The eNotes Blog A New Look at EmilyDickinson

A New Look at EmilyDickinson Portrait of the poet Emily Dickinson at the age of sixteen. Property of Amherst College. For years, scholars have had only one image of the enigmatic  Emily Dickinson to go bythat of the poet as a sixteen year-old, taken in 1847 (above). In that time, observers have been unable to help themselves from forming certain ideas of the poet, given this picture of a heavy-lidded, pale, and fragile looking adolescent, coupled with her well-known depressive nature. However, it seems that a new discovery may serve to change our views. That is, if the photograph below is truly the second portrait of Emily Dickinson known to date. Could the woman on the left be Emily Dickinson, twelve years on from her famous daguerrotype above? The picture recently surfaced in Dickinsons hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts, and has been on loan with Amherst College (the owner of the first Dickinson daguerrotype) while it undergoes tests to determine its credibility. And what scrutinizing tests they are; the photograph has thus far been evaluated by historians, members of the Emily Dickinson International Society, and even an opthalmologist. The last, Susan Pepin, concluded in her report, The two women have the same eye opening size with the right eye opening being slightly larger than the left. The left lower lid in both women sits lower than the right lower lid  The right earlobe is higher on both women. The inferonasal corneal light reflex suggests corneal curvature similarity, allowing us to speculate about similar astigmatism in the two women. Both women have a central hair cowlick. Finally, both women have a more prominent left nasolabial fold After a thorough examination of both of these womens facial features as viewed from the 1847 and 1859 daguerreotypes, I believe strongly that these are the same people. Kate Turner, age sixty. And shes not the only one.  Others at Amherst College, after comparing the fabric of the subjects dress to swatches belonging to the Emily Dickinson Museums textile collection, feel strongly that she must be the famous poet. Further forensic-style investigation was used to determine the second sitter in the photograph, Kate Scott Turner, which corroborates the conclusion that the image is of Dickinson. Turner, a recent widow at the time, met Dickinson in 1859. The two shared a strong relationshipwhich some have purported to have been more than mere friendshipuntil they suffered a parting of ways that deeply hurt Dickinson. In a letter to Kate circa 1860, the poet wrote, Why did you enter, sister, since you must depart? lamenting that loss of a close friend.  Thankfully, multiple photographs of Turner exist in the world, as the ability to identify her as one of the subjects in the photo makes it more likely that the other sitter who looks like Dickinson  is  Dickinson. But what exactly is the significance of finding a second portrait of Emily Dickinson, you may ask? Its all in our perceptions of her. Reducing our image of her to a photograph of a waifish teenage girl, weve been short-sighted in our considerations of Dickinson as a grown woman. It seems impossible to believe that she could be so composedstrong, evenas we imagine her now, extending a protective arm to her far meeker looking friend. If the daguerreotype is eventually accepted as Dickinson, it will change our idea of her, providing a view of the poet as a mature woman showing striking presence, strength, and serenity. She (whoever she is)  seems to be the one in charge here, the one who decided that on a certain day in a certain year, she and her friend would have their likenesses preserved. In fact, even if this  photograph is not of Dickinson and Turner, it has still  been of use in forcing us to  imagine Dickinson as an  adult, past the age of the ethereal-looking 16-year-old we have known for so many years. Tell us your views: is the image above, in your opinion, of Emily Dickinson? If so, does it change your perception of her? Leave us a comment below.

Managing Decisions Essay

Managing Decisions Essay Managing Decisions Essay Contents Explanation of the Business Proposal 2 Business Objectives 2 Market Analysis 2 Financial Viability 3 Competitor Analysis 3 Operational Aspects 4 Identification of the Factors Influencing the Viability of your Business Proposal 5 Influence Diagram 5 Analysis of the Decision Making Methods 6 Influence Diagram 6 Project Management and use of Project Plans 6 Financial Modelling 7 Sensitivity Analysis 7 Conclusion 8 Appendices 9 Explanation of the Business Proposal The business opportunity we chose was 'Monster Sandwich' - a small sandwich business operating from mobile trailers, targeting the local (Sheffield) student market, also providing drinks and snacks to complement the sandwiches we sell. We chose this idea due to the knowledge and experience the group shared in the small and medium business sector, we saw a gap in the market for mobile trading and we believed it would suit our style of operating and team work. We're all students living in Sheffield and visit cafà ©s and delis on a regular basis as well as purchasing meal deals from the local supermarkets. Business Objectives Our short term objectives include capturing a proportion of the student market in Sheffield and hopefully gain market share in Sheffield's sandwich market. This will include selling sandwiches in and around the city centre at the majority of student-orientated areas. Medium term objectives are to establish our business in the market and gain a loyal customer base across Sheffield and the main areas of operation including both Hallam and University campuses. Hopefully we will be able to cater for more exclusive events such as Tramlines in the summer, increasing our brand image. Long term objectives are to acquire another Van and expand the staff numbers, as well as competing heavily with the smaller cafà ©s for market share and operating in a number of new locations. Our staff base would have to increase if we acquired another van, this would allow us to exploit the locational advantage further, such as trading across 3 areas 12am-3am. Market Analysis Our target market will be the local student population, offering them a healthy and filling meal at a low price. We will have meal deals on daily as well as specials available for them. There are over 30,000 students in Sheffield and the main locations they visit are in and around the city centre as well as both Universities, so our mobile vans will be able to tap into the high level of potential demand. Also, as there is little loyalty from students towards businesses such as Sainsbury's or Subway we will be able to gain sales by just having the prime location at heavily demanded times; 9am lectures, 12pm-2pm, 4pm-6pm and 12am-3am. We will be positioned in the main areas across the two University campuses; City (Howard Street), Collegiate (Collegiate Crescent), University of Sheffield (Ranmoor and Endcliffe Student villages), as well as City Hall, West Street, Carver Street and outside Leadmill and Plug (Night clubs). This will be key to our business opportunity, as we will be in coordination with the students' daily routine and possibly, eating habits. Advertisement is crucial for all new businesses, particularly among students as they are bombarded with adverts for "new and improved" business ideas daily. We must stand out and have an immediate impact; advertise heavily to fresher's (First Years) as these are the easiest to influence as well as international students and other undergraduates. The more they are aware of the business, its prices, products and promotions, the more likely they will spread this information by word-of-mouth, which is an asset to any business. Financial Viability When looking at the financial viability of the business opportunity we all agreed to place  £5,000 of our own savings into Monster Sandwich, totalling  £20,000. Also, to secure a bank loan of  £5,000 each which would give us  £40,000 to start up the business across two

Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States Essay

Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States - Essay Example According to the 2000 U.S. census, almost 16 million Italian Americans live in the United States. They constitute about 6 percent of the U.S. population. Most are grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the 3.8 million Italian-born immigrants who entered the United States from 1899 to 1924. Some are descendants of Italian-speaking immigrants from Austria, Switzerland, and Latin America. Others are themselves immigrants, including the more than 1 million who came to the United States after World War II ended in 1945. Two-thirds of the Italian American population live in and around major cities in the northeastern part of the United States." (Italian American). Only America possesses the probability of encountering this problem because of countless causes - immigration, preservation of heritage of immigrants, racial and ethnic differences, and cultural differences to name a few. It is apparent that race is about a social construct rather than biological since society has a different set of rules for each racial group. "racism is based on your physical traits. so what you look like, and ethnicity is based on what you identify yourself as. so simplisticly, racial groups are what other people catagorise you in (based on your physical demenor and look, e.g - 'black' 'white' 'brown' 'yellow' 'red' etc...) and your ethnic group is who you identify being, like you might share commonalities with certain ethnic groups for example be very cultural or religious and identify being a 'pacific islander' just because you were not born in the pacific islands or have pacific island parents or any such blood in you, if you feel you identify strongly with that group (for example - bing taught or brought up in a pacific household or around other pacific island families, children, churches etc.)you can identify yourself in that ethnic group (Ethnical groups). Furthermore, there is no alternative conceptualization of race that I would advocate because it is a social construct. This is due to the fact that society has defined what is expected of each racial group, which has nothing to do with biological aspects of being Italian, Mexican or Irish. From there, it has been apparent that Italian Americans have been a dominant ethnical group because of their food and their place in politics within American culture. Therefore, it seems that the Italian mafia has an upper hand in American politics, which gives them a higher rank than the Russian mafia in America. With that, in America, it is apparent the Italian mafia has skills that fit the labor union, which gives them an inside to American politics. Few Italian Americans today identify closely with Italy. Even fewer read Italian literature, follow Italian politics, or belong to organizations that promote Italian culture in the United States. However, many remain in touch with family or friends in Italy, and many more socialize with other Italian Americans in the United States. Among themselves, Italian Americans still recognize cultural differences rooted in the distinctive regional cultures of northern, central, and southern Italy, and Sicily. The majority of Italian Americans belong to the Roman Catholic Church. However, almost half of recent generations have intermarried with Catholics of other ethnic backgrounds or with people from different denominations, such as

Leadership and Cross Culture Management Article - 1

Leadership and Cross Culture Management - Article Example They developed several qualities of leadership to cope up with the changing working environment of foreign countries (Regent University, 2011). Honda, the largest Japanese based manufacturers of two-wheelers has been a successful name in the global automobile industry. Due to their leadership ability, they are so successful across the globe. The subsidiary of Honda Motor in India is named Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India Ltd (HMSI). It came to India in 1999. They believe in teamwork and excellent leadership aspects are the reasons for their success. Though they are globally successful for their products and services but the management of HMSI is not at all concerned regarding the workers and other employees of the organization. They are found to be illtreating and misbehaving with the workers. They are continuously harassing and embarrassing many of the working personnel in the organization. Towards the female employees, their behavior is not healthy. A few female employees left their jobs due to intolerable behavior from the Vice President of the company. HMSI managers are using negative leadership qualities just to embarrass the employees instead motivating and influencing them in their work (Labour File, n.d.). The higher managerial personnel of HMSI should develop the qualitative behavior and good etiquette while treating both male and female workers. This will help them to be a leader in the global environment. All kinds of interpersonal, informational and decisional roles can be developed by the managers of HMSI to motivate and influence the employees and workers of the organization. As a leader, they can create the good working relationship with the people because human resources are the assets of the organization. The leadership qualities should be utilized for the superior purpose of the employees rather destroy it.

The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company Essay Example for Free

The Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company Essay Company’s briefly introduction Once one of the biggest baggers of groceries in the US, The Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company (AP) has been reduced to a shrinking portfolio of regional grocery chains. It now runs about 300 supermarkets in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and three other eastern states. In addition to its mainstay 80-store AP chain, the company operates five banners: Pathmark, Waldbaums, Superfresh, Food Emporium, and Food Basics. AP acquired its longtime rival in the Northeast, Pathmark Stores, for about . 4 billion, but the purchase failed to reverse APs lagging fortunes. Indeed, AP in 2012 emerged from 15 months bankruptcy after a financial restructuring and closing 75 stores. More from Wikipedia: The Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company, better known as AP, is a supermarket and liquor store chain in the United States. Its supermarkets, which are under six different banners, are found in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. APs liquor stores, known as Best Cellars, are found in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Virginia.[2] APs corporate headquarters are in Montvale, New Jersey.[3] Supermarket News ranked AP #19 in the 2010 Top 75 Food Retailers and Wholesalers based on 2009 fiscal year estimated sales of $9.1 billion.[4] Based on 2009 revenue, AP was the 34th largest retailer in the US.[5] From 1915 through 1975, it was the largest food retailer in the nation (until 1965, the largest US retailer of any kind).[6] AP is considered an American icon.[7] The Wall Street Journal, in an editorial on December 10, 2010, said that AP was as well known as McDonalds or Google is today and that AP was Wal-Mart before Wal-Mart.[8] What is now AP began in 18 59; it established a small chain of retail tea and coffee stores in New York City and a national mail order business. It grew to 70 stores by 1878. In the late 19th century, AP, still a tea and coffee company, became the countrys first grocery chain. At the turn of the century, it operated almost 200 stores. The company grew dramatically after introducing the economy store concept in 1912, growing to 1,600 stores in 1915. After World War I, the company opened stores offering meat and produce. In 1930 the company, now the worlds largest retailer, reached $1  billion in sales with 16,000 stores.[9] In 1936, AP adopted the self-serve supermarket concept and opened 4,000 larger stores by 1950.[10] APs decline began in the 1950s when it failed to keep pace with chains which opened larger, modern supermarkets with features demanded by customers. By the 1970s, AP stores were out of date; its efforts to combat high operating costs resulted in poor customer service. In 1975, the company hired outside management, closing older stores and building modern ones. When these efforts failed to turn the company ar ound, the heirs of the original owners, and foundations that owned a majority of the stock, sold to the German Tengelmann Group. AP then launched a store-closing program financed by the surplus assets of its pension plan.[11] Starting in 1982, AP acquired several chains; these stores operated through their names rather than AP. While AP regained profitability in the 1980s, in 2002 it operated at a record loss because of new competition, especially Wal-Mart. AP closed more stores, which included the sale of its large Canadian division. In 2007, AP purchased Pathmark, one of its toughest competitors; AP again became the largest supermarket chain in the New York City area. Highly leveraged after this acquisition, the company experienced financial difficulties because of the recession and filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2010. In late 2011, AP implemented a restructuring plan to emerge from bankruptcy.[12][13] On March 13, 2012, it was announced that AP had emerged from bankruptcy and was now a private company. History: More than 150 years ago, The Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company, Inc. (AP) began operations as The Great American Tea Company. Its first store – on Vesey Street in New York City – sold tea, coffee and spices at value prices. Soon after, stores sprung up all around the New York metropolitan area, and salesmen took their wares to the road in horse-drawn carriages bound for New England, the Midwest and the South. In 1869, the Company was renamed The Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company, commemorating the first transcontinental railroad. In 1936, AP became the first national supermarket chain in the United States, one of many innovative concepts that radically changed the way consumers shopped. Its  vast advertising and promotional activities reached so many consumers that AP became an American icon. Below are select milestones from the Companys rich history: 1859-1899 Becoming a Grocery Pioneer * 1859 The Great American Tea Company is founded as a mail order business by tea and spice merchants George Huntington Hartford and George Gilman. The same year, the first store-warehouse operation opens in New York City at 31 Vesey Street. * 1869 The Company is renamed the Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company, or AP. * 1880 AP begins marketing its own brand of baking powder, its first private label product. It also pioneers the use of refrigerated railroad cars to transport fruit, and becomes the first to bring fresh seafood to the Midwest. * 1881 AP becomes the first grocery chain to operate 100 stores and expands to 5,000 delivery routes. * 1880s With the publics taste for coffee growing rapidly, AP establishes its own brand, Eight O Clock Breakfast Coffee, packaged in a red bag. George Huntington Hartford names the product after the time of the day that he believed the most coffee was consumed. * 1887 Sales hit $1 million. * 1890s AP introduces premium â€Å"checks† to be redeemed for cups, saucers and other goods, marking the first original customer-loyalty program with premiums and savings coupons. 1900-1959 Becoming an Innovator and American Icon * 1912 John Hartford convinces his father and brother to launch the first no frills† grocery format in America with the opening of the AP Economy Store in Jersey City, N.J. The cash and carry store, with plain furnishings and fixtures, offered no credit, no deliveries and no premiums just quality groceries at very low prices. * 1920 The AP Economy Store concept flourishes and catalyzes an extraordinary period of growth, resulting in 4,638 stores, from about 350 stores in 10 years prior. * 1924 The AP Radio Hour launches as Americas first national radio program. Soaring in popularity through the 1930s, it featured popular artists such as Kate Smith, Harry Horlick and the AP Gypsies. * 1929 AP more than triples its store count to 15,418 stores and increases  sales five-fold to reach the $1 billion mark. * 1930s AP expands to California, Washington and Canada. * 1933 AP participates in the Worlds Fair in Chicago. Housed in a 2,000-seat amphitheater, the AP Carnival draws thousands of visitors with the AP Marionette Revue, Harry Horlick and other entertainment. * 1936 AP opens the nations first supermarket, a 28,125-square-foot store in Braddock, Pa., that enables customers to select their own groceries without the assistance of a clerk. * 1937 AP launches Womans Day magazine through a wholly-owned subsidiary, The Stores Publishing Company. The magazine features articles on food preparation, home decoration, needlework and childcare, selling for two cents a copy exclusively in AP stores. * 1941 Eight O Clock coffee becomes the best-selling brand of coffee in the world. * 1958 Sales grow to $5 billion and 4,252 stores. AP tops the industry, with volume exceeding that of its closest competitor by more than $1 billion. * 1959 AP celebrates its 100th anniversary. 1960-1999 Becoming a Supermarket Family * 1963 With its new Plaid Stamps redemption program, AP brings back the premium concept. With every purchase, shoppers receive plaid-colored stamps, which can be later redeemed for popular household items, such as snack trays and Lazy Susans. * 1971 AP opens its first Warehouse Economy Outlet (WEO). This low-price warehouse concept, featuring displays of fast-selling grocery items in the original cases, is rolled out to 1,500 stores. * 1979 The Hartford Foundation and family members sell the majority of AP shares to The Tengelmann Group of West Germany in the face of declining sales and profitability, as competitors follow consumers to the suburbs. * 1980 James Wood is elected Chairman, President CEO. Under his leadership, the company closes operations in several markets, including hundreds of older stores and the majority of its manufacturing operations. * 1981 Beginning a new growth via acquisition strategy, the Company purchases 17 Stop Shop supermarkets in New Jersey. * 1982 The Company launches the Superfresh banner in the Philadelphia area, emphasizing product freshness and strong customer service. * 1986 AP acquires the Bronx, N.Y.-based Shopwell Inc., which includes 26 upscale stores named The Food Emporium. It expands further in New York with  the acquisition of Waldbaums, Inc. that fall. * 1994 AP in the U.S. launches a new private label program, introducing four new brands across all of its banners: Americas Choice, Master Choice, Health Pride and Savings Plus. 2000-Present Innovating and Restructuring for the Future * 2000 The Food Emporium opens its unique Bridge Market store, located at 59th Street and First Avenue beneath New York Citys landmark Queensborough Bridge. * 2001 AP opens its first U.S. Food Basics store in Passaic, N.J. * 2003 To reduce debt and lower operating costs, AP exits Northern New England, sells Kohls stores in Wisconsin (which it acquired in 1983), closes all remaining Kohls operations, and sells the Eight OClock Coffee division. * 2005 The Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company, Inc. sells AP Canada to METRO INC., a supermarket and pharmaceutical operator in the Provinces of Quebec and Ontario Canada. * 2009 The Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company celebrates its 150th Anniversary as the oldest grocery retailer in the United States. * 2010 The Board elects Sam Martin as President CEO. Under his leadership, the Company embarks on a turnaround plan and files for Chapter 11 to enable it to restructure its operations and financial obligations. * 2011 AP launches Woodson James, a new line of premium-quality Angus beef featuring steakhouse-quality meat at affordable supermarket prices, exclusive to all AP, Pathmark, Superfresh, Waldbaums and The Food Emporium stores. * 2012 AP exits Chapter 11 as a private company with 320 stores. SWOT ANALYSIS The Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company (AP or the company) is engaged in the retail food business. The company offers a strong portfolio of private label brands. Green Way, a new private label launched in 2009, features over 200 healthy, organic and eco-friendly products. In the current economic environment, consumers are tending to choose private label brands due to their quality and competitive pricing. Given the growing demand for private label products, the companys portfolio of private brands offers a competitive advantage. However, the sluggish US economy could depress purchasing power of consumers affecting the sales of the company. Strengths  Weaknesses Robust private label portfolio Declining market share Operational and financial issues led to bankruptcy filing Multiple store formats Coupons portfolio Opportunities Threats Economic downturn in US affects consumer spending Online retail channel offers opportunities for revenue growth Increasing demand for organic products Intense competition Rising labor wages in the US likely to increase the operating cost Remodeling of stores will lead to incremental sales Strengths Robust private label portfolio AP offers a strong portfolio of private label brands including Americas Choice, Hartford Reserve, Live Better Wellness, Americas Choice Gold, Smart Price and Via Roma. APs Americas Choice brand presently stands among the best selling private brands in the industry. In addition, in 2009, the company launched Green Way, a new private label line featuring over 200 healthy, organic and eco-friendly products. The company launched The Food Emporium Trading Company private label brand of international specialty items, in November 2010. In the face of macroeconomic pressures, consumers are increasingly opting for private label products. According to industry watchers, private label sales have increased in the US in the recent years. In the current economic environment, value-oriented consumers are choosing private label brands due to their competitive pricing. Also, strong push from retailers and improvements in both quality and selection has been influencing the shopping trends. This trend is expected to continue even after the economy recovers as consumers consider the quality of private label brands to be as high as name brand products. In addition to providing savings to consumers, private labels provide higher operating margins than national brands to AP thereby improving profitability. Increased  penetration of these private labels will improve the margins of the company. Additionally, they offer a competitive advantage and will enable the company to develop a niche customer base. Multiple store formats AP operates multiple store formats. The companys store formats vary from full-service supermarkets featuring fresh produce, seafood, meat, deli, groceries, floral, and pharmacies, to upscale gourmet stores (The Food Emporium), to limited variety stores featuring everyday low prices (Food Basics). Through its broad base of supermarkets, AP has expanded and diversified within the retail food business. The company operates stores with merchandise, pricing and identities tailored to appeal to different customer segments, including buyers seeking gourmet and ethnic foods, a wide variety of premium quality private label goods and health and beauty aids along with the range of traditional grocery products. The wide variety of products offered to meet the needs of a diverse customer base will drive footfall and also provide immense opportunities for cross selling. This in turn will contribute to higher revenues by increasing the average ticket. Coupons portfolio Consumers drastically cut back on spending during the recession as unemployment rose and lending slowed. They are looking at generating more value for the money spent. AP, keeping this in view, launched a comprehensive coupon portfolio of innovations in 2009, to provide shoppers with more savings and convenience. The company partnered with Zavers, a pioneer in digital couponing, to launch the first paperless, clipless and completely digital coupon service available by a supermarket chain in the Metropolitan New York area. This service allows club card members at AP, Pathmark, Waldbaums and SuperFresh to go online and save the coupons directly onto their club card. The savings are automatically deducted off the customers shopping order once the club card is scanned at the checkout. Subsequently, AP introduced the Rewards Online Mall, allowing club card members to earn rewards by making purchases at over 1,000 online retailers including eBay.com, Best Buy, Home Depot, Macys, Barnes and Noble, Travelocity, Staples, 1-800-FLOWERS and many more. For every purchase made, customers can receive an average of 3% back. Once the total reaches $10, customers will receive a Rewards Certificate in the mail to be used towards their next in-store purchase at any AP, Waldbaums, SuperFresh, The Food Emporium or Pathmark store. To complement its couponing  programs portfolio, AP also premiered an innovative new online coupon gallery available via its banner websites. This service which helps customers save more money while shopping for groceries, was made available through AP’s partnership with Coupons.com. Each of the company’s banner websites features a special coupon gallery with hundreds of dollars of savings on all departments. Besides offering savings this service is convenient and saves time. Such additional benefits offered by the company will help attract customer visits. Weaknesses Declining market share AP has been losing its market share to the bigger discount retailers and wholesale clubs including Wal-Mart, Costco, Target, and BJs. These companies have expanded into the grocery business and yielded to the economic downturn by lowering prices, thereby attracting the value-driven consumers. The big-ticket consumers, on the other hand, preferred higher-end retailers such as Whole Foods and Trader Joes. AP by sticking to its consistent pricing, lost its customers to these companies in the difficult retail climate, while the other grocery retail chains lowered prices considerably, endorsed value proposition, and attracted sales. The company recorded a decline in revenues of 8.3% and 7.4% in FY2011 and FY2010 respectively. The sales declined primarily due to a decrease in comparable stores sales and store closures, partially offset by sales from new stores. The overall decline in sales was primarily caused by a decrease in customer count. The loss of market share to competitors has aff ected the company financial results significantly. Operational and financial issues led to bankruptcy filing AP, in December 2010 filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code with the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York to facilitate its financial and operational restructuring. The company experienced severe financial and operational issues which led to this move. At the end of the third quarter of FY2011, the company had cash reserves of $92.4 million compared with $281.8 million during the same period, the previous year.The company had long-term debt of $816.8 million at the end of the third quarter of FY2011. The current portion of long-term debt increased to $171.5 million at the end of the third quarter of FY2011 compared with $191,000 at the end of the third  quarter of FY2010. The company has also experienced several other issues that contributed to its bankruptcy filing, including large pension funding requirements and union agreements. Approximately 92% of the companys employees are represented by unions and covered by collective bargaining agreements. Furthermore, the company had about 70% of inventory tied to one supplier in an unfavorable contract. The company also had obligations, including the payment of rent on stores that were not subleased or leases terminated. The rent expenses for the mostly empty stores were estimated to be substantial next year. All the above factors put the company at a competitive disadvantage and rendered its business unsustainable in the current scenario. The bankruptcy filing and the subsequent financing will significantly affect the investors confidence in the company. Online retail channel offers opportunities for revenue growth The online retail market in the US is growing at a fast pace and the trend is expected to continue. Online sales contributed to 6% of the retail sales in 2009 and are estimated to contribute 8% of the total retail sales by 2014. Online sales grew by 11% in 2009 compared to a total retail growth of 2.5%. Online sales while offering convenience to customers, also improve a companys margins by cutting down operating costs. AP is well poised to benefit from the expected increase in online sales. Increasing demand for organic products Natural and organic food products segment is one of the fastest growing categories in food retailing. Increasing consumer awareness about health and environmental issues, along with an increasing resistance towards genetically modified (GM) food products and GM farming, has led to a rapid increase in the demand for organic food. According to industry estimates, the organic product sales in the US reached $26.6 billion in 2009, an increase of 5.3% over 2008. Of the total, organic food accounted for $24.8 billion and organic non-foods, the remaining $1.8 billion. In comparison, the total food sales in the US increased by 1.6% in FY2009.The growth trend of organic foods is expected to continue. The company offers over 200 healthy, organic and eco-friendly products under its Green Way brand. The company could leverage its presence to exploit the increasing demand for  organic products. Remodeling of stores will lead to incremental sales AP has been investing in re-modeling its stores to offer a unique shopping experience to its customers. These remodeled stores offer an expanded selection of deli, bakery, floral, meat, seafood and organics departments and many specialty sections. The Pompton Plains AP store, located in Pompton Plains, New Jersey, besides offering traditional food categories, also introduced new departments including the kids and toddler aisle featuring all the products needed by mothers in one area; an enhanced pet selection; expanded mens offerings featuring an extensive array of specialty products for men; and a special section dedicated to gluten-free packaged products. Apart from offering a wide selection of quality groceries, fresh produce, breads, seafood, and meats, APs new Port Jefferson Pathmark store features a full-service pharmacy department which provides numerous benefits to customers including, all major prescription drug plans including Medicare Part D accepted; health screening serv ices; complete diabetic supply center; patient counseling and information service; mail order and online prescription refill; and Live Better! Wellness club. The new Pathmark is designed with a bright, open layout with modern decor and colorful artwork and signage, further enhancing the overall experience for shoppers. AP’s Woodcliff Lake AP store offers expansive departments that feature a wide selection of fresh and gourmet foods. This is complemented by a full-service bakery, Starbucks Cafe, floral department and pharmacy, along with a center store department that presents a complete line of specialty items for men, children and pets. The company also re-opened the New Providence AP store with expansive departments offering a wide selection of fresh and gourmet foods, a full-service bakery and floral department and an expansive center store department with a complete line of specialty items for children and pets. The remodels with additional departments attract more consumers and offer cross selling opportunities, therefore contributing incrementally to the sales increase. These additional services will also help the company differentiate itself from its competitors. Threats Economic downturn in US affects consumer spending The US, the worlds largest economy, shrank 4.1% from the fourth quarter of 2007 to the second quarter of 2009. Household spending fell 1.2% in 2009, twice as much as previously projected and the biggest decline since 1942. The US economy slowed in the second quarter of 2010 as scarcity of jobs eroded consumer spending. GDP in the second quarter of 2010 grew at a 2.4% annual rate less than forecast. Consumer spending, which accounts for about 70% of the economy, rose at a 1.6% pace in the second quarter, compared with a 1.9% rate in the first quarter of 2010. Job gains have been slow to take hold, curbing household purchases. US retail sales rose a meager 0.1% in July 2010 from June 2010, according to industry watchers. In addition, the US economy grew 2.6% in the third quarter of 2010. The World Bank forecasts the US economy to grow at a sluggish rate of 2.8% in 2011. High unemployment rate which is estimated to reach 10%, sluggish wage gains and credit crunch are all expected to keep consumers relatively cautious. The unemployment rate remained significantly high at 9.4% towards the end of 2010. Rising unemployment further reduces the consumer spending as customers feel unsecured. Thus, slowdown in US economy would depress purchasing power of consumers which could result in a decline in sales of the company. Intense competition AP conducts its retail merchandise business under highly competitive conditions. Although AP is a large regional department store chain company, it has numerous competitors at the national and local level that competes with its individual stores, including specialty, off-price, discount, and internet and mail-order retailers. Competition is characterized by many factors including location, reputation, fashion, merchandise assortment, advertising, price, quality, service and credit availability. AP anticipates intense competition to continue with focus on pricing. Some of the companys competitors have substantially larger marketing budgets, which may provide them with a competitive advantage. If AP is unable to maintain its competitive position, it could experience downward pressure on prices, lower demand for products, reduced margins, the inability to take advantage of new business opportunities and the loss of  market share. Rising labor wages in the US likely to increase the operating cost In recent times, tight labor markets, increased overtime and government mandated increases in minimum wages resulted in an increase in labor costs, which could materially impact the companys results of operation. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) has increased the federal minimum wage rate in the US from $6.55 an hour in July 2008 to $7.25 an hour in July 2009. This was further increased to $8.25 an hour in July 2010, revising the labor rates for the fourth year in a row. Many states also have minimum wage laws. If an employee is subject to both state and federal minimum wage laws, the employee is entitled to the higher minimum wage. Increased labor costs could increase the operating costs for the company.

Why Dont Girls Choose Science :: essays papers

Why Dont Girls Choose Science Issues Essay: Why Don’t Girls Choose Science? In South Australia in 1983 less than one-third of students studying physics at matriculation level were girls (Robottom, 1986). Sixteen years later, in 1999, girls still only made up 35% of students studying physics at the matriculation level (SSABSA, 1999). Despite all the advances for women in modern society it seems that there is still an issue of concern in that of girls participation and achievement in science. Adamson, Foster, Roark & Reed (1998) suggests that the gender gap in science appears to widen with development so much so that there is concern that women are being underrepresented in some science fields. It is suggested that due to the role science and technology plays in all of our lives today it is not only a concern that women are limiting their career options, but also that they are not getting the opportunity to take part in the planning and decision-making processes that occur in areas which affect all citizens (Johnston, 1984). Indeed, Andre, Whigham, Hen drickson & Chambers (1999), have found that secondary school girls have lower persistence and enrolment in the physical science pipeline, which of course leads to women having lower participation in physical science careers. Recently O’Brien, Martinez-Pons & Kopala (1999) reported that gender could directly predict students’ career interests in the science and engineering fields, leaving no question as to whether gender was an issue when choosing science subject. It is thought that the critical moment for girls arises when they have a choice as to whether to do science or not (Robottom, 1986) and it is at this point the gender differences really become noticeable. Studies have revealed that girls were choosing to do language, arts or biology, whereas boys were choosing to do physical science courses (Farenga & Joyce, 1999) and it seems that there is no biological basis that can account for this low achievement and representation of girls in physical science (Johnston, 1984). This viewed in the light of the fact that it has been shown that the school plays a major role in the performance and attitudes of girls to science (Johnston, 1984) must prompt all teachers to examine what they may be doing to contribute to this problem and what they may be able to do to encourage girls to become involved in science, particularly the physical sciences.

Yes to Guns! No to Gun Control!

Yes to guns! No to gun control! Banning Guns Cannot Prevent School Shootings! Imagine yourself at the scene of the Virginia Tech shooting. You hide under the desk that you were sitting at peacefully just moments ago. Gun shots ring though the air as you sit curled up on the cold floor, wondering who the next victim of the evil rampage will be. Don’t you wish you could have had a gun in this moment? Don’t you wish you had a way to defend yourself against the murderer? Because we cannot go back in time, we cannot know how differently the Virginia Tech shooting could have turned out if one of the victims had possessed a gun.We can, however, analyze this and other school shootings to see how they could have been different. Thirty-one states currently have laws allowing concealed handguns for adults with no criminal record or history of mental disorders. The cause of concealed-carry has grown over the past decade or two. More and more people are realizing how much of a posit ive difference allowing guns can really make. Banning guns on campuses doesn’t protect students. Rather, the policy only endangers those who are ethical enough to follow the law.Outlaws are the only ones who will have guns if guns are outlawed. This means that criminals will have guns, and law-abiding civilians will not. Students and teachers should be allowed to carry concealed handguns on college campuses. In 1997 in Pearl Mississippi, a shooter was stopped by an assistant principal who had retrieved a gun from his car. Because he was not allowed to bring his gun into the school, the assistant principal could not stop the shooting earlier. If he would have been allowed to bring his gun into the school, the lives of the shot students could have been saved.In Edinboro, Pennsylvania, in 1998, a passerby stopped a shooter who was reloading his gun by pointing a shotgun at him until the police arrived. If it were not for this civilian, the shooter would have been able to finish reloading his gun and continue his massacre. If a person bearing a gun had not been on the scene at either one of these shootings, much more damage could have been done by the shooters. Sharp-minded civilians with guns, however, were present at both of those school shootings. Without anyone even firing a shot, both of these tragedies were prevented from becoming worse.For a more recent example, consider the Virginia Tech shooting. Obviously, there was no student or teacher with a gun at the scene of the shooting. As I stated before, we cannot know if the tragedy could have turned out differently if someone would have shot the shooter. We can logically see how the tragedy could have been prevented by a student with a gun, though. Imagine if a student or teacher would have pulled a gun on and shot the Seung-Hui Cho before he began shooting people in the classroom. Dozens of lives could have been saved by that quickly-thought action.There is no possibility that someone with a concealed gun would have been on the scene, however, because concealed weapons are not allowed on the Virginia Tech campus. Almost any mass shooting could be prevented by a quick-thinking civilian with a concealed gun. Because one of the criteria for owning a concealed-carry permit is that the owner must be somewhat proficient at shooting, there is a good chance that a murderous gunner could be stopped by one bullet. Banning concealed handguns really doesn’t protect anyone.If a person is intent on killing someone, or is intent on killing a mass of people, he will do it. Someone who is willing to go against the law and kill someone, or kill a number of people, will not mind going against the law about carrying a gun on a campus. And even if a murderer does not bring a gun onto campus, there are many other ways to kill someone, such as a knife, baseball bat, or even bare hands. Guns themselves really aren’t the problem, in fact, â€Å"Guns aren’t bad things or good things . They’re things, inanimate objects, and chunks of metal with no will of their own. So if people bent on murdering will murder, people who will be the victims of the murderer should have some way to defend themselves. The best way for a person to defend themselves against an attacker is a gun, simply because it is so deadly. In a study that analyzed the relationship between concealed handgun laws and crime rates between 1977 and 1995, the effect of those laws was clearly seen. In those 19 years, states that passed laws allowing concealed-carry guns saw an 84% decline in multiple-victim shootings.In addition, after concealed-carry laws had been established for 5 years, murders decreased by at least 15%. Some people say that we cannot trust civilians with concealed handguns in mass-shooting situations because they might shoot an innocent bystander instead of the murderer. As I stated before, however, one of the criteria for obtaining a concealed-carry permit is that the owner m ust be somewhat proficient at shooting. There is a small chance that someone with a concealed handgun would shoot the wrong person in a space the size of a classroom. Others contend that small arguments could turn into shooting battles.I can see why some of my opponents would think this, but people are just as likely to shoot each other over small arguments as they are to strangle each other or stab each other. One of the requirements for a concealed-carry permit owner is, as I stated earlier, that he or she is mentally sound. People who are right in their minds will not attempt to kill someone with whom they have a minor disagreement. And if a person is bent on killing another, they will find a way to do it. According to Craig Medred, editor of the â€Å"Outdoors† magazine, â€Å"The problem isn’t the weapon of choice, it’s the anger.It doesn’t make any difference whether a killer has a gun, a knife, or a crowbar. Guns are used defensively 2. 5 million times every year. There has been many times over the past decades that multiple-victim shootings are prevented by civilians with concealed guns. Because there are people who are bent on killing others, the victims should have an effective method of defending themselves. Namely, they should be able to defend themselves with a gun. Banning guns doesn’t actually protect anybody, so people should be allowed to carry a concealed gun if they wish. Many lives could be saved if concealed handguns were allowed on college campuses.

Protocol numbers Essay

Protocol numbers are used to configure firewalls, routers, and proxy servers. In Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4, Request for Comments [RFC] 791I), the protocol number can be found in the Protocol field of an IP header.ICMP Echos are used mostly for troubleshooting. When there are 2 hosts which have communication problems, a few simple ICMP Echo requests will show if the 2 hosts have their TCP/IP stacks configured correctly and if there are any problems with the routes packets are taking in order to get to the other side ICMP Echo Information Type Name Reference Echo Reply [RFC792] Codes No Code 1 Unassigned [JBP] 2 Unassigned [JBP] 3 Destination Unreachable [RFC792] Codes 0 Net Unreachable 1 Host Unreachable 2 Protocol Unreachable 3 Port Unreachable 4 Fragmentation Needed and Don’t Fragment was Set 5 Source Route Failed 6 Destination Network Unknown 7 Destination Host Unknown 8 Source Host Isolated 9 Communication with Destination Network is  Administratively Prohibited 10 Communication with Destination Host is  Administratively Prohibited 11 Destination Network Unreachable for Type of Service 12 Destination Host Unreachable for Type of Service 13 Communication Administratively Prohibited [RFC1812] 14 Host Precedence Violation [RFC1812] 15 Precedence cutoff in effect [RFC1812] 4 Source Quench [RFC792] Codes No Code 5 Redirect [RFC792] Codes Redirect Datagram for the Network (or subnet) 1 Redirect Datagram for the Host 2 Redirect Datagram for the Type of Service and Network 3 Redirect Datagram for the Type of Service and Host 6 Alternate Host Address [JBP] Codes Alternate Address for Host 7 Unassigned [JBP] 8 Echo [RFC792] Codes No Code 9 Router Advertisement [RFC1256] Codes 0 No Code 10 Router Selection [RFC1256] Codes 0 No Code 11 Time Exceeded [RFC792] Codes 0 Time to Live exceeded in Transit 1 Fragment Reassembly Time Exceeded 12 Parameter Problem [RFC792] Codes 0 Pointer indicates the error 1 Missing a Required Option [RFC1108] 2 Bad Length 13 Timestamp [RFC792] Codes 0 No Code 14 Timestamp Reply [RFC792] Codes 0 No Code 15 Information Request [RFC792] Codes 0 No Code 16 Information Reply [RFC792] Codes 0 No Code 17 Address Mask Request [RFC950] Codes 0 No Code 18 Address Mask Reply [RFC950] Codes 1 No Code PORT NUMBERS Service names are assigned on a first-come, first-served process, as documented in [RFC6335]. Port numbers are assigned in various ways, based on three ranges: System Ports (0-1023), User Ports (1024-49151), and the Dynamic and/or Private Ports (49152-65535); the difference uses of these ranges is described in [RFC6335]. System Ports are assigned by IETF process for standards-track protocols, as per [RFC6335]. User Ports are assigned by IANA using the â€Å"IETF Review† process, the â€Å"IESG Approval† process, or the â€Å"Expert Review† process, as per  [RFC6335]. Dynamic Ports are not assigned. The registration procedures for service names and port numbers are described in [RFC6335]. Assigned ports both System and User ports SHOULD NOT be used without or prior to IANA registration.

Any Topic (writers Choice) Example

Any Topic (writers Choice) Example Any Topic (writer's Choice) – Case Study Example Exercise Programme and Asthma Insert Insert What is the species of the model/study organism? Patient with Asthma 2. What is one piece of interesting information found in the introduction? Asthma is a chronic disease and some of the symptoms are is difficulty in breathing and lungs being filled with air. The other point of interest is the objective of the study that is the effect of an exercise programme and vitamin D supplementation on performance and respiratory indicators in patients with asthma (Couzen, 1991). 3. What are the major question and / or hypothesis studied in the journal article? The following are the issues of the study;- How does aerobic exercise help patients with asthma? How does both aerobic exercise and supplement of vitamin D help patients with asthma? How does vitamin D alone affect asthma patients? What are the effects of asthma patients who do not do exercises and use vitamin D supplement? 4. A sampling of the study? The sampling took place in Ilam, Iran. Where by 32 women with asthma volunteer to be the sample size. To determine whether the women who were asthmatic or no a clinical examination, pulmonary function tests, a skin prick test for aeroallergens, and a six-minute walk test (Couzen, 1991). The participants were allocated four treatments that are as follows; - 8 weeks of aerobic exercise, aerobic exercise, and vitamin D supplementation and vitamin D supplementation alone. The control group did not participate in the exercise programme and did not receive vitamin D supplementation. 5. Choose one experiment from the study a) Describe the experiment One of the experiments done was an aerobic exercise that lasted for the duration of 8 weeks. This 8-week exercise programme comprises of 30 minutes session of the exercise per week.There the stretching, walking and running is part of the task (Couzen, 1991). b) What are the prediction and response variables for the experiments? The prediction is that the ones who were doing aerobics and vitamin D supplement had improved pulmonary function. c) Describe how the evidence supported/ answered the primary hypothesis /questions? The experiment showed that the group involved involvement in an 8-week aerobic exercise and vitamin D supplementation programme and the one involved in both aerobics and vitamin D supplement showed a decrease in FEVI, FVC and 6- MWT. This shows that this exercise could improve the airflow in the lungs (Couzen, 1991). 6. What was the major conclusion of the study From the findings, I can conclude that aerobic exercise and vitamin D supplement would improve pulmonary function and activity tolerance in asthmatic patients. This remedy could be used as a non-pharmacological treatment and as part of pulmonary rehabilitation programme in asthmatic patients used by specialists. This will help in economic savings in terms of reducing the health cost. The analysis met the objectives for the study and were regarded successful. Future search in the same field can attract different approaches towards getting accurate results. They include the use of modernised technological equipment to carry out the measurement, data entry, and analysis. References Couzen, N. H. (1991). Asthma and Exercise. Jones and Bartlett.

Relevance of Modern Cinema to the Study of Ancient History essays

Relevance of Modern Cinema to the Study of Ancient History essays The Relevance of Modern cinema to the study of Ancient History Cinema has been around for about 100 years now. Who would have thought that the French short called The journey to the Moon (1901), would progress into a digital masterpiece like GLADIATOR. Over the century of movies that the world has witnessed, the have been almost 70 films made on the subject of classics. 21 of these were made in the decade between 1959-1969. Almost every one of these (with the exception of 6, including Carry On Cleo!) was solely intent on showing the cultural side of classical times, rather than the popular gory side (e.g. Cleopatra). Both sides are incredibly useful to the study of ancient history. The former shows how the ancient civilisations lived; and the latter shows what they did for entertainment. The subject of classics was first seen to be a novel idea to base a film on in 1899, by the French director Georges Mlis when he made Clopatre. This idea soon caught on, with some years churning out as many as 4 classics films a year (1908, 1961, 1962). However, the idea of classics in a movie soon became cliched, after 21 versions of Hercules, 9 versions of Quo Vadis, 15 films based on Cleopatra, and 7 versions of Spartacus. So, it was unsurprising that from 1983, there was a 14-year gap between two classics films. Ironically, both films were a version of Hercules, the most recent being a Disney Version (which actually stole ideas from almost every significant Greek myth ever told!) Even then, after 14 years, directors feared making a classical movie, as it could ruin their career. Ridley Scott was the first daring filmmaker, when, after 4 years, he made perhaps the most incredible classics film ever. Years of studying classics went into the movie, and the excellent effects enhanced the experience. Now, in the new millennium, the idea is once again becoming a trend, with Gates of Fire set to be released ...

Asymmetric information and market disequilibrium Essay

Asymmetric information and market disequilibrium - Essay Example Evidences state that asymmetric information has resulted in adverse selection and under provision or lack of trade (Cawley & Philipson, 1999, p.827). In the real markets cases often arise when the seller knows more about the product being traded than the buyers. As for example in case of second hand car market, the seller knows more about the car than the buyer. It may be the other way round also where the buyer posses more information than the sellers as for example in insurance market, the buyers of the insurance usually is more aware about their risks than the insurance company selling them the insurance. Labor market can be considered as another case where a labor trying to get a job is more aware of the fact that how able he is or she in convincing the employer to bag the job (Economics of organization, slide 4-6). The market of used car will be used as a model where the asymmetric information leads to the absence of trade in that market. The prediction of the conditions for the used cars is very hard to estimate. Various parameters to judge the conditions may be appearance of the car, existence of otherwise of a guarantee with the car, date of manufacturing and so on. But here the assumption will be that the buyer has only two sets of expectations or information in his mind that is the car is either good or the car is bad. The potential buyer also does not have the determination power of the condition of the car in ex ante situation (Economics of organization, slide 6). The seller is well informed about the condition of the car. If the car is in bad condition, the seller does not have the incentive to reveal the fact (Asymmetric Information, n.d). The willingness of the seller to sell a product is expressed in terms of reservation price. The reservation price of the seller is the price that the seller would accept for the object (Adverse Selection, n.d., p. 1) and it depends obviously on whether the car is good or bad. The reservation price of the seller is provided in the table below: Reservation Price Good condition Bad Condition $ 10, 000 6,000 Table 1. Similarly the buyers also evaluate the condition of the car which is also their reservation price (Onuma, n.d., p. 3). Now common information available to everyone is that half the sellers are selling good cars and half the sellers are selling bad cars. The reservation price of the buyer is provided in the table below: Reservation Price Good condition Bad Condition $ 11,000 7,000 Conjecture of the buyer In case of a risk neutral buyer the maximum amount he or she willing to pay for a used car is given in the expectation calculation of the buyer as given by, , Where E (B) = Expected buying price & probability of half of the sellers selling bad cars= probability of half of the sellers selling good cars= Now if the buyer gets to know about the reservation price of the seller, then he or she will work out the price calculation and will accordingly find that at the price only the selle r of the bad car will be willing to sell the car because the sellers of only bad car’s reservation price is above $ 9,000 and the seller of the good cars’

Answers for 5 discussion questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Answers for 5 discussion questions - Essay Example Jackson’s â€Å"The Haunting of Hill House† is a book whose plot revolves round haunting sessions in a hill house. â€Å"Eleanor did not sleep during the afternoon, although she would have liked to; instead, she lay on Theodoras bed in the green room and watched Theodora do her nails, chatting lazily, unwilling to let herself perceive that she had followed Theodora into the green room because she had not dared to be alone† (pg 40). This quote portrays horror in the hill house as everybody feels fear yet they refuse to admit. Horror in the hill house make characters incline to believe in redemption from religion. â€Å"Hell House† depicts haunting sessions and doom that befalls non-believers. This movie is unethical as a method of persuasion as it instills fear in characters leaving them with no other option but believe in religion. Cults and organizations exhibit pledge to their leaders regarding organizational beliefs, ideas and obligations. Leaders of cults and organizations command actions of members and resistance to these actions is unacceptable. Cults and organization serve to acquire financial benefits. Encouraging team spirit within cults and organizations forms a unique feature. However, cults differ from organizations in various aspects. Actions of leaders of organization are subject to review by relevant authorities marred with such duties. Cults are not answerable to any authorities and their activities are non-religious. Unlike cults, organizations condemn members from cutting links with their families or friends. Organizations are not necessarily formed on religious beliefs and ideologies. "It is also possible that part of our test of faith is our loving of this world, even our flesh body, to the extent to be willing to leave it without any proof of the Next Levels existence" (Davis pp. 123). The intriguing aspect of Davis’s analysis is the