Spirit Bound Chapter Five Free Essays

string(163) " school and the trials would have been made public knowledge by now, and this was a chance for Moroi to meet us and put in bids for who they wanted to guard them\." I DECIDED IT’D BE BEST if Lissa and I stayed up late when we returned to her room, poring over the documents. She was a jumble of feelings when I told her about my encounter with Mikhail–which I hadn’t mentioned to Mia. Lissa’s initial reaction was surprise, but there were other things too. We will write a custom essay sample on Spirit Bound Chapter Five or any similar topic only for you Order Now Fear over the trouble I could have gotten into. A bit of warm romanticism over what both Mikhail and I were willing to do for those we loved. Wonder if she would do the same if Christian were in that situation. She decided instantly that she would; her love for him was still that strong. Then she told herself that she actually didn’t care about him anymore, which I would have found annoying if I wasn’t so distracted. â€Å"What’s wrong?† she asked. I’d sighed aloud in dismay without realizing it while I read her thoughts. Not wanting her to know I’d been perusing her mind, I pointed at the papers spread out on her bed. â€Å"Just trying to make sense of this.† Not entirely that far off from the truth. The prison’s layout was complex. The cells occupied two floors and were tiny–only one prisoner per cell. The papers didn’t explain why, but the reason was obvious. It went along with what Abe had said about keeping criminals from turning Strigoi. If I’d been locked away in prison for years, I could understand the temptation of cracking and killing my roommate to become Strigoi and escape. The cells were also kept housed in the very center of the building, surrounded by guards, offices, â€Å"exercise rooms,† a kitchen, and a feeders’ room. The documents explained guard rotations, as well as prisoner feeding schedules. They were apparently escorted to the feeders one at a time, heavily guarded, and only allowed very short spurts of blood. Again, everything kept the prisoners weak and prevented them from turning Strigoi. It was all good information, but I had no reason to believe any of it was up-to-date, since the file was five years old. It was also likely the prison had all sorts of new surveillance equipment in place. Probably the only things we could count on being the same were the prison’s location and the building’s layout. â€Å"How good are you feeling about your charm-making skills?† I asked Lissa. Although she hadn’t been able to put as much spirit healing into my ring as a woman I knew named Oksana could, I had noticed my darkness-induced temper soothed a little. Lissa’d made a ring for Adrian too, though I couldn’t say for sure if it was what was helping him control his vices lately–vices he usually indulged in to control spirit. She shrugged and rolled over onto her back. Exhaustion filled her, but she was trying to stay awake for my sake. â€Å"Getting better. Wish I could meet Oksana.† â€Å"Maybe someday,† I said vaguely. I didn’t think Oksana would ever leave Siberia. She’d run off with her guardian and wanted to keep a low profile. Besides, I didn’t want Lissa over there anytime soon after my ordeals. â€Å"Have you been able to put in anything besides healing?† A moment later, I answered my own question. â€Å"Oh, right. The spoon.† Lissa grimaced, but it turned into a yawn. â€Å"I don’t think it worked so well.† â€Å"Hmm.† â€Å"Hmm?† I glanced back at the blueprints. â€Å"I’m thinking if you could make a few more compulsion charms, it would go a long way to help with this. We need to make people see what we want them to see.† Surely if Victor–whose powers of compulsion were nowhere near hers–had managed a lust charm, she could do what I needed. She just needed more practice. She understood the basic principles but had trouble making her desired effects last. The only problem was that in asking her to do this, I was making her use more spirit. Even if the side effects didn’t show up right away, they would likely come back to haunt her in the future. She glanced at me curiously, but when I saw her yawn again, I told her not to worry about it. I’d explain tomorrow. She offered no argument, and after a quick hug, we each retired to our own beds. We weren’t going to get much sleep, but we had to get what we could. Tomorrow was a big day. I’d worn a variation of the guardians’ formal black-and-white outfit when I went to Victor’s trial. In normal bodyguard situations, we wore ordinary clothes. But for fancy events, they wanted us looking crisp and professional. The morning after our daring break-in, I got my first true taste of guardian fashion. I’d worn hand-me-down clothes at Victor’s trial but now had an official guardian outfit, tailored exactly to my measurements: straight-legged black slacks, a white button-up blouse, and a black dress jacket that fit me perfectly. It certainly wasn’t meant to be sexy, but the way it hugged my stomach and hips did good things for my body. I felt satisfied with my reflection in the mirror, and after several minutes of thought, I pulled my hair into a neatly braided bun that showed off my molnija marks. The skin was still irritated, but at least the bandage was gone. I looked very†¦ professional. I was actually kind of reminded of Sydney. She was an Alchemist–a human who worked with Moroi and dhampirs to hide the existence of vampires from the world. With her proper sense of fashion, she always looked ready for a business meeting. I kept wanting to send her a briefcase for Christmas. If ever there was a time for me to show off, today was the day. After the trials and graduation, this was the next biggest step in becoming a guardian. It was a luncheon that all new grads attended. Moroi eligible for new guardians would also attend, hoping to scope out the candidates. Our scores from school and the trials would have been made public knowledge by now, and this was a chance for Moroi to meet us and put in bids for who they wanted to guard them. You read "Spirit Bound Chapter Five" in category "Essay examples" Naturally, most guests would be royal, but a few other important Moroi would also qualify. I really had no interest in showing off and hooking a posh family. Lissa was the only one I wanted to guard. Still, I had to make a good impression. I needed to make it clear that I was the one who should be with her. She and I walked over to the royal ballroom together. It was the only place large enough to hold us all, since more than just St. Vladimir’s grads were in attendance. All the American schools had sent their new recruits, and for a moment, I found the sea of black and white dizzying. Bits of color–royals dressed up in their finest clothing–livened the palette up a little. Around us, soft watercolor murals made the walls seem to glow. Lissa hadn’t worn a ball gown or anything, but she looked very elegant in a formfitting teal dress made of raw silk. The royals mingled with the social ease they’d been raised with, but my classmates moved about uneasily. No one seemed to mind. It wasn’t our job to seek out others; we would be approached. The grads all wore name tags–engraved metal ones. There were no HELLO, MY NAME IS†¦ stickers here. The tags made us identifiable so that the royals could come and do their interrogations. I didn’t expect anyone except my friends to talk to me, so Lissa and I headed straight for the buffet and then occupied a quiet corner to munch on our canapes and caviar. Well, Lissa ate caviar. It reminded me too much of Russia. Adrian, of course, sought us out first. I gave him a crooked grin. â€Å"What are you doing here? I know you aren’t eligible for a guardian.† With no concrete plans for his future, it was assumed Adrian would simply live at Court. As such, he’d need no outside protection–though he’d certainly qualify if he chose to strike out into the world. â€Å"True, but I could hardly miss a party,† he said. He held a glass of champagne in his hand, and I wondered if the effects of the ring Lissa had given him were wearing off. Of course, the occasional drink really wasn’t the end of the world, and the dating proposal’s language had been loose in that area. It was mostly the smoking I wanted him to stay away from. â€Å"Have you been approached by a dozen hopeful people?† I shook my head. â€Å"Who wants reckless Rose Hathaway? The one who drops out without warning to do her own thing?† â€Å"Plenty,† he said. â€Å"I sure do. You kicked ass in the battle, and remember–everyone thinks you went off on some Strigoi-killing spree. Some might think it’s worth your crazy personality.† â€Å"He’s right,† a voice suddenly said. I looked up and saw Tasha Ozera standing near us, a small smile on her scarred face. In spite of the disfigurement, I thought she looked beautiful today–more royal than I’d ever seen her. Her long black hair gleamed, and she wore a navy skirt and lacy tank top. She even had on high heels and jewelry–something I was certain I’d never seen her wearing. I was happy to see her; I hadn’t known she’d come to Court. An odd thought occurred to me. â€Å"Have they finally let you have a guardian?† The royals had a lot of quiet, polite ways of shunning those who were in disgrace. In the Ozeras’ case, their guardian allotment had been cut in half as kind of a punishment for what Christian’s parents had done. It was totally unfair. The Ozeras deserved the same rights as any other royal family. She nodded. â€Å"I think they’re hoping it’ll shut me up about Moroi fighting with dhampirs. Kind of a bribe.† â€Å"One you won’t fall for, I’m sure.† â€Å"Nope. If anything, it’ll just give me someone to practice with.† Her smile faded, and she cast uncertain looks among us. â€Å"I hope you won’t be offended†¦ but I put in a request for you, Rose.† Lissa and I exchanged startled glances. â€Å"Oh.† I didn’t know what else to say. â€Å"I hope they’ll give you to Lissa,† Tasha added hastily, clearly uncomfortable. â€Å"But the queen seems pretty dead-set on her own choices. If that’s the case†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It’s okay,† I said. â€Å"If I can’t be with Lissa, then I really would rather be with you.† It was the truth. I wanted Lissa more than anyone else in the world, but if they kept us apart, then I’d absolutely prefer Tasha to some snobby royal. Of course, I was pretty sure my odds of getting assigned to her were as bad as those of getting assigned to Lissa. Those who were angry at me for running off would go out of their way to put me in the most unpleasant situation possible. And even if she was being granted a guardian, I had a feeling Tasha’s preferences wouldn’t be high priority either. My future was still a big question mark. â€Å"Hey,† exclaimed Adrian, offended that I hadn’t named him as my second choice. I shook my head at him. â€Å"You know they’d assign me to a woman anyway. Besides, you’ve got to do something with your life to earn a guardian.† I meant it jokingly, but a small frown made me think I might have actually hurt his feelings. Tasha, meanwhile, looked relieved. â€Å"I’m glad you don’t mind. In the meantime, I’ll do what I can to help you two.† She rolled her eyes. â€Å"Not that my opinion counts for much.† Sharing my misgivings about getting assigned to Tasha seemed pointless. Instead, I started to thank her for the offer, but we were then joined by yet another visitor: Daniella Ivashkov. â€Å"Adrian,† she chastised gently, a small smile on her face, â€Å"you can’t keep Rose and Vasilisa all to yourself.† She turned to Lissa and me. â€Å"The queen would like to see you both.† Lovely. We both stood up, but Adrian remained sitting, having no desire to visit his aunt. Tasha apparently didn’t either. Seeing her, Daniella gave a curt, polite nod. â€Å"Lady Ozera.† She then walked away, assuming we’d follow. I found it ironic that Daniella seemed willing to accept me but still held that typical aloof Ozera-prejudice. I guess her niceness only went so far. Tasha, however, had long since grown immune to that sort of treatment. â€Å"Have fun,† she said. She looked over at Adrian. â€Å"More champagne?† â€Å"Lady Ozera,† he said grandly, â€Å"you and I are two minds with a single thought.† I hesitated before following Lissa to Tatiana. I’d taken in Tasha’s grand appearance but only now really paid attention to something. â€Å"Is all your jewelry silver?† I asked. She absentmindedly touched the opal necklace around her neck. Her fingers were adorned with three rings. â€Å"Yes,† she said, confused. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"This is going to sound really weird†¦ well, maybe not compared to my normal weirdness. But could we, um, borrow all of those?† Lissa shot me a look and immediately guessed my motives. We needed more charms and were short on silver. Tasha arched an eyebrow, but like so many of my friends, she had a remarkable ability to roll with weird ideas. â€Å"Sure,† she said. â€Å"But can I give them to you later? I don’t really want to strip my jewelry in the middle of this party.† â€Å"No problem.† â€Å"I’ll have them sent to your room.† With that settled, Lissa and I walked over to where Tatiana was surrounded by admirers and those wanting to suck up. Daniella had to be mistaken in saying Tatiana wanted to see both of us. The memory of her yelling at me over Adrian still burned in my head, and dinner at the Ivashkovs’ hadn’t fooled me into thinking the queen and I were suddenly best friends. Yet, astonishingly, when she caught sight of Lissa and me, she was all smiles. â€Å"Vasilisa. And Rosemarie.† She beckoned us closer, and the group parted. I approached with Lissa, my steps tentative. Was I going to get yelled at in front of all these people? Apparently not. There were always new royals to meet, and Tatiana first introduced Lissa to all of them. Everyone was curious about the Dragomir princess. I was introduced as well, though the queen didn’t go out of her way to sing my praises as she did Lissa’s. Still, being acknowledged at all was incredible. â€Å"Vasilisa,† said Tatiana, once the formalities were finished, â€Å"I was thinking you should visit Lehigh soon. Arrangements are being made for you to go in, oh, maybe a week and a half. We thought it would be a nice treat for your birthday. Serena and Grant will accompany you, naturally, and I’ll send a few others.† Serena and Grant were the guardians who had replaced Dimitri and me as Lissa’s future protection. Of course they’d be going with her. Then, Tatiana said the most startling thing of all. â€Å"And you can go too, if you’d like, Rose. Vasilisa could hardly celebrate without you.† Lissa lit up. Lehigh University. The lure that had made her accept a life at Court. Lissa yearned for as much knowledge as she could get, and the queen had given her a chance at it. The prospect of a visit totally filled her with eagerness and excitement–especially if she could celebrate her eighteenth birthday there with me. It was enough to distract her from Victor and Christian, which was saying something. â€Å"Thank you, Your Majesty. That’d be great.† There was a strong possibility, I knew, that we might not be around for this scheduled visit–not if my plan for Victor worked. But I didn’t want to ruin Lissa’s happiness–and I could hardly mention it in this royal crowd. I was also kind of stunned that I’d been invited at all. After issuing the invite, the queen said nothing else to me and continued speaking with the others around her. Yet, she’d been pleasant–for her, at least–while addressing me, just as she had at the Ivashkov home. Not best-friend nice but certainly not raving-bitch insane, either. Maybe Daniella had been right. More pleasantries followed as everyone chatted and tried to impress the queen, and it soon became clear that I was no longer needed. Glancing around the room, I found someone I needed to talk to and meekly separated myself from the group, knowing Lissa could fend for herself. â€Å"Eddie,† I called, reaching the other side of the ballroom. â€Å"Alone at last.† Eddie Castile, a longtime friend of mine, grinned when he saw me. He too was a dhampir, tall with a long, narrow face that still had a cute, boyish look to it. He had tamed his dark, sandy-blond hair for a change. Lissa had once hoped Eddie and I would date, but he and I were strictly just friends. His best friend had been Mason, a sweet guy who’d been crazy about me and who had been murdered by Strigoi. After his death, Eddie and I had adopted protective attitudes toward each other. He’d later been kidnapped during the attack at St. Vladimir’s, and his experiences had made him a serious and determined guardian–sometimes a little too serious. I wanted him to have more fun and was delighted to see the happy glint in his hazel eyes now. â€Å"I think every royal in the room’s been trying to bribe you,† I teased. It wasn’t entirely a joke. I’d been keeping an eye on him throughout the party, and there’d always been someone with him. His record was stellar. Surviving the awful events in his life might have scarred him, but they reflected well on his skills. He had great grades and ratings from the trial. Most importantly, he didn’t have my reckless reputation. He was a good catch. â€Å"Kind of seems that way.† He laughed. â€Å"I didn’t really expect it.† â€Å"You’re so modest. You’re the hottest thing in this room.† â€Å"Not compared to you.† â€Å"Yeah. As shown by the people lining up to talk to me. Tasha Ozera’s the only one who wants me as far as I know. And Lissa, of course.† Lines of thought creased Eddie’s face. â€Å"Could be worse.† â€Å"It will be worse. No way will I get either of them.† We fell silent, and a sudden anxiety filled me. I’d come to ask a favor of Eddie, and it no longer seemed like a good idea. Eddie was on the verge of a shining career. He was a loyal friend, and I’d been certain he’d help with what I needed†¦ but I suddenly didn’t think I could ask. Like Mia, however, Eddie was observant. â€Å"What’s wrong, Rose?† His voice was concerned–that protective nature kicking in. I shook my head. I couldn’t do it. â€Å"Nothing.† â€Å"Rose,† he said warningly. I looked away, unable to meet his eyes. â€Å"It’s not important. Really.† I’d find another way, someone else. To my surprise, he reached out to touch my chin and tip my head back up. His gaze caught mine, allowing no escape. â€Å"What do you need?† I stared at him for a long time. I was so selfish, risking the lives and reputations of friends I cared about. If Christian and Lissa weren’t on the outs, I’d be asking him, too. But Eddie was all that was left to me. â€Å"I need something†¦ something that’s pretty extreme.† His face was still serious, but his lips tugged into a wry smile. â€Å"Everything you do is extreme, Rose.† â€Å"Not like this. This is†¦ well, it’s something that could ruin everything for you. Get you in big trouble. I can’t do that to you.† That half smile vanished. â€Å"It doesn’t matter,† he said fiercely. â€Å"If you need me, I’ll do it. No matter what it is.† â€Å"You don’t know what it is.† â€Å"I trust you.† â€Å"It’s kind of illegal. Treasonous, even.† That took him aback for a moment, but he stayed resolute. â€Å"Whatever you need. I don’t care. I’ve got your back.† I’d saved Eddie’s life twice, and I knew he meant what he said. He felt indebted to me. He would go wherever I asked, not out of romantic love, but out of friendship and loyalty. â€Å"It’s illegal,† I repeated. â€Å"You’d have to sneak out of Court†¦ tonight. And I don’t know when we’d be back.† It was entirely possible that we wouldn’t come back. If we had a run-in with prison guards†¦ well, they might take lethal measures to do their duty. It was what all of us had trained for. But I couldn’t pull this breakout off with Lissa’s compulsion alone. I needed another fighter at my back. â€Å"Just tell me when.† And that was all there was to it. I didn’t tell him the full extent of our plan, but I gave him that night’s rendezvous location and told him what he would need to bring. He never questioned me. He said he’d be there. New royals came to talk to him just then, and I left him, knowing he’d show up later. It was hard, but I pushed aside my guilt over possibly endangering his future. Eddie arrived, just as he’d promised, when my plan unfolded later that night. Lissa did too. Again, night meant â€Å"broad daylight.† I felt that same anxiety I did when we’d sneaked around with Mia. Light exposed everything, but then, most people were asleep. Lissa, Eddie, and I still moved through the Court’s grounds as covertly as we could, meeting Mikhail in a section of the compound that held all sorts of garaged vehicles. The garages were big metal, industrial-looking buildings set on the fringes of Court, and no one else was out. We slipped into the garage he’d indicated last night, and I was relieved to find no one else there. He surveyed the three of us, looking surprised at my â€Å"strike team,† but he offered no questions and made no further attempts to join us. More guilt surged up within me. Here was someone else who was risking his future for me. â€Å"Gonna be a tight fit,† he mused. I forced a smile. â€Å"We’re all friends here.† Mikhail didn’t laugh at my joke but instead popped the trunk of a black Dodge Charger. He wasn’t kidding about the tight fit. It was a newer one, which was kind of a shame. An older model would have been bigger, but guardians only kept top-of-the-line stuff around. â€Å"Once we’re far enough away, I’ll pull over and let you out,† he said. â€Å"We’ll be fine,† I assured him. â€Å"Let’s do this.† Lissa, Eddie, and I crawled into the trunk. â€Å"Oh God,† muttered Lissa. â€Å"I hope no one’s claustrophobic.† It was like a bad game of Twister. The trunk was large enough for some luggage but not intended for three people. We were squeezed together, and personal space was nonexistent. We were all up close and personal. Satisfied we were all snug, Mikhail closed the trunk and darkness engulfed us. The engine started a minute later, and I felt the car move. â€Å"How long until you think we stop?† asked Lissa. â€Å"Or die from carbon monoxide poisoning?† â€Å"We haven’t even left the Court yet,† I noted. She sighed. The car drove off, and not too long afterward, we came to a stop. Mikhail must have reached the gates and been chatting with the guards. He’d told me earlier that he’d come up with some excuse or other to run an errand, and we had no reason to believe the guards would question him or search the car. The Court wasn’t worried about people sneaking out, like our school had been. The biggest concern here was people getting inside. A minute passed, and I uneasily wondered if there was a problem. Then the car moved again, and all three of us exhaled in relief. We picked up speed, and after what I suspected was a mile or so, the car veered sideways and came to a stop. The trunk popped open, and we spilled out of it. I’d never been so grateful for fresh air. I got in the passenger seat beside Mikhail, and Lissa and Eddie took the back. Once we were settled, Mikhail continued driving without another word. I allowed myself a few more moments of guilt over the people I’d involved but then let it go. It was too late to worry now. I also let go of my guilt about Adrian. He would have been a good ally, but I could hardly ask for his help in this. And with that, I settled back and turned my thoughts to the job before us. It would take us about an hour to get to the airport, and from there, the three of us were off to Alaska. How to cite Spirit Bound Chapter Five, Essay examples

Zara free essay sample

At the end of 2001, it operated 507 stores in countries around the world, including Spain (40% of the total number for Inditex), with 488,400 square meters of selling area (74% of the total) and employing â‚ ¬1,050 million of the company’s capital (72% of the total), of which the store network accounted for about 80%. During fiscal year 2001, it had posted EBIT of â‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬ 441 million (85% of the total) on sales of â‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬ 2,477 million (76%of the total). Just over 80% of Inditex’s employees were engaged in retail sales in stores; 8. % were employed in manufacturing; and design, logistics, distribution, and headquarters activities accounted for the remainder which is located in the region of Spain called Galicia. The role of the corporate center at Inditex’s headquarters is that of a â€Å"strategic controller† only, and is involved in setting the corporate strategy, approving the business strategies of the individual chains, and controllin g their overall performance rather than as an â€Å"operator† functionally involved in running the chains. We will write a custom essay sample on Zara or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This gives Zara autonomy to operate independently and be responsible for its own strategy, product design, sourcing manufacturing, distribution, image, personnel and financial results. With this freedom, Zara was able to make major investments in manufacturing, logistics, and IT, including establishment of a just-in-time manufacturing system and a 130,000 square meter warehouse close to its corporate headquarters. Zara manufactured its most fashion-sensitive products internally and its designers continuously tracked customer preferences and placed orders with internal and external suppliers based on this information. Due to its unique needs, Zara chose to internally develop its business systems. Zara is now able to originate a design and have finished goods in stores within weeks for entirely new designs and take even less time for modifications of existing products. Gap, HM and Benetton are considered  Inditexs three closest  comparable international competitors. As in the product positioning map, Inditexs flagship brand, Zara, is relatively perceived as more fashionable than all the other three and prices less than Benetton and Gap but higher than HM. In these four competitors, Benetton and Gap place at relatively  less fashionable and higher price, while Zara and HM is more fashionable and price lower. As the largest and most internationalized brand of Inditexs chain, Zara is the principle driver of the groups growth and play the lead role of Inditexs sales and profit. The  core concept of Zaras business is they sell medium quality fashion clothing at affordable prices. Through the  entire process  of Zaras business system: designing, sourcing and manufacturing, distribution and retailing, they presented four  fundamental  success factors: short cycle time, small batches per product, extensive variety of product every season and heavy investment in information and communication technology. These four  elements are involved in every aspect of  the business. Zaras designers track consumer preferences on a year-round basis and place orders with both internal and external designers. More predictable styles are outsourced to manufacturers in Asia. The throughput time from beginning of the design phase to the arrival of the finished goods in the stores is 4 to 5 weeks for new items and 2 weeks for modifications to existing items. The sourcing and manufacturing process are also key to the business model. Zara has purchases offices in the fashionable cities of Barcelona and Hong Kong which allow for the purchases to also serve as trend-spotters. Zara uses an Inditex subsidiary, Comditel, for its purchasing of fabric. Approximately half the fabric is purchased in grey to allow for flexibility in manufacturing a variety of colors and patterns. This is a key component of the business cycle as the fabric is finished in just one week. The particular distinction of Zaras manufacturing is that they manufactured its most fashion-sensitive products internally and produce in small batches for the most time-sensitive ones. For distribution, all merchandise is shipped through either the central facility in Arteixo, Spain, or through satellite sites located in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. Merchandise in the main facility has a capacity of only 45,000 folded garments per hour. This facility admittedly has its limitations unless more capacity can be created elsewhere. Also, the vertical integration of manufacturing and distribution greatly helped to reduce the Bullwhip effect. On the retailing end, Zara have a much more fashion forward line because it can commit to its product line much later in the season. In fact, the design process does not seem to stop and the designers are constantly evaluating consumer preferences. Zaras in-store staff is also young, and very fashion-conscious . In addition, Zara provides very limited volumes of new items in the most fashionable of Zaras stores and then uses the results of those sales to decide whether the items should also be sold in other locations. The  limited volume and short  available time  successfully created a sense of scarcity in consumers perception.

Advantages Of Cosmetic Surgery Essay Example For Students

Advantages Of Cosmetic Surgery Essay Thesis statement: With the growing popularity of cosmetic surgery since the 1950s, plastic surgery has become misidentified with beauty surgery, when, in fact, a large percentage of procedures serve a medical purpose. B. Requirements of a plastic surgeon b. Afflicts fewer than 1,000 AmericansA. Number of days until makeup can be worn, hair shampooedPlastic surgery deals with the remodeling of any portion of the body that has been damaged or deformed. The primary objectives of plastic surgery are the correction of defects, the restoration of lost function, and the improvement of appearance. Appearance plays a large role in the lives of most people, which has caused cosmetic surgery to become a popular type of plastic surgery practiced. Cosmetic surgery is a branch of plastic surgery that is designed to alter a persons looks. Although cosmetic surgery is viewed by many as vain and shallow, it does a great deal more than deliver just a pretty face. Thousands of people who have had successful surgeries to improve their looks have reported that the changes made them happier than they had ever thought possible. Self-esteem soars to new heights, allowing shy, self-conscious, or aging people to become more outgoing, self-confident, and youthful. The history of modern facial plastic surgery began more than one hundred years ago, when a few men independently began to explore a new surgical frontier of reconstructive and functional repairs that also improved appearance. By observing one another these surgeons rapidly improved and expanded the procedures each could perform. One surgeon in particular stands out from this time. Jacques Joseph was working as the assistant to orthopedic surgeon Professor Dr. Julius Wolff in Berlin, Germany, when he became interested in facial plastic surgery. Josephs first case was a y oung boy, who refused to attend school because he suffered such ridicule from classmates for his large, protruding ears. In 1896, the boys mother approached Joseph for advice, asking if there might be surgical relief for her sons problem. After careful planning, Joseph operated successfully, earning him a place in history as the father of the modern subspecialty. (Simons 3-5). Reshaping of the nose, or rhinoplasty, is one of the most common of all the plastic surgery procedures. Thousands of people every year choose this procedure to change the size or shape of their noses. Rhinoplasty can change the size of your nose, change the angle between your nose and your upper lip, change the shape of the tip or the bridge, or narrow the width of the nostrils. It may also correct birth defects or breathing problems. Teenagers are best treated after their growth spurt, around age 14-15 for girls and 15-16 for boys (Hill 7). A major technique used in plastic surgery is grafting, the transplanting or implanting of living tissue from one part of the body to another, or from one person to another, with the expectation that the tissue will grow to supply a missing part. Several techniques of skin grafting are commonly used. One is the transfer of tissue from an adjacent part to the defect by transposition or rotation of flaps of skin. Another frequently used technique, particularly in minor facial defects, is full-thickness grafting, in which the full thickness of the skin is removed and transferred as a free translplant to the defective area (Rees 155-7). These types of skin grafting have proven to be the most effective. Eyelid surgery is the most frequently performed of all facial cosmetic operations (Rees 90). Except for reconstruction of the nose, this type of cosmetic surgery is the most difficult one for surgeons to do, calling for one of the oldest operations in the arsenal of cosmetic surgery and the technique is widely known and practiced (Hill 11). What this operation does is remove loose and redundant fat, as well as skin, and sometimes even muscle, from the upper and lower eyelids. .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510 , .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510 .postImageUrl , .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510 , .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510:hover , .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510:visited , .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510:active { border:0!important; } .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510:active , .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510 .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0fd2cc9c43ed318531abe176fa189510:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The French and Indian War EssayThomas D. Rees, M.D., stated in his work on plastic surgery, We live in a culture preoccupied with youth. Everything in our society, from television programming and the movies to the news and the specialty magazines, puts heavy emphasis on the young. (40) In his opinion, it is this fascination with youth that brings people to consider cosmetic surgery. A prime

Managed investment scheme Essay Example

Managed investment scheme Essay In Australia, investor can choose from a wide vvariety of investments which include managed investment schemes (MIS) and direct investment which consist of shares, debt and hybrid securities. Each investment scheme will a set of corporation act to protect its investor, as it is important to make iinvestors feel confident and secure. Iinvestors can choose the types of investments to invest in depending on their personal traits and ambition as the different investment contains different characteristic. We will dive in more on MIS, direct investment and hybrid investment together with each of their advantages and disadvantages next. Managed investment schemes Manage investment schemes, otherwise known as collective investment schemes, are schemes in which funds are gather from different investor to invest in a common investment, usually a high risk investment that deals with huge amount of money. Under s 9 of the corporation act 2001, a manage investment schemes consist of three elements. Investor contributes money or moneys worth, theres a generation or intended generation of a financial return or benefit and the investor do not have day- to-day control over the use of the money. We will write a custom essay sample on Managed investment scheme specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Managed investment scheme specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Managed investment scheme specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Under s 601 EA(4) states that a registered MIS requires to have a responsible entity (RE) which would be responsible for any losses or damages from violating Ch 5c. The RE is also a trustee of the scheme. The RE also have to fulfil his duties, under the s 601 FC (1), he must act honestly, exercise a degree of care and diligence, act in the best interest of the members, treat all members equally and he cant make use of information gathered as RE to gain improper advantage or cause detriment to members. Under s 601 MB, Contracts is considered as voidable at the option of the investor if the MIS is found guilty of violating any of the act. The advantage of MIS is that the investment will be undertaking by a professional investment manager which could offer a better returns and risk management because of his experience and knowledge. Moreover, it can help reduce risk by diversification, it works by investing in different company, usually companies that has a negative co-relation, reducing losses if the price of one company drop. Another benefit is that it the cost is shared among the other investor. The disadvantages of MIS is the loss of owners rights, allocation and uses of funds will be determine by the fund manager. Although MIS is a very lucrative piece of investment, the amount of returns will be reduce because of the cost of the fund manager, normally they will expect a ppercentage of returns from the overall earnings. Debt financing Debt financing is a type of tool companies used to raise capital through borrowing. Creditors are entitled to fixed interest pay out and will be able to get back the invested amount at the maturity date. Debt financing are usually considered as a stable and low risk investment thus the return are lower than the others. Debt financing consist of bank finance, trade finance, debentures and private debt. Debentures is the rights to enforce a companys undertaking to repay the debt owe as stated in s 9 or the corporation act. Section 124 of the Corporations act 2001 allow companies to issue debentures and to borrow through the use of the debentures. Deoentures can De rea011y transTer ana can De llstea on tne Australlan stock exchange (ASX). The advantage of the form of investment is that the interest pay-out is fixed and the investor will be able to get back the amount invested at the predetermined maturity date. Lenders are place ahead of equity holder in the event of liquidation. The downside to this is that there wont be any growth on the principle of loan because it is fixed. Unlike equity holders, creditors cant get involve in the day to day operation of the company or vote. Equity Equity financing is one of the ways a company can use to raise money through the sales of shares. Shares consist of ordinary shares and preference shares. By buying the shares of a company, investor will also gain owinership of company, the size of the owinership will depend on the amount of shares one held. Under section 124 of the corporation act 2001, any of the company will be able to issue shares but only a ublic company will be able to offer its shares to the public. Disclosure document such as the prospectus, profile statement and offer information statement are required under chapter 6d of the corporation act. The prospectus offers protection to the investor who wish to purchase shares from a company by disclosing all information. The benefits of investing in shares is the ability to collect dividends, dividends will be decided by how much the company has made. Another major benefits is the ability to make capital gain by selling shares, because shares are known to be volatile, prices may move up and down at any time, capital gain can be ade if shares is sold when it is rising. The negative side of investing in shares is that it is risky. Shares prices might crash and investor would suffer losses. Furthermore, equity holders are ranked before bond holders when the company goes into liquidation, shares holder may or may not be able to get their money back. Hybrid securities Hybrid securities are a form of securities that combines debt and equity instruments. The most common form of hybrids is convertible bonds. Convertible bonds allows the owner to convert bonds into shares at todays price. The main advantages is that it as a fixed interest repayment like a bond, iinvestors can also choose to convert it to a shares if the company is doing well. Making a profit from the dividend or by capital gain. The downside is that it has a low interest pay out as compared toa bond and it is ranked after bonds holder in the event of liquidation. I would invest the $10 000 into government bonds. Government bonds are consider as one of the safest investment and it will be logical to invest in it as I wanted income first and growth second. Besides, I would be able to collect the interest pay out and the invested amount at the maturity date.

Organizational Diagnostic Models Congruence Model

Organizational Diagnostic Models Congruence Model Congruence Model The congruence model developed by Nadler and Tushman is an organizational diagnostic model that is seen to be similar to the open systems theory which stipulates that organizations are social systems that depend on the environment for their inputs. Nadler and Tushman (1980) described congruence as â€Å"the degree to which the goals, objectives, needs and demands of one organizational component are consistent with the goals, needs and demands of another component† (p.16).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Organizational Diagnostic Models: Congruence Model specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Inputs within the congruence model include factors such as the organizational resources, the internal and external environment, history of past organizational behavior and organizational strategies. Nadler and Tushman (1980) describe the resources of an organization to be capital, technology and employees. Orga nizational strategies are the inputs that will be used in the model while the organizational environment is made up of the individuals, groups and institutions outside the organization that will be analyzed. History of past behavior involves looking at previous performance and whether it will affect the organizations present activity while inputs are viewed to be the most important strategies an organization incorporates. The system components in the Congruence model that will be used in the transformation model include factors such as formal and informal arrangements, individual components, tasks which will be performed by the organization and the informal organization. The outputs include individual behavior and how this behavior affects the organizational tasks, group and inter-group behavior and system functioning. The weakness of this model is that the congruence or fit between the internal variables at times presented a challenge to the organization. McKinsey 7S Framework The McKinsey framework was developed by Pascale, Athos, Peters and Waterman in the 1980’s. They worked as consultants for the McKinsey Consulting Company. The 7s model was developed around seven factors that created an awareness on the basis that when the seven factors are used together they are able to assist in the formation of a better organization. The seven factors or components of the 7s model are structure, systems, strategy, shared values, skills, style and staff. Strategy involves determining the proper course of action that will be used to achieve a desired goal or objective. Structure highlights the relationship between an organizations process and human resources that are used to fulfill objectives and goals. Systems are the infrastructures that are used by the organization such as machinery, or technology while staff is the human resources of a company.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper wi th 15% OFF Learn More Skills are the unique characteristics that each staff member possess while shared values are concepts that an organization uses to achieve a common purpose through common goals and objectives. The weakness of this model is that most companies focused mostly on the strategy, structure and system components of an organization neglecting staff, staff skills, shared values and style. Also most organizations saw changing one variable would change all the other variables which was a false misconception (Falleta, 2008). Burke Litwin Model This causal model was developed by Litwin, Stringer and Tagiuri in 1968 for the purpose of organizational change and performance and was later refined by Burke in 1980. The model is made up of twelve organizational variables, distinctions between culture and climate of an organization as well as transformational and transactional dynamics, and specifications on the nature and direction of the organizational variables. The twelve variables include mission, external environment, strategy, culture, work climate, leadership, organizational structure, systems, individual skills, motivation, needs and values, individual and organizational performance (Falletta, 2008). The external environment is considered to be the input of the model while individual and organizational performance is considered to be the outputs in this organizational diagnosis model. The remaining variables represent throughputs in the open systems theory. The strengths of this model are that it represents the reality of organizations in a more accurate way; the relationships between the variables represent an accurate picture of what goes on in the organization. The weakness of the model is that the relationships between the variables keep changing with time and the model has to be refined to adapt to the changing organization. Organizational Intelligence Model This model is a more recent diagnostic tool developed by Falletta in 20 04. The intelligence model includes several elements that are similar to the Burke Litwin model as well as additional elements that define employee performance.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Organizational Diagnostic Models: Congruence Model specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This model is made up of eleven variables which are environmental inputs, leadership, strategy, culture, organizational structure and adaptability, information technology and systems of the organization, the direct manager or supervisors effectiveness, measures and rewards, employee engagement, growth and development and performance outcomes. The environmental inputs affect the organization from the outside while the strategic factors such as strategy, culture and leadership, structure and adaptability, direct manager effectiveness, rewards, growth and development affect the inside. While this model is viewed to be similar to the Burke Litwin model, there are several notable differences which are that the intelligence model emphasizes the concept of employee engagement, and it depicts and emphasizes on growth and development as a key feature of recruiting and retaining employees (Falletta, 2008). Force Field Analysis This model was developed by Kurt Lewin in 1951 as an analytical model for managing organizational problems. The model is simplistic in that it represents few factors within the organization which are the driving and restraining factors. The driving forces are the environmental factors that push for change in the organization while the restraining factors which act as barriers to change are found within the organization. The model relies on organizational change with the main goal being to shift the organization to a more desirable state by adding driving forces and eliminating restraining forces. These changes are thought to occur simultaneously within the organization. The major strength of this model is th at it offers a simplistic view of diagnosing an organizational situation. A major weakness is that a case of disequilibrium might occur during the transformational process (Falletta, 2008). Leavitt’s Model Fourteen years after Lewin developed the force field analysis model, Leavitt designed another simple model in 1965 with similar concepts. The model specified particular forces or factors within an organization which were task variables, human variables, technological variables and structural variables. The major weakness of this model was that even though Lewin described the four variables to be interdependent and dynamic, the model was too simplistic to make any causal statements regarding the variables. The model suggested that making changes to one variable would result in a retaliatory change in the other three variables. This was seen to oppose the driving and restraining forces in Lewin’s model. The Leavitt model did not address the role of the external environ ment in bringing about change.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Issues affecting Palm Company Palm has been facing various issues mostly related with its finances and products; it was facing financial difficulties which saw it being bought by Hewlett Packard for $1.2 billion dollars (Patel, 2010). Some of its products such as the Palm Pre and handheld devices have features that are similar to Nokia’s smart phone products and Microsoft’s pocket PC’s. Nokia and Microsoft are viewed to be the major competitors of Palm because of the similarity of products. This has created a challenge for Palm to differentiate itself from its rivals. Another issue affecting Palm Company is the ever changing technology industry which sees new innovations coming out everyday. Companies such as Nokia have introduced the PDA feature into some of their phones which has given them a competitive advantage over Palm. Customers will most likely go for the Nokia phone that has PDA function rather than opt to buy separate Palm devices that have smart phon e and PDA devices (Palm Inc. 2010). Recommendations To deal with the issues faced by Palm, the management executives should use the organizational intelligence model for the organizational diagnosis of Palm. This is because this model portrays an accurate representation of the modern day organization which is one of its major strengths. The close similarity of the variables found in this model with the Burke-Litwin model gives it a stronger basis to be used in solving Palm’s problems. This model considers variables such as the structure and adaptability of the organization, information and technology, growth and development as part of its components which are not evident in the other organizational diagnostic models. Such variables are important to deal with Palm’s current problems. The technology issue experienced by Palm especially with its products being similar to those of Microsoft and Nokia will be solved by carrying out diagnostics on the throughputs of informat ion and technology and also the structure of the organization to enable it to adapt to the changing technological climate. The intelligence model will allow for diagnostic operations to be done on the IT infrastructure of the Company as well as the business systems that are in place. The structure and adaptability variables will allow for the diagnosticians to see whether the current organizational structure is working for Palm or not. After the acquisition, the organizational structure should change to reflect new levels and responsibilities that will see the development of new and unique product lines. Growth and development will see employee skills in technology being developed and improved to meet the changing market. References Falletta, S.V. (2008). Organizational diagnostic models: a review and synthesis. HR  Intelligence Report. Web. Nadler, D. A. Tushman, M. L. (1980). A model for diagnosing organizational behavior.  Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp 35-51. Pa lm Inc. (2010). About Palm: mobile products for extraordinary lives. Web. Patel, N. (2010). HP bought Palm after a five-company bidding war. Retrieved from engadget.com/2010/05/16/hp-bought-palm-after-a-five-company-bidding-war/

Enhancing Literature for students of English as second Language Research Paper

Enhancing Literature for students of English as second Language - Research Paper Example Research shows that education is a long prescription and a short on description and this statement holds true for literacy instructions given for English language learners or students who use English as a second language (ESL). ESL students will represent a wide range of cultures and language skills and are the easiest to take note of in schools as they are enter into classrooms without knowing how to have a conversation with other students in English. These students will remain silent in class as they are trying to adjust in the new environment and culture and this silent period presents a time of great discomfort for the students as they feel as if they do not belong. Teachers working with these students will require theories and conceptual models and frameworks that are aimed at ensuring that the students easily adapt in the new environment and that their learning goes on smoothly without language barriers affecting their success in education (Jimenez and Gersten, 1994). Teachers will require to incorporate comprehensive input, cognitive academic language proficiency and the natural language approach in the effort of making ESL students learn without language barriers interfering with their success. Research reveals that there needs to be a considerable amount of guidance and innovative ideas that will enable ESL students to adapt in the new environment and learn English, and this will make the classroom conducive for learning. (Jimenez and Gersten, 1994). Teachers are required to enhance the approach they use to educate ESL students so as to make their classrooms conducive for the great numbers of ESL students. There is a general increase in the number of ESL students in the United States classrooms, and this means that there are cases when teachers without training on how to teach them attend to these students. Teachers can be asked to teach students of Non-English backgrounds , and this presents a milestone as the students may not be able to read and writ e well in their native language or in English hence the need for special attention and programs aimed at improving the literacy learning skills (Jimenez and Gersten, 1994). Thus, teachers are faced with the task of building literacy, develop writing expression ability and enhance the growth of the English language for the student at the same time. This is extremely challenging for teachers, and even the most experienced ones may have problems in simultaneously building these capabilities. Factors Affecting Second Language Acquisition There are various factors that will affect students’ ability to acquire a second language despite the fact that students will have varying patterns, speed and acquiring styles. Some students will easily take off and become quickly conversant without much effort and for others this will present a huge challenge. Some students will continue to struggle with learning English despite being engaged in constant and lengthy periods of being exposed to t he language being learnt (English). Learner characteristics or personal traits affect the ESL students in their effort to acquire literal efficiency. These are the characteristics that are specific to an individual and they will include attitude, motivation, personality, learning styles and attitudes. Research shows that self confident students and those that have sociable personalities will have the courage to attempt verbal communication with other students and these interactions will make them to adapt easily to the new environment (Reid, 2002). Learner characteristics will affect how the student responds to instructions, which will influence the student’s ability to learn. Situational or environmental factors are concerned with issues that are external to the

Analysis Paper on Hollydazzle Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Analysis on Hollydazzle - Research Paper Example In this situation, since initial costs are the same for both years, it leads to more operating income. In a normal business situation, we cannot expect an operating income during the first few years as one has to invest a thumping amount of initial cost. Even if a business can reach break even point at an early stage, it is a great achievement. As an etailer Hollydazzle has scope for increasing the volume with less effort and costs compared to any other retailer because customers are moving towards this direction faster than ever. 3. Hollydazzle can also consider outsourcing its warehousing and distribution function. It would have to pay MooV, a warehousing and distribution specialist who has worked with other etailers, 6% of total sales. Should Hollydazzle consider outsourcing its warehouse operations What other factors should Kristin, Eric and John consider in making this decision This will enable a business ventures to diversifying the revenue sources. Of course it will look like an additional cost. But this approach will minimize the current expenses by reducing the risk, staff and other resources such as monitoring time. According to Andrew Neitlich (2004), it will 'also lets you take advantage of people you know who might refer you work, even if it is outside your core market'. This is also some kind of Marketing promotion as their word of mouth will also carry some weight in expanding the volume of transactions. MooV seems to have experience in working with other etailers, which is good. Since the major concern of Holludazzle is the etailer than a land-based store business, they can relive from the hassle of land based activities if they could outsource this activity. However, it is at a price, which means they may have to pay 6% of their total sales to them. Instead of just passing it over to MooV, there are few aspects such as advantages and disadvantages Kristin, John and Eric have to consider before coming to any conclusions.