Chosen Description Essays - The Chosen, The Promise,

Chosen Description The action of The Chosen unfolds in the immigrant community of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, against the backdrop of World War II. It is seen through the eyes of Reuven Malter, a boy who would appear to have much in common with Danny, for they are both brilliant, Jewish, closely tied to their fathers, and near-neighbors who live only five blocks apart. Still, they attend separate yeshivas and inhabit very different worlds. A baseball league is begun. When Danny Saunders' school plays Reuven Malter's, the Hasids are determined to show the apikorsim a thing or two and the competition is fierce. Danny's murderous hitting is remarkable, but when Reuven comes to pitch he does not back away. A hard ball shatters his glasses and smashes into his eye, sending him to the hospital for a week. At his father's insistence, Reuven permits the repentant Danny to visit him, and they become friends. Danny dazzles Reuven with demonstrations of his photographic mind, with the quantity of scholarly work he bears each day, and with the intellectual prowess of his English and Hebrew studies?qualities greatly revered in traditional Jewish culture. Danny's revelations startle Reuven; he confesses he would rather be a psychologist than accept his inherited role as spiritual leader of his father's sect. Reuven's confessions surprise Danny; he reveals his desire to become a rabbi, though his scholar-father would prefer him to follow his talent and become a mathematician. Danny cannot understand how anyone would choose the very position he secretly wishes to reject. At a time when conflicts are churning within him, Danny finds Reuven as an empathetic listener who is highly intelligent yet safe?not a Hasid, but a Jew who follows orthodox religious traditions without rejecting the secular possibilities in the world around them. As the boys become friends, Reuven begins to learn about Hasidism. He learns that there are tzaddiks who were believed to be superhuman links between the people and God. In some sects it was believed that a leader should take upon himself the sufferings of the Jewish people. Such a leader is Reb Saunders. His ways and his teachings are the ways of seventeenth century Hasids and it is this role that Danny is expected to fill when he becomes the tzaddik. In the long initial visits that Reuven pays to Reb Saunder's congregation to be approved as fit company for Danny, Reuven observes the way Hasidic philosophy permeates his friend's life. Weeks before the accident which brings the two boys together, Mr. Malter meets Danny in the public library and begins to guide him in his search for knowledge of the world through the "forbidden books" prescribed by his father. Mr. Malter tells Reuven of Danny's brilliant mind, his insatiable appetite for learning, and the amazing speed with which he digests information. When the Germans surrender and the existence of the concentration camps becomes known for the first time, the two men's reactions are characteristic. For Mr. Malter, overwhelming grief is followed by a determination to counter the senseless suffering of the millions who died with something meaningful: the creation of the state of Israel. While Reb Saunders suffers, Danny struggles to educate himself in the ideas of Freud and in the problems of contemporary Judaism. He combines the load of schoolwork and the study of Talmud which forms the basis of his relation to his father, with his own attempts to educate himself in his quest for identity. Reuven, too, is seen to spend many hours of his day in study. The novel begins with Danny and Reuven as high school boys and concludes with their graduation from college. Danny has decided to get out of the life that imprisons him; he will take off the clothing and shun the trappings of the Hasid, go on to graduate school, and become a psychologist. When he has resolved to do this, Mr. Malter tells him he must prepare what he will say to his father. An arranged marriage will have to be broken, the inheritance of spiritual leadership will go to Levi, the tradition of six generations will have been broken, and Reb Saunders will have lost to the world he hates and fears the son he most treasures. Before Danny can confront his father, however, his father confronts him. Using Reuven as a foil through whom to speak to his son, Reb Saunders reveals that he knows his son will not become a rabbi. And so Reb Saunders reveals his plan was not to train Danny to take his inherited position, but

A Summary of Margaret Atwoods The Edible Woman

A Summary of Margaret Atwoods The Edible Woman The Edible Woman is the first novel by Margaret Atwood, published in 1969. It tells the story of a young woman who struggles with society, her fiancà ©, and food. It is often discussed as an early work of feminism. The protagonist of The Edible Woman is Marian, a young woman with a job in consumer marketing. After she gets engaged, she becomes unable to eat. The book explores Marian’s questions of self-identity and her relationships with others, including her fiancà ©, her friends, and a man whom she meets through her work. Among the characters is Marian’s roommate, who wants to get pregnant but surprisingly does not want to get married. Margaret Atwood’s layered, somewhat fanciful style in The Edible Woman explores themes of sexual identity and consumerism. The novel’s ideas about consumption work on a symbolic level. Is Marian unable to consume food because she is being consumed by her relationship? Additionally, The Edible Woman examines a woman’s inability to eat side by side with the unhappiness in her relationship, although it was published at a time when the psychology of eating disorders was not commonly discussed. Margaret Atwood has written dozens of books, including The Handmaid’s Tale and The Blind Assassin, which won the Booker Prize. She creates strong protagonists and is known for exploring feminist issues and other questions of contemporary society in unique ways. Margaret Atwood is one of the most prominent Canadian writers and a major figure in contemporary literature. Main Characters Clara Bates: She is a friend of Marian McAlpin. Quite pregnant with her third child as the book begins, she dropped out of college for her first pregnancy. She represents traditional motherhood and sacrifices for ones children.  Marian finds Clara rather boring and believes she needs rescuing. Joe Bates: Claras husband, a college instructor, who does quite a bit of the work at home. He stands for marriage as a way to protect women. Mrs. Bogue: Marians department head and a prototypical professional woman. Duncan: Marians love interest, very different than Peter, Marians  fiancà ©. He is not particularly attractive, not ambitious, and he pushes Marian to be real. Marian McAlpin: The protagonist, learning to cope with life and people. Millie, Lucy, and Emmy, the Office Virgins: they symbolize what is artificial in womens stereotypical roles of the 1960s Len (Leonard) Shank: A friend of Marian and Clara, a lecherous skirt-chaser according to Marian. Ainsley is trying to trick him into fathering her child, but he is the opposite of the married father, Joe Bates. Fish (Fischer) Smythe: Duncans roommate, who plays a special role near the end in Ainsleys life. Ainsley Tewce: Marians roommate, the ultra-progressive, aggressive opposite of Clara and, perhaps, also Marians opposite. She is anti-marriage at first, then switches two different kinds of moral earnestness. Trevor: Duncans roommate. Trigger: A late-marrying friend of Peters. Peter Wollander: Marians  fiancà ©, a good catch who proposes to Marian because it is a sensible thing to do. He wants to mold Marian into his idea of the perfect woman. Woman Down Below: The landlady (and her child) who represents a kind of strict moral code. Summary Marians relationships are introduced and she introduces people to each other.  Peter proposes and Marian accepts, giving over her responsibility to him, though she seems aware that is not her true self. Part 1 is told in Marians voice. Now with an impersonal narrator of the story, people shift. Marian becomes fascinated with Duncan and begins to have trouble eating food.  She also imagines her body parts are disappearing. She bakes a cake-woman for Peter, who refuses to take part in it. Ainsley teachers her how to put on a false smile and a fancy red dress. Marian shifts again, finding herself rooted again in reality and she watches Duncan eat the cake.

Isoelectronic Definition - Chemistry Glossary

Isoelectronic Definition - Chemistry Glossary Isoelectronic refers to two atoms, ions or molecules that have the same electronic structure and the same number of valence electrons. The term means equal electric or equal charge. Isoelectronic chemical species typically display similar chemical properties. Atoms or ions with the same electronic configurations are said to be isoelectronic to each other or to have the same isoelectronicity. Related Terms: Isoelectronicity, Valence-Isoelectronic Isoelectronic Examples The K ion is isoelectronic with the Ca2 ion. The carbon monoxide molecule (CO) is isoelectronic to nitrogen gas (N2) and NO. CH2CO is isoelectronic to CH2NN. CH3COCH3 and CH3NNCH3 are not isoelectronic. They have the same number of electrons, but different electron structures. The amino acids cysteine, serine, tellurocysteine, and selenocysteine are isoelectronic, at least with respect to valence electrons. More Examples of Isoelectronic Ions and Elements Isoelectronic Ions/Elements Electron Configuration He, Li+ 1s2 He, Be2+ 1s2 Ne, F- 1s2 2s2 2p6 Na+, Mg2+ 1s2 2s2 2p6 K, Ca2+ [Ne]4s1 Ar, S2- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 S2-, P3- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 Uses of Isoelectronicity Isoelectronicity may be used to predict the properties and reactions of a species. It is used to identify hydrogen-like atoms, which have one valence electron and are thus isoelectronic to hydrogen. The concept may be applied to predict or identify unknown or rare compounds based on their electronic resemblance to known species.

10 Potassium Facts (K or Atomic Number 19)

10 Potassium Facts (K or Atomic Number 19) Potassium is a light metallic element that forms many important compounds and is essential for human nutrition. Here are 10 fun and interesting potassium facts. You can get more details about potassium on the potassium facts page. Fast Facts: Potassium Element Name: PotassiumElement Symbol: KAtomic Number: 19Atomic Weight: 39.0983Classification: Alkali MetalAppearance: Potassium is a solid, silvery-gray metal at room temperature.Electron Configuration:  [Ar] 4s1 Potassium is element number 19. This means the atomic number of potassium is 19 and each potassium atom has 19 protons.Potassium is one of the alkali metals, which means it is a highly reactive metal with a valence of 1.Because of its high reactivity, potassium is not found free in nature. It is formed by supernovas via the R-process and occurs on Earth dissolved in seawater and in ionic salts.Pure potassium is a lightweight silvery metal that is soft enough to cut with a knife.  Although the metal appears silver when its fresh, it tarnishes so quickly that it normally appears dull gray.Pure potassium usually is stored under oil or kerosene because it oxidizes so readily in air and reacts in water to evolve hydrogen, which may be ignited from the heat of the reaction.The potassium ion is important for all living cells. Animals use sodium ions and potassium ions to generate electric potentials. This is vital for many cellular processes and is the basis for the conduction of nerve im pulses and stabilization of blood pressure. When not enough potassium is available in the body, a potentially fatal condition called hypokalemia can occur. Symptoms of hypokalemia include muscle cramps and irregular heartbeat. An overabundance of potassium causes hypercalemia, which produces similar symptoms.  Plants require potassium for many processes, so this element is a nutrient that is readily depleted by crops and must be replenished by fertilizers. Potassium was first purified in 1807 by Cornish chemist Humphry Davy (1778–1829) from caustic potash (KOH) via electrolysis. Potassium was the first metal to be isolated using electrolysis.Potassium compounds emit a lilac or violet flame color when burned.  It burns in water, just like sodium. The difference is that sodium burns with a yellow flame and is more likely to shatter and explode!  When potassium burns in water, the reaction releases hydrogen gas. The heat of the reaction can ignite the hydrogen.Potassium is used as a heat transfer medium. Its salts are used as a fertilizer, oxidizer, colorant, to form strong bases, as a salt substitute, and for many other applications.  Potassium cobalt nitrite is a yellow pigment known as Cobalt Yellow or Aureolin.The name for potassium comes from the English word for potash. The symbol for potassium is K, which is derived from the Latin kalium and Arabic qali for alkali. Potash and alkali are two of the potassium compounds k nown to man since ancient times. More Potassium Facts Potassium is the 7th most abundant element in the Earths crust, accounting for about 2.5% of its mass.Element number 19 is the 8th most abundant element in the human body, accounting for between 0.20% and 0.35% of body mass.Potassium is the second lightest (least dense) metal after lithium.Three isotopes of potassium occur naturally on Earth, although at least 29 isotopes have been identified. The most abundant isotope is K-39, which accounts for 93.3% of the element.The atomic weight of potassium is 39.0983.Potassium metal has a density of 0.89 grams per cubic centimeter.The melting point of potassium is  63.4  oC or  336.5 K and its boiling point is  765.6  oC or  1038.7 K. This means potassium is a solid at room temperature.Humans can taste potassium in aqueous solution. Dilute potassium solutions taste. Increasing the concentration leads to a bitter or alkaline flavor. Concentrated solutions taste salty.One lesser-known use of potassium is as a portable oxygen source. Potassium superoxide (KO2), is an orange solid used to release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide in respiration system for submarines, spacecraft, and mines. Sources Haynes, William M., ed. (2011). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (92nd ed.). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.Marx, Robert F. (1990). The history of underwater exploration. Courier Dover Publications. p. 93.Shallenberger, R. S. (1993). Taste chemistry. Springer.

Seminar in criminology -Discussion 11 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Seminar in criminology -Discussion 11 - Essay Example For example, one of the oldest inmates, who is 53 years, Jack Hill says that prisons are likely to make an inmate breakdown psychologically (HD Documentary, 2014). Another 30 year old inmate by the name Armando Doctor, seems to have more psychological pains than the other inmates (HD Documentary, 2014). For example, he says that he was aggravated and angry and that is why he was cutting himself several times. In Sykes study, he revealed that the attacks directed on an inmate’s sense of individual worth were similar to issues of incarceration. Though Sykes (2014) study was carried out many decades ago when life in prison was so much more brutal and degrading to the inmates, the prisons in this century in the U.S are more improved. Nonetheless, the deprivation of liberty, heterosexual relations, goods and services, security and autonomy as studied by Sykes (2014) are still present as noted in the documentary. A clear illustration of such deprivations which are discussed by Sykes (2014) is evident in the documentary, where the prison staff indicates that they do the best to ensure that no inmate has sharp objects or weapons in their possession, as it could result to an attack on enemy inmates or the prison staff. Hence, it is clear that even though prisons were intended to protect the society from violent people, prisons themselves can also be a place of death for the inmates themsel ves. Sykes, G. (2014). Inmate subcultures. In J. Wooldredge & A. Thistlethwaite (Eds.), Forty Studies that Changed Criminal Justice: Explorations into the History of Criminal Justice Research. Boston, MA: Little, Brown &

Ethical and Legal Issues Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethical and Legal Issues - Assignment Example It is also extremely costly for the employers (Mujtaba, 2003). It is ethically sound to monitor employee’s computer activity. Most of the research done has devoted most of its time in making technological advancements, which create an efficient workplace. These advancements have revolutionized the manner in which work is carried out and the way in which employees can enhance their productivity while at work. However, these advancements have opened new opportunities and avenues for employees to misbehave. The emerging technologies have resulted in the loss of privacy. Technology has made it possible for massive volumes of data to be accessed by businesses and their employees. Employers are concerned with the misuse of information by all stakeholders of the business. Therefore, there is a need for the business to incorporate ethics training and polices in areas where information technology is present (Mujtaba, 2003). Like the workplace telephones, workplace computers and connections to internet and email systems belong to the employer and not the employee. The company has the power to set standards for the use of the equipment in the company. This is because there is some harm that can occur if there are no clear set guidelines on how the equipment should be used. An employee can misuse the company computer systems (inadvertent or advertent). For instance, companies in a quiet period before the issuance of stock are not permitted to communicate certain forms of information. When an employee sends an email, he or she can easily infringe this prohibition and therefore, instigating a company violation of Securities and Exchange Commission rules. This is just one of the harm that can lead to serious problems for the company (Gilbert, 2012). For the jewelry company, human resource policies be formulated. This is because the policies are continuing guidelines on the approach in which the organization

Waste management systens Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Waste management systens - Essay Example The approaches may also be different for urban and rural populations as well as industrial and residential parts of a community. The local governments mainly handle waste management in urban and rural areas; on the other hand, industries usually manage their own waste in the event that it is hazardous (Dhamija, 2006, p. 19). The transition to a sustainable system of waste management requires that leverage points are identified and applied in order to bring about changes. Towards the end of the twentieth century, there has been a significant increase in the scope of democracy at the local level in the nations as a result of the devolution of administrations, economies and politics to the local governments. Local governments are usually second or third realms of government and are usually used to create closer connection between the government and the citizens in the locality. While providing services, they should also be political institutions that propagate the voices and choices of the local people. In general, it is the responsibility of the local government to collect and dispose waste making it the legal owner of the collected waste. Therefore, local governments are supposed to develop measures that will ensure that the type of waste management they are associated with is sustainable (Hawkins and Shaw, 2004, p. 79). Sharing of similar experiences and perspectives as well as physical nearness to other people is the main aspect that defines a community. The word community has developed to be identified with terms such as towns, neighbourhoods and villages regardless of the fact that communities can exist in other form of relationships like social, professional or spiritual. The word community is often used too casually as the people may not have the best opinions throughout. This is because people living on the same community may have differing hopes, convictions and identities. This implies that there may be a distribution of

Experimental Designs I Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Experimental Designs I - Statistics Project Example 4. It sets the rate of alpha error to the experiment error rate, which is usually 0.05. This is divided by comparisons in totality to type 1 error control if there is a consideration of multiple comparisons. In case, the bonferroni test is applied, there will be a print out of multiple comparison tables by SPSS providing mean differences in dependent variables among groups. The importance of these differences is also given showing 0.05 to be the differences significant level. 6. Post hoc comparisons are performed when a researcher is finding out differences, which is not limited to an individual’s theory (Gonzalez, 2008). Many tests that are carried out under post hoc apply the q statistics. If group means comparisons are chosen because of their large size, there is a variability increase expected. This must be compensated by the researcher through application of more tests, or else there will be occurrences of type 1 errors. 8. Repeated measures ANOVA is more powerful because every factor controls itself. In these designs, differences in individual subjects do not interfere with treatment group differences (Kulinskaya & Dollinger, 2007). SS stands for variation; df means the degree of freedom; MS is the variance that is arrived at by SS/df, and F is the ratio test got by dividing between MS by within MS. In the table above, the MS of within-group is less than between groups which shows that the grouping has no effect. The grouping has been done in three categories, that is, df within groups being (3-1) =2. There are 4 people in every group, therefore, df within groups is the group number multiplied by one less the number of each group: 3*2= 6. These are denominator’s and numerator’s df. From the F table with 0.0 5significance level, 5.14 is the critical value. As the F value that has been computed is less, it can be concluded that grouping variables have no effect on dependent variable. SS stands

Paper #6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Paper #6 - Essay Example The end of the Cold War, the changing nature of conflicts since the early 1990s had increased the level of debate over the direction of United States foreign policy. As a consequence of 9 /11 the foreign policy of the United States changed markedly, with the invasion of Afghanistan to remove the Taliban regime and close the Al – Qaeda bases situated there. The Bush administration had previously being criticised for having isolationist tendencies yet in the immediate aftermath of 9 /11 sought greater levels of international co- operation in its self-proclaimed war on terror. The invasion of Afghanistan seemed to have successfully removed the Taliban regime and weaken Al – Qaeda. United States foreign policy has often attempted to gain influence with other countries by establishing strong economic links with them. There have been various reasons for doing so. The United States needs strong economic links as trade is vital for wealth creation both domestic and for foreign trading partners. The strategy of gaining influence through trading with foreign countries was a consequence of the Inter – war period in which American isolationism failed to prevent the Second World War. After the Second World War the onset of the Cold War added urgency to such links as a means of preventing the spread of Communism to Western Europe, South East Asia, Japan, and the Middle East. The United States already a strong economic relationship with Latin America. The economic links with the Middle East and to Western Europe were considered to be highly important due to the need for oil supplies and proximity to the Soviet bloc respectively. The Marshall Plan was developed to shore up the shattered Western European economies after the Second World War, and greatly contributed to Post-war reconstruction, most notably the West German economic miracle. Similar economic aid was given to Japan, which assisted its economic

Quitting Cigarettes Essay Example for Free

Quitting Cigarettes Essay Are you a smoker? Do you know anyone who smokes and struggles with quitting smoking? I am credible to explain the process of quitting the bad habit of smoking because I myself was a smoker for five years and quit â€Å"cold turkey.† The first thing you must acknowledge when deciding to quit smoking is to quit for your own good and not for your girlfriend or your parents. The second step would be to rethink the advantages and disadvantages of smoking. At last, the final step to quitting smoking is to stay strong and consistent to your decision. The basic step of quitting smoking is recognizing the fact that you want to quit. You should never force yourself to do something you don’t want to or not ready for. If the reason you you’re trying to quit is because your girlfriend is asking you too, then it will not last very long until she gets you ticked off and you’ll start smoking again. Same concept with anyone else such as your parents or even your friends, the moment someone gets on your bad side you’ll be doing the same thing you were. I know, because I have experienced trying to quit for the satisfaction of my ex-girlfriend and it didn’t work, the moment we broke up I began smoking again. So it is extremely important that you quit for your own self and not one else’s. The next important step is to think about the advantages of smoking. You get to relax for a few minutes, take a few drags, get a slight head change for a moment and take some stress off your mind. Now think of the disadvantages of smoking cigarettes. Your body health is endangered with chances of different kinds of cancers and diseases. Your immune system is lowered and you risk of getting sick more often. You spend a huge amount of money on packs of cigarettes a month, which you could use to pay some bills or get something nice to eat. The money you will later be spending in life on health bills, for doctor visits for your bad health conditions cigarettes put you through. You’re always easily tempered because of lack of nicotine in your body, causing stress on your mind and body. If you think about comparing the advantages and disadvantages of smoking it will be easier for you to quit. The final step of quitting smoking isn’t so easy if you have been smoking for a long period of time. Remember last time you tried quitting smoking what made you to start again? Was it the alcohol you consumed that made you crave a cigarette so much or did someone get you upset? The fact is you must learn to control your actions and to be able to say â€Å"no† to the things you know you shouldn’t do. If you stay consistent with telling yourself you don’t want or need the harmful cancer stick, eventually will get easier. The more days you stay strong to resist the craving, the easier it gets further into the future. Also replacing your bad habits with better ones is also a great way to stay away from the harmful ones. Quitting smoking seams like an easy process to those whom never have been hooked on smoking. When I was younger I didn’t understand what addiction of smoking was until I tried quitting many times. It took me many tries until I figured out the process to quit smoking. The first step is to quit for you and not for anyone else. The second step is to compare the advantages to the disadvantages of smoking and keep in mind that there are so many more disadvantages to  smoking then the advantages. The last step is to stay consistent with your good choice decision and stay away from the bad habit. Good luck to you!

Caribou coffee company inc.

Caribou coffee company inc. Introduction This assignment presents an analysis on Caribou Coffee Company Inc. (Case study 28 Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner, 2008.) An overview of the industry, in which the company operates, is provided, with an analysis of the company itself. From the outset, an overview of Caribou Coffee Company Inc. is presented; a business segment analysis, and identification of the companys major competitors. The assignment comments on the Companys financial outlook, to year ending September 2009. Whilst some discussion is made in text, for the purposes of the word limit of this assignment, this analysis will appear in the appendices. The assignment concludes with recommendations as to the future direction of Caribou Coffee Company Inc. The work is sourced from existing literature and referenced throughout. Company Overview Caribou Coffee Company Inc., (Caribou) is a specialty retailer of coffees, teas, bakery goods, and related merchandise. As of September, 2009, Caribou Coffee had 525 coffeehouses, which includes 112 franchised and licensed locations, predominantly in the US as well as international expansion to Asia, the Middle East and the United Arab Emirates (UAE.) Caribou targets its customers by offering gourmet coffee and espresso based beverages in addition to specialty teas, baked goods, whole bean coffee, branded merchandise and related products. Furthermore, it sells whole bean and ground coffee to grocery stores, mass merchandisers, office coffee providers, airlines, hotels, sports and entertainment venues, university campuses and online customers. Caribou focuses on creating a unique experience for customers through a combination of high-quality products, a comfortable and welcoming coffeehouse environment, in ski-lodge style, and a unique style of customer service (Caribou Coffee Compan y, Inc., 2009.) The company presents its mission statement as follows: â€Å"Our mission at Caribou Coffee is to provide a total experience that makes the day better.† (Caribou Coffee Company, Inc., 2009) Market competition includes Starbucks, local and regional coffeehouses, restaurants, coffee shops and to some extent, Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds (See also: Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner, 2008.) The Company is a majority-owned subsidiary of Caribou Holding Company Limited and trades on the NASDAQ under the ticker (CBOU) (NASDQ, 2009) (Web-link provided.) Industry Definition Caribou operates in the fast food industry; the fast food market can be defined as the sale of food and drinks for immediate consumption either on the premises or in designated food areas which may be shared with other foodservice operators, or for consumption elsewhere; this definition excludes sales through vending machines and is restricted to sales in specific foodservice channels (Data Monitor, 2008) (Web-link provided.) All market values are given in operator buying prices that is the amount spent by foodservice operators on the food and drink that they serve and not the amount the consumers spend on food and drinks. The difference is the increase various companies add to cover their costs and generate a profit. Consequently, this values the market in terms of the amount of money for which food and drink manufacturers are competing. In terms of market segmentation, Caribou belongs to one of four: Quick service restaurants, take-away, mobile and street vendors, and leisure locations. However, in terms of the coffee industry, this comprises two business segments whole bean coffee and coffee beverages sales (see also: Dess et al, 2008.) Caribou has three reportable operating segments these being: retail, commercial and franchise. Arcapita Bank (Arcapita) based in Bahrain, has been the majority shareholder of the company, since 2000, with 60.6% holdings (NASDAQ, 2009) (Web-link provided.) For Caribou, however, the competitive market, along with a potential class-action lawsuit involving store managers, has caused some serious issues, including increasingly high net losses and decreasing stock price over the past few years (Caribou Coffee Company Inc., 2009.) By providing â€Å"an experience that will make the day better,† Caribou Coffee has created competitive advantage in their store operations, but the question remains whether they can maintain this and use it to sustain their growth strategy. Creating strong human capital is the foundation for the companys differentiation strategy (see also: Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner, 2008; Shultz, 1961.) One of the issues that will be analysed in this case is whether or not Caribous attempts in developing human capital, will enable them to achieve Case Study: Caribou Coffee Company, Inc A Strategic Analysis a sustainable competitive advantage given the competition and threats they are facing. In order for Caribou to maintain its competitive advantage it must continue to create differentiation in its coffeehouses through their human capital. The company has developed strong capabilities in recruiting, developing, and retaining their employees (Caribou Coffee Company Inc., 2009) but this can be easily copied by competitors however, this is not enough to sustain their advantages. To continue to expand they must maintain their strong focus on human capital, in addition to developing their other strengths to create a bundle of resources as the basis of differentiation. Brief Profile of the Industry The global fast food market has exhibited strong growth over the past five years; however, it is predicted to decline in the years leading up to 2015 (Dess et al, 2008.) The market generated total revenues of $154.7 billion in 2008 which represented a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.6% for the period 2004-2008. By comparison, the European and Asia-Pacific markets grew with CAGRs of 4.4% and 10.3% respectively over the same period and reached values of $26.5 billion and $47.1 billion in 2008 (Data Monitor, 2008.) The number of transactions increased with a CAGR of 2.2%, during the period 2004-2008, to attain a total of 85.8 billion, in 2008. The number of transactions is predicted to rise to 97.0 billion transactions by the end of 2013 thus, representing a CAGR of 2% for the period 2008-2013 (Data Monitor, 2008.) External Analysis PESTEL Political Caribou, like the rest of the food industry is directly concerned with public health and, as such government legislation is in place. Caribou, like all fast food manufacturers must strictly adhere to the regulations of the market in which it supplies its products. For example, frozen food must not be kept above -15C for longer than two hours over a 24 hour period. Furthermore, heating and cooling commercial buildings requires roughly six times more electricity. Since the government in several countries regulates electricity, then Caribou is highly vulnerable to government legislation. Economic A number of positive and negative factors can affect Caribous market growth, as well as the industry. For example, the increases in the price of coffee beans, milk as well as the worldwide economic recession and decreased globalisation of the economy and culture. The latter is evident by the introduction of products from Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. Furthermore, demographic changes have increased the demand for, and consumption of fast foods and, for Caribou, this has impacted on their product performance, business profitability, production costs and firms overheads. In 2007-2008 Caribou reported that their production costs significantly increased as a result of higher wage demands due to global economic difficulties. In addition to being the majority shareholder, Arcapita also has two seats on the Board of Directors but its controlling interest could represent an overhang on the stock. Arcapita requires Caribou to operate in accordance with Islamic principles which may limit financial flexibility and impact the perception of the brand. Social Over the past 10-15 years, women have become more financially independent and entered the workforce, and the number of single households and single parents has increased, which has further increased the average disposable income. All of these factors favour fast foods. Specialty coffee is a strong and growing industry in the US. Specialty coffee consumption increased by more than 48% from 2001 to 2006 and the market is estimated to be over $11 billion annually (Dess et al, 2008.) The number of coffeehouses grew from only 500 units in 1991 to 24,000 units in 2006, but the industry remains highly fragmented (with the exception of market leader Starbucks) (Dess et al, 2008.) The reason for such growth is the consumer trend to specialty and traditional products such as micro brewed beer, single malt liquor, and organic foods. Coffee is seen as a new quality beverage, there is an expanding menu, and coffeehouses have become the â€Å"third place† for social consumption. However, the demand for coffee could fall as a result of changes in consumer preferences or concerns about caffeine. Technological Caribou has tapped into the market with their dedicated website. The site is interactive in style and content, with imagery or promotions based on business rules or consumer preferences. This provides the site visitor with more relevant information on coffee types or coffeehouses. Caribous marketing team can also update the site to keep the content fresh for site visitors. Caribou can also monitor consumer responses therefore, looking at new initiatives to meet consumer needs. Environmental As demonstrated, Caribou has many outlets throughout the US and its expansion to the Middle East, Asia and UAE. This means that the company could be affected by regional and national weather which may impact upon consumer preferences and needs. In terms of Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability, Caribou actively supports sustainable coffee production; for every pound of coffee the company purchases, a significant proportion of money is granted to sustain socially responsible initiatives in coffee-producing communities. Legal Caribou is not without exposure to the potential legal institutions of regional states within the US and those governing the countries outside of the US, where the company has its units. In 2008, Caribou faced legal proceedings, which was filed by three of its former employees, regarding overtime payments. The case was financially settled however, this left an element of disdain amongst other employees and, to a certain extent, consumers (Dayton Business Journal, 2008.) (Web-link provided.) Five Forces Analysis (Porter) Rivalry, Threat of Substitutes, Buyer Power, Supplier Power, Barriers to Entry Rivalry among competitors is quite commonplace in the coffee industry consequently, Caribou must maintain its differentiation to maintain their customers loyalty. There is strong competition in the coffeehouse industry, which is characterised by not only from the industry leader, but also from the threat of new entrants and substitutes attracted by such huge growth (see also Porter.) Caribous position is under threat from emerging and current competitors who have a differentiated approach to the provision of coffee. Caribou competes with specialty coffeehouses; including Starbucks, doughnut shops, bakery-cafà ©s, and traditional quick-service restaurants therefore it must maintain a differentiated concept to continue building on its market share. Caribou is under threat from Starbucks because they have increased their long-term store goals from 30,000 to a target of 40,000 (Starbucks, 2009; web-link provided.) As industry leader, Starbucks is committed to maintaining its domination of the industry, which gives them an overwhelming advantage which means that Caribou, and all the others, struggle to become the recognised second-place coffee ho use. In this instance, the buyer power is very high due to the many choices and the switching costs for going from one coffeehouse to another being so low. In order to create a good quality beverage suppliers need to provide quality coffee beans and, since these are an essential commodity, suppliers are unable to place controlling price demands. Caribous position in the coffeehouse industry is encouraging; when one examines the conditions and different forces that are present in the industry, as well as taking into account its incremental expansion over the years, however, strong competition and buyer power limits profit potential. Partial SWOT Analysis Opportunities and Threats Opportunities Caribou recognises the long-term potential to invest in 2,500 locations which the company believes is achievable based upon limited penetration across markets outside of Minnesota. The company has already increased market penetration by company and franchises in the Middle East and Asia. Furthermore, the company intends to build upon and increase its broader licensing strategy including more franchised stores in the US (see also: Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner, 2008.) This should lead to more profitability for Caribou. Threats A too aggressive growth plan requires Caribou to execute an active development schedule whilst managing existing operations across a range of markets. Consistent performance depends upon suitable locations as well as the recruitment and retention of staff. Consumers in the new markets may not embrace Caribous concept to the same extent as in the core markets such as Minnesota. Inflation for key inputs, for example coffee labour, could impact, as the company may not be able to pass through sizeable price increases and the demand for coffee could diminish as a result of consumer preferences or health concerns about core products for example, caffeinated drinks. Internal Analysis Caribou has been able to achieve a competitive advantage by fulfilling customers needs by placing emphasis on its human and social capital; however, the company is at risk of being compromised as a result of recent events. Developing human capital is embedded within Caribous strategic initiatives, to improve operations by improving their selection and training of coffeehouse personnel (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) Through the creation of human capital Caribou has been able to create domination between the individual capabilities, skills, knowledge, and experiences of the companys employees. Shultz, (1961) discusses human capital in more detail. At Caribou, the human capital is built through the extensive training procedures that help create customer satisfaction; social capital is created through the network of relationships that the employees have throughout the company (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) Three main interdependent activities of creating human capital i.e., attracting, developing, and retaining, are an organisations main focus (Shultz, 1961.) Caribou attracts human capital by implementing very selective hiring practices. The most important part of Caribous human capital is their focus on creating operational excellence through extensive training procedures; the training at Caribou is very important and continuous, as they believe it is the employees who create the great products or customer service that differentiated the company. The training of employees was believed to be central to fulfilling the mission of creating â€Å"an experience that makes the day better† (Caribou Coffee Company Inc., 2009.) The company implemented this into all of their training practices as one of the companys core competencies that would create strong commitment in their employees. All new employees were given instructions to become ‘drink certified, in-store Certified Instr uctor Trainers provided ongoing instruction in presentation and service, and courses were offered through Caribou College to improve career skills (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) The company also retained their human capital by implementing rewards that are both tangible and intangible. Shultz (1961) discusses reward mechanisms in more detail. Caribou follows a pay-for-performance philosophy which enables the company to identify and reward team members whom achieve high performance standards. Employees would work harder to make their coffeehouse the best since the bonuses for managers and the coffeehouse was based on sales, profit, and customer service. The company has a belief that excellence is a product of hard work; this sounds good to consumers because they will get the best, but may be a negative for the employees and will make it harder to have employees contributing to human capital. These factors are what created effective human capital for only a certain time, but other issues is not allowing them to sustain that advantage. Caribou has a culture that allowed a place â€Å"Where Entrepreneurial Spirit Roams Free† (see also: Dess et al, 2008.) The company is not overly structured, which is why employees are able to work on a variety of different projects and take on an extensive range of responsibility; moreover, Caribou has a culture which includes a strong belief in promoting from within the company, which creates a future to work toward for employees. The company is more on the personal or relaxed side where they would communicate in person rather than through emails and they would have a dress code that was business casual. These different aspects of company culture, creates social capital that gains employee loyalty for Caribou; it has a strong belief that customer service is led by their employees and that their selective hiring practices, extensive training, and low turnover created superior employees (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) Caribou has created differentiation by implementing a strategy dedicated to creating human capital as a way to better meet consumer needs, but in the changing and rapidly growing industry it will be very difficult to create a sustainable competitive advantage. This strategy has been successful in creating competitive advantage at the business level however; it is arguable whether this is a source of sustainable advantage since this advantage is based on resources and capabilities that can be too easily imitated by competitors. Having dedicated employees creates a value for Caribou, which differentiates them from other coffeehouses; the companys culture has created a value that creates a common purpose for the employees and the company, which creates an effective outcome when presenting service or products to consumers. The challenges that Caribou is facing through the stock declines, company losses, or even the manager demands for overtime pay can possibly weaken their human capital as a source of competitive advantage. Also, the effects of the external environment can significantly impact upon the company if they remain on the same path. The changes that Caribou is facing will send them into a decline of their human capital as a source of competitive advantage, if they do not do anything to add to or change their strategy. SWOT Analysis Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths Specialty coffee sales in the US are on the increase; the factors that are driving growth are a greater awareness of the quality differences between specialty brands and commercial grades. Caribou sells it appeal as their coffee houses are an ideal gathering place, especially amongst teenagers and young adults. Caribou recognises there is a high demand for the variety of their beverages and these can be customised to cater for individual consumer preference. Penetration for coffee consumption is low (16% daily consumption by US population) relative to overall coffee consumption (57%); this is indicative of a major opportunity for growth; Caribou is performing well compared to other competitors and is set to take advantage of the booming industry. Caribou has created a distinctive position through providing high quality coffee in comfortable, ski-lodge like atmosphere, which distinguishes itself from the chic, upmarket approach used by its competitors, in the main, Starbucks. This concept is good; as it enables the company to capitalise on favourable trends in the specialty coffee market. The quality of Caribous custom roasted coffee has been the key to its success, with taste tests demonstrating that consumers prefer Caribou coffee by a significant margin over other competitors (Caribou Coffee Company Inc, 2009.) In terms of Caribous financial position, the last quarter to year ending September 2009, demonstrated a fourth consecutive quarter of positive earnings. These results are driven by strong implementation at every level of the Caribou with a fundamental focus on expansion and diversification, which is a key component of Caribous future growth strategy. Caribou focuses on maintaining its position as a branded coffee company and are making the necessary investments to expand the brand. Financially, Caribou is in a good position to secure further expansion in the future. Weaknesses Caribou competes with specialty coffeehouses, with its main competitor being Starbucks. Caribou must maintain a differentiated concept to continue building its share of the market. During the financial year 2003-2008, Caribou announced net operating losses and negative free cash flow (Caribou Coffee Company Inc., 2009.) Hence, the company needs to improve profitability and operating cash flow in order to sustain growth and achieve a health long term financial position. In terms of geographic concentration, Caribou is predisposed to local economic, meteorological factors and political issues. Conclusion and Recommendations With the industry leader creating new goals that target to make them almost a monopoly in the world of coffee, Caribou is in danger of losing its competitive advantage. This source of social and human capital is a key source of Caribous competitive advantage, but even that is in decline. In order to compete in the industry and even possibly surpass the industry leader, Starbucks, Caribou must have a sustainable competitive advantage. After conducting an internal analysis of the firm, it is clear that Caribou needs to maintain or better its human capital; it needs to implement the same practices, but the company must also consider implementing a way to satisfy overtime pay because the fact that managers work overtime shows dedication like an owner, but maintaining that belief is important for the company. Caribou has created a coffeehouse that is seen as an escape for consumers that helps the company maintain its differentiation from other coffeehouses, but the company is in its stag es of decline if no changes are implemented (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) Although Caribous focus on human and social capital has created a temporary competitive advantage, in the current competitive environment these are likely to become necessary success factors, not valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable core competencies. It is more likely that their human and social capital, superior product quality, store design and atmosphere provide a collection of resources that can create sustainable competitive advantage. Porter (1985.) As Caribou continue to shift their strategies to meet politico-economic and socio-cultural demands, like most in this industry sector, the company is not able to predict the economic and social challenges to which consumers and businesses will be exposed. However, the company believes that it is in a very good position to enable it to react and respond to these challenges because of their remarkable customer loyalty, their unique product brand and its attractive price-value position. As it places emphasis on coffee, a nd combination beverages, the company will, undoubtedly, innovate by creating new products and experiences which complement the coffeehouse experience and drive transactions.

Angela?s Ashes: The Setting Effects The Actions Of The Characters Essay

The autobiography Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt tells the life of the McCourt family while living in poverty in Limmerick, Ireland during the 30’s and 40’s. Frank McCourt relates his difficult childhood to the reader up to the time he leaves for America at age nineteen. The book has many prevailing themes, but one of the most notable is the settings relationship to the family. The setting of the book ultimately influences the choices and lifestyle of the McCourt family in many ways. Living in poverty and not being able to meet basic needs leads the characters to result to desperate measures such as stopping Frank McCourt’s education and taking a job to support the family. Frank is forced to take the job mostly because his father is an alcoholic and uses all the dole money and his wages to buy beer instead of feeding his family. Frank describes this pattern of drinking away the money by saying " When Dad comes home with the drink smell there is no money and Mam screams at him till the Twins cry."(42) This situation lasts until Mr.McCourt leaves to work in England and is never heard from again which forces Frank to take a job at fourteen years old. Frank takes on the role of the head of the family proudly and comments " Its hard to sleep when you know you know the next day you’re fourteen and starting your first job as a man." (p.309) Frank’s ability to provide financial stability leads to greater comfort and living conditi ons for the family. The members of the McCourt family are also forced to beg and steal in order to help the family’s well being. Mrs.McCourt begs charities especially the St. Vincent de Paul Society for help with basic necessities for the family such as food, clothing, and furniture. Mrs.McCourt is even forced to beg for the family’s Christmas dinner. The butcher who she begs to tells her " What you can have now missus, Is black pudding and tripe or a sheep’s head or a pig’s head."(97) Mrs.McCourt reluctantly accept the pig’s head and is ridiculed walking home it. Also, the children are forced to pick up scraps of coal for the fire from a road on Christmas Day. Frank describes the children’s humiliation by saying, " Even the poorest of the poor don’t go out Christmas Day picking coal off the road." (99) Unlike their mother the McCourt children would rather steal than beg for what they need. The ... ...e’ll put stuff on a paper on the scale with the paper hanging down on her side behind the counter where she thinks you can’t see it." (66) Also, the religious of Limmerick discriminate against poor children as in the case when Frank McCourt tries to become an alter boy but is denied. Mrs.McCourt explains why he is denied by saying " They don’t want boys from lanes on the alter. Oh, no they want the nice boys with hair oil and new shoes that have fathers with suits and ties and steady jobs"(149). The Mc.Court family is constantly aware of the discrimination it faces because of the poverty they live in. The various settings of " Angela’s Ashes" effect the characters’ actions and lifestyle in various ways. Living in poverty challenges the family to meet basic needs through begging and stealing as well as children getting jobs to help the situation. Also, the poor housing causes the family to be subjected to disease and coldness. The society the McCourts were part of causes the family to be aware of social prejudice and learn actions to take in order to protect their rights. The setting of the book influences the McCourt family’s actions and style of living. Angela?s Ashes: The Setting Effects The Actions Of The Characters Essay The autobiography Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt tells the life of the McCourt family while living in poverty in Limmerick, Ireland during the 30’s and 40’s. Frank McCourt relates his difficult childhood to the reader up to the time he leaves for America at age nineteen. The book has many prevailing themes, but one of the most notable is the settings relationship to the family. The setting of the book ultimately influences the choices and lifestyle of the McCourt family in many ways. Living in poverty and not being able to meet basic needs leads the characters to result to desperate measures such as stopping Frank McCourt’s education and taking a job to support the family. Frank is forced to take the job mostly because his father is an alcoholic and uses all the dole money and his wages to buy beer instead of feeding his family. Frank describes this pattern of drinking away the money by saying " When Dad comes home with the drink smell there is no money and Mam screams at him till the Twins cry."(42) This situation lasts until Mr.McCourt leaves to work in England and is never heard from again which forces Frank to take a job at fourteen years old. Frank takes on the role of the head of the family proudly and comments " Its hard to sleep when you know you know the next day you’re fourteen and starting your first job as a man." (p.309) Frank’s ability to provide financial stability leads to greater comfort and living conditi ons for the family. The members of the McCourt family are also forced to beg and steal in order to help the family’s well being. Mrs.McCourt begs charities especially the St. Vincent de Paul Society for help with basic necessities for the family such as food, clothing, and furniture. Mrs.McCourt is even forced to beg for the family’s Christmas dinner. The butcher who she begs to tells her " What you can have now missus, Is black pudding and tripe or a sheep’s head or a pig’s head."(97) Mrs.McCourt reluctantly accept the pig’s head and is ridiculed walking home it. Also, the children are forced to pick up scraps of coal for the fire from a road on Christmas Day. Frank describes the children’s humiliation by saying, " Even the poorest of the poor don’t go out Christmas Day picking coal off the road." (99) Unlike their mother the McCourt children would rather steal than beg for what they need. The ... ...e’ll put stuff on a paper on the scale with the paper hanging down on her side behind the counter where she thinks you can’t see it." (66) Also, the religious of Limmerick discriminate against poor children as in the case when Frank McCourt tries to become an alter boy but is denied. Mrs.McCourt explains why he is denied by saying " They don’t want boys from lanes on the alter. Oh, no they want the nice boys with hair oil and new shoes that have fathers with suits and ties and steady jobs"(149). The Mc.Court family is constantly aware of the discrimination it faces because of the poverty they live in. The various settings of " Angela’s Ashes" effect the characters’ actions and lifestyle in various ways. Living in poverty challenges the family to meet basic needs through begging and stealing as well as children getting jobs to help the situation. Also, the poor housing causes the family to be subjected to disease and coldness. The society the McCourts were part of causes the family to be aware of social prejudice and learn actions to take in order to protect their rights. The setting of the book influences the McCourt family’s actions and style of living.

Limbo, Nothings Changed, and Blessing Essay -- Poetry Tatamkhulu Afrik

Limbo, Nothings Changed, and Blessing â€Å"Write about the various ways in which the poets present their ideas and give the reader an insight into different cultures.† The three poems that will be studied are: Limbo by Edward Kamau Braithwaite Nothings changed by Tatamkhulu Afrika Blessing by Imtiaz Dharker The cultural location and inspiration (for the writers) of these poems is of great curiosity (to many readers) and also of high deviation, thus the way in which we are given an insight into the different cultures will be considered very carefully. Limbo Edward Kamau Braithwaite, the writer of Limbo is creating tension and anxiety, while at the same time expressing his view of slavery in the poem, he is trying to create the effect of a ship filled with evil and is trying to make the reader see that slavery is far from good but actually very, very cruel, he tells the story of afro Caribbean slavery in a rhyming & rhythmic dance. He has made it a very motivating and complex poem. I feel that there are two meanings or storylines to the poem the first and main narrative being a play being acted out on the ship showing the cruel and evil history of Afro Caribbean slavery, and the second being a more upbeat and blissful side to the poem which is portraying the actions of the limbo dance. The first three quarters of the poem deal with slavery and the limbo dance combined together while the last quarter of the poem is like the sun breaking and light coming out, it only deals with the happiness that there is around the limbo dance in much more detail and describes how their is light at the end of the tunnel for the slaves. The poem has a very strong beat, signifying the dance that is being po... ...heme that has been incorporated into the poem. Rhythm has not been used in the poem, it is very brief, and gives the effect of ordinary speech. We have a clear sense of Imtiaz Dharker’s culture; water is valued very highly, (as people’s lives depend on this supply). Personally I feel that In Britain we constantly take water for granted and should not and that the poet maybe trying to convey to us a very important message. The poem ends with a picture of the littlie children naked and screaming. The sense of their beauty is overshadowed by the idea of how weak, fragile and helpless they are. Overall I feel this poem is the best poem (of the three) to give the reader an insight into different cultures in a brief and logical way, however I feel that Tatamkhulu Afrika Who wrote â€Å"Nothings Changed† present his ideas in the most vivid and original way.

Bartolome de las Casas: The Devastation of the Indies

The Devastation of the Indies† and was a friar who became famous because he defended the rights of the Indians. He took a brave stand against the horrors and cruel blooded Spaniards, saying he didn't understanding of how God could allow the innocent Indians to suffer. In his document De lass Cases gave his views of the nature and character of the Indians, of the Spanish, and of the Spanish treatment of Indians. De Sis Cases say about the Indians that they don't have malice or bitterness, they are â€Å"humble, patient and peaceable.Physical they can't work hard because they are weak and get sick easily. They don't wont to possess worldly goods and they are not greedy . He says what they really want Is that they just want to learn and Just to learn about God and that they are eagerness and they have goodness† of nature. The Spaniards nature, according to De lass Cases, Is they don't have compassion for anybody they are cruel and blood thirsty people who treat much better horses and cows than a people, and also they are destroying an infinite number of souls and they are just doing it because they are greedy and want to became rich and to acquire De lass Cases views of theSpaniards treatment of Indians was that they type of people they call them as beast because is what they earn all buy their actions that they took, a Capitan order to struggle this Indian nobles just because they disturbed the Capitan sleep because they are screaming, and the person how order the Capitan to executioner did not obey the order that he give you, the Capitan decide to burn them slowly and watch them die.But Hatter comes from Cuba Just to say them that the Christians are coming he Just say this Just for those that are following him The Spanish Capitan he convert as an enemy of the human race, what he do Is that e put a dog as a security so they can escape or try something, the Indians make a mistake they kill some Christians so the Spanish Capitan he take this act us a r evenge so every Christian that they die there goanna kill o capture thousand Indians hatter comes from far away to Cuba to protect the Indians and to fight with them one of the Indians say is that they been struggle them and kill them off just because they don't want be part of them and follow there God hatter say that part of his followers are coming from Haiti ,then they go to see the god the Christians and what happen is hat there was a basket cover a bunch of Jewelry and gold and what they discovered is that if they despaired the gold there goanna forget everything and there goanna stop kill them off so they took the basket and they flung In the river.Then they captured hatter and they kill him Just because he defend those Indians from the cruel and blooding Christians so they tied him to the shake so a friar come to him and he say that he is going to hell just because he didn't be part of the Christian faith go to hell in still of going to heaven because a real God don't not pe rmit. The inclusion is that Bartholomew De lass cases was a man how fight for Justice because there were been cruel with the Indians because they refuse to believe in god so that why they want to kill them of . They couldn't defend them self and then later on the Capitan he made a rules if they kill one Christian there going to kill a thousand Indians so they capture a lot of Indians and they struggle them , with these infernal methods of tyranny they debase and weaken countless numbers of Indians , when Hatter hear about how there been treading the Indians he desire to stand for them ,but later on they capture him and they kill him.

New Idea for an Old Brand Essay

As a way to freshen up the traditional brand and to gain more exposure, the granddaughter of the Margaux family wanted to begin mass marketing a new wine brand. The idea would be to use different grapes in order to be more accessible to the younger generation. The target price range would be â‚ ¬20-â‚ ¬25 per bottle (Dessain, 2011). There are a large number of young wine drinkers who cannot afford the high prices of the current Gran Vin brand and are therefore not being attracted to the Chateau de Margaux vineyards. If these consumers were introduced to an affordable brand of wine from the Margaux estate, then they may be more likely to recognize and trust the brand. That way, when they are looking for a more expensive wine, they will first go to their label of Grand Vin from the Chateau de Margaux collection. General Concerns: Some of the issues with this suggestion are: maintaining the exclusivity of the original brand, ensuring that consumers still feel motivated to pay the higher price point, and they will also now need a distributor, marketing team, and an ability to focus on more than one brand of wine. In this particular case, the Margaux business has a close-tie who is very familiar with the distributorship and marketing of wine, and therefore this is a solution to one of the issues; however there are several of the other issues that remain very pertinent concerns, as we will discuss later on.

Narrative Voice in Pride and Prejudice Essay

Read the passage from Pride and Prejudice (volume 1, chapter XVII) carefully several times. Then, in an continuous essay of no more than 1,000 words, analyse the passage, discussing ways in which the narrative voice and dialogue are used. Throughout the passage, Jane Austen uses a variety of different narrative and dialogue techniques. The reader hears from three different people, an omniscient narrator, Elizabeth Bennet and Jane Bennet. Through these characters the technique of â€Å"showing† is used, which involved direct speech and â€Å"telling† where the narrator describes what is happening, what the characters are saying and how they are feeling. The â€Å"showing† technique allows the reader to see what the characters are saying to each other, so in this passage, the reader ‘sees’ the conversation between Elizabeth and Jane. â€Å"Telling† involves the use of free indirect speech and focalization, giving the reader a detailed view of the character and â€Å"telling† the reader what the character is thinking and feeling. The passage opens with the omniscient narrator introducing a discussion between Jane and Elizabeth regarding Mr. Wickham’s dealings with Mr. Darcy. Austen uses the â€Å"telling technique† to introduce this passage to give clarity to the reader as to what the discussion is about, Austen opens with â€Å"Elizabeth related to Jane the next day, what had passed between Mr. Wickham and herself†. Elizabeth has decided to share her conversation with her sister Jane the following day, which means that Elizabeth has firstly had time to digest what Wickham has told her and secondly the narrator is telling us that she is close to her sister, because she is sharing this important information with her. The narrator uses free indirect speech which allows the reader to trust Elizabeth’s account of Wickham to be true, even though the reader does not know what has been spoken between the sisters. The narrator uses Jane for focalization. Through the â€Å"telling† technique the reader is allowed to see Jane’s reaction to Elizabeth’s encounter with Wickham, Austen writes â€Å"Jane listened with astonishment and concern†. Jane is â€Å"astonished† because the reader knows she thinks so highly of Bingley and she does not believe he would be connected with Mr. Darcy if the statement was true, â€Å"she knew not how to believe that Mr. Darcy could be so unworthy of Mr. Bingley’s regard†. Jane is concerned as she is hoping for a marriage with Mr. Bingley and does not want anything to ruin her plans, the narrator informs, â€Å"it was not in her nature to question the veracity of a young man†. Jane’s character is not one which would look for bad qualities in a person and through this form of free indirect speech; Austen is able to create a tone and expression which Jane’s character would use. Jane concludes that s he wishes to keep an open mind and believes there is another explanation for what has passed stating â€Å"It is in short impossible for us to conjecture the causes or circumstances which may have alienated them†. The next part of the passage shows direct speech between Jane and Elizabeth, and the â€Å"showing† technique is used to state their difference of opinions. Jane feels there is no one to blame other than misunderstanding on both parties. Elizabeth however, uses a mocking tone in her response to Jane exclaiming â€Å"and now, my dear Jane, what have you got to say on behalf of the interested people who have probably been concerned in the business?† Elizabeth is trying to convince her sister that her point of view is the correct one, and also by referring to Jane as â€Å"my dear Jane† although she is mocking her, there is fondness and closeness for her sister and it highlights Jane’s character of seeing the good in all people and a little naivety on Jane’s character. Throughout the dialogue between Jane and Elizabeth the narrator is â€Å"showing† the reader how Elizabeth is trying to convince her sister that Wickham is being honest in his account of his dealings with Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth gets the reader to instinctively believe what Wickham has told her, without question or doubt. The reader trusts what Elizabeth is saying and the likability of the character also emphasises this. Elizabeth past accounts of events have been very shrewd if a little ironic, however the reader may guess that Elizabeth may be wrong in her prejudice towards Mr. Darcy. Although Elizabeth uses facts and names to convince Jane, Jane is still doesn’t believe the situation to be true, Jane proclaims â€Å"It’s difficult indeed†. Again the reader sees Jane’s personality as someone who does not look at anyone in a bad way through this direct speech. The narrator uses â€Å"showing† in Elizabeth’s reply of â€Å"I beg your par don – one knows exactly what to think†, meaning that Elizabeth is still convinced Wickham is being truthful and she feels very strongly about this and almost convincing herself Darcy has most defiantly done wrong. Jane’s character is used to focalize again, allowing the reader to see how she reacts to Elizabeth. The narrator then uses free indirect speech to show the reader how Jane is thinking and worrying about Mr. Bingley and how could be viewed publicly – â€Å"Jane could think with certainty on only one point, – that Mr. Bingley, if he had been imposed on, would have much to suffer†. The passage closes with the arrival of the Bingley’s, going from narrative voice to authorial comment, Austen writes â€Å"the arrival of the very persons of whom they had been speaking†. The Bingley’s give their invitation to Netherfield ball and the narrative voice changes to indirect speech reporting what the characters say. The reader learns of how the Bingley sisters treat Jane and her family through the narrative voice and showing the fondness they have for Jane, â€Å"The two ladies were delighted to see their dear friend again† however the reader sees the rest of the family are treated differently stating â€Å"To the rest of they paid little attention; avoiding Mrs. Bennet as much as possible, saying not much to Elizabeth, and nothing at all to the others†. The techniques of showing and telling which Austen uses this allows the reader to see how convinced Elizabeth is with Wickham’s story of Darcy and how she pre judges him on the basis of someone else’s story, linking to the major theme and title of the book. Wickham is now shown as a good character an Darcy as a bad character. Through the sympathy the reader has with Elizabeth the reader is able to believe Elizabeth’s judgment on both Wickham and Darcy’s character.

McDonalds Benefits Plan

McDonalds Benefits Plan Executive Summary The key to excellent business performance lies in the well being of an organization’s human resource component. McDonald’s, one of the leading retail fast food chains in the world promotes its employees welfare by providing numerous benefit packages that aim at protecting the employee’s health, social welfare, and financial security.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on McDonald’s Benefits Plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The corporation which was founded by Ray Kroc in the mid 20th century has managed to continuously deliver exceptional growth over the years despite the challenges facing the fast food industry in the modern economy. This outstanding performance can be attributed to the company’s improved customer service and extensive marketing which saw a 3.8% sales increment in 2009. To further improve its performance in the coming years, McDonald’s shou ld focus more on employee’s welfare by providing a benefit package that motivates the existing pool of experienced labor and discourages high rates of employee turn over. Currently, McDonald’s offers a wide range of benefits to its permanent employees. The corporation’s benefit program constitutes health and protection benefits which include medical plan, vision supplement, dental plan, spending accounts, short and long term disability, life and accidental death insurance, and travel accident insurance. In addition, the company provides a wide range of enhancement benefits which include vacations and holidays, sabbatical program, short Fridays and leave of absence, adoption assistance, education assistance, free internet discount program, and international fitness club network among others. Further, McDonald’s provides retirement benefits to its employees through profit sharing and savings, Mc$ave, McDirect shares, credit union, and financial planning ser vices. However, McDonald’s offers a limited range of employee benefits to its part time employees working directly in the restaurants despite the risky nature of their work.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Further, the company’s plan to drop its employees’ health plan has faced a lot of criticisms in the media which may damage the image of the company among employees and consumers. In response to this, McDonald should review its benefit plan scheme to incorporate an extensive benefit package for restaurant crew. It should also utilize its financial resources efficiently in order to obtain adequate revenue to maintain its employees’ health care plan and meet the required regulations. In anticipation of revenue increment in the coming year, McDonald’s should invest more on its human resource by increasing the range of benefit cover age. However, if McDonald’s anticipates reduction in sales in the coming year, the company should focus more on maintaining health care and retirement benefits and restrict employee eligibility for recreational benefits. Mc Donald’s Background Information In the late 40s, two brothers, Dick and McDonald were seeking to improve performance in their little restaurant located in California. In response to this, the two brothers introduced self service, redid their menu, increased their production rates, and reduced their prices making them more competitive. As a result, the company enjoyed remarkable success in the following years which prompted establishment of franchises to further increase its market. McDonald’s restaurant success story caught the interest of Ray Kroc, a 52 year old sales man who became their exclusive franchising agent for the entire United States. In 1961, Kroc eventually acquired McDonald’s and this not only freed him from McDonaldâ₠¬â„¢s initial restrictive agreement but also enhanced his ability to pursue growth in McDonald’s and the fast food industry at large. McDonald’s continuous growth saw the take off of fast food industry in United States and later took the world by storm. Ray Kroc emphasized on maintenance of cleanliness, quality standards, improved service, and value in all McDonald’s franchises which led to improvement in customer service in the rapidly growing fast food restaurant industry.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on McDonald’s Benefits Plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In 1965, McDonald’s issued its shares to the public which consequently transformed in into a public corporation and a year later, it was listed in the New York’s stock exchange. The subsequent years were followed by increase in the number of restaurants and sales such that by 1970, the corporation had approximately 1600 restaurants located across all the states US and reported sales of $587 (McDonald’s 2011). After achieving wide spread growth across United States, McDonald’s further sought to expand into international markets to further increase its market base. The first McDonald’s restaurant to be established outside US was in Canada after which the company ventured into the European, Australian market, and Asian Market. Currently, McDonald’s is among the leading food service retailers in the fast food industry and has established more than thirty two thousand restaurants, which are spread across 117 countries (McDonald’s 2011). With more than 75% of its restaurants being franchised, the company has provided opportunities for other businessmen to contribute to the success of the company and has provided employment to over 1.7 million people world wide (McDonald’s 2011). McDonald’s continues to improve its performance by continuously improvin g customer service and promoting entrepreneurial spirit among the employees, suppliers, and operators (McDonald’s 2011). In addition to its unique customer service, McDonald’s impressive performance in the industry can be attributed to personal and professional integrity whereby the company seeks employee trust by being dependable, ethical and truthful (McDonald’s 2011).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition, the company promotes good governance among its leaders and shows commitment to the same through annual reviews and monitoring which creates room for adjustment and continuous improvement. According to McDonald’s (2011), good governance within the organization is the journey through which the company promotes integrity in its interaction with all the relevant stakeholders. McDonald’s Employee Benefit In the past, McDonald’s paid most of its employees the minimum wage. However, the current labor shortages have forced the price of wages to increase. Benefits such as health insurance and sick leaves were lacking in most franchises in US (Leidner 1993) and lack of tangible benefits was especially evident among restaurant crews most of whom are students and part time workers. This resulted in very high employee turn over rates such that in 1984, the employee turn over rate average 153% and the rates increased in 1985 to 205% (Leidner, 2003). Today, Mc Don ald’s strives to employ and maintain a competent pool of human resource capable of meeting and overcoming the challenges facing the fast food industry. In order to achieve this, the company ensures that it awards flexible schedules and competitive payment packages for its part time employees working as restaurant crew. The restaurant crew benefits comprise of 24 hour nurse line access, free or discounted meals, and flexible hours. In addition, these employees may be awarded other benefits eligible to permanent employees but these are subject to specific requirements and restrictions. McDonald’s benefit program attracts, retains, and engages competent personnel capable of promoting achievement of the company’s objectives. The company’s employees at corporate, divisional, and regional offices are awarded benefits which are classified under four categories; health and protection, pay and rewards, investing in the future, and balancing between work and life ( McDonald’s 2011). Health and Protection While many companies in the first food industry do not offer health coverage for their employees, McDonald’s provides medical plans for its workers at 10,500 US locations most of which are franchised (McDonald’s 2011). The medical programs provide different options depending on employees needs. These plans incorporate a prescription drug program, preventive care, annual physical exams, child care and immunization as well as unlimited life time benefit maximum (McDonald’s 2011). The cost of medical plan varies according to plan and number of people being covered. For mini-med plans, a single worker can pay up to $14 per week for an annual plan worth $ 2000 or $ 32 per week for coverage up to 10000 a year. As of March 2009, the basic McCrew plan cost the employee less than $56 dollars a month, employees plus 1 at slightly over $117 per month, and the employee plus family at under $180 per month (McDonald’s 2011 ). In the same time period, the mid 5 McCrew medical plan cost the employee $97 per month, employee plus 1 at $117 per month, while employee plus family cost under $320 per month (McDonald’s 2011). Employees enrolled in either of McDonald’s medical plans may choose a vision supplement plan which covers a wide range of visual services such as eye glasses and contact lens replacement program. In addition, the company provides a dental plan which enables its employees to access dental services from the dentists of their choice. McDonald’s provides flexible spending accounts for its employees which enable them to set aside pre tax income to pay for health care and day care expenses. Employees may set aside up to $5600 in health care spending account and up to $5000 in the day care spending account (McDonald’s 2011). This enables the employees to comfortably cater for costs uncovered or partially covered by the medical plan. The company also offers short and l ong term disability coverage to its staff at no cost. The short term disability plan provides benefits to employees who are incapable of working for ten consecutive days while the long term disability coverage covers 60% of employees base salary while he is disabled (McDonald’s 2011). Employee and dependent life insurance is twice the employee’s base salary and is provided to McDonald’s employees at no cost. However, the employees can choose to acquire additional life insurance to cater for spouse and other dependents at his/her own cost. The company also provides accidental and dismemberment insurance cover which benefits employees’ dependents upon accidental death of the employee and is equal to twice the employee’s base salary. Further, the travel and business travel accident cover provides travel accident coverage of twice an employee’s base salary at no cost to employees. Depending on employee’s position, the coverage amounts to either $100000 or $200000 and incorporates travel accident coverage (McDonald’s 2011). Retirement Benefit Plans McDonald’s acknowledges the need for its employees to invest in the future in these economically challenging times. Consequently, the company offers savings and money management programs which assist employees in planning for the future. The profit sharing and savings plan allows the employees to save up to 50% of their pay on tax deferred basis in 401(k) (McDonald’s 2011). The company contributes $3 for every $1 contributed by eligible employees of the first 1% of their contribution and a further $1 for each $1 contributed by employees on the next 4% of their contribution. In addition, eligible employees are also entitled to a discretionary profit sharing match of 0% to 4% which is based on their contribution (McDonald’s 2011). In addition, McDonald has established other investment packages such as Mc$ave which is a money market fund where empl oyees invest part of their income in the prime reserve fund, McDirect shares which allows employees to buy customer shares and reinvest dividends in the company, Credit Union where McDonald’s employees enjoy services through corporate America Family Credit Union, and financial planning services which facilitates employees access to professional financial planning services through Ameriprise Financial or Merrill Lynch (McDonald’s 2011) Balancing Employees Work and Life In order to achieve maximum output from the human resource component, McDonald’s seeks to assist its employees in striking a balance between work and life outside the work place by providing a wide range of benefit packages designed to help employees maintain this balance. The company offers paid vacations for corporate, region, division office and restaurant management employees (McDonald’s 2011). The vacation period depends on the duration in which an employee has worked for McDonaldâ€⠄¢s. Moreover, the company offers nine paid holidays to its full time eligible employees. McDonald’s seeks to reduce the amount of time spent in the office by its employees by providing anniversary splash, sabbatical program, short Fridays, and leave absence (McDonald’s 2011). In attempt to break the monotony associated with specialization and routine work, McDonald’s develops alternative work strategies where permanent employees have the option of flexible time or compressed work week while part time employees have the option of adopting the part time schedule or job sharing (McDonald’s 2011). McDonald seeks to promote the social welfare in its human resource by offering child adoption assistance of up to $ 2500 per child to its employees. The company further seeks to promote improved child care among its employees by providing them with opportunities for discounted tuition. For instance, McDonald’s has agreements with three national care provider s; child time learning center, Knowledge learning center, and La Petite Academy which offer 10% discount on tuition for McDonald’s employees (McDonald’s 2011). In addition, eligible employees willing to further their studies may receive financial assistance from the company. McDonald’s established the matching gift program which encourage employees to support NGOs, employee resource connection program which enables employees to manage their lives outside the office, international fitness club network where workers acquire fitness information and discounts on fitness equipment, auto and home insurance program which helps employees to purchase insurance through MetLife Auto and Home Insurance Program, and beyond work which is a free internet discount program for recreational products and services (McDonald’s 2011). Recommendations The fast food industry has gained world wide popularity due to its ability to provide quick service and inexpensive food to cons umers. In the US market where McDonald’s has its most number of restaurants, the fast food industry has continued to grow with its market value being estimated at $ 51 billion in 2007 (Albala Allen, 2007). This growth can be attributed to emergence of a culture which favors longer work days and dual-income families. Despite the remarkable growth in the industry, McDonald has been a major target of the ongoing criticism regarding the quality of food served in fast food restaurants as well as its health care plan (Albala Allen, 2007). For instance, McDonald’s Bigger Big Mac was said to contain an entire day’s recommended allowance of saturated sales. In addition, the company’s plan to drop the health care plan for nearly 30,000 workers due to the new requirements of health overhaul has received a lot of criticism from the media, employees, and consumers (Adamy, 2010). Health issues and numerous litigation law suits have significantly reduced sales revenue at McDonald’s. McDonald’s has been on the spotlight regarding its labor practices (Albala Allen, 2007) The restaurant crew is dominated by young teenagers, immigrants, elderly, and handicapped (Albala Allen, 2007) and the working conditions are unsafe due to restaurants’ proximity to highways hence increased cases of armed robbery. Consequently, most workers in McDonald’s occupy their jobs for less than a year which leads to constant loss of experienced labor. Despite the challenges facing the fast food industry, McDonald’s managed to deliver exceptional growth in 2009. Its sales revenue and market share continued to increase giving it a competitive edge over other fast food companies. McDonald’s should use its superior financial performance to improve working conditions in the company. Employment on any level should be permanent and based on individual qualification upon which benefits such as those awarded to full time employees should be awarded to restaurant crew employees. Restaurant crew should be provided with health benefits and accidental insurance cover to protect them against the risks associated with their work. McDonald should provide enhancement and investment benefits to part time workers in order to motivate them to work permanently for the company and to make them feel like they are part of McDonald’ team. The company should further seek to improve its image as an employer by ensuring provision of benefit plans to employees in the franchises. Analysis of Benefit Package While Anticipating Revenue Increment and Revenue Reduction If McDonald’s expects an increment in revenue in the next year, the company should invest heavily on employees by providing them with a wide range of benefit packages to further motivate them. The company should increase employer contribution in the retirement benefit package and should introduce awards and recognition for exceptional performers. In addition, re creational benefits should be increased and the company should seek to contribute more to employees’ social welfare. Further, McDonald’s should seek to meet the 2011 requirement by the department of health and human service which requires McDonald’s to spend 80-85% of its premiums on medical expenses rather than overhead expenses in its mini-med plan (Adamy, 2010). If McDonald’s expects revenue reduction in the subsequent years, the company should seek to reduce its spending on employees benefits by reducing its contribution to recreational benefits package. The company may discourage such benefits through restricting eligible members by demanding improvement in a performance for employee to be awarded holiday and vocational benefits. McDonald’s may also increase employee contribution in the recreational benefits and drop some of the recreational benefits. Therefore, upon revenue reduction anticipation, the company should reduce the amount spent on employees’ benefits by the company but it should be careful not to send negative signals and discourage employees in McDonald’s. Reference List Adamy, J. (2010). Federal Agency Flexible on Mcdonald’s Plan. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704789404575524502131067836 Albala, K., Allen, J. G. (2007). The Business of Food: Encyclopedia of Food and Drink Industries. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group. Leidner, R. (1993). Fast Food, Fast Talk: Service Work and Routinization of Everyday Life. London: University of California Press. McDonald’s (2011). Company’s official website, McDonald’s corporation. Retrieved from https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us.html

Post Civil War Racism essays

Post Civil War Racism essays The conclusion of the Civil War in favor of the north was supposed to mean an end to slavery and equal rights for the former slaves. Although laws and amendments were passed to uphold this assumption, the United States Government fell short. The thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments were proposed and passed within five years of the Civil Wars conclusion. These amendments were to create equality throughout the United States, especially in the south where slavery had been most abundant. Making equality a realization would not be an easy task. This is because many problems were not perceived before and during the war. The reunification of the country would prove to be harder than expected, and entry into a new lifestyle would be difficult for both the freedmen and their former oppressors. The thirteenth amendment clearly prohibits slavery in the United States. All slaves were to be freed immediately when this amendment was declared ratified in December of 1865, but what were they to do? Generations of African-Americans had been enslaved in America, and those who had lived their whole lives in slavery had little knowledge of the outside world. This lack of knowledge would not be helpful in trying to find work once they were released. Plantation owners with a lack of workforce were eager to offer extremely low pay to their former slaves. In addition, the work force of the plantation would often live in the same quarters they did while enslaved. These living conditions showed little change from the living conditions African-Americans had faced while enslaved. While the former slaves lived on the ideal that they were now free, the fifteenth amendment was under heavy fire. Those who felt threatened by the massive amount of African-Americans who would now be participating in the government criticized this Amendment, which allowed all male citizens the right to vote regardless of race. Ex-Confederates, many of...

Colleges that Require the ACT Writing Test

Colleges that Require the ACT Writing Test If youre trying to decide whether you should take the ACT with Writing or just the regular ACT, the list below can help. It includes all of the colleges and universities in the 50 United States that require the ACT writing section. Realize, however, that there are hundreds of colleges that recommend the ACT Plus Writing even if they dont require it. Unless you know that the schools to which you are applying dont care about the writing section, it may be wise to spend the extra half an hour and $16.00 to take the ACT Plus Writing. The schools that require the ACT Writing Test range from elite Ivy League schools to small unaccredited colleges that you probably havent heard of. Ive listed the schools by state. The schools on the list were identified using ACTs search tool. Colleges change their requirements frequently, so be sure to double-check with the schools for the most accurate and up-to-date information. You can click on a schools name to get more information including acceptance rates and typical ACT and SAT scores for admitted students. Note that the number of colleges requiring the ACT with Writing has gone done by a couple dozen schools after the SAT dropped the required writing section from its exam in March of 2016. Some schools had required the ACT Writing Test to put the SAT and ACT on equal footingstudents taking either exam would need to take the writing test. Now that writing is optional for the SAT, many schools have decided to make it optional for both exams. Alabama Auburn UniversityUniversity of Alabama at Tuscaloosa (Bama, UA, Alabama) Alaska None Arizona None Arkansas None California California Institute of TechnologyChapman UniversityClaremont McKenna CollegeGolden State Baptist CollegeHarvey Mudd CollegeOccidental CollegePatten UniversityScripps CollegeSoka University of AmericaStanford UniversityUniversity of California at Berkeley (Berkeley)University of California at Davis (UC Davis)University of California at Irvine (UC Irvine)University of California at Los Angelos (UCLA)University of California at Merced (UCM)University of California at Riverside (UCR)University of California at San Diego (UCSD)University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB)University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC)University of La VerneUniversity of San DiegoWestmont CollegeWhittier College Colorado None Connecticut Coast Guard Academy (USCGA)University of Connecticut at Storrs (UConn)Yale University Delaware Delaware State UniversityUniversity of Delaware (UD) District of Columbia Gallaudet University Florida Florida AM (FAMU)Florida Atlantic UniversityFlorida Gulf Coast University (FGCU)Florida International University (FIU)Florida State UniversityTrinity Baptist CollegeUniversity of Central Florida (UCF)University of MiamiUniversity of North FloridaUniversity of South Florida at TampaUniversity of West Florida Georgia Berry CollegeEmory UniversityGeorgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)Georgia Southern UniversityGeorgia State UniversityLife UniversityMorris Brown College Hawaii University of Hawaii at Manoa Idaho None Illinois Morthland CollegeNorthwestern UniversityPrincipia CollegeSt. Joseph College SeminaryVanderCook College of Music Indiana Fairhaven CollegeIndiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW)Indiana University EastUniversity of Evansville Iowa None Kansas None Kentucky Louisville Bible College Louisiana None Maine None Maryland Towson UniversityWashington Adventist University Massachusetts Atlantic Union CollegeBabson CollegeBoston CollegeBrandeis UniversityEmerson CollegeGordon CollegeHarvard UniversityNortheastern UniversityOlin College of EngineeringSpringfield CollegeSuffolk UniversityWellesley College (photo tour) Michigan College for Creative StudiesMichigan State UniversityUniversity of Michigan at Ann Arbor Minnesota Martin Luther CollegeUniversity of Minnesota, MorrisUniversity of Minnesota, Rochester Mississippi None Missouri College of the OzarksEvangel UniversityUrshan College Montana University of Montana-Western Nebraska None Nevada None New Hampshire Dartmouth CollegeUNH, University of New Hampshire (Durham) New Jersey Caldwell CollegePrinceton UniversitySeton Hall University New Mexico None New York Concordia CollegeFive Towns CollegeFordham UniversityJohn Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY)LIM CollegeList College (Jewish Theological Seminary of America)Maritime College (SUNY)Molloy CollegeOld Westbury (SUNY)Pratt InstituteSiena CollegeStony Brook University (SUNY)Syracuse UniversityUniversity at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo)Vassar CollegeWest Point (United States Military Academy) North Carolina Duke UniversityElizabeth City State UniversityElon UniversityFayetteville State UniversityMars Hill UniversityNorth Carolina Central University (NCCU)Queens University of CharlotteUniversity of North Carolina School of the ArtsUniversity of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA)University of North Carolina, GreensboroUniversity of North Carolina, Wilmington (UNCW)Western Carolina UniversityWinston-Salem State University North Dakota None Ohio Case Western Reserve UniversityGod’s Bible School and CollegeLake Erie CollegeUniversity of Toledo Oklahoma None Oregon Oregon State UniversityPortland State UniversityWestern Oregon University (WOU) Pennsylvania Arcadia UniversityDelaware Valley CollegeLafayette CollegeLehigh UniversityMuhlenberg CollegeUniversity of Pittsburgh (Pitt)University of Pittsburgh at GreensburgUniversity of the Sciences in PhiladelphiaVillanova UniversityYork College of Pennsylvania Rhode Island Brown UniversityRhode Island CollegeRhode Island School of Design (RISD) South Carolina Clemson UniversityUniversity of South Carolina at Columbia (USC)Wofford College South Dakota None Tennessee Vanderbilt University Texas Hardin-Simmons UniversityMidwestern State UniversityPaul Quinn CollegeSouthwest School of ArtSt. Edwards UniversityStephen F. Austin State UniversityTarleton State UniversityTexas AM at College StationTexas State UniversityUniversity of DallasUniversity of Mary Hardin-BaylorUniversity of St. ThomasUniversity of Texas at AustinUniversity of Texas at Dallas (UTD) Utah None Vermont Saint Michaels College Virginia University of Virginia at CharlottesvilleWashington and Lee University Washington University of Washington Tacoma West Virginia West Virginia University Institute of TechnologyWest Virginia University Wisconsin None Wyoming Wyoming Catholic College