The Amber Spyglass Chapter 29 The Battle On The Plain Free Essays

It was desperately hard for Lyra and Will to leave that sweet world where they had slept the night before, but if they were ever going to find their daemons, they knew they had to go into the dark once more. And now, after hours of weary crawling through the dim tunnel, Lyra bent over the alethiometer for the twentieth time, making little unconscious sounds of distress – whimpers and catches of breath that would have been sobs if they were any stronger. Will, too, felt the pain where his daemon had been, a scalded place of acute tenderness that every breath tore at with cold hooks. We will write a custom essay sample on The Amber Spyglass Chapter 29 The Battle On The Plain or any similar topic only for you Order Now How wearily Lyra turned the wheels; on what leaden feet her thoughts moved. The ladders of meaning that led from every one of the alethiometer’s thirty-six symbols, down which she used to move so lightly and confidently, felt loose and shaky. And holding the connections between them in her mind†¦ It had once been like running, or singing, or telling a story: something natural. Now she had to do it laboriously, and her grip was failing, and she mustn’t fail because otherwise everything would fail†¦ â€Å"It’s not far,† she said at last. â€Å"And there’s all kinds of danger – there’s a battle, there’s†¦ But we’re nearly in the right place now. Just at the end of this tunnel there’s a big smooth rock running with water. You cut through there.† The ghosts who were going to fight pressed forward eagerly, and she felt Lee Scoresby close at her side. He said, â€Å"Lyra, gal, it won’t be long now. When you see that old bear, you tell him Lee went out fighting. And when the battle’s over, there’ll be all the time in the world to drift along the wind and find the atoms that used to be Hester, and my mother in the sagelands, and my sweethearts – all my sweethearts†¦ Lyra, child, you rest when this is done, you hear? Life is good, and death is over†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His voice faded. She wanted to put her arms around him, but of course that was impossible. So she just looked at his pale form instead, and the ghost saw the passion and brilliance in her eyes, and took strength from it. And on Lyra’s shoulder, and on Will’s, rode the two Gallivespians. Their short lives were nearly over; each of them felt a stiffness in their limbs, a coldness around the heart. They would both return soon to the world of the dead, this time as ghosts, but they caught each other’s eye, and vowed that they would stay with Will and Lyra for as long as they could, and not say a word about their dying. Up and up the children clambered. They didn’t speak. They heard each other’s harsh breathing, they heard their footfalls, they heard the little stones their steps dislodged. Ahead of them all the way, the harpy scrambled heavily, her wings dragging, her claws scratching, silent and grim. Then came a new sound: a regular drip-drip, echoing in the tunnel. And then a faster dripping, a trickle, a running of water. â€Å"Here!† said Lyra, reaching forward to touch a sheet of rock that blocked the way, smooth and wet and cold. â€Å"Here it is.† She turned to the harpy. â€Å"I been thinking,† she said, â€Å"how you saved me, and how you promised to guide all the other ghosts that’ll come through the world of the dead to that land we slept in last night. And I thought, if you en’t got a name, that can’t be right, not for the future. So I thought I’d give you a name, like King Iorek Byrnison gave me my name Silvertongue. I’m going to call you Gracious Wings. So that’s your name now, and that’s what you’ll be for evermore: Gracious Wings.† â€Å"One day,† said the harpy, â€Å"I will see you again, Lyra Silvertongue.† â€Å"And if I know you’re here, I shan’t be afraid,† Lyra said. â€Å"Good-bye, Gracious Wings, till I die.† She embraced the harpy, hugging her tightly and kissing her on both cheeks. Then the Chevalier Tialys said: â€Å"This is the world of Lord Asriel’s Republic?† â€Å"Yes,† she said, â€Å"that’s what the alethiometer says. It’s close to his fortress.† â€Å"Then let me speak to the ghosts.† She held him high, and he called, â€Å"Listen, because the Lady Salmakia and I are the only ones among us who have seen this world before. There is a fortress on a mountaintop: that is what Lord Asriel is defending. Who the enemy is I do not know. Lyra and Will have only one task now, which is to search for their daemons. Our task is to help them. Let’s be of good courage and fight well.† Lyra turned to Will. â€Å"All right,† he said, â€Å"I’m ready.† He took out the knife and looked into the eyes of his father’s ghost, who stood close by. They wouldn’t know each other for much longer, and Will thought how glad he would have been to see his mother beside them as well, all three together – â€Å"Will,† said Lyra, alarmed. He stopped. The knife was stuck in the air. He took his hand away, and there it hung, fastened in the substance of an invisible world. He let out a deep breath. â€Å"I nearly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I could see,† she said. â€Å"Look at me, Will.† In the ghost light he saw her bright hair, her firm-set mouth, her candid eyes; he felt the warmth of her breath; he caught the friendly scent of her flesh. The knife came loose. â€Å"I’ll try again,† he said. He turned away. Focusing hard, he let his mind flow down to the knife tip, touching, withdrawing, searching, and then he found it. In, along, down, and back. The ghosts crowded so close that Will’s body and Lyra’s felt little jolts of cold along every nerve. And he made the final cut. The first thing they sensed was noise. The light that struck in was dazzling, and they had to cover their eyes, ghosts and living alike, so they could see nothing for several seconds; but the pounding, the explosions, the rattle of gunfire, the shouts and screams were all instantly clear, and horribly frightening. John Parry’s ghost and the ghost of Lee Scoresby recovered their senses first. Because both had been soldiers, experienced in battle, they weren’t so disoriented by the noise. Will and Lyra simply watched in fear and amazement. Explosive rockets were bursting in the air above, showering fragments of rock and metal over the slopes of the mountain, which they saw a little way off; and in the skies angels were fighting angels, and witches, too, swooped and soared screaming their clan cries as they shot arrows at their enemies. They saw a Gallivespian, mounted on a dragonfly, diving to attack a flying machine whose human pilot tried to fight him off hand to hand. While the dragonfly darted and skimmed above, its rider leapt off to clamp his spurs deep in the pilot’s neck; and then the insect returned, swooping low to let its rider leap on the brilliant green back as the flying machine droned straight into the rocks at the foot of the fortress. â€Å"Open it wider,† said Lee Scoresby. â€Å"Let us out!† â€Å"Wait, Lee,† said John Parry. â€Å"Something’s happening – look over there.† Will cut another small window in the direction he indicated, and as they looked out, they could all see a change in the pattern of the fighting. The attacking force began to withdraw. A group of armed vehicles stopped moving forward, and under covering fire, turned laboriously and moved back. A squadron of flying machines, which had been getting the better of a ragged battle with Lord Asriel’s gyropters, wheeled in the sky and made off to the west. The Kingdom’s forces on the ground – columns of riflemen, troops equipped with flamethrowers, with poison-spraying cannons, with weapons such as none of the watchers had ever seen – began to disengage and pull back. â€Å"What’s going on?† said Lee. â€Å"They’re leaving the field, but why?† There seemed to be no reason for it: Lord Asriel’s allies were outnumbered, their weapons were less potent, and many more of them were lying wounded. Then Will felt a sudden movement among the ghosts. They were pointing out at something drifting in the air. â€Å"Specters!† said John Parry. â€Å"That’s the reason.† And for the first time, Will and Lyra thought they could see those things, like veils of shimmering gauze, falling from the sky like thistledown. But they were very faint, and when they reached the ground, they were much harder to see. â€Å"What are they doing?† said Lyra. â€Å"They’re making for that platoon of Asriel’s riflemen – â€Å" And Will and Lyra knew what would happen, and they both called out in fear: â€Å"Run! Get away!† Some of the soldiers, hearing children’s voices crying out from close by, looked around startled. Others, seeing a Specter making for them, so strange and blank and greedy, raised their guns and fired, but of course with no effect. And then it struck the first man it came to. He was a soldier from Lyra’s own world, an African. His daemon was a long-legged tawny cat spotted with black, and she drew back her teeth and prepared to spring. They all saw the man aiming his rifle, fearless, not giving an inch – and then they saw the daemon in the toils of an invisible net, snarling, howling, helpless, and the man trying to reach to her, dropping his rifle, crying her name, and sinking and fainting himself with pain and brutal nausea. â€Å"Right, Will,† said John Parry. â€Å"Let us out now; we can fight those things.† So Will opened the window wide and ran out at the head of the army of ghosts; and then began the strangest battle he could imagine. The ghosts clambered out of the earth, pale forms paler still in the midday light. They had nothing to fear anymore, and they threw themselves against the invisible Specters, grappling and wrestling and tearing at things Will and Lyra couldn’t see at all. The riflemen and the other living allies were bemused: they could make nothing of this ghostly, spectral combat. Will made his way through the middle of it, brandishing the knife, remembering how the Specters had fled from it before. Wherever he went, Lyra went, too, wishing she had something to fight with as Will was doing, but looking around, watching more widely. She thought she could see the Specters from time to time, in an oily glistening of the air; and it was Lyra who felt the first shiver of danger. With Salmakia on her shoulder, she found herself on a slight rise, just a bank of earth surmounted by hawthorn bushes, from which she could see the great sweep of country the invaders were laying waste. The sun was above her. Ahead, on the western horizon, clouds lay heaped and brilliant, riven with chasms of darkness, their tops drawn out in the high-altitude winds. That way, too, on the plain, the enemy’s ground forces waited: machines glinting brightly, flags astir with color, regiments drawn up, waiting. Behind, and to her left, was the ridge of jagged hills leading up to the fortress. They shone bright gray in the lurid pre-storm light, and on the distant ramparts of black basalt, she could even see little figures moving about, repairing the damaged battlements, bringing more weapons to bear, or simply watching. And it was about then that Lyra felt the first distant lurch of nausea, pain, and fear that was the unmistakable touch of the Specters. She knew what it was at once, though she’d never felt it before. And it told her two things: first, that she must have grown up enough now to become vulnerable to the Specters, and secondly, that Pan must be somewhere close by. â€Å"Will – Will – † she cried. He heard her and turned, knife in hand and eyes ablaze. But before he could speak, he gave a gasp, made a choking lurch, and clutched his breast, and she knew the same thing was happening to him. â€Å"Pan! Pan!† she cried, standing on tiptoe to look all around. Will was bending over, trying not to be sick. After a few moments the feeling passed away, as if their demons had escaped; but they were no nearer to finding them, and all around the air was full of gunshots, cries, voices crying in pain or terror, the distant yowk-yowk-yowk of cliff-ghasts circling overhead, the occasional whiz and thock of arrows, and then a new sound: the rising of the wind. Lyra felt it first on her cheeks, and then she saw the grass bending under it, and then she heard it in the hawthorns. The sky ahead was huge with storm: all the whiteness had gone from the thunderheads, and they rolled and swirled with sulphur yellow, sea green, smoke gray, oil black, a queasy churning miles high and as wide as the horizon. Behind her the sun was still shining, so that every grove and every single tree between her and the storm blazed ardent and vivid, little frail things defying the dark with leaf and twig and fruit and flower. And through it all went the two no-longer-quite-children, seeing the Specters almost clearly now. The wind was snapping at Will’s eyes and lashing Lyra’s hair across her face, and it should have been able to blow the Specters away; but the things drifted straight down through it toward the ground. Boy and girl, hand in hand, picked their way over the dead and the wounded, Lyra calling for her daemon, Will alert in every sense for his. And now the sky was laced with lightning, and then the first almighty crack of thunder hit their eardrums like an ax. Lyra put her hands to her head, and Will nearly stumbled, as if driven downward by the sound. They clung to each other and looked up, and saw a sight no one had ever seen before in any of the millions of worlds. Witches, Ruta Skadi’s clan, and Reina Miti’s, and half a dozen others, every single witch carrying a torch of flaring pitch pine dipped in bitumen, were streaming over the fortress from the east, from the last of the clear sky, and flying straight toward the storm. Those on the ground could hear the roar and crackle as the volatile hydrocarbons flamed high above. A few Specters still remained in the upper airs, and some witches flew into them unseeing, to cry out and tumble blazing to the ground; but most of the pallid things had reached the earth by this time, and the great flight of witches streamed like a river of fire into the heart of the storm. A flight of angels, armed with spears and swords, had emerged from the Clouded Mountain to meet the witches head-on. They had the wind behind them, and they sped forward faster than arrows; but the witches were equal to that, and the first ones soared up high and then dived into the ranks of the angels, lashing to left and right with their flaring torches. Angel after angel, outlined in fire, their wings ablaze, tumbled screaming from the air. And then the first great drops of rain came down. If the commander in the storm clouds meant to douse the witch fires, he was disappointed; the pitch pine and the bitumen blazed defiance at it, spitting and hissing more loudly as more rain splashed into them. The raindrops hit the ground as if they’d been hurled in malice, breaking and splashing up into the air. Within a minute Lyra and Will were both soaked to the skin and shaking with cold, and the rain stung their heads and arms like tiny stones. Through it all they stumbled and struggled, wiping the water from their eyes, calling in the tumult: â€Å"Pan! Pan!† The thunder overhead was almost constant now, ripping and grinding and crashing as if the very atoms were being torn open. Between thunder crash and pang of fear ran Will and Lyra, howling, both of them – â€Å"Pan! My Pantalaimon! Pan!† from Lyra and a wordless cry from Will, who knew what he had lost, but not what she was named. With them everywhere went the two Gallivespians, warning them to look this way, to go that way, watching out for the Specters the children could still not fully see. But Lyra had to hold Salmakia in her hands, because the Lady had little strength left to cling to Lyra’s shoulder. Tialys was scanning the skies all around, searching for his kindred and calling out whenever he saw a needle-bright darting movement through the air above. But his voice had lost much of its power, and in any case the other Gallivespians were looking for the clan colors of their two dragonflies, the electric blue and the red-and-yellow; and those colors had long since faded, and the bodies that had shone with them lay in the world of the dead. And then came a movement in the sky that was different from the rest. As the children looked up, sheltering their eyes from the lashing raindrops, they saw an aircraft unlike any they’d seen before, ungainly, six-legged, dark, and totally silent. It was flying low, very low, from the fortress. It skimmed overhead, no higher than a rooftop above them, and then moved away into the heart of the storm. But they had no time to wonder about it, because another head-wrenching throb of nausea told Lyra that Pan was in danger again, and then Will felt it, too, and they stumbled blindly through the puddles and the mud and the chaos of wounded men and fighting ghosts, helpless, terrified, and sick. How to cite The Amber Spyglass Chapter 29 The Battle On The Plain, Essay examples

Distribution and Logistics of the Company †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Distribution and Logistics of the Company. Answer: Distribution and Logistics According to Lusch, Vargo Fisher (2014), the efficient use of logistics will help the company in finding the right kind of suppliers and distributors so that the product of the company can be distributed in the market. The supply of the computer programs can be managed in a better way so that it can help in increasing the sales for the company. it will help the company in storing and supplying the products to the clients so that they can use it and help the company in improving its sales. Rushton, Croucher Baker (2014) opined that the company needs to manage the suppliers, subcontractors and the distributors in a better manner so that the goods can be marketed and sold in the market in a hassle-free manner. The company can synchronize with the newspaper agencies for point-of-sale (POS), which will help in increasing the efficiency of the transaction of the information by saving lot of time. The use of POS will help the company in selling the products in a better way, which will help in generating better amount of revenue. The company can take the help of Information Technology (IT) so that it can manage the supplies in an organized manner. This will help the company in decreasing its costs, which will ultimately help the company in gaining a competitive advantage. The market has to be surveyed in a proper manner so that the analysts of the firms can set up its target market and understand the level of competition that is present in that place. This will provide the company a better chance of identifying the suppliers so that they can market its products (Kiessling Harvey, 2014). The use of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) in the distribution strategy of the company will help in providing better insights about the types of softwares that are being in demand within the market with respect to the print media. The use of the ERP systems will help the company in building up a better platform so that it can cover all the areas that are present within the current market. The company can try to use the websites so that it can help in putting across various levels of information to its customers in the homepage about the products that the company is dealing with. This will help the company in building awareness about them products within the target customers. The use of social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook will help the company in getting a better reach of customers so that it can help in the consumption of its products. This will provide a great platform for the marketing of the B2B businesses. The reach of the information is greater among the people, as most of the people in the current world use social media on a daily basis. This will help the company in gaining a competitive advantage within the market where they are focused on (Olhager, Pashaei Sternberg, 2015). References Kiessling, T., Harvey, M. (2014). Human resource management issues associated with the globalization of supply chain management and logistics.International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management,44(8/9). Lusch, R. F., Vargo, S. L., Fisher, R. (2014). Drawing on service-dominant logic to expand the frontier of physical distribution and logistics management.International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management,44(1/2). Olhager, J., Pashaei, S., Sternberg, H. (2015). Design of global production and distribution networks: A literature review and research agenda.International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management,45(1/2), 138-158. Rushton, A., Croucher, P., Baker, P. (2014).The handbook of logistics and distribution management: Understanding the supply chain. Kogan Page Publishers.

Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Theory on Smoking Cessation

The Academic Decathlon †How to Prepare for the USAD Test

The Academic Decathlon – How to Prepare for the USAD Test The Academic Decathlon – How to Prepare for the USAD Test Academic competitions are common. There are spelling bees and robotic competitions on a national level, for example. There are school-wide, regional, and state competitions. One of the most interesting national academic competitions is the Academic Decathlon, a product of the U.S. Academic Decathlon Association (USAD). The competition was created in 1968 by the Superintendent of Schools for Orange Country, California just for California. It was later expanded to a national competition, and today most states and a few international schools now participate. What is Unique About the Academic Decathlon Most competitions involve the very best students that schools can put together as competitors. But this one is different, in the following ways: Each team is made up of 9 students. 3 are considered â€Å"honors† with GPA’s between 3.75-4.0; 3 are named â€Å"scholastic, with GPA’s between 3 – 3.74; 3 are named â€Å"varsity† with GPA’s of 0.00 – 2.99). There are ten events, and all students compete as individuals in their classified divisions. Team scores are determined by taking top scores from each division in each of the events and then added up for a total score for the team. Competitions begin at the local level, and the winning team from each state then moves on to the national competition. Tests of the Competition The ten events of USAD cover all academic disciplines that typical high school students study. These are as follows: 7 multiple-choice tests in language literature, math, science, social studies, economics, art and music. There is a Super Quiz that is either in science or social studies There is an essay to write, based upon optional prompts Each student must prepare a speech on a pre-selected topic Each student will be interviewed by judges. Obviously, the multiple-choice tests are objective measurements. The other three events are assessed subjectively by the judges, although the judging criteria is published on the organization’s website. Students don’t Go In â€Å"Blind† Every year the organization publishes its curriculum in every subject on its website. This provides students with an outline of the skills and content to be included in the 7 objective tests. This curriculum is developed by a 10-member panel. Anyone contributing to the curriculum must have a Bachelor’s degree in the subject. Once the curriculum is created, it is then checked by others for accuracy. There is also a USAD â€Å"theme† developed for each year, and the tests all relate to the theme. In the language and literature section, for example, a novel or set of plays is selected each year and provided to students. In music and art, students are provided with specific works that they must research and study. If, for example, the theme were to be â€Å"Africa,† as it was one year, social studies, language and literature, economics, art, and music tests will all relate to that continent, and contestants are provided specific topics to study. The Subjective Portions of the Competition As the term implies, there are no right or wrong answers to these parts of the event. Speech: This event is divided into two parts. The first is a prepared speech on a pre-provided topic, and it is to be 3  ½ - 4 minutes long. The second part is an impromptu speech. Contestants are given three optional prompts, choose one, and then deliver a 1  ½ - 2minute speech on that topic. The Interview: This is a formal event, during which the student is asked a series of questions and expected to respond. Questions have included such things as â€Å"Who is your role model and why?† The Essay: Contestants are given three prompts, choose one, and have 50 minutes to write their essays on the chosen topic. The prompts relate to the theme of that year and come from the language and literature or the Super Quiz areas. How to Prepare for the USAD Test There is a wealth of information published and updated each year on the organization’s website. This includes the theme and â€Å"curriculum† in each of the seven objective testing content areas. Information is released according to a calendar. For the 2017-2018 USAD competition, for example, the theme and general topic was posted March 1, 2018; the outlines for each curricular topic area on May 1; and more specific curriculum materials (e.g., study guides) will began to be shipped out to team coaches and state directors on May 15. The competition takes place in November, 2018, giving teams the summer months to spend time in strong preparation. Materials for Study – The Objective Multiple-Choice Tests The study materials that are provided by the USAD, including the topic areas and outlines are all free and can be downloaded from the website, and this is a good start for preparation. The more specific study materials – resource guides, study guides, etc. must be purchased by each team, and the cost is $1000. While there have been lots of complaints about charging for these materials, the organization claims that it has to in order to meet its over $1 million budget each year. This can put an additional burden on schools and school districts that are from poorer areas, and that has been a point of controversy. There are also USAD practice tests that are developed each year by third-party for-profit companies. These are sold to teams, and, when schools are able to provide this kind of financial support, the tests can be a big help. The USAD does not support or encourage the purchase of the practice tests; however, they are well-done and can give a team a pretty big advantage. Any time students have the opportunity to take practice test, research shows that they do better on the real thing. With all of this information and all of these study materials, most teams can be well-prepared for the objective testing events, provided they have a good coach and they spend a lot of time studying the material. The objective tests are very fact-based and do not require critical or creative thinking. It is really a matter of memorization. Because of this, a number of educational associations, such as the ASCD, have criticized the objective portion of the event. The criticism relates to the fact that students are basically engaged in straight memorization of facts rather than any higher-level thinking skills, such as application, analysis, or synthesis. The Association’s response is that, because the event is theme-based, students will become â€Å"experts† of sorts on those wider curricular areas and will have a knowledge base that they would not get in a regular school curricular environment. Materials for Study – The Subjective Portion of Testing No one can completely prepare for this portion of the event. However, given that the USAD theme for each year is published, and given that the essay and speech prompts will all relate to this theme, preparation can be in the following forms: For the essay portion of the exam, students can review and study essay samples in the general topical theme areas. And just as they would practice for an ACT or SAT essay, they should write several essays on their own that also relate to the theme and the language and literature and super quiz curricula. Speech Preparation: The ability to deliver a good speech is as much about self-confidence as it is about the content. Students should practice preparing and delivering speeches on the thematic topic areas of course. It is the impromptu speech event that will probably present the greatest challenge. But there are tactics and strategies that can be learned and practiced. During the time they have to prepare for USAF test, students should be given topics from their coaches that relate to the theme and take the one-minute of allowed preparation time to gather their thoughts. The most important parts of any speech are the opening and the ending. Practice using your minute of allowed preparation time to craft a great opening sentence and a solid ending. These will be the most memorable. Again, practice is the one thing that will get you over that anxiety and nervousness. The Interview: you will not be able to anticipate the questions you might be asked in a formal interview situation. The key to success, though, will be in your ability to stay calm, focused, and poised. Again, the key to a successful interview is practice. Your USAD coach should set up several interview sessions and ask difficult questions. Your goal is to take a minute, think about the question being asked, and form a response that relates directly to that question. Part of evaluating your performance will be your ability to stick to the topic of the question, to speak clearly and with confidence, and to keep your response relatively brief. The biggest mistake that people make during interviews is veering off topic and giving an answer that is disjointed and incoherent. Outside Research – It is Valuable You have the outlines and the study guide and resource materials. You know what the theme is. This year, for example, it is Africa. So, how much do you really know about Africa – it’s history, its development, it political, economic and social challenges? Most high schools do not offer a course in African studies, so you may not know much. You can take the study guides and gain a lot of factual information about Africa, but do you really have a solid, general understanding of the continent? Chances are you don’t. Take some time during the summer months before the competition to make Africa your focus of study. There is an amazing amount of online resources about this continent and the richness of its history, geography, and societies. Your goal should be to get a broad base of general knowledge, so that the factual information you may need to memorize actually makes sense to you. For example, you can access the National Geographic website and find a huge amount of information about Africa. In fact, there is a TV series on our African beginnings, narrated by Morgan Freeman, that is soon to start. Likewise, there are news stories about Africa published daily by online news organizations. The more general knowledge you can absorb about Africa, the more you will be able to appear as an â€Å"expert,† especially during the subjective portions of the event. You just never know when you may be able to throw in some information you have about Africa that will impress the judges. Above All – Take the Time You Need When you study for final exams, you have two choices. You can organize your material regularly throughout the semester and study a bit at a time. Or, you can â€Å"cram† at the last minute, perhaps 1-2 days before that exam and get help from essay services. Students who choose either option can be successful and get good exam grades. But preparing for the Academic Decathlon is different. It’s not like a final exam in history or social studies that covers a finite amount of material. It is an examination that covers all content areas. There is no way to â€Å"cram† at the last minute. Fortunately, your team will have a coach who will prepare a schedule of work and study over a longer period of time. You can study and learn in a relatively stress-free environment, and this means that you will retain much of what you learn long-term. So, if you study a piece of literature without the stress of an immediate exam, that more relaxed environment allows you to absorb information, to think critically about the piece, and to â€Å"cement† your understanding. Likewise, the longer preparation time will allow lots of practice for the subjective parts of the event – those speeches, the interview, and that essay. In these areas, it is practice, not study, that will make the difference. Above all, you need to understand that you are a part of a team with a coach. While you will be scored on your individual performance, it is important that you have the mindset of being a member of a team. Each member’s accomplishments should be encouraged and applauded – that’s what teamwork is all about.

ME GLOBAL ACASE FOR CULTURE Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ME GLOBAL ACASE FOR CULTURE - Case Study Example However, in 2011, this company registered its best performance in the market. The company sales were high, thus resulting in great profits. Despite this, MEGlobal is still faced with different problems, which have prevented it from achieving stable performance in the market. This paper therefore, addresses some of the problems MEGlobal experiences, and the possible solutions to these problems. The main challenges of MEGlobal have their roots in the management of the company. MEGlobal is a joint venture, therefore, this company, like many other joint ventures, has experienced considerable obstacles, which have influenced the company negatively. Dow Chemical Company of the United States and Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC) of Kuwait own MEGlobal jointly. In 2004 when the joint venture was formed, Dow contributed technology and expertise, while PIC contributed finances. Once the joint ownership documents were signed, MEGlobal began operating as a joint venture. During the initial period of this joint venture, great profits were realized. However, after considerable period, these profits came down (Hayes 1). Cultural difference in this company presents a major problem. This problem has been experienced since the initial developmental years of MEGlobal. This joint venture resulted in the integration of employees from the two different countries. These have different cultures, therefore, initially; it was a challenge for them to get along harmoniously without any misunderstandings based on their cultural differences. Employees from Dow had to work with Kuwaitis, while other Kuwaitis were transferred to Canada. Cultures for Kuwait people and Canadians are different, therefore, initially, it was hard for the employees from different cultural backgrounds to coordinate and cooperate. For a company to succeed there must be a coherent culture in the company, which all employees adhere to. Poor integration and communication in the company

Jackson Pollock's Convergence as Fine Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Jackson Pollock's Convergence as Fine Art - Essay Example The paper "Jackson Pollock's Convergence as Fine Art" concerns the art of Jackson Pollok. In 1973, his 1952 painting of Blue Poles was purchased by the Australian government for an outstanding amount of US$2 million—that time the highest price ever paid for a contemporary work of art. His paintings are currently valued up to US$40 million. Only works by Rembrandt, Velazquez and da Vinci had commanded more respect and higher prices in the art market. Another of Pollock’s most well-known pieces is Convergence (1952, oil on canvas, 93 1/2 x 155 inches, exhibited in the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York). The Springbok Company introduced Convergence as a jigsaw puzzle in 1965. The 340-piece jigsaw puzzle was billed as â€Å"the world’s most difficult jigsaw puzzle† as hundreds of thousands of Americans struggled to piece together the reproduction of Pollock’s complex art. As Jackson Pollock rose to fame and to a significant reputation in the world of art, some critics argued whether his paintings were really "art", or just mere paint drips on canvas. The seemingly simple act Pollock performed fuelled controversies and split the public opinion. His masterworks triggered discussions whether his style was raw genius or was his work an arbitrary composition of paint brought about by a drunken state. The definition of art is frequently the issue of debate and argument. What constitutes its nature and qualities is a complicated matter. Who is authorized to define art is also a subject of disputations.

An Analysis Of Coste Coffees Marketing Marketing Essay

An Analysis Of Coste Coffees Marketing Marketing Essay 2. Analyse the Company cases Marketing; and then reflect on how it compares to the marketing of one of the Companys Competitors (50% marks): In the first part of the essay, I am going to use market segmentation, targeting and positioning to analyse Costa coffees marketing. In the light of the global recession in 2008, the competition within the coffee industry has become fiercer than before, Costa Coffee financial reports looked very promising with rising growth whilst Starbucks experienced hard times. (Cafà © Business 2009) Different marketing strategy of the two companies would be reflected later in this essay. Segmentation Demographic segmentation divides markets into segments by population characteristics. Three main demographic factors that Costa Coffee used are age group, social class, and professional level. By dividing the potential customers into age groups, Costa Coffee can adjust the flavour and choices of coffee accordingly. For instance, teenagers might prefer hot chocolate rather than espresso, as they normally have a preference of sweet-tasting beverages. On the other hand, adults might prefer drinks with more caffeine since caffeine acts as stimulant and keeps them alert at work. (Ferrell Hartline 2008, pp.172-173) From social variables, Costa Coffee can know more about what products customers are looking for. This is due to the fact that they suggest the customers level of income which in turn affects their ability to buy. For example, the privileged class would spend more on coffee than the middle class each month. In this way, Costa Coffee can adjust the prices accordingly (Dibb, Simkin, Pride Ferrell 2006, pp. 229-232) Behavioural segmentation is by far the most important type of consumer segmentation due to the fact that it is more closely related to consumer need. (Ferrell Hartline 2008, p.172) Costa Coffee can segment the market based on peoples different coffee preferences. According to the Costa Coffees marketing director, Jim Slater, he found out that there are people who find latte too weak and cappuccinos too frothy, and do not want the strong flavour of an espresso or black Americano. (Reynolds 2010, p.2) Furthermore, Costa Coffee has identified what made the customers buy the coffee, some might look for a place to relax and others might want to grab and go. In this way, Costa Coffee can try to satisfy the customers needs (e.g. by improving the interior design of the shop) (Whitbread 2010, p.14) Targeting Once identified the segments, the firm can starts the targeting process. Costa Coffee caters for all the segments and does not use the concentrated strategy (i.e. concentrating on just one segment) as it is too risky. It uses differentiated strategy, developing different market mix for different segments. (Bradley 2005, pp. 30, 208) Launching Flat white in January 2010 was no doubt a way for Costa Coffee to target their customers who are looking for coffee other than latte and espresso. In just one month, flat white has already accounted for 7.5% of the sales. (Reynolds 2010, p.2) When dividing its market into segments, Costa Coffee believes that targeting the upper classes would be most profitable. The brand name symbolises luxurious and excellence, thus these classes are willing to pay more for a cup of coffee. (Whitbread 2010, p.15) Positioning: In terms of positioning, Costa Coffee launched its first TV advertising campaign in order to position the product in customers minds and give them an image of the company. The advert was about monkeys playing with the coffee machines and attempting to create the perfect coffee. (Reynolds 2010, p.3) The advert ended with a Costa barista trying to hand make a perfect cup of coffee, showing that it can only be created by barista who are highly skilled and passionate about coffee. The message behind the TV advertisement was to prove the supremacy of Costa Coffees products. According to Reynolds (2010), Costa Coffee is going to express the idea that it is trying to save everyone from the normal coffee into the TV advert. Reflect Unlike Costa Coffee, what Starbucks trying to sell is not only coffee, but also the Starbucks experience. Starbucks believes creating a cosy, relaxing atmosphere would be a key driver of success. To many customers, coffee is a treat after a stressful day. It targets particularly at young adults, who look for places to unwind. (Michelli 2007, pp.49-51) According to the Mintel report on coffee in February 2010, the 16-34 year old age group are more likely to make their own coffee at home (Mintel International Group Limited, 2010). Starbucks coffee has successfully launched an online store, so that the customers would be able to purchase coffee beans online. (Gia 2009, pp.10-11) Both Costa Coffee and Starbucks monitor their coffee quality standard carefully despite Starbucks main focus is on the Starbucks experience. Starbucks do that by researching constantly and developing new technologies in order to improve the roasting processes and thus the quality of coffee. (Michelli 2007, pp 58-64) Costa Coffee adopted a similar strategy and also widened the range of product sold. Moreover, both of the companies target their customers in a similar way. They both launch coffee club cards, which enable them to track their customers consumption pattern and thus improve their strategy on targeting their customers. However, after recession, it is evident that Costa Coffee did well than Starbucks. Some experts believe that Starbucks decision to align with McDonalds was the one to be blamed. The reason behind is that McDonalds offer low quality coffee which in turns adversely affected the Starbucks experience that Starbucks has been trying to established. (Cafà © Business, 2009) To sum up, Reflect means digest, mull over, think aloud about the key marketing features of the company case with the marketing of a key competitor. E.g. with MS we could have compared it with Next, or george at Asda . You could frame your reflection by asking questions or perhaps review how strong relatively the 2 companies brands are, for example. http://books.google.com.hk/books?id=beBNXXZbEEoCpg=PA170dq=starbucks,+segmentationhl=enei=JjokTaXpFIemcMeW-H8sa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=2ved=0CCsQ6AEwAQ#v=onepageq=starbucks%2C%20segmentationf=false http://books.google.com.hk/books?id=QDaax4mFMpcCpg=PA28dq=starbucks,+segmentationhl=enei=JjokTaXpFIemcMeW-H8sa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=1ved=0CCYQ6AEwAA#v=onepageq=starbucks%2C%20segmentationf=false http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/coffee-chains-turnover-set-to-double-582227.html http://www.google.com.hk/search?tbs=bks%3A1tbo=1hl=enq=starbucks+segmentation http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/economics/is-the-price-of-a-starbucks-a-rip-off/