Issue in Accounting Theory

Question: What is the Issue in Accounting Theory ? Answer : Presentation This paper plans to give a basic examination of the article Half a resistance of Positive Accounting Research by the writer Dunmore. The exposition examinations the qualities and shortcoming of the article that expects to look at the commitment of positive bookkeeping hypothesis in more extensive exploration program. The article is tied in with inspecting the criticalness of positive bookkeeping approach in the field of bookkeeping. It will in general feature the insufficiencies in the positive bookkeeping approach and accordingly proposes the utilization of better hypothetical ideas in bookkeeping research. The fundamental contention introduced in the examination paper is whether positive bookkeeping hypothesis is viable in accomplishing logical goals of bookkeeping research (Dunmore, 2009). The basic investigation of the article in the exposition is led by summing up its primary concerns, recognizing research questions, examining its hypothetical system and talking about its notewo rthiness and restrictions to be utilized in future explores. Outline of Article The exploration article means to give a top to bottom comprehension of the positive methodology utilized in more extensive bookkeeping research program. The fundamental thoughts introduced by the writer in the examination article are focused about delineating the significance and shortcomings of the positive bookkeeping hypothesis. The hypothesis was created by Watts and Zimmerman in the year 1970 and it depended on normal science wonders. The hypothesis depended on characteristic science wonders and hence was viewed as to a great extent compelling in accomplishing the logical goals of bookkeeping research (Dunmore, 2009). Bookkeeping investigates essentially includes down to earth testing of bookkeeping forecasts and subsequently requires execution of hypothetical structure dependent on logical marvels. As such positive bookkeeping hypothesis was accepted to be to a great extent helpful to be utilized in bookkeeping investigates in contrast with regulating bookkeeping hypothesis (Gh nabari et al., 2016). Regularizing bookkeeping hypothesis depended fundamentally on hypothetical standard of bookkeeping and has no functional direction. Then again, positive bookkeeping hypothesis is created based on logical rule and subsequently was viewed as valuable in accomplishing viable results of bookkeeping research (Chatfield and Vangermeersch, 2014). The article, in this unique situation, has inspected the commitment of positive bookkeeping hypothesis in the bookkeeping field. The article has represented the shortcomings of positive bookkeeping hypothesis and in this manner has proposed the reception of better hypothetical methodologies in bookkeeping research (Wickramasinghe and Alawattage, 2012). The writing audit segment of the article has introduced the perspectives and assessments of various writers on the utilization of positive bookkeeping hypothesis in bookkeeping research programs. The examination article has stressed about the confinements of positive bookkeeping hypothesis in achievi ng the reasonable results of bookkeeping research. Accordingly, the article gives a strong base to future investigates about breaking down and inspecting the value of positive methodology in bookkeeping explores (Dunmore, 2009). Examination Question The exploration inquiries of the article have been distinguished through basic assessment of the writing survey area. The writing survey of the article is focused about breaking down the significance and shortcomings of positive bookkeeping hypothesis in the field of bookkeeping. The article plans to give a response to the accompanying inquiry as dissected from its writing survey Does positive bookkeeping hypothesis can be applied in accomplishing logical destinations of bookkeeping research.? (Dunmore, 2009). Likewise, the examination concentrate additionally tries to address the accompanying sub-research questions: What is the significance and shortcoming of positive bookkeeping hypothesis in the field of bookkeeping research? What are the principle favorable circumstances of positive bookkeeping research in contrast with other hypothetical model utilized in bookkeeping explores? Does there exist a requirement for the reception of better hypothetical model in bookkeeping research when contrasted with positive bookkeeping hypothesis? Hypothetical Framework The hypothetical system of the exploration article began from the writing survey area. The perspectives and assessments of various writers about the examination subject are introduced inside the writing survey that builds up the hypothetical structure of the exploration article. The hypothetical contentions of different creators underscores on the shortcoming of positive bookkeeping they that makes it generally unfit to accomplish effectively the down to earth results of bookkeeping research. Watts and Zimmerman created positive bookkeeping hypothesis and guaranteed it to be generally helpful in testing the bookkeeping expectations created in bookkeeping investigates. This was because of the improvement of the hypothesis based on logical wonders as correlation with other hypothetical models use in bookkeeping that depends on hypothetical standards (Rhonheimer, 2000). Watts and Zimmerman have asserted that the hypothesis of positive bookkeeping depends on clarifying the reason and imp acts connections that is basic for completing bookkeeping explores. Nonetheless, various writers in the exploration article have recommended that positive bookkeeping hypothesis is for the most part dependent on esteem judgment. In this way, the hypothesis is by all accounts wrong for accomplishing the functional results of the bookkeeping research (Burns and Needles, 2014). The various writers in the writing audit segment of the exploration article have recommended that albeit positive bookkeeping hypothesis have improved the comprehension of different bookkeeping marvels yet it isn't valuable in testing of bookkeeping forecasts (Dunmore, 2009). The principle commitment in featuring the lack of psoitiev bookkeeping hypothesis originates from Poppers adulteration basis. The creator has suggested that the advancement of logical bookkeeping hypothesis depends on arrangement of steps that frames the reason for its acknowledgment or dismissal. The hypotheses created are acknowledged a logical speculations on the off chance that they meet the prerequisites as expressed by Popper. The initial phase in the distortion basis of Popper is watching and analyzing the starter thoughts proposed from the hypothesis. This is trailed by testing the perceptions for dissecting their logical premise. The quantitative testing of expectations is basic for accomplishing dependable exact confirmations. The expectations tried should be quantitative in nature as they are increasingly defenseless to misrepresentation. This is trailed by testing the forecasts of the new hypothesis against the result accomplished from recently settled speculations. Hence , the new hypothesis created is acknowledged as logical in the event that it meets the entirety of the above expressed criterias. The hypothesis of positive bookkeeping need likewise to be dissected and inspected based on all the above expressed prerequisites to be acknowledged a logical. The different creators have addressed on the acknowledgment of positive bookkeeping hypothesis on logical premise as it depends predominantly on esteem judgment (Deegan, 2014). The hypothesis is basically supposed to be founded on logical methodologies and in this way its usage in accomplishing reasonable results of bookkeeping research is put under discussion (Bazrafshan and Talebina, 2016). The writer through the current article has recommended that better and improved hypothetical models should be utilized in bookkeeping research programs. The field of bookkeeping has to a great extent been developed since recent years and accordingly the hypothesis of positive bookkeeping by and by isn't seen a s reasonable in accomplishing its results. The hypothesis ought to be utilized in mix of other hypothetical methodology for adequately meeting the commonsense based results of bookkeeping research (Dunmore, 2009). The bookkeeping investigates are predominantly conveyed for proposing the determination of an exact bookkeeping strategy so as to determine an unpredictable bookkeeping issue. The administration of enormous and complex business associations as a rule conducts bookkeeping research for determination of a specific bookkeeping strategy to determine a bookkeeping issue. In this manner, precise determination of bookkeeping technique is fundamental for improving the exhibition of business associations. The bookkeeping investigates fundamentally include handy testing of bookkeeping predications for determination of a suitable bookkeeping arrangement (Kabir, 2007). The hypothesis of positive bookkeeping in this way is by all accounts unseemly in completing down to earth testing of bookkeeping forecasts. Along these lines, it is profoundly fundamental for analysts to utilize better and improved hypothetical models in field of bookkeeping that can successfully do down to earth testing of bookke eping forecasts. In this manner, the general hypothetical structure of the examination article has recognized and dissected the inadequacies of positive bookkeeping hypothesis to be utilized in more extensive exploration program (Dunmore, 2009). Criticalness and Limitations of the Article The examination directed in the current article hold high hugeness in the space of bookkeeping. It will give significant knowledge to the future scientists about the impact of positive bookkeeping hypothesis in bookkeeping investigates. The future investigates can complete a top to bottom examination about the primary insufficiencies in positive bookkeeping hypothesis. It will likewise be useful for future scientists to comprehend the idea of hypothetical models that ought to be utilized in bookkeeping explores. The hypothesis of positive bookkeeping has been utilized in bookkeeping investigates since a significant stretch of time. The current exploration study, in such manner, has embraced a significant examination to recognize the insufficiencies of this hypothesis. This will improve the extent of bookkeeping and furthermore upgrade the nature of bookkeeping research in future setting. The advancement of better hypothetical ways to deal with be utilized in bookkeeping explores will help in improving the business execution of associations. The settling of basic a

Large Electrical Appliances Essay Example

Huge Electrical Appliances Essay John Lewis offers a subsequent year free on every White Good. This is one of the additional administrations that recognizes John Lewis above different stores. This was something that was chosen halfway and is offered by all Large Electrical divisions in all stores in the partnership. When clients come into the office it is for the most part for two reasons. They are the significant level of administration that they have gotten acquainted with and the free two-year ensure that is advertised. The assurance covers various things including coincidental harm, loss of solidified food, and mechanical disappointment with an apparatus. The assurance begins from the date of procurement, which is the place we have issues with clients. Conveyance is never conceivable around the same time the request is set and numerous clients question the way that they are missing out on time of the Multi year ensure. Shockingly its absolutely impossible around this issue. The Customer Service Manager is prepared to manage objection and discloses to the client that the issue lies with the insurance agency John Lewis utilizes, Landmark as that is the date that is imprinted on the bill. Changes with this could be made to print the conveyance date on the bill. I have been guaranteed by the administrator of the Large Electrical this is a point that has been raised at Head Office. He likewise said that clients do leave the division subsequent to having raised the point as the CSM call attention to that they do have the clients wellbeing on the most fundamental level as they offer the additional years ensure in any case. I was additionally informed that the CSM discloses to the client, if an issue emerged with the machine in the time hole that isnt canvassed in the two years something can ordinarily be worked out with the client. We will compose a custom paper test on Large Electrical Appliances explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now We will compose a custom paper test on Large Electrical Appliances explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer We will compose a custom paper test on Large Electrical Appliances explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer These are only a couple of instances of how Customer administration procedures are utilized in the Large Electrical Department to result that clients are content with the administration that they get from John Lewis. They likewise feature that even with these techniques there are issues that should be tended to for impeccable client services. These new procedures in the office have helped the division to meet its own goal in various manners. The Large Electrical Department has set some of its own goals so that is has its own objectives to meet. These goals are:- To offer a proficient support to our customers To offer a dependable assistance to our customers To offer an educated support to our customers The Ticketing System The new ticketing framework has end up being extremely fruitful with both the clients and the Selling Partners in the division. This has been seen by the Customer Service Manager from remarks he has gotten from clients subsequent to having been served in the office. Remarks from the Partners show that they additionally like the framework as they feel that it is less distressing as the office is all the more efficient. This framework causes the office to run all the more effectively as it is clear precisely who is the following client to be served. It additionally implies that the correct Partners with the right information serve the right people. This does anyway bring up the issue of why dont all the accomplices have the full broad information on all the items and frameworks in the office. This is one of the Partnerships destinations and by demonstrating that staff arent ready to manage all the clients that come into the office. Client care is acceptable as the Customer Service Manager interfaces the appropriate Selling Partner to the client. This would be far and away superior if all staff had the option to manage the clients. This clarifies not all the workers have the intensive preparing expressed in the Partnerships points. This is a point that requirements to investigated to improve performance. Telesales As with the ticketing framework the presentation of the telesales office has been a significant achievement and has diminished the Large Electrical Department of a portion of the weight that can develop during active occasions. This new activity has implied that the office is getting more cash as more deals are being made in light of the fact that staff in the shop can manage a bigger level of individuals that come into the division as opposed to certain clients strolling off on the grounds that they cannot get served. The telesales group can likewise manage countless individuals. The new telesales additionally implies that John Lewis has entered another market, the home shopping market, making John Lewis administrations accessible to more individuals. Such individuals incorporate experts who dont have the opportunity to go out on shopping trip in view of the bustling lives they lead. As noted before there are a few regions where changes should be made with the goal for Telesales to run all the more adequately for the Large Electrical Department. Telesales Partners ought to likewise be prepared in item information rather than just frameworks preparing. Right now staff on Telesales can put orders for clients yet cant really exhort and help the client pick what apparatus is most appropriate for them. By and by this raises the subject of why arent accomplices being prepared to perform various tasks? By permitting this kind of preparing the organizations points would be met more effectively. Computerised Ordering System So far in the time that the modernized requesting framework has been in activity there havent been any serious issues with Partners getting the opportunity to hold with the framework as it is a reasonably easy to understand. The name of the framework is Customer Service Net and it gives only that, great client administrations. The client can see precisely what is being accomplished for example the data that the accomplice places into the framework as the request is being set. This limits the opportunity of errors being made which were genuinely regular with the old requesting group. It additionally implies that conveyance regions have gotten a lot more extensive for the branch as the Large Electrical Department can conveyance the merchandise by means of different branches utilizing the framework. This has helped the division meet one more of the goals that the Partnership has set. The measure of administrative work has additionally diminished so after the client has left the office the selling accomplice can move straight onto serving the following client. This implies clients arent holding up as long to be served, and are upbeat as the entire procedure of purchasing products from this office is simpler.

Keep an Open Mind About Your Major

Keep an Open Mind About Your Major On the road to freshman year at Illinois, you may think that your major is completely decided and that your future is totally decided. While that may be true sometimes, there are many instances where people explore other paths in college. You may show up to your first class as a business student and decide that a major in global studies is really what you want. There are times where joining a club or activity completely changes your prospective and you discover a new path. Regardless of whether you stick with your planned major or not, there should always be room for thought about all possibilities. You may even decide to keep your major and decide to pursue a minor that complements your major nicely. Also, many majors have a multitude of different paths that can be taken within the major itself. This level of variety and options are a positive thing and should be taken advantage of. The University of Illinois is especially known for its many majors and areas of study. There are so many ways to mix and match classes to pick up a certificate or minor that helps you on your way to the career you are striving for. I am reminded of these diverse options and opportunities every semester when I register for classes. It seems like every semester I end up taking a class that I did not expect and it usually adds a new perspective to how I view my studies and career. As a freshman, Illinois can be the perfect place to keep your options open and be ready for where your passions take you. Your next class or club meeting may be the place that you discover what you really want to do with your life. Its your opportunity to embrace this new path and move forward. Jacob Class of 2019 I’m an Advertising student within the College of Media. My hometown is a place called Fairmount, Illinois, which is about 30 minutes from campus. I began my Illinois journey in the Division of General Studies.

Amazon Rainforest And Its Impact On The Biome - 1576 Words

What Is Amazon Rainforest, What Are the Human Activities In it and what effects do these activities have on the biome? One of the biome which I found interesting was the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon Rainforest is region which is owned by more than 1 country because of its land mass. It is actually owned by 9 nations. This biome is situated in the amazon basin of South Africa. The Amazon Rainforest covers 5,500,000 km2 (2,123,562 sq mi) of total 7000000 km2 of the Amazon basin. This particular rainforest cover more than 50% of the world rainforest biome. So as to understand this particular rainforest biome better, I am going to talk about the Brazil part of the rainforest as it owns 60% of the rainforest. I found this particular†¦show more content†¦Climate Condition: Amazon rainforest has a tropical climate or also know as the equatorial climate. It is humid throughout the year and has an average temperature of 28 degree celsius. We can not really divide the climate between summer and winter as it has a annual temperature range of 2 degree celsius. The temperature difference between day and night is about 2 to 5 degree celsius. The climate is not as hot as we may except it rarely goes above 30 degree celsius. but the only trouble in the rainforest is the humidity which causes a feeling of lack of air. Due to the humidity we can not really see a dry season in the amazon as it rains thought out the year. We can divide rainfall in Amazon into into two parts rainy and not so rainy. If we look at the above climate table of the amazon basin we can find that the temperature is almost constant throughout the year. But we can kind of divide rainfall in Amazon into rainy and â€Å"not so rainy†. If we have a look at the above table between the months June to September we can call it â€Å"not so rainy† and the rest of the months we can call it rainy. This is between October to May. Flora and Fauna: There are around 40,000 plants species, 427 mammals, 1,300 birds , 378 reptiles and 400 amphibians and 3000 freshwater fishes. These are just the number of some big animals. But in fact if we count the number of smaller life forms it will be way more the above number. There are more that 100,000

Form and Stylistic Characters Free Essays

Form refers to the shape or configuration of a building, it is three dimensional and encloses space (Crisman 2016). Having background knowledge about form and style characteristics from formal lectures, it is easier for one to be able to describe a building in terms of its three dimensionalism and the styles that have been used to give the building character. Going to see the building in person, walking around and in it enabled one to quickly spot these characters of the building just by looking at it. We will write a custom essay sample on Form and Stylistic Characters or any similar topic only for you Order Now There are free forms and geometrical forms (Crisman 2016), in this case when analysing the form of the Johannesburg art gallery (JAG) building it is clear that it is a geometrical form. Geometrical form is basically composed of basic geometrical shapes that are interlinked to form the plan of the JAG building (Ching 1943:36).  As seen in the figures above the floor plan that is encrusted on the floor right in front of the newly pronounced front entrance as well as the floor plan right next to it show different regular shapes such as the circle, square and rectangle interlinked to form the base of the building form. According to design principles the form of a building should relate to its intended function. In the encrusted plan on the JAG grounds it is clear that it was to be a symmetrical form which indicates that it would be used as a formal and orderly building. This suggests to ‘one that form related greatly to the function or the purpose of the building the architect used additive, subtractive and interlinking forms (Ching 1943:197). The architect Sir Edwin Lutyens supplied the plans of the foundations at the time that the laying of the foundation stone had started on 11 0ctober 1911 (Carman 2003:231). The construction was delayed and in 1915 the unfinished building opened for use. At this point the form of the building was incomplete until in 1940 when the side wings which are the east west wings of the building were added according to Lutyens original design. Though it can be argued it is clear to the eye that the stylistic characteristics of the building changed due to the addition by different architects. The building shows clearly with the mid section which was the part built by lutyen that it carried a lot of classical styles to it. Though they were different classical styles mixed together it was quite evident which direction Lutyen wanted to take. The wings that were added however were very modern as opposed to the classical mid section of the building , this clearly shows to those with deeper knowledge in art and architecture that this building was built by different architects using the same plan(Carman 2003:231). Figure1: Janek Szymanowski(photographer), Johannesburg Art Gallery-wiki loves monuments,1988 The JAG building has a variety of styles that were used to design the building. With background knowledge it was identified that the classical, neo classical and baroque styles were used in the South Entrance which was once the main entrance. A writer from Chadwicks â€Å"home of the building Materials†(2016) states that there is one common link between these three styles that allows one to Identify them, the Pediment. In figure 1 above is the south entrance that shows the Pediment. The pediment is found in a lot of Classical Greek architecture like the temples as well as baroque architecture as one of the key elements of the stylistic characterstics e.g The Palace of Versailles. (Chadwicks 2016) Cath everett(photographer), IBTimes-My South African Adventure, 2014 The second style identified in the design of the JAG building is small elements of the Victorian style. There is a hexagonal skylight structure atop the roof that is built like a spherical bay window. Bay windows are a key element in the Victorian building style in architecture. It is very classical but has also been used in today’s morden residential apartments and houses. It can be easily incorporated in a few architecture styles (Chadwicks 2016). The third is the Romanisque style. The key elements identified are the rounded archs found at the North entrance of the building as well as the walls at the south entrance side. There are also repetitive rows of rounded arches which are well found within the Roman built structures. Inside the building there are also columns found in the corners of the exhibition rooms with floral and foliage stone decoration. These stone decorations are strongly identified as the different classes represented by the columns mainly the Doric, Ionic and the Corinthian (Chadwicks 2016). The fourth style identified is the Bauhaus style originally from Germany formed in the 1900’s. The Bauhaus principle of cubic shapes is found in the plan of the building as well as the east and west wing of the building. Other key elements are the open floor plans and the glass curtain walls. the inside of the gallery there are exhibition rooms that are open plan meaning than if any special additions are needed they can be added without a doubt. These rooms can be altered and remodeld if need be. It is also possible to house free standing exhibition stands as the space and the volume allows it. On the lower level of the building in the east and the west wing glass curtains were added but can barely be seen on the outside. These glass curtains allow daylight to come through but not direct sunlight as other parts of the building have stood infront and on a higher level than the position of the glass curtains walls ( Chadwicks 2016). The fourth style is the Neo classical style identified by the Granduer of scale, black walls excessive use of columns, large building and clean lines. This building enormous in size with high volume. Proportion has been used skilfully. The cielings are as high as 4m and very spacious. The architect was able to play around with scale well to emphasize its size. Different order columns are identified within the building as well as the outside. The orders have been mixed where the doric and the corinthian has been mixed together or the ionic and the corinthian together. They are either carved out of the walls at the corners or supporting the pediment on the south entrance as well as the entrances from the courtyard. The fifth is the Renaissance, its key elements are square buildings, flat cielings, classical mortifs arches and domes, Roman columns and an enclosed courtyard. The building is comprised of squares linked together showed on the plans, these squres indicate the rooms that are squares on the inside. There are also a lot of exhibition rooms that are four cornerd with clean lined walls. in some parts it is a generally square building with a little bit of curved walls here and there. In the courtyard as well as the wings of the building there are walls that have flat roofs. Majority of the buildings have flat roofs. The cielings however have decorative elements to them and some with bulk heads very few plain ones in the lower level west and east wings. The courtyard is enclosed but not completely as it has steel frames on the roofing without a solid material that can fully enclose it. The sixth style that dominates half of the building is Mordenism. This is a movement at the turn of the 20th century.an umbrella term for styles such as futurism, post mordenism and new classical. The key elements found in these styles are lack of decorative elements, use of modern materials, interaction of exterior and interior spaces, use of sun and shading( passive design strategies) as well as using glass and natural lighting. The east and the west wing have less decorative elements than the initial part of the building before the extentions,. This building comprises of all these different stylistic characters from from different eras How to cite Form and Stylistic Characters, Papers

Honeybees As A Resource Essay Example For Students

Honeybees As A Resource Essay Honeybees as a Resource Honeybees are very useful to humans. As their name suggests, they make the sweet, delicious treat known as honey that we enjoy. They also make beeswax from which we make many useful items. But the most important thing bees do for us is to pollinate the plants. The honeybee visits flowers which secrete a sweet liquid called nectar. This water-like nectar is sipped from the blossoms by the bee and carried to the beehive. The raw nectar goes into the cells in almost the same condition as it was when the bee sipped it from the flowers. It is inside the hive that house bees evaporate the nectar down to the thick consistency which is what we know as commercial honey. We usually think of the main use of honey as a spread on bread, pancakes or biscuits. However, honey has a large use in cooking; such as pastries, canned foods, milk drinks, desserts, frostings, syrups, and salad dressings. Honey contains simple sugars and does not require digestion like regular sugar, so it is useful for quick energy pick up and even for diabetic people. Most honey is sold as extracted honey but it is also sold on the honeycomb which is the wax chambers the bees make in the hive in which to store the honey. The wax comes from a worker bees belly when she is fourteen to twenty-one days old. The wax chambers are just big enough for a bee to crawl inside. Sometimes people like to eat honeycomb. It can be eaten on toast or as is; then the wax becomes like a chewing gum, but like chewing gum it should not be swallowed. In recent years a new process called the Dyce process has made it possible to make a very nice granulated honey called creamed honey which is gaining in popularity. However, granulated honey is not used much commercially because it is still an almost unknown honey product. Beeswax is the second most important product produced by the honeybees. Beeswax, the earliest of waxes, has been used in the form of candles for lighting. This is today the second largest use of beeswax. The Roman Catholic Church used to require that pure beeswax candles be used in church but as the numbers of churches grew there wasnt enough beeswax available so that now the Catholic Church requires that candles are at least 51 percent beeswax. The reason the church requires beeswax candles is because the candles do not smoke. Probably the largest user of beeswax today is the cosmetic industry. Beeswax is used as the emulsifying agent in face creams, lipsticks, lotions and rouges. It is also used in shoe polish, sporting goods and military hardware. The beekeeper himself is the third largest user of beeswax which he gives to the bees as the base of their new comb. There are 70 or more commercial uses of beeswax today. Each year in the United States some 200 million pounds of honey and four to six million pounds of beeswax are produced. Honeybees are not the only insect that pollinates plants, but they are the best. A lot of our food, such as corn, tomatoes, peas, squash, strawberries, apples, pears, and watermelon would not continue without this pollination. During the last three weeks of a worker bees life, they fly out of the hives as a forager. The bees take pollen and nectar to the hive and deposit it into cells. During a foraging trip each individual bee will collect pollen from just one kind of plant. By doing this, each bee helps pollinate the blossoms. When the bee crawls around on the blossom, the pollen (containing male plant reproductive cells) clings to fine hairs located on the bees legs. The pollen is carried from one blossom to another blossom of the same kind of plant, where it sticks to the female part of the flower. .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b , .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b .postImageUrl , .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b , .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b:hover , .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b:visited , .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b:active { border:0!important; } .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b:active , .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u615b0a9b1df85f13eee5f0be13a5e35b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: International relations EssayWithout pollination plants would not produce fruit or seeds. Without seeds now new plants could grow. Pollen is carried in small pollen baskets on the outer sides of the bees legs. In order to fill the baskets with pollen, the bee uses her mouth parts and scrapes the pollen from the blossoms and hairs on

Brave New World 1984 Essay Research free essay sample

Brave New World 1984 Essay, Research Paper Undoubtedly, the idea of life in, or organizing a Utopian society has flashed through every individual? s head, a few people have even tried to do this ideal dream society a world. Unfortunately, within the chase of these societies the leaders become corrupt and get down to go paranoid with the fright of rebellion. Hundreds were murdered under the reigns of Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin in what they considered steps to keep peace and stableness, one must besides see the adversities that the citizens were forced to digest while populating under these oppressive authoritiess. This dream of organizing and keeping a Utopian society was immortalized in two novels covering with the same basic thoughts, 1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Both of these novels deal with the lives of chief characters who unwittingly become revolutionists in a totalitarian authorities, nevertheless these two books greatly differ with the mode in which the authorities controls the popu lation and the stringency of the steps taken to keep these stableness. We will write a custom essay sample on Brave New World 1984 Essay Research or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This essay with comparison or contrast the message and tone of each novel every bit good as whether the Utopia is a positive or negative one. In 1984, George Orwell explores the many aspects of a negative Utopia. Orwell seems to concentrate on the steps that the authorities takes to keep a populace of plebeians who have no personality or individuality and believe that they non alone persons, but alternatively are portion of a greater mindless rabble of people who invariably work for a hostile and oppressive authorities which is involved in ceaseless wars. These people are taught to love, and so larn fright, their authorities while believing all of the propaganda that is invariably instilled into their heads as they willing follow their authorities without competition for the continuance of their meaningless lives. The authorities controls all signifiers of the media ( therefore denying the people the basic right of free address ) and utilize it to body the authorities ( known as? large brother? ) and do it look almighty, or all knowing and ever correct. Prognosiss are changed from one hebdomad to the following ever turn ou ting the authorities was right. As was mentioned before, many of the rights that present twenty-four hours Americans take for granted, such as freedom of address and the unalienable rights of persons are withheld from the common citizen, the workers. George Orwell evidently meant to portray a negative Utopia in the fresh 1984. Although the novel Brave New World is comparable to 1984 as both are positions of a totalitarian authorities which attempts to supply its citizens with a Utopian society, the differ drastically every bit Brave New World could be perceived as a positive Utopia ( in contrast to veto one in 1984 ) . Although there are many drawbacks of this # 8220 ; future # 8221 ; society such as its deficiency of individualism and loving relationships, which include non merely the love expressed within the confines of a household but besides the loved shared between spouses in a married twosome. Humans were treated as research lab experiments, # 8220 ; created utilizing the Bokanovsky procedure? embryos are like exposure movie, they can merely stand ruddy light. # 8221 ; On the other manus, though, the citizens had a much greater trade of freedom than what is allowed to those populating in the 1984- society. The society is maintained non by force, but through a much simpler and more clever solutio n, the caste system. Every member of the caste system is genuinely happy with their lives ; from the lower three castes whose lives consist of meaningless occupations like lift operators to assembly line workers to the rational alpha # 8217 ; s who were the minds and consumers of the society. This is a much more peaceable manner of keeping the stableness of the public. Since every member of the society is genuinely content with their lives this is a positive Utopia. Fear, paranoi a, solitariness, sexual desire and other emotions experienced by Winston Smith, the chief character in 1984, are conveyed from the writer to the reader through the tone in which the novel is written. Winston Smith is invariably afraid of the authorities which controls every facet of his life and is ever paranoid that he might by chance state something in his slumber ( in which instance he would be detected by the screen which is in his flat ) or to another individual ( in which instance he might be reported ) . The society in which Winston Smith lives is purely against loving relationships, therefore Mr. Smith is invariably lonely. Mr. Smith’s married woman disappeared many old ages ago and though the society is against sexual dealingss ( other than for reproduction ) Mr. Smith still desires to pass clip with a adult female. Much like in 1984 the writer of Brave New World uses tone to convey the emotions of the chief characters, nevertheless they are ( for the most portion ) much more pleasant than those of 1984. In Brave New World the reader experiences mindless felicity and fulfilment. In the beginning of the fresh most of the characters are satisfied with their lives and are happy with their society, therefore the tone is blithe and pleasant. Towards the terminal of the book, nevertheless the tone all of a sudden displacements. Confusion is expressed as John is transferred from his little, confined universe on the reserve to what he perceives as an immoral society in the # 8220 ; weather new world. # 8221 ; Besides, the reader experiences the exhilaration and fright created during the brush between # 8211 ; among others # 8211 ; John, Bernard and Mustapha Mond. Finally, in 1984 George Orwell urged the reader to non sit back softly and let a authorities of such qualities to organize. Orwell shared with the reader a position of the hereafter and the horrors that may be yet to come. Orwell used Winston Smith non merely as a anticipation of what life may be like in the hereafter but besides as a agency in which to research how the authorities would utilize propaganda and fright of the missile onslaughts to command the workers. Since Winston Smith ironically was, himself, a member of the very # 8220 ; Big Brother # 8221 ; authorities he gave his life to contend against. In Brave New World, Aldous Huxley delivers unto the reader what appears to be a message of grasp. Although the society Huxley created was non wholly bad, Huxley urges the reader to be appreciative of their households, loves, and individualism. In Brave New World everyone but the alpha # 8217 ; s and beta # 8217 ; s travel through a nonmeaningful life filled merely with work and remainder. When one reads this novel they see the society as acceptable, myself included, but when one considers it one merely contemplates populating as an alpha or beta because the reader can non contemplate populating without being able to explicate thoughts and fundamentally think. No 1 considers populating as one of the lower castes and merely working throughout life until decease. Therefore, the decision can be drawn that Huxley intended to portray an acceptable society on the surface with unwanted traits hidden deeper. In decision, both of these novels portray and attractive life in a Utopian society # 8211 ; in one can conform to the regulations. However, when people can non conform to the societies in which they dwell ( as the chief characters of both novels can non ) they are branded as revolutionists and punished as treasonists. A life in 1984 would be about excessively intolerable to populate and in Brave New World unless one is willing to accept the caste system and populate a life meant merely to bring forth ( as a lower caste ) or consume ( as a higher caste ) . Therefore far this essay has compared, but chiefly contrasted the great differences between the societies in these two novels, there is one great similarity nevertheless: be grateful for holding been born into a rationalism society where a individual can be genuinely free. Our present society may non be genuinely perfect, but as these two novels show, it does non acquire much better than this.

Amygdalas Location and Function

Amygdala's Location and Function The amygdala is an almond-shaped mass of nuclei (mass of cells) located deep within the temporal lobes of the brain. There are two amygdalae, one situated in each brain hemisphere. The amygdala is a limbic system structure that is involved in many of our emotions and motivations, particularly those that are related to survival. It is involved in the processing of emotions such as fear, anger, and pleasure. The amygdala is also responsible for determining what memories are stored and where the memories are stored in the brain. It is thought that this determination is based on how huge an emotional response an event evokes. Amygdala and Fear The amygdala is involved in autonomic responses associated with fear and hormonal secretions. Scientific studies of the amygdala have led to the discovery of the location of neurons in the amygdala that are responsible for fear conditioning. Fear conditioning is an associative learning process by which we learn through repeated experiences to fear something. Our experiences can cause brain circuits to change and form new memories. For example, when we hear an unpleasant sound, the amygdala heightens our perception of the sound. This heightened perception is deemed distressing and memories are formed associating the sound with unpleasantness. If the noise startles us, we have an automatic flight or fight response. This response involves the activation of the sympathetic division of the peripheral nervous system. Activation of the nerves of the sympathetic division results in accelerated heart rate, dilated pupils, increase in metabolic rate, and increase in blood flow to the muscles. This activity is coordinated by the amygdala and allows us to respond appropriately to danger. Anatomy The amygdala is composed of a large cluster of around 13 nuclei. These nuclei are subdivided into smaller complexes. The basolateral complex is the largest of these subdivisions and is composed of the lateral nucleus, basolateral nucleus, and accessory basal nucleus. This nuclei complex has connections with the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and hippocampus. Information from the olfactory system is received by two separate groups of amygdaloid nuclei, the cortical nuclei, and medial nucleus. Nuclei of the amygdala also make connections with the  hypothalamus and brainstem. The hypothalamus is involved in emotional responses and helps to regulate the endocrine system. The brainstem relays information between the cerebrum and spinal cord. Connections to these areas of the brain allow amygdaloid nuclei to process information from sensory areas (cortex and thalamus) and areas associated with behavior and autonomic function (hypothalamus and brainstem). Function The amygdala is involved in several functions of the body including: ArousalAutonomic responses associated with fearEmotional responsesHormonal secretionsMemory Sensory Information The amygdala receives sensory information from the thalamus and from the cerebral cortex. The thalamus is also a limbic system structure and it connects areas of the cerebral cortex that are involved in sensory perception and movement with other parts of the brain and spinal cord that also have a role in sensation and movement. The cerebral cortex processes sensory information obtained from vision, hearing, and other senses and is involved in decision-making, problem-solving, and planning. Location Directionally, the amygdala is located deep within the temporal lobes, medial to the hypothalamus and adjacent to the hippocampus. Amygdala Disorders Hyperactivity of the amygdala or having one amygdala that is smaller than the other has been associated with fear and anxiety disorders. Fear is an emotional and physical response to danger. Anxiety is a psychological response to something that is perceived as dangerous. Anxiety can lead to panic attacks that occur when the amygdala sends signals that a person is in danger, even when there is no real threat. Anxiety disorders that are associated with the amygdala include Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and social anxiety disorder. Sources Sah, P., Faber, E., Lopez De Armentia, L., Power, J. (2003). The Amygdaloid Complex: Anatomy and Physiology. Physiological Reviews, 83(3), 803-834. doi:10.1152/physrev.00002.2003

Contract Law and Tort Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Contract Law and Tort Law - Case Study Example In the meantime, Peter wandered over to the duck pond, where a notice which said "Take Care! The edge of this pond is slippery", was displayed. Peter deciding to feed the ducks went right to the edge of the pond and fell in. Nicholas, who saw this, jumped in and pulled Peter out. Both were hospitalized and Peter was only bruised but Nicholas having swallowed the pond water developed a serious stomach ailment. Meanwhile, Martin an 18 year old detainee who had just been released from the Young Offenders' Institution fell into a trench and broke his leg, while trying to steal the parked cars. In order to advise the parties with regard to their rights and liabilities recourse will be taken to liability for breach of contract under the Contracts Act, other liabilities arising through torts, Unfair Consumer Terms Act 1977 or UCTA, Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999, etc. Edmund, one of the pupils of the school, ran into the caf for lunch and tripped over the material being used for flooring purposes, hurt his head and consequently, became unconscious. In this regard it has to be considered whether the premises owner can evade his liability by relying on exclusion clauses. A contract is an agreement giving rise to obligations which are enforced or recognised by law. The factor which distinguishes contractual from other legal rights is that they are based on the agreement of the contracting parties. It is important to bear in mind that every breach of a contract allows the plaintiff a remedy at law. It is the bounden duty of the owner of the adventure playground "Thrills and Spells" to keep the premises safe and secure. The Statute sets out that no contract term can exclude or limit liability in any way for negligently causing death or injury1. Furthermore, if there is other loss or damage, liability for negligence cannot be excluded or restricted if the term of notice is unreasonable. In addition, if a contract term or notice efforts to exclude or restrict liability for negligence, agreement to or awareness of this is not of itself to be taken as indicative of the voluntary acceptance of any risk2. In Olley v Marlborough Court, The plaintiff booked in for a week's stay at the defendants' hotel. A stranger gained access to her room and stole her mink coat. There was a notice on the back of the bedroom door which stated that "the proprietors will not hold themselves responsible for articles lost or stolen unless handed over to the manageress for safe custody." The Court of Appeal held that the notice was not incorporated in the contract between the proprietors and the guest. The contract was made in the hall of the hotel before the plaintiff entered her bedroom and before she had an opportunity to see the notice3. Accordingly, damages were suitably awarded to the plaintiff. In our present case also, the notice was noticed by Potter only after he had received the tickets for entering the adventure playground. Hence, it cannot be construed that the exclusion clause was incorporated into the contract. In Thornton & Shoe Lane Parking Ltd, it was held that if the car is damaged by the negligence of the parking company, it will be liable despite the exclusion clause. Further it was stated by Lord Denning J in his observations in this case that Thornton was not aware of the conditions printed on the reverse of the ticket. He further opined that an exclusion clause to be valid has to be brought to

International Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International Marketing - Essay Example The emphasis of this discussion focuses on how leadership and organizational structure can help companies become more effective at international business affairs. In order for a company to succeed it must develop its human capital and have managerial team that is able to lead the organization to achieve greater things. If the leaders of a company do not prepare the organization for expansion the possibility of international business activity are non-existent. Going global does not occur overnight, there is preparation that must take place within the organization and in its corporate culture. Corporate culture can be defined as a system of shared actions, values, and beliefs that develops within an organization and guides the behavior of its members (Shermerhorn, Osborn, Hunt, 2003). The leaders of the company have to instill confidence and change the mindset of the employee so that fear of failure is not constraint that inhibits international expansion plans. There are different leadership styles that can help a manager become the type of leader that lead a company and its employees towards international business proliferation. The person in a corporation that has control over the strategic path of an organization is its chief executive officer (CEO). This individual is responsible for the financial performance of the company and has power to change the organization, while at the same time the CEO must motivate and inspire the staff of the firm. Among the leadership styles that could be used to lead a global organization are situational leadership, charismatic leadership, and transformational leadership. A situational leadership application is Fielder’s contingency theory. Fielder’s contingency theory stipulates that the leader’s style adapt and become appropriate to the situation based on three factors: leader-member relations, task structure, and position power

The Customer Satisfaction In The Airlines Industry Tourism Essay

The Customer Satisfaction In The Airlines Industry Tourism Essay The main aim of this chapter is to review the theories and previous research papers which are mainly concentrated on the evaluation of customer satisfaction in the airlines industry. Shaw, S. (2004) has defined the consumers are those people who actually travel. They make existence clear by reporting for flights and their requirements. They are therefore usually given a great deal of attention by marketers in the airlines business. However, the consumers may not be the decision-makers about the things that matter. In the marketing theories, such decision makers are defined as Customers. Furthermore, there are three customer decisions which must be analyzed: This decision is mainly aimed to the business travelers. For many firms today, the cost of travel is a major item of cooperate expense. Especially, in the recessionary period, most of the firms will attempt to reduce expenditure in order to minimize the effect of recession. In such situation, the business trips will be replaced by other methods such as the phone, video-conferencing or email. There are different choices for passengers to select for their air ticket class in the cabin with different kinds of services and price such as First Class (mostly selected for the long-haul flights), Business Class, Economy Class or Coach Class. Additionally, the business travelers will have a little or no say in the decision as to which class will be purchased. Because most of the firms have their travel policy whereby very senior executives are allowed to take First Class, those in the middle rank in Business Class, and the junior employees have to be satisfied with Economy Class. Interestingly, during recessionary periods, most of the firms have to be downgraded their travel policy in order to save money so that the First Class and Business Class travel being eliminated. The question of the choice of the airline is obviously a crucial one. In the leisure air travel, many airlines focus on selling the blocks of seats to tour operators and travel agencies so that the individual travelers will have very little say in the airlines that they fly with. Otherwise, in the business air travel, during the time 1990s, more and more companies centralized travel purchasing in order to gain access to cooperate discounts from airlines. Such policies narrowed the choice which the individual travelers could exercise, even if they were not restricted to using a single airline. Finally, the choice of airlines still depends on the person who has to travel and the airline schedule as well. If the airline schedule is suitable, the passengers will choose to fly with the airline as their choice. The comprehensive definition of customer satisfaction is given by Oliver (1997); Customer satisfaction is the consumers fulfillment judgment that a product or service itself, provided (or is providing) a pleasurable level of consumption- related fulfillment, included level of under-or over fulfillment. Today, the airlines have to face with the significant competition within the industry so that level of customer satisfaction becomes more important. Besides that, the passenger satisfaction includes the various types of services which are related to the airlines industry such as the satisfaction of the online check-in service, ground handling service and the quality of food on board as well. Next, the customer satisfaction factor plays a major role in the airlines industry and it also impacts directly to the profit of an airline company. At the same time, according to Yi (1991), customer satisfaction may be defined into two basic ways: either as an outcome or as a process (table 1.1) Definition The buyers cognitive state of being adequately or in-adequately rewarded for the sacrifices he has under gone An emotional response to the experience provided by (or associated with) particular products or services purchased, retailed outlets, or even molar patterns of behavior, as well as the overall marketplace An outcome of purchase and use resulting from the buyers comparison of the rewards and the costs of the purchase in relation to the anticipated consequences An evaluation rendered that the experience was at least as good as it was supposed to be An evaluation that the chosen alternative consistent with prior beliefs with respect to that alternative The consumers respond to the evaluation of the perceived discrepancy between prior expectations and the actual performance of the products as perceived after its consumption Approach Satisfaction as an outcome Satisfaction as a process Figure 1.1: Definition of customer satisfaction (Yi, 1991) Source: Adopted from Grigoroudis Siskos (2010, p.4) Otherwise, losing customers would mean that the airline organizations would have to win new customers to keep the business going, by doing so, the cost of promotions and attracting new customers would cost the airline organizations more money, Hill, N. and Alexander, J. (2000). The report by Kazim, S, K. (2005), starts with the introduction to Emirate Airlines and its innovation in the in-flight products to achieve the high level of customer satisfaction. Next, Emirate Airlines has mainly focused to develop the onboard connectivity for ultra long haul flights (8-14 hours). This is important especially for in the cases of business travelers and cooperate travelers as these ultra long haul flights can be a very attractive proposition for them because of the accessibility and fast connection from one end of the world to another. The reports result is that Emirate Airlines has a successfully innovated to build up their market positioning and achieve the high level of customer satisfaction through the onboard connectivity. 3.2) Measuring the customer satisfaction in the airlines industry: This part is mainly focused on the measurement of customer satisfaction in the airlines industry which is based on the tangibles of service and the intangibles of product. Besides that, these important elements will be used in the questionnaires and will be analyzed as a part of this research papers objective to indentify customer satisfaction motivating factors in the aviation industry. 3.2.1) Why is customer satisfaction measured? Hill, N. Brierley, J. and MacDougall, R. (1999), explains the reasons why the customer satisfaction factor needs to be measured. A customer satisfaction measurement (CSM) programme will therefore enable us to understand how customers perceive your organization and whether your performance meets their expectations. Furthermore, the airline organizations are able to understand their passenger expectations so that they will have their own strategies and methods to achieve those passengers requirement. At the same time, if the airline companies manage the customer satisfaction measurement well, they will be able to set the goals for their service improvement and monitor progress against a passenger satisfaction index. Likewise, the airlines can increase their profits through improved the customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and retention. Business Success Customer Loyalty Customer Satisfaction Figure 1.2: Business performing modeling Source: Adopted from Hill, Brierley MacDougall (1999, p.7) There are many airline organizations and especially the in the USA have recognized the significance of CSM so that they have developed the business performance model (see figure 1.2), enabling them to forecast financial performance from shift in their CSM data. Some can even take the model back as far as employee satisfaction. Based on the figure 1.2 above, it shows us the relation between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty and then both factors are linked closely to the success of business. Next, the diagram above would mean that the airline organizations should achieve the high level of passenger satisfaction and therefore they will also be able to maintain effectively the passenger loyalty and it will lead to the success in business of those airline organizations. Additionally, these elements would contribute to add up to a customer satisfaction level and retention. By understanding the non-traditional customer satisfaction elements such as the below could allow the airline organizations to adopt and improve on their customer retention methods. 3.2.2) Elements of service require for satisfaction: This portion shall be based on the theory of Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berrys (1988) which is presented the five elements of reliability, assurance, responsiveness and empathy which makes up service quality. The SERVQUAL model above (see figure 1.3) is essentially an instrument for measuring how customer perceived the quality of service they receive. Furthermore, the evaluation is based mainly on the five elements of services which are expected from the air passengers. The Reliability: The airlines services must be dependable and consistent in their performance, it includes accurate in their performance. Besides that, it also means the airline companys employees should perform the desired services correctly in the first time round. For example: providing the check-in service for passengers effectively. The Responsiveness: It means the airlines services should deliver the services such as the on-board services and services at the airport promptly to passenger (rather than ignores the passengers and leaves them waiting). Besides that, the airlines employees are always willing and ready to serve and help the passengers. E.g. the air hostess should be always ready to serve quickly when the passengers query has been made. The assurance: The air service staffs have to assure that they have the knowledge, skills, abilities and courtesy to perform their duties. E.g. knowledge of the air hostess about the destinations, reputation of the airline organizations and security. Staff empathy: This service element is related to the airlines staffs ability to provide passengers with individual attention. Next, the airlines employees need to treat individually and need to show their concern, caring to passengers as well. E.g. recognize the regular passengers name, learning passengers specific requirement. Tangibles: This element is considered as the physical evidence of service. For example: appearance of personnel, the equipment used to provide the service. 3.2.3) Elements of product require for satisfaction: In this portion, I would like to mention to the five elements of product which associate with customer satisfaction within the aviation industry. Moreover, I would include these elements into my questionnaires later to ask the respondents rank accordingly for their satisfaction level. Quality of services: The quality of airlines services such as check-in service, food and beverage on board and ground handling service impacts directly to the passengers decision making. Especially, some passengers will select the airline for its good services even though the air fare is higher than other airlines? Location: The location of airline offices and its authorized agencies should be convenient and easy to access for passengers. Airfares price: The airfares price is considered as the most important factors for a specific airline to compete with their competitors. Next, the airfare should offer with reasonable price. Layout, decoration and entertainment service: This portion is to mention to the interior design of the air craft and the uniform of air hostess which are considered as the cultural factors for an airline company. Next, some additional on-board entertainment services (videos, music and games) are also the competitive elements in the aviation industry. Loyalty program: This part is to emphasis the functions of VIP cards or other methods that are used by the airline organizations to bring back passengers through discount, vouchers, higher priority and free gift. For example: the Golden Lotus Program of Vietnam Airlines and SIAs Kris Flyers program. 3.3) Understanding the passenger requirements: This part is concentrated to understand the passenger requirements in the business travel market so that the airline organizations will be easier to achieve the higher level of customer satisfaction and also to improve the service quality efficiently. Shaw, S (2004), airlines do not just have to be indentify the passengers needs but they also have to prioritize. Below is are the options to the nature of passengers needs and the discussion shall be divided between the corporate and independent sub-segments of business travel demand, and between short and long hauls routes. 3.3.1) Short-haul and long-haul routes: 3.3.1.1) Frequency and Timings: In the airlines industry, the frequency and timings factors are very important to the air passengers, especially for the short-haul markets. Today all the business travelers are extremely busy and their plan is rescheduled often at the short notice. And therefore, an airline offering them a high frequency will have crucial advantages. Besides that, frequency will ensure that business travelers can fly out for the meeting shortly before it is due to begin and return to their offices or homes very soon after it has been completed. Moreover, the flights timings are also a vital consideration and there should be extensive opportunities on short-haul routes for business travelers to make day-return trips. And therefore most of the flights need to be concentrated in the early morning and evening periods. 3.3.1.2) Punctuality: The flights punctuality is a crucial importance to the business travelers and there is no airline dare to hope to obtain a big number of passengers if they perform a poor punctuality reputation. Likewise, the flight delays meaning inconvenience, missed appointment and perhaps the loss of customers. Especially, almost of the long-haul passengers are the connecting passengers and they are usually taking the transit or stop-over flights so that this factor becomes extremely significant for them. Once delay, it will annoy the point-to-point travelers and may destroy their entire flight itinerary. 3.3.1.3) Ticket flexibility: Seat accessibility is considered as a piece of aviation jargon which refers to the probability of passengers who are being able to grab a seat shortly before the flight is due to depart. Next, it is a crucial product need for business travelers. The short-haul passengers requirement about ticket flexibility is a little bit unfair for the airlines because many business travelers expect the right to no-show for the flight, and then to be re-booked on the next flights out later without any penalty being charged. Of course, because of this, airlines have to face with so many difficulties and issues. Nonetheless, these factors are lower importance on the long-haul routes and the last minute availability of seat is less important on the long-haul flights. Normally, the long-haul passengers will take note carefully for their flights three days before the departure date due to the its lower frequencies and high cost of penalty when missing the flight. 3.3.1.4) Frequent flyer benefits: Today, almost of the airlines operate their own frequent flyer programme or the passenger loyalty schemes to gain the re-support of their regular passengers. At the same time, the frequent flyers will have chance to accumulate the number of mileage points and then they can use those points to exchange to some kinds of benefit such as rewards, hotel or restaurant vouchers, free gifts or free air ticket for the next time travelling. Nevertheless, there is a difference of the attitudes to frequent flyer points between short and long-haul markets. On the long-haul route, substantial numbers of points are stake. In fact, for many programmes, the passengers are taking the long-haul flights with a particular airlines (at least in the First or Business Class), they could earn sufficiency mileage for a short-haul flight on that airlines network with free of charge. Because of this issue, so many long-haul passengers have selected the airlines whose frequent flyer points they are supporting; even they are not really satisfied with the flight timing or frequency. 3.3.1.5) Ground service: It is not surprising that the airport service should be a significant factor in select of airline decisions. Of course, all the business travelers will wish to spend as less time as possible in the airport. Besides that, they wish to check-in very late for the flight, by using the separately check-in counters as well. And so that, the airport service provided should be very effective and helpful to satisfy the demand of air passengers. However, the offer of very late check-in time for the long-haul passengers is less important. Besides that, most of the long-haul passengers prefer to check-in earlier than those in the short trips because of the greater penalty of missing flight and lower frequencies as well. 3.3.1.6) In-flight service: On the short-haul routes, the fact that the flight duration is short so that in-flight service often assumes a lower priority than frequency, punctuality and airport service in selection of airline decisions. However, it still can extremely important and directly influent to the passengers in-flight experiences. On the other hand, there are differences between the expectations for in-flight service on long and short haul flights. On the long-haul routes, the seating comfort on board, a separate cabin to allow for sleep and work, meal quality and in-flight entertainment are taken more concern from the passengers. 3.3.1.7) Direct flights for long-haul routes: Especially, a significant consideration alongside the frequency is often that there should be direct and non-stop flights available for the long-haul routes. In the competitive aviation industry, that is no longer the impossible expectations, as aircrafts manufactures have innovated with aircraft having longer and longer ranges so it has become possible to fly greater and greater number of the worlds air routes on a non-stop basic. Today, there is really no way for an airline operating a stopping service to compete for the high-yielding traffic with the competitors which are able to offer the direct, non-stop flights. 3.3.2) The differences between cooperate and independent travelers: This portion would differentiate the requirements of cooperate business travels and independent travelers. First of all, for the independent business travelers, the terms of frequency, timings, safety, punctuality, seat accessibility and ticket flexibility need to remain the same. Moreover, the independent travelers are more concern about the airfares cost than other factors such as standard of seating comfort and quality of in-flight meals. Next, the independent travelers will normally trade off the cheaper airfare because the tickets cost is coming out from their own pocket. Secondly, for the cooperate travelers, the attractive perk of the job and providing opportunities to enjoy free leisure flights are considered more important than the benefits of frequent flyer points. 3.4) Form the alliances to enhance customer satisfaction: In this part, it mainly concentrates on the airlines alliance which is the important factors to improve the customer satisfaction and develop the airlines business. Otherwise, the theories are based on the explanations of reliable authors and other academic articles on the same researchs topic. 3.4.1) Introduce to airlines alliances: Shaw, S (2004), the air carriers have usually preferred the comfort of co-operative rather than competitive relationships. In 1993, KLM and Northwest Airlines announced their desire to create a strategic partnership. Then, the United States government gave them immunity from the US Anti-Trust laws, which it did following the signing of an Open Skies agreement between the US and Netherlands governments. After that, the two national airways, Lufthansa and United Airlines proposed to join hand with KLM and Northwest Airlines to become the Star Alliance in 1995. Again, the Anti-Trust was available between US and Germany governments. In additional, Star Alliance grew rapidly in terms of the number of members it had, with it currently consisting of 27 member airlines in 2010. Alongside the available of Star Alliance, there were other formations of airlines alliance such as One World alliance and Skyteam alliance. Likewise, the formation of One World alliance by British Airways (BA), American Airlines (UA) and Cathay Pacific (CX) was announced in one year after the establishment of Star Alliance. Besides that, the evaluation of the modern alliance was completed in 1999 when Air France and Delta Airlines formed the Skyteam Alliance. Otherwise, Thompson, A. and Strickland, A, J. (2004) stated that airlines which enter alliances to gain competitive advantage. These are the following main motivations to make the airline companies enter alliances. To gain the technology knowledge and experience To enter a new markets To better exploit economies of scale Having said this, it is quite obvious that airlines which enter into co-operative alliance relationships are seeking cost reductions. Next, if the alliance members can negotiate together, this may help to increase their power to bargain with the suppliers of airport services. Next, According to Chareonsup, N. (2006), the strategic alliances become increasingly important in the very competitive aviation industry. This study mainly focuses on key success factors in managing strategic alliances for Thai Airways International as member of Star Alliance. Particularly in the global airlines industry, the strategic alliances enable the small firms to face with the difficulties, while also the large firms are still able to obtain their benefits, while remaining small. As the small airline carrier of the Star Alliance, Thai Airways is considered as an available opportunity to understand and investigate strategic alliances in clearer picture. Lastly, upon the result of this research, it can be concluded that Thai Airways has a high potential to adapt itself in a big alliances. 3.4.2) Definition of airlines alliances: According to Yoshino, M, Y. and Rangan, U, S. (1995), alliances are defined as the long-term beneficial relationship between two or more airline organizations. Besides that, these airline companies have agreed upon achievement to meet a critical business need while staying independent of each other. Next, it is a synergistic agreement between two or more airline organizations agree to cooperate in carrying out of business activity where each brings different strengths and abilities to the agreement. Moreover, Sawler, J, H. (2000), has tried to define of strategic alliances in a clearer picture. It is defined as the relationship between two or more airline firms that involves the sharing of resources: capital, technology, experience, distribution network, etc., in which is involved with cooperative activities which go beyond ordinary arms length transaction, but fall short of mergers. 3.4.3) The benefits of customer from airlines alliances: Kleymann, B. and Seristo, H. (2004), this part will get an idea of the Alliance Markers views and analyze how the airlines alliances bring more benefits to their customers. Besides that, this portion is based on the interviews with senior airline executive (Vice-president up to Deputy CEO Levels) involved in alliancing. Bob Ayling, Chief Executive of British Airways, said: his customers have shared with him they prefer airlines to work together to increase the standard of services across the world. Furthermore, alliances bring together leading airlines to maximize the benefits for customers, employees and shareholders. Don Carty, Chief Executive of American Airlines, said: the purposes that they started the alliance are to enhance the travel experience for the customers, improve the competitive position of their respective airlines and thus provide opportunities for their employees, as well as create value for their shareholders by building the worlds premier airline network. Kevin Benson, Chief Executive of Canadian Airlines, said: One world alliance will deliver unrivalled benefits across our partner airlines, ensuring that the customers are recognized across all airlines as if they were their own. David Turnbull, Chief Executive of Cathay Pacific Airways, said: This alliance is superb news for Cathay Pacifics customers and those of our partner alliances. Customers travelling on Oneworld will receive the highest levels of services and product available. James Strong, Chief Executive of Qantas Airways, said: Oneworld alliance will provide each of them with a great opportunity to provide worldwide high quality service to customers through airline partners acknowledged as world leaders in the airlines industry. In additional, Doganis, R. (2001), stated that the airlines alliances produce more benefits for the air-passengers such as arise from higher frequencies, offer more available destinations with on-line connections with airlines in the same alliance, improve the transfer times and levels of in-flight and ground service, as well as more attractive of loyalty schemes. As so far, alliance may lead to lower operating cost for the airlines through the realization of cost synergies, so that customers will likely have chance to grab the lower airfare easier if any cost saving are reflected in the lower fare. This portion is ended with the case study of Airlines industry partnership which also analyzed the customers benefits from airlines alliances clearly. Customer benefits from partnership include seamless travel with association between connections, sharing of airport lounges, and cross-use of frequent flyer programmes where customers will have chance to enjoy the lower average airfares from airlines within the alliances due to the power of partnership as well. Besides that, the latter open-skies model of partnership has facilitated the reduction in fares through cooperative pricing which gives a certain amount of benefit to each partner. At the same time, most of the partnership shares routes and operates the code-share routes (passengers could buy a ticket for one airline and end up on a plane of the other partners) so that customers may have chances to enjoy travel experiences with different airlines in the same alliance. (Donaldson, B. and Toole, T, O. 2007). 3.5) Competition leads to the development of service quality: 3.5.1) Definite the competition: Pride, W, M. Hughes, R, J. and Kapoor, J, R. (2008), business competition is essential a rivalry among businesses for sales to potential customers. Moreover, competition also ensure that the airlines will survive only if it is able to serve and satisfy customers well by providing products and services that meet needs. 3.5.2) Porters Five Forces framework: Porter, (1998), the five forces comprises threat of new entrance, bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, threat of substitute as well as competitive rivalry, as show in the figure 1.4. Furthermore, the framework helps to identify the sources of competition in the airlines industry as to facilitate the development of service quality for the airlines to serve passengers better. New Entrants Deregulation of airlines More airlines serving the region Emergence of budget carriers Bargaining Power of Supplier Aircraft Manufacturers Travel Agent Internet Fuel suppliers Buyers Power Wide choice of airlines (low switching costs for passengers) Customers have stronger bargaining power Rivalry in the Industry Increasing number of international flights Load factors utilization Price wars due to load factors Advertising campaigns Substitutes Teleconferencing and video conferencing Email Interstate transportation modes for domestic carriers rail, bus, car Figure 1.4: Porters Five Forces Framework Industrial Analysis Source: Adopted from Porter, M, E., Competitive strategy: Techniques for analyzing industries and competitors. 3.5.2.1) Threat of new entrants: In the airlines industry, the threat of new entrants is low due to the barriers to entry such as high capital, costs of training and differentiated products. On the other hand, opening sky policy contributes to stimulate the potential cross passenger service between the airlines and the new entrants. 3.5.2.2) Bargaining power of supplier: Buyers are more willing to switch suppliers due to low switching cost and diverse source of supply that is available (Grant, 2005). Today, airlines are willing to switch between two giant suppliers, Airbus and Boeing due to the expectation in modern aircrafts in term of high load factor, less fuel consumption, CO2 emission and quieter engines. 3.5.2.3) Bargaining power of buyers: Although customers are able to book the air-tickets online due to the high technology systems, travel agencies constitute a major portion of the customer base to the industry. Besides that, these travel agencies have the strong chances to influent customers who have no strong brand preferences as to what travel decision they should make. Next, travel agencies understand their advantage position in the industry therefore they use their high bargaining power with airlines to get the better deals in area such as extra commission. Moreover, due to the bargaining power, travel agencies have the authorization to offer some special kinds of fare which customers are unable to book by other ways. Like, for a group of travelers, customers will have chance to book the GV2 tickets (from 2 passengers and above take the same return flight and date) or GV10 tickets which is offered specially by Singapore Airlines (from 10 passengers and above take the exactly same return flight and date). And of course, the airfares cost should so much be cheaper compare with the basic single air ticket. Finally, travel agencies are using their bargaining power effectively to earn extra commission and help the travelers to get better deals with airlines as well. 3.5.2.4) Threat of substitute: The improvement of technology is also one of the threats to the airlines industry today. Likewise, the online business communication technologies are considered as an alternative to travel. Next, the high usages of international calls lead to the reduction in business travel as well. 3.5.2.5) Competitive rivalry: The rivalry among existing players in the market is the dominant force in the framework. The intensity of rivalry which is the most obvious of the five forces in t

Night World : The Chosen Chapter 15

The sound of her own voice sent Rashel spinning out of the light. It was as if she were emerging from deep water- from one world into another. Or as if she were re-entering her own body. For a moment everything was confusion, and Rashel wasn't sure of where she was or how she was positioned†¦ and then she felt her arms and legs and saw yellow light. Lamplight. She was in an upstairs room in a mansion on a private island, and Quinn was holding her. They had somehow ended up on the floor, half kneeling, half supported by the wall, their arms around each other, Rashel's head on his shoulder. She had no idea when he'd stopped biting her. She also had no idea how much time had passed. She coughed a little, shaken by what had just happened. That other place, with the light-it still seemed more real than the hard shiny boards of the floor underneath her and the white walls of the room. But it also seemed encased in its own reality. Like a dream. She didn't know if they would ever be able to get back there again. â€Å"Quinn?† He was Quinn again. Not John. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Do you know what happened? I mean, do you understand it?† â€Å"I think,† he said, and his voice was gentle and precise, â€Å"that sharing blood can strengthen a telepathic bond. I've always been able to block it out when I fed before, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He didn't finish. â€Å"But it happened that other time. Or something like it happened. When I first met you.† â€Å"Yes. Well. Well, I think it's†¦ there's something called†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He gave up and resorted to nonverbal communication. There's something called the soulmate principle. I've never believed in it. I've laughed at people who talked about it. I would have bet my life that- â€Å"What is it, Quinn?† Rashel had heard of it, too, especially recently. But it wasn't something from her world, and she wanted a Night Person to explain. It's the idea that everyone has one and just one soul-mate in the world, and that if you find them, you recognize them immediately. And†¦ well, that's that. â€Å"But it's not supposed to happen between humans and Night People. Right?† There are some people who think that it is happening-now-for some reason-especially between humans and Night People. The Redferns seem to be getting it in particular. There was a pause, then Quinn said aloud, â€Å"I should probably apologize to some of them, actually.† He sounded bemused. Rashel sat up, which was difficult. She didn't want to let go of Quinn. He kept hold of her fingers, which helped a little. He looked more mussed than he had down near the wharf, his neat hair disordered, his eyes large and dark and dazed. She met his gaze directly. â€Å"You think we're soulmates?† â€Å"Well.† He blinked. â€Å"Do you have a better explanation?† â€Å"No.† She took a breath. â€Å"Do you still want to make me a vampire?† He stared at her, and something flamed and then fell in pain in his eyes. For an instant he looked as if she'd hit him-then all she could see was regret. â€Å"Oh, Rashel† In one motion he caught her and held her. His face was pressed to her hair. She could feel him breathing like some stricken creature-and then she felt him regain control, grabbing discipline from somewhere, wrapping himself in it. He rested his chin on her head. â€Å"I'm sorry you have to ask that, but I understand. I don't want to make you a vampire. I want-â€Å" I want you to be what you were two minutes ago. That happy, that idealistic†¦. He sounded as if it were something that had been lost forever. But Rashel felt a new happiness, and a new confidence. He had changed. She could sense how much he had changed already. They were in the real world, and he wasn't raving about needing to kill her, or her needing to kill him. â€Å"I just wanted to be sure,† she said. She tightened her own arms around him. â€Å"I don't know what's going to happen-but as long as we're right together, I think I can face it.† I think we live or die together from now on, Quinn said simply. Yes, Rashel thought. She could still feel lingering sadness in Quinn, and confusion in herself, but they were right together. She didn't need to doubt him anymore. They trusted each other. â€Å"We have to do something about the people downstairs,† she said. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"But we can't kill them.† â€Å"No. There's been enough killing. It has to stop.† Quinn sounded like a swimmer who'd been tumbling in a riptide, and whose feet had finally found solid ground. Rashel sat up to look at him. â€Å"But we can't just let them walk out of here. What if they try it again? I mean, whoever set this bloodfeast up†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She suddenly realized that she had asked everybody else, but not him. â€Å"Quinn, who did set this up?† He smiled, a faint echo of his old savage smile. Now it was grim and self-mocking. â€Å"I don't know.† â€Å"You don't know?† â€Å"Some vampire who wanted to get the made vampires together. But I've never met him. Lily was the go-between, but I'm not sure she knows either. She only spoke to him on the phone. Neither of us asked a lot of questions. We were doing it for the money.† He said it flatly, not sparing himself. And to be rebellious, Rashel thought. To be as bad and as damned as possible, because you figured you might as well. She said, â€Å"Whoever it is might just go somewhere else and find somebody else to get his slaves for him. Those seven guys could be having a new bloodfeast next month.† â€Å"That has to be stopped, too,† Quinn said. â€Å"How to stop it without violence, that's the question.† His fingers were still tight on Rashel's, but he was staring into the distance, lost in grim and competent thought. It was a new side of Quinn. Rashel had seen him in almost every mood from despairing to manic, but she had never worked with him before. Now she realized that he was going to make a strong and resourceful ally. Suddenly Quinn seemed to focus. â€Å"I've got it,† he said. He smiled suddenly, mocking but without the bitterness. â€Å"When violence won't work, there's no other choice but to try persuasion.† â€Å"That's not funny.† â€Å"It's not meant to be.† â€Å"You're going to say, ‘Please don't kill any more young girls'?† â€Å"I'm going to say, ‘Please don't kill any more young girls or I'll report you to the Joint Council.' Listen, Rashel.† He took her by the arms, his eyes flashing with excitement. â€Å"I have some authority in the Night World-I'm the Redfern heir. And Hunter Redfern has more. Between us, we can make all kinds of trouble for these made vampires.† â€Å"But Fayth-a friend of mine-said they were all so powerful.† In the intensity of the moment, Rashel almost missed the fact that she'd just called Fayth her friend. Quinn was shaking his head. â€Å"No, you have to understand. These aren't rogues, they're Night World citizens. And what they're doing is completely illegal. You can't just kill a bunch of girls from one area without permission. Slavery's illegal, bloodfeasts are illegal. And no matter how powerful they are, they can't stand up against the Night World Council.† â€Å"But-â€Å" â€Å"We threaten them with exposure to the Council. With exposure to Hunter Redfern-and to the lamia. The lamia will go crazy at the thought of made vampires getting together in some kind of alliance. They'll take it as a threat of civil war.† It might work, Rashel was thinking. The made vampires were just individuals-they'd be up against whole lamia families. Especially against the Redfern family, the oldest and most respected clan of vampires. â€Å"Everybody's scared of Hunter Redfern,† she said slowly. â€Å"He's got tremendous influence. He practically owns the Council. He could run them out of the Night World if he wanted. I think they'll listen.† â€Å"You really do think of him as a father, don't you?† Rashel said, her voice soft. She searched Quinn's eyes. â€Å"Whatever you say about hating him-you respect him.† â€Å"He's not as bad as most. He has†¦ honor, I guess. Usually.† And he's a New Englander, Rashel thought. That means he's against vice. She considered another moment, then she nodded. Her heart was beating fast, but she could feel a smile breaking on her face. â€Å"Let's try persuasion.† They stood-and then they paused a moment, looking at each other. We're strong, Rashel thought. We've got unity. If anyone can do this, we can. She picked up her knife almost absent-mindedly. It was a piece of art, a valued possession, and she didn't want to lose it. They walked down the stairs side by side. Music was still blasting from the gathering room at the end of the hall. It hadn't been that long, Rashel realized. The whole world had changed since she'd been in this hallway-but somehow it had all happened in minutes. Now, Quinn said silently before they went in. There shouldn't be any danger-/ don't think they'll be stupid enough to attack me-but be alert anyway. Rashel nodded. She felt cool and businesslike, and she thought she was perfectly rational. It was only later that she realized they had walked into the room like little lambs into the tiger's lair, still dizzy and reeling from the discovery of love. Quinn went in first and she could hear voices stop as he did. Then she was walking through the door, into that ruddy flickering room with shadows dancing on the walls. And there they were again, those handsome young guys who looked like a TV-series ensemble. They were looking at Quinn with various expressions of interest and surprise. When they saw her, the expressions sharpened to pleasure and inquiry. â€Å"Hey, Quinn!† â€Å"Hi there, Quinn.† â€Å"So you've arrived at last. You've kept us waiting long enough.† That from the dark one who was looking at his watch. Quinn said, â€Å"Turn off the music.† Someone went to a built-in mahogany cabinet and turned off an expensive stereo. Quinn was looking around the room, as if to appraise each of them. â€Å"Campbell,† he said, nodding slightly. â€Å"Radhu. Azarius. Max.† â€Å"So you're the one who brought us here,† Campbell said. He had rusty hair and a sleepy smile. â€Å"We've all been dying to find out.† â€Å"Who's that?† someone else added, peering at Rashel. â€Å"The first course?† Quinn smiled fractionally, with a look that made the guy who'd asked step backward. â€Å"No, she's not the first course,† he said softly. â€Å"In fact, unfortunately, all the courses have disappeared.† There was a silence. Everyone stared at him. Then the guy with the silver-blond hair said, â€Å"What?† â€Å"They've all-just-disappeared.† Quinn made an expressive gesture. â€Å"Escaped. Vanished.† Another silence. Rashel didn't like this one. She was beginning to get an odd impression from the group, as if she were in a room, not with people, but with animals that had been kept past their feeding time. â€Å"What the hell are you talking about?† the dark one, the one Quinn had called Azarius, said tightly. â€Å"What kind of joke is this?† Campbell added. â€Å"It's not a joke. The girls who were brought for the bloodfeast are gone,† Quinn said slowly and distinctly, just in case anybody hadn't gotten it yet. Then he said, â€Å"And as a matter of fact, it's a good thing.† â€Å"A good thing? Quinn, we're starving.† â€Å"They can't have gone too far,† the silver blond said. â€Å"After all, it's an island. Let's go and-† â€Å"Nobody's going anywhere,† Quinn said. Rashel moved closer to him. She was still nervous. These guys were on the edge of getting out of control. But she trusted Quinn, and she could tell they were afraid of him. And, she told herself, they'll be even more afraid in a minute. â€Å"Look, Quinn, if you brought us here to-† â€Å"I didn't bring you here. In fact, I don't know who brought you here, but it doesn't matter. I've got the same thing to say to all of you. There isn't going to be any bloodfeast, now or ever. And anybody who objects to that can take their problem to the Council.† That shut everyone up. They simply stared at Quinn. It was clearly the last thing they expected. â€Å"In fact, if you don't want the Council to hear about this, I'd advise everybody to go home quietly and pretend it never happened. And to have a headache the next time anybody asks you to a bloodfeast.† This silence was broken by somebody muttering, â€Å"You dirty†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Meanwhile, Rashel's mind had begun to tick. Just how were these guys going to go home quietly? There weren't any boats. Unless the host brought one when he came-if he came. And where was he, anyway? And where was Lily? â€Å"Quinn,† she said softly. But somebody else was speaking. â€Å"You'd tell the Council?† a lean tough-looking guy with brown hair asked. â€Å"No, I'd let Hunter Redfern tell the Council,† Quinn said. â€Å"And I don't really think you want that. He might put it in a bad light. Raise your hands everybody who thinks Hunter Redfern would approve of this little party.† â€Å"Do I get a vote?† The voice came from the doorway. It was deeper than the voices of the young guys in the room. Rashel recognized the sound of danger instinctively and turned. And later it seemed to her that even before she turned, she knew what she would see. A tall man standing easily, with a girl and a child behind him in the shadows. He was colored by the flickering ruby light of the fire, but Rashel could still see that his hair was red as blood. And his eyes were golden. Golden like hawk's eyes, like amber. Like Lily Redfern's eyes. Why hadn't she realized that before? The face was a face she would never forget. It came to her every night in her dreams. It was the man who'd killed her mother. The man who'd chased her through the climbing structure, promising her ice cream. All at once, Rashel was five years old again, weak and helpless and terrified. â€Å"Hello, Quinn,† Hunter Redfern said. Quinn was absolutely still beside Rashel. She had the feeling that he couldn't even think. And she understood why. She'd seen into his mind; she knew what Hunter represented to him. Stern necessity, even ruthlessness, but honor, too. And he was just now finding out that that was all a lie. â€Å"Don't look so upset,† Hunter said. He stepped forward with an amiable smile. His golden eyes were fixed on Quinn; he hadn't even glanced at Rashel yet. â€Å"There's a reason for all this.† He gestured to the vampires in the room, and his voice was gentle, rational. â€Å"We need allies in the Council; the lamia are getting too lax. Once I've explained it all to you, you'll understand.† The way he'd made Quinn understand that Quinn had to be a vampire, Rashel thought. The way he'd made Quinn understand that humans were the enemy. She was shaking all over, but there was a white-hot fire inside her that burned through the fear. â€Å"Was there a reason for killing my mother?† she said. The golden eyes turned toward her. Hunter looked mildly startled. Beside her, Quinn's head jerked around. â€Å"I was only five, but I remember it all,† Rashel said. She took a step closer to Hunter. â€Å"You killed her just like that-snapped her neck. Was there a reason for killing Timmy? He was four years old and you drank his blood. Was there a reason for killing my great-aunt? You set a fire to get me, but it got her.† She stopped, staring into those predatory golden eyes. She'd searched for this man for twelve years, and now he didn't seem to recognize her. â€Å"What's wrong, did you hunt too many little kids to keep track of?† she said. â€Å"Or are you so crazy you believe your own public image?† Quinn whispered, â€Å"Rashel†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She turned. â€Å"I'm sure. He was the one.† In that instant, she saw Quinn's face harden implacably against the man who'd made him a Red-fern. His eyes went dark as black holes-no light escaped. Rashel suddenly had the feeling of glacial cold. Look into eyes like that and what you saw alone might kill you, she thought. But she had her own fire inside her, her own vengeance. The knife was in her waistband. If she could just get close enough†¦. She moved toward Hunter Redfern again. â€Å"You destroyed my life. And you don't even remember, do you?† â€Å"I remember,† the little shadow beside him said. And then the world flipped and Rashel felt the floor slipping away from her. The child behind Hunter was walking into the light-and suddenly she could smell plastic and old socks, and she could feel vinyl under her hands. Memories were flooding up so quickly that she was drowning in them. All she could say was â€Å"Oh, Timmy. Oh, God, Timmy.† He was standing there, just as she'd seen him last, twelve years ago. Shiny dark hair and wide tilted blue eyes. Except that the eyes weren't exactly a child's eyes. They were some strange and terrible combination of child and adult. There was too much knowledge in them. â€Å"You left me,† Timmy said. â€Å"You didn't care about me.† Rashel sank her teeth into her lip, but tears spilled anyway. â€Å"I'm sorry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Nobody cared about me,† Timmy said. He reached up to take Hunter's sleeve. â€Å"No humans, anyway. Humans are vermin.† He smiled his old sweet smile. Hunter looked down at Timmy, then up at Quinn. â€Å"It's amazing how quickly they learn. You haven't met Timmy, have you? He's been living in Vegas, but I think he can be useful here.† He turned to Rashel and his eyes were pure evil. â€Å"Of course I remember you. It's just that you've changed a little; you've gotten older. You're different from us, you see.† â€Å"You're weak,† Lily put in. She had stepped forward, too, to stand beside her father. Now she linked her arm in his. â€Å"You're short-lived. You're not very bright, and not very important. In a word, you're†¦ dinner.† Hunter smiled. â€Å"Well put.† Then he dropped the smile and said to Quinn, â€Å"Step away from her, son.† Quinn moved slightly, closer to Rashel. â€Å"This is my soulmate,† he said, in his softest and most disturbing voice. â€Å"And we're leaving together.† Hunter Redfern stared at him for several long moments. Something like disbelief flickered in his eyes. Then he recovered and said quietly, â€Å"What a shame.† Behind Rashel there were noises of stirring. It was as if a hot wind from the savanna had blown in, and the lions had caught its scent. â€Å"You know, I was already worried about you, Quinn,† Hunter said. â€Å"Last summer you let Ash and his sisters get away with running out on the enclave. Don't think I didn't notice that. You're getting lax, getting soft. There's too much of that going around lately.† Stand back to back, Quinn told Rashel. She was already moving into position. The vampires were forming a ring, encircling them. She could see smiles on every face. â€Å"And Lily says you've been strange these last few days-moody. She said you seemed preoccupied with a human girl.† Rashel drew her knife. The vampires were watching her with the fixed attention of big felines watching their prey. Absolute focus. â€Å"But the soulmate idea-that's really the last straw. It's like a disease infecting our people. You understand why I have to stamp it out.† Hunter paused. â€Å"For old time's sake, let's finish this quickly.† A voice that wasn't Quinn's added in Rashel's mind, / told you I'd see you later. Rashel stood on the balls of her feet, letting Hunter's words slide off her and drip away. She couldn't think about him right now. She had to concentrate on awareness, open her energy, and free her mind. This was going to be the biggest fight of her fife, and she needed zanshin. But even as she found it, a small voice inside her was whispering the truth. There were simply too many vampires. She and Quinn couldn't hold them all off at once.