An Unfortunate Day Essays

An Unfortunate Day Essays An Unfortunate Day Essay An Unfortunate Day Essay Find the meaning of the proverbs / phrasal verbs below. Then, fill in the blanks with the correct proverbs / phrasal verbs. It was a very unfortunate day for Rahim. He woke up late as he had ____________. studying for his coming PMR examination. At first he was thinking of not coming to school, ___________ he could ____________________ to his grandmother, but examination is just around the corner. It was already 7 in the morning, he took a quick bath and got dressed. Skipping his breakfast, he dashed to the bus stop to catch the bus. Then, after 5 minutes looking for the seat in the crowded bus, finally he managed to sit next to a big, fat lady who took almost the whole seat to herself. _____________, after 10 minutes of journey, the bus stalled in front of a traffic light! He could not wait any longer as he was already late for school. So, he alighted from the bus and took a short cut trail to school. As he was walking, he whistled to the melodious sound of the chirping birds. After a few minutes of walking, suddenly he saw something around the bushes. It was a black leather bag. Curiously, he opened the bag to know what was inside. He was so shocked to see that the bag was actually full of money and jewelleries too! In his whole life, he never saw such a lot of money like that. Usually, he received two ringgit a day from his kind, lovely grandmother. Rahim was an orphan. He lost his parents in a tragic accident two years ago. Now, he lived with his beloved grandmother. They were ______________ . Rahim looked around and there was nobody to be seen. Something bad _______________. He could use the money to pay for the school fee. After that, he could buy a motorcycle so it would be easier for him to go to school. Then, he remembered his late mother’s advice. â€Å" Rahim, my son. Eventhough we are poor, never steal. Do not do anything against the religion. Remember,_________________________. † He still remembered his promise to be a loyal son. Reluctantly, he went to the police station and gave the bag to the policeman on duty. Rahim told the whole story to him. The policeman took his statement and promised to call him if anyone comes to claim the bag. He also praised him for his honesty. Rahim left the police station at 8. 30 am. He ran _________________________ but he was already late. He reached school when the bell of the third period rang. Rahim tried to explain what had happened to his teacher but he refused to listen and believe him. Rahim was punished by his teacher who ordered him to stand outside the class until recess. Rahim felt so sad and ashamed with himself. Right after recess, he heard an announcement made by the school principal. He was called to the school office. The policeman had come to meet his principal and deliver the reward money to him. The policeman said that the reward was offered by a jewellery shop which had been robbed two days ago. Rahim received a cheque worth 20 thousands ringgit! He could not believe his eyes. He thanked the policeman and felt so grateful to Allah for giving him the courage to return the bag. He truly believed that honesty is the best policy. Now, __________. 1. as poor as the church mouse 2. just his luck 3. lend a hand 4. crossed his mind 5. as fast as his legs could carry him 6. fortune smiles on him 7. honesty is the best policy 8. after all 9. burn the midnight oil

Replacing Damaged and Torn US Currency

Replacing Damaged and Torn US Currency Every year the United States Treasury redeems over $30 million worth of damaged and mutilated paper money - currency. Here is how to get damaged or mutilated U.S. money replaced. Replacing US Currency Damaged U.S. currency- paper bills- that have merely been damaged can typically be replaced at a bank, while bills that have been mutilated must be mailed to the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing for replacement.To be considered damaged but not mutilated, at least one-half of the damaged bill must be clearly identifiable. Bills that are dirty, defaced, or torn can typically be replaced at a bank.Bills that have deteriorated from being buried in soil or have been damaged by fire, flooding, chemicals, explosions, animals or insects are more likely to be considered mutilated.The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) does not charge for inspecting or replacing mutilated currency, however, the BEP must be able to identify the mutilated bills as being valid U.S. currency. The correct procedure for replacing US currency depends on how and how badly the money has been damaged. According to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP), U.S. currency that has been damaged, but not mutilated, can usually be redeemed at a bank, while truly mutilated bills require special handling. What is Damaged, but Not Mutilated Money? Damaged but not mutilated currency includes any bill that is CLEARLY more than ones of non-mutilated bills include those that are badly soiled, dirty, defaced, disintegrated, limp, torn or otherwise worn out.These damaged-but-not-mutilated bills can be exchanged through your local bank. Replacing Mutilated Currency The Bureau of Engraving and Printing considers mutilated money to be less than about 51% of the original bill or any bill so badly damaged that its value cannot be determined without special handling and examination. The mutilated currency has most often been damaged by fire, flooding, chemicals, explosions, animals or insects. Another very common source of damage to currency is fossilization or deterioration from being directly buried in soil for long periods of time. The BEP redeems mutilated currency as a free public service. Mutilated currency must be mailed or personally delivered to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Here, according to the U.S. Treasury is how to do it: When mutilated currency is submitted, a letter should be included stating the estimated value of the currency and an explanation of how the currency became mutilated. Each case is carefully examined by an experienced mutilated currency examiner. The amount of time needed to process each case varies with its complexity and the case workload of the examiner. However, the BEP warns that heavy volume and the precise nature of the work may result in longer wait times. The Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing has the final authority for the settlement of mutilated currency claims. Although Treasury examiners are usually able to determine the amount and value of the mutilated currency, carefully packaging the currency is essential to prevent additional damage. In general, the BEP will replace mutilated currency if: More than 50% of a bill that can be identified as United States currency is present, along with sufficient remnants of any relevant security features; or,Less than 50% of a bill identifiable as United States currency is present and the method of mutilation and supporting evidence demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Treasury that the missing portions have been totally destroyed. Every year, the Treasury Department handles approximately 30,000 claims and redeems mutilated currency valued at over $30 million. Procedure for Mailing Mutilated Currency The following procedures should be used when packing mutilated currency for examination and possible replacement by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing: Regardless of the condition of the currency, do not disturb the fragments any more than is absolutely necessary.If the currency is brittle or inclined to fall apart, pack it carefully in plastic and cotton without disturbing the fragments and place the package in a secure container.If the currency was mutilated in a purse, box, or another container, it should be left in the container to protect the fragments from further damage.If it is absolutely necessary to remove the fragments from the container, send the container along with the currency and any other contents that may have currency fragments attached.If the currency was flat when mutilated, do not roll or fold the notes.If the currency was rolled up when mutilated, do not attempt to unroll or straighten it out.If coins or any other metal is mixed with the currency, carefully remove it. Any fused, melted, or otherwise mutilated coins should be sent to, Superintendent U. S. Mint, Post Office Box 400 Philadelphia, PA. 19105. Mailing Address for Mutilated Currency Mutilated currency, packed according to the above instructions, should be mailed to: Department of the TreasuryBureau of Engraving and PrintingOffice of Currency StandardsP. O. Box 37048 Washington, D. C. 20013 All mutilated currency should be sent by Registered Mail, Return Receipt Requested.  Purchasing postal insurance on the shipment is the responsibility of the sender. For cases that are expected to take longer than four weeks to process, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing will issue a written confirmation of receipt. To obtain information about your mutilated currency shipment, contact the Mutilated Currency Division at 1-866-575-2361 or 202-874-8897. Personal deliveries of mutilated currency to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing are accepted between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M., Monday through Friday, except holidays. The Office of Currency Standards is located at 14th and C Streets, S. W., Washington, D. C. What About Damaged Coins? The United States Mint will replace uncurrent (badly worn) coins with new coins of the same denomination and will redeem mutilated coins for their current scrap metal value. Uncurrent coins are whole coins but are worn or reduced in weight by natural abrasion. They are easily recognizable as to genuineness and denomination and are in such condition that coin sorting and counting machines will accept them. Undercut coins that are too badly worn to be redeemed by commercial banks may be redeemed only at  Federal Reserve Banks and branches. Uncurrent coins are replaced with new coins of the same denomination by the Federal Reserve Banks and then forwarded to the United States Mint. Mutilated coins, on the other hand, are coins that are bent, broken, not whole, or fused or melted together.

To What Extent Does the Current Use of Imprisonment as Crime Control Research Paper

To What Extent Does the Current Use of Imprisonment as Crime Control Reinforce Existing Inequalities and Segregation in the UK and the USA - Research Paper Example Traditionally imprisonment has been used – along with other crime prevention/ punishment measures - in order to control crime within a specific region. However, the terms under which the specific policy has been applied around the world have not been quite clear up to now. In any case, mass imprisonment has been found to be related to specific social ‘characteristics, like the unemployment, gender, and race. On the other hand, despite the fact that a series of measures have been taken by the British and the USA government regarding the improvement of the terms of mass imprisonment, still, the specific measure enforces inequalities among the population. It could be stated that the terms of mass imprisonment that are currently applied present many similarities with the ones used in the past. In accordance with Hallett (2002) ‘due to late 20th-century imprisonment policies, a renewed understanding of prisoners as commodities has emerged; the historical pattern of raci ally distinct commerce in imprisoned human beings, most of whom are poor, non-violent, minority offenders, has returned’ (Hallett, 2002, 369). The terms of mass imprisonment applied today would be improved so that inequalities are no longer enforced; but this target is a challenging task – especially if taking into account the resources (employees, funds, and technology) required. The development of technology in the developed countries around the world – including the USA and the UK – has not necessarily led to the improvement of the terms of justice or the limitation of inequalities in the society. The above fact is clear through the studies and the findings presented below.Current use of imprisonment as crime control and reinforcing of existing inequalities and segregation in the UK and the USA

Theme of The Tale of Kieu Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Theme of The Tale of Kieu - Essay Example The fortune teller hints at fate by saying "Perhaps  you must atone for some past sin" (91).   In his description of the characters and scenes, Nguyen uses elements of nature such as animals and physical features such as the moon. Tu Hai, the general, is said to have had â€Å"a tiger’s beard, a swallows jaw, and brows as thick as silkworms† (113) obviously Nguyen and the Vietnamese attribute some attributes of physical attractiveness to nature in this case each outstanding physical trait has an animal comparison. Nguyen’s level of appeal is brought out even more now that he posses the best attribute of each of the animals and not just being compared strictly to one animal. However my focus shall be on the moon as an object of imagery as it is the most mentioned in the whole text. The first obvious representation is beauty. The van sisters are described as beautiful. Van, Kieu’s sister is described as â€Å"her face a moon, her eyebrows two full curves.† As the plot unfolds further Kieu’s great beauty is emphasized even more. It is said that men found her to be so beautiful. â€Å"She ought to rule the moon† this was kieu being compared to the moon goddess Chang-O, for one to be the ruler of something as breathtaking as the moon; you surely have to be an epitome of beauty. The cycle of life is another representation of the moon. In those fifteen years Kieu went through many experiences. Some were good others not so good. In comparison the moon has a cycle. In that cycle there are bright days and dull days. In the same way the cycle of the moon causes low and high tides could be seen as a reflection of the highs and lows of Kieu’ life. Looking at the last bit of the oppressive 15 years, after running away from the convent, Kieu finds herself in a brothel (low tide), she was rescued by Tu Hai (high tide), Tu Hai dies (low tide). The rest of the story all through the poem basically unfolds in an identical

Hockey Cross Country Comparison Essay Example for Free

Hockey Cross Country Comparison Essay Hockey and Cross country are two completely different sports in many aspects for example one is played on ice and is very physical and the other you are running on dry ground and all you do is run. But in many aspects these two sports have more in common than most people would think. These two sports in some aspects are polar opposes but having played them both I can say they are very similar. First off they both require extremely high levels of physical endurance and strength. Hockey requires you to have physical strength, quickness, and hand eye coordination. As cross country requires physical strength as well, but it also requires you to put your mind over your body, this means that no matter what kind of physical pain you may be in you have to block out the pain and keep running. Now most people think that cross country is not a team sport and only individuals run cross country right? Well they are very wrong cross country is just as much of a team sport as hockey. In cross country you rely on your team mates to place well in their race to score points just as a hockey player would in hockey. Both hockey and cross country require immense amounts of training. Hockey you have to train your hand eye coordination as well as having good vision and being physically strong. Cross country you must train your endurance you must have massive amounts of stamina as well as mental strength. Cross country you need a strong core and legs and stamina, but hockey requires you to be strong in every muscle group. Hockey is a physical sport that requires you to be able to block out pain after a big hit or a player takes a puck where they don’t have any padding.

Procrastination :: essays research papers

Procrastination What does procrastination mean? Is it the stereotypical meaning of laziness? And this word, â€Å"procrastinate† has over time become derogatory and insulting. It has also been applied to the newest generation of the world. I have heard many comments from older folks that, â€Å"those teenagers are so lazy, they wait till the last minute to do anything.† But as Dennis Sell comments in the teenager’s defense, â€Å"It isn’t procrastination if you intend to do it.† I hope that this doesn’t become a question on the future resume. â€Å"Do you procrastinate, please check yes or no.† A wonderful lot of people would be out of the job; very talented people that just have a time trying to become â€Å"perfect.† Procrastination is a way of life and a person has to be good at it to play the â€Å"lazy† game.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What does procrastination really mean? I’ve adopted a quote that now guides my everyday life; â€Å"My work is best when I am under pressure.† Most of my better essays are written in the ten minutes I have before my next class period when it’s due. Sorry Mr. Bush and Mrs. Swafford, and any other teacher that have been subjected to my messy rushed handwriting (not that Mr. Bush minds, I’m still failing his class. And his e-mail address is†¦ just kidding). Procrastination is character building. The rare few who can handle the pressure often have rushed lives, or many deadlines, whichever applies, but the point is that they can handle the pressure that procrastination gives and they come on top. My father designs computer boards and his superiors are often changing what they want the board to do, but my dad can handle those people and their strict deadlines that are ludicrous because of the little time given. But because he procrastin ated in high school, he knows what to do and how to control himself in these situations. He hasn’t thrown himself off a cliff yet after about ten years of the strenuous work, that has to count for something.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Procrastination is like many other things. It has its good and bad points, just like eating. A person must eat to live, but it makes people gain weight and there is a surplus of obese people in our nation, yet is also saves many lives a day like in Ethiopia. Procrastination can make or break a person. One can either handle the pressure or the person breaks completely.

Mark Twain and William Hazlitt’s Comparison

Ideas can be conveyed in many different ways dependant on the tone, style and diction of the piece. Both William Hazlitt and Mark Twain present a very similar topic in two very different ways. Hazlitt†s â€Å"Education of Women† speaks of how classical education is not proper for women. Twain†s â€Å"Female Suffrage† reiterates the idea that women should not be able to vote or hold public office. Hazlitt†s 1815 essay is a true opinion of his own feelings against having educated females. 1867, a different time with similar ideas, is the setting of Twain†s piece. He portrays how the relationship between suffrage and women is completely ridiculous. These authors use different styles to display completely opposite points. Hazlitt wastes no time getting to his point in order to drive it into the minds of the readers. He intends that his audience is only the educated male society. Hazlitt feels that women do not need to be anything more than generally educated. He attempts to convince his audience to accept his views and practice them. Twain, on the other hand, is creating a humorous situation which picks at the number of crazy positions that his wife holds in the community. He is not trying to make the audience think that female suffrage is bad. Twain intends that all people will read his piece for comic relief. Hazlitt uses a very straightforward type of diction in his essay. He explains his points and backs them up with his own opinions and observations. He is very authoritative and arrogant in the way he speaks. â€Å"They are mere egoists. They have no passion for truth, nor any love of what is purely ideal† He feels that his way is the right and only way to think. Since he speaks unto the educated community, he uses well-accepted ideas to communicate his points. Twain uses hyperbole, an approach very different from Halzitt†s style. Twain takes the offices held by his wife and exaggerates them to a humorous level. His diction is very relaxed and calmed. The tone Twain tends to adopt can be misinterpreted as self-centered, but his intent is only to bring a sense of fun to the audience. Hazlitt†s effect of style is very powerful. The essay is very convincing and if it is read to establish ideas, it is nothing short of excellent. The way he compiles the words with his diction, makes the points in his essay incredibly moving. When read by the desired audience, this piece is quite moving and powerful. If a female reads this, the expected reaction is a sense of loathing. Twain accomplishes his goal of being humorous and entertaining. His combination of creative ideas with a serious topic displays his great deal of writing skills. The reader is torn between believing what Twain writes and seeing the humor of hyperbole. The reader is very amused by the decisions that have to be made on interpretation. Hazlitt and Twain use different style, tone and diction to explain to readers their feelings on touchy issues. Hazlitt uses very powerful and persuasive ways of speaking to convince his readers that the education of women is completely unnecessary. Twain is quite entertaining to read because he pokes at his wife†s positions. He assumes that the reader will identify that he is only attempting to entertain his audience. Both authors are very different in style but by using different types of writing, they prove totally different points with the same subject.

Allure Cruise Line

Since the days of antiquity, Seas and Oceans have always fascinated the human being as the great wide open to explore for the unknowns. Many a miles have been sailed, many oceans have been crossed, and now at this hour humans are circling ocean for leisure tours using the most advanced and sophisticated water transport industry, the Cruise Liners. The history of this industry has three folds as Early, Jet and Modern Age. It started with the introduction of the Ocean Liners as humans plunged into the adventure of exploring new lands and further propelled by the foreign trade of the early time.Following the suite; in 1818 the Black Ball Line operating from New York became the first scheduled passenger service provider shipping company sailing from the United States to England. During I and II World War the cruise industry has done the task of transporting troops and displaced refugees too. Post war the industry recovered rapidly as the US government offered heavy subsidies in cruise sh ip building operations (Cruiseworking, 2009).In this Case Study of Allure Cruise Line (MS Allure of the Seas), the sister ship of the world's largest passenger ship, the Oasis of the Seas, the expansion plan of the â€Å"Project Genesis† will be addressed by the paper with study of dynamics, major players and the challenges of this industry in detailed subdivided structure (Asklander, M. (2008). Today the cruise liners are no more just passenger carriers or voyage ships, rather floating hotels of its own kinds; owned by various companies across the world. They are the off shore version of the hospitality management.To focus on the case, the major players of the North American Cruise Industry take the first 20 places in no time. But some of them are the flagship operators to be reckoned on. They are Royal Caribbean International, Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America, P&O, Cunard, and Norwegian Cruise Line (Pain, 2006). To look deep into the business specification of the players; their statistics of the profile reveals a comparative understanding of the expansion measure to â€Å"Allure†.To ponder on Allure’s own player, Royal Caribbean International is a Miami, Florida based brand owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. whose organisation type is Public. It also holds the subsidiaries of Azamara Cruises, founded by the Greek Chandris Group (Plowman, 2006). As on 2007, the company asset listed as Revenue: USD $6. 149 billion, Operating Income: USD $901. 3 million, Net Income: USD $603. 4 million. It has a fleet size of 21 ships, names ending with â€Å"of the sea†. Consisting of 6 different classes the total passenger volume is 69,736.The passenger to crew ratio of this liner company varies from 2:4 to 3:7. The organisation Headquarter is flagged at 1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, Florida, USA (Reed Business Information, 2009). Among all the other players, Carnival Cruise Line (Carniv al Corporation & PLC) is the biggest of all, including 11 other cruise operators in it. It is a British-American-Panamanian corporation that includes other cruise brands like, Carnival Cruise Lines itself, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Seabourn Cruise Line in North America.P&O Cruises, Cunard Line and Ocean Village in the United Kingdom; AIDA Cruises in Germany; Costa Cruises in Italy and P&O Cruises Australia; in Australia. Combining all brands of the organisation it has a mighty fleet size of 88 ships, touching more than 1,60,000 passenger volume and as an expansion plan 18 more ships due to deliver by 2012. The total asset size as on 2007 are, Revenue: $ 13,033 million, Operating income: $ 2,725 million and Net income: $ 2,408.The organisation type is public dual listed company, listed to NYSE: CCL, LSE: CCL, NYSE: CUK with Headquarters flagged in Miami, USA and London, UK. Though Carnival Corporation and PCL are separate listed companies having separate list of stak eholders, but own all its operating companies jointly in the group (Carnival Corporation & PLC, 2006). The crew to passenger ratio of this organisation is 1:1 (EDGAR Online, Inc. , 2009). Among other players; Disney Cruise Line is an American cruise line company, property of The Walt Disney Company.Its Headquarter is flagged in Celebration, Florida that operates 2 ships reaching a combined passenger volume of 4800, with a passenger to crew ratio 1:9. To its existing fleet, company is adding 2 more ships, which are two decks taller than the existing ones; thus expanding the business by four folds (Ship Facts, 2009). This private organisation runs by President Tom McAlpin as part of the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division is counting a Revenue: $ 35. 51 billion, Operating income: $ 7. 827 billion and Net income: $ 3.832 billion, as on 2007 (The Walt Disney Company, 2007). Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) with the daughter company NLC America, jointly owned by Star cruises and Apollo man agement has 50% of NLC. It is a private company flagged in Miami, Florida. The company is famous for its freestyle cruising concept with no fixed time for meal, sitting arrangement or any formal dress code. 1 Its fleet size is 11 with a passenger volume of 24,807. Under expansion plan one more ship is set to sail by 2010 (Ward, 2006).As per observation, Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Corporation and PCL and Norwegian Cruise Line are thre main major players, have unique operational strategies that make them different to one another. Royal Caribbean retains a very compact business with large ships but small fleet size. In contrary Carnival has a huge brand basket with medium ships and deeper penetration. And NLC has a moderate market and fleet with no exceptional expansion. It is hard for Caribbean to overtake Carnival, but the concept of mega size ships of the former is creating extra niche.These cruise ships follow the Shipboard Structure with following positions: Commandin g Officer – CO, Executive Officer – XO, Command Master Chief – CMC, Department Head – DH, Division Officer – DO, Leading Chief Petty Officer – LCPO/Leading Petty Officer – LPO, Work Center Supervisor, Damage Control Petty Officer – DCPO, Command Career Counselor – CCC, Ship’s 3-M Coordinator, Ombudsman, Financial Specialist, Drug and Alcohol Program Administrator – DAPA, Quality Assurance Coordinator, Medical Department, Safety Officer, Divisional Safety Petty Officer and Security Manager (King, 2009).According to maritime law cruise ship are to follow the laws like, Maritime Statutes, Treaties, and Conventions, Medical Issues on Cruise Ships, Passengers with Disabilities, Injuries, Accidents, and Physical and Sexual Assaults on Cruise Passengers, Cruise Ship Fires and Collisions, Vessel Safety, Illegal Dumping, & Unsanitary Conditions (Cruise Law, 2009). For the cruise liner industry law is same in all the water body. As the cruise ships have become floating hotel, as leisure activity the industry is booming with more expansion plans despite of the economic slowdown.The only hindrance is the political instability that creates tension in regions and the companies have to cancel the port of calls for passenger’s safety, which makes many active crews inactive in affected zones. For Allure it is a big step ahead to compete, if not in numbers, but in size. One more sea will join the â€Å"Amada†. Reference Asklander, M. (2008). â€Å"M/S Allure of the Seas (2010)†. Fakta om Fartyg. Retrieved February 24, 2009, from http://www. faktaomfartyg. se/allure_of_the_seas_2010. htm. Cruiseworking. (2009). The History Of The Cruise Line Industry.Retrieved February 23, 2009, from http://www. cruiseworking. com/history. shtml Carnival Corporation & PLC. (2006). Corporate Information. Retrieved February 24, 2009, from http://phx. corporate-ir. net/phoenix. zhtml? c=200767&p=irol-p rlanding Cruise Law. (2009). Links to Maritime & Cruise Line Related Sites. Retrieved February 24, 2009, from http://www. cruise-law. com/links. html EDGAR Online, Inc. (2009). Edgar Pro. Retrieved February 24, 2009, from http://sec. edgar-online. com/carnival-corp/8-k-current-report-filing/2006/11/07/Section12.aspx King, K. (2009). SHIPBOARD ORGANIZATION AND ADMIN FUNDAMENTALS. Retrieved February 24, 2009, from http://members. tripod. com/~Motomom/104ship Plowman, P. (2006). The Chandris Liners and Celebrity Cruises. Rosenberg Publishing. Pain, J. (2006). Royal Caribbean orders $1. 24B cruise ship. The Boston Globe. Retrieved February 24, 2009, from http://www. boston. com/business/articles/2006/02/06/royal_caribbean_orders_large_cruise_ship_1139250670/ Reed Business Information (2009). Ships operated by Royal Caribbean International.Retrieved February 24, 2009, from http://www. search2cruise. com/cruise-operator-list-7043. html Ship Facts. (2009). Disney Cruise Line. Retrieved Feb ruary 24, 2009, from http://disneycruise. disney. go. com/dcl/en_US/onboard/about/listing? name=ShipFactsListingPage&bhcp=1 The Walt Disney Company. (2007). â€Å"The Walt Disney Company 2007 Annual Report†. Retrieved February 24, 2009, from http://amedia. disney. go. com/investorrelations/annual_reports/WDC-AR-2007. pdf Ward, D. (2006). Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Singapore: Berlitz

Discussion of the change of customers’ attitudes towards and expectations and the ways organisations respond The WritePass Journal

Discussion of the change of customers’ attitudes towards and expectations and the ways organisations respond Introduction: Discussion of the change of customers’ attitudes towards and expectations and the ways organisations respond Introduction:Conclusion:References:Related Introduction: This essay mainly focuses on the relationship between the change of customers’ attitudes towards and expectations and financial services sector’s respond. A review of the theoretical background of business external environment and contextual environment is represented as well to give a theoretical framework. This essay consists of three major parts. The first part refers to the competitiveness of the financial services sector and the importance of organisations recognizing the influences of the external environment and how the developments in these influences can have a substantial impact on organisational success. The second part gives the theoretical framework of business external environment and contextual environment, and especially concentrates on the influence of the social environment on customer attitudes and expectations. In addition, it reveals customers and financial services sector are not isolate parts to each other, whereas they are in a two-way interactio n process. The third part provides an example in particular to illustrate the ways in which organisations have recognised changes and how to respond in terms of products and services in order to achieve customer satisfaction and maintain their competitive position. With the development of economic globalization, the number and cooperation of countries’ financial organizations are getting larger and closer, so the competition is increasingly fierce. Competition here includes not only the firms that produce same product but also those firms which compete for the income of the consumers the competition here among these products may be said as desire competition as the primary task here is to fulfill the desire of the customers. Competitiveness increasingly has a significant impact on the overall financial structure of the financial sector, and it is vital for financial institutions to investigate methods to improve their competitiveness, if they want to keep competitive advantage places and win more customers in the financial services sector (Falconer, 2009). Thus financial sector is becoming a truly knowledge-based service sector in which innovation and comparative advantage determine the well being and growth of a financial institution (Y okoi-Arai and Yoshino, 2006 ). In the present age, not only the intense competition, but also many other pressures from the external environment lead the financial organizations to make a change to cater to their customers. Understanding the influence of the environment on business, a common comprehension is a business exists within an external environment consisting of the actions of other players who are beyond the business, converts inputs into outputs in order to make a profit (Falconer, 2009). Generally the business external environment contains contextual environment and operational environment. Contextual environment covers the areas of the nature of government, economy, technology, social variables and competitive forces, which are more uncontrollable factors than operational environment factors; therefore the success of company to a large extent depends on its adaptability to the environment. So if a firm within the financial sector could not manage the factors well, the firm will not develop healthily. C oncerning about the operational environment, a stakeholder approach is usually used to illustrate the interaction between business management and stakeholders, who are identified as shareholders, suppliers, customers, employees and community, which  has a direct bearing on the operations of the firm (Falconer, 2009). The interaction means the business has impact on these groups, and in turn, the stakeholders influence business directly by their activities as well. Thus either businesses or stakeholders are in bad conditions, the firm could not operate well. In particular, contextual environment, which concentrates on the factors of political environment, economic environment, technological environment and social environment, has an important impact on business operation. Political environment refers to the legal environment whose rules are generally created by the government, and legal influences can affect business management. To some extent, the legal environment can affect the industry, individual companies or their products, for instance, it can promote competition and encourage people pay more attention to the pensions and healthcare. Economic environment is related to changes in the wider economy. Businesses prosper when the economy is booming and living standards are rising. A growing economy provides greater opportunities for businesses to make profits, so businesses welcome rising living standards. But in the meantime, economic environment can not only promote globalization, but also can aggravate the credit crisis. Technologic al environment has an enormous effect on the business environment by providing opportunities for businesses to adopt new breakthroughs, innovations, and inventions to cut costs and develop new products to help companies to become more competitive (Falconer, 2009). As a matter of fact, to a large extent the development of technology can determine what products will be produced, what equipment will be used and how operations will be managed. Therefore the three factors political environment, economic environment and technological environment have a significant impact on the organization management. However, social environment mainly influences the customer, including the attitudes, expectations, demands and tastes of customers. Social environment is with respect to changes of society and social structures, which contain changes in the structure of the population, in consumer lifestyles and behaviour affect buying patterns (Andreassen and Lindestad, 2006). It is widely known that the ways in which changes in the social environment can have an impact on their workforce and the way in which they undertake their activities, managers also realize that the ways in which changes in the social environment have the impact on customers (Cohen, 1990). Thus it is an interaction process. If customers change but financial services sector does not notice that and responds to it effectively, then customers will go elsewhere. The ways in which the social environment has influence customer attitudes and expectation can be demonstrated as follows: (1) Customers may have high expectations of customer service, such as well educated and knowledgeable products and substitutes as the technology advances and economy booming. (2) Cu stomers want products to be available where and when and how the company wants to provide them as their thoughts. (3) Lots of consumer information and advice to be demanded to help customers making buying decisions. (4) Fashions and trends are important and constantly changing, while values, opinions and beliefs change and are very influential on buying behaviour. (5) Customers constantly want more and more of a variety of different things. (6) Customers will not rely on one provider, but to intend to seek out the best provider (Falconer, 2009). Nowadays many organizations within the financial sector have noticed customer changes and have responded effectively. Diversity of products and services are provided to cater to customers. The social environment is a dynamic environment since the financial services sector changes as customers’ attitudes and expectations change constantly (Alsmadi and Alnawas, 2011). To make the question more clearly, here is a very successful example about mobile banking to present the relationship between customers change and financial services sector’s respond. With the development of communication technology, mobile telephony is getting cheaper and having diversity functions to complete complicated things to give people convenience. These developments point out an increasingly positive perception of mobile financial services in the society. The factors that using mobile services is no longer a luxury thing for many people, younger generations are likely to be fascinated by modern telecommunication services and mobile device has become a more powerful and faster tool to transfer data with new standards have led to an increased demand of Mobile Banking service (Tiwari, Buse and Herstatt,   2006). Fortunately banks recognized these changes and realized the business of Mobile Banking involves three main services: mobile accounting, mobile brokerage and m obile financial information services. Mobile Banking is characterized by some unique features that equip it with certain advantages against conventional forms of banking such as ubiquity, immediacy, localization, instant connectivity, pro-active functionality and simple authentication procedure, which are spoken highly of customers (Tiwari, Buse and Herstatt, 2006). These features of Mobile Banking not only meet the need of time-critical customers, but also increase efficiency of banks, which potentially promote the image of banks that have the Mobile Banking services to help banks occupy the mobile banking market first. A study came from Bank of Korea (2006) shows that the number of financial transactions carried using mobile devices in South Korea rose to 287,000 on a daily average, up 104% from a year earlier. Whereas the number of customers registered for mobile services grew to 1.9 million registering an increase of over 108% in the same period (Korea times, 2006). Another study conducted by the Tiwari and Buse and Herstatt (2006) presented that up to 92% of survey participants in Germany showed their willingness to avail certain mobile financial services. From the figures, we can obtain the conclusion that the Mobile Banking has gained a big success. Figure 1 gives the information that ratings received by the services â€Å"Mobile Remittance† and demonstrates the large-scale positive perception of Mobile Banking Conclusion: Business external environment can be classified into two main types of environment: contextual environment and operational environment, both of which are quite important to business operation. Operational environment may well  have a direct bearing on the operations of the firm. However, contextual environment covers political environment, economic environment, technological environment and social environment and contains many uncontrollable factors, to a large extent the success of company depends more on its adaptability to the environment. In particular, social environment has a vital effect on customers’ attitudes, expectations, demands and tastes. And the social environment is a dynamic environment since the financial services sector changes as customers’ attitudes and expectations change constantly. At last, the typical instance demonstrates us that it is crucial for financial organizations to be aware of the customers’ change and respond in terms of prod ucts and services effectively can they achieve customer satisfaction and maintain their competitive position. References: Alsmadi, S. and Alnawas, I. (2011), Empirical Investigation of the CRM Concept in the Jordanian, Context: The Case of Banks and Financial Institutions, International Journal of Business and Management, Vol. 6, pp. 182-195 Andreassen, T. and Lindestad, B. (2006), Customer loyalty and complex services, The impact of corporate image on quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty for customers with varying degrees of service expertise, Available from: http://ezproxy.napier.ac.uk:2067/journals.htm?issn=0956-4233volume=9issue=1articleid=851 [accessed 10/03/2011] Cohen, G. (1990), Textbook on Effective Management in Financial Services, 3rd edition, London, Graham Trotman Ltd. Falconer, S. (2009), Textbook on Management of Financial Institutions, Edinburgh, Napier University Tiwari, R., Buse, S. and Herstatt, C. (2006), Strategic Implications of Mobile Banking for Banks and Financial Enterprises, Available from: http://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=6101260660810640070970870280971200310270 [accessed 11/03/2011] Yokoi-Arai, M. and Yoshino, N. (2006), Concept of Competitiveness in the Financial Sector, Available from: fsa.go.jp/frtc/seika/discussion/2006/20061020.pdf [accessed 12/03/2011]

5 nursing career specialties to pursue in 2019

5 nursing career specialties to pursue in 2019 Healthcare is one of the fastest-growing fields right now- and nursing is at the heart of this growth. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nursing profession is expected to grow by at least 19% by 2026, much faster than average for all jobs. If you’re thinking about a career in nursing, here are five fast-growing specialties to consider.Nurse PractitionerNurse practitioners (also known as advanced practice registered nurses, or APRNs) are an MVP when it comes to family or general medical practices. They provide standard nursing care (recording patient histories, examining patients, performing diagnostic tests, administer medicine or treatments), while also being able to perform tasks usually done by physicians, like prescribing medicine, ordering tests, and diagnosing illnesses.What you’ll need: A master’s degree in nursing, plus passing a national certification exam and becoming licensed. Each state’s licensing requirements may vary, so be sure to check your own state’s requirements.What it pays: The median salary for nurse practitioners is $110,930 per year, or $53.33 per hour.The outlook: The number of nurse practitioner jobs is expected to grow by an incredible 31% by 2026.Neonatal NurseNeonatal nurses care for premature babies, usually in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in a hospital. Because of the critical health problems experienced by many newborns, neonatal nurses provide essential, extensive care.What you’ll need: A bachelor’s degree in nursing, plus specialized training. You’ll need to be licensed as well. Each state’s licensing requirements may vary, so be sure to check your own state’s requirements.What it pays: The median salary for neonatal nurses is $65,000 per year, or $31.25 per hour.The outlook: The number of neonatal nurse jobs is expected to grow at least 17% by 2026.Nurse MidwifeNurse midwives are advanced practice nurses who care for expectant m others and their newborns. A nurse midwife coordinates care during pregnancy and assists during childbirth and after the delivery for both the mother and baby.What you’ll need: A bachelor’s degree in nursing, plus specialized training. You’ll need to be licensed as well. Each state’s licensing requirements may vary, so be sure to check your own state’s requirements.What it pays: The median salary for nurse midwives is $100,590 per year, or $48.36 per hour.The outlook: The number of nurse midwife jobs is expected to grow at least 31% by 2026.Nurse AnesthetistOne of the fastest-growing and highest-paying nursing specialties is the nurse anesthetist. Nurse anesthetists provide anesthesia to surgical patients, working with physicians, surgeons, and other operating room staff. In addition to anesthesia, nurse anesthetists may help coordinate pre-and post-surgical care for patients as well.What you’ll need: A bachelor’s degree in nursing, p lus a master’s degree and/or specialized training in nurse anesthesia. You’ll need to be licensed as well. Each state’s licensing requirements may vary, so be sure to check your own state’s requirements.What it pays: The median salary for nurse anesthetists is $160,270 per year, or $77.05 per hour.The outlook: The number of  nurse anesthetist jobs is expected to grow at least 22% by 2026.Nurse EducatorOne of the most valuable roles in the nursing community is teaching the next waves of nurses. This crucial role combines medical and clinical skills with teaching skills, and can be a good fit for nurses who have strong communication and leadership skills. Nurse educators may teach and train nurses at all levels, from specialized nursing training programs to bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate nursing programs. The constant demand for high-quality nurses means that there is high demand for nursing teachers as well.What you’ll need: A ba chelor’s degree in nursing, and potentially a master’s degree or PhD, depending on what you’ll be teaching. You may also need specific clinical experience, depending on the program.What it pays: The median salary for nurse educators is $71,260 per year.The outlook: The number of nurse educator jobs is expected to grow at least 19% by 2026.Whichever nursing path you choose, know that it’s a rewarding, challenging field with many opportunities open to explore your specific passion and talent.

Same sex marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Same sex marriage - Essay Example Compare and contrast: Both the same-sex marriage and traditional marriage support the concept of marriage, i.e. the contract between partners. To be specific, same-sex marriages never deny the scope of family in personal life. At the same time, family is the backbone of traditional marriages. One can see that the proponents of same-sex marriage consider that the concept of family can provide legal consent and acceptance in the society. David E. Newton states that, â€Å"The question raised by advocates of same-sex marriage is whether a state can constitutionally refuse to issue a marriage license to two individuals of the same sex† (62). Besides, those who accept same-sex marriage claim that all the rights that are enjoyed by the partners within traditional marriages must be allowed to the partners (say, same-sex). One can see that social recognition is important within the context of married life, and those who are in favor of same-sex marriage or traditional marriage are rea dy to accept the same without any argument. So, the supporters of same-sex marriage and traditional marriage are aware of the importance of family, legal consent, and social acceptance. One can see that most of the marriages (say, traditional) are related to religious belief, morality, and legal/ constitutional support. All the world religions support traditional form of marriage because the same is a contract based upon belief. Besides, the moral side of traditional marriage is related to certain limitations on individuals. At the same time, traditional marriages help to gain legal/constitutional support in the society. On the other side, the proponents of same-sex marriages consider the same as a deviation in sexual interest. They never accept the intrusion of religion into the context of marriage. Instead, they consider that religious belief and marriage are different and individuals must be allowed to lead lives according to their personal interest. If individuals are interested in same-sex marriages, they must be allowed to do so. Peter Strandby states that, â€Å"Finally, gay activists’ claims to full citizenship through equal access to marriage, is denied based on a religious set of beliefs, that homosexuality is morally wrong and that same-sex marriage would threaten existing individual liberties such as freedom of religion and expression† (21). Besides, the supporters of same-sex marriages declare that the society must show readiness to provide legal sanction to same-sex marriages. So, same-sex marriage is symbolic of liberal approach towards sexual orientation. Evaluation: From a different angle of view, the modern world needs to accept that individuals are different in interest, taste, and opinion. Within this scenario, one cannot prove that traditional marriages successfully lead the partners towards individual freedom and happiness. If one is interested in same-sex marriage, one must be allowed to take independent decisions related t o one’s sexual interest. Evan Gerstmann states that, â€Å"In fact, one of the theories that advocates of same-sex marriage advance most ardently is that the heterosexual marriage monopoly is a form of gender discrimination and, therefore, is subject to intermediate scrutiny†