rich masters, he burns down every barn he works in. The story however is specifically about the 10-year old boy who is caught in a situation where he has to choose between his father and his own conscience. The story focuses on social and racial discrimi

Database Applications in the company Database in my company are used for several purposes. Because my company is a small retail store, it needs several kinds of information to collect and analyze. Right now, my company uses Microsoft Access for application development. The company needs information about its customers, its inventory of products, its suppliers, orders, prices of the items, and item availability. Until recently, this information was collected and stored in paper files and folders. Although it was easy to store this information in folders, it also caused frequent delays in accepting the customer orders as it was often difficult to tell at the time of the customer order the price of the items, the availability of the products, and when it would be shipped. Presently with the use of the Microsoft Access databases in the company, the company has been able to make many decisions quickly as it can find the status of the customers, their orders, products, and shipping date in time. Besides, by using the database, the company can find e

4-H is a program that operates under the United States Department of Agriculture. It is the youth education branch of the Cooperative Extension service. Each county and state in the United States is served by a County Extension office that allows people to access 4-H programs. Most states have 4-H programs designed for people who are 5 to 19 years of age, and there is a Collegiate 4-H program for older students. There are no dues for joining the 4-H program, but some costs for activities and projec

The idea of leadership development is often plagued by misconceptions and myths. One of the most damaging of these myths is that leadership is an inherent quality that cannot be learned or improved upon. This is absolutely not true: leadership skills can, in fact, be learned, and the purpose of this seminar is to help each of you learn some of the important concepts behind leadership. Once, leadership skills were thought to apply only to people in positions high up in the corporate structure. Today, leadership skills are becoming an absolutely crucial part of almost every person's business skill set. We increasingly work in teams where we must learn to manage the output of others, in both a regular office environment, and in virtual environments. As such, leadership skills are an important part of the skill set of every person in this room. Today, we'll be looking at the leadership of United States Navy Commander D. Michael Abrashoff to help illust

Who A Title 1 school is a school that serves low-income children. A Title 1 school might also be a low-performing school, because poverty and low school performance are highly correlated. Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is one of the largest federal aids to education programs. It was originally passed in 1965 to provide financial assistance to local school districts in planning and operating special programs for educationally disadvantaged children. Most educators refer to this as the Chapter 1 pullout program where students went to a designated "lab" and received limited math or reading instruction. From 1981 until 1994, Title I was called Chapter 1. In October 1994, President Clinton signed into law the "Improving America's Schools Act" (

My friends in faith, today I have come here to speak about a topic which is of great concern to many groups. It is something which is of great importance to you and your family, to me and mine, and to many other groups of people, some of which I wish to address with my information, and some of which I perhaps represent in my thoughts. I am aware that my beliefs may not come as welcomed into your hearts as I might hope them to be, but I trust that through the glory in God that we share and the resonance of faith and hope for a better future that is so strong among all of us here today that we will find a level on which communication and constructive sharing of ideas will be possible. However, it is also likely that I will strike a sour chord with many of you, that my good intentions and trust in God will be lost in a sea of misunderstood political issues, and that you may come away from my words with little more than an increased prejudice and a more tightly c

The emphasis on natural rights and freedom during the American Revolution and its aftermath that resulted in the formation of an independent United States of America contradicted sharply with the institution of slavery that existed in the country at the time. It was, thus, logical that slavery should an important issue in American politics during the 19th century. While the industrialized Northern states set about abolishing slavery from their territories after the revolution, the agricultural South whose economy depended on slave labor was adamant to retain slavery. Several attempts were made to reconcile the differences but the issue of slavery proved too hot to handle, and ultimately led to the secession of the Southern states and the Civil War between the North and the South in 1861. This essay examines the impact of slavery upon federalism in the United States with particular emphasis on the Missouri Compromise of 1820, Compromise Measures of 1854 and the Kansas

It has been widely acknowledged that George Orwell wrote Animal Farm with the express purpose of indicting Communism as a solution to social problems. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union it can, therefore, be argued that the work has lost its relevance, except perhaps, as a children's fable. To write the novel off in such a fashion would, however, be a mistake because a closer examination of the plot structure and the caricatures of various characters will reveal that the work has a timeless relevance. Indeed, if one were to disregard any preconception that Animal Farm should be interpreted as a satire on Communist Russia, it can be argued that the novel's main purpose is to highlight the negative effects of power structures in terms of suppressing and exploiting the weaker sections of society. The abuse of power, as a central theme, is especially apparent in the manner in which the characters of Boxer and Mollie are portrayed. Although the two possess diametrical

Yasujiro Ozu's cinematic classic "Tokyo Story" portrays the essentially divided nature of old and young individuals, even within the same family, that existed in Japan during the immediate aftermath and cultural shift that occurred as a result of that nation's loss of World War II. The film depicts a mother and a father who temporarily travel from the rural, Japanese countryside and their old way of life to visit their urban children in Tokyo during this period of Japanese history. The general title of "Tokyo Story" suggests the generalized nature of the story in modern Japan. The film was made in 1953 and depicts recent post-war Japan, shortly after the peace treaty ending the ear and the reconstruction of the Asian nationâ€"thus, it looks back on a recent period of history, not from afar, but with a critical and often sorrowful eye as to what was recently lost, and examines how recent events have taken turn for the worse in terms of family life in Japan. The mother and father visit c

Computers have become part of our everyday lives. From the computerized chip in our vehicles to the check out lines at stores, we are dependent upon this type of technology in our world today. Relying on computers becomes more evident everyday, from filing taxes to communicating with family, friends and co-workers. This explosion of technology has increased efforts to equip every classroom with computers and provide Internet access to all students across the nation, and now the rage of handheld computers is reaching across the educational realm. Teachers and Administrators have been introduced to the technology by necessity. Professional training has been the focus in schools and districts, while some decide to pursue the technological world through obtaining a postgraduate education with an emphasis in educational technology. Teachers have found themselves introducing basic computer skills to students while also learning more from the students who already hav

The relationship between work and a good or happy life has been understood differently throughout history. As Josef Pieper notes in Leisure: The Basis of Culture, the modern world has come to see work as an end in and of itself, while the ancient world saw that true living was through leisure, rather than work. Pieper suggests that it is the modern work ethic that has fundamentally vanquished leisure from modern life. As a result, he argues that our culture will ultimately be destroyed unless we learn to make time for reflection, and to understand beauty, truth and goodness. Pieper is one of the most well-read religious philosophers of the modern era. He was a professor at the University of Munster, West Germany. He has written a number of influential books, including Faith, Hope, Love, Four Cardinal Virtues, Abuse of Language Abuse of Power, and Happiness and Contemplation. Josef Pieper's book, Leisure: The Basis of Culture provides a thoughtful i

A full and meaningful life ultimately rests upon the individual's ability to make choices and to determine the course of their own existence. Even when these choices are wrong, and they make the person miserable, it is the freedom of will that makes life meaningful and worthwhile. In Brave New World, Aldous Huxley's vision of utopia is a world that is free from strife and discomfort, where every need is met, and where anything that is potentially difficult or disturbing is removed. Through the words of John the Savage, we see the danger in such a utopia, where individual freedom and choice is compromised. In this world, life becomes a sterile reflection of the true diversity and passion that comes from individual choice. John argues that the freedom to be unhappy is one of the most fundamental rights and needs that human beings possess. Aldous Huxley's novel, Brave New World, describes a world where personal choice and the ability

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze three works of Edgar Allen Poe, "The Tell-Tale Heart," and the two poems "To Helen," one written early in his writing career, and one late. Specifically, it will contain a research essay that will convince the reader that knowledge of the author's oeuvre enhances a reader's ability to understand each story. Edgar Allen Poe is most known for his horror stories that contain a macabre sense of the supernatural and the bizarre, and "The Tell-Tale Heart" is no exception. However, Poe was also a poet, and his romantic poetry dedicated to some of the women in his life seems far different from his dark fiction. However, reading both poetry and fiction together gives a greater sense of Poe as a man, and Poe as a writer. Reading only one piece gives a one-dimensional view of the man and his craft, while reading several pieces can help the reader piece together the many facets that made up Poe, and fill his work.

Goodyear is the leading tire manufacturer in the U.S. With a number of different brands, Goodyear has a tire for almost all types of cars, trucks, agricultural vehicles and off-road vehicles. This paper evaluates the need for quality improvement in the raw-material supplier, distribution and marketing of the tires in the U.S. Production and manufacturing are important areas where traditionally quality management has been emphasized and stressed. In recent times however there is an increasing trends by organizations to also improve the quality of their supply and distribution channels with the aim of improving customer satisfaction. In the organizational setting, quality is often defined based on the need of the customer and how an organization meets this need. Product performance and perception play an important role in identifying the perception of quality that a customer might have. Satisfying customer needs has cre

Selection of five children's books will be made in the paper. To discuss or treat the issue about death and dying the paper will include books from the period of 1980 till the present times. Summary of the information from these five books will be provided in the paper, focusing on the following questions, 1. What understanding or impression would children have of the issue discussed after reading or having the books read to them' 2. Do the books treat the subject in the same way' If not, comment on or compare viewpoints amongst the books.' 3. Perhaps you feel some books are better at dealing with the issue than others. If the book is fiction, comment on your reactions to how the story treats the issue. If the book is nonfiction, how factual and objective is the information'

The Ford Explorer is the best-selling sport-utility in the United States. Nearly one of every six sport-utilities sold is a Ford Explorer. Despite the fact that it is a good car, the Explorer offers something for just about everyone, from cheaper XLS models to feature-lpacked Eddie Bauer and premium Limited models. This paper will compare two model years "2000 and 2002" of the 4-door Limited Explorer, which is the top of the Explorer line. Ford Explorer Limited 2000 By 2000, nearly everything on the Ford Explorer since its 1991 introduction. It featured a bright front and rear bumper with an integrated rub strip (Matras, 1999). Its compound headlamp array included the headlights plus parking lights, turn signals and side marker lights in a single aero-curved assembly set into the bright grille surround. The 2000 Explorer uses an independent short/long arm front suspension with torsion bars and a live axle mounted on two-stage variable-rate leaf springs at the rear. A 4.0-liter pushrod

Erich Fromm, American psychoanalyst, in his discourse, Escape from Freedom, analyzed the role that freedom plays for the individual and society in a socio-cultural and historical context. Tracing the origins of freedom in human society, Fromm explains how humans have gradually gained freedom, with the emergence of socio-economic development through innovations and technologies. Thus, greater resources lead to increased social mobility, enabling the individual to do what s/he wants to do; in effect, there also occurs an increased need to become successful and prosperous economically as upward social mobility is achieved. However, Fromm, as he discusses in the book, the socially and economically mobile in a predominantly individualist society will eventually need to put control in himself/herself. This means that due to his/her ability to

Most people think they know what cloning is. They would define it, probably, as taking a piece of one plant or animal and using it to make another just like it. In fact, Brannigan points out that the term "clone" was very likely first used in botany to describe the process of budding. (12) He also notes that Webster's digital dictionary explains that the word is from the Greek kion, which means "twig." Current uses of the term include scientifically oriented ones; scientists use the term to describe asexual reproduction of an identical copy of an organism, and is something that happens naturally in bacteria, algae, plants and yeast. In addition, it is the method by which the human body grows and repairs itself, although higher life forms gave it up as a reproductive method 500 million years ago, leaving it to only those primitive organism mentioned. (Brannigan, 12) Considering that "cloning" is a natural activity taking place in our bodies every da

Vietnam war has been one of the most controversial and humiliating military experiences of the United States. While it was a military defeat for the country and the government at large, it meant something more for those who experienced it first hand in the battlefield. The war meant erosion and sudden loss of innocence, it meant deep and ugly scars on hearts and minds that even years of therapy couldn't heal and it also meant an apparent suspension of reality. For those who saw the people dying in this senseless conflict and experienced their pain and suffering, life was never the same after coming back from the war. They remained in a state of disillusionment, forever wondering why this war took place in the first place. This confusion, persistent bombardment of questions, a barrage of unresolved issues took their toll on the veterans and some completely lost their grip on reality. For them reality was no longer what it was other people. They had seen something horri

Human societies of different nations and culture contain people (also social members and actors) that constantly interact with social institutions and organizations, primarily because these institutions achieve a common goal that is desirable and agreeable to an individual or group. The American Red Cross is an example of such organization, which is a humanitarian organization centering on volunteerism, and provides "relief of victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies." This non-profit and independent organization offers humanitarian services such as blood donations, financial/monetary donation and funding, tissue donation, volunteerism, planned giving, and donation of relief goods. As an independent humanitarian organization, the American Red Cross elicited help not only from concerned individu

The paper will discuss the story of the Bridegroom' by Ha Jin, the information regarding Ha Jin signifies that although Ha Jin is Chinese but he is settled in the United States and he is deeply involved in his writing. Bridegroom' is a collection of twelve stories in which Ha Jin has displayed his creative writing talents. Ha Jin has been awarded National Book Award for fiction for his novel Waiting; Ha Jin is now back with his book Bridegroom'.