Saturday, August 31, 2019

Reliance Fresh Project Reports

â€Å"CONSUMER PERCEPTION AND THEIR BUYING BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS â€Å"RELIANCE FRESH† SUPERMARKETS NEW DELHI, INDIA. † Chapter 1: Introduction Reliance Retail: Retailing is the interface between the producer and the individual consumer buying for personal consumption. This excludes direct interface between the manufacturer and institutional buyers such as the government and other bulk customers. A retailer is one who stocks the producer’s goods and is involved in the act of selling it to the individual consumer, at a margin of profit.As such, retailing is the last link that connects the individual consumer with the manufacturing and distribution chain. The retail industry in India is of late often being hailed as one of the sunrise sectors in the economy. The Indian retail industry is now beginning to evolve in the line with the transformation that has swept other large economies. It witness tremendous growth with the changing demographics and an improvement in the quality of life of urban people.The growing affluence of India’s consuming class, the emergence of the new breed of entrepreneurs and a flood of important products in the food and grocery store, has driven the current retail boom in the domestic market. (Jhamb & Khiran, 2012) AT Kearney, the well-known international management consultancy, recently identified India as the ‘first most attractive retail destination’ globally from among thirty emergent markets. It has made India the cause of a good deal of excitement and the cynosure of many foreign and domestic eyes.The entry of foreign and Indian retail giants like Wal-Mart, Metro, Reliance, Birla, Tata etc. made Indian market more competitive which is at cut throat level. So how retailers can reach to their end customers, to win the mind share and increase the basket size of each shopping trip. (Jhamb & Khiran, 2012) It is expected that by 2016 modern retail industry in India will be worth US$ 175- 200 billion. I ndia retail industry is one of the fastest growing industries with revenue expected in 2007 to amount US$ 320 billion and is increasing at a rate of 5% yearly.A further increase of 7-8% is expected in the industry of retail in India by growth in consumerism in urban areas, rising incomes, and a steep rise in rural consumption. It has further been predicted that the retailing industry in India will amount to US$ 21. 5 billion by 2010 from the current size of US$ 7. 5 billion. The growth of scope in the Indian retail market is mainly due to the change in the consumer’s behaviour. For the new generation have preference towards luxury commodities which have been due to the strong increase in income, changing lifestyle, and demographic patterns which are favourable. Huangyuarong (2011).As the twentieth century has come to and we have moved in to third millennium , we can see many development and changes taking place around us with all the industries and firms within each industry trying to keep pace with all the industries and firm within each industries trying to keep pace with the changes and diverse need of people . Marketer have regarded â€Å"customer† as the king and evolved all activities to satisfy him or her, this concept gaining more momentum and importance today. More than a century ago, the father of our nation, Mahatma Gandhi, had made visionary and deep meaningful statement at Johannesburg, South Africa in 1980.A customer is the most important visitor of our premises. He is not dependent on us . We are dependent on him He is not interruption on our work. He is the purpose of it and not an outsider on our premises. He is a part of it. We are not doing him favour by serving him. (AnithaJulius, 2013) Today the entire firm engaged in a process of creating a life time value and relationship with customers. This report start with discussion on the diversity of consumer behaviour and the need for studying consumer buying behaviour and consumer as a related field of marketing .This can be largely be attributed to the prevailing market situation . Today the company image is built and made known by its customers. Thus success of the firm determined how effective it has been in meeting the diverse consumer need and wants by treating each customer as unique and offering products and services to suit has or her need. (Gupta, 2011) Consumer buying behaviour will be a primary force in determining how this transition will evolve. Getting closer to the customer in today’s highly competitive landscape is essential for the entire industry and is no longer just a retail issue.It requires all organizations across the supply chain to work as a single enterprise, sensing and responding rapidly to consumer demand in a co-ordinate manner. Detailed analysis of the changing patterns of consumer demand, shopping trends. (Gupta, 2011) 1. 1. Background: We can see many examples of businesses where, first we grow and then think of expandi ng but Reliance is quite different. Reliance has developed such huge amount of resources and capital over the years that whenever it steps into any segment it is not required to wait for growing signal, that’s why it always thinks of expanding without any boundaries.Reliance retail is next Step by RIL which will be a pan India project. (â€Å"reliance fresh information,† 2012) Reliance Fresh is the retail chain division of Reliance Industries of India which is headed by Mukesh Ambani. Reliance has entered into this segment by opening new retail stores into almost every metropolitan and regional area of India. Reliance plans to invest Rs 25000 crores in the next 4 years in their retail division and plans to begin retail stores in 784 cities across the country.The Reliance Fresh supermarket chain is RIL’s Rs 25,000 crore venture and it plans to add more stores and eventually have a pan-India footprint by year 2011. The super marts will sell fresh fruits and vegeta bles, staples, groceries, fresh juice bars and dairy products and also will sport a separate enclosure and supply-chain for non-vegetarian products. Besides, the stores would provide direct employment to 5 lakh young Indians and indirect job opportunities to a million people, according to the company. â€Å"reliance fresh information,† 2012) The company is planning on opening new stores with store-size varying from 1,500 sq ft to 3,000 sq ft, which will stock fresh fruits and vegetables, staples, FMCG products and dairy products. Each store is said to be within a radius of 1-2 km of each other, in relation to the concept of a neighbour store. In a dramatic change due circumstances prevailing in UP, West Bengal and Orissa, It was mentioned recently in News Dailies that, Reliance Retail is moving out stocking.Reliance Retail has decided to minimize its exposure in the fruit and vegetable business and position Reliance Fresh as a pure play super market focusing on categories lik e food, FMCG, home, consumer durables, IT, wellness and auto accessories, with food accounting for the bulk of the business. (â€Å"reliance fresh information,† 2012) 1. 2. Reason for study: An intention of this study to clarify and understand the behavior and perception of consumer towards Reliance Fresh and how it impact on today’s retail marketing at New Delhi. 1. 3. Statement of problem:Food and grocery retail sector is one of the fastest growing industries, yet the nature of shopping behavior has not been studied in-depth. This has created a need to identify the aspects influencing these behavior and the patterns that will be followed. Lately, many new retail formats have introduced in New Delhi hence it is crucial for retail stores to understand consumer buying behavior along with their preferred store choice. 1. 4. Research Objective: I. To study consumer buying behavior and their perception at Reliance Fresh customers of New Delhi. II. Too examine the influence of demographic factors on retail purchase behavior.III. Evaluate the consumer trends and their perception towards the new shopping style. 1. 5. Major Research Questions: What are the major factors influencing consumer buying behavior and their buying decision process at Reliance Fresh New Delhi? 1. 6. Assumption: The attitude, perception, and behavior may be different to buy in supermarkets of New Delhi. Reliance fresh should encourage their image, consumer perception, consumer purchasing decision criteria and also should maintain their service quality to make more consumers satisfaction. 1. 7. Scope of the study:The scope of this study focus on consumer behavior and perception on Reliance fresh retail New Delhi which is already established all over in India. But in Delhi its provide the higher level of service for the consumer satisfaction, so there are coming more consumer at Reliance Fresh to buy best quality product into the store. The study to survey the behavior of consumer w ho always buy product from Reliance fresh at the largest famous retail stores at New Delhi, India with questionnaires. 1. 8. Benefit of research: 1. To understand the factor influencing purchasing making decision of product of Reliance Fresh Retail. . To realize how the consumer perceive and behave the buying activities of the stores and consumer perception for the image of Reliance Fresh supermarket. 1. 9. Limitation of research: The research focuses and asks for the mind of consumer (perception and behavior) which is intangible so it is difficult to measure by figure and may have bias answers depend on that situation because normally, Indian People mostly are ashamed to tell the truth. Conceptual Framework Independent variables Dependent variables Location * Customer Buying Behavior Buying decision process Ambiance of the supermarket Quality of products Variety of products Customer services References: AnithaJulius. (2013). Retail Market in India. [online article]. Gupta, M. M. , A. (2011). Consumer Perceptions towards Different Retail Formats in India. Maharishi Markandeshwar University. Huangyuarong. (2011). Consumer Markets and Consumer Buyer Behavior [online article]. Jhamb, D. , & Khiran, R. (2012). Emerging trends of Organized Retailing in India. School of Management & Social Sciences. reliance fresh information. (2012). [online article].

American Democracy Essay

Democracy had its origin in Rome, primeval Greece and both South and North America and has gained roots nearly all over the entire world and states become efficient and effective in there responsibilities if they utilize this concept. I will therefore discuss in this paper the aspect of democracy in America and the types of democracy that is direct and indirect types and point out the one used in this country particularly in California State. I will also proceed to highlight both democratic and undemocratic issues in America. Definition of democracy Democracy is simply defined as government by the people for the people. Essentially it illustrates small units of interrelated structures of administration. Research indicates that the primary characteristics of democracy comprise of administrations founded on popular rule, open and just elections, safeguarding political/opinionated minorities, high opinion of fundamental human privileges/rights, and impartiality before rule of law, and opinionated pluralism. (Anthony, 1957) Direct Democracy This is the practice of democracy which provides an opportunity to the citizens of a particular country to be involved in decision making process directly without depending on legislative bodies who act as there representatives. Many scholars argue that this kind of democracy is a feeble structure commonly practiced by comparatively small societies. This type of democracy is not only about the issue of voting but also includes referendum. According to the research I conducted, California state practices this direct democracy as witnessed through the making of decisions using referendum style, for example in the year 1998 the citizens of California who numbered twenty million engaged in referendum. (Markoff, 1996) Indirect democracy Unlike direct democracy representatives or intermediaries of the citizens of a state or nation play a key role in decision making process. These intermediaries are usually elected by the citizens and they have the duty to protect the interest of the electorate because they have the mandate to do so. This kind of democracy has led to the practice of what is termed as representative democracy whereby the citizens elect administration executives who formulate decisions that will represent the interest of those citizens. Representative democratic system is a type of indirect parliamentary government whereby such officials or intermediaries are democratically elected and typically complicated to recall them if they do not carry their duties as required. This form is usually based on a principle called Edmund Burkes which declares that the intermediaries selected should carry their duties based on the sense of what is right and wrong. (Joseph, 1950) Views of various scholars on American democracy There are many people who expressed different views about democracy and include the following: Robert A. Dahl who looked at the fundamental suppositions of democratic hypothesis, experiment them in opposition to the enquiries put forward by it opponents and build the concept of democratic system in to fresh and rational whole. Dahl deduces that there are various directions that democratic system has to move if superior autonomous countries are to subsist. (Dahl, 1989) Alexis de Tocqueville also had reflective outcomes regarding the theory of democratic organization. Alexi’s ideas emphasized on the issue of equality being an important ingredient to democracy; he further argues that without equality crime cases will rise. He also emphasizes on sovereignty or autonomy of states and also points out the importance of public opinion as the other key ingredients to achieving democracy. Another contributor is Jane Mansbridge who believed on democratic process and she dedicated her political opinions on democracy and equality in America. She argues that equality must prevail in order to achieve justice and only through democratic means that this equality can be realized. Thomas Marshall contributed to democracy in America by working to changing the existing laws then to that rules which embraced democracy for example he worked on voting rights among others. He also emphasized the issue of equality and he said that it propelled the country in the direct direction that is being democratic. He also worked tirelessly in reinforcing substantive egalitarianism in America by guaranteeing that sparkling method of checks and equilibriums among the three divisions of administration put forward in the American constitution was functioning. On his part Richard Hofstadter proposed that both anti-intellectualism and utilitarianism are outcomes experienced faced on the road to democratization of information or knowledge. Hofstadter preliminary worry of function of the institution of higher education and the scholars in the community developed into an influential appraisal of the current principle of learning and the position of civic education in America. (Johansen, 1996)

Friday, August 30, 2019

The Indigo Spell Chapter Fifteen

MS. TERWILLIGER WAS WAITING in the lobby when Julia and I returned to the dorm. â€Å"Seriously. Do you have a tracking device on me?† I asked. Julia took one look at our teacher's serious expression and quickly made an exit. â€Å"Just excellent timing,† Ms. Terwilliger replied. â€Å"I understand you have news.† â€Å"Surprisingly, yes.† Ms. Terwilliger's face was hard as she led me back outside to more privacy and yet another top secret outdoor meeting. These days, she hardly resembled the scattered, hippie teacher I'd met when I first started at Amberwood. â€Å"Tell me the news,† she ordered. I told her about Alicia's call, and her dismayed expression didn't really inspire me. I'd kind of hoped she'd reveal some amazing, foolproof plan she'd secretly been concocting. â€Å"Well, then,† she said once I'd finished. â€Å"I suppose I'll have to go out there.† â€Å"I'll go out there,† I corrected. She favored me with a small smile. â€Å"You've done more than enough. It's time I step up and deal with Veronica.† â€Å"But you sent me to that place before.† â€Å"When we weren't even sure where it was or what she was doing there. This time, we have an eyewitness confirming she's there right now. I can't waste this opportunity.† She glanced at a clock near the door and sighed. â€Å"I'd go tonight if I could but haven't made the necessary preparations. I'll start working on them now and go in tomorrow evening. Hopefully I won't miss her again.† â€Å"No.† The defiance in my voice surprised even me. I didn't contradict teachers – or any kind of authority – very often. Okay, never. â€Å"She eluded us before. Let us scout it out. You don't want to tip your hand yet, just in case something goes wrong. You'll be ready tomorrow night? Then let us go in the day . . . I mean, provided someone could get me out of school. . . .† A little of that tension faded, and she laughed. â€Å"I suppose I could do that. I hate that I keep putting you in danger, though.† â€Å"We passed that point a long time ago.† She couldn't argue against that logic. I made arrangements for Adrian to pick me up the next day – after first scolding â€Å"Jet† for giving out â€Å"Taylor's† number. When morning came, Ms. Terwilliger was true to her word. I'd been excused from classes for a â€Å"research trip.† The thing about being a star pupil was that none of my teachers had any problems with me skipping classes. They knew I'd get the work done. I probably could've taken the rest of the semester off. During the drive, I told Adrian that I'd managed to score a trip to St. Louis in order to pursue Marcus's daunting task. Adrian's expression grew darker and darker, but he stayed silent on the matter. I knew what a conflict it was for him. He didn't like Marcus. He didn't like me taking on this potentially dangerous mission. However, he also trusted me to make my own decisions. Contradicting me or telling me what to do wasn't in his nature – even though he secretly may have wanted to. His only comment was one of support. â€Å"Be careful, Sage. For God's sake, be careful. I've seen you pull off some crazy shit, but this is extreme, even for you. You're probably the only one who can manage this, but still . . . don't let your guard down, even for a moment.† When I told him about how I was hoping to use Ian to get more in-depth access, Adrian's troubled look turned to one of incredulity. â€Å"Hold on here. Let me make sure I'm following this. You're going to seduce some guy to help you with your espionage.† Seduce Ian? Ugh. â€Å"Don't jump to conclusions,† I warned. â€Å"I'm just going to try to use his feelings for me to get what I want.† â€Å"Wow. Cold, Sage. Very cold.† â€Å"Hey, now.† I felt a little indignant at the accusation. â€Å"I'm not going to promise to marry him or something and then dump him later. He wrote me about going to dinner when I'm there. We'll have a nice time, and I'll try to talk him into letting me tour the facility. That's it.† â€Å"And ‘talking him into it' doesn't involve putting out?† I glared at him and hoped he could see me in his periphery. â€Å"Adrian. Do I really seem like the kind of person who'd do that?† â€Å"Well – † He stopped, and I suspected he'd held back from some snarky comment. â€Å"No, I suppose not. Certainly not with a guy like him. Did you get a dress?† Here we were again, Adrian randomly jumping topics. â€Å"For dinner and the service? I've got plenty.† â€Å"I guess that answers my question.† He seemed to wage a great mental battle. At last, he said, â€Å"I'm going to give you some advice.† â€Å"Oh no.† He looked over at me again. â€Å"Who knows more about male weakness: you or me?† â€Å"Go on.† I refused to directly answer the question. â€Å"Get a new dress. One that shows a lot of skin. Short. Strapless. Maybe a push-up bra too.† He actually had the audacity to do a quick assessment of my chest. â€Å"Eh, maybe not. But definitely some high heels.† â€Å"Adrian,† I exclaimed. â€Å"You've seen how Alchemists dress. Do you think I can really wear something like that into a church service?† He was unconcerned. â€Å"You'll make it work. You'll change clothes or something. But I'm telling you, if you want to get a guy to do something that might be difficult, then the best way is to distract him so that he can't devote his full brainpower to the consequences.† â€Å"You don't have a lot of faith in your own gender.† â€Å"Hey, I'm telling you the truth. I've been distracted by sexy dresses a lot.† I didn't really know if that was a valid argument, seeing as Adrian was distracted by a lot of things. Fondue. T-shirts. Kittens. â€Å"And so, what then? I show some skin, and the world is mine?† â€Å"That'll help.† Amazingly, I could tell he was dead serious. â€Å"And you've gotta act confident the whole time, like it's already a done deal. Then make sure when you're actually asking for what you want that you tell him you'd be ‘so, so grateful.' But don't elaborate. His imagination will do half the work for you. â€Å" I shook my head, glad we'd almost reached our destination. I didn't know how much more I could listen to. â€Å"This is the most ridiculous advice I've ever heard. It's also kind of sexist too, but I can't decide who it offends more, men or women.† â€Å"Look, Sage. I don't know much about chemistry or computer hacking or photosynthery but this is something I've got a lot of experience with.† I think he meant photosynthesis, but I didn't correct him. â€Å"Use my knowledge. Don't let it go to waste.† He seemed so earnest that I finally told him I'd consider it, though I had a hard time imagining myself wearing anything like he'd described. My answer satisfied him, and he said no more. When we reached the bed-and-breakfast, I put on the brown wig so that we could be Taylor and Jet again. I braced myself as we approached the door. â€Å"Who knows what we're walking into?† I murmured. I'd been very brave while speaking to Ms. Terwilliger, but the reality that I might be going right up to an evil sorceress was sinking in. I had yet to develop the ability to sense magic in others, so I could very well be taken by surprise if she had a way to hide her appearance too. All I could do was have faith that Adrian's spirit and Ms. Terwilliger's charm would mask me. If Veronica was there, we'd just seem like an ordinary couple. I hoped. Alicia was reading another magazine when we walked in. She still sported the same hipster glasses and clutter of gaudy necklaces. Her face lit up when she saw us. â€Å"You're back.† Adrian's arm immediately went around me. â€Å"Well, when we heard Veronica was in town again, we wanted to come see her right away. Right, honeydew?† â€Å"Right,† I said. At least he was going with healthier nicknames today. â€Å"Oh.† Alicia's sunny smile dimmed a little. â€Å"She just left.† â€Å"You have got to be kidding,† I said. How could our luck be this bad? â€Å"So, she checked out?† â€Å"No, she's still renting out the Velvet Suite. I think she was just running errands. But. . . .† She turned sheepish. â€Å"I may have, uh, ruined the surprise.† â€Å"Oh?† I asked very carefully. I felt Adrian's hold on me tense, but there was nothing romantic about it. â€Å"I couldn't resist. I told her she might have some unexpected visitors soon. Good visitors,† she added. â€Å"I wanted to make sure she didn't stay out too long.† â€Å"That's very nice of you,† said Adrian. His smile looked as strained as mine felt. In trying to â€Å"help† us, Alicia might very well have ruined everything. What did we do now? I was saved from an immediate decision when a middle-aged woman walked through the door. â€Å"Hello,† she told Alicia. â€Å"I wanted to get some information about hosting a wedding here. For my niece.† â€Å"Of course,† said Alicia, glancing back and forth between all of us. She looked a little flustered over who to help, and I was quick to jump in. â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"Since we're here, can we look at the Bunny Suite again? We can't stop talking about it.† Alicia frowned. â€Å"I thought you were going to the coast for your anniversary?† â€Å"We were,† said Adrian, following my lead. â€Å"But then Taylor was thinking about Cottontail the other night, and we thought we should reconsider.† I had to give him credit for jumping in and going along with the story I was making up on the spot. Of course, you'd think he'd remember the name of the fake rabbit he had created. â€Å"Hopper,† I corrected. â€Å"Is the Bunny Suite still vacant?† he asked. â€Å"We can just take a quick peek in while you help her.† Alicia hesitated only a moment before handing over a key. â€Å"Sure. Let me know if you have any questions.† I took the key and headed toward the stairs with Adrian. Behind us, I could hear the woman asking if it'd be okay to set up a tent in the backyard and how many hot plates the inn could hold before it became a fire hazard. Once we were on the second floor and out of earshot, Adrian spoke. â€Å"Let me guess. You want to go prowl through the Velvet Suite.† I rewarded him with a grin, pleased that he'd guessed my plan. â€Å"Yup. Pretty good idea, huh? Hopefully Alicia will be distracted for a while.† â€Å"I could have just compelled her,† he reminded me. â€Å"You're using too much spirit already.† I found the Velvet Suite and put the key in the lock, hoping Alicia had given us the master key and not one specifically for the Bunny Suite. When she had shown us around last time, she'd only used one key. A click told me we'd lucked out and wouldn't have to use any metal-burning chemicals today. We'd seen the Velvet Suite during our last visit, and for the most part, it looked the same. Velvet bedding, velvet-covered furniture, and even velvet-textured wallpaper. Only, this time, the room wasn't in the pristine and unoccupied state as before. Signs around the room showed recent use. The bed was unmade, and the scent of shampoo from the bathroom indicated a shower not too long ago. â€Å"Alicia might have been wrong about Veronica checking out,† said Adrian. He opened drawer after drawer and found nothing. In the closet, he discovered high-heeled shoes tucked into a corner and a belt on a hanger – things that might be easily missed with frantic packing. â€Å"Someone left here in a hurry.† My hopes plummeted. In accidentally revealing our â€Å"surprise,† Alicia had apparently scared Veronica into skipping out on the room. We found no sign that Veronica would actually return, and as Adrian had said, she seemed to have taken off quickly, based on the kinds of easy-to-forget things that were left behind: a razor in the shower, a bottle of perfume on the bathroom counter, and a stack of takeout menus on the nightstand. I sat on the bed and sifted through the menus, not really convinced they'd tell me much. Chinese, Indian, Mexican. Veronica had diverse tastes, at least. I reached the bottom of the stack and threw them on the ground. â€Å"She left,† I said. I couldn't hide from the truth any longer. â€Å"That idiot Alicia tipped her off, and now we've lost her again.† Adrian sat down beside me, his face mirroring my dismay. â€Å"We'll find her. We've slowed her down by hiding the others. Maybe it'll buy us time until the next full moon so you can scry again.† â€Å"I hope so,† I said, though I wasn't optimistic. He brushed aside the wig's hair and turned my face toward him. â€Å"Everything's going to be okay. She doesn't know about you.† I knew he was right, but it was hollow comfort. I leaned my head against his shoulder, wishing I could fix everything. That was my job, right? â€Å"All that means is that someone else could suffer in my place. I don't want that. I need to stop her once and for all.† â€Å"So brave.† He gave me a small smile. His fingertips slid down from my face, lightly stroking the line of my neck, down toward my shoulder. Everywhere he touched, a trail of goose bumps appeared. How did he keep doing this to me? Marcus – who made every girl in the world swoon – had zero effect on me. But one whisper of a touch from Adrian completely undid me. â€Å"You could give Castile a run for his money,† he added. â€Å"Stop that,† I warned. â€Å"Comparing you to Castile?† â€Å"That's not what I'm talking about, and you know it.† His hands were too dangerous, as was being with him on a bed. Terrified I might be kissed again, I jerked away, and the sudden movement caught him by surprise. His fingers got tangled in my hair, as well as in my two necklaces, which resulted in him snapping both chains and nearly pulling off the brown wig. I quickly caught the garnet before it could fall off, but the cross slipped away. Thank God I'd kept the important one on. â€Å"No more kissing,† I warned. I refastened the charm and straightened the wig. â€Å"You mean no more kissing unless it's a romantic place,† he reminded me. â€Å"Are you saying this place doesn't scream romance?† He nodded around to our tacky velvet surroundings. He then picked up the small cross and held it in the air, growing thoughtful as he studied the way the light played off the gold surface. â€Å"You gave this to me once.† â€Å"And you gave it back.† â€Å"I was angry.† â€Å"And now?† He shrugged. â€Å"Now I'm just determined.† â€Å"Adrian.† I sighed. â€Å"Why do you keep doing this? The touching . . . the kissing . . . you know I don't want it.† â€Å"You don't act that way.† â€Å"Stop saying that. It's obnoxious. Next you'll be saying I'm ‘asking for it.'† Why did he have to be so infuriating? Okay . . . I hadn't really sent a clear message back at the sorority. Or Pies and Stuff. But this time I'd done better. â€Å"I just pulled away. How much more direct do I have to be?† â€Å"It's not your actions, exactly† he said. He still clutched the cross in his hand. â€Å"It's your aura.† I groaned. â€Å"No, no, not that. I don't want to hear about auras.† â€Å"But I'm serious.† He shifted over and stretched out on the bed, lying on his side. He patted the bed near him. â€Å"Lie down.† â€Å"Adrian – â€Å" â€Å"I won't kiss you,† he said. â€Å"I promise.† â€Å"How stupid do you think I am?† I said. â€Å"I'm not falling for this.† He gave me a long, level look. â€Å"Do you really think I'd assault you or something?† â€Å"No,† I said quickly. â€Å"Of course not.† â€Å"Then humor me.† Warily, I lay down on my side as well, facing him with only a few powerful inches between us. An enraptured, slightly distracted look appeared in his eyes. He'd given himself over to spirit. â€Å"Do you know what I see in you now? The usual aura. A steady golden yellow, healthy and strong, with spikes of purple here and there. But when I do this. . . .† He rested a hand on my hip, and my whole body tensed up. That hand moved around my hip, slipping under my shirt to rest on the small of my back. My skin burned where he touched me, and the places that were untouched longed for that heat. â€Å"See?† he said. He was in the throes of spirit now, though with me at the same time. â€Å"Well, I guess you can't. But when I touch you, your aura . . . it smolders. The colors deepen, it burns more intensely, the purple increases. Why? Why, Sydney?† He used that hand on me to pull me closer. â€Å"Why do you react that way if I don't mean anything to you?† There was a desperation in his voice, and it was legitimate. It was hard for me to talk. â€Å"It's instinct. Or something. You're a Moroi. I'm an Alchemist. Of course I'd have a response. You think I'd be indifferent?† â€Å"Most Alchemist responses would involve disgust, revulsion, and holy water.† That was an excellent point. â€Å"Well . . . I'm a little more relaxed around Moroi than most Alchemists. Probably this is just some purely physical response driven by hormones and years of evolution. My body doesn't know any better. I'm as susceptible to lust as anyone else.† There was probably a book about that or at least an article in Cosmopolitan. The hint of a smile played over his lips. He was fully in tune with me again. â€Å"No, you aren't. I mean, you are, but not without reason. I know you well enough to realize that now. You're not the kind of person who's ‘susceptible to lust' without some emotion to back it.† He moved his hand back to my hip, sliding it down my leg. I shuddered, and his face moved closer to mine. There was so much in his eyes, so much desire and longing. â€Å"See? There it is again. My flame in the dark.† â€Å"Don't kiss me,† I whispered. It was the only defense I could muster. If he kissed me, I'd be lost. I closed my eyes. â€Å"You said you wouldn't.† â€Å"I won't.† His lips were only a breath away. â€Å"Unless you want me to.† I opened my eyes, ready to tell him no, that it didn't matter what my aura allegedly said . . . this couldn't keep happening. There was no emotion backing this desire, and I tried to cling to my earlier argument. I was so comfortable around Moroi now that clearly some primal part of me kept forgetting what he was. This was a base instinct. I was simply having a physical reaction to him, to his hands, to his lips, to his body. . . . He caught hold of my arm and rolled me over. I closed my eyes again and wrapped my arms around his neck. I felt his lips touch mine, not quite a kiss, just the barest brush of – The door opened, and I flinched. Alicia stepped inside, gasped, and put a hand up over her mouth to cover a shocked squeal. â€Å"O-oh,† she stammered. â€Å"I'm so sorry . . . I . . . I didn't realize . . .† Adrian and I jerked away and sat up. My heart was ready to beat out of my chest, and I knew I was blushing. I quickly patted my wig and was relieved to feel it was still in place. He recovered his voice more quickly. â€Å"Sorry . . . we kind of got carried away. We started checking out the other rooms and decided to, uh, try them out.† Despite his sheepish words, there was a smug look on his face, the kind you'd expect from a guy who'd just made a conquest. Was it part of the act, or did he really think he'd gotten away with something? Alicia looked as uncomfortable as I felt. â€Å"I see. Well, this room's occupied. It's – † She frowned and did a double take. â€Å"It's Veronica's. It looks like she left.† I finally managed to speak. â€Å"That's why we thought it was empty,† I said hastily. â€Å"There was nothing in here.† Alicia thankfully seemed to have forgotten about our compromising position. â€Å"That's weird. She didn't formally check out. I mean, she paid in advance in cash, but still. It's so strange.† We made a hurried escape of our own after that, once again feeding Alicia lines about how we'd be in touch. Neither of us spoke much when we got in the car. I was lost in my own thoughts, which were equal parts frustration over Veronica and confusion over Adrian. I refused to acknowledge the latter, though, and opted for my usual tactic. The sooner that moment was forgotten, the better. I was pretty sure I could keep telling myself that. Some part of me – nearly as snarky as Adrian – suggested I pick up a book on denial the next time I was in the self-help section. â€Å"Another dead end,† I said once we were on the road. I texted Ms. Terwilliger: V's gone. No need for action. Her response came a few minutes later: We'll keep trying. I could practically feel her disappointment through the display on my phone. She wasn't the only one. Adrian seemed particularly melancholy on the drive back. He responded whenever I spoke, but it was clear he was distracted. When he dropped me off at Amberwood later that night, I found everything mercifully quiet. No crises, no dangerous missions. It felt like it had been ages since I had a moment to myself, and I curled up on my bed, taking solace in the ordinary tasks of homework and reading. I fell asleep with my face on my calculus book. I experienced one of those nonsensical dreams that everyone has. In it, my family's cat could talk, and he was driving Adrian's Mustang. He asked me if I wanted to take a road trip to Birmingham. I told him I had a lot of homework to do but that if he wanted to go to Fargo, I'd consider it. We were in the middle of negotiating who'd pay for gas when the dream suddenly dissolved to blackness. A cold feeling swept over me, followed by a feeling of dread that rivaled the time Adrian and I had faced down Strigoi in his apartment. A woman's laughter rolled around me, foul and sickening, like some sort of toxic smoke. A voice came out of the darkness, echoing in my mind. She's kept you well hidden, but it can't stay that way forever. You can't conceal power like yours forever. I've caught your trail. I'll find you. Hands suddenly reached out of the darkness for me, wrapping around my throat and cutting off my air. I screamed and woke up in my own bed, surrounded in books. I'd left the light on, and it chased some of the dream's terror away. But only some. Sweat poured off me, making my shirt stick to me. I touched my neck, but there was nothing wrong with it. The garnet hung in place but not my cross. No need to fear a dream, I thought. It didn't mean anything, and really, with everything going on lately, it was a wonder I didn't have nightmares more often. But thinking back on it, I wasn't so sure. There had been something so terrible and real about it, a horror that seemed to reach into my very soul. I didn't want to sleep after that, so I made a cup of coffee and tried to read again. It worked for a while, but somewhere around four, my body couldn't take it anymore. I fell asleep on my books again, but this time, my sleep stayed dream free.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Reflect on Vygotskian Adolescense Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflect on Vygotskian Adolescense - Assignment Example During the age of adolescence, Vygotsky attributed the changes to sexual maturation and other forms of physiological maturation. In this case, sexual maturation refers to the emergence of new stimuli and needs. This refers to the aspects that determine change in a system of interests. Vygotsky also emphasized on the fact that the development of interests is dependent on the content of social-cultural development. There are a number of shortcomings of using this theory. Vygotsky does not outline the reason for the occurrence of the new motives in adolescents. According to Vygotsky, change in motives results from the reconstruction of adolescent sexual desires and needs. This occurs because adolescents have the ability to operate at levels of formal logical thought. However, he does not explain the mechanisms used during the reconstruction (Karpov, 2009). Additionally, the idea of motives contradicts his earlier theoretical notions. This theory can be criticized based on the fact that Vygotsky leans on the mental development of the motives. The second Neo-Vygotsky’s area of research that will be analyzed is idea of development through social interactions. According to Neo-Vygotsky, adolescents learn through their interactions with their environment or society. Their interactions with their environment enable them to learn about moral norms and values. However, the transformation of social consciousness to self-consciousness is not a passive process of adoption. Neo-Vygotsky theorists argue that the components of social consciousness are internalized and mastered through the application of problem solving strategies. In this case, adolescents test their moral norms and values based on their interactions with their peers. These are also based on their ability to internalize mental processes and make small variations to original processes. Social interaction during the period of adolescence

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Regulatory Theory cw2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Regulatory Theory cw2 - Essay Example That made it necessary to merge with British Satellite Broadcasting and that is how a new entity came into existence called BSkyB. Currently, BSkyB is the most dominating company in the British pay-TV market. By owning 100 percent of BSkyB, Rupert Murdock is likely to have a dominant role in the British print and electronic media that subsequently may play a critical role in influencing major government economic and political policy issues. Rogers (2003) sees the mass media channels such as TV, newspapers, radio in a different perspective as mass media have the capacity to reach a large audience quickly, spread information and alter weakly held attitudes. Thus, too much concentration of media power in one hand or group of people could be detrimental as it may even affect the plural fabric of the society. It is a fact that some 30 years ago the newspapers such as ‘The Times’ and ‘Sunday Times’ were allowed to have a control by Rupert Murdock even though at that time he owned other print publications such as ‘The News of the World’ and ‘The Sun’. The reasons were given that it was necessary in view of the likely closure of these two print media if matter were referred to the MMC. In 1990, Sky TV and the British Satellite Broadcasting (BSB) were merged for the reasons that both were making losses and that was the only alternative to save both of them (Douglas, 2010). In a current scenario, pay TVs continue to expand in size and BSkyB with around10 million subscribers in its fold and revenues that is 2-3 times larger than its nearest rivals BBC and ITV has a dominant position in the market. That means that complete buyout of BSkyB will place Rupert in an enviable position to exert considerable influence in the national media (Douglas, 2010). On this acquisition efforts, competition such as BBC, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail and BT wrote to Vince Cable urging him to initiate necessary

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Judicial politics of the EU Court of Justice Coursework

Judicial politics of the EU Court of Justice - Coursework Example The free movement of goods would endorse production efficiency because the entire process would make various countries’ producers compete directly in the open market. For the purpose of following the free movement of goods notion, the internal trade barriers that lead to discriminatory restrictions among the EU states should be removed. Thus, the member states under EU should abstain from inflicting the trade restrictions on exports, imports or transit goods among themselves. However, after passing of nearly six decades, true freedom of movement of goods by the member nations is not enjoyed within the European Community. Various obstacles impede on the free movement of goods inclusive of explanation of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) towards general provisions concerned on the goods’ free movement under the EC treaty. The obstacles are also inclusive of several exceptions to the general provisions of Articles under the EU. In this research paper, the first section will present considerable background discussion towards the EU Court of Justice’s judicial politics. The second section will evaluate the interpretation of the ECJ’s general provisions on the EC treaty towards free movement of goods. The third section will be presented in the form of analyzing and discussing various cases that led to crucial judgments of the EU Court of Justice. In the last section of the research paper, conclusion will be drawn for determining the level of viability of the European Commission’s statement that signified the free movement of goods as one of the success stories of the European project. 2.0 Background Discussion of judicial politics of the EU Court of Justice In the European Community (EC), a number of judicial politics prevail. The background discussion of the judicial politics can be supported by the case C-70/88, European Parliament vs. Council. In the case, it was proved that the protect ion of the Parliament under the system is not effective enough as in the case the Commission displayed the shortcomings by taking the Council’s side with respect to the selection of the appropriate legal base for the regulation in concern. It was evolved in the case through Advocate General Van Greven that the Parliament should be granted limited action rights for defending its own privileges.2 From the judgment in the case, it was recognized by the ECJ that the prevailing legal remedies were not completely liable to provide guarantee in all the circumstances that a measure would be reviewed

Monday, August 26, 2019

Work Now trends (complete part one) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Work Now trends (complete part one) - Essay Example On the other hand, this gives the temporary employees a chance to determine their level of interest in that company. Working as a temporary employee gives the employees an advantage over the external applicants in times of a vacancy announcement. In the recent research, about 58% of the employers will prefer to pick the temporary workers in the next five or so years to external applicants (Jim, 2006). People working as temporary employers have a chance to associate with employees who may help them gain the permanent position or at times provide them with leads, and end up getting better positions elsewhere. Other than the above-mentioned impacts of temp-to-fulltime to the employer, the costs associated with hiring permanent workers is higher compared to that of the temporary employees. As the main aim of any business is maximization of profits, this strategy saves on costs; hence, more profit. People go for temporary jobs for experience, extra cash or if they have no other source of income. However, temp-to-fulltime strategy has its own shortcomings. With this kind of employment, nothing is guaranteed. Sometimes a company genuinely needs a temporary employee for just a specified time for various reasons. It gets frustrating for a person who took up that job with expectations of ever having that position permanently. One has to try to be perfect in everything, as the slightest mistake would mean immediate dismissal. This is not fair for everyone makes mistakes. These employees enjoy lesser benefits and lower income compared to their counterpart. This is despite the fact that they often do most of the work. The best secret to make any temporary job a permanent one is to perform excellently and assimilate into the company and its culture in the shortest time possible. Coming in early, offering to stay late in the office, complete the given assignment, and presenting it in time and having the right mindset are

Sunday, August 25, 2019

American Revolution and Early British Colonies Essay

American Revolution and Early British Colonies - Essay Example Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson as well as Alex Hamilton who were great advocates of the republicanism and advocated the formation of a united country based on different British Colonies. Patriots were the people who actually declared independence of thirteen British Colonies to form what is now called United States of America.The writings of Samuel Adams specially his circular letter resulted into the famous Boston Massacre. His writings are considered as one of the key efforts towards the development of an environment which led to the revolution.Thomas Paine’s Common Sense is also considered as one of the most important contribution towards the events leading to the revolution. In this book, Paine extensively advocated the separation of America from United Kingdom. His series of writings with the name of The American Crisis is also considered as important contribution towards the actual revolution which however, materialized after some period of time.The Massachusetts Bay Col ony was owned by the Massachusetts Bay Company and covered most of the areas which are now part of the New England. In Virginia, the first colony established was the Jamestown near Chesapeake Bay and it was financed by the London Virginia Company. Plymouth Colony was established by the people who escaped the religious wrath of the English Authorities whereas Cape Ann was also established as a fishing village in the region. (Taylor) The similarities between these colonies suggest that they were established for the purpose of achieving economic good.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Analysis - Assignment Example The quality control management depends on the policies and procedures of the various sections of the quality plan. The Credit Quality control procedures and policies are in place to ensure that the auditors are able to access the potential violation of any guidelines in connection with the policies and the procedures. The credit control procedure covers the following sections of the quality control plan: 1. Reviewing of policies for the changes in management- this complies with the quality control plan section of reviewing of procedural compliance in servicing. This assists in adjusting the quality control plan for audit, examinations, and findings procedures. 2. The review of outdated contents and a review of names of unaffiliated entities that are not relevant to the areas of editing - This relates to the quality control policy of ensuring that all mortgagees are eligible and has no connection with delinquent federal debt. 3. The control also makes preliminary conclusions regarding the strength or weaknesses of policies and procedures to come up with the areas best for transactions tests. This is to ensure that the quality control plan upholds timeliness and frequency in terms of servicing functions. 4. The credit quality control also involves testing whether the actual practices are consistent with the written policies and procedures of operations. This would make it easier to eliminate weakling procedures. The Servicing Quality Control policies and procedures address various sections of the quality control plan. As covered in the quality control plan, servicing quality control deals with issues revolving around the customer care, loss mitigation, default management, loan administration, and cash management, investor reporting and shared services. The servicing quality control checks the effectiveness of the PLS policies and internal controls to ensure that the business line has approximately mitigated key risks (James and Donald 287). The

Friday, August 23, 2019

(Operations Management) Key recent developments of operations design Assignment

(Operations Management) Key recent developments of operations design and practise in airline and automotive (car ) industry - Assignment Example self many various issues and activities through which an organization’s goods and services are changed and transformed from the inputs that were put to the outputs that are produced. It is about the various operations that are performed on the goods and services from the moment their production starts to the moment the customer receives it. Operations management consists of ten areas in which an operations manager has to make the right decisions so as to fit the company’s strategic vision with what the budget allows, and to achieve that competitive advantage too, all at the same time. A strategy is the course of action that a company aims to take with respect to achieving a particular goal. Strategic fit would be when the company has very well integrated the firm’s mission as well as the strategies along with the internal capabilities that it has and the external environment that it has to survive in. thus, missions (what needs to be achieved) as well as the strategies (how it needs to be achieved) must be in alignment with what the company is capable of doing itself and how much the outside environment and externalities will allow it to perform. (Slack, 2005) As far as operations management is concerned, the operations manager has to take decisions in ten critical areas. They are product design, quality management, process design, location selection, layout design, human resources, supply chain management, inventory, scheduling and maintenance. When it comes to operations management, the operations manager has a wide variety of choices as to how to go about it. Operations management is all about increasing the productivity of the company, thus efficiency has to be present, along with effectiveness in the first place. With the rise of competition, it can be said that new methods need to be found which will keep an air cargo company going and at least give him a place in the top cargo service providers of the country. For this, many owners of the cargo

Thursday, August 22, 2019

See description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

See description - Essay Example While offshore drilling is not the complete answer to our energy problems there are a few advantages and benefits that we will reap if this is pursued. On the other hand, careful examination of the possible consequences should be done to determine if the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. . One of the largest benefits of offshore drilling for oil and gas is the financial gains it would bring to the country. This type of production would result in the creation of hundreds of jobs which are well needed to lower the unemployment rate which has grown significantly since the economic recession. According to the American Energy Alliance (2009) offshore drilling would bring three phrases of development that would contribute significantly to the nation’s economy. The organization stated that industries would grow from the initial exploration and development of offshore facilities; the extraction of oil and gas resources; and refining crude oil into finished petroleum products. The report from the organization also predicted $2.2 trillion in total tax receipts; 1.2 million jobs annually across the country and $70 billion in additional wages each year. The United States currently imports two billion barrels of oil annually. The Energy department has announced that this year it is expected to import 2.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. A sustained flow of oil from a domestic source of energy would create sustained financial flow to the national treasury thus allowing the government to focus on many areas left unattended due to lack of proper funding. Another advantage of offshore drilling comes in the way of increased political power and authority. The dependence of the United States on oil and gas imports has lessened the power it has in influencing the price of oil. This power lies in the hands of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) that have the power of manipulating oil production which can negatively

Organizational Impact Paper Essay Example for Free

Organizational Impact Paper Essay Organizations today use creativity and innovation to change the products and services they provide to accommodate market demands. Companies may have difficulty with changes if there is no consideration for a competitive advantage or plans to transform and adjust their company to accommodate the demands for innovation of products and services for consumers. Organizations will conform to changes or transformation to achieve an economical advantage in business for innovation or it will fall behind its competitors. It will then be known as an organization of past success and current market absence. This paper will evaluate the impact of innovation, strategy, process, product, and services on three different organizations American Family Life Assurance Company (AFLAC), Microsoft, and Nike. American Family Life Assurance Company (AFLAC) The impact of innovation can be evaluated by looking at how organizations react or interact with the changes that are necessary. Commonly known as Aflac, the organization was founded November 17, 1955 by three brothers from Columbus, Georgia, (AFLAC, 2008). Aflac has been operating for more than 50 years, and is the number one provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States, and provides insurance protection worldwide for more than 40 million people (AFLAC, 2008). Internationally, Aflac targeted Japan, entering the insurance market almost 30 years ago and writes business for two-thirds of Japan, ensuring one in every four Japanese households (Best Review, 2003). A definite marketing strategy that contributed to Aflac rising market was their well-known pekin duck. An individual could not travel far without  meeting a stranger who could easily identify the duck icon and mimicking its tagline, â€Å"Aflac!† The market tagline was created in 2000 by the Kaplan Thaler Advertising Agency Group and recognized by nearly 90% of Americans; the pekin duck is an international icon and has done wonders for the organization (Best Review, 2003). For Example, after airing Aflac’s first duck commercial in January 2000, the organization rose practically overnight and became one of the most recognized brands of insurance in the market (AFLAC, 2008). The company advertised for six days and received more hits on their website for all 1999 and sales increased by more than 29% that is more sales increase during the first two weeks of the year than two previous years combined (Best Review, 2003). Aflac would never have experienced such success without the demands granted by innovation. Able to differentiate their competitor’s products, Aflac enforced an important marketing strategy in 1986, when the company expanded from rural to the metropolitan areas (AFLAC, 2008). The company used more independent insurance brokers rather than exclusive producers to sell their insurance and they recognize that brokers had already directed major medical coverage, other financial services, and could represent the organization with an excellent distribution channel (McCoy, 1996). Aflac offers a number of different services and products, including life, dental, vision, and supplemental health insurance such as cancer, hospital, accident, and disability. Microsoft Microsoft was found in 1975 and has become the world leader in software services, applications, and solutions (Microsoft, 2011). The organization leads the way in creativity, innovation software, hard ware products for individuals and companies, and offers products such as financial management tools, networking, web browser, and desktop (Microsoft, 2011). Almost every organization within an industry uses Microsoft products and often use customize applications to accommodate better that particular organization (Microsoft, 2011). One strategy that has enable Microsoft to stay ahead of the innovative curve is the development of the a new software computing called Microsoft surface that responds to hand movements, is capable of identifying genuine objects,  and can use barcode tags (Microsoft, 2011). The surface computer with a 230-inch display in a table-like form provides effortless interaction with digital content through hand touch movement and physical objects (Microsoft, 2011). This product is revolutionary because of future possibilities and innovations that will come from it, and will show the next generation a profitable outlook that will allow every user to remove and improve communication barriers, encourage social interaction, gain customer loyalty, and provide a unique shopping experience (Microsoft, 2011). Microsoft envisions that with the innovation of technology, surface computing will be available and used at all levels of government, organizations, and industries. Nike Nike, athletic shoes was found in 1962 by Phil Knight, who saw a gap and a need in the market of athletic shoes (Nike, 2000). Nike had a profound change on its marketing strategy and product when it introduced the Air Nikes, featuring Michael Jordan with the â€Å"Just Do It† slogan and â€Å"Bo Knows† commercial, (Nike, 2000). These innovative styles made the Nike shoes more recognizable and popular to consumers worldwide (Nike, 2000). Nike could modify its products and services through its innovative marketing strategy taken from evaluations on customer benefits and needs, whereas the product succeeded innovation technology with fashions that cater to customer satisfaction on a global level (Nike, 2000). Nike currently seeks out innovative ways to create advance athletic products and methods to speak creatively to the market because the success of Nike is based on marketing strategy that weighs current factors and trends (Nike, 2000). If Nike continues the innovation of new marketing ideas for their services and products, the organization will maintain their current role of innovative leadership with products, developments, and revenues in the athletic sports-wear industry (Nike, 2000). Conclusion Based on the information given from the three above organizations it has been determined that innovation can either make or break an organization.  Innovation is inevitable in organizations today because businesses have to make preparations for an innovative market by focusing their efforts on current market strategy, process, product improvement, and services. The three organizations discussed above used innovation and creativity to change the products and services they provide to accommodate the market demands. As the organizations indicated above, innovation is an important advantage for business growth and profitability and an important contributor to the business strategy to gain a competitive advantage. . References A Brief history of Microsoft. Retrieved January 18, 2011, from http://www.microsoft.com/misc/features_flshbk.htm. AFLAC. (2008). About AFLAC. Retrieved January 18, 2011, from http://aflac.com/us/en/aboutaflac/history.aspx. ENEWS Best’s Review (2003, May). The mighty duck. Retrieved January 18, 2011, from http:goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi-0199-2846151/The-mighty-duck-Aflac-is.htm. McCoy, T.A. (1996). Independent agents benefit from AFLAC’s marketing strategy. Retrieved January 18, 2011, from http://findarticles.com/p/arrticles/mi_qa3615/is-199612/ai-n8754524microsoft(n.d.). Nike History and Heritage. 2000. Retrieve January 18, 2011, from http://www.nikebiz.com/company-overview/history/1950.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Determinants for Demand in Private Housing

Determinants for Demand in Private Housing Principle determinants of demand for private housing. The dominant factor is price. Providing all of the other factors remain equal, one would expect a fall in price to increase demand. This increase occurs for two reasons. Firstly, the product has become better value for money and therefore becomes a preferred area of expenditure for consumers. Secondly, it enables consumers to purchase the product in replacement of a previously purchased inferior product. Household Income. As incomes rise, so does the household purchasing power. Therefore, the consumer is better able to afford products. Comparables. In incidence where, apart from price, there is a direct comparison between two products, as prices fall on product b) so consumers may substitute it for product a) where there has been no fall in price. Taste and preference. Consumer tastes and preferences change. These may be affected by outside sources such as promotion or peer pressure. In this event, such changes will have an effect on demand. Expectations. The perception of future changes in price will affect demand. If prices are expected to rise in the future, present demand will increase, and visa-versa. Therefore, if it is expected that private house costs will rise, but the present cost of purchase falls (i.e. mortgage payments), because consumers generally view property rental as inferior to private ownership, the demand for private housing will increase. Difference between supply of new housing and manufactured goods New Housing The Supply of new housing has limitations. The principle limitation is it’s fixed core element, the land. Although there can be changes made in the use of land, for example from agricultural, it is a limited resource that cannot be easily expanded. As a result, it is considered a fixed cost. Every individual product (house) will require a significant element of land for manufacture. The relative scarcity of the supply of land, this has the affect of increasing the cost of supply. Manufactured goods The supply of manufactured goods can be more easily increased. Once the fixed costs are in place, i.e. property, plant and machinery, these are equally divided over the number of goods produced. An increase in the number of products manufactured will therefore reduce the fixed cost element per unit. For example, fixed costs of  £100 spread over 1,000 products will be one tenth of that cost if it is spread over 100 products. Comparison of affordability with effective demand for a product Concept of affordability The concept of affordability (Marshall et.al. 2000) in respect of property rental is threefold. 1) That such rental is set at a level, which does not force the tenant into a position of poverty. 2) That it does not consume more than 25% of the tenant’s affordable income and 3) that the lessee is left with sufficient funds to be able to afford other basic necessities. Concept of effective demand The concept of effective demand is based upon the premise that supply and price determines demand. Whilst taking into account the available budget of consumers, effective demand works on the basis that increase of supply reduces cost, which enables lower price and therefore fuels demand. The motives for these concepts vary in that the affordability concept is based upon social precepts, whilst effective demand is based upon profitability and price. Other Criteria The criterion for assessing affordability is centred on five key issues. There needs to be an effective analysis of the RSL’s[1] own rental levels. Such analysis should determine rent averages by authority area, levels as calculated in relation to the type of property and the area in which the property is located. Comparison of rental levels with other RSL’s. Comparison of rental levels with other rental organisations. For example, those in the private sector. By evaluation of the income levels and type of household, for example single parent, pensioners, families etc. Formal assessment. Within this issue, RSL’s need to determine that households have sufficient income level to be able to afford the rent and still be able to achieve a certain standard of living. It is also needs to assist in reducing the reliance of tenants on other benefits by providing them the opportunity to rejoin the employment market. Other criteria that could be used include locality of tenant to work concentration areas, which would reduce tenant expenditure and increase job opportunity. Expectation of affordable housing schemes An ideal affordable housing scheme should provide occupiers with reasonable living accommodation sufficient for the needs of the household unit, at the same time allowing a standard of living that provides for all their basic needs. For the provider who finances the scheme it should allow for a reasonable return on their investment, plus sufficient capital replacement to enable them to continue the provision of such housing. Learning Activity 10 Supply differential between houses and other household product requirements Supply of houses differs from other products such as cars, white goods and luxury goods in that it is not as easily adaptable to meet demand. A car can be readily supplied and that supply rapidly replaced. This is not the position with a house. Here the supply source takes longer to react to any movement in price, because of the motivation of the house seller. A number of factors that affect supply, such as the motivation of the occupier to sell. If they are satisfied with their accommodation and the location, they are less likely to sell, limiting supply. Similarly, if they perceive prices will continue to rise, they will delay selling, a reverse effect will happen when house prices are depressed. Houses completed The chart above generally shows that the increase in house prices has not been met by a significant rise in the level of new builds, in fact, House builds supply has remained at a similar level throughout the ten years from 1995. If one wanted to construct a genuine graph for new house other data would be required, including variety of construct, for example flats, houses etc, and take into account the population demographics. Learning Activity 12 Scarcity Scarcity occurs within the social housing market where there is a lack of availability of the core element of house building, namely the land, and where house occupiers do not put their houses up for sale. Opportunity cost Many landlords have seized the opportunity of increasing their housing stock during the periods of deflation or housing slumps. In such cases, there is a need to weigh this cost against future gains. The conditions of demand In the housing market if the price is right and compares favourably with other housing options, such as renting, and that price is within the budget of the householder, then they will purchase a property. This is generally the preferred route of households. The conditions of supply To conditions that determine supply is the availability of products, in this case houses, at the right price. Supply will also be affected by the future expectations of the market in terms of price. Perverse demand behaviour In the housing market the major action that perversely affects demand is the substitution behaviour. Consumers generally perceive house ownership being preferable to renting and will therefore seek to move to this status as soon as is possible. External effects Several external situations affect the housing market. These include the inability of young people to get onto the property market; changes in employment conditions and types of households. Similarly, issues such as planning and taxes will affect the market supply and demand. Sources of inefficiency Inefficiencies within the housing market, particularly with social housing, where results of data analysis do not take into account all of the relevant factors and the resources are not being used to create the maximum economic welfare.. Sources of inequity issues Inequity can arise in the housing market because of the house-building programme failing to keep pace with the rate of demand. Monopoly power Monopoly power exists where there is no alternative to the product cost or the method of acquisition. It gives a monopoly the ability to affect the price of their product without reference to market trends. Nostradamus Housing Association Nostradamus is a social housing organisation. They are faced with a situation of reduced occupancy as a result of mortgage rates being reduced to a level where repayment are at a significantly lower level than the association charges. The occupancy issue is exacerbated by the fact that the council has transferred its housing stock to another association. Current research shows that the trend in the move to ownership is likely to continue for the near future. Therefore Nostradamus have decided to sell off their surplus stock, under a right to buy scheme, in order to rectify it’s worsening financial position. HA Rented Housing Owner-occupied Housing Low cost housing Reduction of mortgage rates Selling of houses Ownership Right to buy Within the case study presented, we see that the association is operating a system of allocative efficiency, in that the sale of their houses benefits them by reducing their financial difficulties, thereby making the business more efficient. It is equitable to both parties, as the association benefits by reducing its financial difficulties and the occupier benefits by acquiring a property at a cost, which is less than they were previously paying. It is found that owner-occupied housing is also provides equity, as it assists with the distribution of wealth between individuals who were previously disadvantaged. Thus, the association is also fulfilling its role in economic welfare. Determinants On Demand Owner-Occupied Housing Market price of product Rent exceeds mortgage payments, therefore exceeds market price Levels of household income Incomes have improved as the region is recovering economically Comparable prices The cost of ownership is below that of the rent being charged making rents no longer comparable Taste and preference Generally consumers prefer ownership, seeing renting as of lower social standing. Expectations Those who are moving to ownership expect to benefit from better neighbours. The sale of redundant houses by the association does give rise to a number of criticisms in addition to the fact that these were transferred from the local council. One of the most important criticisms is that it leaves the association with a much lower stock of houses, thereby it would be ill prepared to be able to provide housing for those who need social housing, should the local economy suffer a future reverse of fortunes in the future. A further criticism is that such houses could have been utilised to reduce the difficulties being experienced in other areas of the country. With areas such as the South East suffering shortage of low-cost housing for rent or sale, there could have been some relocation effected to have reduced this difficulty. This would have also have had the effect of assisting those in need in those areas by providing them with the opportunity of possible work as well. Furthermore, by selling the houses below the original cost, the association can be said to ha ve misused council funds. These funds essentially would have been provided by the members of the local community, through the payment of local taxes. As a result of all of these issues, a criticism could be levelled at the association that it failed in its duty of social care and welfare by not undertaking a study of other possible ways in which it could have utilised the excess housing stock and, at the same time, addressed its financial issues. The social imbalance could have been addressed in other ways. Primarily, it could have been offered to the government at an equitable rate, for use in helping them to address local and national homeless problems. This would have satisfied the issue of welfare. Secondly, the association should have looked at the possibility of reducing the rate of its rent to that which would be comparable with current mortgage payments. This would have led to higher levels of occupancy and increased the income of the association, thus reducing over time the level of its cash flow difficulties. The third way of reducing the social imbalance would have been by helping to address the issues that first time buyers suffer, namely not being able to gain entry into the property market. In line with other organisations, the association should have looked at the possibility of a â€Å"Rent and Buy† scheme. Under this scheme, the buyer purchases part of the property equity and the association purchases the balance, for example, the buyer may buy forty percent and the association sixty. Over the years, and as the buyer’s income levels rise, under this scheme the buyer would be able to then purchase the remainder of the property equity, on an instalment basis, from the association. These future equity purchases would have been at current market rates. This would have had the additional benefit of enabling such people to be able to remain within the location of their choice, close to families and their work environment. Accounting Issues Indicators Loss of Income Increasing turnover of tenants. Rentals too high Reduction in ownership mortgage rates Improvement in local incomes Housing turnover exceeding budget Tenants attracted by ownership Rentals too high. References Marshall, D., Grant, F.L., Freeman, A. and Whitehead, C (2000). Cambridge Housing and Planning Research. Retrieved 12 October 2006 from http://www.dataspring.org.uk/Downloads/Discussion Paper 2.pdf Live Tables on Housebuilding (2006). Department for Communities and Local Government, Retrieved 11 October 2006 from http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1156032 Demand and Supply for housing (2006). Tutors2u. Retrieved 12 October from http://www.tutor2u.net/economics/content/topics/housing/housing_demand_supply.htm Research Project. The UK Housing Market. biz/ed. Retrieved 12 October 2006 from http://www.bized.ac.uk/current/research/2004_05/090505.htm Footnotes [1] Registered Social Landlords

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

The role of goal-setting

The role of goal-setting Goal setting â€Å"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail† People once said â€Å"Winning is not everything, but wanting to win is† (Lombardi). Nothing in life can come by just wishing everyone has to work for it. Thus, how could a person work for something haphazardly? You have to know what you want to get it. (Stein) No one can live his life no matter what happens and let his life lead him not having a life plan. Everyone should have a plan for everything; a plan for the whole upcoming future. Goal planning is all what life is about; it is the core of any achieved success. Goal setting is a powerful tool, whether applied to ones urban life, personal objectives or health aspirations. In fact, goal setting can make the significant difference between success and failure. Goal setting seems to be very useful on individual and community level. Before discussing the role of goal setting and its relation to success; what is goal setting or planning? Goal setting is basically a well thought-out arrangement or course of action. It is an authentic manner for identifying what one needs to achieve whether in short the or long-term, and whether in personal life or professional career. In another words, a goal is something that is aimed at. It may be a wish or a dream that one work in advance to achieve. Goal planning is a powerful tool, whether appertained to ones personal aims, health targets or professional life. In fact, goal setting can make the significant discrepancy between success and failure. If we have a goal in life this gives our lives an aim and a purpose that takes a lot of energy, needs a lot of work, incurs a great deal of significance and act as a challenge to us. In addition, goal setting can be applied on the organizational level as there is not a successful organization with a declared strategy. From the major advantages of setting a goal is that it makes the controlling subconscious mind starts working and begins organizing the ideas and developing strategies of an assortment of ways to result in the booming accomplishment of the goal revise language and expression. In other words; â€Å"goals canalize behavior† Cummings Worley, 368). Moreover, setting a goal leads to attracting attention and focusing efforts to goal-related activities, and away from alleged undesirable and goal-extraneous actions. An example for this, is an international company like Sony, founded more than twenty five years ago, has declared its mission which was that the Japanese merchandises will be the ideal widely chosen merchandise in the United States market. They noted down their target and hung it everywhere. When the boards of directors assemble, and any member of the staff offers a plan to do something or other, the leader of the board looks at the duty hanging on the wall, and probably asks that employee, how the offered proposal is relevant to the mission. (Khaled) Now, the Japanese products are widely used among the Americans. Furthermore, having a goal helps in utilizing sources by making the best use of them. Knowing ones sources helps in evaluating them how, where and when to use them. In addition to that, defining goals allows self evaluation as it helps in determining ones drawbacks, how to solve them the good characters in ones personality and making the best use of them. Moreover, planning goals helps in bridging the gap between where the person is and where he or she wants to be. In ‘Alice in the Wonder Land. a story often told to young children, through the events, while Alice was wandering; she run in to her friend, the rabbit. At a cross road she asks the rabbit â€Å"What way should I track?† The rabbit asks her what is her destination. She replies that she does not know. The rabbit then says, â€Å"If you do not know what your destination is then follow any road, it will be the same. You must know your destination, Alice.† In addition, having a goal in life pushes anyone to be a perfectionist in his or her job, and gives a sense of responsibility, seriousness, bearing responsibility, being proactive and valuing time. By setting goals in each area of life a target is given to each one, something to aim for, something that if someone achieved would have a dramatic positive impact in his or her life. Goals give something to measure progress done against, to see if what someone is doing is moving him or her closer or further from his or her ultimate target. If the actions taken are moving someone closer to his or her target to keep doing what he or she is doing. If their actions are moving them further from their target, then they must change what they are doing so that they can move closer to their target. Goals influence persistence. When working to a plan and the positive results start to appear, a push is given to the setter so he becomes high-spirited so he or she carries on going for his or her goal. Most theories of self-regulation put emphasis on its natural link with goals. A goal reflects ones target and refers to quantity, quality, or speed of action (Locke Latham, 1990). Goal setting engages creating a regular or purpose to supply as the aspiration of ones actions. Goals are concerned through the dissimilar periods of self-regulation: consideration (setting a goal and coming to a decision on goal plans); performance managing (making use of goal-aimed at actions and scrutinizing performance); and self-suggestion (estimating ones goal development and regulating strategies to guarantee success (Zimmerman, 1998). Goals improve self-regulation through their consequences on inspiration, learning, and self-efficacy. Goals inspire people to exert effort required to meet task requirements and carry on over time. Goals can affect how people use information. Goals assist people in focusing on the mission, choose and apply suitable strategies, and keep an eye on goal development. On the community level, goal setting seems to be of great importance. For example, the problem of informal settlements actually appeared in many countries like Egypt due to lack of planning. These settlements were built haphazardly by normal people. This led to many fatal problems. There inhibiters are buried alive. They are suffering from pollution and fatal diseases as there is no sanitation. They are suffering from lack of health care and in many of these settlements there is no a pure source of pure water or electricity. Applying goal setting will really help as it will help in evaluating the problem, knowing the reasons so as to eliminate them and changing the problem in to an advantage by making the best use of sources. As people work on a plan they put side by side their present performance with the goal. Self-evaluations of development build up self-efficacy and maintain motivation. A supposed inconsistency between the current achievement and the goal possibly will generate displeasure, which can improve exerted effort. Although discontent is capable of leading to giving up, this will not occur if people believe they have the chance to succeed such as by modifying their plan or looking for assistance. Goal achievement builds self-efficacy and guides people in going for new, challenging goals. While working with learners and customers it may be essential in the beginning to dole out goals while at the same time training them on goal-setting strategies. As people become skilled at setting down-to-earth goals we may expect that self-set goals would create higher self-efficacy and improved self-regulated performance than consigned goals because they will be dedicated to reaching their goals and feel s uccessful about doing so. Possibly one of the most instant effects of goal setting is the satisfaction one feel when he or she sets a goal, sticks to a plan, and achieve it. One only is required to do this just the once to know that the achievement and satisfaction he or she gain from attaining his or her goals is a strong method for persistent to, and relying on, strong goal-setting techniques and methods over and over And, once one starts planning for his or her goals and accomplishing them, he or she will promptly become aware of an improvement in his or her confidence level, which will possibly have a positive impact on every area of his or her life. In working to accomplish ones goals, one will also soon have better understanding of his or her strength, while at the same time developing a stronger sense of achievement, one that develop with every single goal attained. One should believe in his goal so strongly and constantly with all his senses and abilities. His belief in his goal must be similar to Pro phet Muhammads (SAWS) when he assured to his uncle, â€Å"I swear, uncle, if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand for me to leave the message of Islam, I will not until Allah upholds it or I die for its sake.†(Khaled, 3) Goals are also an important tool for administrators since goals have the ability to be used as a self-regulatory mechanism that attain an employee a certain amount of assistance. Thus, there is not a successful organization with a declared strategy. Some people believe that one possible negative aspect of goal planning is that understood learning may be stopped. This is because goal setting may encourage simple focus on a result without directness to exploration, understanding or development. However, when goals are achieved at an organizational level and from then on solely given up, employee enthusiasm with regard to accomplishing these goals is to a certain extent suppressed. In addition, the goals of an individual employee may perhaps come into direct clash with the employing organization. In an organization, a goal of a chief may not adjust to the goals of the organization as a whole. Without allying goals involving the organization and the individual, performance may undergo some troubles. Furthermore, for compound tasks, goal-setting may really weaken performance. In these situations, an individual might become preoccupied with achieving the goals, more willingly than performing tasks. Fear of failure is one of the biggest obstacles that you must overcome to have a truly fulfilling life. Most people never set goals because of the fear of failure, and the fear of the unknown. When practiced inadequately, however, goal setting also has a severe disadvantage which can weaken ones success. Inaccurate goal setting makes people pessimistic, wastes their time and promotes misunderstanding about where to focus actions and energy. Goal setting, carried out poorly, inconsiderately, or for the mistaken reasons, can have a considerable negative impact on both people and organization business strategy. Organizations are often unsuccessful to achieve goals and intentional planning goals that are set top down, by decision-makers who lack fundamental information and are out of touch with organization disputes. The goals are improbable and they fail to regard as association resources and abilities. Workforce members do not think that the bonus they will be rewarded for goal achievement will be the same as the energy they spend to attain them. Commonly, administrators are anxious when they alarm job loss for breakdown. Moreover, too many goals make nothing a priority. Peo ple with too many goals experience these problems. They by no means feel as if they achieve an entire task. It is easier said than done to link their goal achievement to a reward and credit system that recognizes their achievements. They do not identify what is most essential to carry out next. They fall victim to the check it off the list condition where they check tasks of their list before the procedures have been incorporated by the association. Goal setting is an encouraging powerful, business performance when it tells the staff where he is going. Successful goal setting also demonstrates what accomplishment will appear like for the period of the journey and upon influx. When practiced badly, however, goal setting can unconstructively impact any organization in all the ways discussed, and more. There are some essential conditions for any goal: The goal must be comprehensible, definite and assessable, not unclear or uncertain. An example: if ones goal is to serve Muslims, this is not a specific or a measurable goal. This theory is derived from scientific books. The goal should include two elements: being determined and sensible at the same time. For instance: if a scholar says, â€Å"My target is to pass my high school tests,† it is not a goal; since it is typical that everybody should want to pass. His or her goal should be, â€Å"I would like to accomplish so and so, my wish is to be a valedictorian, to win the Noble Prize, to get a PHD.† A goal should be motivated and sensible at the same time. It is not supposed to be a fancy. The goal should not be a self-interested selfish one, but it should be heading for towards helping the society. A selfish goal is a short term goal. A person might want to have a great company for him and so the company was built, but what is next? One day he will retire. That is why ones goal should be directed to the benefit of society. In that case, ones life will end but his or her goals will not so this is a great aspiration and the vital goal. The more ones goals are directed towards pleasing Allah (SWT) and his or her countrys success, the greater the goals will be. There are some aspects that anyone would need in order to achieve the planned goal, in particular the psychological qualities anyone would basically be in need of to reach the desired goal: First of all hope and optimism are very important . One should always be hopeful and optimistic. Being pessimistic will destroy any progress as a pessimistic person will always think that there is no hope so why should she or he work and exert effort it will be the same. On the other hand, an optimistic person will never lose hope. Moreover, patience, patience, patience. One has to be patient, and never give up hope or hurry. The problem is that youth try once or twice and when he or she fails they despair and say, â€Å"There is no use, I tried many times and I failed. Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) tried with Arab tribes for twelve years, before he succeeded and went to live in Madinah. He tried twenty six times. On the community level, goal setting seems to be of great importance. For example, the problem of informal settlements actually appeared in many countries like Egypt due to lack of planning. These settlements were built haphazardly by normal people. This led to many fatal problems. There inhibiters are buried alive. They are suffering from pollution and fatal diseases as there is no sanitation. They are suffering from lack of health care and in many of these settlements there is no a pure source of pure water or electricity. Applying goal setting will really help as it will help in evaluating the problem, knowing the reasons so as to eliminate them and changing the problem in to an advantage by making the best use of sources. It is note worthy to mention the role of goal setting in solving the education problem in Egypt. The problem of education originates from the fact that there is no proper goal setting as the curriculum does not meet the market demands. Proper goal planning will help in assessing the current syllabus, changing the drawbacks and making the best use of its advantages; it will help in education reform. To sum up, Setting goals, getting a plan, and staying focused equals success. Without goal setting, a person wont be able to make a difference in his or her life. He or she wont be able of enjoying success or feeling sorry for a failure. He or she will be a person with no goal to achieve; and no life to live. Goal setting can change a zero value resource turn into a 100 % value resource!

Monday, August 19, 2019

A Perfect Education :: Teaching Education

A Perfect Education There are many ideas as to what constitutes an ideal education. A number of factors come together to make an ideal education. Parents have to be concerned with the education of their children. Teachers must be completely devoted to their students' educations. Students must have faith in their teachers and the education which they are receiving. Students, parents and teachers are the key elements in a model education. A good relationship among the three parties is essential to a good education. Parents are an important ingredient to the perfect education. Parents who aren't involved in their children's education only impede the efforts made by teachers and students to create a good education. These parents are oftentimes uninterested with their children's education as a whole. To achieve perfection in the educational system, parents have to take an active role in that education. Parents who don't include themselves in their children's education aren't always informed about the student's progress, aren't aware of the current curriculum, and don't have any idea of the student's strengths and weaknesses in school. An involved parent is informed and sometimes included in the decision-making process. Parents who take an active role are kept informed of the progress made by their children. The parents know the curriculum and assist the children with their nightly studies, and can discuss their children's feelings about education. Devoted teachers are extremely important to a perfect education. The teacher is just about the most important of the three parties necessary to create a model education. Teachers have the responsibility of forming good relationships with both students and parents. Teachers must also be able to effectively communicate with both parents and students in order to ensure that there are no misconceptions or confusions about the children's educations. A good teacher is aware of any special needs that certain children may have and is able to help those children adjust to the curriculum accordingly. Although it may seem obvious, teachers need to be patient and empathetic when dealing with his or her students. The vast majority of teachers already possess these qualities. Many students, however, have complained of teachers that appear to have "no time" for their students. Teachers with an unenthusiastic attitude relay a negative feeling back to their students and that can create problems in the classroom. As mentioned earlier though, people usually won't become teachers if they are uninterested in providing an excellent education to their students.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Separation Of Church And State Essay -- History Historical Education R

Separation of Church and State By the middle of the 20th Century, the United States had emerged as a world power. It accomplished this through its leadership in defeating Germany and Japan in World War II. These two countries' main objective was to enslave the world and destroy political, religious, and economic freedom. In Germany or Japan, anyone who disagreed with these goals, or was different was destroyed. This was a common practice in these two fascist countries. Unfortunately, at the same time of its emergence as a world power, the United States began to slip into a form of judicial fascism. This slide began when the U.S. Supreme Court began to abandon the religious principles on which this nation was founded. The abandonment officially began in 1947 in Everson v. Board of Education, when the court announced, â€Å"The 1st amendment has erected a wall between church and state. That wall must be kept high and impregnable. We could not approve the slightest breach.† (Barton, Original†¦ p.13) This exact case began the reversal of Supreme Court trends and opinions that had lasted for one hundred and fifty years. Now, for almost fifty years, the Supreme Court , and the United States population in general, has used the phrase â€Å"separation of church and state† when referring to the religion clause of the 1st Amendment. The 1st amendment's actual wording is â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.† (Barton, America: To†¦ p.15) But, because of the Supreme Court's continuous citing of a â€Å" wall of separation† and â€Å"separation of church and state†, the public's idea of the 1st amendment's religion clause has been shaped by phrases which do not appear anywhere in the Constitution. The First Congress, which passed this Amendment in 1789, intended to prohibit the establishment of a national religion. In fact, they didn't mind the establishment of â€Å"official† religions by states. At the start of the American Revolution, nine of the thirteen colonies had established religions, so obviously no one was opposed to the coupling of church and state. Unfortunately, this separation talk has been so furiously pounded into our heads, that a picture is painted falsely into our heads; a picture of a roomful of godless atheists, agnostics, and deists framing our Constitution in 178... ...efore Everson v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court made countless decisions regarding religion that directly contradict the past 50 years of religious oppression. Some of these decisions refer to the U.S. as a Christian country. One, Davis v. Beason, in 1889, strikes down bigamy and polygamy, rejecting arguments that they were religious exercises. The Court states Davis, a Mormon, was wrong, and that his actions were crimes by â€Å"the laws of all civilized and Christian countries.† This decision clearly shows the intent of the legislators of the era.(Barton, Original.. p.64-65) The solution to this problem lies in educating the people of this great republic as to the intent of the Founders. In the evidence presented, it can be clearly seen that the judicial fascism being practiced today and now, is clearly not what the Founding Fathers intended for our country. The solution to the religious liberty/school prayer debate lies in the hands of Congress.(Barton, A guide.. p.36) The media portrays supporters of a school prayer amendment as a radical fringe minority, when recent studies and surveys have shown that 71% of people favor an amendment for school prayer. Separation Of Church And State Essay -- History Historical Education R Separation of Church and State By the middle of the 20th Century, the United States had emerged as a world power. It accomplished this through its leadership in defeating Germany and Japan in World War II. These two countries' main objective was to enslave the world and destroy political, religious, and economic freedom. In Germany or Japan, anyone who disagreed with these goals, or was different was destroyed. This was a common practice in these two fascist countries. Unfortunately, at the same time of its emergence as a world power, the United States began to slip into a form of judicial fascism. This slide began when the U.S. Supreme Court began to abandon the religious principles on which this nation was founded. The abandonment officially began in 1947 in Everson v. Board of Education, when the court announced, â€Å"The 1st amendment has erected a wall between church and state. That wall must be kept high and impregnable. We could not approve the slightest breach.† (Barton, Original†¦ p.13) This exact case began the reversal of Supreme Court trends and opinions that had lasted for one hundred and fifty years. Now, for almost fifty years, the Supreme Court , and the United States population in general, has used the phrase â€Å"separation of church and state† when referring to the religion clause of the 1st Amendment. The 1st amendment's actual wording is â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.† (Barton, America: To†¦ p.15) But, because of the Supreme Court's continuous citing of a â€Å" wall of separation† and â€Å"separation of church and state†, the public's idea of the 1st amendment's religion clause has been shaped by phrases which do not appear anywhere in the Constitution. The First Congress, which passed this Amendment in 1789, intended to prohibit the establishment of a national religion. In fact, they didn't mind the establishment of â€Å"official† religions by states. At the start of the American Revolution, nine of the thirteen colonies had established religions, so obviously no one was opposed to the coupling of church and state. Unfortunately, this separation talk has been so furiously pounded into our heads, that a picture is painted falsely into our heads; a picture of a roomful of godless atheists, agnostics, and deists framing our Constitution in 178... ...efore Everson v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court made countless decisions regarding religion that directly contradict the past 50 years of religious oppression. Some of these decisions refer to the U.S. as a Christian country. One, Davis v. Beason, in 1889, strikes down bigamy and polygamy, rejecting arguments that they were religious exercises. The Court states Davis, a Mormon, was wrong, and that his actions were crimes by â€Å"the laws of all civilized and Christian countries.† This decision clearly shows the intent of the legislators of the era.(Barton, Original.. p.64-65) The solution to this problem lies in educating the people of this great republic as to the intent of the Founders. In the evidence presented, it can be clearly seen that the judicial fascism being practiced today and now, is clearly not what the Founding Fathers intended for our country. The solution to the religious liberty/school prayer debate lies in the hands of Congress.(Barton, A guide.. p.36) The media portrays supporters of a school prayer amendment as a radical fringe minority, when recent studies and surveys have shown that 71% of people favor an amendment for school prayer.