Rabindranath Tagore Contribution Towards Education

What are the contributions of Mahatma Gandhi in Education? SWASTIK Historical Development of Basic Edcuation Mahatma Gandhi explained the concept of Basic Education through a series of articles in his Harijan magazine in 1937. In the conference at Wardha after a detailed discussion about Gandhiji's articles the scheme of Basic Education took shape under the leadership of Dr. Zakir Hussain. The following four resolutions were passed. (i) Free and compulsory education should be given to all children for a period of seven years. (ii) The medium of instruction should be the mother tongue, iii) The process of education should be centred round some form of manual production work in the shape of a craft. (iv) This education should be self-supporting to some extent. The Central Advisory Board of Education set up a Committee under the Chairmanship of Sri B. G. Kher to suggest measures for implementing these resolutions. Then another Committee was appointed under the same Chairman to recommend action coordinating the Basic Education with higher education. The recommendations of both these Committees were approved by the CABE and included in the Report on Post-war Educational Development in India. Also read: Woman Unknown by Rabindranath TagoreIn 1944, although Govts, both at the national and state levels accepted Basic Education as the national pattern, progress in its implementation was not satisfactory. Merits of Basic Education (1) Work as a central place: Since work occupies a central place in life, it had an important place in Basic Education. Dignity of labour was emphasized by him and work was made an integral part of this education. (2) A new method of teaching: Through Basic Education Gandhiji introduced a new method of teaching. This method is to teach all subjects through crafts and taken as activity-centred meant to free children from tyranny of words and cramming. 3) Self-supporting education: As a corollary to craft-centred education, it was visualized by Gandhiji that schools need be self- supporting. The carfts organized scientifically would result in more production and the sale-proceeds must fetch a good income. (4) Socially sound system of education: Basic education was sound sociologically. The then class-labour and chasm between mental and physical labour and the spirit of dependence on others were required to be removed from the society. In short, Basic education was intended to eradicate many ills of the society. 5) Training for Citizenship: Basic education was providing for training students in democratic living and practices. It was aiming at forming positive attitudes, creating interests and appreciation, developing understanding and imparting skills in citizenship. On the whole, it was a training citizenship. Drawbacks in Basic Education (1) Selection of Crafts: Since craft was occupying an important place in Basic school curriculum, selection of a suitable craft was determining the success and efficiency of Basic Education. But most of the schools followed the trodden path or tereotyped process without bothering for the local conditions and needs. For example, in the areas where cotton was not grown and had to be brought from a long distance, weaving was introduced as a craft even in those areas. (2) The Principles of Correlation: In Basic schools every subject was being taught through a craft. The principle of correlation was tried to be adopted in all subjects, but in real situation it was done as a ritual without any sincerity or seriousness. In fact, correlation was a slogan and fiction. (3) The Idealism of self-sufficiency:It was complained that the schools cannot be made self-sufficient with the production by children. The concept of self-sufficiency was thought to be idealism and was not emphasized by most of the teachers and inspecting officers. Products by unskilled hands were not selling well and fetching adequate income. Rather Basic Schools were more expensive than traditional schools. (4) The Principles of Equality: Although Basic Education was visualized to be socially sound for removing the existing disparities, it was rather aggravating the situation.It was tending to be meant for the ch ildren of poor labourers and farmers only and children of high class families were not going to these schools. The gulf between poor and rich classes rather widened due to Basic Education. (5) Proper Orientation and Understanding: Basic schools called for highly qualified and well-equipped teachers for properly teaching subjects through correlation and organizing crafts with efficiency. But in fact many teachers employed in such schools were lacking proper understanding of the Basic Education principles and desired orientation with the idealism or values impregnated in the system.Present Condition Although Basic Education faced a sorry state of affairs many of its principles are still appreciated for their practical value and psychology as well as sociological importance. The Kothari Commission, 1964-66 endorsed a large number of its essential features like work experience, community living, community service, citizenship training, world brotherhood, social and spiritual values and integrating knowledge with experience and so no. After a lapse of more than three decades a National Education conference was convened by Shriman Narayan at Sevagram in 1972 where Basic Education was praised by many.A resolution was passed with consensus of all Education Ministers and Vice Chancellors who attended the conference, â€Å"education at all levels should be imparted through socially useful and productive activity, linked with economic growth and development in both rural and urban areas†. The Iswarbhai Patel Committee supported most of the principles of Basic Education with great stress on work education or socially useful productive work. The UNESCO Commission Report â€Å"Learning to Be† also used the term Basic Education for Primary Education and laid emphasis on many forms of social and economic activities to be organized in the schools.The Basic Education system has been hailed as â€Å"the ideal solution for the reform of teaching methods in Indian S chools† by Dr. Gunnar Myrdal, the celebrated author of â€Å"Asian Drama† and as â€Å"one of the most interesting and promising developments in Indian Education† by Prof. Castle the renowned writer of â€Å"Education for self-help†. It goes without saying that India would have been a happier place at present, if the useful features of Basic Education had been given effect to with sincerity of all concerned.

Historical and cultural context Essay

All three of these stories create strange but similar atmospheres. Three similarities that these stories have is that they all took place around the 1880s/1890s,all three stories in the beginning always take place at 221B Baker Street, and all three stories seem to take place in and out of Victorian London. The mystery of â€Å"The Red-Headed League† takes place mainly around Victorian London and is described as very busy, crowded and swarming full of pedestrians. There are references to carriages, cellars and lanterns throughout the story so this will give you an image of the kind of atmosphere to expect. The way London is described it will probably strike people as it being old fashioned if you compare it from then and now when read. The value of money was different from then and now. In â€Å"The Red-Headed League† i 4 a week is seemed to be an awful lot, because most people in those days would maybe make that in a month or two. The story shows conflict between rich and poor people. The Blue Carbuncle is set in a few places around London, and has references to old buildings and carriages when Holmes and Watson are in the search of the goose. The background for all these stories reflects London of a hundred years ago. This was when forty percent of the population were servants. The police as you would notice belonged to lower social class and were poorly thought of at the time because of the inefficiency and corruption. Another feature in contrast to today is that the trains always seem to run on time, carriages are always there when needed and Holmes and Watson are never delayed by the traffic. The structures between all three stories do not seem to be all that different. All three stories have unusual and strange titles (The Speckled Band, The Red-Headed League, and The Blue Carbuncle) that intrigue the reader. The title gives you an idea to what the story will be about. They all have exciting openings, because they all start at 221B Baker Street with Holmes sitting down talking to a strange and mysterious person with Watson interrupting for the case to be retold and explained to us readers. When a new a new character is introduced it grabs the readers attention wanting to find out more so they keep on reading. In the beginnings of all three stories whenever Holmes is interrupted by Watson the new character will explain the case again so that Holmes will start to observe the person and make mental notes about him/her. Holmes is able to find clues just from the person and the clues are used to build up tension so that Holmes can make deductions. There are often flashbacks from the new character to give a history of them that will obviously be linked to the mystery. The dramatic ending for â€Å"The Speckled Band† was danger but justice was done as the villain had got what was coming to him. In â€Å"The Red-Headed League† the dramatic ending was that justice was done as the criminals were arrested and the dramatic ending for The Blue Carbuncle was not danger and nor was it justice done because the character had owned up to his mistake and said he had punishment enough. The points in short story structure (how the writer puts the text together) are as follows: Paragraph structure which is how the meaning is revealed from sentence, book structure which might affect the reader if the book is split into chapters, with language of implications and what is left unsaid, through the narrator which is how the story is told and with imagery which is how the emotions and scenes are built up. The language which is used for all three stories is quite old fashioned. The words and sentences seem confusing as they are not what we use today. For example instead of â€Å"Holmes said† like we would say now it is â€Å"said he†. The language is very different but understandable. The stories use old fashion words like: dog cart, would fain, forceps, whimsical, commissionaire, billycock, labyrinth, unimpeachable, deduce, inferences, foresight†¦ etc. The stories all give detailed descriptions for unusual objects, new strange characters and peculiar places by using similes and metaphors. Holmes and Watson both in the three stories use many similes and metaphors to give us descriptions of things. The dialogue is shown by Watson as he asks all the questions the reader wants to ask, and when Holmes impatiently explains what to him is obvious, Watson is acting on our behalf. The story gets retold just for us with more detailed language and more explanations.

The Effect of Lobbying on Public Opinion Research Paper - 1

The Effect of Lobbying on Public Opinion - Research Paper Example A big extent is the use of the right public relations tools to inform and more crucially, shape opinion. It involves influencing the public process of debates, discussions, and consultations in order to have good or favorable public opinion. In today's modern society, there is widespread use of lobbyists who are either volunteers or some people paid to speak on one's behalf as an advocate. In this regard, part of lobbying is the intent of influencing the legislative process by having favorable laws enacted in relation to a persons or groups special interests. Before a bill becomes a law, drafts are passed around with their justifications and aimed to judge a public reaction (OECD, 2009, p. 160). The public process – lobbyists are required to meet legislators several times. In some cases, lobbying brings about good results as it raises public awareness of certain issues. A good example is recent laws regarding the prevalence and dangers of school bullying which had not been noticed before until some students committed suicides due to bullying. In this instance, the parents are now re-assured their kids are safe at school because of the advocacy or lobbying by a parent of a bullying victim to introduce new laws or to persuade a legislator to vote in a certain way to approve the proposed bill against school bullying (Walston-Dunham, 2008, p. 63). On the other hand, the legislator has gotten a good idea of how public opinion stands on certain issues as relayed to him or her by the lobbyist or advocacy groups.  

Housing Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Housing Finance - Essay Example The housing financial sectors can play very essential and important roles in this process. As a policy officer I had great chances to work with governmental homes, communities, agencies and council of members of that particular locality. With respect to my vast experience in this field I have some views regarding housing and regeneration, which I want to share with the people of Chesterfield Derbyshire. The proposal for housing and regeneration is on account of the great demand of people who cannot forward their housing demands to the open market. The local council members have got the authoritative power of local housing. They are responsible for conducting researches and analysis regarding housing matters and trends. They organize funding for special housing schemes according to social environments. Moreover the environmental factors are very much related to housing and health policies. The awareness regarding these matters will enable to manage the housing and regeneration policies so perfectly. The center for planning and housing research often conduct seminars to verify the currently prevailing situation of housing and housing finance. This enables the housing and planning authorities to adopt methods and schemes to be implemented for the uplifting of the project. These types of seminars are too much worth since they can provide certain views regarding housing schemes and mortgage market. Sometimes these seminars are helpful for designing houses at affordable prices according to market trend. The main disadvantage of this process is the instability of the global economic condition. If the economic instability is prevailing for a prolonged period that will effect the housing and housing financial sector so inversely. In such situations the central and local ministry can do something positive to countercheck the falling trend in housing sector. The authorities of housing, financing, planning and regeneration can do a great deal if the governmental agencies are ready to supp ort them. This associated event will enable them to find out fresh alternatives to deal such unfavorable situations so successfully in both social and private housing sectors. The very common alternative at this juncture is to develop plans to construct houses at affordable costs irrespective of the economic down fall taking place globally. While undertaking this task the government must simultaneously launch measures to reduce the price hike and cost of living among common men, so that the government can succeed in bringing the poverty under control. All these miraculous measures are capable to make the ordinary people feel anything unfavorable with respect to economic recession taking place globally. Role of housing and planning research centers Housing and planning research centers can be commissioned by governmental authorities and community personnel. This is a very suitable suggestion to estimate the improved housing schemes. These innovative housing schemes can be made popularized among people of any concerned locality by providing them suitable awareness and advice. This is very essential to eradicate any existing misunderstanding among the people regarding housing and regeneration process. The advices and awareness class are capable to familiarize people about affordable schemes such as low and medium housing projects. The community planning division can

Media and popular culture in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Media and popular culture in China - Essay Example Chinese history and culture have always been difficult to understand for western intellectuals. Although trade relationships between China and the rest of the world had gone on for centuries, there is always the perception of that the country represents the other, the Orient. This construct is noted to be in complete contrast to the Occident. Seen in light of this dichotomy, while sentiments and views expressed by Chinese leaders might appear contradictory or paradoxical to the western observer, they are not necessarily so for the Chinese people themselves. Chinese leader Dengs statement to the party to â€Å"Guard against the Right, but primarily against the Left† can hence be interpreted to be logically and practically plausible. The rest of this essay will elaborate on this thesis. Ever since the communist revolution of 1945 and the rise to power of the Communist Party of China (CCP), Marxist-Leninist thought have been the backbone of much of public policy. Under the iron rule of Mao Zedong, although several millions of Chinese lost their lives through their acts of rebellion, communist ideology has been reverentially promoted both within the party and among the general public. This is not to say that there are no contradictions and countervailing tendencies within the party leadership. If anything, when one looks at the priorities of Chinese leadership during the last six decades, it is clear that their holding on to authority is of paramount importance. Whether communist principles get implemented through public policy has been secondary to monopolization of power. And since the greatest threat to power comes from popular movements, as opposed to business interests, Dengs warning against the Left makes perfect sense. Although, the tendency to repress and sub due the public have taken new modes in recent decades, it was frequent even during the reign of Mao Zedong, the founding leader of the CCP. In 1958, Mao introduced a highly

Injustice of air pollution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Injustice of air pollution - Research Paper Example These emissions can either be primary or secondary. Primary pollutants are directly from the source like: carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen. Secondary pollutants are produced in the air by the combination of two or more primary pollutants like: ozone, PAN and photochemical smog. The causes of air pollution are: emission of nitrogen oxide, carbon dioxide and sulfur oxide and these emissions can be mitigated in several ways such as locating the pollution in remote areas, reduction of sulfur oxide, and carbon dioxide. The injustices that air pollution has are that the pollution has its greatest effects amongst the minority groups, low income groups and low unemployment areas. Keywords: Air Pollution, Injustices, Pollution, Sulphur Oxide, Nitrogen Oxide, Carbon Monoxide, Carbon Dioxide, Pollutants The largest fraction of the biosphere is made up of the atmosphere, which is an active system which regularly absorbs different gases, solids, and liquids from both man-made and natural s ources. Gases, liquids, and solids travel in air, dispersing and reacting with one another, and other substances chemically and physically. These constituents find their way to receptors and depositories such as human beings and oceans respectively. Air pollution can be defined as the presence of unwanted substances in the air. ... The problems of air pollution are not evenly distributed; poor people and some racial and ethnical groups form the majority of people who face the high risks of pollutants and high amounts of air pollution. Rao asserts that, studies have proven that poorer people from certain racial and ethical backgrounds with low socioeconomic positions, and lack of the education are the most victims as they live near the main sources of pollution (1989). Studies by researchers have found that the risk of premature death from air toxicity as a result of the pollution has the greatest effects amongst the minority groups, such as African-Americans, in comparison to people of other races or ethnic groups. The socio-economic conditions of minority groups and people in third world countries have been associated with greater harm from the effects of air pollution. Fine particles in air have increased the overall risk of premature deaths. The risk of premature death doesn’t only affect the African- Americans, but also people who live in higher unemployment areas or high usage of transportation. A research carried out in 2008 shows that people who have poor quality of air and serious asthma went hand-in-hand in areas where Medicaid intake was high, but the areas with the highest Medicaid intake didn’t have a strong association with air pollution and asthma attacks (American Lung Association, 2012). A study shows that, in France there was no association of air pollution with low income and asthma attacks (American Lung Association, 2012). Through the study, researchers came to a conclusion and stated that there are three broad reasons why disparities exist. First, groups may have greater exposure to

Proposal Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Proposal Argument - Essay Example Indeed, such a twist of events has already been witnessed in Ohio in 2011 when a boy weighing two hundred pounds was taken away from his parental care and put in a rehabilitation home. Cleveland Weight authorities claimed the mother of the boy was putting the health of the boy at risk. The crucial question is whether parents should be held responsible for obese children. It is indisputable that the debate underlying the topic pertains to the question of nurture versus nature. Thus, in deciding whether parents should be held responsible for obese children, one should give considerations to the causes of obesity, questioning how large is the role of parents in making children obese. It is worth acknowledging that obesity is largely caused by dieting, among other factors that are informed by poor parental choices such as limited instillation for physical exercises in children lifestyles. Arguably, diet and lack of exercises are the major causes of obesity among children. Of all the abov e-mentioned factors, non-healthy eating is cited as the main cause of obesity, this is accounted for by the following reasons. According to Hellmich (56), people consume food without giving consideration to the number of calories in it. MacDonald’s meals comprise high amounts of calories that could, no doubt, result to obesity. For instance, Big Mac contains as significant as 500 calories, as well as 33 grams fat (Munger 1456). Even intriguing is the fact a large population of people are now consuming these kinds of foodstuffs. According to Hellmich (60), as significant as 80 percent of youths are overlooking the impact calories can have on their health by underestimating the amount of calories in their meals. This trend is attributable to the fact that many people prefer foodstuff with much sugar, fat and salt (Peta 34). During free times, many people would still opt to taking cookies and snacks. Besides that, most people watch television while eating these snacks. This crea tes a worrying situation since watching television fosters overeating. However, those opposed to the fact that parents should be held responsible for obesity of their children have asserted that there are various factors that cause obesity and which parents have no control over. This is particularly in reference to genetics. Indeed, according to Green and Hayakawa (503) genetic characteristics are considered to play an important role in triggering obesity incidences. Characteristics, such as high human appetite and slow rate at which a body carries out metabolic activities, are all determined by genes and as well as can be inherited. Under condition of food sufficiency, these two would work together and result in perfect obese conditions. Individuals found to consist of a gene associated with fat mass are considered more susceptible to obesity risks than those without the gene. Furthermore, obesity is associated with various syndromes, which are linked to genetic variations. These s yndromes include Prader Willi syndrome, Cohen Syndrome, Bardiet-Biedl Syndrome and MOMO syndromes. Of the People who experience obesity in their early ages, especially below ten, about seven percent contained one point of mutations in DNA. Studies have also pointed out that over eighty percent of children born to obese parents risked obesity by about 80 percent (Allison and Hayakawa, 506). Moreover, the hypothesis of the thrifty gene presupposes that

Summary of Empire as a Way of Life Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Summary of Empire as a Way of Life - Assignment Example As a means of understanding such a concept from an economic standpoint, the author details how the United States has used its power of empire through the decades as a means of extracting valuable raw materials from less powerful nations and nations under its ultimate influence. However, the extraction of cheap raw materials in and of itself is not enough to understand the full extent of how empire affects the nation. Appleman notes that the ultimate reflection of economic power defined from empire is the way that the nation acts towards the markets with which it seeks to sell its goods. This of course can be seen in the way the United States has behaved historically and even currently.Similarly, the article goes on to discuss the way that empire fundamentally affects the world view of the citizens of the imperial power. Naturally, this is done in a number of ways. The author discusses the role that media and specifically television can play in helping to create what is ultimately a t ype of alter-reality in which the citizen lives; fully believing that all of the benefits of freedom, low cost consumer goods, and a litany of other factors are merely the result of good fortune and a good model of governance rather than the direct byproducts of a powerful.From an analysis of the article and a consideration of its main topics and discussion, it has been understood by this reviewer that the author has perfectly described the system as it has and continues to exist within the United States. Although it may not be comfortable to think of the extravagance, cheap goods, and ultimate freedom that the American lifestyle engenders within the context of imperial conquest and prowess, the fact of the matter is that there is no more appropriate way to view the system. Moreover, a greater understanding of the determinants to American power as well as the prime motivation and constructs for the culture as it has grown and continues to develop does not exist. In this particular w ay, the given piece has helped to open the eyes of this author with regards to the full level and extent to which the concept and applications of empire affect nearly each and every aspect of both material and cultural/societal life within the United States. Similarly, another powerful argument that the author raises is with regards to the way in which American imperialism did not ultimately start with the Mexican American War as so many others historians and political scientists have pointed to. Rather, it has been within the very fiber of the American consciousness since first settlement took place. This is an important construct due to the fact that the reader should note that such a concept ties in directly with the idea of conquest and domination of the territory. Manifest Destiny, the American Civil War, the attacks on the Barbary Coast, and the forcible opening of Japan by Admiral Perry all fall into place and make a much clearer and complete sense to the reader within the context of such an understanding. In this way, the author truly interjects a level of analysis in seeking to detail

Secular law Essay Example for Free

Secular law Essay Incidents in which police officers shoot and kill citizens often provoke substantial controversy. And this is even more true where the shooting occurs as a consequence of a person’s own provocative behavior and in circumstances that be defined as amounting to a victim provoked shooting or a victim precipitated shooting. Where death occurs it may be victim precipitated homicide, and in other terms as suicide by cop. Despite the fact that such events are surprisingly common, the literature is unexpectedly sparse and is often, lacking in empirical study. Outside the law enforcement community, the existence of the phenomenon is not well known and is certainly too often seriously misunderstood. But understanding suicide itself will help to give some understanding to this type of assisted suicide and how it is seen in the eyes of a criminologist. First I want to examine the criminologist perspective of suicide and this was first introduced by Emile Durkheim with his research on suicide that laid the foundation for anomie or strain theory. Anomic suicide, he postulated, occurs when rapid or extreme social change or crisis threatens group norms. People become uncertain of the appropriateness of their behavior. This results in a state of confusion or normlessness. Durkheim’s examples referred to the higher suicide rates during wars and revolutions as well as during periods of economic recession, depression, or advancement. Durkheim considered fatalistic and anomic suicides as opposites, that is, the former reflecting over-control while the latter represents a lack of normative control. Criminologists have extended the idea of anomie or strain to account for the genesis of crime. Durkheim’s four types of suicide are: Egoistic, which is suicide resulting from a weakening of commitment to group values and goals, especially when the individual has come to rely on primarily upon his or her own resources. Altruistic, suicide precipitated by an over-commitment to group values and norms. Fatalistic, suicide derived from excessive regulation. And Anomic, suicide that occurs when rapid or extreme social change or crisis threaten group norms (Vowell May, 2000). In a historical perspective those who believe that the roster of victimless crimes ought to be thinned or eliminated argue that an essential trait of a democracy is that it extends freedom to all citizens so long as that freedom does not infringe upon the equivalent liberty of other people. Those holding this view assert that victimless offenses are outlawed primarily on moral and religious grounds. For example prostitution violates theological dictates condemning fornication and adultery. But most Western religions also condemn a considerable variety of other acts that the criminal law ignores, such as taking the Lord’s name in vain. Suicide also is abhorred in Catholic theology. In earlier times, suicides were declared criminal offenders, their goods confiscated, and their bodies buried in unhallowed ground at crossroads, with stakes driven through their hearts. These views no longer influence secular law. And it is argued, should any other facets of any group’s moral or religious beliefs be imposed by law on those who do not accept the group’s principles unless it can be shown that a particular action harms others. The opposing position holds that victimless crime is a faulty construct that in actual fact there is no such thing. Prostitutes, it is said, degrade women in genera, transmit AIDS and venereal diseases, disrupt families and support men who exploit them ruthlessly. Drug addicts, because of their habit, often are unable to engage regularly in productive work and steal from innocent victims (Schneider, 2000).

Reflection on Global Operation Management Essay Example for Free

Reflection on Global Operation Management Essay Pietra Rivoli who is an associate professor in the Georgetown University, specializes in finance and social issues, and is the author of the book, ‘The Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy’. The main reason which instigated Rivoli to write this book, was a speech a student had given at the Georgetown University, the student was severely criticizing globalization, and asking about who made the T-shirts they were wearing. She told some facts about child labor in India and Vietnam, which made everybody, sit up and think, including Rivoli. Rivoli then starts on a journey to find out some interesting facts about the origin of the T-shirt. Her case study starts in Texas at the home of Nelson Reinch, who produces enough cotton for more than 1.3 million T-shirts. Reinch and his colleagues control the whole world market of cotton, through hard work, determination, modern technology and much needed discounts from the government. Reinch was no where in comparison to the poor farmers in India and Africa, who did not have proper funds or government support in marketing their goods. Rivoli’s next stop was China, were she met a young woman Yuang Zhi, who spun the yarn for the fabric and sewed the shirt. This young lady worked for 50 hours a week, and earned nearly $150 per month. This woman’s working conditions were far better than the conditions in which women had to work previously in Manchester and England. This was probably the woman’s first encounter with independence and identity, which came in the form a paycheck, even though it was a small amount.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The most important point which was very surprising was that, throughout the world there must be millions of people who manufacture cotton, but the manufacturers from Texas were totally dominating the cotton industry, because of their shrewd manner by which they manage to avoid competition. These manufacturers manage to control the market by avoiding the labor market, which make the other manufacturers unable to compete with them due to no government and political assistance, lack of proper education and money. People who support globalization vow by the free trade of clothes, as it can be used to the advantage of the poorer countries. Rivoli was surprised to find that how recycled clothes from the USA were a rage in Tanzania. Used clothes from America get imported in huge quantities to Tanzania. Tanzania is a small country which was slowly proceeding towards a more liberal capitalist system from the socialist model. People are able to freely take part in the daily auctions of the clothes at the market place, and merchants are also making a mark for themselves in the cutthroat markets as consumers or retailers. Rivoli feels that free trade should be encouraged without any government or political interference in the markets. According to the author, United States is on the top of the market whereas Africa is at the bottom; she feels that USA will have a better chance to make progress economically if they give a reasonable chance of competition to other poorer countries. Tanzania is a proper example of how a free market should work, and these markets are extremely professional, but do not get acknowledged, because of the low capital raised through such markets, which is not significant. Two of the most important principles which need to be followed are that, government and political interference should not be there in any market. Another point is that the subsidy which US government gives the cotton manufacturers is indirectly harming other poorer countries. Rich people are becoming wealthier and the poor are becoming poorer. If the subsidies are reduced, the price of cotton can be increased, which would be beneficial to other poorer markets. Another important point which is a shock is that the clothes that people donate, are not given away freely to poor people, but are sold to middlemen for huge profits, which later land in the streets of   the Tanzania marketplace. Some of the most important principles which can be followed by other industries also are that free market in any trade should be encouraged, and people should have the power to voice their demands, meaning a free democracy should be prevalent to achieve a fruitful society. Government should support free trade in any industry, and should provide the necessary platform in the form of proper education and capital to help the markets grow. Some of the other reasons for the trouble that African industries are facing are the lack of proper authority, which is due to no proper education, corruption and insecurity. The author Rivoli made a very good job of the book, she was successful in exposing the secrets and complications of the cotton trade globally.   Her views on free trade and liberal democracy are very interesting, and should be followed by the authorities of the poorer countries for a better society. On the whole she succeeded in voicing her thoughts and opinions on the recycle market in Tanzania, and hopefully, their government will provide a strong platform for such global trades. References Kris Hundley, What a T-shirt Teaches Series., St Petersburg Times, 4 October 2007, http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/819871301.html?MAC=02bf1feb f29a46475f850792f7bc0fa9did=819871301FMT=FTFMTS=FTdate=author=pu b=printformat=1desc=What+a+T-shirt+teaches+Series%3A+BOOKS. Lauren Dorsey, Lauren Barbieri, Zack Thomas, ‘The Travelers of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy, by Pietra Rivoli’, 4 October 2007, http://www-learning.berkeley.edu/cipolat/PDF/ISF100E/Student%20Summaries/Rivoli.pdf.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Internet in Business

Advantages and Disadvantages of Internet in Business 50 years ago people started using the Internet in the world. With the development of internet, there arisen many accessories by the internet. The Taobao website is one of the commonly used websites in China, Which plays a leading role in Chinese e-commerce industry. People buy products online through Taobao. The Taobao Company made significant profits in recent years. In this report, it is going to display the advantages of using the Internet in Taobaos business. in the first part. In this part, the report mention about the Taobao GDP contribution, new management mode build up and job opportunities provided. In the second part, the report illustrates that the disadvantage of using the Internet in Taobaos business, in this part of view, the report points out the time-wasting, risk in internet shopping and negative impacts of business efficiency. This essay aims to analyze the advantages and the disadvantages of using the internet in Taobaos business. The advantages of using the internet in Taobaos business The first advantage is the GDP contribution by Taobao internet business. According to the online auction statistic from Chinese Network Information Center (CNNIC) in 2006, there were totally 12.27 million internet users in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou which are the top three cities in China. The data which included 3.3 million people who experienced the internet online transactions. It shows that there are huge internet-shopper populations in China, especially for the economic-booming cities. Taobao plays a leading role in e-commerce industry and gain plenty of loyalty customers, most of willing to introduce Taobao to their friends who attempt to go shopping in the internet. Under the large user volume, Taobao gives the reason why it can create GDP increasing. According to the data from 2008 China Online Shopping Report, Taobao occupied 67% of Chinese C2C market in 2005. Furthermore, in 2007, it owned 70.4% of online customers. Taobao could have more than 10 million RMB businesses only in one month. Taobao could bring more than 1 billion RMB to Chinese GDP. As the income, expenditure and output influence the GDP increase, thus, with Taobao development, more GDP increase could be bring. Nowadays, Taobao became an essential part of Chinese GDP increase. Taobao started Chinese internet shopping business model. Hoskins (2002) points out that the internet is absolutely cheaper than other traditional media. The internet market can cover the whole world customer. The internet business may generally replace the traditional businesses. Because Taobao belongs to e-commerce, the communication of the organization is not as same as those companies who operate in a specific space. In order to make communication sufficiently under business operation, Taobao is forced on the three main areas of management. First, Taobao create an online communication tool which is called Aliwangwang for Taobaos buyers and sellers. According to Trites (2008), Aliwangwang, which is ranked as the most satisfied service of Taobao, because the third party is unnecessary for the communications between sellers and buyers? Second, Taobao designed a new feedback system. Li el at. (2007) display that the sellers will give the feedbacks within a period of 14 days, the sellers reputation will be influenced by buyers feedbacks. If a seller got 10% dissatisfied feedback, the system will shut down the booth in two months. (Source: Research on Chinese C2C E-Business Institutional Trust Mechanism: Case Study on Taobao and Ebay.cn, 2007) In the figure 1 which displays above, it is clearly shows that the feedback mechanism in Taobao. All sellers in Taobao have to be evaluated by this feedback data, if any sellers more than 30% negative total negative feedback data, it means they could lost the chance to do business in Taobao. Third, the design of Taobaos website is attractive, the fashionable website design style always catch young peoples eyes, even a part of elder customers are willing to suffer Taobao because the website design style. Taobao divided products into different categories, such as men, women, baby, and electronic products. After click the guild link, the customer can find more details for the selling goods. It is easily and efficiently to find the products what they want. According to China Economic Analysis (2002), China has 7% unemployment rate almost reached the national unemployment rate warming level. Taobao provided job opportunities to the unemployment population. According to Li el at (2009), Taobao provided more than 600 thousands job opportunities. Among 570 thousand people enjoyed the employment chances provided by Taobao. Many sellers in Taobao traded their business as their careers and many of them had better lives depends on Taobao business. Under the stiff competition, there are a large of unemployment people with business vision but cannot find a job in top business companies. They use Taobao to fulfill their dream, some of them have their own clothes manufacturing factory after they started business in Taobao. For example, in 2009, the unemployment in Jiangsu Province located in the south of China has serious unemployment rate which shows 3.09 %. The data from the local government shows that Taobao offered 5.7 million job opportunitie s directly and more than 10 million job opportunities indirectly. Such as the development of Delivery Company, the needs of delivery employee must be increase.(Pan, 2001) The disadvantages of using the internet in Taobaos business Young people spend too much money on Taobao internet shopping. Because the selling prices in Taobao are cheaper than in the other places. According to Pan (2001), pricing has a significant influence for selling goods but with negative coefficient and absolute value. Because buyers cannot identify the goods visually, the high price goods are harder to sell. Beside, Majority of young people cannot afford the high price products which are sold in other shops. For this reason, they prefer to shop at Taobao. Moreover; many sellers on Taobao, who work as part-time, spend too much time on their business. When they concentrate on their Taobao business, their assignments form the company maybe delays. It is difficult to avoid the risks for the seller and buyer on Taobao. Kiang el at. (2009) discovers that the buyers have to accept the high risks for purchasing online. For this reason, this leads to a significant obstacle in internet commercial business. Credit card fraud problems, is caused by people who make business on the internet, are continuously increasing. Only after information flow, capital flow and logistics finished backflow, the business deal could be regarded as a completed transaction (Zhang, 2008). For the sellers risk, they have to responsible for some missing goods, even though the delivery companies compensate 50% of goods price. For customers risk, it is hard to post customers some electronic devices. Meanwhile, this kind of products is easy to be broken down. If the customers discovered the damage of the products, after they receive broken goods, they could not return the goods to the seller. The internet shopping makes the efficiency of Taobao decrease. According to Ray (2002), the organizational effectiveness has a significant influence on recruiting talented people and company development. According to Worthys (1962) organizational structure theory, there are two organization structural performances which are the flat organization structure and the tall organizational structure. Whatever the organization belongs to, the communication is always the important part of organizational development. Taobaos employees are separated in the whole of the world. The communication between employee and superior is difficult that the other companies. Even though when some problems arise, the employees can use the internet to communicate with Taobao headquarters. Because of the long distant, plenty problems cannot be solved immediately. Taobao have no too much hierarchical management level, but personally, it belongs to tall organization structure because the communication hard to tra nsmit to the top manager as fast as possible. For this reason, the organizational effectiveness could be influenced. The talented people could be affected by companys performance. Taobao could loss the technical support from those talent people. Conclusion This essay analyzes the advantages and the disadvantages of using the internet in business. The essay uses Taobao e-commerce website as an example. Based on the data from eight resources, the essay divides the whole article into two parts, the advantages of using internet in business and disadvantage of using internet in business. To analysis the reason why Taobao could rapidly increase in resent year and gain more market share. For positive influences, the first the report shows that Taobao is devoted to increase the Chinese GDP under large internet user number, and then the report analyze the new management mode running and management in Taobao. The last, decrease the unemployment rate in China be point out in the essay and how Taobao plays a key role in this social problems. In negative aspect, many people spend too much time and money on online shopping, because the young people do not how to balance their finance. Besides, internet business brings more risks between sellers and buyers, the report introduce the risk could arise in which aspect. Furthermore, internet business could influence the effectiveness of Taobao, the report analysis the reasons and explain the relationship between the talent people and organization efficiency.

Benedict :: essays research papers

Monte Cassino proved to be a most difficult location for Benedict’s new monastic community as many obstacles and impediments were cast in his path along the way to success. But Benedict was able to overcome each obstacle found in his path and became a better man because of his troubles and eventual triumph.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first of Benedict’s plights on the way to the founding of Monte Cassino proved to be a slight obstacle, but a foreshadow of what was to come. Benedict’s monks had been hard at work building cells in the abbey of the community, in the way of the continuance of the building was a large rock. The monks tried and tried to remove the rock with their own strength, but the rock simply would not budge. The reason for this hardship was simple in the eyes of the monks; the devil was hard at work. They then sent for the man of God, Benedict. With a simple blessing Benedict was able to dislodge the rock, making it quite easy for the monks to continue the building of the cells. Not only did this help in the actual physical building of the community, but it also gave the monks a glimpse of what was to come and a reinforced faith in their God and their leader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After this first obstacle it was clear that there were many more to follow. During the next stage of the building process the monks were hard at work building a particular higher. Benedict at the time was praying to God, when all of a sudden the Devil appeared to him and told Benedict that he was going to the monks. The monks unaware of this message continued to work when the next crisis occurred. The newly finished wall was toppled, and landed on a young child, who was a monk, instantly crushing him to death. The monks thinking this was an accident, reported the terrible news to Benedict. Benedict, a man of God, then bade the monks to bring the boy, in whatever state, to him. The monks obeying Benedict, did this and left Benedict to his prayers, and in that very hour, through prayer Benedict was able to revive the boy and set him and his monks back to work on the toppled wall! This recent triumph of Benedict not only proved to his monks that he was indeed an incr edible man of God, but it also proved to them that through the help of God Benedict would protect his monks and his community for the of the evil that is the Devil.

Musical Modernism with Claude Debussy, Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoe

Musical modernism can be seen as the time where music emerges its liberty from Romantic era style -that started in the late nineteen century to end of the Second World War- and gains new ideas and freedom. With the political turmoil and chaos that took over the European countries, -that lured countries into the First World War- composers and artists started to find, create more and new ways to express themselves. They eagerly began to discover the art of Eastern countries with the hope of finding new ways of expression. The changes in tonality, irregular rhythms, tone clusters, distressed and antagonistic melodies, the expressionist, abstract, unusual ideas over powers the music, the traditional structures recreated or composed with unusual techniques and music gains Non-Western elements. Therefore 20th Century Music shows its rebellion from Romantic era –and any other era in fact- and earns itself the name ‘The Modern era â€Å" and a new importance through this moveme nt in the history. In addition, with the modernist movement, music obtained more interest as a subject that it never had before. â€Å"I wanted from music a freedom which it possesses perhaps to a greater degree than any other art, not being tied to a more or less exact reproduction of Nature but to the mysterious correspondences between Nature and Imagination† Claude Debussy (1902) Roughly from the 1900’s, the music started to obtain a big role in people’s life with its new aspects and it was not only made to please the listeners but carried meanings about life itself. With the modernist movement emotions other than love, anger and joy has started to be portrayed more securely and concisely. Composers like Claude Debussy, Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg are very... ...s were his guard against to harmonic resolution in his music. He was mostly fascinated by the waltz and march rhythm’s - as he used these rhythms in most of his works- nevertheless with the title ‘Schoenberg’ he brought the same complex and irregular approach to these rhythms too. The irregular tempo’s that even shows differences from one bar to the other in a same piece and The rhythms, time signatures he used in his compositions changed continually. To conclude, these three revolutionary composers that I have analysed in this essay brought so many levels and layers to ‘Modern Music’. With their contributions Modern era was disconnected from romanticism. Without Debussy’s unique, enjoyable compositions, Stravinsky’s rhythmic and dynamic layers and new ideas, Schoenberg’s creative theories and revolutionary 12 tone system one can not think of a Modern era.

Personal Statement for School of Allied Medical Professions

For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in working as a healthcare professional.   Like most children, I was at first interested in the glamour of being a doctor, maybe a surgeon, and saving a person’s life each and every time I worked–just like every doctor on every television program for the last two generations, I would be both loved and respected by the people I treated.Over time, of course, a more realistic perspective came into being.   I learned that there were choices other than being the beloved and good-natured general practitioner and the witty and fascinating surgeon.This awareness has sharpened my interest in being a member of the healthcare profession, however, now that I am aware of just how many people contribute in so many different capacities.   Having learned more about the field of respiratory therapy, I am convinced that it is an area in which I can truly make a difference.Unlike many other areas in the healthcare professions, an individual with a baccalaureate degree in respiratory therapy can actually help people change their lives.At that level of study, a person can work either in clinical or non-clinical fields, opening a wide realm of possibilities for future careers from patient care to research to education.   Respiratory therapy requires its practitioners to be both skilled and educated, not only in the very basics of anatomy and physiology, but also in the use of a variety of physical skills and the knowledge to use wide range of sometimes complex equipment.I foresee this degree as one that will launch me on a long-term career in which being a therapist is only the beginning.   I know that I will be able to not only enjoy my work in this field; however, I also know that it will give me the opportunity to build on what I have learned and broaden the reach that I have to be of use to those in need.With a degree from OSU and the entry level licensure that such a degree will allow me to obtain, I know that I would possess the tools that would enable me to be in charge of my own professional destiny.This ability to grow and either diversify or specialize is of great importance to me.   I know that, as a student, it is impossible for me to learn all that I either need to or wish to learn at this level of education.   I have a curious nature and a drive to succeed, both of which should be of benefit in pursuing this lifelong dream of working in healthcare.I also feel that my desire to continue my studies in the future can only help me succeed in a rapidly progressing and changing field.   Continuing education units are not only required by many places of employment to maintain an individual’s position; in my opinion they are also a necessity to keep up with the improvements in techniques and technology if one is truly interested in continuing to serve one’s patients in the best manner possible.I believe that the program at Ohio State University will give me the background that I require to make an excellent start in my field of choice.   I feel that its limited intake of students would enable me to get the guidance that I would need to excel in the field of my choice when I enter the workforce.I also feel that I can benefit greatly from the wide variety of clinical experiences offered at OSU as I explore what area of respiratory therapy in which I can best offer my skills and knowledge.   Finally, I am excited by the opportunities for research and the possibility to sit for an entry-level licensure exam in my senior year.I realize that both of these opportunities will help me hit the ground running after graduation and help propel me forward as I pursue my future in respiratory therapy.At this point in my educational career, I have taken all of my general education requirements, including courses in biology, chemistry, calculus, physics, medical terminology, and others.   In this upcoming term I will be taking anatomy and physiol ogy.   I feel that my record as a student speaks for itself.From this point forward I realize that I must put all of my efforts into my education.   Studies in my major concentration will allow for few mistakes if I am to succeed in the future and will offer even fewer chances to correct mistakes if they are made.   With so few opportunities to enter the program I know it falls upon me not to waste the chance to finish this degree, if I am permitted the chance to begin.   I am sure that I have the drive to achieve the goals that I have set for myself, as long as I am given the guidance and the knowledge that I need to further myself in my studies.   I am confident that the program at OSU will help me further myself as a student and as a professional in the years to come and would value the chance to learn from such a skilled professional team.Previous to this term, I have taken the opportunity to volunteer at the Grant Medical Center, where I worked in the radiation oncolo gy department.   Although it was not a volunteer opportunity in respiratory therapy, the 50 hours of clinical observation that I did in that area allowed me to see the treatments for bladder cancer, uterine cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, and brain tumors.The experience both intrigued me and reinforced in me the desire to enter the healthcare field.   The patients’ will to survive and to thrive was astounding; the dedication that the people at Grant have to help them to survive and to thrive was inspiring.To be honest, such dedication was also a bit frightening, as it occurred to me that there was a great deal of work and personal investment that accompanied it.   While daunting, I know that I am equal to the task ahead, both as a student and as a future professional.I am confident that I have a lot to offer the healthcare profession and even more to offer the field of respiratory therapy.   I know that with my drive and my dedication to my studies that I can achi eve my dreams of working in the healthcare field and can also be an asset to the class with which I study.   I look forward to studying with your fine program in the future.

Schizophrenia and Depressed Mothers: Relational Deficits in Parenting

The nine-page paper on parenting capabilities as compared among the Schizophrenic, depressed and well mothers are profoundly interesting and insightful. Central to the profession of Social work is the structural unit which essentially pertains to the family. The mother’s role is one of the most foundational ingredients that make up a home because the general expectation is that she takes on more of the nurturing role than any of the members of the family.The article/research is said to be profoundly interesting because at the outset, despite some knowledge on depression or schizophrenia, the researches showed that there have been major areas that other studies missed especially pertaining on the parenting skills and practices when Schizophrenics or Clinically depressed mothers are the issue.The paper opens with what has been very obvious in the study of schizophrenia; that genetics or heredity is the primary and important issue with the etiology of the disorder. However, the a rticle is more than the previous discoveries on the influence of heredity. I wish to identify specifically what I find very important discoveries I made in the article.A. Because the article is a comparison between Schizophrenic and depressed mothers many details about their respective kinds of personality, lifestyles or manner of living were investigated separately and comparatively. For instance, frequency of hospitalization is more noted with the Schizophrenic women than with depressed ones (p.34). This is noteworthy because this information indicates the severity (in graduated scale) of their respective disorders. Of course compared to well-mothers, depressed ones are at risk, indeed. Hospitalization frequency is indicative of mothers who may have already been in trouble in a period of time.B. Pertaining to the depressed mothers’   Ã¢â‚¬Å"highly limited ability to demonstrate good parenting,† in that they are likely to have difficulty in providing structure and di scipline to their children,   which are exactly the things necessary and essential to develop children as well-adjusted and smart members of society. For example, inside the household, how will the mother do the routines in the morning concerning food preparation, attending to basic hygiene and health of children or even, when they become rowdy and quarrelsome with one another, how will she react to these scenarios? Weisman’s study pointedly mentions the main reason: the mother does not have the energy and the ability to be involved to do even very simple routinary disciplinary actions.C. Implications on these? It is necessary that mothers especially the Depressed for instance, must get the necessary help and that which must address the root cause or strike at the heart of their â€Å"mental/emotional† sickness. Being a social worker, I will be one of the few people who will be the first to call on these people: single parents who seemed to have no options except to prod through life and just keep on even though everything for them is hopeless and aimless. I can truly say I am thoroughly benefited by the readings. I am grateful too, because I have the opportunity to avoid the pitfalls that some of the women had gone through.All this is insightful because I have discovered that although both types of disorders have affective deficits, the lesser affected are the depressed types because she may still be able to â€Å"connect† with her offsprings unlike the Schizophrenic when not only is the mother severely disordered, other complications like the presence of hallucinatory tendencies typical of their case cloud her relationships with her children (Goodman & Brumley, 1987). Implications for my job include: 1.) I know now how to deal with persons with various weaknesses especially those with problems as severe as Schizophrenia or even with mothers who have depressive problems; especially affective or relational deficits; 2.) I have more compa ssion now with mothers or single parents who are poor and especially colored because they have the least access to care and their needs are often neglected;3.) the authors also discussed the other factors usually designated in cases of depression and schizophrenia and effectively pointed out that mother’s responsiveness account for most of the adjustment and proper functioning of children.   I cannot imagine enough those children (in the study) raised by single mothers with such a mental condition as theirs. My work’s significance has tremendously widened and deepened as I see all the individual cases and the problems that accompany them. The guidance I can afford their mothers pertaining to coping with their sicknesses and the needs of the children, and the institutional changes that can possibly help larger numbers are important outputs I gained from the informative article.ReferenceGoodman, Sherryl H., H. Elizabeth Brumley, 1987. â€Å"Schizophrenia and Depressed Mothers: Relational Deficits in Parenting.†

Case Study: Dell Computer †Organization of a Global Production Network; Using E-Commerce to Support Its Virtual Company

[pic] Case Study: Dell Computer – Organization of a Global Production Network; using E-Commerce to support its Virtual Company 1. 0 Executive Summary Dell’s Direct Model  of selling PCs directly to the consumers, bypassing the distributors and retailers (resellers) channel, has been pioneered and provides distinct advantages over the indirect sales model. Customers have the ability to contact Dell directly and order technologically advanced systems at competitive prices. This direct contact with consumers gives Dell the unique opportunity to know exactly what its consumers want and offer products that would satisfy their specific needs. To fulfill the orders quickly and in supporting the â€Å"Build-To-Order† strategy, Dell has developed an excellent manufacturing and logistics capabilities supported by information systems that enable it to substitute information for inventory. Dell coordinates a global production network that spans the Americas, Europe and Asia, combining in-house final assembly with heavy reliance on outside suppliers and contract manufacturers. The use of Internet and E-commerce has further giving Dell a means for extending the reach and scope of its direct sales business model at a relatively low marginal cost. It has done so in part by automating its functions such as product configuration, order entry, and technical support, enabling the company to grow revenues without a corresponding increase in customer service costs. Also, it has used the Internet to coordinate a network of suppliers and business partners who carry out many of the processes involved in building, distributing and supporting personal computers. In short, Dell's supply chain consists of only three stages— the suppliers, the manufacturer (Dell), and end users. Dell’s direct contact with customers and its use of e-commerce allows it to: †¢ offered competitive prices, high levels of support †¢ properly identify market segments, †¢ analyze the requirements and profitability of each segment, and develop more accurate demand forecasts. †¢ cut on the standard supply chain cycle and deliver goods directly from the manufacturer to the customer. †¢ turn its inventory over 60 times a year introduced new products without having to clear out old inventory in the channel †¢ minimize the rapid depreciation costs that mark the PC industry †¢ operated on a negative cash conversion cycle – by receiving payment from its customers before it paid its suppliers for components †¢ build strong, stable relationships with the large corporations and other organizations who are its core custo mers Table of Contents TopicPage 1. Executive Summary2 2. Key Success Factors4 3. SWOT Analysis of Dell Computer6 4. What SCM strategies Dell had implemented? 8 5. What are the values of the Dell’s strategies? 10 6. Conclusion11 2. 0 Key Success Factors †¢ Supply Chain Know-How – A key component of Dell's supply chain management was having materials in close proximity to Dell factories; therefore suppliers are required to have inventory hubs near the manufacturing plants. A huge benefit of this supply chain solution is communicating with these hubs in real time to deliver the required materials. Dell had reduced its inventory to an all-time low of a 5 day supply, which comparatively was 20 to 70 days for its major competitors, thereby creating a competitive advantage. By operating on a just-in-time basis, (a result of an 87% reduction in primary suppliers) Dell was able to provide better service with a faster turnaround time. Also by reducing the total vendor pool and choosing suppliers physically close to Dell’s factories, supplier loyalty was increased, leading to further economies of scale. †¢ Strong supplier relationships – Dell seeks long-term single source relationships in situations where alternative sources are unavailable or the relationship is advantageous with respect to performance, quality, support, delivery or price. Securing long-term relationships with vendors allows Dell to more fully integrate major vendor into Dell’s supply chain management programs. This helps Dell reduce inventories of components, which translate into lower unit costs. Dell also seeks to lock-up supply at the lowest possible cost. Recently Dell signed a long-term supply agreement with Philips for the supply of CRT and flat panel monitors. †¢ Strong commitment to IT Practices ? Pre-installing software for Eastman Chemical, maintaining a corporate asset database for innovational support ? Integrating supply chain vendors with more precise demand forecast for business process support. ? Premier Pages – customize, buy and track systems, resolve tech issues for operations support. †¢ Customer Efficiency – Dell has made a serious investment in understanding its customers' activity in real time and then uses this information to constructively build its business and its winning culture. Dell constantly monitored the customer’s shifting preferences, which helped in pricing, inventory management, and cost accounting. Also, Dell’s factory assembly process was highly organized (i. e. bar codes), efficient (i. e. ystems were â€Å"burned in†) and extremely fast (i. e. 36 hour turnaround) and its customer service was exemplary for the industry. (a) Start with customer value – Historically, customers were segmented by verticals (e. g. , consumer, corporate, government and small business) as well as regions and size. Dell had to look a cross an aggregated view of these existing groupings to identify shared values relating to product features and supply chain capabilities. A global view was critical to this process. As Mr. Noakes stated, â€Å"[Our] growth markets are not in traditional regions. We need to adjust our model to the new requirements. (b) A unified, end-to-end business strategy — The Dell team stated this effort was â€Å"truly a corporate wide transformation. † Key to this was the ability to clearly articulate the need for change, the vision and the role of different organizations. To support this communication, several leaders started an internal blog to keep people up to date. †¢ Culture – Dell's winning ways begin and end with its culture. Dell has created a disciplined culture that relentlessly focuses on optimizing its operational model, responding to its customers' needs and sustaining a self-motivated and experienced workforce Market Sensing – Dell consistently sensed market changes before they happened and was able to anticipate and identify product areas to maximize sustainable profits using its Direct Model. As a result of this ability, Dell could pick and choose which market they entered, making sure it was a market leader quickly upon entering. †¢ Strong Information Management practices – is a powerful strategic weapon in Dell. It is widely distributed, analyzed and acted upon. People know where they and their business units stand at any time. They re-act accordingly. According to Dell: â€Å"If the folks in its consumer business notice it's 10am and they're not getting enough phone calls, they know they have to do something: run a promotion on the web starting at 10:15, or change their pricing or run more ads. They can't wait 30 days after the end of the quarter to figure it out. † Openness and sharing are part of success at Dell. †¢ Lower Unit Costs – Removing the third party retailer from the sales equation eliminates additional product mark-ups. The savings can be either recognized as higher margins or passes along to consumers. In both situations Dell is experiences better pricing flexibility than its competitors. When economic conditions are slow Dell is able to offer product at lower prices and still operate profitably. Dell’s success in the most recent economic downturn serves as clear signal that the company can weather less than favorable economic conditions. In 2001, Dell’s domestic market share actually climbed from 19% to 24. 2%. †¢ Quicker reaction to customer wants and needs – As mentioned above Dell focuses on streamlining their production operations. Finished products are quickly assembled in direct response to a customers order. Low finished good inventories put Dell in a better position to continually offer the newest and most requested technologies. Changes in customer demands hurt the competition more as they struggle with product obsolescence and high inventories. Competitors may be forces absorb write-offs associated with inventory obsolescence or markdown products below cost to clear inventory. 3. 0 SWOT analysis of Dell Computer: Strengths †¢ Biggest PC (personal computer) maker in the world. Dell's brand is one of the best known in the world. They are the number one PC provider for medium and small businesses across the US for 10 straight years. Direct to customer business model. – They deal directly with the customers with no use of a middle man, i. e. retailer channel. – They offer their customers the ability to track their delivery by contacting customer services, based in India. – They design the computer to the customer's specifications. †¢ It uses information tech nology, and excellent customer relationship management (CRM) approaches to capture data on its loyal consumers. This allows it to produce the personal computer based on the customer's own specification. †¢ Cost advantage over rivals Their assembly is done at a fairly inexpensive cost – By offering superior telephone customer and/or internet services such as Premier Access, and outsourcing their shipping, Dell had the lowest operating cost in the industry at 11. 5%. †¢ Dell is not a manufacturer; Components are made by suppliers and Dell assembles the computers using relatively cheap labor. The finished goods are then dropped off with the customer by courier. Dell has total command of the supply chain. †¢ No inventory buildup. Dell built its computers to order; none were produced for inventory. Wide geographic coverage and strong global distribution capabilities †¢ Good supply chain management capabilities. †¢ Good customer service capabilities Weaknes s †¢ Dealing with a large amount of supplies from many different countries can cause a large issue when products are recalled. Example in 2004 Dell had to recall 4. 4 million laptop adapters because of a fear that they could overheat, causing electric shocks or fires. †¢ High dependence on suppliers. They build computers, not develop them. It buys from a group of concentrated hi-tech component manufacturers. Whilst this is a tremendous advantage in terms of business operations, allowing Dell to focus on marketing and logistics, the company is reliant on a few large suppliers, and to an extent is locked in for periods of time (i. e. unable to switch supply dues to the lack of large suppliers in the World). †¢ Their supply orders are so large that they become limited to dealing with a small few supplies that can handle the volume. †¢ Dell lacked solid dealer/retailer relationships. They have weak business relationships with many computer retailers. †¢ No propriety technology. They do not have unique technologies to offer the market. Because outsourced all components, it is very difficult to manage the quality. †¢ Dell is the lack of multi-channel distribution capabilities. It will be very difficult to expend the selling channels because there are no other retailers in markets. †¢ Dell’s products promotion and introduction of new products fall behind other  competitors †¢ Weak dealer network Opportunity †¢ New products and new market still has room for development. †¢ Continuing to market on the internet to gain larger market base. †¢ Broadening their scopes in Europe, India and China. †¢ Expand into government and education markets. Utilizing existing company skills or technological know-how to enter new product lines or new businesses. †¢ Entering into alliances or joint ventures to expand the firm’s market coverage or  boost its competitive capability †¢ PC industry’s growth prospects remain attractive †¢ Dell can further capitalize on the remaining build-out of the Internet infrastructure and increase market share in the external storage market Threat †¢ The single biggest problem for Dell is the competitive rivalry that exists in the PC market globally. As with all profitable brands, retaliation from competitors and new entrants to the market poses potential threats. Dell sources from Far Eastern nations where labour costs remain low, but there is nothing stopping competitors doing the same – even sourcing the same or similar components from the same or similar suppliers. Remember, Dell is a PC maker, not a PC manufacturer. †¢ Increasingly popular brand names in the competition. †¢ Likely entry of potent new competitors. †¢ Competition can basically create the same computers since Dell builds computers, not designs them. †¢ Fluctuations in the currency markets can make global business operations more open to losses in certain areas of the supply chain. †¢ Dell, being global in its marketing and operations, is xposed to fluctuations in the World currency markets. Although it is a very lean organization, orders do have to be placed some time ahead due to their size or value. Changes in exchange rates could leave the company exposed to potential loses in parts of its supply chain. †¢ Tariff trade barriers affecti ng their positions in multiple countries. †¢ The global economic downturn. †¢ Loss of sales to substitute products, like Ipad, Tablet PC. †¢ Growing bargaining power of customers or suppliers. †¢ Price difference between brands is getting smaller all the time. 4. 0 What are the SCM strategies that Dell had implemented? Dell revolutionized supply chain management with its direct model, build-to-order (BTO) manufacturing, just-in-time inventory model and impressive cash-to-cash conversion cycle. Dell designed its supply chains based on a mix of cost optimization, delivery speed and product choices that customers value. Its strategy was built around a number of core elements: build-to-order manufacturing, mass customization, partnerships with suppliers, just-in-time components inventories, direct sales to customers, market segmentation, awarded-winning customer service and technical support, and pioneering use of the Internet and e-commerce technology. Through this strategy, the company has somehow achieve what Michael Dell called â€Å"Virtual Company / Integration† stitching together of Dell's business with its supply partners and customers in real time such that all three appeared to be part of the same organizational team sharing extensive data and information [pic] Process Streamlining In particular, Dell focused on enabling â€Å"just-in-time† delivery of parts and components—a process whereby Dell's suppliers delivered goods to Dell very close to the time Dell actually needed the parts for use in computers that consumers had already ordered. This shortened the time during which Dell needed to maintain an inventory of parts and reduced the costs associated with storing that inventory. The reduction in costs associated with the innovative manufacturing processes allowed Dell to offer its products at low prices that were attractive to consumers and that were difficult for competitors to match. Moreover, the low-price approach allowed Dell to gain market share without investing heavily in research and development in the early stages of its growth. Build-to-order( Postponed) – Dell built its computers to order; none were produced for inventory. Dell customers could order custom-built computers based on the needs of their applications. Desktop and laptop customers ordered whatever configuration of microprocessor speed, random access memory (RAM), hard disk capacity, CD-ROM drive, fax/modem, monitor size, speakers, and other accessories they preferred. The orders were directed to the nearest factory. In 2000, Dell had PC assembly plants in Austin, Texas; Nashville/Lebanon, Tennessee; Limerick, Ireland; Xiamen, China; Penang, Malaysia; and El Dorado do Sul, Brazil. All six plants manufactured the company’s entire line of products. Partnerships with suppliers – Michael Dell believed it made much better sense for Dell Computer to partner with reputable suppliers of PC parts and components rather than to integrate backward and get into parts and components manufacturing on its own. Just-in-time components inventories – Dell's just-in-time inventory emphasis yielded major cost advantages and shortened the time it took for Dell to get new generations of its computer models into the marketplace. New advances were coming so fast in certain computer parts and components (particularly microprocessors, disk drives, and modems) that any given item in inventory was obsolete in a matter of months, sometimes quicker Direct Selling – Selling direct to customers gave Dell firsthand intelligence bout customer preferences and needs, as well as immediate feedback on design problems and quality glitches. Market segmentation – To make sure that each type of computer users are well served, Dell had made a special effort to segment the buyers of its computers into relevant groups and to place managers in charge of developing sales and service programs appropriate to the needs and expectations of each market segment. Their market segment comprises from large cu stomers, both corporate and governmental buyers, to small customers, both small businesses and individuals. Customer service and Technical Support – Dell contracted with local service providers to handle customer requests for repairs; on-site service was provided on a next-day basis. Dell also provided its customers with technical support via a toll-free number, fax, and e-mail. Virtual Integration and Information Sharing – On-line communications technology made it easy for Dell to communicate inventory levels and replenishment needs to vendors daily or even hourly. 5. 0 What are the values of the Dell’s strategies? The direct business model had a valuable benefit that Michael Dell didn’t anticipate. It enables the company to have an actual relationship with customers. This provides essential information that is used to leverage relationships with the suppliers as well as customers. It also provides 2 distinct advantages: †¢ reducing marketing and sales cost by eliminating markups of distributors and retailers †¢ building to order reduced inventory costs and risks of retaining inventories. Knowing the customer is the foundation for creating value It is no longer good enough to simply meet customer expectations. It is not ven good enough to delight the customer. These goals are often one-time goals. Continued success, particularly at a fast pace means it is getting increasingly important to KNOW the customer. Knowing the customer means having knowledge that lets Dell constantly add value. Knowing the customer means Dell can design new products, new services, and new pricing schemes that constantly meet and exceed customer expectations. Dell achieves this through creative use of their information systems as well as through their people. Their information systems attract, store, manipulate, and report information on customers. Their people used this information to respond immediately to changes in market conditions, changes from competitors, and changes in customer preferences. Price for Performance Dell boasts a very efficient procurement, manufacturing and distribution process allowing it to offer customers powerful systems at competitive prices, especially for the price conscious customers. Continuous reinvention is critical for continued velocity At some point, every strategy and every goal is outdated. Dell has the keen sense to identify possible new strategies and goals early, and to reinvent itself in order to move in the new direction. This was true when Dell made their entry onto online service over the Internet. The Dell Direct Model was extended to allow customers access to systems which let them tap directly into Dell's service and support databases. Dell has already reinvented itself again by viewing their business as one of integration and distribution, rather than simply as a hardware manufacturer. Complexity reduction — Product options had become too complex. In response, Dell reduced configuration complexity in line with customer requirements. Product offerings had exceeded customer requirements and were adding unnecessary cost and responsiveness waste in the supply chain. Improved internal collaboration — Identifying and managing functional interdependencies have driven collaboration across product design, supply chain, marketing, sales and finance. Dell also simplified interactions by centralizing global operations, while aligning to customer verticals. . 0 Conclusion Dell is simply a success story; it shows how one can gain market advantage by simply understanding what brings value to customers. Dell’s direct selling and build-to-order has given it a unique position in the industry. Dell has successfully built its competitive advantage as â€Å"low cost† producer, achieved through adapting lean manufacturing approaches. Also today, the Internet has created many new opportunities to interact with customers, people and to provide products more closely customized to individual customer preferences. Certainly Dell's competitors see the advantage of the company's direct model, and to a varying degree use similar tactics. But, the other vendors have legacy ties to supply chains — supply chains with distributors and resellers that still hinder these non-direct channels less efficient. So Dell had the ability to cut margin without cutting profit! Dell’s e-commerce service is a valuable management tool for online business, whereby, increased efficiency, cost effectiveness and improve customer satisfaction. Selling online allows the whole process to be automated and more efficient.

Night World : Daughters of Darkness Chapter 8

She waited another hour after he set off down theroad, heading east-doing what, she had no idea. There was nothing that way except two creeks andlots of trees. And her house. She hoped he was goingto try to walk into town, and that he didn't realize how far it was. All right, he's gone, now forget about him. You'vegot a job to do, remember? A slightly dangerous one. And he's not involved. I don't believe he knows anything about what happened to Mrs. B. She got the shovel and started down the road west.As she walked she found that she was able to put Ash out of her mind completely. Because all she could think of was what was waiting ahead. I'm not scared to do it; I'm not scared, I'm notscared†¦. OfcourseI'm scared. But being scared was good, it would make her careful. She would do this job quickly and quietly. In through the gap in the hedge, a little fast work with the shovel, out again before anybody saw her. She tried not to picture what she was going to findwith that shovel if she was right. She approachedBurdock Farm cautiously, going north and then doubling back southeast to come in through the back property. The farmland had gone wild here, taken over by poison oak, beargrass, and dodder, besides the inevitable blackberry bushes and gorse. Tan oaks and chinquapins were moving in. Sometime soon these pastures would be forest. I'm not sure I believe I'm doing this, MaryLynnette thought as she reached the hedge that surrounded the garden. But the strange thing was that she didbelieve it. She was going to vandalize a neighbor's property and probably look at a dead bodyand she was surprisingly cool about it. Scared but not panicked. Maybe there was more hidden inside her than she realized. I may not be who I've always thought I am. The garden was dark and fragrant. It wasn't theirises and daffodils Mrs. B. had planted; it wasn't the fireweed and bleeding heart that were growing wild. It was the goats. Mary-Lynnette stuck to the perimeter of the hedge,eyes on the tall, upright silhouette of the farmhouse. There were only two windows lit. Please don't let them see me and please don't letme make a noise. Still looking at the house, she walked slowly, taking careful baby steps to the place where the earth was disturbed. The first couple of swipes with the shovel hardly moved the soil. Okay. Put a little conviction in it. And don't watch the house; there's no point. If they look out, they're going to see you, and there's nothing you can do about it. Just as she put her foot on the shovel, somethingwent hooshin the rhododendrons behind her. Crouched over her shovel,Mary-Lynnette froze. Stop worrying, she told herself. That's not the sisters. It's not Ash coming back. That's an animal. She listened. A mournful maaaa came from the goat shed. It wasn't anything. It was a rabbit. Dig! She got out a spadeful of dirt-and then she heardit again. Hoosh. A snuffling sound. Then a rustling. Definitely an animal. But if it was a rabbit, it was an awfully loud one. Who cares what it is? Mary-Lynnette told herself.There aren't any dangerous animalsout here. And I'm not afraid of the dark. It's my natural habitat. I love the night. But tonight, somehow, she felt differently. Maybe it was just the scene with Ash that had shaken her, made her feel confused and discontented. But just now she felt almost as if something was trying to tell her that the dark wasn't any human's natural habitat. That she wasn't built for it, with her weak eyes and her insensitive ears and dull nose. That she didn't belong. Hoosh. I may have rotten hearing, but I can hearthatjustfine. And it's big. Something big's sniffing around in bushes. What kind of big animal could be out here? Itwasn't a deer deer went snort-wheeze. It sounded larger than a coyote, taller. A bear? Then she heard a different sound the vigorousshaking of dry, leathery rhododendron leaves. In the dim light from the house she couldseethe branches churning as something tried to emerge. it's coming out. Mary-Lynnette clutched her shovel and ran. Nottoward the gap in the hedge, not toward the housethey were both too dangerous. She ran to the goat shed. I can defend myself in here-keep it out—hit itwith the shovel†¦. The problem was that she couldn't see from in here.There were two windows in the shed, but between dirt on the glass and the darkness outside, Mary-Lynnette couldn't make out anything. She couldn'teven see the goats, although she could hear them. Don't turn on the penlight. It'll just give awayyour position. Holding absolutely still, she strained tohear any thing from outside. Nothing. Her nostrils were full of goat. The layers of oat straw and decomposing droppings on the floor were smelly, and they kept the shed too warm. Her palms were sweating as she gripped the shovel. I've never hit anybody †¦ not since Mark and Iwere kids fighting †¦ but, heck, I kicked a strangerthis morning†¦ . She hoped the potential for violence would comeout now when she needed it. A goat nudged her shoulder.Mary-Lynnette shrugged it away. The other goat bleated suddenlyand she bit her lip. Oh, God-I heard something out there. The goatheard it, too. She could taste her bitten lip. It was like sucking on a penny. Blood tasted like copper, which, she realizedsuddenly, tasted like fear. Something opened the shed door. What happened then was that Mary-Lynnette Something unholy was after her. Something thatsniffed like an animal but could open doors like ahuman. She couldn't see what it was-just a shadowdarkness against darkness. She didn't think ofturning on the penlight-her only impulse was to smash out with the shovel now, to get ft before ft could get her. She was tingling with the instinct forpure, primordial violence. Instead, she managed to hiss, â€Å"Who is ft? Who'sthere?† A familiar voice said,†Iknew you were going to do this. I've been lookingeverywherefor you.† â€Å"Oh,God, Mark.† Mary-Lynnette sagged against wall of the shed, letting go of the shovel. The goats were both bleating. Mary-Lynnette's earswere ringing. Mark shuffled farther in. â€Å"Jeez, this place smells. What are you doing inhere?† â€Å"Youjerk,†Mary-Lynnette said. â€Å"I almost brained you!† 0†³You said you were forgetting all this crazy stuff. You lied to me.† â€Å"Mark, you don't †¦We can talk later†¦. Did you hearanything out there?† She was trying to gather her thoughts. â€Å"Like what?† He was so calm. It made MaryLynnette feel vaguely foolish. Then his voice sharpened. â€Å"Like a yowling?† â€Å"No. Like a snuffling.† Mary-Lynnette's breath was slowing. â€Å"I didn't hear anything. We'd better get out ofhere. What are we supposed to say if Jade comes out?† Mary-Lynnette didn't know how to answer that. Mark was in a different world, a happy, shiny world where the worst that could happen tonight was embarrassment. Finally she said â€Å"Mark, listen to me. I'm your sister. I don't have any reason to lie to you, or playtricks on you, or put down somebody you like. AndI don't just jump to conclusions; I don't imagine things. But I'm telling you, absolutely seriously,that there is something weird going on with these girls.† Mark opened his mouth, but she went on relentlessly. â€Å"So now there are only two things you can believe, and one is that I'm completely out of mymind, and the other is that it's true. Do you really think I'm crazy?† She was thinking of the past as she said it, of allthe nights they'd held on to each other when their mother wassick, of the books she'd read out loud tohim, of the times she'd put Band-Aids on his scrapes and extra cookies in his lunch. And somehow, even though it was dark, she could sense that Mark was remembering, too. They'd shared so much. They would always be connected. Finally Mark said quietly, â€Å"You're not crazy.† â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"But I don't know what to think. Jade wouldn't hurtanybody. I justknow that. And since I met her , .†Hepaused. â€Å"Mare, it's like now I know why I'm alive.She's different from any girl I've ever known. She's ____ she's so brave, and so funny, and so †¦ herself.† And I thought it was the blond hair, MaryLynnette thought. Shows how shallow I am. She was moved and surprised by the change in Mark-but mostly she was frightened. Frightenedsick. Her cranky, cynical brother had found somebody to care about at last †¦ and the girl was probably descended from Lucrezia Borgia. And now, even though she couldn't see him, shecould hear earnest appeal in his voice. â€Å"Mare, can't we just go home?† Mary-Lynnette felt sicker. She broke off and they both snapped their heads to look at the shed window. Outside a light had gone on. â€Å"Shut the door,† Mary-Lynnette hissed, in a tone that made Mark dose the door to the shed instantly. â€Å"And be quiet,- she added, grabbing his arm and pulling him next to the wall. She looked cautiously out the window. Rowan came out of the back door first, followedbyjade,followed by Kestrel. Kestrel had a shovel. Oh. My. God. â€Å"What's happening?† Mark said, trying to get alook. Mary-Lynnette damped a hand over his mouth.What was happening was that the girls were digging up the garden again. She didn't see anything wrapped in garbage bags this time. So what were they doing? Destroying the evidence? Were they going to take it into the houseand burn it, chop it up? Her heart was pounding madly. Mark had scooted up and was looking out. MaryLynnette heard him take a breath-and then choke. Maybe he was trying to think of an innocent explanation for this. She squeezed his shoulder. They both watched as the girls took turns with theshovel. Mary-Lynnette was impressed all over againat how strong they were. Jade looked so fragile. Every time one of the sisters glanced around the garden, Mary-Lynnette's heart skipped a beat. Don't see us, don't hear us, don't catch us, she thought. When a respectable mound of dirt had piled up, Rowan and Kestrel reached into the hole. They lifted out the long garbage-bagged bundle Mary-Lynnettehad seen before. It seemed to be stiff-and surpris ingly light. For the first time, Mary-Lynnette wondered if it was too light to be a body. Or too stiff †¦ how longdid rigor mortis last? Mark's breathing was irregular, almost wheezing.The girls were carrying the bundle to the gap inthe hedge. Mark cursed. Mary-Lynnette's brain was racing. She hissed,†Mark, stay here. I'm going to follow them-â€Å" â€Å"I'm going with you!† â€Å"You have to tell Dad if anything happens to me-â€Å" â€Å"I'm going withyou.† There wasn't time to argue. And something inside Mary-Lynnette was glad to have Mark's strength to back her. She gasped, â€Å"Come on, then. And don't make asound.† She was worried they might have already lost the sisters–it was such a dark night. But when she and Mark squeezed through the gap in the rhododendron bushes, she saw a light ahead. A tiny, bobbing white light. The sisters were using a flashlight. Keep quiet, move carefully. Mary-Lynnette didn'tdare say it out loud to Mark, but she kept thinking it over and over, like a mantra. Her whole consciousness was fixed on the little shaft of light that was leading them, like a comet's tail in the darkness. The light took them south, into a stand of Douglasfir. It wasn't long before they were walking into forest. Where are they going? Mary-Lynnette thought. She could feel fine tremors in her muscles as she tried to move as quickly as possible without making a sound. They were lucky–the floor of this forest was carpeted with needles from Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine. The needles were fragrant and slightly damp and they muffled footsteps. Mary-Lynnette could hardly hear Mark walking behind her except when he hurt himself. They went on for what seemed like forever. It was pitch dark and Mary-Lynnette very quickly lost any sense of where they were. Or how they were going to get back. Oh, God, I was crazy to do this-and to bring Markalong, too. We're out in the middle of the woodswith three crazy girls†¦. The light had stopped. Mary-Lynnette stopped, holding out an arm thatMark immediately ran into. She was staring at thelight, trying to make sure it really wasn't moving away. No. It was steady. It was pointed at the ground. â€Å"Let's get loser,† Mark whispered, putting his lips against Mary-Lynnette's ear. She nodded and began to creep toward the light, as slowly and silently asshe knew how. Every few steps she paused and stood absolutely still, waiting to see if the light was going to turn her way. It didn't. She got down and crawled the last ten feet to the edge of the clearing where the girls had stopped. Once there, she had a good view of what they were doing. Digging. Kestrel had shoveled the pine needles aside and was working on a hole. Mary-Lynnette felt Mark crawl up beside her,crushing sword fern and woodfem. She could feel his chest heaving. She knew he saw what she saw. I'm so sorry. Oh, Mark, I'm so sorry. There was no way to deny it now. Mary-Lynnetteknew. She didn't even need to look in the bag. How am I going to find this place again? When I bring the sheriff back, how am I going to remember it? It's like a maze in one of those computer fantasy games-Mixed Evergreen Forest in every direction,and nothing to distinguish any bit of it from any other bit. She chewed her lip. The bed of moist needles she was lying on was soft and springy-actually comfortable. They could wait here for a long time, until the sisters left, and then mark the trees somehow. Takephotographs. Tie their socks to branches. In the clearing the flashlight beam showed a hand putting down the shovel. Then Rowan and Kestrellifted the garbage-bagged bundle-Jade must beholding the flashlight, Mary-Lynnette thought-and lowered it into the hole. Good. Now cover it up and leave. The beam showed Rowan bending to pick up the shovel again. She began quickly covering the hole with dirt. Mary-Lynnette was happy. Over soon, she thought, and let out a soft breath of relief. And in that instant everything in the clearingchanged. The flashlight beam swung wildly. Mary-Lynnette flattened herself, feeling her eyes widen. She could see a silhouette against the light-golden hair haloed around the face. Kestrel. Kestrel was standing, facing Mark and Mary-Lynnette, her body tense and still. Listening. Listening. Mary-Lynnette lay absolutely motionless, mouthopen, trying to breathe without making a soundThere were things crawling in the soft, springy needlebed under her. Centipedes and millipedes. She didn'tdare move even when she felt something tickle acrossher back under her shirt. Her own ears rang from listening. But the forest was silent †¦ eerily dent. All Mary-Lynnette couldhear was her own heart pounding wildly in herchest-although ft felt as if it were in her throat, too.It made her head bob with its rhythm. She was afraid. And it wasn't just fear. It was something shecouldn't remember experiencing since she was nineor ten. Ghost fear. The fear of something you're not even sure exists. Somehow, watching Kestrel's silhouette In the dark woods, Mary-Lynnette was afraid of monsters.She had aterrible,terrible feeling. Oh, please–I shouldn't have brought Mark here. It was then that she realized that Mark's breathing was making a noise. Just a faint sound, not a whistling, more like a cat purring. It was the sound he'd made as a kid when his lungs were bad. Kestrel stiffened, her head turning, as if to locate a noise. Oh, Mark, no. Don't breathe. Hold your breath-Everything happened very fast. Kestrel sprang forward. Mary-Lynnette saw her silhouette come running and jumping with unbelievable speed. Toofast-nobody moves thatfast .. . nobody human†¦. What are these girls? Her vision came in flashes,as if she were under a strobe light. Kestrel jumping. Dark trees all around. A moth caught in the beam. Kestrel coming down. Protect mark†¦ A deer. Kestrel was coming down on a deer. Mary-Lynnette's mind was filled with jumbled, careening images. Images that didn't make sense. She had a wild thought that it wasn't Kestrel at all, but one of those raptor dinosaurs she'd seen at the movies. Because Kestrel moved like that. Or maybe ftwasn't a deer-but Mary-Lynnette could seethe white at its throat, as pure as a lace ruffle at the throat of a young girl. She could see itsliquid black eyes. The deer screamed. Disbelief. I can't be seeing this†¦. The deer was on the ground, delicate legs thrashing. And Kestrel was tangled with it. Her face buriedin the white of its throat. Her arms around it. The deer screamed again. Wrenched violently.Seemed to be having convulsions. The flashlight beam was all over the place. Then it dropped. At the very edge of the light, Mary-Lynnette could see two other figures join Kestrel.They were all holding the deer. There was one last spasm and it stopped fighting. Everything went still. Mary-Lynnette could see Jade's hair, so fine that individual strands caught the light against the background of darkness. In the silent Bearing the three figures cradled thedeer. Huddling over it. Shoulders moving rhythmically. Mary-Lynnette couldn't see exactly what theywere doing, but the general scene wasf,miliar.She'd seen it on dozens of nature documentaries. About wild dogs or lionesses or wolves. The pack hadhunted and now ft wasfeeding. I have always tried†¦ to bea very good observer. And now, I have to believe my own eyes†¦ . Beside her, Mark's breath wassobbing. Oh, God, let me get him out of here. Please justlet us get out. It was as if she'd been suddenly released from paralysis. Her lip was bleeding again-she must havebitten down on it while she was watchingthe deer.Copperbloodfear filled her mouth. â€Å"Come on,† shegasped almost soundlessly, wiggling backward. Twigs and needles raked her stomachas her T-shirt rode up. She grabbed Mark's arm.†Come onl† Instead, Mark lurched to his feet. â€Å"Mark!† She wrenched herself to her knees andtried to drag him down. He pulled away. Hetook a step toward theclearing. No â€Å"Jade!† He was heading for the clearing. No, Mary-Lynnette thought again, andthen shewas moving after him. They were caught now, andit really didn't matter what he did. Butshe wantedto bewith him. â€Å"Jade!† Mark said and he grabbed the flashlight.He turned it directly on the little huddle at the edgeof the clearing. Three faces turned toward him. Mary-Lynnette's mind reeled. It was one thing toguess what the girls were doing; it was another thingto seeit. Those three beautiful faces, white in the flashlight beam †¦with what looked like smearedlipstick on their mouths and chins. Cardinal red, thimbleberry color. But it wasn't lipstick or burst thimbleberries. It wasblood, and the deer's white neck was stained with it. Eating the deer, they're really eating the deer;oh, God, they're really doing it†¦. Some part of her mind-the part that had absorbedhorror movies-expected the three girls to hiss and cringe away from the light. To block it out with bloodstained hands while making savage faces. It didn't happen. There were no animal noises, nodemon voices, no contortions. Instead, as Mary-Lynnette stood frozen in an agonyof horror, and Mark stood trying to get a normal breath, Jade straightened up. And said, â€Å"What are you guys doing out here?† In a puzzled, vaguely annoyed voice. The way youwould speak to some boy who keeps following you everywhere and asking you for a date. Mary-Lynnette felt her mind spinning off. There was a long silence. Then Rowan and Kestrelstood up. Mark was breathing heavily, moving the flashlight from one of the girls to another, but always coming back to Jade. â€Å"What areyoudoing out here; that's the question!† he said raggedly. The flashlight whipped to the hole, then back tothe girls. â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"I asked you first,† Jade said, frowning. If ft hadJust been her, Mary-Lynnette would have started towonder if things were so awful after all. if maybethey weren't in terrible danger. But Rowan and Kestrel were looking at each other,and then at Mark and Mary-Lynnette. And their ex pressions made Mary-Lynnette's throat close. â€Å"You shouldn't have followed us,† Rowan said.She looked grave and sad. â€Å"They shouldn't have beenableto,† Kestrel said.She looked grim. â€Å"It's because they smell like goats,† Jade said. â€Å"What are you doing?†Mark shouted again, almostsobbing. Mary-Lynnette wanted to reach for him, butshe couldn't move. Jade wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.†Well, can't youtell?†She turned to her sisters.†Now what are we supposed todo?† There was a silence. Then Kestrel said, â€Å"We don'thave a choice. We havetokill them.†