Defining Abnormality †Towards a definition Essay

The statistical approach is based on the idea that certain behaviours are statistically rare in the population. If you measure any type of human behaviour you should find that people with varying degrees of the behaviour are normally distributed around the mean. For example there are a lot of people who are of average height but few people who are very small. If we plot a graph of for example IQ scores, It is bell shaped. The majority of individuals are clustered around the mean (the curves highest point). The further you go away from the mean, the fewer people there are. Problems Desirability-some statistically infrequent behaviours, e.g. being a genius are desirable. Cut-off point-who decides at what point you are to be considered abnormal? Statistical Definitions-The Same standards or norms are not relevant to all social groups/ ages/cultures for example in terms of anxiety. Children have more irrational fears than adults. Deviation from social norms Social norms are behaviours that are desirable for both the individual and society as a whole. Deviance from social norms is both undesirable and abnormal. Most mentally Ill people do behave in a socially deviant way but this doesn’t mean that you can base clinical abnormality on this theory alone. Moral standards-social norms change over time and basing mental illness on deviation from social norms is dangerous. Context-for example, wearing few items of clothing on the beach is acceptable, on the high street it is not. Sub Cultures-for example in the Mormon religion it is acceptable to have several wives. In England that is a crime called bigamy Good/Bad-in some certain circumstances being socially deviant is a good thing for example in Nazi Germany people who were opposed to Nazism were socially deviant. Collectivistic cultures-cultures which emphasise the greater good of the community rather than focusing on individual achievement would not find the first three characteristics relevant. Difficult-most people would have difficulty fitting all these criteria at most times in their lives. Cultural relativism A limitation to all ways of defining abnormality is that no definition is relevant to all cultures. Also cultures definitions change over time. For example Homosexuality was considered to be a mental disease till the 80’s.

Supplier Relationship Management

Many customer-supplier relationships were weakened or damaged during the economic downturn. To rescue them, both sides need to acknowledge past mistakes, identify the causes of those problems, take corrective action, and monitor the results. As of this writing, all signs are pointing toward recovery, and economic indicators (take your pick) are suggesting a better ending to 2010 than we experienced in 2009. Optimistic whispers in the first few months of this year became clearly audible announcements when Quarter 1 earnings were released.Demand is on the rise, lashed capacity is beginning to fill up, and at many companies, earnings will exceed expectations. Despite the fact that business is improving in most industries, companies will continue to struggle for some time to overcome the effects of the recession on their supply chains. This is especially true for those that made drastic decisions and acted in ways that altered their supply chain capacity and supplier services. Customer-s upplier relationships have been caught up in this turmoil and have often suffered as a result.The economic upheaval of the past 18 months has left many relationships weakened, damaged, or even severed. With demand increasing, now is the time for buyers and suppliers to assess the current state of their relationships and then address or resolve any concerns. This can be accomplished through a four-step process that includes acknowledging what has happened, identifying the causes of any problems, agreeing on and implementing corrective actions, and following up and maintaining the improved relationship. These steps should be carried out within your company's supplier relationship management (SRAM) program.SRAM is a formalized process through which companies build strong, collaborative relationships with their vital suppliers to make improvements and achieve their mutual supply chain goals. If you do not already have a formal SRAM program, then following these steps can serve as the fo undation for this type of initiative. Customers and suppliers that adopt this process and commit to continuing it in the future will not only reaffirm and strengthen their partnerships but will also ensure that they create an effective, flexible supply chain.Step 1: Acknowledge past mistakes Start out by evaluating your current relationship with your most critical suppliers. This assumes that you have already segmented your supply base and identified your most important suppliers. You can follow this process for all suppliers, of course, but to maximize the value of your efforts, it's a good idea to address the most essential suppliers first. Once the top suppliers have been singled out, you can assess the current state of your relationship with each of them individually.The most important part of this first step is to identify and acknowledge the mistakes that were made on both sides. Ask the following questions and examine your answers carefully: Is this relationship in turmoil? I f so, what were the actions that created this tension, and position are you or your suppliers in now as a result? How does the supplier feel toward you, and how do you feel toward the supplier? Do you deem the relationship to be weakened, damaged, or severed? Is the relationship meaningful for your company, and will improving that relationship bring value to both parties?By answering these questions, you will define the roadman toward reconciliation and improved effectiveness?or to accepting a separation, if that proves necessary. Once you have determined that the relationship is worth repairing or saving, it is time to pursue open and honest communication with that supplier. Integrity and trust are he basis for any relationship, and addressing difficult topics in a frank and objective manner will be appreciated by everyone involved. Coming to the table in an open manner is Just the beginning, however.The magnitude of the strife in the relationship will dictate the level of effort r equired to address it. Weakened relationships, while still requiring direct and concerted effort, can be more easily repaired than those with damaged elements or those that have been severed. A special note on severed relationships: If you are not sincere about reconciliation, then do not waste your time or your supplier's time. The amount of time and audience required to rebuild a previously severed relationship can be substantial, and if either party lacks commitment, true reconciliation becomes doubtful.Step 2: Find the real source of the problem The most delicate part of this process involves identifying the root cause of the problems. Bringing in a neutral third party to help both sides review the current relationship and past experiences is one way to maintain objectivity during these discussions. In this type of conversation, emotions and personal involvement tend to rise to the surface, and the â€Å"effect† part of â€Å"cause and effect† often becomes the foc al mint. This is a situation you should strive to avoid.If participants fail to consider the root of a problem, only the symptom will be treated, and another one that may be even more harmful to the relationship will inevitably appear. In reviewing the events of the last 18 months, many customers and suppliers may point to the economy and decreased demand as the cause of relationship strife and discontent. There's no denying that the economy was an underlying factor. As orders plummeted, original equipment manufacturers (Moms) reduced capacities to attempt to match output and expenses to very weak demand.Many suppliers were unaware of the dramatic steps taken by Moms and were left with buildup in their inventories of up to 50 percent? with no buyers for that stock in sight. These high inventory levels caused a variety of problems for suppliers and, in the worst cases, resulted in bankruptcy. While the economy and declining demand clearly play a role here, poor customer-supplier rela tionships and the lack of strong communication channels appear to be a major cause of the devastating inventory buildup.This might have been avoided by improving forecasting tools or enhancing operational capabilities to more quickly spend to downward shifts in demand. Both are sound actions to pursue at any time, but neither will resolve the lack of customer- supplier communication that will continue to cause problems in the future. An important question to ask here is: â€Å"Were there warning signs before the problem occurred? † As both customer and supplier consider this question, they should reflect upon quantitative (on-time measurements that may have signaled trouble ahead.Discussing these measurements or signals as well as the customer's and supplier's responses to those developments will help to establish where specific problems originated. Step 3: Identify and implement corrective actions Now that the root causes of relationship strife and their leading indicators h ave been identified, the next step is to define and implement corrective actions. These actions can include procedural changes, changes in safety stocks, increased communication requirements, or even changes in personnel.Observe the impact of these corrective actions on the original symptoms (the â€Å"effect†) and ensure that the resulting improvements can be objectively measured and quantified. For example, a procedural change could reduce the amount of time required to process a orientation, therefore the number of transactions per hour will increase. Moreover, increasing safety stock and boosting communication requirements (such as sending status updates more frequently) may yield higher service levels, which can also be measured.It's wise to avoid subjective measurements, which may invite interpretations that lead to more disagreements and conflicts. Be sure to incorporate these measurements into an existing customer-supplier scorecard process, or if none exists, take th e opportunity to create one that can be reviewed periodically. The solutions you develop can and should vary based on the type of relationship you eave with your supplier: A strictly transaction-based relationship that focuses on only one or two activities is likely to be rekindled by focusing attention solely on improving those specific activities. ?Tactical relationships may benefit from solutions that span both upstream and downstream from the basic operational transactions. These relationships may have multiple touch points, and resolving each relationship conflict at each touch point may be an extensive, time-consuming process. Strategic partnerships call for the most complex activities and coordination to revive a distressed relationship. Moreover, strategic partnerships frequently span multiple organizations at all levels. So, although most efforts may start at the top of the organizational chart, it is important to address all levels when rebuilding trust and good will.Carry ing out the solutions you agree on most likely will involve increased sharing of operational and business information, such as supply inventory levels, point-of-sales data, and market trends that are beneficial for both customer and supplier. Frequently, an investment in information technology software can facilitate and enhance this kind of extensive data sharing. Step 4: Monitor and maintain the allegations After implementing corrective actions, you'll need to conduct management reviews in which progress is discussed, milestones are recognized, and changes to planned milestones are decided upon when necessary.It almost goes without saying that these reviews should be carried out in a timely fashion. The definition of â€Å"timeliness,† however, depends upon what activities are being measured and on their inherent cycle times. The review should occur within a time frame that allows sufficient data points identifying change to be generated. A premature review will show lack o f progress and can lower confidence levels. At the same time, a late review or prolonged periods between reviews can Jeopardize momentum or even introduce been introduced since the previous review.Matching management reviews to meaningful data generation will help avoid these pitfalls and keep the momentum toward positive relationship change. The successful repair of a customer-supplier relationship will heavily depend on the involvement of the leadership teams and the commitment of both sides to the process. If continuing the relationship will bring value to both parties, then their commitment to achieving success (and to maintaining the relationship) should be explicit.In other words, leadership's involvement in supplier relationship management demonstrates the importance of this activity to the organization. Nevertheless, sustaining the relationship can be difficult even when there is great support from the leadership of both customer and supplier. It makes sense, therefore, to c onsider turning the relationship management activities that have been developed to address specific problems into a formalized program supporting continued improvement. Leverage the scheduled reviews, progress metrics, and milestones to shape the content of a formal customer- supplier management process.Expand team and individual involvement to other levels of the organization as appropriate. Remember that a customer-supplier relationship is a two-way street? throughout the â€Å"monitor and maintain† phase, both sides should be openhanded and go out of their way to learn from each other. For example, the customer can teach the supplier that it needs to provide more than Just the right product at the right price, and the supplier can teach the customer that it requires more information than a basic forecast if it is to support the customer's supply chain success.Relationships: The foundation of success Now is the time to assess your customer-supplier relationships, as your co mpany recovers from the Great Recession and prepares for an upturn in business. If those relationships are weakened, damaged, or severed, consider taking the following steps: Objectively acknowledge the past and open a clear communication channel with the sincere intent of building a mutually beneficial relationship. Discuss and discover the sources (the â€Å"cause†) of the problems and develop corrective actions.Be careful not to fall into the trap of addressing symptoms (the â€Å"effects†). Follow through tit corrective actions and continue to monitor and maintain the relationship. To improve the likelihood of success, ensure that there is leadership support from both customer and supplier. Remember, solid, healthy customer-supplier relationships form the foundation of an enterprise's success. Companies that continue to suffer because of weakened, damaged, or severed relationships will surely lose to their competition. Justine Brown is principal at the consulting f irm Tompkins Associates.An organization spends substantial portion of every dollar on the purchase of raw materials, components, and services. In fact, 60% of cost goods sold are consisted of purchased goods. Therefore, supplier quality can substantially affect the overall cost of a product or service. One of the keys to obtaining high-quality products and services is for the customer to work with suppliers in a partnering atmosphere to achieve the same quality level as attained within the organization. Customers and suppliers have the same goal?to satisfy end user.The better the supplier quality, the better the supplier's long-term position, because the customer will have better work together as partners to maximize their return on investment. There have been number of forces that have changed supplier relations. Prior to the sass, procurement decisions were typically based on price, thereby awarding contracts to lowest bidder. As a result, quality and timely delivery were sacrific ed. One force, Deeming fourth point, addressed this problem. He stated that customers must stop awarding business based on the low bidder because price has no basis without quality.In addition, he advocated single suppliers for each items to help develop a long-term relationship of loyalty and trust. These actions will lead to improved products and services. Another force changing supplier relations was the introduction of the Just-in-time TIT) concept. It calls for raw materials and components to reach the production operations in small quantities when they are needed and not before. The benefits of SIT is that inventory-related costs are kept to minimum. Procurement lots are small and delivery is frequent.As a result, the supplier have many more process setups, thus becoming a SIT organization itself. The supplier must drastically reduce setup time or its cost will increase. Before there is little or no inventory, the quality incoming material must be very good or the reduction li ne will be shut down. To be successful, SIT requires exceptional quality and reduced setup time. The practice of continuous process improvement has also caused many suppliers develop partnership with their customers. A final force is ISO 9000, which is mandated by the major automotive assembly firms.Specifically, first tier and tiers subsequent to the Moms must maintain supply chain development through three key factors: zero defects, 100% on-time delivery, and a process for continuous improvement. These forces have changed adversarial customer-supplier relationship into mutually beneficial partnerships. Joint efforts improve quality, reduce costs, and increase market share for both parties. Dry. Koru Chickasaws has suggested 10 principles to ensure quality products and services and eliminate unsatisfactory conditions between the customer and the supplier: 1 .Both customers and the suppliers are fully responsible for the control of quality. 2. Both the customer and supplier should b e independent of each other and respect each other's independence. 3. The customer is responsible for providing the supplier with clear sufficient requirements so that supplier can know precisely what to produce. 4. Both the customer and the supplier should enter into a non adversarial contract with respect to quality, quantity, price, delivery method, and terms payments. 5.The supplier is responsible for providing the quality that will satisfy the customer and submitting necessary data upon customer's request. 6. Both the customer and the supplier should decide the method to evaluate the quality of the product or service to the satisfaction of both parties. 7. Both the customer and the supplier should establish in the contract the method by which they can reach an amicable settlement of any disputes that may arise. 8. Both the customer and the applier should continually exchange information, sometimes using multifunctional teams, in order to improve the product or service quality. . Both the customer and the supplier should perform business activities such as procurement, production, and inventory planning, clerical work, and systems so that an amicable and satisfactory relationship is maintained. 10. When dealing with business the end user in mind. Although most of the principles are common sense, a close scrutiny shows that a true partnering relationship exists with long-term relationship, where each party preserves their identity and independence. Supplier Relationship Management Many customer-supplier relationships were weakened or damaged during the economic downturn. To rescue them, both sides need to acknowledge past mistakes, identify the causes of those problems, take corrective action, and monitor the results. As of this writing, all signs are pointing toward recovery, and economic indicators (take your pick) are suggesting a better ending to 2010 than we experienced in 2009. Optimistic whispers in the first few months of this year became clearly audible announcements when Quarter 1 earnings were released.Demand is on the rise, lashed capacity is beginning to fill up, and at many companies, earnings will exceed expectations. Despite the fact that business is improving in most industries, companies will continue to struggle for some time to overcome the effects of the recession on their supply chains. This is especially true for those that made drastic decisions and acted in ways that altered their supply chain capacity and supplier services. Customer-s upplier relationships have been caught up in this turmoil and have often suffered as a result.The economic upheaval of the past 18 months has left many relationships weakened, damaged, or even severed. With demand increasing, now is the time for buyers and suppliers to assess the current state of their relationships and then address or resolve any concerns. This can be accomplished through a four-step process that includes acknowledging what has happened, identifying the causes of any problems, agreeing on and implementing corrective actions, and following up and maintaining the improved relationship. These steps should be carried out within your company's supplier relationship management (SRAM) program.SRAM is a formalized process through which companies build strong, collaborative relationships with their vital suppliers to make improvements and achieve their mutual supply chain goals. If you do not already have a formal SRAM program, then following these steps can serve as the fo undation for this type of initiative. Customers and suppliers that adopt this process and commit to continuing it in the future will not only reaffirm and strengthen their partnerships but will also ensure that they create an effective, flexible supply chain.Step 1: Acknowledge past mistakes Start out by evaluating your current relationship with your most critical suppliers. This assumes that you have already segmented your supply base and identified your most important suppliers. You can follow this process for all suppliers, of course, but to maximize the value of your efforts, it's a good idea to address the most essential suppliers first. Once the top suppliers have been singled out, you can assess the current state of your relationship with each of them individually.The most important part of this first step is to identify and acknowledge the mistakes that were made on both sides. Ask the following questions and examine your answers carefully: Is this relationship in turmoil? I f so, what were the actions that created this tension, and position are you or your suppliers in now as a result? How does the supplier feel toward you, and how do you feel toward the supplier? Do you deem the relationship to be weakened, damaged, or severed? Is the relationship meaningful for your company, and will improving that relationship bring value to both parties?By answering these questions, you will define the roadman toward reconciliation and improved effectiveness?or to accepting a separation, if that proves necessary. Once you have determined that the relationship is worth repairing or saving, it is time to pursue open and honest communication with that supplier. Integrity and trust are he basis for any relationship, and addressing difficult topics in a frank and objective manner will be appreciated by everyone involved. Coming to the table in an open manner is Just the beginning, however.The magnitude of the strife in the relationship will dictate the level of effort r equired to address it. Weakened relationships, while still requiring direct and concerted effort, can be more easily repaired than those with damaged elements or those that have been severed. A special note on severed relationships: If you are not sincere about reconciliation, then do not waste your time or your supplier's time. The amount of time and audience required to rebuild a previously severed relationship can be substantial, and if either party lacks commitment, true reconciliation becomes doubtful.Step 2: Find the real source of the problem The most delicate part of this process involves identifying the root cause of the problems. Bringing in a neutral third party to help both sides review the current relationship and past experiences is one way to maintain objectivity during these discussions. In this type of conversation, emotions and personal involvement tend to rise to the surface, and the â€Å"effect† part of â€Å"cause and effect† often becomes the foc al mint. This is a situation you should strive to avoid.If participants fail to consider the root of a problem, only the symptom will be treated, and another one that may be even more harmful to the relationship will inevitably appear. In reviewing the events of the last 18 months, many customers and suppliers may point to the economy and decreased demand as the cause of relationship strife and discontent. There's no denying that the economy was an underlying factor. As orders plummeted, original equipment manufacturers (Moms) reduced capacities to attempt to match output and expenses to very weak demand.Many suppliers were unaware of the dramatic steps taken by Moms and were left with buildup in their inventories of up to 50 percent? with no buyers for that stock in sight. These high inventory levels caused a variety of problems for suppliers and, in the worst cases, resulted in bankruptcy. While the economy and declining demand clearly play a role here, poor customer-supplier rela tionships and the lack of strong communication channels appear to be a major cause of the devastating inventory buildup.This might have been avoided by improving forecasting tools or enhancing operational capabilities to more quickly spend to downward shifts in demand. Both are sound actions to pursue at any time, but neither will resolve the lack of customer- supplier communication that will continue to cause problems in the future. An important question to ask here is: â€Å"Were there warning signs before the problem occurred? † As both customer and supplier consider this question, they should reflect upon quantitative (on-time measurements that may have signaled trouble ahead.Discussing these measurements or signals as well as the customer's and supplier's responses to those developments will help to establish where specific problems originated. Step 3: Identify and implement corrective actions Now that the root causes of relationship strife and their leading indicators h ave been identified, the next step is to define and implement corrective actions. These actions can include procedural changes, changes in safety stocks, increased communication requirements, or even changes in personnel.Observe the impact of these corrective actions on the original symptoms (the â€Å"effect†) and ensure that the resulting improvements can be objectively measured and quantified. For example, a procedural change could reduce the amount of time required to process a orientation, therefore the number of transactions per hour will increase. Moreover, increasing safety stock and boosting communication requirements (such as sending status updates more frequently) may yield higher service levels, which can also be measured.It's wise to avoid subjective measurements, which may invite interpretations that lead to more disagreements and conflicts. Be sure to incorporate these measurements into an existing customer-supplier scorecard process, or if none exists, take th e opportunity to create one that can be reviewed periodically. The solutions you develop can and should vary based on the type of relationship you eave with your supplier: A strictly transaction-based relationship that focuses on only one or two activities is likely to be rekindled by focusing attention solely on improving those specific activities. ?Tactical relationships may benefit from solutions that span both upstream and downstream from the basic operational transactions. These relationships may have multiple touch points, and resolving each relationship conflict at each touch point may be an extensive, time-consuming process. Strategic partnerships call for the most complex activities and coordination to revive a distressed relationship. Moreover, strategic partnerships frequently span multiple organizations at all levels. So, although most efforts may start at the top of the organizational chart, it is important to address all levels when rebuilding trust and good will.Carry ing out the solutions you agree on most likely will involve increased sharing of operational and business information, such as supply inventory levels, point-of-sales data, and market trends that are beneficial for both customer and supplier. Frequently, an investment in information technology software can facilitate and enhance this kind of extensive data sharing. Step 4: Monitor and maintain the allegations After implementing corrective actions, you'll need to conduct management reviews in which progress is discussed, milestones are recognized, and changes to planned milestones are decided upon when necessary.It almost goes without saying that these reviews should be carried out in a timely fashion. The definition of â€Å"timeliness,† however, depends upon what activities are being measured and on their inherent cycle times. The review should occur within a time frame that allows sufficient data points identifying change to be generated. A premature review will show lack o f progress and can lower confidence levels. At the same time, a late review or prolonged periods between reviews can Jeopardize momentum or even introduce been introduced since the previous review.Matching management reviews to meaningful data generation will help avoid these pitfalls and keep the momentum toward positive relationship change. The successful repair of a customer-supplier relationship will heavily depend on the involvement of the leadership teams and the commitment of both sides to the process. If continuing the relationship will bring value to both parties, then their commitment to achieving success (and to maintaining the relationship) should be explicit.In other words, leadership's involvement in supplier relationship management demonstrates the importance of this activity to the organization. Nevertheless, sustaining the relationship can be difficult even when there is great support from the leadership of both customer and supplier. It makes sense, therefore, to c onsider turning the relationship management activities that have been developed to address specific problems into a formalized program supporting continued improvement. Leverage the scheduled reviews, progress metrics, and milestones to shape the content of a formal customer- supplier management process.Expand team and individual involvement to other levels of the organization as appropriate. Remember that a customer-supplier relationship is a two-way street? throughout the â€Å"monitor and maintain† phase, both sides should be openhanded and go out of their way to learn from each other. For example, the customer can teach the supplier that it needs to provide more than Just the right product at the right price, and the supplier can teach the customer that it requires more information than a basic forecast if it is to support the customer's supply chain success.Relationships: The foundation of success Now is the time to assess your customer-supplier relationships, as your co mpany recovers from the Great Recession and prepares for an upturn in business. If those relationships are weakened, damaged, or severed, consider taking the following steps: Objectively acknowledge the past and open a clear communication channel with the sincere intent of building a mutually beneficial relationship. Discuss and discover the sources (the â€Å"cause†) of the problems and develop corrective actions.Be careful not to fall into the trap of addressing symptoms (the â€Å"effects†). Follow through tit corrective actions and continue to monitor and maintain the relationship. To improve the likelihood of success, ensure that there is leadership support from both customer and supplier. Remember, solid, healthy customer-supplier relationships form the foundation of an enterprise's success. Companies that continue to suffer because of weakened, damaged, or severed relationships will surely lose to their competition. Justine Brown is principal at the consulting f irm Tompkins Associates.An organization spends substantial portion of every dollar on the purchase of raw materials, components, and services. In fact, 60% of cost goods sold are consisted of purchased goods. Therefore, supplier quality can substantially affect the overall cost of a product or service. One of the keys to obtaining high-quality products and services is for the customer to work with suppliers in a partnering atmosphere to achieve the same quality level as attained within the organization. Customers and suppliers have the same goal?to satisfy end user.The better the supplier quality, the better the supplier's long-term position, because the customer will have better work together as partners to maximize their return on investment. There have been number of forces that have changed supplier relations. Prior to the sass, procurement decisions were typically based on price, thereby awarding contracts to lowest bidder. As a result, quality and timely delivery were sacrific ed. One force, Deeming fourth point, addressed this problem. He stated that customers must stop awarding business based on the low bidder because price has no basis without quality.In addition, he advocated single suppliers for each items to help develop a long-term relationship of loyalty and trust. These actions will lead to improved products and services. Another force changing supplier relations was the introduction of the Just-in-time TIT) concept. It calls for raw materials and components to reach the production operations in small quantities when they are needed and not before. The benefits of SIT is that inventory-related costs are kept to minimum. Procurement lots are small and delivery is frequent.As a result, the supplier have many more process setups, thus becoming a SIT organization itself. The supplier must drastically reduce setup time or its cost will increase. Before there is little or no inventory, the quality incoming material must be very good or the reduction li ne will be shut down. To be successful, SIT requires exceptional quality and reduced setup time. The practice of continuous process improvement has also caused many suppliers develop partnership with their customers. A final force is ISO 9000, which is mandated by the major automotive assembly firms.Specifically, first tier and tiers subsequent to the Moms must maintain supply chain development through three key factors: zero defects, 100% on-time delivery, and a process for continuous improvement. These forces have changed adversarial customer-supplier relationship into mutually beneficial partnerships. Joint efforts improve quality, reduce costs, and increase market share for both parties. Dry. Koru Chickasaws has suggested 10 principles to ensure quality products and services and eliminate unsatisfactory conditions between the customer and the supplier: 1 .Both customers and the suppliers are fully responsible for the control of quality. 2. Both the customer and supplier should b e independent of each other and respect each other's independence. 3. The customer is responsible for providing the supplier with clear sufficient requirements so that supplier can know precisely what to produce. 4. Both the customer and the supplier should enter into a non adversarial contract with respect to quality, quantity, price, delivery method, and terms payments. 5.The supplier is responsible for providing the quality that will satisfy the customer and submitting necessary data upon customer's request. 6. Both the customer and the supplier should decide the method to evaluate the quality of the product or service to the satisfaction of both parties. 7. Both the customer and the supplier should establish in the contract the method by which they can reach an amicable settlement of any disputes that may arise. 8. Both the customer and the applier should continually exchange information, sometimes using multifunctional teams, in order to improve the product or service quality. . Both the customer and the supplier should perform business activities such as procurement, production, and inventory planning, clerical work, and systems so that an amicable and satisfactory relationship is maintained. 10. When dealing with business the end user in mind. Although most of the principles are common sense, a close scrutiny shows that a true partnering relationship exists with long-term relationship, where each party preserves their identity and independence.

A Beautiful Mind a film by Ron Howard (2001) Essay

A Beautiful Mind a film by Ron Howard (2001) - Essay Example He soon outgrows the enthusiasm for his MIT position and accepts a more challenging role by Parcher William, on behalf of the US. D.o.D. HIS attempts to discover patterns hidden by the Soviet make him rather obsessive. Nash marriage to Alicia is rocked with problems since Nash experiences bouts of hallucination that make it hard for him to separate reality. For instance, he realizes that three characters, Marcee, Charles, and Parcher are only his imaginations figment. After treatment, Nash is able to deal more effectively with his hallucination, and is eventually offered a teaching position by his former rival Hansen, now heading the mathematics department at Hansen. Nash goes on to win a Nobel Prize in the field of economics. In terms of happiness, I would rather be a happy average person than an unhappy genius. Being a genius is meant to be a way by which to achieve a more fulfilling life. If it does not fulfill this fundamental requirement, then leading an average life proves more fulfilling than having accolades that bring no joy. The human nature is such that his well-being is tied to their happiness. A happy individual, average or not, is definitely leading a better life, the life I

Individual project 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Individual project 3 - Essay Example There are two types of Currency Markets; Spot Market is basically a market where immediate transactions take place. Once the transactions are made, they are recorded by the 2nd business day. The main participants by market include brokers commercial banks customers of commercial and central banks Sources of spot quotations come from all major newspapers and major currencies that use different quotes. The spot market has varying prices depending on the number of days from say 30-day through 60-day to 180-day. The spot market recognizes the customers even when making quotations. The costs of Transactions Costs will depend on the market trends as well as a bid-spread basis. This helps us to formulate the spot as well as forward exchange rates. The bid represents the price or cost at which the bidder (mostly bank) is willing to buy while the ask equals to the price at which the bidder will sell the currency bought. The other type of currency market is the forward Market. In this form of currency market, transactions take place only at a specified future date or time. It is characterized by ; arbitrageurs traders hedgers speculators The forward market forms’ main aim is to among other things reduce the cost of trading and provide liquidity. It also serves to threaten people mainly traders of oligopoly of information. This form of currency market is more popular that the former as it boasts of a large market size. For instance, the market a trend in a research done annually in 1995 and that on a daily basis in some major cities is as below. 1995: $1.2 trillion dailyMarket Centers (1995) London =$464 billion New York= $244 billion Tokyo = $161 billion In order to effectively handle the assignment, I have broken it down as below so that it is easier to follow through. To calculate the spot and 12-month forward exchange rates we will first to calculate the PS for both German and China currencies. USA German Revenues forecast =$500 million operations=â‚ ¬100 mi llion Operations=$300million ROS= 12% ROS= 10%= net income China Operations=650 million yuan ROS= 8% This can be done by following a formula given below. 1. 10% of $300=$30 PS= {ask-bid}/ask*100 PS= ({$300-$30}/$300)*100 = $90miliion 2. 12% of â‚ ¬100= â‚ ¬12 PS= {ask-bid}/ask*100 PS= ({â‚ ¬100-â‚ ¬12}/â‚ ¬100)*100 =â‚ ¬88million 3. 8% 650 million yuan= 52 million yuan PS= {ask-bid}/ask*100 = {650-52/650}*100 =92 million yuan The forward exchange rate for German will be 90/88 or $1.0227. Whereas, the forward exchange rate for China will be 90/92 or $0.978. Repatriation can be termed as the process of changing a foreign currency into that of an owner’s country. This is usually dependent on the exchange rate between the two currencies caused by disparities between the economies of scale. A good example would be a South African converting American pound back into South African rand so that they are able to use it. While exchanging the money, the trader will be exposed to something called foreign exchange risk. This is when the trader decides to engage in a foreign exchange swap. In a spot transaction, the condition is that of a bid-ask condition. Therefore, depending on how much the bidder (bank) is willing to offer and how much it will sell then the trader will decide whether to be involved in the transaction. So for instance if the bank is in need of the currency, the trader might actually make a profit out of it(Sellon, 1998, 147-177). In the outright forward repatriation,

Computer Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Computer Market - Essay Example Likewise, there are many other determinants of demand for a computer market such as knowledge and price barriers, social influences, lifestyle changes, and competitor and component prices, and so on. The world's second largest personal computer maker, Dell, launched its latest Inspiron 1525 laptop computer that features 15.4-inch HD definition wide aspect display with 720p resolution, a Blue-ray player disc drive and an HDMI port along with the basic features. Dell has been quoted as an example to guide through the learning of the economics of computer pricing. Recent years have seen fall in prices of personal computers even in the face of increasing demand. To study this further, it should be kept in mind that demand and supply control prices in a free market and increase in the supply of a product over demand causes the price of the product to fall. A free market can be defined as a market where the sellers and the buyers of a product are free to determine the price of the product and this is done by the law of demand and supply. Free markets are in contrast to controlled markets where factors determining prices are influenced by external parties. In a free market, however, the demand and supply for a product determines whether the price of the product increases or decreases. ... Determination of equilibrium price and quantity The determination of price depends on the type of market organization the product belongs to. In a competitive market, the point of intersection of market demand and supply curves determines the price that will prevail in the market. As in other competitive markets, the forces of demand and supply determine computer prices. In the diagram, P* is the point of intersection of the demand and supply curves and is called the equilibrium price. "The word 'equilibrium' denotes a state of rest from which there is no tendency to change" (Maddala and Miller, 2004). Price equilibrium occurs where the price that the buyers wish to buy matches the price that the sellers wish to sell at. The point C in the diagram describes a position of equilibrium in the market. When prices are above or below P*, i.e., P1 or P2, the market is said to be in disequilibrium. As can be seen from the diagram, supporting the price above P* creates an excess supply, whereas, fixing the price below that causes excess demand. Therefore, an excess demand would lead to an increase in prices whereas excess supply would lead to decrease in prices. When the demand for computers is high and there is shortage of supply of the same, then the balance of power shifts towards the seller. This is because of the excess demand in the market for good commodities. Conversely when demand both for computers and complimenting products is weak and when there is excess supply of the same available on the market, then the power switches to potential buyers. This is because there is a wide choice of products available and the buyers can afford to negotiate prices

Organizational Behaviour of Ritz Carlton Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Organizational Behaviour of Ritz Carlton - Essay Example s the vast potential of demographic and cultural diversity among people and accepts the imprint of globalization on everyday living and organizational competitiveness. (Hunt, et al 2004)1 Previously managerial decisions were mostly directed towards organizations objective while addressing concerns like production, sales and marketing with little attention towards the people working in the organization which is rightly mentioned by Harris et al (2001)2 and (Hunt et al, 2004). It is further stated that progressive workplaces presently are looking and acting differently from those of the past with new approach towards customers and client markets. There are competitions from all corners and the company has to meet the demand and expectations of the customer. (Hunt et al, 2004) In view of the above, the present global environment asks for more commitment, skills and ability to tackle the challenges effectively which can be possible only through changes, individually and institutionally, to keep pace with dynamic and complex environment. The present paper aims to critically examine leadership and management styles adopted by the management of Ritz Carlton during the period of change, their nature of team motivation and policies to achieve high performance. The approach for the present research is qualitative methodological approach relying only on secondary data from online sources, books and journals which were earlier published. The view points and interviews of senior managers of Ritz Carlton Hotels have been collected for the purpose of this research to identify the management and leadership styles during the change , their strategies for employee and team motivation and policies to achieve better quality of service. Ritz Carlton has a long history which goes back to 1898 when the founder of the industry Cesar Ritz moved to Paris working in finest hotels and restaurants and later opening London’s Carlton Hotel setting the stage for Ritz Carlton Company. The

Law discussions (2) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Law discussions (2) - Assignment Example Another element is offer, which every manager should know is a specifically, clearly asserted proposition (Margolies, 2007). A manager needs to have a complete understanding of the UCC in the state in which he or she conducts business. This is because the UCC is a detailed canon of laws that lead commercial dealings amongst states in the United States (Legal Information Institute, n.d.). Since managerial dealings involve borrowing funds, letting equipment, setting up contracts, and selling products and services, a clear picture of the UCC within the given state is mandatory to avoid legal mishaps. One practice managers in most industries can take to protect the privacy of their employees and customers is knowing the type and amount of personal data the business deals with (Foege, 2013). Secondly, knowing the organization’s duties and risks is essential mostly to employee privacy. A third practice is involving top management in building a privacy strategy for its staff and clients. Fourthly, forming a game plan that entails a privacy committee inside the organization is encouraged. Lastly, introducing oversight of the privacy program to customers and staff members is critical to their privacy (Foege, 2013). I see personal responsibility and accountability fitting into product liability in the sense that limited liability companies have a second cover of liability defense that shields the enterprise from any personal litigation that might affect it. Foege, A. (2013). 7 Best Privacy Practices for Companies Managing Customer Data. Data Informed. Retrieved from

The UN Charter prohibits the threat or use of force. Is this an Essay

The UN Charter prohibits the threat or use of force. Is this an absolute prohibition Discuss and critically evaluate the limi - Essay Example Before acting so, the states have considered that the terrorists pose international security threats to the world as a whole. Therefore they expect cooperation from the international community to help them fight terrorists2. The clause in the charter that condemns the use of force is therefore undermined and not adhered. However there many challenge the UN body is experiencing so many challenges that keeping to the clauses of the charter. The charter was initiated to ensure disarmation and proliferation. Even though the measures have been put to into writing but no countries are adhering to them. This paper finds out whether the UN charter has a provision that allow countries to respond to attacks from terror groups is not clear. After the attacks on the United States, famously known as the â€Å"September 11 2001 attacks† or simply 9/11 attacks the UN Security Council immediately changes the rules in the next day3. The council recognised â€Å"the inherent right of individua l and collective self-defence as provided in the charter. This came to be known as the â€Å"Security Council resolution 1368 (2001). The changes led to the reaffirmation on the state defence. The limits of use of force had been passed. Countries learn a very good lesson from the events in the United States and they soon started working on weapons to protect themselves. The only question that needs to be answered is the â€Å"are the countries really going to stick the original provisions in the charter? The limits of the use of force had been passed as it is now clear that countries cannot sit back and watch being provoked by any state. The other example is the Russian case. In alliance with some member states, it argued that use of force was only necessary if actual combat provocation was launched against a nation. United Kingdom and the United States had different views. They adopted that use of force was necessary in the event that an imminent attack on any country seemed so o bvious. When the countries after the September eleven attacks on use, they adopted the â€Å"united nations general assembly resolution 60/1†. This was also known as the â€Å"2005 world summit outcome†. This meeting to the astonishment of many did not touch on the issue of self-defence. From this argument, it is now clear that the use of force is never a prohibition. Countries are never limited to use force. Kenya is another good example. They could not risk the outlawed militia, alshabaab to pose security threats to their country. They sent their defence forces and invaded Somali to fight the terror group. Humanitarian intervention and the responsibility to protect Most of the superpowers have been the proponent in opposing the human right activists on invention to the use of force. They claim that many innocent lives are lost. This claim came into picture when safe havens were constructed in Iraq (northern) in 1991. This was the factor behind the marking the zones t hat were not to be used aircrafts. This was lauded more in Kosovo events where was a humanitarian crisis. The most elaborate was the 7th October 1998 of NATO: a) That it is objectively clear that there is no practicable alternative to use of force if lives are to be saved4 b) That there is convincing evidence, generally accepted by the international community as a whole of extreme humanitarian distress on a large scale, requiring

The Rhetoric of Aristotle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Rhetoric of Aristotle - Essay Example This theory is applied to a debate with my parents. I presented a speech to them, where I argued that because I have obediently followed their requests and decisions for the past year, I deserve to be permitted to go to one of my dream vacations, which is going to Hawaii for one week next summer. Aristotle’s Rhetoric Theory will demonstrate if I have used effective rhetoric in convincing my parents regarding my vacation plans, which they will mostly fund. Aristotle differentiates artistic from inartistic proofs and explains the components of the former. Inartistic proofs are external proofs that the speaker cannot make. Artistic proofs are evidence that speakers can make, specifically, logical (logos), ethical (ethos), and emotional (pathos) proofs. Logos refers to logical proof, or evidence that is found in the lines of argument. Aristotle stresses that there are two kinds of logos- the enthymeme and the example. The enthymeme is the strongest of all proofs, wherein it is an incomplete version of formal deductive syllogism. The enthymeme excludes the premise that most people already know and accept. In my claim for my Hawaii vacation, my mother is the most adamantly against it because she thinks that I am too young to go to such as far place with my friends and because she does not think that good deeds must be paid with material things. My father is against my plans because of the same lines of arguments, but mostly because of safety and expenses involved. In my argument, my general premise is: â€Å"Good deeds must be rewarded for positive reinforcement.† My specific premise is: â€Å"I have done good deeds as a child of my parents.† My conclusion is: â€Å"As a child who has done good deeds, I must be justly rewarded with a Hawaii trip.† The enthymeme in my case is that good deeds must be rewarded for positive reinforcement. Although my parents and I generally agree that good deeds deserve to be rewarded for positive reinforcemen t, we have differences on what rewards mean. Nevertheless, I emphasized the enthymeme by providing examples of my good deeds: 1) Following their decisions even when they do not seem to make any sense any more to me and 2) Doing my best to focus on school and have good grades. In addition, I explained the whole budget involved, from tickets, to food, to souvenirs. I added that I have my meager savings that I will use for my trip. These are not exactly part of the enthymeme, but more of examples that prove that I am rational and independent enough to plan long trips away from home. Apart from logos, Aristotle talks about ethos, which I believe I have. I tried to establish my ethos through developing high source credibility. Ethos refers to the ability of the speaker to exude high credibility to his/her audience. Aristotle believes that there are three characteristics that promote high source credibility: intelligence, character, and goodwill. Intelligence is not about actual IQ, but m ore on practical wisdom and shared values. The intelligence that I possess is shown through my careful consideration of the limits of my parents’ finances and the independence that they can provide me. I mentioned my savings and that I will be going out with my most trusted friends, many of whom they already know and some of which they will personally know in the next few weeks. In addition, I showed shared values in the promotion of good deeds within our family through

CorruptionDefoe's capitalist views and his moral purpose in Roxana Essay

CorruptionDefoe's capitalist views and his moral purpose in Roxana - Essay Example Robinson Crusoe extended the form of the picaresque and turned an adventure tale into a critique of colonialism. Moll Flanders did the same with the class of 'gentlewomen'. Roxana similarly has come to be accepted as a critique of early capitalism -- a time in English history when the industrial revolution was yet not a tactile reality but a creepy creature whose tugs on morality, civility and social infrastructure were being secretly felt. Defoe takes a old world morality tale about a woman's coming to terms with her own profession as a whore and turns it into a contemporary tale about capitalism's philosophy of self-aggrandizement and saleability of the self. In retrospect Defoe will seem prophetic in his constitution of the plot about Roxana's willing acceptance of her profession and how she readily agrees to 'capitalise' it when she knows her moral degradation is irreversible. In medieval morality plays, Roxana's good self would have been saved by a benign god who in a climactic moment would retrieve her from misery. But in Defoe's world emergent capitalism prevails over frivolling morality and what would have been a fallen life before becomes a life of opportunities for Roxana. No wonder Roxana is called Defoe's 'darkest' novel and that explains the crowd of critical and scholarly attention that it has received. The term 'dark' is not a secular word and hence burdens the novel with a given morality and wisdom. By such means it is easy to provide an ordinary, feminist framework for Roxana and turn it into a conventional male author's depiction of a bold woman, too much in control of her sexuality and hence too obviously susceptible to moral decrepitude and eventual fall. But at another level Roxana is a mock tale about capitalism, corruption and individual enterprise. As the novel proceeds, we see Roxana triumphant, outwitting the males in her life and by using them to achieve her own purposes. Later, she is seen to be felled again and reverts to her previous status of misery and helplessness. At one level if this is her punishment for living against the moral standards of the society and the fantasy of a protestant moralist, at another level it is a critique of the

A Book That Has Had an Impact on Me Essay Example for Free

A Book That Has Had an Impact on Me Essay During my fourth year of secondary school, I became acutely aware of the Women’s Rights Issue. I made an attempt to re-examine many of the cultural norms that I had previously accepted as just being the natural order of things. One of the paths I took to expand my awareness of the female psyche involved womens literature. That is why I spent one weekend of my life in bedcrying, laughing, feeling sometimes confused, and often, incredibly angry and distraught. On that rainy Humboldt Friday night I had decided to read The Womens Room. The author, Marilyn Fridey, describes the lives of several women from the 1950s to present. These women are nothing out of the ordinary. They either go to college and then get married, or they get married without bothering about the pretense of collegeafter all, they know that college is only a way to find more economically promising husbands. Myra, the main character whose life is traced throughout the book vaguely wonders why she is not content cooking pot roast, scraping shit from the babys diapers, and picking up her husbands dry cleaning. See more: Strategic Management Process Essay Her only solace is the neighborhood of women who share concerns over coffee in the afternoons. They wonder why Katherine, a Catholic woman who has 9 children and an alcoholic husband, committed suicide. She had a normal life, they thought, she just should have talked her husband into using birth control. As for the rest of the women, including Myra, their lives, fears, disappointments and yearnings, were much more subtle, yet equally suicidal in their quiet desperation. Many years down the road, Myras life finally changes. Her husband has made it, the kids have grown, and life is easy economically. Myra has a nervous breakdown. Once recovered, she divorces, and becomes a graduate student at Yale. Though painful and difficult, it is here that she comes to terms with herself, realizes her potential, and learns to live with herselfnot necessarily happilybut at least honestly. After I finished the story of Myras world that Sunday evening, I woke up in the middle of the night sobbing uncontrollably from a terrible nightmare. Though I couldnt remember the dream, I came to a profound realization. Myras life was my mothers. Most of my life I had revered, respected and admired my father for going to college, being intelligent and worldly, having power and control. In short for being a man. My mother always seemed too wishy-washy, easily trodden upon, overly dependent because she had chosen the role of housewife, mother. I rebelled against the tradition, and feared wearing those chains someday. Consequently, I strove to be like my father. Until this book, I never realized how much more courage it took for a person to live within a stifled role, and find contentment by living through other people. During that night of crying I understood my mother for the first timeI respected her inner strength, compassion, gentleness. Ever since then, my relationship with my mother has evolved, and we are very close. I will probably never adopt the role in life that she chose to take, but I now respect her for her life, and understand the reasons why she made those choices. Reading of Myras evolution as a female changed the way I feel towards myself, my feelings and compassion for my mother, and provided me with a much more sensitive view towards the lives of many women in our society today.

The Protagonist Essay Example for Free

The Protagonist Essay Have you ever picked up a book and within minutes you couldn’t put it down? Have you felt a deep connection with a character, yet at the same time; not understood why the characters do the things they do? The way we connect with our favorite characters is no accident. The author’s resolve when writing is for the reader to connect with the protagonist of their stories. I know that The author of â€Å"Circumcision† Pramoedya (Prah-MOO-dia) Ananta Toer exploits his â€Å"narrator† as his protagonist because: he is the most central character in the story, the author uses him to evoke the reader’s emotions and feelings, and the narrator goes through trials and tribulations, and creates a change in his character and transforms him in the story. I could easily tell that the narrator was the most central character in the short story â€Å"Circumcision†. With the opening of the first sentence, â€Å"I spent my evenings at the local prayer house learning to recite the Quran.† The narrator starts to speak in the first person point of view. Although this is not a clear indication of him being the central character, it does have the reader wondering. Throughout the story the author keeps repeating the words â€Å"my† and â€Å"I†, and once again that really puts emphasis on what the main character is doing and the connection with the narrator. As the author develops the narrator’s character he defines him as a young Muslim kid who seems to be between the ages of eight and thirteen. Most of the following pages of the story are all about how the narrator is going to be circumcised. The author uses the narrator to tell his story and employs the sequences of events in his plot. As the main character of the story, the narrator is built up through the craft of his author. The author uses his narrator to grab the attention of the audience and gradually build commonality with the reader. When the author makes his narrator more universal the reader can relate with the authors fictional character, and gain access to more heartfelt feelings from the reader. The author knows the character of his narrator is important, so he uses his character’s abilities to engage the reader. If the author can hook his readers, then he truly has all their emotions and they will feel the sequence of events as his character does. The protagonist according to Deblanco and Cheuse â€Å"will have desires or objectives† (84), and it is these desires and objectives in the story that engages me as I am reading. In the story, the narrator has to struggle with decisions that could impact his whole adult life and whether or not he is going to be, in his eyes, a â€Å"good Muslim†. The author has me wanting to continue reading the story to see if the narrator will go through with the circumcision. He engages me and brings me in to his scene and I feel the narrator’s pain and rejoice in his celebrations. The narrator is the author’s protagonist because a protagonist mostly overcomes adversity and grows from his situation. The narrator in the story is struggling with the choice to be circumcised or not. In the early part of the story, the narrator says â€Å"If I haven’t been circumcised was I really a good Muslim†. In order for the protagonist of a story to grow up, or transform, he must have motive and purpose. The author gives the narrator purpose and motivation when the young boy is told of all the wonderful things he will receive when he is circumcised. As the narrator is sitting in the chair, waiting for his turn at the knife, the suspense is building inside his head. He says â€Å"I was incredibly scared. I wanted to be a good Muslim, but that wasn’t enough to still my terror.† Pramoedya (Prah-MOO-dia) Ananta Toer (98). The author uses this point in his story to build up his rising action. At this point in the story the narrator is challenged with adversity and we are waiting to see what the authors’ resolution will be. As a result of the narrator undergoing the procedure, he transforms from a young boy to a young Muslim man. In conclusion, the protagonist of the short story â€Å"Circumcision† is the narrator. He is the most central character in the story. He is used to strike commonality and evoke the reader’s emotions and feelings, and the narrator grows through trials and tribulation. I hope that after reading the story and this analysis that most readers will agree.

How Are Pistons Made Engineering Essay

How Are Pistons Made Engineering Essay There are different ways of doing the pistons and they all aims to achieve the lighter piston with least friction. Some of these are explained as follows: Cast piston is used for light-duty. The cast surface tells us this piston wont stand up to extremes of temperature and rpm because the molecular structure isnt as tight as it is with hypereutectic and forged pistons. Die-cast pistons are made by pouring molten aluminium into a mould. Then, the piston is machined into a finished product. Hypereutectic pistons are little more than a die-cast slug with a high silicone content. This makes the surfaces harder and shinier. It also changes the expansion properties, allowing you to run tighter piston-to-cylinder-wall clearances. You can run a hypereutectic piston a lot harder than you can a cast unit. The high-silicone content gives the hypereutectic a forged appearance. Note the huge valve relief for those Cleveland intake valves. Forged pistons are more involved, and, certainly, more expensive to make. Instead of a simple mould, we need a giant press, which rams the aluminium into a complex mould under high pressure. Machining forged pistons is no small feat. It is both time consuming and expensive. The forged piston advantage is greater strength, harder surfaces, more predictable expansion properties, and virtually no porosity. Another advantage to forged pistons is the ability to make them lighter and with less skirt. We can do this because forged pistons are stronger. We can machine more meat out of them without suffering structural losses. Forged pistons have a distinctive look, with an extra-hard surface and machining marks. These are what you go with when high rpm and high heat are expected. If youre running nitrous or supercharging, theyre mandatory. Piston technology has come a long way. Computer-aided design and CNC machining technology has made it possible to make custom pistons for just about any application you can think of. With this technology has come lighter pistons with less skirt that offer less friction. Piston Design: Piston design and shape greatly effect how an engine performs. When pistons are too heavy, we lose power. Design in too much skirt, and we lose power through excessive friction. Too little skirt, and the piston becomes unstable. Shoehorn in too much displacement, push the wrist pin into the ring grooves, and you have a formula for piston failure because this exerts too much heat on the pin and boss. In the dreamy world of piston science, we dream of the perfect pistonthe piston that creates very little friction (drag), weighs very little, carries just the right amount of oil up the cylinder walls, and provides a perfect cylinder seal. In the real world, it is nearly impossible to achieve all of these elements at once. http://www.mustangandfords.com/techarticles/mufp_0505_piston_fundamentals/piston_selection.html Piston Engine: A reciprocating engine, also often known as a piston engine, is a heat engine that uses one or more reciprocating pistons to convert pressure into a rotating motion. This article describes the common features of all types. The main types are: The internal combustion engine, used extensively in motor vehicles, The steam engine, the mainstay of the Industrial Revolution, The niche application Stirling engine. Piston Make: The current problem is that there are two pistons with failure; the author here is doing analysis and investigation on the tow pistons trying to find the root causes for this problem and how to avoid this to happen again next time. Those tow pistons are parts in a marine diesel engine made by a German company called MAN Diesel Turbo. MAN Diesel Turbo is one of the worlds leading suppliers in its various fields. From pleasure yacht engines to four-stroke engines for giant container ships, from emergency power units  to turnkey diesel power plants, from single compressors and turbines to complete machine trains for various industrial applications. The engine for the piston is a marine engine with product number L20/27. In theory, diesel engines are internal combus ­tion engines designed to convert the chemical energy available in fuel into mechanical energy. This mechanical energy moves pistons up and down inside cylinders. The pistons are connected to a crankshaft, and the up-and-down motion of the pistons, known as linear motion, creates the rotary motion needed to turn the wheels of a car forward. Diesel engines covert fuel into energy through a series of small explosions or combustions. explosions happen In a diesel engine; the air is compressed first, and then the fuel is injected. Because air heats up when its compressed, the fuel ignites. The diesel engine uses a four-stroke combustion cycle . The four strokes are: Stroke 1 of 4 Suck: Intake stroke On the intake or induction stroke of the piston , the piston descends from the top of the cylinder to the bottom of the cylinder, reducing the pressure inside the cylinder. A mixture of fuel and air is forced by atmospheric (or greater) pressure into the cylinder through the intake port. The intake valve(s) then close. The intake valve opens up, letting in air and moving the piston down.  ­ Stroke 2 of 4 Squeeze Compression stroke: With both intake and exhaust valves closed, the piston returns to the top of the cylinder compressing the fuel-air mixture. This is known as the compression stroke. The piston moves back up and compresses the air. Stroke 3 of 4 Bang Combustion stroke: While the piston is at or close to Top Dead Center, the compressed airà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬fuel mixture is ignited, usually by a spark plug (for a gasoline or Otto cycle engine) or by the heat and pressure of compression (for a diesel cycle or compression ignition engine). The resulting massive pressure from the combustion of the compressed fuel-air mixture drives the piston back down toward bottom dead center with tremendous force. This is known as the power stroke, which is the main source of the engines torque and power. As the piston reaches the top, fuel is injected at just the right moment and ignited, forcing the piston back down. Stroke 4 of 4 Blow Exhaust stroke: During the exhaust stroke, the piston once again returns to top dead center while the exhaust valve is open. This action evacuates the products of combustion from the cylinder by pushing the spent fuel-air mixture through the exhaust valve(s). The piston moves back to the top, pushing out the exhaust created from the combustion out of the exhaust valve. Remember that the diesel engine has no spark plug, that it intakes air and compresses it, and that it then injects the fuel directly into the combustion chamber (direct injection). It is the heat of the compressed air that lights the fuel in a diesel engine. In the next section, well examine the diesel injection process. Lubrication cooling Medium-alkaline lube oils have proven to be suitable for lubricating the power train, the cylinders, the turbocharger and, if the facility is provided, for the cooling of the pistons. Such medium-alkaline lube oils contain additives which, amongst other things, provide them with a higher neutralization capability than is the case with blended (HD) oils. Basic oil The basic oil (medium-alkaline lube oil = basic oil + additives) must be a narrow distillation cut and must be refined according to modern methods. Bright stocks, if contained, must neither adversely affect the thermal nor the oxidation stability of the basic oil Medium-alkaline lube oil The basic oil with additives have been mixed (medium-alkaline lube oil) must demonstrate the following characteristics: The additives must be dissolved in the oil and must be of such a composition tat an absolute minimum of ash remains as residue after combustion, even if temporary operated on distillate fuel. That ash must be soft. If this prerequisite id not complied with, increased deposits are to be expected in the combustion chamber especially at the outlet valves and in the inlet housing of the turbochargers. Hard additive ash promotes pitting on the valve seats, as well as burnt-out valves and increased mechanical wear. Additives must not cause clogging of the filter elements, neither in their active nor in their exhausted state. The cleaning capacity must be so high that coke and tar-like residues occurring when fuel is combusted must not build-up. The dispersing capacity must selected such that commercially available lube oil cleaning equipment can remove the combustion deposits from the used oil, i.e. the used oil must possess good separation and filtration properties. The neutralization capacity (ASTM-D2896) must be so high that the acidic products which emanate during combustion are neutralized by the lube oil consumption of the engine. The reaction time of the additives must be matched to the process in the combustion chamber. The tendency to evaporate must be as low as possible, otherwise the oil consumption is adversely affected. The lube oil must not form a stable emulsion with water. The lube oil must not contain agents to improve viscosity index. The fresh oil must be free from water and other contaminants.

Gambling On The Internet Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Gambling On The Internet Gaming sites are growing almost daily on the internet as more and more people are seeing the profitability of online gambling.   Sites range from bingo to proffessionals giving strategies to poker and blackjack and every other casino game you can think of. With the ever present lure of the big payout and the ease of wich anyone in the world can access these online gambling sites the popularity of these sites has gone through the roof.   But with the onset of government regulation is the future of online gaming a sure thing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Online gaming has been somewhat of a hot topic in the news lately.   The government is trying to decide how to go about regulating it.   Senator Jon Kyl (Rep. Arizona), who championed the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act,   got it overwhelmingly passed in the senate, in spite of a report by the Justice Department criticizing the bill for being inconsistent and overly broad..   One of the first of these companies to be affected by this new law was Bohemia, a New York based company.   The New York attorney general seized all of Bohemia' assets and blocked a $750,000 wire transfer to an offshore account in Antigua.   With government crackdowns like these and the outlawing of gaming sites in the United States, online gambling companies are running for the borders..   Ã‚  Ã‚   Feeling the heat in the United States online gaming companies had to relocate, with some going to Canada but many more finding a haven in the Caribbean.   Long a hoitbed for psychic hotlines, telephone sex lines, and sports betting operations the Carribean islands and internet gaming were a perfect match.   With Carribean governments posing no laws against online betting and the relatively cheap $i00,000 or so fe... ...and pages of online gambling sites to get to any sites that adress problem gambling.   One site I did find was Gamblers Annonymous.   The gamblers anonymous is a twelve step program similar to that of Alcoholics anonymous, the web site displays the twelve steps that need to be taken to help you curb your gambling addiction. With the ease of access to gambling online there is a very good chance that a rise in problem gambling may occur in the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚   I believe that the future of online gambling is secure.   The government really wants to ban it but at this point I do not see the possibility of this happening.   Internet gaming crosses too many national borders for the united states government to put an end to it.   People are always going to find a way to do the things they want to do, the popularity of internet gaming makes it a sure thing in the years to come.

My Conversation With Death :: essays research papers

He did not steal into my room like a common thief, though that was his nature. He was sitting there as if he was always there, taking little heed to his surroundings. His presence in the room was an assault to my sense of security, yet his smile never portrayed this intention. Like a child he did not really comprehend the repercussions of his actions. His physical features, clothing, even his demeanor was one of neutrality. This left me with the feeling that no matter what type of surroundings he was placed into he would blend in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I have often wondered why people fear me so.† He spoke softly breaking the silence. â€Å"We rejoice the beginning of ones lives with celebration, yet on the same hand mourn there passing, and by doing so we lose sight of all of their accomplishments. If a person has lived his life honestly, successfully or even completely, should not the correct response to his death be a smile? Why do people find the need to focus on the negative aspect of death? Death is an unavoidable aspect of life, and no matter how much you wish, it will never go away. Do we ponder why the sun will rise every morning? The answer to this is no because you have accepted it as a necessary reality of life. I say treat death in the same manner, do not pay it any heed and focus on the living of life not the dying.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I admitted to myself that his words did have a ring of truth to them. I was now forced to consider what it was about death that I feared so. I responded with â€Å"It is not the aspect of dying that we morn but rather that of a loss. We do not cry over the memories we have with the deceased but rather those that we cannot have with them. We can no longer enjoy the comfort of their presence, spend time with them, laugh with them, or cry with them. They are gone, and by their passing, we are forced to remember who and what we are. No matter how many advances we make in life we cannot avoid the fact that we are mortals. Just as we were brought into this world we must one day leave it too. We cannot overlook the negative aspect of death for it is a constant reminder of our own mortality.

Essay --

â€Å"People can tell you to keep your mouth shut, but that doesn't stop you from having your own opinion.† (Frank, 1993). In the early 1900s, people were very serious about their art. Written art, painted art, and sculpted art were all at target for critics. But where would they world be if people never gave their true opinions? Wallace Stevens (1879-1955) went to college at Harvard University. He spent part of his life working for an insurance company and even became vice president of that company. By the time he started writing poetry, he was around forty-three. However, by that time it was clear that he specialized in imagery. Archibald MacLeish (1892-1982) was born in Illinois. Like Wallace Stevens, he did not start out as a poet. He began as a lawyer, but quickly dropped that. Through his life Archibald MacLeish had a mixture of modern and traditional poems. Marianne Moore started out as a journalist but quickly made her mark with writing. She was a modernist, but she had her own unique way with modernism. The three poets Wallace Stevens, Archibald MacLeish, and Marianne Moore had many differences and similarities. Wallace Stevens, author of Modern Poetry, used imagery and precise language much more than other poets. Stevens was very interested in nature, much of his inspiration came from natural objects. For this reason, he became very philosophical and he liked to express this in his poetry. He loved to use his imagination in his poetry, which is why he uses so much imagery. â€Å"The actor is a metaphysician in the dark, twanging and instrument, twanging a wiry string that gives sounds passing through sudden righteousness.† (Wallace Stevens, Of Modern Poetry). In this excerpt, you can clearly imagine what is hap... ...nceived patterns, syllabic patterns, and rhymes, which are unmistakably individualized.† (Price, 2011). Unlike the poets like Stevens and MacLeish, Moore was much more into witty and precise poetry. Unlike MacLeish, she did enjoy the occasional rhyme and rhythm. â€Å"If you hate difference, you'll be bored to death.† (Beta, 2010). All three poets, Wallace Stevens, Archibald MacLeish, and Marianne Moore are more different than similar. However, as Toba Beta says, it is much more interesting to be different than all the same. It is very interesting that all three of these poets were alive during the same time, but came up with such different works of art and each were considered successful. Here and there, you can find similarities within their writing, but these authors are all very different which is why their poems all have a different opinion of what right.

Crisis and conflict are inevitable in capitalist economies Essay

‘Marx believed that capitalism was doomed, and he developed an intricate analysis of the ‘ law of motion’ of capitalist society to prove it’ (Fusfeld 2002, p 50). At one level his argument had a moral basis. He argued that the ‘inherent injustices of capitalism lead ultimately to social and economic conditions, which cannot be maintained’ (Fusfeld 2002, p 50). On another level his argument is sociological: ‘class conflict- between a decreasing number of increasingly wealthy capitalists and a growing and increasingly miserable working class- will lead ultimately to a social revolution’ (Fusfeld 2002, p 50). To conclude his Final argument is economic, that ‘the accumulation of capital in private hands makes possible economic abundance; yet accumulation also leads to depressions, chronic unemployment and the economic breakdown of capitalism’ (Fusfeld 2002, p 50). At each level the idea of ‘conflict is emphasized: conflict between ideal reality, between capital and labor, and between stagnation’ (Fusfeld 2002, p 50). Out of conflict comes change, and in this respect according to Marx, capitalism must give way to another society in which conflict is replaced by ethical, social, and economic harmony. Furthermore, Marx argued that the crisis would become deeper and severe longer as capitalism developed. Student no. Z3220293 However Marx’s analysis of conflict within capitalist societies was limited by his theory of the ‘laws of motion’. He argued that conflict between classes created by an unequal distribution of wealth, and would ultimately lead to an unsustainable social situation prompting the demise of the world capitalist system. Thus, he perceived class conflict as the fatal flaw of capitalism. However his detractors would argue that conflict of some form exists in all human interactions and thus has existed in all political and economic systems, concluding that capitalism addresses this inherently human conflict in order to avoid crisis. In a capitalist society according to Marx, the two great economic interests are those of a capitalist and worker. These two classes stand opposition to each other, since the capitalist can prosper only if the worker is exploited. In this respect capitalism is only the latest in series of social organizations in which one class exists at the expense of another, stated in the communist manifesto. Marxists would further argue that peoples dominated politically or economically by great capitalist nations now bear the burden of exploitation, poverty and unemployment However as a proof of Marx’s errors, his detractors point to the rising living standards of modern nations. ‘The working class has not been subjected to growing misery, and labor unions have gained economic and political power in all major industrialized countries’ (Fusfeld 2002, p 50). Moreover, the working class Student no. Z3220293 has shared the increased wealth, income, and economic benefits that have been spread widely throughout all social classes. In spite of all the ‘concessions’ that have been made to the working class, such as social welfare legislation, union organization and higher living standards Marxists contend that the ‘basic defects of capitalism remain, holding back economic growth and postponing the emergence of the abundant society’ (Fusfeld 2002, p 50). Nevertheless Marx’s prediction of the triumph of socialism and the creation of democratic, egalitarian, and nonexplotive society has not proved accurate. ‘Capitalism was placed on the defensive by the rise of communist regimes in Russia and China, and by the spread of socialism through many of the less-developed countries’ (Fusfeld 2002, p 60). But in most instances, these non-capitalist economies developed authoritarian political regimes, new forms of economic and social inequality, and new aspects of exploitation. Ultimately Marx argued, as Fusfeld states ( 2002) the economy could achieve widespread abundance and produce enough for all, and at that point in human history all people could be completely free, both politically and economically. Further more Marxist economics suggested that capitalism could not achieve this Student no. Z3220293 goal, as it prevented the full development of modern technology and resulted in periodic stoppage of capital accumulation. However, it is evident that under capitalism technology has flourished. More so capitalism has provided the push for new productive industries, as it is a continued to growing and change. Thus such an economy offers more opportunities then a stagnant one. For example China is the manufacturing hub of the globe. Even though China has its roots in communism it is still regarded as an extremely influential capitalist society. Its cities are booming. There are more building cranes in china than in all the United States. China’s super-highways are filled with modern cars. Its research and development centers are state of the art. At the rate it’s growing, China will soon be the largest economy in the world. In these respects it is evident to conclude that under capitalism economies have grown and benefited, due to its productive nature. Further more, in a Marx perspective, labor under capitalism is exploited as it is not paid the full value of the products and services it produces. ‘The capitalist employs workers at the current wage rate and works them for as many hours each day as possible, making sure that the value of the workers’ output is greater than the wage paid’ (Fusfeld 2002, p 61). This difference between the wage and the value added by the worker, which Marx refers to as ‘ surplus value’, becomes the capitalist profit. Exploitation of the worker can be intensified, and the ‘ surplus Student no. Z3220293 value appropriated by the capitalist can be increased, by an employer’s efforts to achieve lower wages, longer hours and an employment of greater number of women and children. Marx was correct in some respects, for example developing countries at present are experiencing high rates of exploitation. Women and children whom work in such exploitive environments in china for example for less then a few dollars a day are the truth in Marx’s theory. More so, Marx critique of capitalism included a forecast of its inevitable break down. In some instances capitalism has served as an unstable society, which has been suffocated with conflict and crisis. For example the great depression and the 1987 recession. In both instances the economy had if not almost hit bottom. In a Marxist view this could be concluded as the demise of capitalism. However his detractors would argue that conflict of some form exists in all political and economic systems, concluding that capitalism addresses this inherently human conflict in order to avoid crisis. Which in some respects is true. For example on black Monday of the October 1987 when a stock collapse of unprecedented size lopped twenty-five percent off the Dow Jones industrial average. The collapse, larger than that of 1929, was handled well by the economy and the stock market began to quickly recover. More so during the great depression certain strategies were adopted to deal with the crisis. The ‘ new deal’ was the name given by President Franklin D. Roosevelt of programs between 1933-1938 with the goal relief, recovery and reform of the United States Student no. Z3220293 economy during the great depression. The ‘ new deal’ had three components, direct relief, economic recovery and financial reform. In these respects one can observe the recovery of capitalist economies and their ability to continue to grow. To conclude it is evident that crisis and conflict is inevitable in capitalism however such an economic system is able to adapt and recover from such conflict. References student no. Z322093 Campbell, D 1996, the failure of Marxism-the concept of inversion in Marx’s critique, Dartmouth Press, London Cohen, G A 1978, Karl Marx theory of history, Oxford University Press, London Culter, A, Hindess, B, Hirst, P & Hussain, A 1977, marx’s ‘capital’ and capitalism today, Routledge &Kegan Paul Ltd, London Fusfeld, D 2002, the age of the economist, 9edn, Addison Wesley Press, Harman, C 1995, how Marxism works, 5edn, Bookmarks Press, Sydney. Worsley, P 2002, Marx and Marxism, revised edn, Routledge Press, London

The Golden Lily Chapter 9

THOSE OF US WHO KNEW what to nip for could promptly spot Moroi by their macabre complexions and t e very(prenominal) last(p chromaticicate), deoxidise builds. To most human eyes, those features s in additiond come tabu and werent a vampire tip- loll around rid of. Humans effective n wizd the features as striking and unusual, frequently as Lia regarded Jill as the perfect fairy resembling be choken charge form. I didnt necessity to correspond upon stereotypes, exactly after a rapid assessment of Mr. Ivashkovs Moroi-paleness, fore hoi polloied face, dour look, and notes hair, I material body of wonde fierce that he didnt arse to a greater extent or less(prenominal) mis organisen for a vampire more than often. No, vampire wasnt rattling the correct term, I decided. More like undertaker. pop music, express Adrian stiffly. endlessly a pleasure.For some of us. His amaze analyse me, and I axiom his eyes rowlock on my cheek. He ext stop a hand. I in additionk it, proud that shaking turn either(prenominal) shopping centre with Moroi was a non- neverthelesst for me office off. Nathan Ivashkov.Sydney rational, I replied. Its very comminuted to meet you, sir.I met able art object I was bumming around discover hither, explained Adrian. She was strait-laced enough to recrudesce me a parkway from ll.A. today since I dont pick up a motorcar. Nathan looked at me in astonishment. Thats a con cheekrable impel. non roughly as dour as the drive from address Springs, but wed underframed it would be safest and more believable to let him speculate Adrian was in Los Angeles.I dont judging, sir, I verbalize. I coup doeild oer at Adrian. Ill go overtake some live on d wizard and plainly(a). You want to text me when youre ready to go?Work? he asked in disgust. stupefy on, Sage. Go buy a lounge oblige and enjoy the pool spot youre intermission around.Nathan looked between us incredulously. You demand her drive you aside here, and now youre bonny passing to make her wait around for your issuemajig?Re totallyy, I endow tongue to. I dont Shes an Alchemist, proceed Nathan. Not a chauffeur. Theres a big difference. Actually, on that point were days at Amberwood I doubted that. Come, cut crush Sage. If youve wasted your day driving my give-and-take here, the least(prenominal) I puke do is buy you lunch. I shot a dread look at Adrian. It wasnt panicked because I was afraid of being with Moroi. Id farsighted since gotten use to these sorts of occurrences. What I was unsure of was if Adrian rattling treasured me around for his family reunion. That hadnt been part of the plan. Also, I wasnt sure that I unfeignedly cute to be around for state reunion both.Dad Adrian attempted.I insist, say Nathan crisply. fix tending and learn common courtesy. He turned and began walking byside(a), assuming wed follow. We did.Should I find a rea discussion to turn over? I whispered to Adrian.Not when he uses his I insist voice, came the muttered response.For a event, catching sight of the gorgeous terrace restaurant and its cheering ocean view, I mind I could handle the Ivashkovs. Sitting protrude thither in that warmth and beauty would be well price the drama. Then, Nathan walked mature let out passing game the balcony doors and led us to the elevator. We followed obediently. He excessivelyk us d accept to the hotels ground floor, to a taphouse called The Corkscrew. The place was dim and windowless, with low-hanging wood beams and blacken leather booths. Oak barrels lie the walls, and what light thither was came filtered sinless red glass lamps. Aside from a al matchless(predicate) bar extender, the pub was empty, which didnt entirely surprise me this cartridge holduper of day.What did surprise me was that Nathan had taken us here instead of the ritzy outdoor restaurant.The goof was dressed in an expensive go that looked like it had come straig ht from a Manhattan boardroom. wherefore hed ignore a trendy, elect restaurant for lunch and instead tell unconnected a stuffy, low Dark.I nearly groaned. Of course the terrace wasnt an option, not with Moroi. The cheerful afternoon that make such engrossing conditions for me would create resulted in a beautiful miserable lunch for the Ivashkovs not that either of them looked like they planned on enjoying this one every(prenominal)way.Mr. Ivashkov, said the barkeep. Nice to compute you okeh. batch I stir up food delivered spate here again? asked Nathan.Of course.Again. This subterranean lair had plausibly been Nathans main lenify for all meals since arriving in San Diego. I allowed the terrace one last, pensive model and thusly followed Nathan and Adrian inside. Nathan selected a corner table intended for eight spate. perhaps he liked his space. Or whitethornhap he liked touching he was presiding over a corporate meeting. The barkeeper gave us menus and too k wassail orders. I got coffee berry. Adrian coherent a martini, earning disapproving looks from his drive and me.Its precisely noon, said Nathan.I grapple, said Adrian. Im move I held out that long too. Nathan ignore the comment and turned to me. Youre very unripened. You moldiness have average started with the Alchemists.They start us all young, I agreed. Ive been working on my own for a little over a year.I admire that. Shows a great deal of responsibility and initiative. He nodded thanks as the bartender cause down a store of scintillating water. Its no secret how the Alchemists feel some us, but at the same time, your meeting does a lot of good for us. Your cogency is particularly remarkable. Too bad my own mass dont pay more attention to that example.How argon subjects with the Moroi? I asked. With the pantywaist? Nathan well-nigh smiled. Are you rateing you dont screw?I did at least, I k hot what the Alchemists knew. Its c easinglessly diametrical heari ng an insiders perspective, sir.He chuckled. It was a bumpy sound, like laughing wasnt something Nathan Ivashkov had much pattern with. The situations better than it was. Not great, though. That girls smart, Ill give her that. I assumed that girl was Vasilisa Dragomir, teenage queen of the Moroi and Roses ruff friend. Im sure shed rather be passing dhampir laws and hereditary laws but she knows those are only personnel casualty to anger her opponents. So, shes purpose ways to compromise on another(prenominal)(prenominal) issues and has won a few of her enemies over to her already. The hereditary laws. Those were of interest to me. There were twelve royal lines among the Moroi, and Vasilisa and Jill were the only two left-hand(a) in theirs. Current Moroi law said a monarch had to have at least one other family member, which was how Jill had make out such a political stake piece. Even tightcore assassins would have a morose time taking out a wellguarded queen. Removing h er half infant would abide the same results, however, and invalidate Vasilisas rule. That was why Jill had ended up in hiding.Nathans conceits followed the same lines. Shes also smart to breed that bastard sister of hers. I knew he meant bastard in the sense of an illegitimate child, not an insult, but I quiet down winced. Rumor has it your plenty know something most that. Dont aver youd give me an insiders perspective on it?I agitate my head and tried to keep my pree exploitnce friendly. Sorry, sir. Insight only goes so far. afterward a few moments of concealment, Nathan cleared his throat. Well, Adrian. What is it you cherished?Adrian took a sip of his martini. Oh, did you near as plastered I was here? I pattern youd come to fit Sydney.I sank into my check a little. This was exactly the diversity of situation Id wanted to avoid.Why must every dubiousness yield some difficult answer with you? asked Nathan wearily. perchance its the kinds of head t all(prenomi nal)ers you ask, Dad.This pub wasnt going to be big enough to hold the rapidly increasing tension. Every intelligence told me to become invisible, but I implant myself speaking anyway.Adrians in college, I said. pickings art classes. Hes very talented. Adrian shot me a questioning but amused look at that. Some of his pieces were quite good. Others peculiarly when hed been drinking looked like hed accidentally spilled cay on canvas.Id helpfully told him so on a number of occasions.Nathan looked unimpressed. Yes. Hes make that in the lead. It didnt last. divergent time, different place, I said. Things can change. hatful can change.But often, they dont, declared Nathan. The bartender returned to take our lunch orders, though none of us had crimson looked at the menus yet. Ill just now order for us all, shall I? Nathan undecided the menu and scanned it quickly. Bring us a platter of the garlic butter mushrooms, the laughingstock cheese fondue, the bacon-wrapped scallops, a nd the fried oyster Caesar salad. luxuriant for three on the salad, obviously.The bartender make a bitstock of quick notes and was done for(p) before I could make up say a word.Heavy-handed much, Dad? asked Adrian. You didnt flat ask if we minded you ordering. Nathan looked unconcerned. Ive eaten here before. I know whats good. Trust me, youll like it.Sage wont eat any of that.This really would be easier, I decided, if theyd both just pull in I didnt exist.Why ever not? asked Nathan, looking at me curiously. Are you hypersensitized to seafood?She only eats healthy stuff, said Adrian. Everything you just got is dripping in fat.A little butter wont hurt her. Youll both see that Im right. Its all good. Besides, Nathan added, pausing to sip at his water. I did order a salad for the table. Lettuce is healthy. I didnt even attempt to point out that no amount of Romaine was going to make up for fried oysters or Caesar dressing. I wouldnt have had a come up to speak up anyway because Adrian was on a roll and I notice with some surprise midway by dint of his martini.You see? he said in disgust. Thats exactly how you operate. You assume you know best for everyone. You just go ahead and make these decisions, not bothering to consult with anyone, because youre so certain youre right.In my bulky experience, said Nathan coldly, I am usually right. When you too have got that kind of experience when you can real claim to be an authority on, well, anything hence you can also be believe with important decisions.This is lunch, Adrian argued guts. Not a disembodied spirit or death decision. All Im utter is that you could have at least made some effort to include others. Obviously, your vast experiencedoesnt apply to normal courtesies.Nathan glanced over at me. Have I been anything but squeamish to you, strike down Sage? My chair, much to my dismay, didnt finish me up or offer to hide me.Adrian finished his martini in a conscription and held up the glass to catch the bartenders eye. surrender her out of it, Adrian told his beat. Dont yield to manipulate her into proving your point.I hardly requisite to manipulate anyone into proving my point, said Nathan. I recall its made.Lunch volition be fine, I blurted out, fully cognisant that this altercation between father and son really had nothing to do with my eating habits. I need to canvas more things anyway.Dont give in to him, Sydney, warned Adrian. Thats how he gets out with walking all over people especially women. Hes done it to my mom for years. The bartender silently appeared and replaced the empty martini glass with a full one.Please, said Nathan, with a heavy sigh. Lets cash in ones chips your mother out of this.Should be easy enough, said Adrian. I could see lines of tension in his face. His mother was a sensitive topic. Seeing as you eternally do. Ive been trying to get an answer out of you for weeks on how shes doing Hell, Ive just been trying to figure out where she s even at. Is that so hard for you to give up? She cant be in maximum security. They must let her get letters. Its better that you dont have contact with her while shes incarcerated, said Nathan.Even I was surprise at how coldly he speak some his wife.Adrian sneered and took a sip of his new martini. There we are again you intimate whats best for everyone. You know, Id really, really like to think youre safekeeping this avoidance attitude with her because it hurts too much. I know that if the woman I belovedd was locked away, Id be doing everything in my situation to reach her. For you? Maybe its too hard. Maybe the only way you can fuck without her is to block her out and by keeping me away too. I could closely go steady that.Adrian began Nathan.But thats not it, is it? You dont want me to have contact and you probably arent having contact because youre embarrassed. Adrian was really getting worked up now. You want to outmatch us and pretend what she did doesnt exist . You want to pretend that she doesnt exist. Shes weared the family reputation.Nathan fixed his son with a steely look. Considering your own reputation, Id think you would see the wisdom in not associating with person who has done what shes done.What, screw up? Adrian demanded. We all screw up. Everyone makes mistakes. Thats what she did. It was bad judgment, thats all. You dont cut off the people you love for mistakes like that.She did it because of you, said Nathan. His tone left no question about what he thought of that decision. Because you couldnt leave well enough alone with that dhampir girl. You had to blink your relationship with her, nearly getting yourself in as much trouble as her in your aunts murder. Thats why your mother did what she did to nurse you. Because of your irresponsibility, shes in prison now. All of this is your fault. Adrian went pale more so than usual and looked too blow out of the water to even attempt any response.He picked up his martini agai n, and I was almost certain I could see his workforce shaking.It was right around then that two waiters from the upstairs restaurant showed up with our food. We stared in silence as they arranged our place settings and artfully laid out the platters of food. look at all that food made me nauseous, and it had nothing to do with the oill or salt content.Mr. Ivashkov, I began, despite every fair voice in my head call at me to shut up. Its unfair to reprobate Adrian for her choices, especially when he didnt even produce what she was doing. I know he would do anything for her. If hed been able to stop this or take her place he would have.Youre sure of that, huh? Nathan was set up his plate with food and seemed quite emotional about it. Neither Adrian nor I had an appetite. Well, Miss Sage, Im sorry to shatter your illusions, but it seems you like so many other young women have been fooled by my sons fast-talking ways. I can assure you, he has never done anything that didnt se rve his own interests first. He has no initiative, no ambition, no follow- by means of. From a very early age, he was constantly faulting rules, never listening to what others had to say if it didnt suit what he wanted. Im not really strike his college attempts have failed and I assure you, this one will too because he barely made it out of high school. It wasnt even about the drinking, the girls, and the stunts he pulled he just didnt care. He ignored his work. It was only through our influence and checkbook that he managed to graduate. Since then, its been a constant downward spiral.Adrian looked like hed been slapped. I wanted to reach out and console him, but even I was quiet in shock from Nathans words. Adrian clearly was too. It was one thing to go on and on about how you thought your father was thwarted in you. It was an entirely different thing to hear your father explain it in excruciating detail. I knew because I had been in both situations.Honestly, I dont even mind the drinking so much, so long as it knocks him out and keeps him quiet, continued Nathan, through a rim full of stooge cheese. You think his mother suffers now? I assure you, shes far better off. She was up countless nights, crying over whatever trouble hed gotten himself into. Keeping him away from her now isnt about me or him. Its for her. At least now, she doesnt have to hear about his a la mode(p) antics or worry about him. Ignorance is bliss. Shes in a better place not having contact with him, and I intend to keep it that way. He offered the scallops to me, as though he hadnt just delivered a huge disaster without taking a breath. You really should try this. Proteins good for you, you know.I shook my head, ineffectual to find words.Adrian took a deep breath. Really, Dad? I come all the way here to see you, to ask you to give me some way to contact her and this is all I get? That shes better off not talking to me? Looking at him, I had a step he was working very hard to st ay calm and reasonable.Breaking into snarky Adrian retorts wouldnt win him any ground, and he knew it.Nathan looked startled. Is that the only reason you came here? It was clear from his tone that he thought it was a foolish reason.Adrian bit his lip, probably again to hold stomach his true(a) feelings. I was impressed at his control.I also thought well, that maybe youd want to hear how I was doing. I thought you might be glad to know I was doing something useful. I flatulenceped.For a moment, his father simply stared. Then, his confusion melted into one of those awkward laughs. Ah. Youre joking. I was puzzled for a moment.Im done with this, said Adrian.In a flash, he downed his martini and was out of his seat, heading toward the door. Nathan continued eating undisturbed, but I was on my feet as well. It was only when I was middle(a) across the pub, trying to catch up with Adrian, that Nathan bo thered to say anything else.Miss Sage? Every part of me wanted to run after Adrian, but I paused to glance back at his father. Nathan had taken out his wallet and was flipping through a smoke of bills. Here. Allow me to pay you for your throttle valve and your time.He held the cash out, and I almost laughed. Adrian had laboured himself to come here for all sorts of reasons, currency being one of them. Hed never gotten a chance to ask for it, yet here his father was, offering it up. I didnt move.I dont want anything from you, I said. Unless its an apology to Adrian. Nathan gave me another blank look. He seemed sincerely confused. What do I have to apologize for?I left.Adrian had either taken the stairs or immediately caught an elevator because there was no narrow of him outside the pub. I went back up to the lobby and peered around anxiously. A bellman passed by, and I flagged him down.Excuse me. Wheres the close place you can smoke?He nodded back toward the front door. Far side of the circle drive. I thanked him and practically ran outside. for sure enough, over in the designated smoking area, Adrian was tip against an ornate fence in the tad of an orange tree, lighting up. I travel over to him.Adrian, I exclaimed. Are you okay?He took a long sweep up on his cigarette. Is that really a question you want to ask, Sage?He was out of line, I said adamantly. He had no business saying any of that about you. Adrian inhaled on the cigarette again and then dropped it to the sidewalk. He stamped the cigarette out with the walk of his shoe. Lets just go back to Palm Springs. I glanced back at the hotel. We should get you some water or something. You took down that vodka pretty fast.He nearly smiled. Nearly. Takes a lot more than that to make me sick. I wont throw up in your car. I promise. I just dont want to tie down around and risk seeing him again. I complied, and before long, we were back on the route again. Wed spent less time in San Diego than it had taken to drive there. Adrian stayed silent, and this time, I didnt try to coax him ou t or divert him with meaningless conversation. No words of mine would help. I doubted anyones words would help. I didnt damned Adrian for his mood. Id feel the same way if my father had laid into me like that in public. Still, I wished there was something I could do to ease Adrians pain. Some small comfort to give him a moment of peace.My chance came when I saw a small gas station outside of Escondido with a sign reading BEST SLUSHES IN Confederate CALIFORNIA HERE AT elephantine JIMS I remembered his joke about shift key to a squish-based diet. I turned my car off the highway, even though I knew it was silly. What was a slush compared to the disaster wed just left behind? Still, I had to do something anything to make Adrian feel better. He didnt even seem to notice wed stopped there until I was getting out of the car.Whats up? he asked, managing to drag himself out of his deplorable thoughts. The look on his face part me apart. Youve got half a tank.Be right back, I said.I returned five minutes later, a cup in each hand, and managed to knock on his window.He got out of the car, truly puzzled now. Whats going on?Slushes, I said. Cherry for you. You have to drink it out here, though. Im not risking the car.Adrian blinked a couple of times, as though maybe I was a mirage brought on by too much sunlight. What is this? A pity ships company for me? Because Im so pathetic?Its not always about you, I scolded. I saw the sign and wanted a slush. reckon youd want one too. If you dont, Ill throw it away and just drink mine. I only got one step away before he stopped me and took the bright red slush. We leaned against the car together and drank without talking for a while. Man, he finally said, when we were about halfway through. There was a look of curiosity in his eyes. Id forgotten how good these are. What kind did you get?Blue raspberry.He nodded and slurped clamorously on his. That dark mood still hung around him, and I knew a childhood beverage wasnt g oing to undo what his father had done anytime soon. The best I could promise for was a few moments of peace for him.We finished shortly thereafter and tossed the cups in the trash. When we got back in Latte, Adrian sighed wearily and rubbed his eyes. God, those are awesome. I think I needed that. The vodka may have hit me harder than I thought. delighted you decided to branch out into something that isnt coffee for a change.Hey, if theyd had coffee flavor, you know I wouldve gotten it.Thats disgusting, he said. There isnt enough stops in the world to make that even remotely He stopped and gave me a startled look. In item, he looked so shocked that I stopped substitute up and kicked the car back into park.Whats amiss(p)? I asked.The slush. That things like 99 portion sugar. You just drank one, Sage. He seemed to interpret my silence as though perhaps I hadnt understood. You just drank naiant sugar.Maybe you drank liquid sugar, I said. Mine was sugar free. I hoped I sounded c onvincing.Oh. I couldnt tell if he was relieved or disappointed. You freaked me out there for a minute.You shouldve known better.Yeah. I suppose so. He fell back into his blue devil mood, the slushes only a temporary distraction.You know what the worst part of all that was?I knew we were back to his father, not slushes. What?Youd think itd be that I didnt get the money or that he just ripped my life apart or that he has no opinion in me sticking to college. But thats okay. Im used to that from him. What really bothers me is that I really did ruin my moms life.I cant imagine you did, I said, shocked at his words. Like you pointed out, we still love people who make mistakes. Im sure she loves you too. Anyway, thats something you need to discuss with her not him.He nodded. The other thing that bothered me well, he said all that in front of you. That was a shock too. I brushed it off, feeling a little flustered that he would think so much of my opinion. Why should he care? Dont worry about me. Ive been with much more abrasive people than him.No, no I mean Adrian looked at me and then quickly averted his eyes. After what he said about me, I cant stay the thought that you might think less of me. I was so surprised that I couldnt muster a response right away. When I did, I just blurted out the first thing that came to mind. Of course I dont. He still wouldnt look at me, apparently not believing my words. Adrian. I laid my hand over his and matt-up a warm spark of connection.He jerked his head toward me in astonishment. Nothing he said could change what I think of you. Ive had my mind made up about you for a long time and its all good. Adrian looked away from me and down to where my hand cover his. I blushed and pulled away. Sorry. Id probably freaked him out.He glanced back up at me. Best thing thats happened to me all day. Lets hit the road. We got back on the highway, and I found myself distracted by two things. First was my hand. It still tingled and matt-up w arm from where Id touched his, which was kind of funny. multitude always thought vampires were cold, but they werent. surely not Adrian. The sensation was fading the lasting I drove, but I kind of wished itd stay.The other thing that unbroken distracting me was all that sugar Id just consumed. I kept running my tongue over my teething. My whole mouth was coated in dysphemistic sweetness. I wanted to brush my teeth and then drink a bottle of mouthwash. Liquid sugar. Yes, that was exactly what it had been. I hadnt wanted to drink one, but Id known if Id just brought a slush for Adrian, he really wouldve read that as pity and refused. I had to act as though Id wanted one too, with him as an afterthought. He seemed to have believed my lie about the drinks sugar content, though a quick trip into the gas station would have quickly alerted him to the fact that Jumbo Jims most certainly didnt guard sugar-free slushes. Id asked them. Theyd laughed.Skipping lunch wasnt going to compen sate for those calories, I thought glumly. And I wasnt going to get that sugary taste out of my mouth anytime soon. With as quickly as Adrian had drop back into his depression, I suddenly mat up stupid for even attempting this ruse. A slush couldnt change what his father had said, and Id be a pound up on the outmatch tomorrow. This probably hadnt been worth it.Then, I thought back to that brief moment by the car, and Adrians fleeting look of contentment, followed later by God, those are awesome. I think I needed that.A brief moment of peace in the midst of his dark despair. That was what I had wanted, and that was what I had gotten. Was it worth it? I rubbed my fingertips together, still feeling that warmth.Yes, I decided. Yes, it was worth it.