Persuasive Essay On Cyber Bullying - 925 Words

the World Wide Mind and to be able to use it to sense others only when the individual is willing. This would reserve the right to privacy that every individual has. As society hits a golden age of technology, everything is going digital. Classes could be taken online. There s no more need for people to go into the classroom. Paper copies are a good back up source but most people save a draft onto different sources instead. With everything becoming accessible by the computer, crime is evolving. Children went from bullying other kids at the playground to cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is the sending and taunting of other via the Internet. More advanced levels of cyber crime continue to rise. Cyber bullying is considered to be one of the†¦show more content†¦This contagious form of transferable anger could lead to an evolution of crime. When one’s whereabouts are always known, criminals could literally sense out those who are alone and vulnerable. They would be able to sneak up and harm their victims in whichever way they felt like. Though with the complete alertness of the World Wide Mind, the perpetrator could be found easily, it would not stop the fact that committing crimes were made easier. In addition to this, a different form of crime would rise. In the 21st century, the beginning of hacking computers has started. I believe that with the invention of the World Wide Mind, hackers won t just be able to hack into a system, but they would be able to hack into a human mind. Who knows what type of damage the criminals could do. They could potentially control the person’s brain and at the worst, send a virus via the World Wide Mind that acts as a plague infecting and potentially killing those who have the World Wide Mind installed into their brains. The police are trying to find a way to combat the ri se of cyber criminals by turning to events such as hackathons (Police Turn to Hackathons as Crime Fighting Goes Digital). Hackathons are â€Å"collaborative events for developing technology – to come up with new ways of searching for clues within the terabytes of data that many people produce every year†(Police Turn to Hackathons as Crime Fighting Goes Digital). Though the program has just begun, perhaps by the time that theShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay On Cyber Bullying1623 Words   |  7 PagesThe Real Issue Bullying is no longer the big guy making a third grader give him his lunch money. In order to fully comprehend the word cyberbullying, one must understand that the definition goes into more depth than saying, kids are being mean to one another behind a phone/computer screen. With how rapidly our world is evolving, cyberbullying will not simply go away. Since being bullied online follows victims home, they have nowhere to feel safe anymore, and that can lead to obtaining mental,Read MorePersuasive Essay On Cyber Bullying719 Words   |  3 PagesTeens who are bullied often experience negative physical and mental health issues, which I faced in elementary school up until my first year of high school. As a six-year-old, I never imagined I would be a victim of bullying. I confronted tough obstacles, but for the most part, I was able to subdue these trials, and now I have grown to be the strong-willed individual I am today. It emerged in an after school program where I was ridiculed because of the clothes I wore or how my mom decided to styleRead MorePersuasive Essay On Cyber Bullying1453 Words   |  6 PagesTake a Stand Against Cyber-bullying Imagine someone you love and care about is being bullied and no one took a stand in defending or uplifting them. This horrific form of bullying takes place all around the nation through the use of cellphones, computers, and social media, that generates fear and doubt among individuals that do not have the confidence to speak up for themselves. School officials should take a stand for kids who are victims of cyber-bullying and for those who are too frightened toRead MorePersuasive Essay On Cyber Bullying754 Words   |  4 Pagesnow does not emphasize enough how critical bullying has now become. Throughout the past several years many kids have been bullied. Over 3.2 million students are victims of bullying each year, and it’s sad to say that 1 in 10 students drop out of school because of repeated bullying. Even if the statistics might be low it still doesn’t mean that it is not a serious problem that needs to be addressed in better ways. First off, how critical do we take bullying? According to CDC suicide is the third leadingRead MorePersuasive Essay On Cyber Bullying747 Words   |  3 Pagesthat students should not be limited to what they have to say online because it does not affect most students and teachers, it’s not very disruptive, and free speech is a sacred right. Though bullying is a big problem in the world today, it does not affect most students or teachers. The percentage of bullying amongst students isn’t very high. Girls are more likely to be bullied. 25% of girls reported being a victim of cyberbullying and 17% of boys reported being cyberbullied (Document A). Though cyberbullyingRead MoreEssay on should students be allowed to use cell phones in school1043 Words   |  5 PagesVernon School Room 218 Persuasive Essay / Cellular Telephone Cell Phones: Many American youth now have cell phones that they carry with them everywhere .Should cell phones be allowed at school ?Many teachers and students claim that phones are distracting while many parents and students insist that phones are necessary. Write a persuasive essay explaining your position on the issue. Although not everybody would agree,Read MorePersuasive Essay873 Words   |  4 PagesEvan Bennett November 4, 2010 Persuasive Essay Gay discrimination is a major problem that affects individuals all across the country. The Defense of Marriage Act needs to be repealed. First, the Defense against Marriage Act will be explained and then why it needs to be repealed, then the effects the law has on society. The federal government needs to give same sex couples the same health benefits that heterosexual couples receive. Currently, the government offers employees benefits such as healthRead MoreThe Cause and Effect Essay (Report)2046 Words   |  9 Pagesrequirement in Teaching Writing Submitted by: Constantino, Jen Marini M. Darasin, Eunice C. III-9 BSE English Submitted to: Prof. Ali Anudin February 8, 2013 CAUSE AND EFFECT ESSAY Definition Cause and effect essay explores why things happen (cause) and what happens as a result (effects). This essay gives reasons and explanations for behaviors, events, or circumstances. *Cause – a reason for an action or condition *Effect – a result or outcome * Causal chain / Domino effect - isRead MoreE Commerce : A Global Commercial Environment940 Words   |  4 Pagesenvironment excluding net servers which will incorporate vast investments. Another challenge e-commerce organizations have to deal with is the safeguarding of security or privacy on online transactions. Small firms like Thread.com are prone to cyber bullying where hackers may want to access customer data or valuable financial information. Also,the internet isn’t cheap and gaining access to it in remote areas is always an issue making it inconvenient for potential customers. The main elements

The Lost Symbol Chapter 90-92 Free Essays

CHAPTER 90 In the dim light of the Cathedral College kitchen, Langdon and Katherine stood over the pot of water and stared at the transformed capstone beneath the surface. On the side of the golden capstone, an incandescent message was glowing. Langdon read the shining text, scarcely able to believe his eyes. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lost Symbol Chapter 90-92 or any similar topic only for you Order Now He knew the pyramid was rumored to reveal a specific location . . . but he had never imagined that the location would be quite this specific. Eight Franklin Square â€Å"A street address,† he whispered, stunned. Katherine looked equally amazed. â€Å"I don’t know what’s there, do you?† Langdon shook his head. He knew Franklin Square was one of the older sections of Washington, but he wasn’t familiar with the address. He looked at the tip of the capstone, and read downward, taking in the entire text. The secret hides within The Order Eight Franklin Square Is there some kind of Order on Franklin Square? Is there a building that hides the opening to a deep spiral staircase? Whether or not there was actually something buried at that address, Langdon had no idea. The important issue at this point was that he and Katherine had deciphered the pyramid and now possessed the information required to negotiate Peter’s release. And not a moment too soon. The glowing arms on Langdon’s Mickey Mouse watch indicated that they had less than ten minutes to spare. â€Å"Make the call,† Katherine said, motioning to a phone on the wall in the kitchen. â€Å"Now!† The sudden arrival of this moment startled Langdon, and he found himself hesitating. â€Å"Are we sure about this?† â€Å"I most certainly am.† â€Å"I’m not telling him anything until we know Peter is safe.† â€Å"Of course not. You remember the number, right?† Langdon nodded and made his way over to the kitchen phone. He lifted the receiver and dialed the man’s cell-phone number. Katherine came over and placed her head next to his so she could listen in. As the line began to ring, Langdon prepared himself for the eerie whisper of the man who had tricked him earlier tonight. Finally, the call connected. There was no greeting, though. No voice. Only the sound of breathing at the other end. Langdon waited and then finally spoke. â€Å"I have the information you want, but if you want it, you’ll have to give us Peter.† â€Å"Who is this?† a woman’s voice replied. Langdon jumped. â€Å"Robert Langdon,† he said reflexively. â€Å"Who are you?† For an instant he thought he must have dialed incorrectly. â€Å"Your name is Langdon?† The woman sounded surprised. â€Å"There’s someone here asking for you.† What? â€Å"I’m sorry, who is this?† â€Å"Officer Paige Montgomery with Preferred Security.† Her voice seemed shaky. â€Å"Maybe you can help us with this. About an hour ago, my partner responded to a 911 call in Kalorama Heights . . . a possible hostage situation. I lost all contact with her, and so I called backup and came to check the residence. We found my partner dead in the backyard. The home owner was gone, and so we broke in. A cell phone was ringing on the hall table, and I–† â€Å"You’re inside?† Langdon demanded. â€Å"Yes, and the 911 tip . . . was a good one,† the woman stammered. â€Å"Sorry if I sound rattled, but my partner’s dead, and we found a man being held here against his will. He’s in bad shape, and we’re working on him now. He’s been asking for two people–one named Langdon and one named Katherine.† â€Å"That’s my brother!† Katherine blurted into the receiver, pressing her head closer to Langdon’s. â€Å"I made the 911 call! Is he okay?!† â€Å"Actually, ma’am, he’s . . .† The woman’s voice cracked. â€Å"He’s in bad shape. He’s missing his right hand . . .† â€Å"Please,† Katherine urged. â€Å"I want to talk to him!† â€Å"They’re working on him at the moment. He’s in and out of consciousness. If you’re anywhere in the area, you should get over here. He obviously wants to see you.† â€Å"We’re about six minutes away!† Katherine said. â€Å"Then I suggest you hurry.† There was a muffled noise in the background, and the woman then returned to the line. â€Å"Sorry, it looks like I’m needed. I’ll speak to you when you arrive.† The line went dead. CHAPTER 91 Inside Cathedral College, Langdon and Katherine bounded up the basement stairs and hurried down a darkened hallway looking for a front exit. No longer did they hear the sounds of helicopter blades overhead, and Langdon felt hopeful they could slip out unseen and find their way up to Kalorama Heights to see Peter. They found him. He’s alive. Thirty seconds earlier, when they’d hung up with the female security guard, Katherine had hurriedly hoisted the steaming pyramid and capstone out of the water. The pyramid was still dripping when she lowered it into Langdon’s leather bag. Now he could feel the heat radiating through the leather. Excitement over Peter’s discovery had temporarily trumped any further reflection on the capstone’s glowing message–Eight Franklin Square– but there would be time for that once they got to Peter. As they rounded the corner at the top of the stairs, Katherine stopped short and pointed into a sitting room across the hall. Through the bay window, Langdon could see a sleek black helicopter sitting silent on the lawn. A lone pilot stood beside it, facing away from them and talking on his radio. There was also a black Escalade with tinted windows parked nearby. Staying in the shadows, Langdon and Katherine moved into the sitting room, and peered out the window to see if they could see the rest of the field team. Thankfully, the huge lawn outside the National Cathedral was empty. â€Å"They must be inside the cathedral,† Langdon said. â€Å"They’re not,† a deep voice said behind them. Langdon and Katherine wheeled around to see who had spoken. In the doorway of the sitting room, two black-clad figures aimed laser-sighted rifles at them. Langdon could see a glowing red dot dancing on his chest. â€Å"Nice to see you again, Professor,† said a familiar raspy voice. The agents parted, and the tiny form of Director Sato sliced effortlessly through, crossing the sitting room and stopping directly in front of Langdon. â€Å"You’ve made some exceedingly poor choices tonight.† â€Å"The police found Peter Solomon,† Langdon declared forcefully. â€Å"He’s in bad shape, but he’ll live. It’s over.† If Sato was surprised Peter had been found, she did not show it. Her eyes were unflinching as she walked to Langdon and stopped only inches away. â€Å"Professor, I can assure you, this is nowhere near over. And if the police are now involved, it has only become more serious. As I told you earlier this evening, this is an extremely delicate situation. You never should have run away with that pyramid.† â€Å"Ma’am,† Katherine blurted, â€Å"I need to see my brother. You can have the pyramid, but you must let–â€Å" â€Å"I must?† Sato demanded, spinning to Katherine. â€Å"Ms. Solomon, I assume?† She stared at Katherine with fire in her eyes and then turned back to Langdon. â€Å"Put the leather bag on the table.† Langdon glanced down at the pair of laser sights on his chest. He set the leather bag on the coffee table. An agent approached cautiously, unzipped the bag, and pulled the two sides apart. A little puff of trapped steam billowed up out of the bag. He aimed his light inside, stared for a long, puzzled moment, and then nodded to Sato. Sato walked over and peered into the bag. The wet pyramid and capstone glistened in the beam of the flashlight. Sato crouched down, looking very closely at the golden capstone, which Langdon realized she had only seen in X-ray. â€Å"The inscription,† Sato demanded. â€Å"Does it mean anything to you? `The secret hides within The Order’?† â€Å"We’re not sure, ma’am.† â€Å"Why is the pyramid steaming hot?† â€Å"We submerged it in boiling water,† Katherine said without hesitation. â€Å"It was part of the process of deciphering the code. We’ll tell you everything, but please let us go see my brother. He’s been through–â€Å" â€Å"You boiled the pyramid?† Sato demanded. â€Å"Turn off the flashlight,† Katherine said. â€Å"Look at the capstone. You can probably still see.† The agent flicked off his light, and Sato knelt down before the capstone. Even from where Langdon was standing, he could see that the text on the capstone was still glowing slightly. â€Å"Eight Franklin Square?† Sato said, sounding amazed. â€Å"Yes, ma’am. That text was written with an incandescent lacquer or something. The thirty-third degree was actually–â€Å" â€Å"And the address?† Sato demanded. â€Å"Is this what this guy wants?† â€Å"Yes,† Langdon said. â€Å"He believes the pyramid is a map that will tell him the location of a great treasure–the key to unlocking the Ancient Mysteries.† Sato looked again at the capstone, her expression one of disbelief. â€Å"Tell me,† she said, fear creeping into her voice, â€Å"have you contacted this man yet? Have you already given him this address?† â€Å"We tried.† Langdon explained what had happened when they called the man’s cell phone. Sato listened, running her tongue over her yellow teeth as he spoke. Despite looking ready to erupt with anger over the situation, she turned to one of her agents and spoke in a restrained whisper. â€Å"Send him in. He’s in the SUV.† The agent nodded and spoke into his transceiver. â€Å"Send who in?† Langdon said. â€Å"The only person who has any hope of fixing the goddamn mess you made!† â€Å"What mess?† Langdon fired back. â€Å"Now that Peter is safe, everything is–â€Å" â€Å"For Christ’s sake!† Sato exploded. â€Å"This is not about Peter! I tried to tell you that at the Capitol Building, Professor, but you chose to work against me rather than with me! Now you’ve made an ungodly mess! When you destroyed your cell phone, which, by the way, we were tracking, you cut off your communication with this man. And this address you uncovered–whatever the hell it is–this address was our one chance to catch this lunatic. I needed you to play his game, to provide him with this address so we would know where the hell to catch him!† Before Langdon could reply, Sato directed the remainder of her wrath at Katherine. â€Å"And you, Ms. Solomon! You knew where this maniac lived? Why didn’t you tell me? You sent a rent-a-cop to this man’s house? Don’t you see you’ve ruined any chance we had of catching him there? I’m glad your brother is safe, but let me tell you this, we are facing a crisis tonight whose ramifications far outreach your family. They will be felt all around the world. The man who took your brother has enormous power, and we need to catch him immediately.† As she finished her tirade, the tall, elegant silhouette of Warren Bellamy emerged from the shadows and stepped into the sitting room. He looked rumpled, bruised, and shaken . . . like he’d been through hell. â€Å"Warren!† Langdon stood up. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"No,† he replied. â€Å"Not really.† â€Å"Did you hear? Peter is safe!† Bellamy nodded, looking dazed, as if nothing mattered anymore. â€Å"Yes, I just heard your conversation. I’m glad.† â€Å"Warren, what the hell is going on?† Sato intervened. â€Å"You boys can catch up in a minute. Right now, Mr. Bellamy is going to reach out to this lunatic and communicate with him. Just like he’s been doing all night.† Langdon felt lost. â€Å"Bellamy hasn’t been communicating with this guy tonight! This guy doesn’t even know Bellamy is involved!† Sato turned to Bellamy and raised her eyebrows. Bellamy sighed. â€Å"Robert, I’m afraid I haven’t been entirely honest with you this evening.† Langdon could only stare. â€Å"I thought I was doing the right thing . . .† Bellamy said, looking frightened. â€Å"Well,† Sato said, â€Å"now you will do the right thing . . . and we’d all better pray to God it works.† As if to substantiate Sato’s portentous tone, the mantel clock began chiming the hour. Sato took out a Ziploc bag of items and tossed it to Bellamy. â€Å"Here’s your stuff. Does your cell phone take photos?† â€Å"Yes, ma’am.† â€Å"Good. Hold up the capstone.† The message Mal’akh had just received was from his contact–Warren Bellamy–the Mason he had sent to the Capitol Building earlier tonight to assist Robert Langdon. Bellamy, like Langdon, wanted Peter Solomon back alive and had assured Mal’akh he would help Langdon acquire and decipher the pyramid. All night, Mal’akh had been receiving e-mail updates, which had been automatically forwarded to his cell phone. This should be interesting, Mal’akh thought, opening the message. From: Warren Bellamy got separated from langdon but finally have info you demanded. proof attached. call for missing piece. –wb –one attachment (jpeg)– Call for missing piece? Mal’akh wondered, opening the attachment. The attachment was a photo. When Mal’akh saw it, he gasped out loud, and he could feel his heart start pounding with excitement. He was looking at a close-up of a tiny golden pyramid. The legendary capstone! The ornate engraving on the face carried a promising message: The secret hides within The Order. Beneath the inscription, Mal’akh now saw something that stunned him. The capstone seemed to be glowing. In disbelief, he stared at the faintly radiant text and realized that the legend was literally true: The Masonic Pyramid transforms itself to reveal its secret to the worthy. How this magical transformation had occurred, Mal’akh had no idea, and he didn’t care. The glowing text was clearly pointing to a specific location in D.C., exactly as prophesied. Franklin Square. Unfortunately, the photo of the capstone also included Warren Bellamy’s index finger, which was strategically positioned on the capstone to block out a critical piece of information. The secret hides within The Order Franklin Square Call for missing piece. Mal’akh now understood Bellamy’s meaning. The Architect of the Capitol had been cooperative all night, but now he had chosen to play a very dangerous game. CHAPTER 92 Beneath the watchful gaze of several armed CIA agents, Langdon, Katherine, and Bellamy waited with Sato in the Cathedral College sitting room. On the coffee table before them, Langdon’s leather bag was still open, the golden capstone peeking out the top. The words Eight Franklin Square had now faded away, leaving no evidence that they had ever existed. Katherine had pleaded with Sato to let her go see her brother, but Sato had simply shaken her head, eyes fixed on Bellamy’s cell phone. It sat on the coffee table and had yet to ring. Why didn’t Bellamy just tell me the truth? Langdon wondered. Apparently, the Architect had been in contact with Peter’s captor all night, reassuring him that Langdon was making progress deciphering the pyramid. It was a bluff, an attempt to buy time for Peter. In fact, Bellamy was doing all he could to interfere with anyone who threatened to unveil the pyramid’s secret. Now, however, it seemed that Bellamy had switched sides. He and Sato were now prepared to risk the pyramid’s secret in hopes of catching this man. â€Å"Take your hands off me!† shouted an elderly voice in the hall. â€Å"I’m blind, not inept! I know my way through the college!† Dean Galloway was still protesting loudly as a CIA agent manhandled him into the sitting room and forced him into one of the chairs. â€Å"Who’s here?† Galloway demanded, his blank eyes staring dead ahead. â€Å"It sounds like a lot of you. How many do you need to detain an old man? Really now!† â€Å"There are seven of us,† Sato declared. â€Å"Including Robert Langdon, Katherine Solomon, and your Masonic brother Warren Bellamy.† Galloway slumped, all his bluster gone. â€Å"We’re okay,† Langdon said. â€Å"And we just heard that Peter is safe. He’s in bad shape, but the police are with him.† â€Å"Thank heavens,† Galloway said. â€Å"And the–â€Å" A loud rattling caused everyone in the room to jump. It was Bellamy’s cell phone vibrating against the coffee table. Everyone fell silent. â€Å"Okay, Mr. Bellamy,† Sato said. â€Å"Don’t blow it. You know the stakes.† Bellamy took a deep breath and exhaled. Then he reached down and pressed the speakerphone button to connect the call. â€Å"Bellamy here,† he said, speaking loudly toward the phone on the coffee table. The voice that crackled back through the speaker was familiar, an airy whisper. It sounded like he was calling from a hands-free speakerphone inside a car. â€Å"It’s past midnight, Mr. Bellamy. I was about to put Peter out of his misery.† There was an uneasy silence in the room. â€Å"Let me talk to him.† â€Å"Impossible,† the man replied. â€Å"We’re driving. He’s tied up in the trunk.† Langdon and Katherine exchanged looks and then began shaking their heads at everyone. He’s bluffing! He no longer has Peter! Sato motioned for Bellamy to keep pressing. â€Å"I want proof that Peter’s alive,† Bellamy said. â€Å"I’m not giving you the rest of–â€Å" â€Å"Your Worshipful Master needs a doctor. Don’t waste time with negotiations. Tell me the street number on Franklin Square, and I’ll bring Peter to you there.† â€Å"I told you, I want–â€Å" â€Å"Now!† the man exploded. â€Å"Or I will pull over and Peter Solomon dies this instant!† â€Å"You listen to me,† Bellamy said forcefully. â€Å"If you want the rest of the address, you’ll play by my rules. Meet me at Franklin Square. Once you deliver Peter alive, I’ll tell you the number of the building.† â€Å"How do I know you won’t bring the authorities?† â€Å"Because I can’t risk double-crossing you. Peter’s life is not the only card you hold. I know what’s really at stake tonight.† â€Å"You do realize,† the man on the phone said, â€Å"that if I sense so much as a hint of anyone other than you at Franklin Square, I will keep driving, and you will never find even a trace of Peter Solomon. And of course . . . that will be the least of your worries.† â€Å"I’ll come alone,† Bellamy replied somberly. â€Å"When you turn over Peter, I’ll give you everything you need.† â€Å"Center of the square,† the man said. â€Å"It will take me at least twenty minutes to get there. I suggest you wait for me as long as it takes.† The line went dead. Instantly, the room sprang to life. Sato began shouting orders. Several field agents grabbed their radios and headed for the door. â€Å"Move! Move!† In the chaos, Langdon looked to Bellamy for some kind of explanation as to what was actually going on tonight, but the older man was already being hurried out the door. â€Å"I need to see my brother!† Katherine shouted. â€Å"You have to let us go!† Sato walked over to Katherine. â€Å"I don’t have to do anything, Ms. Solomon. Is that clear?† Katherine stood her ground and looked desperately into Sato’s small eyes. â€Å"Ms. Solomon, my top priority is apprehending the man at Franklin Square, and you will sit here with one of my men until I accomplish that task. Then, and only then, will we deal with your brother.† â€Å"You’re missing the point,† Katherine said. â€Å"I know exactly where this man lives! It’s literally five minutes up the road in Kalorama Heights, and there will be evidence there that will help you! Besides, you said you want to keep this quiet. Who knows what Peter will start telling the authorities once he’s stabilized.† Sato pursed her lips, apparently registering Katherine’s point. Outside, the chopper blades began winding up. Sato frowned and then turned to one of her men. â€Å"Hartmann, you take the Escalade. Transport Ms. Solomon and Mr. Langdon to Kalorama Heights. Peter Solomon is not to speak to anyone. Is that understood?† â€Å"Yes, ma’am,† the agent said. â€Å"Call me when you get there. Tell me what you find. And don’t let these two out of your sight.† Agent Hartmann gave a quick nod, pulled out the Escalade keys, and headed for the door. Katherine was right behind him. Sato turned to Langdon. â€Å"I’ll see you shortly, Professor. I know you think I’m the enemy, but I can assure you that’s not the case. Get to Peter at once. This isn’t over yet.† Off to one side of Langdon, Dean Galloway was sitting quietly at the coffee table. His hands had found the stone pyramid, which was still sitting in Langdon’s open leather bag on the table in front of him. The old man was running his hands over the stone’s warm surface. Langdon said, â€Å"Father, are you coming to see Peter?† â€Å"I’d just slow you down.† Galloway removed his hands from the bag and zipped it up around the pyramid. â€Å"I’ll stay right here and pray for Peter’s recovery. We can all speak later. But when you show Peter the pyramid, would you please tell him something for me?† â€Å"Of course.† Langdon hoisted the bag onto his shoulder. â€Å"Tell him this.† Galloway cleared his throat. â€Å"The Masonic Pyramid has always kept her secret . . . sincerely.† â€Å"I don’t understand.† The old man winked. â€Å"Just tell Peter that. He will understand.† With that, Dean Galloway bowed his head and began praying. Perplexed, Langdon left him there and hurried outside. Katherine was already in the front seat of the SUV giving the agent directions. Langdon climbed in back and had barely closed the door before the giant vehicle was rocketing across the lawn, racing northward to Kalorama Heights. How to cite The Lost Symbol Chapter 90-92, Essay examples

The Day I Met Destiny free essay sample

I remember the day I met Destiny. It was a Saturday, about two summers ago. It was an official street block association stoop-selling-event day, in fact. My family and I were new to the Downtown Brooklyn neighborhood, but we were fairly familiar with the concept of gathering old junk from inside the house to display out on the curb for sale. I am used to keeping very busy with reading, writing and studying almost all of the time. I was skeptical that morning to spend valuable hours sitting in front of my house to make what I knew would be a profit of about 25 cents. But my family convinced me it would be fun for us to do together, so I collected all my old clothes that no longer fit, books I’d read enough times, funny little trinkets I suspected nobody would buy, and I trekked down the stairs and set up. We will write a custom essay sample on The Day I Met Destiny or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Destiny was five going on six that sticky summer. I was sitting in a folding chair sort of anxiously, displaying my array of old used things when Destiny stomped on over to me with more attitude than I’d ever seen up close. She was tiny but shockingly loud, brown, four feet tall, with a bright pink pout on her face. As she fiercely tossed her long brown pony tail all around, that little girl made very sure that I well understood— she was â€Å"Destiny! Your next door neighbor!† Destiny and I made an agreement to be friends that day. Destiny is part of a very large family next door from mine that my family refers to as â€Å"The Stoops†. Whereas perching on ones stoop for nearly the whole day is usually specific to a stoop selling event for most people in my neighborhood, for â€Å"The Stoops†, it is without a doubt, a definitely large part of every day. I’ve grown increasingly fascinated with these people since the day we moved in next door to them. I often watch them from my window on evenings when I momentarily tear myself apart from my studies. I marvel at the way they so casually relax for hours and hours just sitting on that stoop together, about ten of them at a time – mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, cousins, babies, the young, and the old. When Destiny Stoop is not at school, she is on her stoop, or playing somewhere nearby it. Since the day we met, I have not been able to walk up the block to my front door without being hug-attacked by this sassy little girl. She races to me when she sees me coming up the block, yelling â€Å"Emily!† and jumps into my arms as if she hasn’t seen me in years, when it’s really only been a day, or even an hour. She always insists that before I head upstairs I must give a try at the hopscotch game she’s just chalked onto the sidewalk, or listen to her perform the latest song she has made up, or watch how fast she can zoom down the block on her scooter. Though I sometimes worry about wasting my precious study time, I simply cannot ever say no to her. I do as she says, and take a few minutes just to hang out. I admit this greeting I receive from Destiny and the time we spend together is honestly one of my favorite parts of every day. Though it is hard for me to i magine myself ever being laid back as my neighbors to simply sit and hang out for hours on this chunk of soft Brooklyn concrete the way they do, the time I spend with Destiny each day, makes me feel so perfectly connected to these people and their relaxed way of life. It may have only been a few minutes each day that I have spent with her in the past few years, but this little girl has helped me to understand the true beauty of all this â€Å"stoop sitting.† I know from her, that it is not the time spent with our books, but spent leisurely with our family, friends, and neighbors, that we really do gain the most. Most of all, Destiny has truly taught me that wherever I go, it is of so much importance that I really know and understand, just who exactly my next door neighbors are.

Teenagers and Students Essay Example

Teenagers and Students Essay People in this group are young children that are still at compulsory education which means they will not need any big loans from bank to pay off any expenses e.g. University fees, although their parents might want to set up a savings account for them for when they grow up. Their parents and guardians will also support them so they should be responsible for any of their financial needs. Teenagers and Students (17-22) Teenagers and students from the age of 17 to 22 are quite different from the school age youth. This is because they are no longer at compulsory education and their financial needs have increased so their parents or guardians may support them less financially, because they will be expected to get a job. This means they will need to open a bank account so that when they do get in to the world of work their salary can be paid directly to the account. There are lots of financial services available to teenagers and students e.g. credit cards, but they might not be open to all of the major credit card companies e.g. (Master card, Visa, American express) because they do not have any credit history so they will need to start off with a student credit card. We will write a custom essay sample on Teenagers and Students specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Teenagers and Students specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Teenagers and Students specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Some people in this group will be finishing 6th form / college and be looking to go University and take their education to a next level but this in not cheap so they may need a bank loan to pay for the University fees. Post-education / pre-families (23-30) People in this group are young adults that have just finished university and looking to start a family. So this means that their financial needs will be quite great. This is because people in this group will be paying off student loans for their university fees. They might also want to get a mortgage to buy a house just to start off a family. The parents may perhaps open up a bank account to start saving for their childrens future university fees. Established families (40-50) Established families will be still paying off their mortgages and other financial debts. Parents in this stage will still be at work to keep on supporting their family financially. Their kids will be close to the time of leaving their house so there parents will be saving money for their kids university fees, if they decide to go on to further education. In addition they might also want to start thinking about starting life insurance Mature household (50-60) People in the mature household sector are at the stage of their life where there children will be moving out of the house and going on to further education at university, this means that the parents may be saving for their childrens university fees. At this time of their life they should have paid off or be close to paying off their mortgages and financial debts, but this all depends on how high their income is. Parents in this life stage will be thinking about life insurance so they will need to pay money in to their life insurance. Retired pensioners (60+) At this stage of their life they should have paid off their mortgages and other financial services. Pensioners are at a stage in their life where they do not have any big financial responsibilities. They will only be paying for personal needs E.g. clothes and food. This is because at this time of their life their children will be definitely moved out of the house. Pensioners are being supported financial by the government. Task 3 Introduction In task 3 I have been asked to design and create a fact sheet that explains three different banking services available to two people at different life stages, the people I am going to choose are Students and young families. Bank Services available for Students from Royal bank of Scotland and Barclays Bank Graduate current account A current account is used to hold funds for an individual. The benefit of having a current account is that it is an easy way of adding interest to the money that is in the account. Students will need a current account for many reasons, like salaries and benefits can be paid in and paying bills can be made a lot easier. This is because money can automatically put in and the bill will be automatically paid via direct debit. The account will also give interest on the balance will help their money grow. The graduate royalties account is available for 3 years and comes with an interest free overdraft up à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2000. An overdraft is a service that enables the account holder to withdraw over and above what they actually have in the account. Overdrafts are only available to people over the age of 18. This service will be appropriate for teenagers because it is flexibility on those occasions when you might need to spend before your money is paid in. This is also a preparation for teenagers to handle loans and credit cards because it is the banks money they are handling on a small scale. Student Credit from The royal Bank of Scotland A credit card allows customers to purchase goods on credit. This means that the customer will not have to pay for the good at the time of the transaction. The banks loans the customer money by a credit card. This loan is interest free for a short period time (after which the APR is usually quite high). The student Credit Card is designed for student life. It is a big breakthrough for students when they need all their essential needs. Food, clothes and books. When you add up all the expenses of student living it comes at a big price. On the student credit card there is up to 56 days interest free credit and this should come as good news (if the customer pays the balance in full and one time and have paid the previous months balance in full and on time) If not the interest rates will apply. The card is very flexible because it can be managed online from a computer or MAC to check balances etc. Graduate loan from Barclays Bank A loan is when a bank lends a customer money for a long term period. Interest rates vary depending on the sum of money taken out and the time taken to pay it back The graduate loan from Barclays bank is designed for students at university that are reaching their peek at university and getting ready to graduate. At this point in their life they are not really financial blessed so the graduate loan will help the individual settle down in their new life. The customer can borrow up à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10,000 and can apply for repayment terms up to 60 months so this is really good and flexible for the individual. Fixed interest rates so monthly repayments never change. Loan Amount Representative APR Repayment Term* Monthly Repayment Total Payable à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3,000 8.4% 60 months à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½62.38 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3,742.80 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5,000 8.4% 60 months à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½103.97 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½6,238.20 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10,000 8.4% 60 months à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½207.93 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12,475.80 Bank Services available for Young Families at HSBC First time buyer mortgage from Barclays bank A mortgage is the transfer of an interest in property (or in law the equivalent a charge) to a lender as a security for a debt usually a loan of money. While a mortgage in itself is not a debt, it is lenders security for a debt. It is a transfer of an interest in land (or the equivalent), from the owner to the mortgage lender, on the condition that this interest will be returned to the owner of the real estate when the terms of the mortgage have been satisfied or performed. In other words, the mortgage is a security for the loan that the lender makes to the borrower. The first time buyer mortgage from Barclays bank is designed for people who are looking to buy their first home. So the first time buyer mortgage is designed to make this easy for the customer. There is a 2 year fixed rate mortgage so the customer can budget better at the start of their mortgage. Mortgage Interest rate Application fee What can I borrow? Early Repayment Charge 2-year fixed rate 6.49% until 31/01/2010, then for the remaining term BBBR + 0.95% currently 6.45%. The overall cost for comparison is 6.8% APR à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½995 Up to 95% of the value of your home 3% of the balance repaid until 31/01/2010 2-year fixed rate 6.79% until 31/01/2010, then for the remaining term BBBR + 0.95% currently 6.45%. The overall cost for comparison is 6.8% APR None Up to 95% of the value of your home 3% of the balance repaid until 31/01/2010 BBBR = Barclays Bank Base Rate. Homeowner loan from Barclays bank The homeowner loan is simply made for people that own a home and need to borrow between à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5000 and à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½100,000. The payments can be paid over 25 years and the monthly outgoings could be reduced by 50% this is achieved by spreading your new loan over a longer term. By doing this, your overall interest payments will increase. Platinum Credit Card from the royal bank of Scotland The platinum credit card from the royal bank of Scotland is designed for people that are over 25 and earn more than à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½25,000 a year. This is clear the key charteristcs of an individual in the young families life stage. The customer can get 0% interest for 13 months from when they open their account and also pay 0% interest on balance transfers. Summary Box The information contained in this table summarises key product features and is not intended to replace any terms and conditions. APR Typical 13.9% APR (variable) Other Interest Rates Introductory Rate Monthly Rate Annual Rate Simple Effective Purchases 0% for 3 months 1.094% 13.128% p.a. 13.947% p.a. Balance Transfers 0% for 13 months 1.094% 13.128% p.a. 13.947% p.a. Cash Advances N/A 1.873% 22.476% p.a. 24.942% p.a. Money Transfers N/A 1.094% 13.128% p.a. 13.947% p.a. Interest Free Period Maximum 56 days for purchases if you pay your balance in full and on time, and have paid the previous months balance in full and on time no interest free period on cash advances or money transfers. Interest free period on balance transfers only applies to the introductory period. Interest Charging Information The periods over which interest is charged are as follows: From Until Purchases transaction date repaid in full Balance transfers transaction date repaid in full Cash advances transaction date repaid in full Money transfers date debited to your account repaid in full Allocation of Payments We will apply payments we receive to your account in the following order: Interest on special offers Other interest, any fee and charges Special offers Purchases and balance transfers Cash advances and money transfers See section 2(D) (b) of your Credit Card Agreement for full details. Minimum repayment Greater of 2.25% of your balance (rounded down to the nearest pound) or à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5 each month. Please note: we do not recommend that you only ever make your minimum payment. Amount of credit Minimum initial credit limit is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½300 and maximum is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½20,000. All other credit limits (including the maximum available) are subject to status. Fees No Annual Fee. Charges Cash advances (except gambling transactions) subject to a handling fee of 2.5% with a minimum of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2.50; Balance transfers subject to a fee of 2.5% (min à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5) during the first three months from account opening unless you qualify for exemption from that fee or are notified of a different fee under the terms of a special offer we make in connection with your application; Foreign exchange transactions subject to conversion fee of 2.75% (including purchase of foreign currency and travellers cheques); Copies of statements are subject to a fee of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3. Default charges Late payment and over limit fees are à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12; administration fee of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10 to process dishonoured cheque or direct debit; administration fee of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12 to return unpaid promotional cheque to prevent you going over your limit. This is the rates and fees from the platinum credit card from the rbs (http://www.rbs.co.uk/personal/credit-cards/g1/platinum.ashx#tabs=section2) Task 4 Introduction: In task 4 I have been asked to explain the distinctive features of two selected retail banking services that render them suitable for two contrasting customers. 7.9% APR typical on Barclays bank personal loan. Annual percentage rate (APR) is the simplified counterpart to the effective interest rate the borrower will pay on a loan. In many countries and jurisdictions, lenders (such as banks) are required to disclose the cost of borrowing in some standardized way as a form of consumer protection. APR is intended to make it easier to compare lenders and loan options. The APR is likely to differ from the note rate or headline rate advertised by the lender, due to the addition of other fees that may need to be included in the APR. However the APR can be found simply by asking the lender, or reading the section about APR in your contract. Typical: The typical part of the annual percentage rate means that the percentage rate may not be the same as the advertisements. The changes are made due to the position of the applicant, depending on how much dept they are in, the level of income they are having etc. People in all life stages will be looking for the lowest Annual percentage rate. 5.25% AER on e saving reward from Barclays bank. Annual Equivalent Rate is a notional rate thats generally quoted on interest paid on savings and investments. It purports to demonstrate what interest return would be if the interest was compounded and paid annually instead of monthly (or any other period). If an account pays interest more than once a year, say, for example, monthly or quarterly, then the AER is calculated by adding each interest payment to the deposit and then calculating the next interest payment, compounding the interest. Thus, on accounts where interest is paid quarterly, the AER will be slightly higher than the quoted gross rate because of the compound interest earned on the interest paid during the year[T1]. Task 5 Introduction: In task 5 I have been asked to describe two retail banking providers that might be considered appropriate to the likely financial needs of two contrasting customers. I will be explaining for is post education / pre families and established families. I will use Barclays bank and the post office Barclays bank will be appropriate for a senior student in university finishing their degree and preparing to have a family. This is because they will be looking for a retail bank to offer them a basic current account to enable them to manage their bills and other finances. People in this life stage will not want to focus on saving or investing although they might want to leave some money aside. Barclays also provides saving products. So if a senior student wants to invest or save large amounts they have a wide range of saving facilities to choose from such as long term savings plans or short term saving plans. This can be managed via online banking so it will make it very easy and save time for the customer. Barclays offers insurance products for all kind of possessions. Such as life, care, home and travel. This will be appropriate for someone in this life stage because they will have lots of important things that will need to be insured. Post office will be appropriate for people in the established family life stage this is because it is more about saving and investments. This will be good because it will help them save for the future whether it is for their children or just for the future. The post office provides the instant saver service, witch has a great rate of 3.75% AER. There is great access to their service because they have over 13000 branches across the uk. Plus over 60000 ATMs across the uk. In addition the account can be managed via online banking. The instant saver offers a double interest guarantee. The first guarantee is to pass on any rise in the bank of England base for 2 years. The second guarantee is that the customers interest rate will never be more that 1% below the bank of England base rate for the life of the account. All interest is paid in annually. The post office also provides a child trust fund. This will be very suitable for people in the established life stage because their life will be comfortable and established so the will be in a good position to want to save for the future and for their children. The child trust fund is a stake holder account. Which means it has strict standards that must be met by the government, and one of these standards is that some of the money must be invested in shares. Task 6 Introduction In this task I have been asked to describe three savings products which will be considered appropriate to the financial needs of two contrasting customers at a given life stage and the customers that I am going to do are people in mature house holds and young families. Savings Builder from Barclays bank The savings builder is for people who have at least à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10,000 to save, and wants a great rate of interest with easy access to their account via the Internet and telephone. These will be key characteristics of an adult in a mature household. Interest is calculated on the daily statement balance of the account and is payable monthly on the first working day of the month. The rates of interest depend on the account balance and whether any withdrawals have been made from the account in the previous calendar month. Where no withdrawals have been made interest is calculated at the higher range of rates applicable to the account balance. On the other hand when or more withdraws have been made the interest is calculated at the lower range of rates applicable to the account balance. So this will encourage the customer to save. The Saving builders from Barclays Bank will be appropriate for people in an established family as well. Established families should be able to have at least à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10,000 if they would like to use the service. The rates of interest depend on the account balance and whether any withdrawals have been made from the account in the previous calendar month. Where no withdrawals have been made interest is calculated at the higher range of rates applicable to the account balance. On the other hand when or more withdraws have been made the interest is calculated at the lower range of rates applicable to the account balance. So this will encourage the customer to save. Day to Day Savings Account from Barclays Bank The Day to Day savings account is designed for someone who will need immediate access to their money for unplanned expenses or special treats, which will be part of a universitys students life style. The customer doesnt have to be a regular saver and it is cheap to open with just à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1 which will be great for the customer. Plus a cash card is available allowing the customer to withdraw up to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½300. Day to Day Savings Open from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1 Maximum deposit N/A Interest rate 4.26% AER (4.18% gross pa)à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Access Instant Interest paid (frequency) Monthly Account management Branch, phone, cash card and online (if registered this for Online Banking) The day to day savings account will be appropriate for established families. This is because established families will be settled in their homes heading towards paying off their mortgage, so this means that they will be able to afford to take money out on a day to day basis. In addition believe that adults in this life stage will have unexpected things to pay for like birthdays and day to day maintenance of their child. High Interest Deposit Bond from HSBC Bonds are usually referred to as risk-free bonds, because the government can raise taxes or simply print more money to redeem the bond at maturity. Some counter examples do exist where a government has defaulted on its domestic currency debt, such as Russia in 1998 (the ruble crisis), though this is very rare. The high interest deposit bond is designed for people in the established families life stage. This is because it is designed for people who have between à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2000 and à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½50000 in savings and concerned about falling interest rates and looking to change the rate of their savings. 5.75% AER /gross. Adults living in this lifestyle will have this kind of amount in savings so it will definitely be appropriate for them. The savings can be over 1, 2 or 3 years and the interested can be added on a monthly or annual basis. Effective Date Term Net % Gross % AER % High Interest Deposit Bond Monthly interest (Fixed Rate) 01.09.08 6 months 4.29 5.37 5.50 12 months 4.48 5.60 5.75 24 months 4.10 5.13 5.25 36 months 4.10 5.13 5.25 High Interest Deposit Bond from HSBC will also be suitable for people in the teenager and student lifestyle this is because students at university or post graduate students will be looking into saving money in high interest. There are a lot of different time scales they can invest for jus to suite them, whether it is 6 months or 3 years. This will be very appropriate because it will enable them to have a lot of money saved in the bank for when they leave university and preparing to start their own family. Task 8 Introduction In this task I have been asked to describe and explain in detail two investment products that will be considered appropriate for two contrasting customers at a given life stage. This will be people in teenager and student life stage and young families. Income Bonds from National Savings and Investments. Income Bonds provide the customer with a monthly income at a competitive variable interest rate, with no risk to their capital. Income Bonds from national savings and investments will be very suitable for young families because the people in this life stage will be doing post graduate work or finishing university. It will be very helpful because the income bonds will provide them with an additional monthly income. This will enable them to help out with your household outgoings, or to contribute to a few of lifes little luxuries. It is very convenient because they can choose to withdraw money when ever they want with no notice and no penalties. Income Bonds from national savings and investments will also be very appropriate for people in the teenager and students life stage. This is because people in this life style will be provided with an additional monthly income which will be very supportive for their day to day needs. It will be able to support them if their student loan has not been activated. It will also be very helpful for when they are about to leave university and preparing to live by themselves. Interest Rates Total Investment Gross rate pa AER Under à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½25000 4.45% 4.54% à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½25,000 + 4.70% 4.80% Gross is the taxable rate of interest without the deduction of UK Income Tax. AER (Annual Equivalent Rate) is a notional rate that illustrates what the annual rate of interest would be if the interest was compounded each time it was paid. Where interest is paid annually, the quoted rate and the AER are the same. The Baby Bond CTF account from The Childrens mutual The baby bond ctf account is stakeholder account for parents to save and invest their money for their kids for the later future in the governments way. This will definitely be the key characteristics of adults in the young family life stage. So that there is a chance for more potential growth, the baby bond account will be in a share-based fund. There are risks in doing this because the value of shares can go up and down, but the baby bond account is a long-term investment of 18 years so a big amount will be made despite the continuous change in the value to the shares. The minimum amount that can be paid in to start the account is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10 so it is easy and cheap to get started, and with all other contributions there could be a potential sum of up to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1200 and that is on top of the governments addition. The childs account is increased of its value by 1.5% The baby bond ctf account will be very suitable adults in the student life stage because it will be a great step to preparing for their childrens future it is a long-term investment of 18 years so a big amount will be made despite the continuous change in the value to the shares. The minimum amount that can be paid in to start the account is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10 so it is easy and cheap to get started, and with all other contributions there could be a potential sum of up to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1200 and that is on top of the governments addition. The childs account is increased of its value by 1.5% Total amount paid in (including à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½250 voucher and à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½250 at age 7) Possible value of Baby Bond(r) Stakeholder account in 18 years time Based on 5% growth each year Based on 7% growth each year Based on 9% growth each year à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½500 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½821 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1,090 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1,440 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2,660 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3,790 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4,690 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5,840 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½25 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5,900 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½8,260 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10,100 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12,400 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½50 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½11,300 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½15,700 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½19,100 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½23,400 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½100 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½22,100 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½30,500 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½37,100 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½45,400 Task 9 Introduction In this task I have been asked to describe and explain three other financial services which might be appropriate to the likely financial needs of two contrasting customers. Income Protection from Royal Bank of Scotland Income protection is designed as a safety net to keep people financially healthy just in case of a long- term illness or accidental injury which could play havoc on peoples finances. I believe that this will be very appropriate for people in the mature household life stage. Simply because their life is moving at its peak so they will definitely need some sort of back up if something was to go wrong. It could help maintain your familys standard of living, providing a monthly income to help pay your mortgage, other debts or household bills. The plan is very flexible they can decide on how long they want their income to be paid if they are off work. It can be until any age from 50 to 65. The monthly income they receive under the plan is guaranteed until they are fit enough to back to work or until the plan end for example if they intend retirement age. Income protection will also be suitable and appropriate for people in the post education and pre families life stage. This is because they will be on the way up to starting their life on their own. So it will be vital for them to have some sort of safety net. This is because if there is no form of financial back up it will leave the individual in a very critical position. Travel Insurance from The Royal Bank Of Scotland Travel Insurance is designed to cover medical expenses, money invested in non-refundable pre- payments, and other losses that happen while travelling either within ones country, or internationally. The royal bank of Scotland will be very suitable insurance company for someone to choose because it is one of the biggest travel insurance companies in the UK so they have a big reputation to give their customers confidence in them. Travel insurance will be suitable for people in all life stages simply because everyone should be insured when they are away on holiday. But I think this will suite people in Mature households more because they will probably have the most expensive assets because they are one of the most families settled in their life. Travel insurance will be very suitable for people in post graduate and pre families life stage because people in this life stage are very active and tend to travel a lot so it will be very important for them to be insured whilst on holiday. Car Insurance from The Royal Bank Of Scotland Car insurance is insurance purchased for cars, trucks, and other vehicles. Its primary use is to provide protection against losses incurred as a result of traffic accidents and against liability that could be incurred in an accident. Car insurance from The Royal Bank Of Scotland is very good. They provide a courtesy car for the customer when there car is being repaired. If the customer has home insurance with the royal bank of Scotland they will save 15%. Although car insurance is vital for people in all life stages, this service will be very appropriate for people in mature household because of all the benefits that come with it such as the 15% discount that comes with the insurance. That is only available to people with home insurance, and that will be something that mature households will have. [T1] I do not know how to work out an example

Stem Cell Controversy essays

Stem Cell Controversy essays The history of medicine was forever changed in November of 1998 by the discovery of stem cells. Throughout medical history humans have strived to understand the many functions of the human body. From the first operation ever performed, to the sequencing of the human genome, stem cell research is the next step in modern medical science. According to the Committee on Government Reform, there has been much opposition and controversy as to whether or not the government should fund stem cell research. This, in turn, has sparked a huge political debate that is still on going today. The fact of the matter is that stem cells are the key factor to new research and technology, and can lead to revolutionary developments in curing diseases that have been killing millions for decades (House of Reps 1-3). We can only hope that our government will take the step in medical technology and research in order to better the lives of Americans. Therefore, the federal government should allow federal money to be used for research on stem cells derived from excess frozen embryos and aborted fetuses. An article on the use of fetal stem cells explains that rats and cats have recently been used in experiments that have made it possible to transplant fetal tissue into damaged spinal cords in order to improve movement. Unfortunately, this treatment has not been widely tested on humans because a large number of fetuses are required to obtain enough tissue to treat even one patient, thus causing both practical and ethical problems (quoted in Mitchell). If given both time and government support, humans will ultimately be able to be treated as well. However, the federal law has prohibited the use of tax dollars to destroy human embryos (Robinson), thus putting the U.S. at a major technological disadvantage. During Bill Clintons administration rules were adopted allowing federally funded scientists to conduct experiments on open ...

An offer can be made in oral form, written form or conduct

An offer can be made in oral form, written form or conduct Disclaimer: This work has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work produced by our Law Essay Writing Service . You can view samples of our professional work here . An offer can be made in oral form, written form or conduct Question: How is an offer terminated? Please provide examples and case law in order to support your answer. Offer, Acceptance and Consideration are the three main components to form a legally binding contract. And before any contracts are being made, there must be reasonable and proper means of communication between parties. An offer is a definite and specific promise made by the offeror to an offeree of which there is an intention to be bound on specific terms if it is accepted. An offer can be made in oral form, writing form or by conduct, noted that it should not be vague but definite. In order to terminate an offer, there are five ways to do so which will be shown below: 1. Rejection There are two forms of rejection to an offer. The first form is that the offer is simply rejected by the offeree for not willing to be bound by the terms of the offer through communication, this will permanently destroy the offer. The offere e cannot change his/her mind afterwards and purport to accept the offer again. For example, Jean wanted to buy Peter’s car and offered him a price of $32,000. Peter then replied to say that $32,000 was below his expectation. In this case, Peter had rejected Jean’s offer and the offer no longer existed. Therefore, Peter could not change his mind and tell Jean that it was a mistake not to accept the offer. But then he can now sell the car to Jean by making a new offer, and Jean is free to accept it, contract will therefore formed. The second form of rejection to an offer is that the offeree rejects the offer made to him/her by a counter offer. This counter offer will destroy the original offer and introduces a new offer. In this case the original offeror may accept or deny this new offer. According to Hyde v Wrench (1840), where â€Å"A†, the offeror offered to sell an estate at a price of 1000 pounds, â€Å"B†, the offeror replied that he was willing to pa y 950 pounds only. The offer was refused, but afterwards, â€Å"B† sought to accept the initial offer. It was held that the offer has already terminated by the counter offer of 950 pounds, therefore no contract could be made at the time â€Å"B† tried to accept the initial offer as it no longer existed. However, it should be noted that a mere inquiry about the terms of offer to make the bargain more favourable, while he is willing to accept the offer is not a counter offer nor rejecting the offer. This principle lied in Stevenson v. McLean (1880), where â€Å"A† offered to sell iron to â€Å"B† for cash. â€Å"B asked if they could have 4 months credit. He has no intention to reject the offer made to him. 2. Revocation The offeror is free to withdraw or revoke from an offer at anytime given that the offer has not been accepted by the offeree. Given that revocation will not be effective until it is communicated to the offeree. Communication is not necessa rily made by the offeror himself provided that the offeree has been brought to notice of the revocation through a reliable source.

What makes a great leader in the public sector Essay

What makes a great leader in the public sector - Essay Example This paper focuses on the aspects as well as the attributes that distinguishes a great leader from other sorts of leaders. Leadership can be either formal or informal but both involve getting things done. However, the two leaderships apply different strategies to ensure the set goals are met. Formal leadership relies on ones position in an organization and involves using the mandate apportioned to get things done. Informal leadership on the other hand involves an individual volunteering to offer services or under requisition from those who approve of their leading potential (Shafritz and Russell 371). In this leadership, the leaders apply their charisma to win over people after which they are able to influence them to do things. Whether formal or informal, the task of a leader is to form, preserve, and improve a grouping of people such that they are in a position to realize their goals. Excellent leaders are those who can equally employ both formal and informal leadership. Such leaders are capable of mobilising people as well as exercising prescribed authority if in management positions (Shafritz and Ru ssell 372). A good example of a great leader who will forever remain in the minds of many is President Franklin Roosevelt. Even after contracting polio, Roosevelt retained his great capabilities such that he was able to lead America through the Great Depression of 1930 as well triumph in the Second World War. This is because he had the competence of both a leader and was good in management. He was intelligent, focused, and concerned more on the results other than the exact mean of attaining them. It was out of his desire to give the best even in his health condition that he committed himself to establishing policies that enabled the victory of capitalism (Shafritz and Russell 371). There are a number of different sources of power. Expert power is one where the leader is recognized as being competent in a certain speciality. Legitimate power is based on

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 59

Marketing - Essay Example This was a great experience because I was able to master my customers and the products they preferred best and disliked most. Marketing intermediary refers to the involvement of a retailer or a wholesaler in the flow of goods to the consumer. This is the marketing channel that I have been involved in whereby I am a distributor of mineral water for a certain company in our local state (McCalley pp.6-92). Marketing channels solve logistical problems in availing goods to the consumer. This is because they facilitate physical distribution and sorting of goods. Moreover, they also offer facilitative advantages in that they may source of vital information relevant to a business about competition, channel members and customers. . It is also a great experience to research how customers respond to a new product in the distribution business and the grocery shop currently run by mum. These channels are of great benefit to intermediaries in terms of finance since goods can be sold and purchased on credit and financed as they are being sold. In my distributorship business I always encountered financial problems, but courtesy of receiving goods with a 30 days credit payment terms I remained in business Moreover they are opportunities for business to promote their products and companies by offering discounts, advertisement, gifts and after sale services. In several occasions I had to provide discounts to my customers and I realized that with that customers always bought more because products were a little bit cheaper. Most businesses do make profits through giving rewards to their customers as they gain competitive advantage. Marketing channels offers a chance for organization to contact and understand their customers’ needs which goes a long way in facilitating matching supply and demand. Matching the demand and the supply of products leads to efficiency and effectiveness of

An Educational Article for the 21st century Essay Example for Free

An Educational Article for the 21st century Essay Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Bill Tweddell and Philippine education officials opened recently the Assessment, Curriculum and Technology Research Centre (ACTRC). Located at the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Education building in Diliman, Quezon City, the facility will focus on research in support of the Philippines’ implementation of the K to 12 program, which is covered by a law recently signed by President Aquino. Tweddell, Education Secretary Armin Luistro, Commission on Higher Education Commissioner Cynthia Bautista, UP president Alfredo Pascual, other education officials and members of the academe attended ACTRC’s opening. The Australian government gave the P150-million grant for the establishment of the center in support of the country’s basic education reform program. ACTRC will focus on curriculum development, school assessment and the application of technology in upgrading the education system. â€Å"Australia strongly supports the Philippine government’s efforts in implementing the K to 12 program. Investing in a quality education system will provide better opportunities for all and a pathway out of poverty for the most disadvantaged,† Tweddell said in a statement. ACTRC will bring together the Philippines’ and Australia’s top research institutions—the UP College of Education and the University of Melbourne’s Assessment Research Centre— in â€Å"grounded research and evaluation activities in the areas of assessment, curriculum and technology as they relate to the implementation of the Philippine government’s K to 12 program.† Through grant-funding, the Australian Agency for International Development would support the center’s first three years of operation, the Australian embassy said. â€Å"Australia shares the Philippine government’s vision that K to 12, if implemented well, will bring the Philippines’ school system closer to international standards. The interaction of curriculum, assessment and the use of technology are important facets of a successful education program,† Tweddell said. â€Å"The curriculum is the blueprint of an education system. Assessment provides a picture of where we are in that blueprint today. Technology enables the curriculum to respond to the needs of the 21st century,† he added. K to 12 is the Aquino administration’s flagship education reform program that aims to improve the quality of Philippine high school graduates by spreading the clogged 10-year curriculum over 12 years. In essence, the program hopes to give Filipino youth longer time to learn and prepare for life after basic education, whether they hope to go on to college or find employment after graduating from high school. â€Å"The University of Melbourne and its Graduate School of Education is proud to be associated with this major initiative to inform the Philippines’ education and research communities. The center will provide an opportunity to put into practice evidence-based research outcomes through its collaborative activities with the Philippines’ Department of Education,† said Professor Field Rickards, dean of the Graduate School of Education of the University of Melbourne. UP College of Education dean Rosario Alonzo said the facility and the collaboration it allowed would help promote the professional development of the UP faculty. â€Å"This is crucial to the university’s (UP) fulfillment of its mandate as a research university,† she said. A. Summary of the Article The article discussed how the Australian Government supports the implementation of the K to 12 Program here in the Philippines. It is also written how they believe that the new curriculon that was founded by the current administration will make the Philippines educational system closer to the international standards. B. Words that I have learned from the article Academe The academic environment or community; academia. Assessment The evaluation or estimation of the nature, quality, or ability of someone or something: the assessment of educational needs. Collaboration The action of working with someone to produce or create something. Crucial Decisive or critical, esp. in the success or failure of something. Curriculum The subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college. Facets A particular aspect or feature of something. Implementation the act of accomplishing some aim or executing some order C. Ideas I have learned about the article At first i thought that K to 12 program was a bad idea, because it prolongs the years of study of students like me and making it a little much of a burden to my parents because of the added budget for the tuition but when i read articles pertaining to K to 12 implementation such as the likes of this one I simply realize that it isnt such a bad thing after all. I mean 2 years of added time is just a little sacrifice of what can be a result of a better future plus when you know that there are countries, like Australia, that are willing to support us on this kinds of program makes us a little more confident with ourselves that we can be more of a competative player in the international playfield when it comes to education. D. Comments about the article The article was really informative. For me, reading this article changed my point of view on K to 12 program and it also boosted my morale when i read the line â€Å"Australia shares the Philippine government’s vision that K to 12, if implemented well, will bring the Philippines’ school system closer to international standards.† because it gave me a heads up of what can be my potential in the future. E. Resources Site link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/412557/center-to-give-research-support-for-k-to-12#ixzz2blPK2DsX

French And English Revolution :: essays research papers

Thousands of revolutions have taken place throughout the course of the history of the world. These revolutions have changed the politics, history, and all other facets of civilization of certain groups. Most revolutions follow a basic set formula of events: a leader is overthrown, radical and extremist groups take control for a period of time, and then the government is eventually restored to it’s original state. Both the English and French Revolutions followed this basic formula with various differences along the way. The English Revolution which took place in the seventeenth century, and the French Revolution, which took place in the late eighteenth century to early nineteenth century, both share many similarities and differences with one another.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One similarity of both revolutions was the causes: financial problems. Both King Charles I and Louis XVI were experiencing debt because of financial problems left behind from previous monarchs. Both kings placed the extreme tax burdens on the already poor peasants which further angered and oppressed them. Both kings had to summon on Parliament and the Estates General to raise revenue. Both monarchs attempted to use force to maintain their power but eventually lost to the liberal people who wanted a reformed government. The extremist period of both the English and French Revolutions consisted of a semi-dictator; Cromwell in England and Robespierre in France, who set up a totalitarian military state. Lastly, both the English and French had to carry out two attempts at establishing a constitutional monarchy in order to finally have a stable, lasting government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In both the English and French Revolutions the monarch was the establishment being revolted against. In the English revolution it was more of the Parliament rebelling against the monarchy whereas in the French Revolution the peasants were the strongest and most motivated factors for change. In both revolutions the legislative body issued some form of a declaration for basic human rights. In England, however, their Bill of Rights was issued at the end of the revolution, while France’s Declaration of the Rights of Man was issued at the beginning of the revolution. Religion was in issue at different times in both the English and French Revolutions. The English Revolution did not incorporate any large territorial expansion and there was barely any outside interference during the Revolutionary period.

James Baldwin: On What it’s Really Like Essay

In James Baldwin’s â€Å"A Stranger in the Village† and â€Å"Sonny’s Blues,† our eyes are opened to the struggles of African Americans in the 1950’s. Baldwin writes about the struggles with identity, social acceptance, and racial discrimination. It is apparent that Baldwin has a very strong opinion behind the reasoning for these three struggles and he elaborates on each throughout these two stories. Through bringing these themes to life, he helps us to have a closer glimpse of what it was like to be like him. First and foremost, Baldwin’s writings deal with the overwhelming sense of identity, or the search for identity. In â€Å"A Stranger in the Village,† he states, â€Å"At the root of the American Negro problem is the necessity of the American white man to find a way of living with the Negro in order to be able to live with himself. † (pg. 1712) In this statement, Baldwin is commenting on the search for identity through the idea of what white people need to live with themselves. The black Americans can only find identity once the white man figures out how to live with them having one. He goes on to say, â€Å"†¦the white man’s motive was the protection of his identity; the black man was motivated by the need to establish an identity. † (pg. 1712) Because black Americans have had to endure so much struggle and decades of anonymity through the time fo slavery, at this point, they are starting from the ground up to find out who they are as a people and as a community. Even further, they must find out who they are as a people and as a community, and how that fits into the white society surrounding them. In â€Å"Sonny’s Blues,† we read about more of a personal identity struggle, rather than a racial identity struggle as a pair of brother try to find out who they are and what the mean to each other. Sonny is a heroin addict who only feels complete when he is surrounded by music. His older brother, the narrator, a teacher, does not understand this, and constantly tries to get Sonny to figure out what it is he wants out of life. This is a common struggle between family members who live very opposite lives. As we watch the narrator struggle to help Sonny find his identity, he never really reveals his own, other than his identity being that of a caretaker for his brother. All along, even though he is seen as a complete mess with no direction, Sonny is the one who has a strong sense of identity. It isn’t until the end of the story, that the narrator can finally see his brother for who he really is. Sonny identifies with the music, and the lifestyle it exudes. He is comfortable in his own skin when he is surrounded by the music. â€Å"Sonny’s fingers filled the air with life. His life. † (pg. 1749) Secondly, Baldwin tackles the theme of social acceptance in both pieces. In â€Å"A Stranger in the Village,† Baldwin is living in Chartres, Switzerland, a small mountain town where he can be completely removed from the noise and chaos of Harlem or Paris, and he can just write. When he walks through the small town, he knows that he is the first and only black person most of these people have ever seen. However, he is greeted very differently that in America. As he walks down the street, â€Å"The children who shout ‘Neger! have no way of knowing the echoes this sound raises in me. † (pg. 1707) Such a word that comes with a supremely negative and threatening connotation in the U. S. is simply a word spoken by children who see a man different from themselves and are intrigued. Baldwin is seen as more of a side show act, or an exotic creature to the people of Chartres. They are fascinated by his difference from them, but do not seem to be threatened or disgusted. The biggest example of social acceptance from â€Å"A Stranger in the Village† would be the image of Baldwin playing with the local children on a nice day. To see a grown black man playing with small white children in the United States at this time would not be tolerated. In some parts of the country it would absolutely result in jail time, violence, or even death. In Chartres, the children play freely with Baldwin as their parents look on. It is both socially accepted and celebrated. It is amazing to see the difference in perspective through a difference of history. America’s past dictates its present. In â€Å"Sonny’s Blues,† the biggest theme of social acceptance comes with Sonny’s chosen lifestyle and profession. As he struggles with a heroin addiction, he also struggles to make a life for himself through his music. There is a stigma placed on artists that they are lazy, irresponsible people who don’t want to go out and get a â€Å"real job. † This is definitely a stigma placed on Sonny by not only society, but his brother as well. â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† is a piece that teaches us to celebrate those who want to live creatively, and to recognize their importance in our society. Lastly, as with most of Baldwin’s pieces, we are forced to look at the theme of racial discrimination. In â€Å"A Stranger in the Village,† Baldwin speaks of rage. He says, â€Å"Rage can only with difficulty, and never entirely, be brought under the domination of the intelligence and is therefore not susceptible to any arguments whatever. † (pg. 1708) he says that the rage and resentment the black man has for the white man is something that can never completely go away, and that there are two ways to deal with it. â€Å"†¦either rob the white man of the jewel of his naivete, or else to make it cost him dear. † (pg. 1708) In Chartres, Baldwin is approached by children who want to see if the color on his skin will rub off. When they realize it doesn’t, they are fascinated by this person who is so different than them. At the very same time, in America, it is a well-known fact that the color of your skin will not rub off and that it will dictate every part of your life. In certain states it will tell you where you can eat, where you sit, who you can buy from, and where you can go to school. In â€Å"Sonny’s Blues,† the suffering that the narrator finally sees his brother going through as a struggling musician and addict, can be mirrored to the suffering of black people in America. He reads of Sonny’s arrest in the subway where Baldwin writes â€Å"I stared at it (the article of Sonny’s arrest) in the swinging lights of the subway car, and in the faces and bodies of the people, and in my own face, trapped in the darkness which roared outside. † (1728) This can be read literally, as it is very dark outside a running subway car, but also metaphorically, seeing the â€Å"darkness which roared outside† as the darkness and suffering black people would face on a daily basis, struggling to get through life in a white dominated society. In conclusion, Baldwin writes about real life experiences as well as fictional experiences that come to the same conclusions. His writings hold a mirror up to the society in which he lived in and gave insight to the troubles, and also the triumphs of the human race. He exposed 1950’s America for what it really was, and showed us 1950’s Europe, which had a very different opinion on people such as himself. He gives us perspective on the life he lead and the lives led be those surrounding him, ultimately giving us a greater understanding of our own history, white or black.

Identifying Key Factors for New Product Success

Identifying key factors for new product success It is well known for us that new product development is always the key for companies’ success or even survival. And the new products don’t need to be the totally new products, companies can just make some improvements, improve customers’ experience, or exchange a new color, shape to bring to customers new satisfaction and benefit. Then customers will not be tired of something, and customers are always the focus of marketing.But new product development process is not a simple process. It is a very complex process needs many correlative departments such as marketing, designing, developing, and manufacturing departments work together. What’s more, a new product takes a high risk, because nobody can guarantee that this is going to be sold well. It is very important to follow a scientific development process, this can reduce the risk as much as we can. At the beginning, we need some ideas, some kinds of inspiratio n.When customers have some new needs or new technology is invented, there could be an opportunity for company’s new products. These ideas may also come from one of employees, competitor’s new product, or government’s new policy. In other word, the opportunity maybe in everywhere, whenever we think customers need something new, we can develop a new product. Second, the company needs to estimate and analyze those ideas, compare with them by each advantages or disadvantages. And then choose the most hopeful one from many ideas.Try to find a potential profitable project. And the way to pick it is building a model that can measure technology advantage, marketing attraction and earning power. A good opinion is a kind of right direction, can lead the following process. Third, since we got the idea, I think it’s time to set a market strategy before the deign part. We need to analyze the target market, see what are the size, structure and behavior, and what the le vel that customers need it, the frequency of Purchase.Describe who would be the potential customers, and then set the cost based on it, and the general price strategy, promotion strategy, marketing budget, and the possible product mix for the new product. Fourth part is design and testing part, the reason why I put them together is that I think after a fail testing, the prototype always need to be redesigned. And before the final product, there always be lots of testing and redesign job to do to transfer the idea to a real valuable product. It can also be called the key of the entire new product development process.Fifth, when the new product is ready, all tested by engineers and employees. It’s time to be introduced to market. However, sometimes we need to do the Test Marketing, this is a real final testing, and the testers are customers. In general, company would choose a small place, like a small town, and try to sell the new products to those customers, and analyze the fe edback. Then market department can adjust its market strategy based on the feedback. The test marketing always lasts several months, or can be one year.After the final test, the new product can be introduced to the whole market. This is a scientific way to develop a new product. But as I said before, nobody can guarantee that this is going to be successful, even if it did a great job in test market. But what reasons cause a fail product? I think one of those reasons is fail to estimate the true potential of the market, if exaggerating the market potential, in which can bring some very serious problems like over-investment, over-manufacture, and product backlog.Another reason to fail could be the wrong design. Design part is the key of the whole development process, because customer is the key of market. If the design of new product can not satisfy customers’ need, the product would be fail, no question about it. Company would lose market share. But if company set a wrong pric e level, higher than the value of product, or made to much high cost, the profit would go down. A product can’t create profit would be fail too. And some people may not notice that a good promotion helps the new product a lot.A good and impressed promotion process can really fly a product, on the other hand, a awful promotion process can be a disaster for a new product. In short, developing a new product is a required process for a company. A new product’s success in market may indicate corporation’s bright future. But new products mean high risk, we need to do everything to do to reduce the risk. Like following the scientific development process, try to get the key need of customers. And a very important one, company needs to have self-confidence for the new product.

Competitive Strategies Apple and Microsoft

Competitive Strategies Apple and Microsoft Introduction Apple Inc. was initially referred to as Apple Computer, Inc. It is a global corporation from America and engages in personal computers, computer software, and consumer electronics.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Competitive Strategies: Apple and Microsoft specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Steve Jobs established the company in 1976. According to the Fortune Magazine, Apple was United States’ most admirable company in 2008. Beginning from 2008 to 2012, Apple was the world’s most admirable company. Microsoft deals with the sale of personal computers and software. Differences between Corporate Culture in Apple and Microsoft The key difference in the corporate culture practised at Microsoft and Apple is secrecy. Apple’s fans rely on the company’s rumour sites for speculations regarding the launch of novel products. Apple hardly displays its products before they are ready f or shipping. On the contrary, Microsoft provides sneak product previews long before the products are launched. This is partially as a result of the corporate culture at Microsoft. In addition, the company has a wide array of enterprise customers and vendors who require arranging software appraisal ideas. Apple invests in an exceptionally hardnosed corporate culture. This is a mystery that all global business executives desire to comprehend (O’Regan, 2012). The culture is founded on the concept that employees with a self- drive deliver more as opposed to cases where there are managers at every department. The organizational structure at the company was almost unpopular and purposed at allowing people working in the fields to make decisions. Apple is admired for its delightful but intricate technologies. However, it is worth noting that the company’s environment is termed as unforgiving and brutal. In regard to this, there is a strict adherence to accountability, swift d ecisions, and perfect articulation of communication. Every meeting is guided by an action list and every employee knows their supervisor. The weekly meetings aim at promoting a responsible culture.Advertising Looking for research paper on computer science? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) offers technical references that can be used by developers. In addition, articles from the company’s magazines are also available. Individuals and companies are offered subscriptions by the MSDN. Expensive subscriptions allow access to beta software versions (Lee Yu, 2004). In 2004, the company initiated a community site, which was meant for users and developers. The site was referred to as Channel9 and it offered an internet debate and wiki. The On10.net site offers daily video casts in addition to other services. Helpful individuals can be selected by the company’s employees or peers for the MVP (Microsoft Most Valuable Professional) status. People in this group possess a unique social status and can receive awards and benefits. At Microsoft, the phrase â€Å"eating our own dog food† refers to the policy of utilising beta versions and preleases when testing products in real circumstances. The company’s hiring process is exceptionally unique and imitated by other companies, which dub it as the â€Å"Microsoft interview.† The company is marked as notorious for denying the H1B visas that permitted US companies to recruit particular foreign workers (Jones, 2010). Microsoft argues that employing foreign workers at lower salaries will result to unemployment among the US citizens. Ways in which each unique culture ensures positive competition In the case of Apple, a culturally responsible workplace ensures that employees enjoy their roles. In addition, every employee knows who should address their issues. As such, employees possess an excepti onally high level of self- drive. Consequently, this increases every employee’s output. This is a factor that promotes positive competition. Employees at Apple value their company, offer diverse ideas on novel technologies and developments, and advise on how to curb competition. This ensures that the company produces unique products and uses unique marketing strategies, which enlarges the company’s market share (Flamholtz, 1995). On the other hand, Microsoft hugely invests in the opinions and ideas from funs, customers, and employees. As stated earlier, the company has several newsgroups and online debate sites where various individuals can offer their opinions. Through this, the company gains innovative ideas and a wide knowledge base. Consequently, the company uses this feedback to better their products.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Competitive Strategies: Apple and Microsoft specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More How each company would thrive if the present corporate culture was changed At Apple, the employees are guided by the CEO’s authority. In this regard, it is worth noting that the two companies use different leadership styles. For instance, at Apple, the Head of Design can speak on behalf of the CEO. Design is an extremely vital priority at the company. On the contrary, Microsoft relies on negotiation. It is all about supporting individuals and companies who support their features. In my view, irrespective of the excellent negotiation skills at Microsoft, there is need for a style of leadership where the leader has the overall say. This ensures some form of control (Want, 2006). It is worth pointing out that Microsoft possesses exceptionally brilliant individuals and is extremely successful. Apple Company should retain their simplicity, specialization, and the culture of concentrating on a few accomplishments at a time. Apple should engage in restructuring strategies so as to be able to control its finances and operations, which will ensure its competitiveness. References Flamholtz, E. (1995). Managing organizational transitions: implications for corporate and human resource management. European Management Journal, 13(1), 39-51. Jones, G. R. (2010). Organizational theory, design, and change. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Lee, S. K. J., Yu, K. (2004). Corporate culture and organizational performance. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 19(4), 340-359. O’Regan, G. (2012). Technology Companies. London: Springer.Advertising Looking for research paper on computer science? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Want, J. (2006). Corporate culture: Illuminating the black hole. New York: St. Martins Press.