The Concept of Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Concept of Business Strategy - Essay Example The arrangement of the five forces varies across different industries. For instance, in the commercial airline industry, stiff competition exists between Boeing and Airbus, the power of suppliers, threat of entry and the threat of substitutes are weak while the power of suppliers is strong. In the movie theatre sector, the increase of entertainment and the influence of distributors and movie producers and inputs are significant. The first component in the tool refers to supplier power and refers to the ease of suppliers to lead to changes in prices. This is influenced by the number of suppliers in at each point of production, the cost of switching between suppliers, the power they have over companies and the uniqueness of the product or service. The less the supplier options that are present in an industry, the more power the consumers have. The second aspect of the Porter Five-tool is buyer power and it relates to how easy it is for consumers to lead to a reduction in prices. This i s influenced by the number of buyers, the cost of their decision to switch to other products and services and the value of each customer to the organization. Companies that deal with a relative number of powerful buyers, they have a huge impact on them.The third aspect is competitive rivalry and this relates to the number and ability of the competitors. If a company has a high number of competitors that offer better products and services then, the company has minimal power over the situation.

Propaganda Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Propaganda - Assignment Example Posters have been used as an informative or propaganda means for a very long time. They have been advancing with the advancement in technology. This advancement has been majorly structural and appearance in form of colour and shape but the purpose remains informational conveyance. (b) Introduction: This paper is going to give the full meaning of the term propaganda and its importance in the society. The term propaganda refers to the different means used by media and other informative systems in informing about different emerging issues. These issues might be pertaining to fields such as politics, education, economic development, agricultural field, industrial development, environmental conservation, energy conservation and other lively related fields. The use of propaganda started a long time ago but has been undergoing evolution as technology advances and modernity takes over. In this section, the paper would be giving samples of posters developed with a purpose of informing people about six main fields in human life. This paper would then give a brief explanation as to how these types of posters have undergone structural change as they retain their purpose and theme in human life. Therefore this paper would look at five different posters and the historical context under which each of these posters was created. It would further look at how politics and culture of people has influenced them. In addition to that, the ways in which each poster is set to meet its intended purpose as based on the targeted audience. (c) Different types of posters and the message they convey to the society (a) The poster above is a poster on fighting pollution in the society. It is a hand designed poster as from its look. It is a type of poster that is linked with the 1920s. During this time, the world had undergone less advancement in technological field. When this poster is presented in a new form of the present generation where technology is exclusively used, it would be structura lly improved. This structural improvement would be from a hand drawing into a photo taken picture with at least a digital camera recorder. If not in form of a photo, it would take the form of mobile pictures where human being should be associated in the picture. Nowadays, if a poster on fighting pollution should be produced, then it should show an illustration of the effects of pollution on the environment. Culturally, people who are the main preservers of the environment from pollution should also be included. This is the political and cultural effects that politics would have on the poster above. The main reason is to make clear and sure that the theme of the poster is well conveyed to the society which is the intended audience. (b) The above poster is a poster created in the new generation of 21 century with fine artists showing out their talent. It is a politics related politics and that is a reason why the term â€Å"HOPE† is included to encourage people on choosing the person on the poster during election (Stromquist, 2008). Therefore, despite the fact that the poster was meant to be coloured, the whitish colour was intentionally put in to show peace and purity. In the new generation where most of the youths are unemployed despite their good talent and thus they require employment opportunities. Therefore, the

Efficient Streaming Protocol for Transmitting Video Files

Efficient Streaming Protocol for Transmitting Video Files Chapter one Introduction Chapter One Introduction 1.1 Motivation Information in computer science might be represented in multiple forms. In the beginning the first used forms of information were text and images, after the huge increase of using computers and internet another type of information appears, it is the hyper text which is the combination of text and images. Hyper text is text pages that connected by hyper links (hyper link provide non linear access to the text pages no need to view all the pages sequentially to access a specific page) and then new forms are used like Audio and motion pictures or videos, nowadays a combination of these representations as well as the traditional forms (text and images) is called multimedia [LIZ04]. Multimediais a data type may contain multiple types of information like: audio, video, and animation in addition to traditional media (text, graphics, drawings and images), Digital multimedia is a data type represented by series of bits and manipulated by some multimedia applications and stored on some storage units like on CD or DVD or in multimedia servers. Digital multimedia can be interactive (non linear access) that can be manipulated with computer programs (create, edit, transfer), or non interactive (linear access) where the viewer is unable to control the multimedia like the presentation of movie in the cinema [LIZ04]. Hypermedia is a collection of many types of information like text, images even videos in one website or more that are connected together by some hyper links that provide non linear access to the media like encyclopedia which user can jump from article to the other or jump to the next mark in DVD. The figure 1.1 below shows the structure of Hypermedia. Figure 1.1 Hypermedia Multimedia applications are a computer based programs that are designed to manipulate multimedia data with different sources like text, graphics, audio and video [NIE07]. Multimedia applications can be found in many areas such as: Education, nowadays computer based training applications that designed to simulate the scientific experiments by creating the reactions environment and show the hypothetical results that should be produced from the row materials that will react in the reaction environment, these applications are safer for students from some experiments in real world as well they use some visual effects to explain some phenomenon like physical, chemical and geographic learning applications. Advertising, multimedia applications can be found in advertising and journalism like the advertising of products and places like restaurants and companies, in journalism nowadays electronic copies of magazines and journals. Entertainment, in this field multimedia is used to design video games and visual effects of games and movies, interactive multimedia is used heavily in video games that the user participates alone or with others on the same computer or over the internet not just sit and watch. Industrial sector, multimedia is used as a way to help present information to shareholders, superiors and coworkers. Multimedia is also helpful for providing employee training, advertising and selling products all over the world via virtually unlimited web-based technology. Mathematical  and  scientific research, multimedia is mainly used for modeling and simulation. For example, a  scientist  can look at a  molecular model  of a particular substance and manipulate it to arrive at a new substance. Representative research can be found in journals such as the  Journal of Multimedia, in engineering multimedia applications now used to design buildings and machines before implementing them in real world [LIZ04]. Since multimedia represents some motion captured and stored on some remote place there must be some kind of delivery mechanism to transfer multimedia files from its source (producer) to the destination (consumer) [LIZ04]. Multimedia delivery can be divided into two categories offline and online delivery, offline delivery means transferring multimedia, without using internet, by using removable storage medium like CD-ROM to the hard disk on one station, multimedia was spread widely after the increase using of CD’s DVD’s and now Blue ray which are large storage media can hold the large size of multimedia files, online delivery (also called Streaming) uses the internet for transferring the multimedia from the producer which is usually a server with bulky storage to the consumer which is the client who can be any terminal mobile phone, personal computer or television and takes into consideration the statues of the network the client and server are connected to. Online delivery transmits video files for events happened at the same time like video conferences, football games or video calls; or already processed and stored videos like video clips and movie trailers, online delivery multimedia and websites should be written in an efficient way to transmit or deliver the multimedia files and they are able to be read by the client, also there must be enough resources for the network and the client (which are available bandwidth, network throughput, congestion, and for the client the available buffer and client’s device speed, etc..) in order to transmit the multimedia file efficiently and the client has a successful experience [NIE07][LIZ04]. The adaptive streaming is the process of transmitting videos from the server to the client over internet in an efficient way depending on the network and client’s statues; to deliver videos faster and fewer pauses different qualities are saved to the same video and the server switches between these qualities according to the network and client’s statues. In this thesis, a proposed protocol for streaming videos in adaptive way is introduced; the protocol has two sides the server or the sending parity which is responsible of transmitting the video files to the client in an adaptive way and the receiving party known as the client who receives the videos and displays them on his screen, adaptive means taking into consideration the statues of network like the available bandwidth in order to transmit the video file to the client smoothly, the processing of the video files is done on line, in other words the video frames are processed during the transmission according to the available bandwidth measured at the moment, dislike the used technologies nowadays which they save more than one copy of the video file with different bitrates and transmit the proper bitrate version of the video to the client according to the available bandwidth. Literature Review In this section reviews to some related work for this thesis about the dynamic video streaming over the internet â€Å"A Buffer-Driven Approach to Adaptively Stream Stored Video over Internet†, by Dejian Ye [YED02], In dynamic video streaming technique many parameters can affect the streaming operation of video from a server to client one of these parameters is the buffer size of the sending and receiving parts, authors focused on the server and client buffer size and according to their statues server decide the quality of transmitted video, the buffer size and amount of available buffer size in the sender and receiver sides decide the quality of the transmitted video from the server to the client. â€Å"ENet Dynamic QoS Controller for Video Streaming Application†, by Qingyang Wang [WAN10], the popularity of video on demand and streaming over the internet increased and the limitations between the server and the client that may appear during streaming like supporting data type or bandwidth or computer speed and throughput and how to maintain a good QOS the authors design Enet which is a tool added to the server. Enet is a simple Fuzzy System used to switch between multiple bit rate versions of video, it picks the most appropriate bit rate to the client’s properties, this method takes a large storage space since it stores multiple versions of video with different bit rate for each video copy. â€Å"Adaptation Algorithm for Adaptive Streaming over HTTP†, by Konstantin Miller [MIL12]. Internet videos (live or on demand) take a large amount of internet traffic, in this paper authors build an algorithm for the client side which tries to improve the delivery of video to the client by making client selects the appropriate bit rate depending on the client and network conditions like bandwidth available buffer and network throughput. They integrated the algorithm with a prototype implementation of a streaming client based on the MPEG DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP) standard which divide the video file into segments and each segment is saved in a number of different bit rates and client take the responsibility of selecting the most appropriate bit rate depending on the clients and network state. The design of the algorithm download the video file as segments one after the other and it uses one buffer that results client cannot receive the segment N unless it com plete receiving segment N-1. â€Å"Confused, Timid, and Unstable: Picking a Video Streaming Rate is Hard†, by Te-Yuan Huang [HUN12], Hulu, Vudu and Net Flux are three video streaming service providers that provide videos with high quality to the users with some fee. Videos provided by these services are divided to chunks with multiple bit rates for each chunk (when bit rate is slow chunk size is small and high bit rate the chunk size is big) and server switches between these chunks with different bit rates according to the available bandwidth. The problem is when requesting a video and start watching it and after some time another video requested a downward spiral effect appears which is bit rate goes down to the lowest level despite there is enough bandwidth for higher bit rate. â€Å"USING SCALABLE VIDEO CODING FOR DYNAMIC ADAPTIVE TREAMING OVER HTTP IN MOBILE ENVIRONMENTS†, by Christopher Muller [MUL12], DASH is the approach that is used to transfer video over the internet in dynamic way to the user, it’s done by saving multiple copies of the video each copy with different bit rate and the server starts switching between these copies or bitrates according to client’s specifications. In this paper authors uses scalable video coding (SVC) instead of advanced video coding (AVC or H264) which provide more flexibility to the system with the available bandwidth and the buffer size, But if the client switches from one bit rate to the other (higher or lower) and he already requested a chunk before, this chunk will be canceled. The server will save multiple copies of video as a group of chunks. SVC experiment and code depend on windows so it’s not available to other operating systems. â€Å"OPTIMIZING HTTP-BASED ADAPTIVE VIDEO STREAMING FOR WIRELESS ACCESS NETWORKS† by Xiaoling Qiu [Qui 13], Authors in this paper propose new approach for dynamic streaming videos over HTTP; their approach measure the available bandwidth of the network and client’s CPU speed and old measurements into account to select the best video quality using an optimization algorithm. This method contains optimization algorithm to select quality of segments to be sent to the client, but this method suffer from high computation rate. Aim of thesis The aim of this thesis is to build an efficient streaming protocol for transmitting video files from the server to the client with accepted waiting time at the client side. The work in the thesis focuses on video files transmission to provide the accepted delivery time, videos usually are large size files this needs compression method to be used to reduce the video file size when the available bandwidth is below the required level for transmitting videos without compression, also this thesis takes into consideration the quality of the delivered video, the quality of the received video is maintained since the used compression technique in the proposed protocol is lossless technique so there is no loss in the transmitted video file quality at the client side. Another important side in video streaming technique is the buffer management; the proposed streaming protocol uses a variable size for the buffers at the server side and the client side. This approach guarantees the efficient delivery of the required video file without take more than the required memory space. The limitations that affect the proposed protocol execution are: The execution on the internet is hard because it needs to reserve domain in a server over the internet, so the proposed protocol implemented on Local Area Network. The bandwidth values are not real and they were generated randomly to simulate the change on the available bandwidth in real world but the limit of bandwidth was selected depending on used LAN defined bandwidth. Outlines of the thesis This thesis is organized in five chapters as follows: Chapter one: â€Å"Introduction† This chapter begins with explanation of the meaning of multimedia and its applications in real world and also contains a list of reviews works related to this work. Chapter two: â€Å"Theoretical Background† This chapter contains description of the main concepts of video file, video streaming, compression and quality. Chapter Three: â€Å"Video Streaming Protocol† This chapter contains the proposed streaming protocol between the server and the client that satisfy the aim of this thesis of delivering video from the server to the client with little or no pauses and with acceptable quality. Chapter Four: â€Å"Experimental Results† This chapter contains the results of the video streaming protocol introduced in the thesis. Chapter Five â€Å"Conclusion and Future work† This chapter contains the conclusions and the future work for the thesis. 1

Analysis of Raleghs Nature, that washed her hands in milk Essay

Analysis of Ralegh's "Nature, that washed her hands in milk" Nature, that washed her hands in milk† can be divided structurally into two halves; the first three stanzas constitute the first half, and the last three stanzas make up the second half. Each stanza in the first half corresponds to a stanza in the second half. The first stanza describes the temperament of Nature, who is, above all, creative. This first stanza of the first half corresponds to stanza four, the first stanza in the second half of the poem. Stanza four divulges the nature of Time, who, unlike Nature, is ultimately a destroyer. Time is introduced as the enemy of Nature, and Ralegh points out that not only does Nature â€Å"despise† Time, she has good reason for it (l. 19). Time humiliates her: he â€Å"rudely gives her love the lie,/Makes Hope a fool, and Sorrow wise† (20-21). The parallel between the temperaments of Nature and Time is continued in stanzas two and five. Stanza two describes the mistress that Nature makes for Love. This mistress, who is made of â€Å"snow and silk† instead of earth, has features that are easily broken (3). Each external feature is individually fragile: her eyes are made of light, which cannot even be touched, her breath is as delicate as a violet, and she has â€Å"lips of jelly† (7-8). Her demeanor is unreliable, as well; it is made â€Å"Only of wantonness and wit† (12). It is no surprise that all of the delicate beauty Nature creates in stanza two is destroyed by Time in stanza five. Time â€Å"dims, discolors, and destroys† the creation of Nature, feature by feature (25-26). Stanzas three and six complete the parallel. In the third stanza, the mistress is made, but in her is â€Å"a heart of stone† (15). Ralegh points out that her charm o... ...s known to outlast flesh once a body has died. Time spoils the insides of the mistress, as well; he â€Å"doth dull each lively wit,/And dries all wantonness with it† (29-30). The poet’s preservation of the order of creation and demolition helps to present Time as a methodical destructive force. Time is in no hurry to get rid of the mistress or beauty, but he certainly will perform his task to completion. Careful word choices and syntax aid Ralegh’s depiction of Time, as well. Reading â€Å"Nature, that washed her hands in milk† feels like a lesson and a story at the same time because the syntax is short and to the point. Each stanza ends with a rhyming couplet, giving a self-contained feeling to each phrase, which lends to the aphoristic feel of the poem. Both Ralegh’s plain style and his use of parallel structure serve as vehicles to convey the meaning of his poem.

Importance of Computer Network Service Levels

This paper explains the importance of the different service levels of computer networking such as availability, reliability, response time and throughput. It aims to literate the people managing the network to be aware of these different key areas so that they may always be reminded of their duties and responsibilities in securing the network. Network Computers Networked computers have been a part of every business both big and small. People invest their time, effort and money to make sure that communication and information is always available. Information Technology as a part of any organization is crucial to a business success making it one of the most budgeted departments of the organization. People who takes care of the network should know the importance of service to customers and co-employees regarding availability, reliability, response time and throughput. Availability Technology is made to serve the people in the shortest time possible. The network group should always make sure that the network, workstations and other technological resources that is operational through networks are all stable and in perfect condition. Monitoring should always be a part of the network group’s daily routine to ensure that all devices are working properly to avoid any downtime. Risk management should always be implemented and observed at all time. The group should be knowledgeable enough to sustain the network in all possible circumstances and emergencies like earthquake, sudden power failure and more. The IT group with the help of the management and customers should also have an understanding in the implementation of availabilities of the business network and other resources through proper endorsements and reporting to make sure that communications and transactions will not be hampered. Reliability The information and data gathered from computers and other resources are one of the most important tools for decision making in any business or organization thus making it one of the most sensitive to monitor as well. It is important that customers and employees trust the accuracy of the software or machines that they use. The network group’s job is to make sure that all data and information are well transferred to customers and employees everyday. LAN testing should always be a part of their daily routine to test the reliability of their network. Response Time Fast and accurate information and output is so important in this fast world. That is why the word downtime must not be in an IT group’s dictionary. Network performance must always be in its best. This can be assured through testing the network every now and then. The network group should also be knowledgeable enough to design the kind of network topology and know the tools that can be used in different kinds of work environment to ensure fast performance, resilience, scalability and flexibility of the network. Throughput Networking is at its best when they do their work as what they are expected. Processing speed is measured by users every time they work and throughput can be a kind of measurement to see if their device is doing its work well. For example, if a printer is expected to print 100 papers per hour but it seems that it’s only printing 65 papers, the time wasted in printing or downtime is a big factor for the performance of the users that may bring bad effect to their transaction as they go on. Network groups must not see this as a small problem because it may someday be an alerting one. They must have the time to check even the smallest details if they want to avoid larger problems that may come in the way. Conclusion Computer networking is one of the most challenging task that an IT or network group may have. It is the veins of success to any transaction. If the group who are responsible in making, designing and implementing networks are all knowledgeable and capable of maintaining and securing a network, then progress and good working environment will be at hand. It is best that the network group is knowledgeable in their field. However, all of the hard works of the IT group will not be successful if they do not have the support of their co-workers and the top management. Reference 1.) http://www.ictglobal.com/ICT009/imp_networks.html

A Not-For-Profit Medical Research Center Essay

The sole aim of this report is for marketing and promotional purposes of the Not-for-Profit medical research center. There is an increasing interest in the reporting of Not-for-profit organizations However, annual reports are part of an overall strategy to communicate with stakeholders, to donors and users, and can help foster public trust and build community and government  support. It also helps build organization reputation, and can be a key means of reaching new donors, partners, volunteers and sponsors. ORGANIZATIONAL PURPOSE The Not-for-Profit medical research center is an organization engage on research, on diseases regarding aging. The Organization relies on raised funds from varying sources, including public, individual and the federal government. USERS OF OUR REPORT/STAKEHOLDER The users of our Report range from the stakeholders, to past donors including future donors. MISSION/VISION Our vision is a world free from aging diseases. We research into diseases related to aging. The Not-for-Profit medical research center is committed to produce a shorter, simpler and easy to read report that can be used for marketing and promotional purposes, to have it mailed to the stakeholders, past donors and high potential future donors. This is our vision and mission for our future outlook. STRATEGY Not-for-profit medical research center continuously collect data from patients, parents etc. And identify issues and make adjustments to our methods based on user/stakeholders demand. 1 Our strategy is aimed at determining long term goals and objectives which will strengthen our relationship with stakeholders, encourage our past and future donors and subsequently improve our organization. We have identified stakeholder needs and we have set certain machineries and strategies in place to achieve optimum satisfaction. We work closely with stakeholders and staffs to create the strategic plan that define our vision. We will continue to find new ways to obtain acceptable results on aging diseases and guarantee users satisfaction. The communication strategy we developed and implemented have been of benefit to our users, stakeholders and donors. We will expand our effort to improve our objectives. Due to our obvious progress, individuals, public and government have been very reliant on funding and support. GOALS AND PERFORMANCE Our goals and performance range from successful research regarding aging  diseases to our stakeholder’s satisfaction in past years. We have been funded by the general public, individuals, groups and government. And donations to our organization are without seizing, and we have effectively utilized the funds and donations to develop and improve on our research efforts. RISK OPPORTUNITIES Despite our fiscal strength, insufficient funding remains a primary area of concern to our organization. The Executive board of the Not-for-profit medical research center is very much aware of the high risk and potential impact on our organization if there are no increase in funding and donations from individuals, public and/or from government. So funding remains one of our top most priorities for continuous operation. FINANCIAL AND NON-FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHT Our patients and parents have testified how our products have impacted their lives. Through this means and outcome monitoring, we have identified critical elements to ensure success and stakeholders satisfaction. The Not-For-Profit medical research center financial outcomes are higher than average and our outcome measures, matched our goals for the year. 2 FUND RAISING METHODS AND OUTCOME The Not-For-Profit medical research center continues to experience strong and increase funding through generous donations. We raise funds that are used to run our programs and operations and our outcomes are measured far above average. OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE We will continue to provide solutions to aging diseases through our research and products and thus, improve our methods and performance. ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE AND LEADERSHIP Our staffs consist of Grace, a marketing specialist, Levi a writer/editor, Lakysha, a staff assistant and her husband who is a photographer. And we have Alexis as director of external affairs, and also the stakeholders. GOVERNANCE The Not-for-Profit medical research center board of directors are ultimately responsible for governance, management and operations of the organization. The Board members bring personal experience to the table and are deeply committed to the aims and objectives of the organization. The Principal Director of the board is accountable both to the staffs and the Not-for -Profit medical research center and our product users. Activities, services and programs are executed by our staffs and volunteers, while administrative responsibilities are delegated to the executive directors. The identification and management of risk is also taken care of by the board. CONCLUSSION Our organization is a Not-for-Profit organization, and our research has been on aging diseases and the research center is reliant on funding and donations. Our annual Report possesses new and improved features with intent to show the benefit of the research center and impact on People’s lives. 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We acknowledge the support of stakeholders to the success of our programs, our past donors, patients and parents who are fans and users of our product and we are grateful to our team of experts/staffs who applied all necessary skills to achieve our great success. Our board of Directors are not left short of sincere gratitude and appreciation. REFERENCE Successful project management Gido & Clement 5th edition (Page 130-131) 4

Isolation (Of Mice and Men) essays

Isolation (Of Mice and Men) essays Isolation is the term used when a being is confined to himself without any outside contact. In the story, Of Mice and Men, isolation was a major role forced upon Crooks and Curleys wife. Crooks is an old black man whom lives in a little hut beside the manure pile, and lives and sleeps by himself, with no contact besides orders. Curleys wife was isolated, simply because Curley didnt not trust her, and considered her to be a tart. These two characters have a lot in common as shown through this story. Crooks is a slave, an old black man whom is literate and tends to be crabby. He is crabby because his whole life he has seen failure been pushed around and not taken seriously, and every time he does something good and starts to get somewhere or make something of himself, he gets shot down to rock bottom. Thus causes people to become isolated and keep to them selves, however, Lennie, a man who isnt aware of social and cultural barriers, talks to crooks, and tells him about his farm. For the first time ever in his life Crooks sees a light, an opportunity for success and to be free, thus sorta bring himself out of isolation, to life in a happier place, a dream land, the land in which every hard working man such as himself, George, Candy, and even Lennie dream of. That takes Crooks to a new level of thinking. Curleys wife and himself were married at a young age, he promised her to have a good life and be happy. Unfortunately she was too young to know what she had gotten herself into. Curley couldnt love his wife because he didnt trust her, nor did he trust is co-workers, he considered he to be a tart because of the looks she gave people. However, little id anyone notice, those were not looks of lust, nearly looks of conversation. She was lonely, very lonely, and didnt have a single person to talk to, didnt have a job and could not get out fending for herself. She was isolated in...

Life in the ER †Theology Essay

Life in the ER – Theology Essay Free Online Research Papers Life in the ER Theology Essay Working in the emergency room of a hospital can be extremely hectic and demanding. Recently my cousin’s wife started a second career as an EMT in the ER. She could tell you how stressful it is at times and yet rewarding. Perhaps, like me, you feel that you have been in life’s ER for most of your life. Life in the ER is a daily encounter with trauma, tragedy, and tears, but there are also times of joyous triumph. Job was one of the most severely tested men in the Bible. He experienced life in the ER – life full of trauma, tragedy, and tears. He lost his children in a terrible wind storm. His livestock were rustled by bandits. He lost his wealth and health and was misunderstood and falsely accused by his friends. Job lamented, â€Å"Man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward† (Job 5:7). In all of his troubles, Job never lost his faith. How can we triumph while living in the ER? We may not know all the answers to why we face trauma, tragedy, and tears in life’s ER, but Paul reminds us, â€Å"For now we see in a mirror dimly but then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know, just as I also am known† (I Corinthians 13:12). Paul then gives us three foundation stones for an abundant, victorious life. They make us triumphant when we spend time in the ER. â€Å"Now abides faith, hope, and love, these three. But the greatest of these is love† (I Corinthians 13:13). Note the following four things about life in the ER. First – TRAUMA can be turned into triumph. What is trauma? The dictionary defines trauma as â€Å"Traumata [Greek]: a bodily or mental injury caused by an external agent†. Job certainly faced trauma. Satan was the agent who assaulted him. Consider the mental anguish Job went through. He questioned God but he never lost his faith. He felt like it would have been better not to have been born. But then he comes to a place of triumph. â€Å"Though He slays me, yet will I trust Him† (Job 13:15). Why did Job have such â€Å"faith, hope, and love†? This is perhaps the greatest declaration from a man ever made. â€Å"For I know that my Redeemer lives; and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself and my eyes shall behold and not another† (Job 19:25-27). Paul suffered severe mental and physical trauma. â€Å"We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair . . . Knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us . . . while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal† (II Corinthians 4:6-18). Paul experienced triumph out of trauma. â€Å"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us† (Romans 8:31-35). God can turn trauma into triumph. (Romans 8:28-39) Second – TRAGEDY can be turned into triumph. Tragedy is taken from two words – tragos (goat) and aeidein (to sing). Even in sorrow God gives a song. (Psalm 6:8; 126:5 and Isaiah 35:10; 61:1-10.) I remember sitting before the caskets of my two brothers and a cousin. They were only teenagers when they were tragically killed by a young drunk driver who ran a stop sign at a country road intersection. It was the first personal tragedy that I had encountered. I was so grief-stricken that I thought I saw their cold lifeless bodies move. â€Å"Perhaps God is going to miraculously raise them from the dead or maybe I am going to awake from a bad dream.† But they did not get up and I wasn’t having a bad dream. It was real and it was devastating. The preacher reminded us of Martha and Mary’s sorrow at the death of their brother Lazarus. â€Å"Lord, if only you had been here, our brother would not have died,† they said. Jesus assured them â€Å"your brother will rise again . . . I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live† (John 11:23-26). Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Christ has power over death and specializes in raising those things that have died. Third – TEARS are a language God understands. At the tomb of Lazarus Jesus wept. Our tears are never wasted nor do they go un-noticed by God. They are collected in bottles in heaven. (Psalms 56:8, Isaiah 16:25; 38:5, and Revelation 21:4.) Jesus came to comfort and to heal the brokenhearted. (Luke 4:18) Fourth – TRIUMPH comes through Jesus Christ. The loss of something or someone never has to mean the end of a joyful, victorious life for a believer in Christ, if you allow Jesus to mend your broken heart. He is Lord of resurrection life, no matter what trauma or tragedy you face. Those who work in the ER are able to save and bring healing to many. When your heart is hemorrhaging with grief and loss never forget that Jesus binds and compresses your wounds with His nail-scared hands. Reach out to Him today in â€Å"faith, hope, and love†. Research Papers on Life in the ER - Theology EssayThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsComparison: Letter from Birmingham and Crito19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionLifes What IfsThe Spring and AutumnThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationHip-Hop is ArtQuebec and Canada

About the United States Congress - Overview

About the United States Congress - Overview The Congress of the United States was created by Article I, section 1, of the Constitution, adopted by the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787, providing that All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives. The first Congress under the Constitution met on March 4, 1789, in the Federal Hall in New York City. The membership then consisted of 20 Senators and 59 Representatives. New York ratified the Constitution on July 26, 1788, but did not elect its Senators until July 15 and 16, 1789. North Carolina did not ratify the Constitution until November 21, 1789; Rhode Island ratified it on May 29, 1790. The Senate is composed of 100 Members, 2 from each State, who are elected to serve for a term of 6 years. Senators were originally chosen by the State legislatures. This procedure was changed by the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, adopted in 1913, which made the election of Senators a function of the people. There are three classes of Senators, and a new class is elected every 2 years. The House of Representatives comprises 435 Representatives. The number representing each State is determined by population, but every state is entitled to at least one Representative. Members are elected by the people for 2-year terms, all terms running for the same period. Both the Senators and the Representatives must be residents of the State from which they are chosen. In addition, a Senator must be at least 30 years of age and must have been a citizen of the United States for at least 9 years; a Representative must be at least 25 years of age and must have been a citizen for at least 7 years. [Â  How Much Do Members of Congress Really Make? ] A Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico (elected for a 4-year term) and Delegates from American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands complete the composition of the Congress of the United States. Delegates are elected for a term of 2 years. The Resident Commissioner and Delegates may take part in the floor discussions but have no vote in the full House or in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union. They do, however, vote in the committees to which they are assigned. Officers of CongressThe Vice President of the United States is the Presiding Officer of the Senate; in his absence the duties are taken over by a President pro tempore, elected by that body, or someone designated by him. The Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives, the Speaker of the House, is elected by the House; he may designate any Member of the House to act in his absence. The positions of Senate majority and minority leader have been in existence only since the early years of the 20th century. Leaders are elected at the beginning of each new Congress by a majority vote of the Senators in their political party. In cooperation with their party organizations, leaders are responsible for the design and achievement of a legislative program. This involves managing the flow of legislation, expediting noncontroversial measures, and keeping Members informed regarding proposed action on pending business. Each leader serves as an ex officio member of his partys policymaking and organizational bodies and is aided by an assistant floor leader (whip) and a party secretary. [Â  How to Write Effective Letters to Congress ] The House leadership is structured essentially the same as the Senate, with the Members in the political parties responsible for the election of their respective leader and whips. The Secretary of the Senate, elected by vote of the Senate, performs the duties of the Presiding Officer of the Senate in the absence of the Vice President and pending the election of a President pro tempore. The Secretary is the custodian of the seal of the Senate, draws requisitions on the Secretary of the Treasury for moneys appropriated for the compensation of Senators, officers, and employees, and for the contingent expenses of the Senate, and is empowered to administer oaths to any officer of the Senate and to any witness produced before it. The Secretarys executive duties include certification of extracts from the Journal of the Senate; the attestation of bills and joint, concurrent, and Senate resolutions; in impeachment trials, issuance, under the authority of the Presiding Officer, of all orders, mandates, writs, and precepts authorized by the Senate; and certification to the President of the United States of the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification of treaties and the names of persons confirmed or rejected upon the nomination of the President. The Sergeant at Arms of the Senate is elected by and serves as the Executive Officer of that body. He directs and supervises the various departments and facilities under his jurisdiction. He is also the Law Enforcement and Protocol Officer. As Law Enforcement Officer, he has statutory power to make arrests; to locate absentee Senators for a quorum; to enforce Senate rules and regulations as they pertain to the Senate Chamber, the Senate wing of the Capitol, and the Senate Office Buildings. He serves as a member of the Capitol Police Board and as its chairman each odd year; and, subject to the Presiding Officer, maintains order in the Senate Chamber. As Protocol Officer, he is responsible for many aspects of ceremonial functions, including the inauguration of the President of the United States; arranging funerals of Senators who die in office; escorting the President when he addresses a Joint Session of Congress or attends any function in the Senate; and escorting heads of state when they visit the Senate. The elected officers of the House of Representatives include the Clerk, the Sergeant at Arms, the Chief Administrative Officer, and the Chaplain. The Clerk is custodian of the seal of the House and administers the primary legislative activities of the House. These duties include: accepting the credentials of the Members-elect and calling the Members to order at the commencement of the first session of each Congress; keeping the Journal; taking all votes and certifying the passage of bills; and processing all legislation. Through various departments, the Clerk is also responsible for floor and committee reporting services; legislative information and reference services; the administration of House reports pursuant to House rules and certain legislation including the Ethics in Government Act and the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995; the distribution of House documents; and administration of the House Page Program. The Clerk is also charged with supervision of the offices vacated by Members due to death, resignation, or expulsion. Clerk of the HouseThe Sergeant at Arms maintains the order of the House under the direction of the Speaker and is the keeper of the Mace. As a member of the U.S. Capitol Police Board, the Sergeant at Arms is the chief law enforcement officer for the House and serves as Board Chairman each even year. The ceremonial and protocol duties parallel those of the Senate Sergeant at Arms and include arranging the inauguration of the President of the United States, Joint Sessions of Congress, visits to the House of heads of state, and funerals of Members of Congress. The Sergeant at Arms enforces the rules relating to the privileges of the Hall of the House, including admission to the galleries, oversees garage and parking security of the House, and distributes all House staff identification cards. Congressional CommitteesThe work of preparing and considering legislation is done largely by committees of both Houses of Congress. There are 16 standing committees in the Senate and 19 in the House of Representatives. The standing committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives can be viewed from the links below. In addition, there are select committees in each House (one in the House of Representatives), and various congressional commissions and joint committees composed of Members of both Houses. Each House may also appoint special investigating committees. The membership of the standing committees of each House is chosen by a vote of the entire body; members of other committees are appointed under the provisions of the measure establishing them. Each bill and resolution is usually referred to the appropriate committee, which may report a bill out in its original form, favorably or unfavorably, recommend amendments, report original measures, or allow the proposed legisla tion to die in committee without action.

In two paragraphs, compare and contrast rationalism and empiricism Essay

In two paragraphs, compare and contrast rationalism and empiricism - Essay Example Reason is the rationalist’s tool for determining the nature of knowledge about the objective world. The application of the tools, methods, and processes of logic, according to rationalists, should guide an individual to the kind of knowledge that conforms to the laws of logic. These usually begin from concepts that form in the mind. On the other hand, empiricism is the epistemological school of thought that argues that all knowledge comes from the senses. According to this school, all people are born with their minds representing a blank sheet of paper so that all subsequent experiences generate knowledge for the individual. Empiricism argues in favor of sense experience as the fundamental basis of all knowledge (Maritain 26). We acquire knowledge by interacting with the subjective world before we form ideas and knowledge about the shape of reality. In this manner, all knowledge becomes a posteriori. It must necessarily proceed from sense experience. Empiricists argue that all knowledge is based on precepts, which form after some form of experiences. These are then ordered in the mind before they are synthesized into workable

XTRA Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

XTRA - Case Study Example The company owners are anticipating the launch of e-business as a probable solution to regain their lost business and sales. The e-business is a manifestation of the turnaround strategy that is planned by the business owners. The new platform will lend a global existence and wider consumer base reach for increasing sales. The e-business will support XTRA to restore the company’s business and the market share. The launch of e-business is expected to generate more business for XTRA by offering a reengineering strategy. Also the data collected by the information systems can be used to serve the customers personally. The staff members at are apprehensive of the new technology and fear the change in roles and responsibilities that will be accompanied with the new approach. Also, since the staff has not been using the computer systems extensively at work, they are not very well acquainted with the information systems and how to use it for the business processes. So the decision is a strategic one and the various critical factors and their impact must be evaluated. The basic problem that can be identified for the current situation at XTRA is its limited consumer base and narrow exposure. Also, company serves product line that caters to a narrow consumer segment with fans of Hollywood actors who are interested to buy a memoir of the favorite movie or actor. XTRA has been operating through a centralized outlet at the city centre. The declining sales can be contributed to the limited market exposure and constrained reach in the world of global and transnational businesses. The past success describes that local demand for the related goods has been well satisfied and saturated. The unique range of products needs to reach a newer customer base which cannot be provided by local market. E-business will help XTRA to reach global customers and to

Response paper week 9 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Response paper week 9 - Essay Example The call for transparency requires companies to account for their environmental and social impacts (Natrass and Altomore, 1999). The questions addressed in john’s post help to tackle the topic adequately because they cover a lot about the topic. In their book, Green to Gold, Esty and Winston point out that companies can generate lasting value, minimize costs, reduce risks, and increase revenues if they engage in sustainable practices. Sustainability is best achieved by companies that embrace environmental responsibility, care for the triple bottom line, and improve their reputation. Esty and Winston emphasize on companies being responsible with regard to the environment in which they operate, that is, cleanliness and social well being. Natrass, Hawken and Altomore insist on the cyclic principle, that is, how waste can be recycled to avoid environmental pollution. Corporate accountability is well covered by Epstein (2008). I work St. Jude Medical Inc . where the employee of the week is rewarded for exceptional performance as a motivation towards strategy achievement. The company sponsors the best student of the year in the community for further studies. I like the way Soosai has addressed the role of employees who are not in the leadership position in pushing sustainability initiatives. Many constituents have a legitimate stake in company activities calling for a variety of interests and opinions required in developing sustainability strategies. A company’s long term value is largely influenced by the expertise and commitment of the employees. Since subordinates are part of drivers of sustainability performance, leaders can use feedback loops to evaluate and improve corporate strategies. Educated and trained individuals are better sensitized to sustainability issues. I do not agree with the referencing of Lovins and Hawken. In their book, Natural Capitalism, the authors assert that

Tampa Urban Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Tampa Urban Development - Essay Example In the United States, the evolution of urban regions has been dramatic. Numerous situations have congregated over a number of years in the US, and in present days almost 80% of the countries’ residents live in metropolitan regions that occupy below 20% of land area. The amount of urbanized land inside these metropolitan regions is much less. The urban population development started gradually, enhanced in the 19th Century, and after that the development sustained gradually during the following hundred years. The methods and causes for urbanizations have transformed significantly over time. Urban Development in America American metropolises have developed progressively but remained comparatively small in geographic region and population. Major urban developments are situated beside ‘transportation access points’ at docks, navigable tidal, important national rivers, seaways, and great lakes. During the civil war the form of urban development had started to change. Th e capitals have become the hearts of industry for accessing domestic and national natural resources. Trains are one of the leading transportation mediums in the country which is the most inexpensive way to carry materials for construction. After the World War II, suburbanization gained importance in older capitals. Numerous aspects have promoted the spread of suburbanization. The improvement of highway system lets individuals to travel for their occupations in the metropolises from outside civic limitations. This tendency has started in the period of 1920s and enhanced significantly after 1940s. Several multilane highways had developed which contributed to further suburbanization. The suburbanization offers a way of linking small towns with metropolitan lifestyle (Auch & Et. Al., â€Å"Urban Growth in American Cities†). Geographical Analysis of Tampa Development Tampa is situated in the harbor of west and middle Florida with an area of 1030 square kilometers. It is regarded a s one of the biggest open water bays in the southeastern side of America (Xian & Crane, â€Å"Assessments Of Urban Growth In The Tampa Bay Watershed Using Remote Sensing Data†). The width of water bays is almost 400 square miles and the size of drainage area is almost six times more. Tampa is affected by rapid development of human population and it is the second major metropolitan region in the US with almost 2.3 million people. It is anticipated that the population of metropolitan region will rise by approximately 20% by the year 2015. In the period of 1950s, the urban development of Tampa resulted in substantial corrosion in the water quality, environment and natural resources. Urban developments have transformed approximately 50% of Tampa’s original coastline. About 40% of Tampa’s sea-grass has been wiped out because of urbanization (Olsen & Ricci, â€Å"Introduction†). Urban Development of Tampa Development and urban extension have become a major conc ern for America. Throughout past 100 years, several towns have developed from small remote inhabitants to huge organized urban economical geographies. According to survey of ‘US Census Bureau’, almost 79% of American people live in urban areas. One of the major urban development’s of the US is Tampa which is situated in Florida. Tampa has been experiencing improvement since 1800. Several housing spaces were established in ‘

The Minimum Wage Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Minimum Wage Law - Essay Example This underwent a gradual but consistent decline, and by the year 2006, the minimum hourly wage could barely procure 2 gallons of gasoline. The minimum wage is not uniform across the states, and some of the states have mandated much higher minimum wages. For example, Washington obliges employers to pay $8.55 per hour. A major issue relates to the fact the minimum wage, in real dollar terms; fell by 22%, in the period 1973 to 2007. During this time the profits of the corporate sector increased by more than 50%, which significantly increased the gap between the rich and poor. In the year 2007, it was envisaged that the proposed federal minimum wage increase would prove beneficial to a large number of American workers. Approximately, 5.6 million workers are likely to be direct beneficiaries, with a 41% enhancement in pay. In addition, around 7.4 million workers are expected to derive an indirect benefit. All said and done, such benefit will be provided to some 13 million workers. The chi ef beneficiaries of this increase in minimum wages will be adults, who constitute 79% of this group. Of these beneficiaries, women constitute 59%. This increase in minimum wage serves to benefit individuals as well as families. It is important to note that women constitute half of the minimum wage earners. Consequently, the economic gender gap is reduced substantially, due to increase in the minimum wage. Moreover, 1.2 million of these workers are single parents and most of these people are women.... Of these beneficiaries, women constitute 59%. This increase in minimum wage serves to benefit individuals as well as families. It is important to note that women constitute half of the minimum wage earners. Consequently, the economic gender gap is reduced substantially, due to increase in the minimum wage. Moreover, 1.2 million of these workers are single parents and most of these people are women.5 It is indispensable to increase the minimum wage, in order to restore its value. However, the federal minimum wage does not take inflation into account. As a result, the value of the minimum wage decreases with increasing inflation. In this situation, it is necessary for Congress to enhance the minimum wage suitably. Thus, we find that the federal minimum wage is a mere 31% of the average hourly wage. 6 The burgeoning US economy makes it very difficult for the minimum wage earners to survive. This can be attributed to the continuous increase in goods and services. Unlike other workers, wh o are provided compensation for inflation, the minimum wage earners do not experience any increase in their wages. This inequitable situation has persisted for a decade. Another issue that cripples the minimum wage earner is the increase in wage inequality, due to the decrease in the real value of minimum wages, consequent to an increase in inflation. 7 An increase in the federal minimum wage does not result in an increase in unemployment. This had been conclusively established in a study conducted by the Economic Policy Institute, for the period 1996 to 1997. Furthermore, several contemporary studies have clearly shown that the market had

Alcatel-Lucent merger Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Alcatel-Lucent merger - Coursework Example Lucent feared Alcatel’s takeover and thus the deal came to a halt on May 29, 2001. It is still not discovered that which company begin the negotiations but Lucent ended them on the basis that Alcatel was not agreeing on equals. Looking into the case, I believe may be the negotiations styles were not accurate for the scenario. According to Anatomy of a merger by James C. Freund, there are two ways of negotiating which let you go no where. One is doing what comes naturally to your mind, not thinking about the other party and doing and saying only what you want. Credibility and sincerity should be prominent in your negotiations and this style of doing what naturally comes to your mind is the worst style of negotiating. The second style is practice what I preach. You should not just read books for the sake of reading them. Practicing all negotiation styles in your merger is important. In 2006, the companies decided to merge again. Co operations begin to build up between the two co mpanies. According to Paris and Murray Hill, N.J., April 2, 2006- Alacatel and Lucent Technologies announced that they are together as an ultimate merger now which is unbreakable. They are creating a genuinely global communications key provider for the entire world with the widest wire line, wireless and services collection in the market. The major reason of this merger is to increase revenues and profits based on market chances for the next-generation services, applications, and networks. The joint company’s scope, scale and global competencies will improve the long term value for customers, shareowners and employees. The contract, which was endorsed by the boards of directors of each company, will build upon the corresponding strengths of every company to generate a global market leader in the alteration of upcoming wireless, wire line and congregated networks. The shareholders in France accepted the merger in September 2006. The CEO of Alcatel invested 10.6 billion euro ($ 13.5 billion then) into the business at that time and remarked that Alcatel- Lucent â€Å"has no equivalent today or in future†. The combined sales of the company mounted to $25 billion in that year and it was believed that Alcatel-Lucent will be the biggest merger of communications in the world with its ongoing success. But mergers aren’t easy to handle! Conflict of interest, different cultural backgrounds and different attitudes towards work were the causes of divergence between the chief executives of both companies. Things start to take a pessimistic turn. Patricia F. Russo (chief executive of Lucent) also believed that things would start to work better for the both companies but they did not. Even though the regulatory hurdles were cleared in both U.S and European markets by the U.S State department and EU regulations but things didn’t take a positive turn. Both the CEO’s tried hard to cooperate with each other but was restricted by their French and American styles. According to an analyst, the corporate culture of Lucent’s clashed with Alcatel’s business model. In July 2008, Lucent’s CEO Patricia F. Russo resigned. She claimed that she could not get along with Serge Tchuruk, her fellow board member. He too resigned after some time. Both of the CEOs were not able to get along with each other. Even though the company official language was proposed to be English, Patricia spoke French as well to be conversant in the

The Minimum Wage Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Minimum Wage Law - Essay Example This underwent a gradual but consistent decline, and by the year 2006, the minimum hourly wage could barely procure 2 gallons of gasoline. The minimum wage is not uniform across the states, and some of the states have mandated much higher minimum wages. For example, Washington obliges employers to pay $8.55 per hour. A major issue relates to the fact the minimum wage, in real dollar terms; fell by 22%, in the period 1973 to 2007. During this time the profits of the corporate sector increased by more than 50%, which significantly increased the gap between the rich and poor. In the year 2007, it was envisaged that the proposed federal minimum wage increase would prove beneficial to a large number of American workers. Approximately, 5.6 million workers are likely to be direct beneficiaries, with a 41% enhancement in pay. In addition, around 7.4 million workers are expected to derive an indirect benefit. All said and done, such benefit will be provided to some 13 million workers. The chi ef beneficiaries of this increase in minimum wages will be adults, who constitute 79% of this group. Of these beneficiaries, women constitute 59%. This increase in minimum wage serves to benefit individuals as well as families. It is important to note that women constitute half of the minimum wage earners. Consequently, the economic gender gap is reduced substantially, due to increase in the minimum wage. Moreover, 1.2 million of these workers are single parents and most of these people are women.... Of these beneficiaries, women constitute 59%. This increase in minimum wage serves to benefit individuals as well as families. It is important to note that women constitute half of the minimum wage earners. Consequently, the economic gender gap is reduced substantially, due to increase in the minimum wage. Moreover, 1.2 million of these workers are single parents and most of these people are women.5 It is indispensable to increase the minimum wage, in order to restore its value. However, the federal minimum wage does not take inflation into account. As a result, the value of the minimum wage decreases with increasing inflation. In this situation, it is necessary for Congress to enhance the minimum wage suitably. Thus, we find that the federal minimum wage is a mere 31% of the average hourly wage. 6 The burgeoning US economy makes it very difficult for the minimum wage earners to survive. This can be attributed to the continuous increase in goods and services. Unlike other workers, wh o are provided compensation for inflation, the minimum wage earners do not experience any increase in their wages. This inequitable situation has persisted for a decade. Another issue that cripples the minimum wage earner is the increase in wage inequality, due to the decrease in the real value of minimum wages, consequent to an increase in inflation. 7 An increase in the federal minimum wage does not result in an increase in unemployment. This had been conclusively established in a study conducted by the Economic Policy Institute, for the period 1996 to 1997. Furthermore, several contemporary studies have clearly shown that the market had

Indias Soft Drinks Industry Essay Example for Free

Indias Soft Drinks Industry Essay 1. 1. 1 INDIA’S PHYSICAL RESOURCES India is a country rich of raw materials, resources and land. For this report, we will focus on those physical resources that are essential for the soft drinks industry – water, sugar, aluminium, power sources. With a land space of over 2. 9 million square kilometres (sq km) and a population of 1. 22 billion people, India has only 314,070 sq km of water (CIA World Fact book, 2012). Even though the Indian government has done many things do improved the situation by building water plants and water piping in the urban and rural areas, there are still about 18. 5% of the population (226 million) that lack access to clean, drinkable water (CESS INDIA, 2004) With a sophisticated water purification installed in our soft drinks plantation, A. G. Barr are able to process the unclean water into safe, drinkable water and use it for the basis of the final products. Hence, A. G. Barr will be able to offer an alternative drinking source for the citizens with our soft drinks products. Next, with a total arable territory of about 1. 2 million sq km, agriculture is the biggest industry and plays a major role in the socioeconomic growth of India (Maps of India, 2012). According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (2012) and the Maps of India (2012), India is the 2nd biggest world producers of sugarcane (sugar) with about 453 sugar mills located all over India. INCLUDEPICTURE http://faostat. fao. org/DesktopModules/Faostat/Images/T20/ChartPic_3nemzw945otecriq01oo. png? 3f2841b2-add0-4841-9dc7-5707a2a011f0 \* MERGEFORMATINET Table 1: Top Production – Sugar cane 2010 Source: FAO Thirdly, for aluminium, India is the fifth biggest producer in the world after Australia, Guinea, Brazil and Jamaica (Maps of India, 2012). Finally, to obtain vast economic growth and a flourishing industrial sector, the Indian government has invested and given top precedence to the power sector of the nation and as of the 21st century, India is able to generate about 90% of its own energy through (Maps of India, 2012): Thermal/Coal Power Hydro Power Renewable Resources Power Nuclear Power With most of the raw materials and resources readily available in India, the price for these materials will be relatively standard and low. Hence, this will lower the cost of production. This is a key factor in venturing into the India market as A. G. Barr require a huge amount of clean water and sugar to produce the soft drink products. 1. 2 THREATS 1. 2. 1 INFRASTRUCTURE The infrastructure in India is one of the most problematic and unreliable in the world. As stated previously, even though India is able to generate 90% of its power, due to the poor financial position of many power supply companies, the power supplies are always inconsistent and frequently being cut-off (India: Risk overview, 2011). Hence, companies, offices and industrial plants need to have their own back-up power facilities to ensure no interruption to the production processes (India: Risk overview, 2011). The road and railway system in India is still undependable and many traffic congestions are resulted due to the inadequacy. Pan (Asiamoney, 2010) notes that while the Indian government are investing US$1 trillion in infrastructure from 2012 to 2017, political bureaucracy and lack of good projects are hindering the developments of infrastructure. At the same time, Roy (Euromoney, 2010) reports that while Mr. Rajiv Lall, chief executive of state-run lender Infrastructure Development Finance Company believes India infrastructure has been slowly improving, the dependable relationship between the public sector and the private sectors in infrastructure will lead to corruption and thus may hinder the progression of big infrastructure projects. Therefore, any company that wish to venture into India soft drinks market will need to spend a sizeable amount on power generator and water purification facilities. This huge expenditure will put a dent on the initial capital investment and A. G. Barr need to take this into account and plan on how much of the expenditure to be transferred over to the final consumers through the products. 1. 2. 2 EDUCATION AND LABOUR According to several organizations; CIA (2012), US Department of State (2011) and WEF (2011), India’s literacy rate is only at 61%. The education level in India is low as many of the population live in poverty or the slump and unable to afford going school. Moreover, the Indian government lacks of provision of education is hindering its people to learn and receive knowledge. This result in a low skilled workforce and the unemployment rate for youth age 15 to 24 in India is high at 10. 5% (CIA World Fact Book, 2012). While a soft drink company with high technology facilities and processes requires employees with minimal skills, it is still essential for these workers have a basic understanding and motor skills to operate the high-tech, expensive machineries. Another end of the spectrum is those highly educated Indians where the information technology (IT) sector is booming. These IT personnel and engineers are viable to our company as they able to manage, supervise and suitable of the higher ranking jobs. Hence, to ensure the workers hired have the essential skills, A. G. Barr will need to frequently conduct training programs, skills development workshops and have simple instructions which are easy to follow. 2. DEMAND CONDITIONS With the relaxation of the Indian government policy on FDIs and foreign companies, the soft drinks industry had change tremendously. As the US and EU markets are highly saturated, companies are looking into the Asian markets to expand and gain more revenues. Apart from China, Japan and South Korea, India is the 4th leading Asian soft drinks market and the market is still growing and has yet to reach its saturation point. In 2010, there is a substantial demand for soft drinks as the market has grown by 10. 4% (Datamonitor, 2011). Datamonitor (2011) even predicts that by 2015, the Indian market will grow to a value of $5. 8 million. Table 2 shows the growth of India soft drink market from 2006 to 2010. Table 2: India soft drinks market volume: million liters, 2006–10(e) Datamonitor (2011) also reports that as of 2010, the soft drinks industry has generated total revenues of $3. 8 billion and with 50% of the total revenues, carbonates sale is the most profitable category. Table 3: India soft drinks market segmentation: % share, by value, 2010(e) It is essential to note that currently there is a growing trend of â€Å"vitamin water† or â€Å"nutrient water† in the world as many people are becoming more health conscious. The Times (London) (2012) reports that even India is not spared from the trend as PepsiCo, together with Tata Global Beverages, intend to market the â€Å"nutrient water† to India’s urban, middle-class consumers where a bottle of such product will cost slightly higher than a standard bottled water. Hence, this could greatly affect the retail sales of carbonates. A. G. Barr has already altered its products to regular variants to low calorie and no added sugar variants in accordance to the gradual shift towards healthly living in the UK (A. G. Barr, 2012). For example, its popular porduct, IRN-BRU now comes in a sugar free variation, the ‘IRN-BRU sugar free’. Thus, the â€Å"nutrient water† market is another sector A. G. Barr could develop into not only in UK but also in India. 3. India has huge supporting industries for the soft drinks market and the availablity of the main components for a soft drinks company in India is high. There are 453 sugar mills in India and the top 6 growing states are located in the Northern, Southern and Western regions of India (Maps of India, 2012). Noteably, the Indian government has been extentsively investing in the agriculture sector to ensure that the process of the sector from raw materials to warehousing and merchandising flow smoothly. And as for the aluminium industry, India has a sizeable number of aluminium plants located mainly in Northern and Southern regions. 3. 2 BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS As inputs are readily available, suppliers are unable to provide their services or sell their products at a higher price than their competitors as it is of no loss to the soft drinks company since the company is able to get the same or better services and products from other suppliers. A. G. Barr is able to obtain the primary inputs for its products through several sources in the region or state. Thus, the bargaining power of suppliers such as the packaging producers and raw materials and soft drinks ingredients producers are relatively low (Datamonitor, 2011). 3. 3 BARGAINING POWER OF BUYERS The power of the retailers and distributors in this market is weak as most soft drinks manufactures work closely with the local bottling companies to distribute the ready for sale products to buyers within a certain region or sector (Datamonitor, 2011). Datamonitor (2011) also reports that with 46. 3% of the total market volume, the independent retailers such as the small family mart shops are the main distribution channels for soft drinks but this could change with the introduction of super and hypermarkets. Thus, consumers will have a wider range of soft drinks brands to choose from. In order to gain relatively significant market share, A. G. Barr needs to do plenty of advertising and promotion. One of the strategies A. G. Barr could adopt is to set their soft drinks at a lower price than the main competitors, TCCC and PepsiCo in the rural areas while maintaining the same price in the urban areas where most of the middle-income and high-income classes have high consumer purchasing power. 4. FIRM STRATEGY, STRUCTURE AND RIVALRY 4. 1 CULTURAL IMPACT ON FIRM STRATEGY AND STRUCTURE A. G. Barr core strategic focus is based on the following 7 platforms (A. G.Barr, 2012): Core Brands and Markets Portfolio development Route to market Partnerships Efficient Operations People Development Sustainability To ensure these strategies and structure is maintain in other country, A. G. Barr has to train its overseas employees, make them understand and cultivate the A. G. Barr working culture. However, this will be a tough challenge in India due to the poor education and different socio-culture. Thus, A. G. Barr needs to accommodate its Western working culture with India working culture, however without losing its main mission and strategy. To ensure this is excuted properly, A. G. Barr needs to obtain a specialist in the Indian market and culture. 4. 2 RIVALRY AMONG EXISTING COMPETITORS In India, the soft drink market is dominated by three main players The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC), PepsiCo and Parle Bisleri Ltd – securing 74. 1% of the total market volume (Datamonitor, 2011). Table 4: India soft drinks market share: % share, by volume, 2010(e) BBC News (2011) reports that TCCC planned to invest $2 billion in India to boost its market share and expected India to be in its top five markets by 2020. Meanwhile, PepsiCo intend to launch a new product, â€Å"nutrient water† with Tata Water targeting at the young urban consumers to gain more market shares (Pagnamenta, 2012). This shows how competitive the rivalry in the India soft drinks industry where the two major market shares are actively investing and developing new products to gain more shares. 4. 3 THREAT OF NEW ENTRANTS The big players of the India soft drinks industry are actively improving themselves and distinguishing their products through various methods. Furthermore, TCCC and PepsiCo are renowned world soft drinks brands which have been existing in the India market for many years. Though new companies in the industry may have difficulty competing with the existing players, it may accomplish small success by using different production method or focusing on the lesser ventured catergories of the soft drinks markets such as health drinks and energy drinks (Datamonitor, 2011). This could be a major break through for A. G. Barr as its most popular products; the IRN-BRU; is low in sugar and contains additional benefits of an energy drink. In addition, the Rockstar series which are designed to target those who lead active lifestyles may be able to attract the young, urban consumers. With several advertising accolades, A. G. Barr has the knowledge and is able use the power of media to attract potential consumers and gain more market shares. 4. 4 THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES The main substitutes for soft drinks markets are traditonal tea and coffee, homemade juices and fresh water from the water plants or piping system. As A. G. Barr and other leading soft drinks companies have diverse products to cater to the different needs of the consumers – carbonates, bottled water, juices etc – this will narrow down the threat of substitutes. However, the threat is still relatively moderate as retailers and distributors may give more shelf space for traditional tea and coffee products as they may be stored at room temperatures (Datamonitor, 2011). 5. GOVERNMENT BBC News (2011) reports that India is ranked 95th out of 183 nations in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions (TICP) list. Due to the high corruption scandals among its government officials, low or invisible legislative work, red tape and bureaucracy, India has dropped from 87th in 2010 to 95th (BBC News, 2011). Despite its numerous intervention, corruption in India is an issue which is very difficult to get rid off since most of the political members and officals have their own agendas and are resistant to change (India: Risk overview, 2011). Hence, foreign companies will faced many setbacks when they venture into the India sectors. 6. ROLE OF CHANCE The role of chance plays a small part in factoring the soft drinks industry as most of the technology are at it most advanced state. The only main issue currently is the Iran oil crisis. As India still refuses to cut Iranian oil imports, this may lead to a huge setback if USA decides to attack Iran and ignore India’s relation with Iran (CBS News, 2012, Kennedy, 2012). With a potential strain relationship with USA, this could lead to severe freeze in the trade and foreign direct investments. Furthermore, the other two traid nations, EU and Japan, may follow suit USA’s decision to cut ties with India for refusing to withdraw the purchasing of Iranian oil. CONCLUSION In conclusion, the soft drinks market in India is huge though it is predominately hold by 3 major key players. To venture into this territory, a new company need to set itself apart from the majpr players through unique advertising, differentiated production method and diverse product offerings. New companies may set an initial low price of its products to attract consumers however; this should not be a long term strategy. Companies need to have a huge capital investment to counter the corruption, trade policies and poor infrastructure. Thus, expenditures and initial start-up cost will be high and companies will have to redistribute part of the cost to its final consumers in order to gain profits. PART B: CRITICAL EVALUATION OF PORTERS NATIONAL DIAMOND MODEL Michael E. Porter is a well renowned economic strategist whom has writen 18 books and over125 articles (HBS, 2008). With a core field in competitive strategy, Porter has written and developed a number of strategic frameworks such as the Porter’s National Diamond model and Porter’s 5 Forces analysis. Since the model was based on eight developed countries and two industrialized countries, an analysis on developing, growing countries such as India is flawed. This is because these developing countries are not on the same economic level as the 10 countries. Thus, though the Porter’s National Diamond (PND) model analysis almost every aspect of India’s profile, it still lacks in-depth analysis and companies should not base their analytical evaluation on the PND model alone. As supported by Van Den Bosch, and Van Proojien (1992), both authors believed that PND model provide limited analysis on the control of national culture on the competitive advantage of nations. Similar to the EU countries, India too has a diverse set of culture which plays significant role in the management of the country’s economy, laws, trade policies and governance. There are limited sources on India and the soft drinks market due to the lack of legistative work from the government officals. Furthermore, some of the reports or statistics may not be entirely accurate due to the high corruption level. For example, reports may state that India is able to generate 90% of its power but the power plants are inconsistent and supplies are frequently distrupted. Also, to what extend is the literacy rate of India is correct? The literacy rates may be higher than stated as with 1. 22 billion people, India officials may have a tough job collecting the accurate datas. Moreover, with high poverty and low income, most of Indian citizens have the ‘thrifty mindset’ whereby they prefer things which are basically free even though it maybe harmful such as drinking untreated water. These are the pros of the PND model for India: Analysis different aspect of the country profile Takes into account the role of Government which is the most essential for India These are the cons of the PND model for India: Limited credible sources for analysis Little depth as India is a huge country with various swinging factors. Limited analysis on the cultural effect on a country’s competitive advantage Ways to improve the PND model for India: Supporting the model with other analysis model such as PEST, SWOT, Porter’s 5 Forces and Fons Trompenaars’ Seven Cultural Dimensions. Intentsive research on the market and the growth of the market. REFERENCES A. G. Barr (2012) About Us. Available at: http://www. agbarr. co. uk/agbarr/newsite/ces_general. nsf/wpg/about_us-our_strategy (Accessed: 22 March 2012). BBC News (2011) Coke plans $2bn India investment in bid to boost growth. Available at: http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/business-15731884 (Accessed: 20 February 2012). BBC News (2011) India Transparency International corruption index blow. Available at: http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/world-asia-india-15979646 (Accessed: 01 March 2012). CBS News (2012) U. K. : Attack on Iran has enormous downsides. Available at: http://www. cbsnews. com/8301-202_162-57380838/u.k. -attack-on-iran-has-enormous-downsides/? tag=mncol;lst;1 (Accessed: 20 February 2012). India. CESS (2004) Right to Drinking Water in India. Available at: http://www. cess. ac. in/cesshome/wp%5CWater. pdf (Accessed: 22 March 2012). CIA (2012) South Asia, India. Available at: https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in. html (Accessed: 20 February 2012). FAO (2012) Faostat. Available at: http://faostat. fao. org/site/339/default. aspx (Accessed: 01 March 2012). HBS (2008) Harvard Business School Faculty Research. Available at: http://drfd. hbs. edu/fit/public/facultyInfo. do? facInfo=biofacEmId=mporter (Accessed: 10 April 2012). India: Risk overview’ (2011) Business Asia, 43, 14, pp. 10-11, Business Source Premier, EBSCO [Online]. Available at http://searchebscohost. com (Accessed: 22 March 2012). Kennedy (2012) US Pleas for Asia to Cut Iranian Oil Imports Fall on Deaf Ears, Oilprice. Available at: http://oilprice. com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/US-Pleas-for-Asia-to-Cut-Iranian-Oil-Imports-Fall-on-Deaf-Ears. html (Accessed: 20 February 2012). Maps of India (2012) India Agriculture.

Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) Architecture

Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) Architecture   Introduction Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) architecture allows multiple vehicles to communicate with the roads infrastructure. This is then directed towards a central tower that allows multiple vehicles to operate on the same bandwidth. This helps all servers maintain the acceleration and position of all vehicles on streets and roads. This assists in determining everything such as fastest path and/or nearby accidents. Because of this, traffic safety enhancement is the largest factor when it comes to obtaining data from vehicles on and off the road. Also roadside infrastructures are included to provide warnings to vehicles about weather and accidents on its path. For this process to work, gathered speeds and locations within the proximity are reported to the server then to the other vehicles. Because of the large number of vehicles on the road, a central server is needed to relay all the data to each individual vehicle. Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) There are multiple infrastructures that a vehicle can communicate with such as other cars or a control building. Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V) lets multiple vehicles communicate with one another on a given network. DSRC works as a two-way short-range wireless connection. It works similar to WiFi since it allows vehicles to exchange data such as speed, distance, position, and mass of separate vehicles [7]. The primary use of DSRC is for collision prevention. These are achieved by frequent data exchanges among vehicles within a certain range. Each vehicle that utilizes DSRC, casts data from the vehicle to neighboring vehicles multiple times per second within a range between 100-1000 meters in a radius based on the technology [8]. Each vehicle also receives safety messages to warn other vehicles of collisions that the vehicle is driving towards to prepare the driver for what is ahead. Even though DSRC is mainly for collision prevention, it can also be used for assisted navigation such as GPS , electronic payments for tolls, improved fuel efficiency and present traffic updates. According to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, there is an allocated 75 MHz of licensed spectrum in the 5.9 GHz band for DSRC [9]. This is what the Dedicated is DSRC refers to. This spectrum is divided into several channels. Safety messages are exchanged on Channel 172 and have been designated for safety among vehicles [12]. The term Short Range in DSRC is meant to convey that the communication takes place over a few hundred meters which is shorter than cellular and WiMax services. DSRC communication relies on a manufacturer based standard among devices from different manufacturers for interoperability. The concept of proposed system architecture is shown in Fig. 1. In the United States, vehicles operate on a 5.9 GHz band to operate DSRC. This is then divided into seven 10 MHz channels [11]. Because its running on a 10 MHz channel, all frames within a modulation takes only half as long to transmit than on a 20 MHz channel. This helps reduce collision probability for every f rame transmission per second. Vehicular Ad-Hoc Network (VANET) In VANETs, a vehicle moving along streets in an urban city establishes a network among themselves. Since its development, there have been an increase in commercial and research. In VANETs, mobile nodes are the travelling vehicles since it has high mobility and speed. The main disadvantage of VANET is that the network topology changes rapidly to other forms of vehicle communication. Since VANET equipped vehicles only move on predefined streets, they do not have problems for resource limitation. It is possible for vehicles to obtain a geographic position by using GPS. This can provide good time synchronization through the network. Vehicles within a VANET infrastructure moves within the constraints of traffic flow. This is done while communicating with others. Ad hoc networks use less specialized hardware for infrastructure support. This allows all the stability of the network to be placed on individual nodes. Without dedicated communication hardware, there are other methods placed to attempt to optimize the networks communication to develop a hierarchical based system within the network to help with clustering. To support the VANET environments dynamic nature, clustering must be updated every so often to reflect geographical changes with vehicle movements. The networks clustering must be extremely quick to minimize time lost within the network [13]. VANET has a set of unique characteristics to aid in traditional ad-hoc devices on a mobile network. VANET with high dynamic topology, enough energy and storage space, moving track predictable and diversified automotive network scenarios, has many significant applications in transportation and communication, such as vehicle safety, road traffic efficiency, and information and entertainment [14]. VANET does not have a difficult time when it comes to vehicle shadowing. This happens when a smaller vehicle is shadowed by a much larger vehicle which complicates its communication with infrastructures on the road. In a VANET system, the synchronization between vehicles at a particular speed might be fast due to the networks topology modification [15]. Keeping vehicles anonymous with its data such as the location of vehicles on highways are unidentified to each other. Periodic data exchanges from individual vehicles explain direct infrastructures/vehicles about its position. Yet, the address- position map (APM) will vary frequently because of the relative movements among neighboring vehicles. It is the receivers responsibility to determine the relevance of important messages and decide on appropriate actions [15]. For a VANET system, location based broadcast to other vehicles is the most suitable communication technique when it comes to collision avoidance. Location-based information is an extremely vital measurement when it comes to distance and speed within a VANET system. Geographical routing protocol is important for VANETs since all nodes can determine their own position. All nodes know the position of their direct neighbor. The source node knows the location of the destination. Geographical routing protocol for VANET is more suitable for routing because it doesnt necessarily need route maintenance and does not occupy more bandwidth. Global Positioning System (GPS) The Global Positioning System (GPS) is frequently used in road navigation. Global Position System (GPS) based vehicle tracking is an important application when dealing with mobile Geographic Information system (GIS) in V2V communication. Using GPS for V2V communication has many benefits. One of the main benefits of using GPS is that it is based off of geographic location with a satellite. The main downside of using this technology is that the connection can be lost when driving through a tunnel or a parking garage. There is a plethora of applications to be utilized for GPS vehicle communication. This includes shortest path algorithms based on distance or traffic in a busy city. One of the downsides to GPS is not getting an accurate position for neighboring vehicles to use for data communication with other vehicles. GPS, however, can be used in conjunction with other forms of V2V communication to achieve accurate data that is necessary to relay information to and from one another. One form of this is GPS used in conjunction with DSRC. DSRC gives local data amongst vehicles within a short distance [8], GPS is then used to relay the data that was gathered kilometers away based on the information given from another district that the vehicle is heading towards. In general, GPS devices are used more to navigate rather than to be used for Vehicular communication. It allows needed information such as speed, location, and distance to be communicated from the satellite to the vehicle. Differential Global Positioning Systems (DGPS) can limit the amount of errors from GPS by minimizing or removing them. These include ionospheric effects which affect the propagation of radio waves to and from the vehicle and the tropospheric delay which receives and processes an algorithm to attempt to model or predict the impact of the signal travel time. DGPS is accurate compared to GPS since it gets the information of the vehicle up to a miniscule accuracy. DGPS assists autonomous vehicles with other peripherals to help vehicles accomplish driving tasks such as staying in lane, collision prevention, and checking for speed limits. Even though DGPS is only off by a few centimeters, there are ways to improve its performance. A common solution is integrating with an Inertial Navigation System (INS) [16]. The most common configurations integrate DGPS with high performance 6 degree of freedom INS units. Existing methods for this includes separated INS and GPS units and embedded GPS with INS hardware [17]. GPS/INS integration is typically some form of a Kalman filter (KF), which uses a series of measurements over time. KF based GPS/INS integration can be classified into two categories. GPS-aiding INS where each state in the EKF are INS sensor errors; and the inputs to the EKF are measured between INS and GPS. And INS-aiding GPS where the extended KF states are the INS integration states and the extended KF inputs are GPS measurements [18]. Medium Access Control (MAC) The default MAC layer protocol in V2V Communications uses CSMA/CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance) to avoid collision. A node within the networks infrastructure can sense the communication channel and begin to send out messages once the channel becomes free. However, if two nodes cannot sense each other attempt to send messages to a similar destination concurrently, then both transmissions will fail and retransmissions will be needed. This problem is called the hidden terminal problem. Another type of delay comes from redundant transmission. A vehicle may receive the same message multiple times from different senders. These redundancies will postpone the transmission of other emergency messages. Many solutions have been proposed to reduce the V2V Communications delay. For the interference delay, the key is to let nodes in the interference range transmit at different time, i.e., assigning different transmission slots to these nodes. Decentralized MAC protocols are suitable for vehicular networks due to the dynamically changing set of vehicular nodes [19], and the MAC protocol combining the aspects of centralized and decentralized protocols is proposed in [20]. Each cycle begins with a beacon message from an access point (AP), where the message contains information on the AP and the number of backoff slots. A cycle consists of reassociation slots, data contention slots, and data transmission slots. Based on the slot occurrence information on the previous cycle, the estimation of the number of active nodes and the decision of contention slot size are performed. The MAC protocol is designed for single-rate wireless networks.

Dragons Legacy :: essays research papers

Foreword In the days of the Ancients there was a race like no other, for they were blessed with a unique gift of being able to speak and understand Dragon Tongue. Rumors spread about these magical folk, penetrating right into the heart of the Evil Lord’s great fortress in the Dark Lands. Evil Lord Malus Dominus heard of this race, and he became worried. All knew that dragons were a superior race that could be only be defeated by immortals. They were the strongest creatures alive. If these folk were to forge an alliance with the dragons he would surely perish. Before dawn the next day, he had summoned his undead warriors. They had destroyed the race before daybreak †¦ well that’s what they thought. A few hours later some traders passed by the spot where the village had been and they heard a noise. When they went to investigate they found a child wrapped in a silk sheet just barely alive. So they took the child and raised it as one of there own never knowing its secret. Chapter 1 – The Truth Realized The merchant’s son Dazhrej was the finest archer in the Princedom of Vellant’im. His father Rovnir went to the inn every night and gloated. The bandit had slain the guards surrounding the treasury and made off with the loot. If Dazhrej had not had to fetch some more silk for his father he would not have seen the bandit making off with the Prince’s treasure covered in the blood of the Prince’s royal guards. Dazhrej yelled for the man to stop. The bandit obliged, turned around and went for his barbed throwing knife. Before he had a chance to throw it he had an arrow in his arm pinning it to a tree. Before the fellow had a chance to take in the damage he had another arrow right between his eyes. The Prince thanked Dazhrej for recovering his treasure and rewarded Dazhrej by offering to foster him until knighthood. Dazhrej gladly accepted†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Three years later Dazhrej now excelled in swordplay, knife fighting and magic. â€Å"Dazhrej, have the horses been readied?† asked Prince Ronan. â€Å"Yes, your highness,† Dazhrej replied. â€Å"We leave at sunrise,† the Prince said. â€Å"Ah, Prince Ronan, where are we going?† Dazhrej asked with curiosity. â€Å"The Grand Congregation of course,† replied Prince Ronan. â€Å"Every Prince is going to be there. It’s where we draw up the trade laws, permits and settle disputes between the Princedoms.† â€Å"Oh. Why did you not go last year or the year before?