I Like to Eat Pizza Essay Example for Free

I Like to Eat Pizza Essay Hose who eat their slices with two hands, and those who (dare I say) like to cut their pizza with a fork and knife. Some people soak up the olive oil with a napkin, while others don’t mind a greasy slice. Some people like the crust, while others live for that first bite. Some people decorate their slices with spices, while others like it plain. Nearly any ingredient can be put on pizza. From pepperoni and anchovies to barbecue chicken and pineapple, every pizza pie is like a unique work of art. Every pie is a different shape and size. There are thin crust pies, deep dish pies, and everything in between. There are pies with different cheeses and tomato sauce, or even pies with a completely different base altogether. Growing up in the suburbs of Washington, DC there weren’t so many great options for pizza. Ordering in from Domino’s and Pizza Hut was a weekly occurrence. But when I arrived in New York in 2002, I was thrust into an entirely new pizza universe. Living at an NYU dorm by Washington Square Park, I developed a quick allegiance with my local pizzerias. I could barely walk a block without passing by a shop — many of them claiming to serve up the best slice in the city. There was Joe’s on the corner of Bleecker Street and Carmine Street (which closed it’s doors in 2004) where tipsy students, homeless people, and even celebrities made their way to the counter through the wee hours of the morning. I remember eating a slice of pizza with Dave Chappelle one evening after he’d finished up a set at the nearby Comedy Cellar. Joe’s served up a good slice, but it was about more than the food. Going there was an adventure. It was where old friends would run into each other and new friends were made. You couldn’t help but notice the non-stop hustle and bustle around you — but at the same time there was sense satisfaction once you took your first bite of their delicious slices. Within a five minute walk from my dorm, there were dozens of pizza places and I intended to try them all. I fell in love with many including Pizza Booth on Bleecker Street and The Pizzeria on MacDougal Street. I remember the night I ran into Adam Sandler at Ben’s Pizza on the corner of MacDougal and 3rd Street and the first time I went to Pasty’s Pizzeria on University Place — the final meal I ate in 2002. Patsy’s opened my eyes to a whole other world of pizza — the upscale pie. I had always thought that a New York slice was served on a paper plate — intended for a quick late night bite on your way between watering holes. But I soon came to learn that many of city’s best pizza places didn’t serve slices and that eating their pizza involved a great deal of patience while your custom pie was prepared. The fall of 2003 took me to what is still one of my favorite pizza places in the New York: Grimaldi’s. Although there is a subway stop a few blocks from this Brooklyn pizzeria, the only true way to get there is by walking over the Brooklyn Bridge, arguably the most picturesque ways to take in New York’s sprawling skyline. To me, a walk over the bridge and Grimaldi’s have become synonymous with one another. I can’t walk across the bridge without stopping at Grimaldi’s and I can’t stop at Grimaldi’s without walking across the bridge. This is the first thing I do with any out-of-town guest. It’s just off the beaten path enough to make a tourist feel like a New Yorker, yet not so touristy that a New Yorker feels out of place. It is the quintessential New York experience. There have been days when I’ve been seated at Grimaldi’s right away and other times where I’ve waited behind hundreds of people outside in the cold. When you’re inside, the best view of the action is in the bathroom line, adjacent to the brick ovens where pies are constantly being removed, put on a platter, and placed on a nearby table as the steam still rises off the top. The pizza is thin enough that two people can split a large pie. In fact, ordering the small pie for $2 less is not even economical. There is no better place to digest Grimaldi’s than on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade overlooking lower Manhattan. It’s the only place in the city that I can be assured to find at least one bride and groom snapping photos every time I’m there. On weekend afternoons it’s common to see five or six couples taking wedding photos. Walking back on the bridge, one feels content, satisfied, accomplished, and [insert positive feeling here]. There are few experiences that rival this. The spring of 2004 took me to Italy where I spent a semester studying in Florence. At the time, I was not a big foodie, so I rarely kept track of where I ate. Today, however, if I was to return, my entire trip would be dictated by food. Although Florence is a very Americanized city, my apartment was a 20 minute walk from the center of town. One evening, while exploring the area around our apartment, my roommates and I discovered a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant on a hidden side street. There wasn’t a single English speaking person in the entire place and there was no English version of the menu. Although I have no idea what this place was named, I know how to get back there and one day plan to return. Their pizza pies were large, but so thin that everyone needed their own. Their pies were more closely resembled the shape of a puddle in the street than a geometric figure. Of the dozen times I dined there, my pizza never looked the same. I think about this place a lot — whether it still exists, what it was actually called, whether any other tourists every discovered it. But most of all, I’m upset that I can’t tell people traveling to Florence how to find it. I need to get back there for the sake of this pizza place.

The Human Resources Function in the Wycombe District Council Essay Example for Free

The Human Resources Function in the Wycombe District Council Essay I have elected to use the Wycombe District Council as a large organization to base my analytical report on its Human Resources function. The council is apart of the public sector. A Human Resources or a Personnel Department is vital to a business in order for it to keep track of its employees and help employees resolve any problems that may occur while working. There are four main reasons for having a HR department: * It encourages employers to develop clear links between their business plans and their HR plans so that they can integrate the two more effectively * Organisations can control staff costs and the number of employees more effectively. * Employers can build up a skill profile for each of their employees. This makes it easier for employers to give work where its can be most valued for its organisation. Also plans for training and updating skills can be applied. * It creates a profile of staff (relating gender, race, disability), which is necessary for the operation of Equal Opportunities (which my chosen firm incorporates) Having a HR department has shown the following contemporary changes to businesses: * A decline in the proportion of employees that reside by trade unions. * A decline in the proportion of employees whose pay is set by unionised collective bargaining * A rise in the range of employment issues that are lacking in originality, from a managerial outline * A corresponding rise in the amount of part time, short term, contracted out employment Human Resources (Personnel) is responsible for many of the ins and outs of the business, as you may know in this particular business, Personnel and Human Resources is integrated. This adds a greater pressure for the Council to act diligently, but simultaneously, it can give more flexibility. Personnel keeps, information on all of the councils employees i.e. address, telephone and history of that certain individual. With the integration of Human Resources staff turnover can be forecasted and relevant actions can be taken to evade losses. Although there is an element of integration the usual HR officers are still deployed. The officers typically analyse the output of the employees within certain departments and takes notes on how to improve performance output. There is another method used in this particular business, in the way of monitoring how much work, is done by each individual, this method is deployed by joint effort of Human Resources and ISD (computer section of council). The council has a special operating system called QSP, now in order to use the computers a login procedure is upheld. First in the Windows Networking interface, you have to logon, at this point the HR department/officer can now tell who is using which PC, in which department. At this point only Microsoft Word documents can be monitored as most official council documents are scripted in Word. Next the computer user has to login within QSP, once he/she is logged on the monitoring is present. With this type of technology present the HR officer can tell who is the hard worker and who is being complacent. This is very effective as the council is very computer based. Although manual work it self e.g. handwritten letters, have to be manually monitored. With theses resources at their exploitation the council can use these very efficiently to improve and strengthen its taskforce. The ways that have been stated are ways that human resources are active within the business. Human Resources although integrated with Personnel play a very crucial role towards the running of the council on a daily basis. Although work can be monitored, ethical issues are a concern but this issue has no foundation, as most of the employees know that its apart of the Contract of Employment. Human Resources/Personnel department is regarded highly within the branches of the council due to that all employee records are shown at this particular department. There are 4 main branches within the council: * Property and Housing * Planning Transport Development * Leisure Health Community * Corporate Services Human Resources is found in the Corporate Services branch, it is placed highly, overall within the Corporate Services branch, managed under Personnel department. The Human Resources department is sub divided within the Personnel department. All functions (applicable) of Human Resources are integrated within Personal. Personnel has four other departments within: 1. Recruitment 2. Training and Development 3. Staff Welfare 4. Terms and Conditions The recruitment function in personnel employs recruitment officers and managers to analyse recruitment processes within the council. They are responsible for recruiting and interviewing job applicants and trainees. Other tasks include working with certain departments when vacancies appear to, to draw up a job description. Usually in certain businesses these are fabricated beforehand. But materialising such documents is time consuming and an expense. The council has a very thorough and well thought of Training and Development programme. Each year the Training Development programme is analysed and then revised to coincide with the existing technology of today. The current Training and Development Programme is starts at April 2001 and expires March 2002. The current instalment has six main areas of which training/development is given: * Management and Development * Customer Care * Personnel Development * Communication Skills * Health and Safety * Computer Skills I will now give training titles for the courses under each title: Management Development training incorporates: 1. Leadership Coaching 2. Recruitment and Selection 3. Managing Performance 4. Project Management 5. Introduction to Supervision Customer Care training incorporates: 1. Customer Service Workshop 2. Disability Awareness 3. Transactional Analysis 4. Serving a Cultural diverse community Personnel Development training entails: 1. Assertiveness 2. Creativity Innovation 3. Preparing for Retirement 4. Planning your future 5. Time management 6. Induction 7. Managing meetings 8. Negotiation Skills 9. Dealing with Violence and Aggression 10. Coping Positively with Pressure 11. Minute taking Communication Skills training 1. Presentation skills 2. Effective report writing 3. Writing Plain English 4. Media Skills 5. Communicating with Deaf Hard of hearing people Health and Safety training 1. Health and Safety induction 2. Workstation safety 3. Manual Handling 4. Fire Safety 5. Basics of Risk management 6. Personal Safety Computer Skills training 1. Word 97 Introduction 2. Word 97 Intermediate 3. Word 97 Advanced 4. Excel 97 Introduction 5. Excel 97 Intermediate 6. Excel 97 Advanced 7. Lotus Notes 4.6 The Staff Welfare department looks at whether the employees, are in environments that comply with Health and Safety laws. The day-to-day happenings, in the work area are also monitored. For example if discrimination of any kind happens they are reported to this department and then investigated further. Relevant action is then taken according to what was committed. The Equal Opportunities policy is also, along with the rest of the HR department fabricated from this department. This department is mainly there to help resolve problems that occur in the workplace and make improvements for staff when working. Possible improvements of the workplace, food and drink are also put forward in this area. The Equal Opportunities Policy is the councils way of saying that they have a complete policy for people of an ethnic background and discrimination will not be tolerated of any kind. Below is the Equal Opportunities Policy; along with the Training and Development Programme, the Policy is updated yearly. The last department in Personnel is Terms Conditions this department looks at various contracts, set by the council to each individual. If any concerns are expressed over certain contracts, this department has a look at possible changes that could be made, to accommodate needs. Other Terms and Conditions that are monitored include dismissal conditions, promotion conditions, contract of employment.

Presented With The Complaints Of Depression Psychology Essay

Presented With The Complaints Of Depression Psychology Essay The purpose of this case study is to describe the case of a patient known as Ellen Farber. Ms. Farber, an insurance company executive, arrived at a psychiatric emergency room at a university hospital with numerous complaints in regard to her overall well-being. It is apparent that Ms. Farber has been affected by her symptoms to a large degree. This case study will discuss the complaints provided by Ms. Farber and will provide a detailed discussion of how her symptoms fit the criteria provided in the DSM-IV-TR for several disorders such as Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode; Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified; and Impulse-Control Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. This paper will also discuss differential diagnoses as well as co-occurring disorders that may be present. The final portion of this paper will discuss a possible treatment plan as well as an indication of the patients prognosis based on known information about her diagnosis. Ellen Farber is a 35 year old woman who presented with complaints of depression, the thought of driving her car off of a cliff, and numerous other symptoms. Upon closer evaluation of Ms. Farbers symptoms it appears that she is suffering from a Major Depressive Episode. The symptoms that she has exhibited that allow for this conclusion are a lack of energy for the past six months; a lack of pleasure for the past six months; increasingly persistent depressed mood for the past six months; oversleeping in amounts of 15-20 hours per day; overeating to the extent that she has gained 20 pounds over the past few months; and thoughts of suicide with a specific plan (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 206). According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000), the presence of a single manic depressive episode in the absence of another disorder, such as schizophrenia, indicates that Ms. Farber can be diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode. It is also clear that Ms. Farber has never experienced a prior Major Depressive Episode indicating even further that Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode is the proper diagnosis for her (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 375). It is essential to point out that Ms. Farber is also a candidate for other diagnoses because she has engaged in binge eating and impulsive spending. Ms. Farber has reported that she has engaged in eating binges since she was an adolescent. During these binges she reports that she eats anything that she can find. Although she has engaged in intermittent binge eating since adolescence she has done so without using compensatory methods to rid her body of the excess calories. According to the DSM-IV-TR (2000), Ms. Farber should be diagnosed with Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Binge-Eating Disorder) because she does not engage in the compensatory behaviors that are typically characteristic of Bulimia Nervosa (p. 595). Fin ally, Ms. Farber has engaged in shopping sprees that she refers to as buying binges. This excessive and impulsive spending has resulted in a large amount of debt, about $250,000, that has arisen from illegal practices such as unauthorized use of her employers credit cards and over drafting bank accounts to open new accounts, a process she calls check kiting. Since the money was used on impulsive purchases and cannot be accounted for by another disorder, such as substance dependence or a paraphilia, it appears likely that Ms. Farber is also a candidate for a diagnosis of Impulse-Control Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 677). According to the DSM-IV-TR (2000), the following diagnoses are relevant for Ellen Farber: Axis I: Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Binge-Eating Disorder) Impulse-Control Disorder Not Otherwise Specified Axis II: Borderline Personality Disorder Axis III: Moderately Overweight Axis IV: Unemployed, financial difficulties Axis V: GAF = 35 (current) On Axis II, Ellen received a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder for several reasons. First, she has reported that she has experienced lifelong feelings of emptiness, chronic feelings of loneliness, chronic feelings of sadness, and chronic feelings of isolation. In order to satisfy her feelings of emptiness she has engaged in weekly buying binges which established her current level of debt. Ellen has also engaged in daily episodes of binge eating without compensatory behaviors. She has also experienced chronic uncertainty with whom she wants to be friends and about what she wants to do in life. We also know that she has been in numerous brief and intense relationships with both men and women. In these relationships, Ellen exhibits a quick temper that has frequently led to arguments and physical fights. Based on a comparison of Ellens symptoms and the diagnostic criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder provided in the DSM-IV-TR it is clear that Ellen suffers from Borderli ne Personality Disorder (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 710). Ellen has not presented with any other medical conditions other than the fact that she is moderately overweight. Since this is the only condition of concern it was listed on Axis III. Axis IV includes relevant information about psychosocial and environmental problems that may be affecting Ellen. Since Ellen is unemployed and is experiencing a large amount of debt as a result of her spending binges this information is listed under Axis IV (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 33). On Axis V I have included a GAF score of 35. After evaluating the information provided in the DSM-IV-TR it seemed apparent that Ellen fell within the 40-31 range on the GAF scale. She fell into this range as a result of her suicidal thoughts with a specific plan and because she is currently unemployed but unable to work as a result of her depression. Within the scale it appeared that Ellens level of functioning was not severe enough to receive a GAF score of 31 but her func tioning was not well enough to receive a GAF score of 40. Based on this scale, it seems that Ellen fits in the middle of the 40-31 scale so I assigned a GAF score of 35 (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 34). According to the DSM-IV-TR (2000), there are several common differential diagnoses present for Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode. These disorders include Bipolar I Disorder; Bipolar II Disorder; Mood Disorder Due To a General Medical Condition; Substance-Induced Mood Disorder; Dysthymic Disorder; and Schizoaffective Disorder (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 373). In the process of diagnosing Ellen, I made a differential diagnosis between Dysthymic Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode. The primary way that this differential diagnosis was made was comparing the length of time that Ellen reported experiencing her symptoms and comparing them to the length provided in the DSM-IV-TR. For Dysthymic Disorder, a period of at least two years must be met for depressed mood (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 209). Symptoms for Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode are only required to be present for a period longer than two weeks (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 206). From the information that is known about Ellen, it only appears that Ellens symptoms have differed from her normal level of functioning for six months. Since Ellen did not meet the minimum two year requirement for depressed mood it seemed apparent that her symptoms only met the criteria for Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode. Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified also presented with a differential diagnosis, Bulimia Nervosa. This was easily distinguished because Ellen did not engage in compensatory behaviors in order to control her caloric intake, and a diagnosis of Bulimia Nervosa requires that a person engage in inappropriate compensatory methods to prevent weight gain (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 589). It is not uncommon for other mental disorders to co-occur with Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode. These common mental disorders include Substance-Related Disorders, Panic Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Borderline Personality Disorder. Axis II presents the personality disorders that Ellen has presented with and Borderline Personality Disorder is listed. Ellen has presented with chronic feelings of loneliness, emptiness, sadness, and isolation. She has also experienced chronic uncertainty about what she wants to do in life and with whom she wants to be friends. She has engaged in numerous intense relationships with both men and women that have often resulted in arguments and physical fights as a result of Ellens quick temper. In order to cope with her chronic symptoms she has engaged in weekly buying binges and daily episodes of binge-eating. Based on this information, as stated previously, Ellen meets the criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 710). There are no conditions listed in the DSM-IV-TR that co-occur with Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Binge-Eating Disorder) or Impulse-Control Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. The treatment of Ms. Farber is complicated by her thought of driving her car off a cliff. This indicates that she possesses suicidal desire, capability, and intent. As a result, she should be asked to agree to, or sign, a no-suicide contract. This contract is essentially a promise that she will not attempt suicide without contacting the mental health professional overseeing her case first. If she declines to agree to the terms, or if there is doubt about her sincerity, hospitalization may be required (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 251). Considering that Ms. Farber has presented with several co-occurring conditions, treatment for her Major Depressive Disorder would be most effective if she undergoes combined treatment. The first aspect of her treatment should be a medication based treatment, particularly treatment with a selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). This medication functions by blocking the presynaptic reuptake of serotonin causing a temporary increase in the levels of se rotonin at the receptor site. All antidepressant therapies provide some form of benefit to about fifty percent of the patients who receive them (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 236). In combination with the prescription for SSRIs, I would also recommend cognitive-behavioral therapy. A cognitive-behavioral approach, such as Lynn Rehms self-control therapy, could assist Ellen in gaining control over her moods and daily activities while incorporating cognitive therapy to assist her in identifying and correcting errors of thought, shifting her thought pattern from a depressive thinking pattern to a more realistic thinking pattern (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 240). Ms. Farber should also undergo treatment for her diagnosis of Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Binge-Eating Disorder). The most appropriate treatment for Ms. Farber would be a technique that involves therapist led treatment. It seems appropriate that she should undergo guided self-help therapy in which she would meet with a ther apist periodically to review a self-help manual. This approach would be the most effective for her because she presented with several diagnoses (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 375). The prognosis for Ms. Farber appears to be relatively positive in regards to the alleviation of her Major Depressive Episode; however, there are some risks within the first two years following her diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode that may alter her prognosis level to fair. Approximately 67%, or two-thirds, of patients experiencing a Major Depressive Episode may experience complete remission of their symptoms. One-third, or 33% of individuals suffering from a Major Depressive Episode may only experience partial remission of their symptoms or may not experience any alleviation of their symptoms at all. At least 60% of individuals with Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode will experience a second episode and 5%-10% will subsequently develop a manic episode, meeting the criteria for Bipolar I Disorder (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 372). In the first year following an episode there is a 20% risk of reoccurrence. In the second year the risk of reoccurrence increases as hi gh as 40% which would qualify Ms. Farber for a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 208). By undergoing combined treatment for her depression her chances for remission may increase slightly over receiving medicinal treatment alone (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 243). At this point it is impossible to determine the exact course of Ms. Farbers symptoms. At best we can expect a more positive prognosis with treatment than without any treatment at all. Ellen Farber presented with several co-occurring conditions and psychosocial and environmental problems that have potentially affected the onset and severity of her symptoms. The purpose of this paper was to discuss Ms. Farbers symptoms, provide diagnoses based on the DSM-IV-TR, and discuss the appropriate means of treatment for her conditions. Ms. Farber has been affected immensely by her symptoms and requires appropriate treatment immediately in order to prevent her condition from worsening. In the end, her prognosis ranges between fair and relatively positive based on the available knowledge about her diagnosis. It appears that if Ms. Farber receives the appropriate treatment she is at a greater likelihood for remission of her symptoms and continuing treatment may reduce the risk of a reoccurrence of her symptoms. Only time can definitively show how Ms. Farber will be affected by the course of her co-occurring disorders.

Uncontrollable Lifestyle Changes :: Legal Issues, Illegal Immigration

Out of the hundreds of thousand immigrants who illegally cross the border there are some who make it to America. The dream of living in America and finding work so they can support their families in Mexico can become a reality. When it becomes a reality many immigrants who make it across start to realize their stuck in America. Through generations after generations many immigrants succeed at earning money in the states and return home to enjoy their success with their families. However, others find out that America has influenced their persona and they decide to stay in America permanently. The beliefs and values they possess are still with them but hidden from the fast paced life of America. Hispanic/Latinos culture is very different from the culture in America. Coming to America has its influences on all immigrants. Situations and plans tend to fade after experiencing the in different cultures of America. Martinez (2001) writes, â€Å"Raul came to America alone to give his children a future. He just never thought about how that very future might swallow them up† (p. 235). It seems it is usually the children of immigrants who tend to be changing their beliefs because of the American influences. Most Hispanic/Latinos come to America to earn money for their families then move back to Mexico. Living in America for several years maybe even a decade can change someone. Martinez (2001) writes, â€Å"Baltazar is likely to disappoint his father and be swallowed up by an American future† (p. 277). Some Hispanic/Latinos still have the same family values from Mexico but manage to change their mind about moving back. They may think the struggle of Mexico’s economy will never change or couldn’t imagine living in those types of poverty environments again. It is like they are sacrificing their traditions and cultures to provide their children an education. Skinner (2006) writes, â€Å"The danger and concern to the U.S. are that poverty places even stronger pressures on the Mexican undereducated and unemployed to migrate north to the U.S. in search of low skill jobs and survival† (p. 7). In order to survive the only option is crossing the border illegally for some Hispanic/Latinos. In poverty stricken homes in Mexico there are not many choices for someone’s future. Education is the main attraction for immigrants who think about future purposes for their children.

With You Until The End Essay -- Oscar Wilde The Devoted Friend Essays

With You Until The End 1. The story, "The Devoted Friend", is a lesson to be learned. It shows how one can manipulate as well as how one can be manipulated. It also shows just how far some people will go for a friend. In this case, Hans gave up taking care of his garden to help a "true" friend and died doing so. Author Oscar Wilde gives good detail of the characters and sets up conflicts within the plot to emphasize on the theme, a devoted friend is one that is with you, and will do anything for you, until the very end. 2. In the opening scene of the story a few minor characters are introduced, including the narrator, the Green Linnet, a little bird with tiny wings. The narrator tells this story to a water-rat, an old rat with bright, beady eyes and stiff grey whiskers. He felt it pertained to the rat because of how critical the rat was being of the pure white mother duck that had bright red legs. All she was trying to do was teach her children, who looked like little yellow canaries, how to fit into society and the rat was making rude comments. 3. As the Linnet told the story, he told about Hans, a little man with a funny, round, good humored face. Hans had a very kind heart and was an extremely devoted friend. This was proven throughout the story in him neglecting his garden to help his dearest friend, Hugh the Miller. The Miller was a big man who was fairly well off, he had a hundred sacks of flour, six cows, and a flock of sheep. He took great advantage of Hans because Hans believed they were best friends and the Miller often reminded him of that. The Miller used guilt to manipulate Hans into doing whatever he needed done, without ever returning the favor. 4. The tone throughout the story is ... ...t have Hans doing things for him, he was taking from Hans’ garden his most beautiful flowers and best fruits. 10. The second most obvious conflict in the story was Thought versus Action. Hans was always thinking how much attention his garden needed and by helping the Miller he would be neglecting his garden, yet he always did exactly what the Miller asked of him without hesitation. The Miller also knew exactly how to manipulate Hans by using guilt, and he put that into action every time he needed something done for him. 11. "The Devoted Friend" was a perfect example of how much friendship means to some and how little it means to others. It showed how easy it was to manipulate others and be manipulated by others. But, the most important thing it showed was just how far a person would go to help a friend even though it means sacrificing many things.

We Should Allow Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)

Over the last thirty years the United States has been faced with the problem of dependence on foreign countries for oil and the tight control that these exercise on the energy policies and economics of America. Many of these instances include: the oil embargos of the 1970s, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, and the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in 2001. Since the 1970s, one solution offered to reduce our nation's dependence on foreign countries for oil has been opening up drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Proponents say that drilling in ANWR would make the United States more self-sufficient in the area of energy, while at the same time not doing excessive damage to the environment of the area. Opponents of drilling in ANWR cite the environmental problems of off-shore drilling and maintain that this land should be left alone and allowed to stand as an environmental wonder. Given that some environmental groups do not mind allowing technology to i nvade the environment when it profits them and given the threats of global terror and the ever-increasing dependence our nation has on foreign oil, I believe it is in the best interests of the United States to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil drilling.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before stating both sides of the argument, I would like to make two observations that I found interesting while researching from the book, Taking Sides. The first thing that I found interesting was that in an environmental science class and in an environmental science textbook, the two articles used to present the pros and cons of opening up oil drilling in ANWR were not written by environmentalists or scientists or even oil technology experts, but rather by an economist, a physicist and a lawyer. The second thing that ran through my head as I was reading both articles was the time at which both were written. ?To Drill or Not to Drill: Let the Environmentalist Decide,? written by Dwight R. Lee, a professor of economics, and ?Fools Gold in Alaska,? written by physicist Amory B. Lovins and lawyer L. Hunter Lovins, were both written in the months prior to the September eleventh terrorist attacks in the United States and the subsequent United States invasion of both A fghanistan and Iraq. As I read both articles, especially that of the Lovins, which opposes oil drilling in ANWR, I could not help but wonder if ... ... we may see a serious act in the near future to start the process of drilling. With a solid combination and profitability factor the U.S. could prevent the rising gasoline prices. We need to however, continue our search for other alternatives do to our limited resource of oil. For this reason, I am in favor of opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling and also the exploration of alternative fuel sources, as well as ways to conserve fuel. This combination should provide the United States with an energy policy that is both financially stable and environmentally sound.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Works Cited Cunningham, William P. Cunningham, Mary Ann and Saigo, Barbara. Environmental Science, A Global Concern. McGraw-Hill. New York, NY. 2005. Easton, Thomas A. and Goldfarb, Theordore D. Taking Sides. McGraw-Hill/Dushkin. Guilford, Connecticut. 2004. Hayek, F.A. Individualism and Economic Order. The University of Chicago Press. Chicago and London. 1948. Lee, Dwight R. ?To Drill or Not to Drill: Let the Environmentalists Decide.? The Independent Review. Fall 2001. Lovins, Amory B and Lovins, L. Hunter. ?Fool's Gold in Alaska.? Foreign Affairs. July/August 2001.

Piano Industry, Prp

Porter Five Forces: The piano industry. Threat of substitute products or services: LOW A portable keyboard can be regarded as a substitute but those interested in buying a piano are interested in superior sound, better performance, good looks and elegance. The keyboard has none of these. It is complicated to sell a piano and move it in order to put a keyboard. Threat of new competition: MEDIUM-LOW The capital investment in a piano factory is very high. The market already is filled with competitors that dominate the global market. Brand recognition is also a hard asset to aquire in the piano industry. Pianos are a luxury product that could make an entrant suffer a lot in the even of an economic downturn. Other local Chinese piano manufacturers could potentially become significant competition. Bargaining power of customers: HIGH A piano is a high end product with many different brand offerings. Customers have a large bargaining power driving the margins down. PRP has made this clear by driving prices down by offering a good product at a better price. Bargaining power of suppliers: LOW The suppliers hold no proprietary materials that the piano makers require. Most of the materials are commodity products such as wood and those that are more developed like keys are becoming easier to manufacture in house due to the drop in ease and cost of the machinery required to do so. Intensity of competitive rivalry: HIGH The entrance of companies such as PRP is evidence of the incredibly competitive market the piano industry is. New drastic tactics and strategies like sponsored players that can only use their products in their performances or manufacturing outside their usual territories into asian sites also shows the competitive nature of the business.