VAT Tax - Theory of Levying Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

VAT Tax - Theory of Levying - Essay Example The main advantage of VAT is the cascading type tax (CTT); the biggest limitation from a CTT to a VAT is the ability of an increase in inflation. A book, The Modern VAT was published in 2001 by the International Monetary Fund and it defines VAT as "A broad-based tax levied on commodity sales up to and including, at least, the manufacturing stage, with systematic offsetting of tax charged on commodities purchased as inputs -- except perhaps on capital goods -- against that due on outputs." India and the US, two of the worlds democracies, don't have VAT system because the idea behind the VAT is system is a tax to end all taxes, but other countries that have VAT don't levy entry or luxury duty. If the prices of stock transfer goods increase then the impact of the VAT system would be, the "Denial of tax credit in respect of inter-state stock transfers will prejudice investment in less developed states or states with relatively small 'internal' markets." Then every state government with the VAT system would have a draft law that wouldn't allow VAT already paid off elsewhere. Tax experts now state that the price of consumer goods is increasing by 15-20%. The ministry of finance and state admin of tax posted a notice about the increase on electronically products in 1998, which caused the VAT to increase from 9% to 11%. The VAT rate for textiles is 15%, for the sale/import of most goods is 17%, and 13% for vegetable oil, natural gas, and chemical fertilizer. An organization that makes taxable goods have 7% tax (inclusive of government taxes), this is the majority of businesses. Some goods have a 0% VAT, in this case the supplies does not collect the tax, but can put a recovery on its input tax. Some 0% VAT items are: Exported goods Services provided in locally but used overseas Services of international transportation by air and sea. Ministry, Department, Local Government or public enterprises sales Sale of goods and services to the United Nation Sale of goods and services from one warehouse or enterprise to another. The taxpayers net tax is calculated and the beginning of each month that credits the amount of VAT paid on inventories, capital goods or raw materials that were for sale or in the process of consumption during the on the versus the total amount of VAT due on for the goods or services in the same months. (Input Tax vs. Output Tax). What are VAT exemptions There are 10 categories that are excluded of the VAT tax, but keep in mind that a trader under any of these exemptions can't use input tax credits. Some exemptions are as follows: small entrepreneurs, unprocessed farm products (fertilizer, pesticides etc), newspapers, magazines, textbooks, domestic and international transport, health and educational and medical services, libraries and museum services, religious services and charity Tax Invoice The VAT-payers have to issue tax invoices to show the details of the value of goods sold. An invoice is necessary because it is evidence of input tax for the taxpayers that buy goods. A tax invoice consists of: An obvious mention of 'TAX INVOICE' on the paper the name, address, and tax identification number of the issuer;and the purchaser The serial numbers of the tax invoice and the tax invoice book the type, category, quantity, and value of the goods or serv

Outside Speech Assignment Essay Example for Free

Outside Speech Assignment Essay After I watched the speech which was gave by Bill Gates in June 08, 2007 on the Harvard commencement, I felt more interesting in Bill Gates. According to the information offered by woopidoo. com, we can find the Biography of Bill Gates, which said, â€Å"Bill Gates is one of the most influential people in the world. He is cofounder of one of the most recognized brands in the computer industry with nearly every desk top computer using at least one software program from Microsoft. Bill Gates is the richest man in the world and has held the number one position for many years. Gates was born and grew up in Seattle, Washington USA. His father, William H. Gates II was a Seattle attorney and his mother, Mary Maxwell Gates was a school teacher and chairperson of the United Way charity. Gates and his two sisters had a comfortable upbringing, with Gates being able to attend the exclusive secondary Lakeside School. Bill Gates started studying at Harvard University in 1973 where he spent time with Paul Allen. Gates and Allen worked on a version of the programming language BASIC, which was the basis for the MITS Altair (the first microcomputer available). He did not go on to graduate from Harvard University as he left in his junior year to start what was to become the largest computer software company in the world; Microsoft Corporation. † 30 years later since Gates left Harvard; Gates came back to Harvard and gave a speech to those students who were graduated from Harvard. The reason why Bill Gates gave this speech is that he wanted to deliver what he had thought about a successful person should do to the world after graduated from school. His topics were appropriate for the audience, because the audience were all students who graduated from Harvard. Also, his topics were appropriate for the occasion, because it was Harvard commencement Day. For the general purpose of this speech, it was the special occasion speech, because this speech was a presentation that highlights a special event. The special event was the Harvard commencement. For the mode of delivery for this speech, I think it should be the manuscript mode, because during Bill Gates were giving the speech; he looked down on the speech table. Bill Gates used his voice effectively. He adjusted his rate very well. He did not speak very fast so that everyone there can get what he said. Also, he used pause for effect, such as when he said, Ive been waiting more than 30 years to say this: Dad, I always told you Id come back and get my degree. † Between â€Å"to say this† and â€Å"Dad† he used a pause, so that audience would think about what would he going to say. And it made the speech more interesting. Also, he used duration for attention, pitch for expression, volume for emphasis, enunciation for clarity and fluency for fluidity during his speech. He spoke clearly and smoothly, so that everyone could understand what he was talking about. Bill Gates used eye contact to hold audience attention, because he would look at audience usually, not kept reading his manuscript all the time. He did not use facial expression a lot, but audience still could see him smiling sometimes. Thus, for the delivery part, I think Bill Gates did very well. He gave the speech by using a manuscript; however, he gave the speech without kept reading the manuscript all the time. He used voice to get audiences’ attention; he used eye contact to kept audiences’ attention. And everything he talked was clear and smooth. For the speech organization, Bill Gates used a very good attention getter by saying, â€Å"Ive been waiting more than 30 years to say this: Dad, I always told you Id come back and get my degree. I want to thank Harvard for this timely honor. Ill be changing my job next year†¦and it will be nice to finally have a college degree on my resume. But I also want to be recognized as the guy who got Steve Ballmer to drop out of business school. Im a bad influence. Thats why I was invited to speak at your graduation. If I had spoken at your orientation, fewer of you might be here today. I applaud the graduates today for taking a much more direct route to your degrees. For my part, Im just happy that the Crimson has called me Harvards most successful dropout. I guess that makes me valedictorian of my own special class†¦I did the best of everyone who failed. † These were part of the manuscript I found from networkworld. com. After his introduction, he began to recall his school life when he was studying in the Harvard. By telling his story, he told audience how he began his business. After his business, he talked about what he had thought about during the 30 years. Then, his main point came out: â€Å"In your years here, I hope youve had a chance to think about howin this age of accelerating technologywe can finally take on these inequities, and we can solve them. † Then, Bill Gates gave an example for the inequities: there were millions of children were dying from poverty and disease. Then, Gates started talked about how to help these children from dying, â€Å"If we can find approaches that meet the needs of the poor in ways that generate profits for business and votes for politicians, we will have found a sustainable way to reduce inequity in the world. This task is open-ended. It can never be finished. But a conscious effort to answer this challenge will change the world. We can make market forces work better for the poor if we can develop a more creative capitalism? If we can stretch the reach of market forces so that more people can make a profit, or at least make a living, serving people who are suffering from the worst inequities. We also can press governments around the world to spend taxpayer money in ways that better reflect the values of the people who pay the taxes. At the last, he gave the conclusion by calling action, â€Å"Knowing what you know, how could you not? And I hope you will come back here to Harvard 30 years from now and reflect on what you have done with your talent and your energy. I hope you will judge yourselves not on your professional accomplishments alone, but also on how well you have addressed the world’s deepest inequities †¦ on how well you treated people a world away who have nothing in common with you but their humanity. † I think the organization of Bill’s speech was very good, because everything was included and nothing was unnecessary. For the materials to support the speech, Bill Gates used the AIDS as an example, â€Å"The broad goal, of course, is to end the disease. The highest-leverage approach is prevention. The ideal technology would be a vaccine that gives lifetime immunity with a single dose. So governments, drug companies, and foundations fund vaccine research. But their work is likely to take more than a decade, so in the meantime, we have to work with what we have in handand the best prevention approach we have now is getting people to avoid risky behavior. Pursuing that goal starts the four-step cycle again. This is the pattern. The crucial thing is to never stop thinking and workingand never do what we did with malaria and tuberculosis in the 20th centurywhich is to surrender to complexity and quit. The final stepafter seeing the problem and finding an approachis to measure the impact of your work and share your successes and failures so that others learn from your efforts. † This example told people how to help those people who were suffering from disease. Also it told people to solve the problem when they met. The audiences were responded lively. When Bill Gates stood on the stage, all the people stood and began to clap. When Bill Gates used humor to deliver his points, audiences would laugh or clap. When Bill Gates was talking, the audience would be silence. It showed that the speech was interesting and meaningful that they would like to listen. Also, they showed the respect to the people who were the richest one in the world. After I watched the video, I think Bill Gates did very well on his speech. He gave an interesting and meaningful speech to people. He let people laugh; at the same time, he let people think.

The Resource Based View Of Wal Mart Management Essay

The Resource Based View Of Wal Mart Management Essay The broad marketing environment of an organisation consists of the intra-organisational interactions amongst its internal factors, as also the external, diverse and inter-related environmental factors that are referred to as the external macro-environment (Lancaster Reynolds, 2001). Michael Porters diamond model states that whilst criteria like location, land, labour and magnitude of local population are conventionally considered to be influential in shaping competitive advantage, the real competitive national advantages are obtained by factors like strategy, organisational structure, business rivalries and competition, and related ancillary industries (Proctor, 2002). Hofstede, in his study of international cultures found that cultures comprise of rituals, values, symbols and heroes and that the bedrock of cultural differences between organisational culture flowed from five dimensions of national culture, (Hofstede, 2001), namely (a) power distance, (b) Uncertainty avoidance, (c) individualism, (d) long-term orientation and (e) masculinity (Vinken, Soeters, Ester, 2004). The larger macro environment, widely referred to as the PESTEL analytical framework, concerns political, economic, societal, technological, environmental and legal factors, whose analysis helps in scrutinising and pinpointing the influence of such environmental forces on organisations (Gray, 1999, P 12). Ritzer (1996) concludes that whilst remonstrating and opposing McDonaldisation is potentially worthwhile, the future of added McDonaldisation appears inevitable (Alfino, Caputo, Wynyard, 1998). The resource-based view (RBV) centres into intra-industry heterogenic organisations and contends that firms are distinctive packets of resources and capabilities providing the foundation for gaining competitive advantages; it conveys that organisations should leverage these self-owned resources even in unstructured international markets (Fahy, 1996). The RBV states that competitive advantage from resources can be achieved only if such resources are precious and enable the exploitation of an external opportunity or the counteracting of a threat (Fahy, 1996). Another critical characteristic of resource is rarity, which is inherently the key to heterogeneity, i.e. competitors should not have or be able to access similar resources rendering competitive advantages (Fahy, 1996). The critical condition of imperfect or limited mobility of resource must be further satisfied; imperfect resources that render competitive advantages must not be tradable amongst competitors (Fahy, 1996). Finally, the resource should be imperfectly imitable (Barney, 1991) or as per Peteraf (1993), render several ex-post restrictions to the opposition (Fahy, 1996). Stalk, Evans and Schulman (1992) aver that Wal-Marts growth, leading to its market supremacy, vests in its unique logistics competencies, which underline the magnitude of capabilities as latent causes of competitive advantage; their cross-docking coordination system makes certain that merchandise between two loading docks is transported in not more than forty eight hours (Fahy, 1996). This has benefited Wal-Mart not only in cutting cost of sales, and thereby improving margins, by 2 to 3 percent, but also in minimising the inventory levels (Fahy, 1996), working capital cycle and interest costs. The above system is therefore, seen to be immensely beneficial in value generation through cost reduction and thereby in being a source of competitive advantage; since it satisfies all requisite criteria (Fahy, 1996). The cross-docking system is rare. As it is resource based in terms of the joint utilisation of personnel, delivery vehicles and transportation and communication systems, it satisfies the condition of imperfect mobility (Fahy, 1996). It is also enormously complicated and thus difficult for competitors to reproduce, vis-a-vis the requisite coordination and communication between vendors, distribution centres, sales depots and outlets; it is this intrinsic ability to raise high barriers to imitation that bestows Wal-Mart with competitive advantage (Fahy, 1996). The advanced management methodologies underlined by the current advances in technology now permit the availability of customised merchandise on mass scales; such mass customisation arises from the juxtaposition of dual Japanese systems of flexible manufacturing, or lean production system, and adaptable marketing systems (Yasumuro, 1993),  (Alfino, Caputo, Wynyard, 1998). Wal-Mart is being able to successfully utilise its resources and competencies in establishing sustained competitive advantage, with appropriate and combined application of Porters Diamond model with PESTEL methodologies and RBV theory, in order to cater to variable, disparate and localised merchandise preferences, desires and needs of their customers. Question 2: In May, 2006, Wal-Mart announced the sale of all its 16 South Korean stores, and shortly thereafter, in July of the same year, the sale of its German operations to Metro A.G.; after eight years of effort to try to make the businesses profitable (Depamphilis, 2009). Unlike its remarkable success in getting it right on its home turf, Wal-Mart could not adapt to the regulatory and cultural differences, as well as the strong labour unions, in Germany (Depamphilis, 2009). The intensity of the German competitors in offering very low price points across product categories and the consumers thrift and prudence was also largely underestimated by the company (Depamphilis, 2009). Various factors like (a) the German shoppers adverse perceptions regarding clerks bagging groceries, (instead of themselves, as per their habitual practice), (b) legal tussles with employees over Wal-Marts policies against employee-supervisor liaisons, (c) the companys inability to proffer extended shopping hours or to sell below cost, (because of German regulations), and (d) its inability to implement cost reductions because of strong unionism, contributed in making the companys German venture a big mistake (Depamphilis, 2009). Wal-Mart forayed into Korea with the acquisition of 4 units, in 1999, from the Metro owned Dutch chain named Macro (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010). Korea is a comparatively established market with the local Emart being the leader in the retail marketplace (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010). Emart was made an acquisition offer by Wal-Mart, which it rejected (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010). The company was also cautioned by Emart that with Korea being a localised market with very specific customer needs and wants, Wal-Marts size and its status as the largest global retailer would not be very relevant in achieving competitive advantage in the Korean marketplace (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010). Wal-Mart entered the market with a bang but could never gain prominence; after seven years it sold its stores (ironically) to Emart and exited the market (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010). In China, on the other hand, the company progressed well. Avoiding major blunders, it has been able to achieve the right mix of localisation of store formats and merchandise mix (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010). Chinas high heterogeneity, with regard to its peoples habits and wants are similar to that of any other developing economy (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010). It has laboured hard to become an esteemed retailer in China, even as it is still too early in the country to realise its full potential (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010). This is important because China and India are at the centre of Wal-Marts global ambitions for Asia (Depamphilis, 2009). Wal-Mart reckons China as a solitary large market, whereas its more successful French competitor Carrefour considers China as a cluster of regional or local markets; Wal-Mart has a centralised sourcing and distribution centre unlike Carrefour (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010). The Chinese prefer to purchase fresh poultry and meat; hence the need for local sourcing to be faster and smarter rather than being centrally sourced (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010). Wal-Mart in China assists local retailer businesses to improve their functioning and service standards in order to integrate better with the local economies (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). Its perseverance in localisation of procurement creates more job opportunities, reposes trust in local producers, and helps in sustaining local economies (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). Wal-Mart treats its Chinese vendors as partners in development. Practically 95% of the goods sold by the company are locally produced by almost 20,000 suppliers (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). Wal-Marts journey in China has been fraught with many challenges, primarily due to the American retailing methodologies followed by the organisation (Gopalkrishnan, 2009). The singular differentiator between Wal-Marts strategies and Carrefours more entrenched adjustment to the Chinese environment lies in it appreciation of and response to local culture and consumer behaviour (Gopalkrishnan, 2009). In China the company possibly needs to understand that heterogeneous Chinese shoppers would possibly be better served by decentralised operations, combined with simultaneous leveraging of its competitive advantages of low prices, quality, and technologically superior logistics (Gopalkrishnan, 2009). Working together with local partners within the regulatory framework and cultural landscape is a critical lesson that appears to have been absorbed and espoused in advancing its Chinese retail footprint (Gopalkrishnan, 2009). Wal-Mart, by exiting the German market, (post the $ 1 billion pre-tax bottom-line hit), and retreating from the Korean marketplace, conveyed to its stakeholders the lessons it learnt on (a) the importance of appreciating cultural and environmental differences in new markets and (b) the need to focus sharply on profitability and returns in its global investment and growth strategy (Workman, D., 2006). Question 3: The widely used PESTEL framework represents an analytical methodology for evaluating the milieu in which individual organisations or industries operate, work and are managed; such an analysis aids in methodically focusing upon and assessing the impact of various environmental forces, namely those that are political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, environmental and legal in nature, upon business organisations or particular industrial segments (Gray, 1999, P 12). The Wal-Mart group scrupulously operates within the political and legal frameworks in all the countries in which it operates; such a strategy can often lead to the emergence of serious challenges, as in Germany where local regulations did not permit the company to extend the weekend hours or to sell below cost (Depamphilis, 2009). The companys expansion into different nations are also dependent on local political conditions and governmental and local regulations, as illustrated by Wal-Marts unsuccessful foray in Indonesia, where it needed the support of Suhartos network to ensure continuance of operations (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010). Apart from such factors organisations have to deal with copious local laws regarding labour and welfare; other trading regulations also affect business operations and need to be complied with, by organisations, their employees and their participating associates. Ecological challenges with regard to environmental protection and use of green production methodologies also need to be diligently targeted above minimum statutory requirements and achieved; Wal-Mart projects itself as a sustainability leader and incorporates participation of all internal and external associates and partners in setting targets for fulfilment of their energy needs (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). Its environmental and green objectives are targeted to be achieved through greater use of renewable sources, encouraging use of environmentally friendly products and working towards zero waste (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). Catastrophic events and fluctuating weather patterns can also challenge operational efficiencies (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). Most global retail players have at one time or another felt the need to factor in challenges relating to country specific general economic conditions, disposable incomes of shoppers, buying patterns and preferences, cost of goods and labour, interest and currency exchange rates, customer debt levels, credit availability and history, fuel and energy prices, insurance costs, et al. (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). Economic challenges, especially in forays into matured markets, include top-line protection, sustained profitability and cash flows; these challenges assume critical proportions, not only due to the intense rivalry and competition in the retail turf, but also due to wafer thin margins and the fairly long gestation period involved in setting up just-in-time inventory and logistics, and best in class infrastructure. The socio-cultural norms of no two nations are alike. This poses immense challenges in conforming to local practices and customs and therefore requires diligent and sustained efforts in satisfying cultural needs; inadequate attention to cultural needs has led to numerous retail failures across the globe; Germany and Korea represent two cases of different cultures that Wal-Mart failed to tackle appropriately (Depamphilis, 2009). Another case in point is the heterogeneous nature of the Chinese population, which mandates local rather than centralised sourcing (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010). Diverse cultural environments prevail even within small countries, on the lines of geographical or other divisions, demanding adherence by business to disparate social and cultural norms. Retail forays into new international marketplaces need implementation of contemporary technology for combating the inherently competitive nature of the industry. Wal-Mart and other major retail players are using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology for product tagging and coding to combat the logistics challenges for procuring, moving, stacking and selling ever increasing volumes and varieties of merchandise across geographies and continents (Stoler, 2006). Additional risks that Wal-Mart could be exposed to in its global businesses could emerge from fiscal and monetary policies and inflation rates of its host countries, political, social and economic instability, adverse tax consequences, and, inter alia, difficulties in enforcing IPRs (Intellectual Property Rights) in non-US countries (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). The mitigation of these challenges and risks essentially lie in diligently adapting to local country-specific and region-specific norms and regulations and in synergising them with proprietary best-in-class expertise in technology and logistics. Such stratagems are required for the progression of glocalisation or transnational objectives and attainment of economic and sustainable growth. Question 4: The management of the Wal-Mart conglomerate employs numerous measures for evaluation of corporate performance, the chief among them being (a) total sales, (b) operating income, (c) comparable store sales, (d) diluted income per share from continuing operations, (e) return on investment and (f) free cash-flow (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). The total sales for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2010, clocked in at $ 401.2 million compared to $ 374.3 million for the previous year, registering a 7.2% growth, following a 8.6% growth in the previous 2008 fiscal (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). Such enhancement in net sales resulted from diverse acquisitions, store sales additions, and the worldwide expansion of business (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). The efficacious management and leveraging of expenses of the company can be measured by operating income, which rose by 3.95 % in fiscal 2009, against an increase of 7.1% in the previous year; this occurrence occurred primarily because of Internationals adverse impact from foreign currency conversion rates, (amounting to $ 2.3 billion) and the Sam Clubs marginal percent decrease, due to increases in operating and overhead expenses (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). Introducing new stores leads necessarily to reduction in sales of existing stores in the vicinity; as per revised capital efficiency computation methodology, the adverse approximate impact on current store sales was 1.1% and 1.5% in fiscals 2009 and 2008 respectively; this impact will abate in future due to intended reduction in opening of new stores (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). The diluted income from continuing businesses increased from $ 3.16 in fiscal 2008 to $ 3.35 per share in fiscal 2009, consequent to income enhancements, combined with repurchase of outstanding quantum of weighted average shares. The corresponding figure for fiscal 2007 was $ 2.92 diluted income per share (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). The Return on Investment (ROI), a critical measurement tool for assessment of efficiency of deployment of assets by the organisation, stood at 19.3% for fiscal 2009 and 19.6% for fiscal 2008. Some of this decrease occurred because of the investment in Chile and the settlement of workers class action lawsuits (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). Free cash flows are net cash flows made available by continuing operations for a period, less the outflows made for purchase of equipment and property during such period, and reflect the capability of organisations to engender additional cash flows from various business segments ; Wal-Marts free cash flows increased from $ 5.7 to 11.6 billion through fiscals 2008 and 2009 respectively (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). A scrutiny of the 5 year financial data reveals that organisational sales increased from $ 281.5 million in fiscal 2005 to $ 401.2 million in fiscal 2009, representing a 42.5% absolute increase (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). A further analysis of the financials reveals that overall net sales realisation per square footage increased by 1.7% from $ 428.2 to $ 435.7 between fiscals 2007 and 2009 respectively (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). It is also important to note that for the Wal-Mart US segment, (which contributed 63.7% of the overall net sales for fiscal 2009), the net sales realisation increased by 3.6% from $ 418.8 to $ 434.0 per square foot between fiscal 2007 and 2009. The average realisation per store in the US increased from $ 65.73 to $ 69.95 million, representing an increase of 6.4% over the same period (Wal-Mart Group, 2010). The above performance analysis of Wal-Marts business segments, vis-à  -vis its strategies, reveals that the group should be able to continue to successfully overcome or sidestep the challenges it must inevitably face in future, considering its worldwide span of operations in 15 diverse global territories. The companys financials reveal that the strength of its balance sheet will continue, barring major risks, to supplement its resources every year in achieving its strategic objectives for the benefit of its stakeholders. Question 5: Wal-Mart forayed into the global marketplace, with the opening of the Sams Club in Mexico, in the 1990s, to revitalise its constrained domestic sales growth; this diversification yielded immense results in terms of growth, in both revenues and earnings, especially after appropriate changes in the companys international strategy were effected in 1999 (Wal-Mart Group, 2007). The company thereafter entered, (in quick succession), Puerto Rico in 1991, Canada in 1994, Brazil and Argentina in 1995, and China in 1996 (Wal-Mart Group, 2007). The subsequent ingress into the UK through the purchase of ASDA, as well as into Japan through Seiyu, furthered its global operations (Wal-Mart Group, 2007). The first part of the companys three-pronged strategy, to unlock the value in their global business, addressed portfolio optimisation in making of correct investments, dissociating from unsuccessful investments, and growing both organically and inorganically (Wal-Mart Group, 2007). The second leg of this international strategy, according to Mitch Slape, Wal-Marts (International Business Development) Vice President, is to leverage global markets to add value through use of all of Wal-Marts resources, competencies, and associations, (Wal-Mart Group, 2007). The year 2007 saw the addition of the third dimension of their strategy, namely, to be triumphant in each of the geographical areas of operation and to have a unique position for eventual generation of value for shareholders. The company, to achieve this, continues to be fixated on the local consumer, relocate know-how, and grow the best international and local talent to enable leveraging the global scale (Wal-Mart Group, 2007). The competition amongst retail companies on the basis of local market power and local scale establishes the branding, cost composition and recall presence for the customer, in all countries; Wal-Mart hurt itself sorely whenever it did not adhere to this principle (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010). With most of the customers, to the first Mexican Wal-Mart store, commuting by buses instead of cars, the companys large Americanised parking-lot was piled up with shopping carts at the end that was closer to the bus stop (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010). The product categories and inventories stacked were attuned to American needs, e.g. golf balls for the lower income level customers (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010). Wal-Mart learnt quickly from these initial and relatively minor errors and bounced back to achieve remarkable success (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010). Bartlett and Ghoshal (1989) aver that the organisation must manage itself to realise the synergies of global assimilation and national receptiveness and learn to thrive in the global arena (Fahy, 1996). In terms of wherewithal, such a theory connotes that the organisation should depend not only on the parent organisations resources (global assimilation) or on the resources of the local company (national receptiveness) but must equally highlight both; it must also effectively ensure two-way transfer of learning between both the companies (Fahy, 1996). Although numerous authors assert the pursuit of a global strategy on the foundation of the industrys internationalisation prospects (Porter 1986; Yip, 1989), there is a divergent view that companies need to merge both the local and global dimensions; this combination is occasionally known as localisation (Main, 1989) (Fahy, 1996). Translated, the transnational solution advocates that global business players assimilate the organisational resources and competencies of both the host and the home country (Fahy, 1996). The primary and widely accepted reason for Wal-Marts success in China, as also in the other countries it has forayed into concerns its ability to, over time, acclimatise its operational, merchandising and marketing stratagems to enable their juxtaposition with the host countrys culture. The pursuit of such a transnational, or glocalisation strategy, has led to the company becoming an entrenched transnational retail player. Wal-Mart has successfully implemented its intended stratagems in growing from one international retail store in 1991 to over 3000 stores in 2007 in 13 non-US markets under 50 diverse banners; with almost 600,000 associates or employees offering goods and services to 49 million consumers every week, it has been growing at a compound rate of 24.7% per annum for the last seven years (Wal-Mart Group, 2007). Question 6: Globalisation has ensured enormous wealth creation worldwide over the last two decades. The unprotected and saturated domestic markets of business organisations have forced them to cross their national borders (Stoler, 2006); this global competition has wrought considerable internal and external benefits to businesses and societies across the world. The direct benefit of quantitative growth has profited Wal-Mart in two critical areas, the first being the considerable economies of scale that Wal-Mart has been able to garner from its worldwide buying clout and second, the benefits that have accrued to it from the exchange of ideas across its global operations (Wal-Mart Group, 2007). Wal-Marts volumes have helped it in extracting deeper discounts from all the local businesses of its multinational vendors, like Proctor Gamble, GE and Unilever; who have their own worldwide operations (Wal-Mart Group, 2007). The flow of ideas across geographies also help in the best practices of one country being imbibed in another; a case in point being the layouts of the wine departments in stores in Argentina being replicated into layouts globally (Wal-Mart Group, 2007). Technology has propelled the use of bleeding edge innovations in ensuring efficient inventory and logistics controls. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) product coding and tagging , as an alternative to bar codes, for inventory and security purposes, is already in use by large manufacturers and retailers like Wal-Mart and their worldwide vendors (Stoler, 2006). This translates into immense benefits in terms of supremely efficient global tracking, securing and movement of large volumes of merchandise containers by road, sea and air (Stoler, 2006). Wal-Marts use of its competitively advantageous cross-docking logistics system, by ensuring the movement of these tracked goods between two docking stations within forty eight hours, results in nominal inventories and substantial saving of 2 to 3 percent (Fahy, 1996). In a business where low costs and stretched margins are crucial, this system has generated substantial business values and market dominance (Fahy, 1996). The inimitable local and global synergies of bringing together people, communication systems and modes of transportation give Wal-Mart exceptional competitive advantages (Fahy, 1996). The larger implication of the use of these technologies is in facilitating and promoting, rather than in retarding, international trade through addressing of crucial anti-terrorism and security apprehensions (Stoler, 2006). The extensive use of such technologies also implies that customers will soon be able to verify radio-tagged products, know where, when and by whom they were manufactured, the physical components and chemical procedures used in manufacture, the shipment logistics, the dietetic content and , inter alia, their adherence to sustainable development manufacturing methodologies (Stoler, 2006). Such well informed shoppers should further the cause of superior retail management by buying more merchandise than they are content with (Stoler, 2006). The global commodity chain (GCC) approach of Gereffi and Korzeniewicz (1994) looks at the worldwide unification, along value and / or commodity chains, concerning consumption, distribution and production of goods (Dolan, 2004). This diagnostic tool is especially valuable in identifying the vital role that conglomerates like Wal-Mart, GAP and Nike play in managing activities in value chains (Dolan, 2004). Gereffi (1994, 1999) underlined the criticality of the so-called buyer-driven commodity chains, and argued that, in certain business sectors, the large marketers, brand-name companies, and retailers, play a central role in instituting and prodding geographically disseminated manufacturing and supplying systems, without their ownership of such systems (Dolan, 2004). The horticultural value chain pertaining to UK-Africa demonstrates numerous properties of a buyer driven commodity chain (Dolan, 2004). The supermarkets oversee the supply arrangements that cover numerous African nations and not only identify the goods but also the manners of production of such merchandise (Dolan and Humphrey, 2004) (Dolan, 2004). Such supermarkets progressively establish the manufacturing imperatives of the upstream horticultural entities and obliquely impact their assumed employment stratagems (Dolan, 2004). This enables significant and direct benefits to Wal-Mart in terms of display of disparate and locally preferred merchandise on its shelves worldwide, thereby helping it to service its customers better. Assignment 2: Individual Reflective Statement Moon (2004) avers that the stages of the reflective cycle, in the widely used Kolb cycle, (Gibbs. 1988), have been variously described by theorists as (a) the experience, (b) identification of the necessity for a resolution of an issue, (c) explanation of the issue, (d) reassessing and remembering, (e) re-evaluating affections / expressive stage, (f) processing of information and thoughts, (g) the ultimate resolution, likely transformation and action and (h) probable action. The Business Synoptic attempts to analyse, with the global retailer Wal-Mart, as the case study, the main issues of the frameworks used to garner competitive advantage in the global marketplace. The exercise helps in comparing the successful, or otherwise, entries into different foreign markets and in assessing the learning thus achieved, understanding the challenges and risks associated with such ventures, identifying the appropriate performance indicators for enabling the analysis of performance of last five years, assessing the results of such analysis vis-à  -vis the adopted strategies, examining the strategies adopted by the company, and finally deciding whether and why such strategies were and are appropriate, and how globalisation has benefited Wal-Mart. This reflective statement study draws greatly on the available literatures that cover the disparate fields of marketing management, strategic management, retail management, international business, and industrial organisation economics, as also the information available on Wal-Mart in the public domain, both on and off line. The analysis involves the use of primary and secondary information available from sources like the Wal-Mart groups website and from books, magazines, journals, the media and newspapers. Whilst the period of reference for this reflective statement commences in the 1960s, when Wal-Mart was founded, the major part of the analytical period spans from the early 1990s when Wal-Mart established its first overseas venture to the five years from 2004 to 2009, for assessment of financial performance indicators. It is also pertinent to note that adequate care has been taken in making sure that the subject matter under examination is pertinent to the issues under this analysis. During the course of this study, I have found that my reflective skills have developed, though I have sometimes skipped certain stages of the reflective cycle and have revisited them later, whilst, in other cases, I have digressed tangentially and have veered away from the current topic of study. This has, over the course of the study, enabled me to delve into the multi-faceted aspects of the diverse factors, as well as the underlying processes and policies that are involved in the management of huge conglomerates. This has also enabled me to better appreciate the humungous logistics behind the everyday retail experiences of millions of shoppers, including the author, who throng the ubiquitous worldwide superstores. During the course of one such digression, I was disheartened to learn that a multinational can also be susceptible for liabilities that can arise out of the non- compliance of its contracted associates with corporate policies on contract labour. The case study revealed the complex relationships that exist between the business environment and the tactical and strategic policies implemented in business segments, as well as the impact and relevance of such policies in staying competitive in the international marketplace. The study also presented the author with the diverse economic, environmental and social criteria that mandated the present and prospective course of action of an organisation for maintenance of its global supremacy in the retail industry. The study of the literature further clarified the importance of social and cultural influences on inter related business decisions and the resultant prosperity, market penetration and growth. The use of both quantitative and qualitative infor

Summary of The Lesson Essay -- The Lesson Literature Essays

Summary of The Lesson In this story the author tells us about a girl named Sylvia, the narrator, who lives in a very low income family. A place where school is not a priority. A place where it is more important to be strong and hard, than to read a book. This was the thought anyway, before Miss. Moore moved in. She was a school teacher who took it upon herself to teach the neighborhood kids. On one summer afternoon in particular she was going to take the kids into town on a field trip. The kids are not at all happy about this because they know it is summer break and they are not supposed to be in school in the summer. They would rather be at the pool playin’, but Miss. Moore knows that if these kids want a chance at a better life, then she better show them what is out there. The story leads to the bus ride where Miss. Moore gives money to Sylvia to give the driver a tip. Sylvia can not figure the tip, so she keeps the money thinking that she really showed Miss. Moore. She did not even admit to herself that the real reason she did not leave the tip was because she did ...

An Introspective Case Into James Joyce’s Araby Essay

He elegantly personifies the homes on North Richmond Street as â€Å"conscious of decent lives within them† which â€Å"gazed at one another with brown imperturbable faces. † And the street itself â€Å"blind† (Joyce Pg. 328). These first few lines of the short fiction tale â€Å"Araby† indicate exactly what the story entails. What desperately awaits the reader, in James Joyce’s discovering tale of a young boy who comes to terms with his repressively strict yet illusory living environment, is a true reflection of the Authors own experiences as a Dubliner. The narration is intertwined with thoughts of escapism from a forever mundane existence which lacks form and emotional freedom. Whether the transparent symbolism, which balances this reflection, is strictly of religious reference or of purely psychological creed is not the discussion at hand. In fact, it is merely a coming of age tale with a religious undertone as Joyce never disappoints to tie his perspective on religion and life into his fiction. Araby begins by describing the town of Dublin, Ireland as quite forlorn and despairing; a place that is not necessarily filled with adventure and spontaneity, as through the narrators subjective eyes. â€Å"When we met in the street the houses had grown somber†¦towards it (the sky) the lamps of the street lifted their feeble lanterns. (Joyce Pg. 328)† With key words such as â€Å"somber† and â€Å"feeble† in the first few paragraphs alone, Joyce sets up a mood for the later plot. This description shows that the boy is not too fond of his surroundings in fact, undermining them. Traditionally this fictional plot may be best described as man verse society although, while relating Araby to Joyce we come to discover it may actually be man verses himself. The boy announces â€Å"the career of our play brought us through the dark muddy lanes†¦to the back doors of the dark dripping gardens† (Joyce Pg. 328). In one line alone the word â€Å"dark† becomes repetitive. Undeniably the author wishes to describe Dublin as the least of favorable places for a child’s youth. This may set up an indication into a piece of personal reference by Joyce. The boy, whose name Joyce chooses to remain anonymous, is apparently struggling with the ommunity he resides in just as Joyce had done. This struggle may be felt on a strictly psychological level; the boy feels trapped among various characters he comes into contact with throughout his daily routine; his guardians, the school master, the drunken men, bargaining women and shop boys of the market; and the English speaking girl of the bazaar. These characters all form a negative impression on his perspective of the community. The young boy recalls â€Å"my aunt hoped it was not some freemason affair† in response to his inquiry for leave to attend the Bazaar (Joyce Pg. 30). Freemasons are members of an underground brotherhood that were thought to be of extreme adversary to the ideals of the church (Griffin). During school the boy quotes â€Å"I watched my masters face pass from amiability to sternness† describing the strict, forceful education provided in Dublin (Joyce Pg 330). This may be a simple reflection of the various foes Joyce has dealt with during his time in Ireland. For example, Richard Ellman, a famous biographer of Joyce, notes that Joyce was, at one point, a slight alcoholic and had gotten in an altercation once in a bar in St. Stephens Green (Ellman 162). He also adds that while living with a man by the man of Oliver Gogarty, he was violently threatened with a pistol (Ellman 175). For Joyce, these are only a few of some of the harsh experiences living within Dublin. On the other hand, in Araby one character seems to contrast these emotions. An older, curiously mysterious girl, the sister of a close friend Mangan, seems to intrigue him in a spellbinding way. The young boy describes his first hand experience with her â€Å"Every morning I lay on the floor in the front parlor watching her door†¦. I had never spoken to her†¦and yet her name was like a summons to all my foolish blood. (Joyce Pg. 329)† It seems the narrator is emotionally dominated by obsession. With the use of the term â€Å"foolish†, he apparently openly admits of the eventual conclusion to Araby when he realizes his befriending was merely a failed attempt at escapism. However, what sparks his interest in this specific girl is of the most riveting wonder. More importantly, what compels Joyce to construct such a romantic based use of symbolism is under more precise interrogation. He is using the romantic endeavor to figuratively illustrate the narrator’s inner struggle with society. A few indications amongst the introducing paragraphs that give clues to the narrator’s feelings are made apparent as he quotes â€Å"The blind was pulled down to within an inch of the sash so that I could not be seen. (Joyce Pg. 329)† In this line, Joyce signifies that his indifference to the Catholic culture may have been hidden as a child. â€Å"If I spoke to her, how I could tell her of my confused adoration† may show his confused feelings regarding this imbalance of emotions he experienced in Ireland (Joyce Pg 329). He intends to portray a story of youthful ignorance and naive nature, rather than a tale of heartfelt admiration. He uses this plot to represent a theme that mirrors his own conclusion of Ireland; Joyce could not absorb his own creative nature as a literary artist out of such a prosaic culture as a child. It may have lacked the necessary hunger, stimulation, and curiosity he so desperately desired. In â€Å"The Years of Bloom: James Joyce†, writer John McCourt speaks of how Joyce had a furiously tempting early relationship with the Irish Roman Catholic Church (McCourt). He adds that Joyce also had an alter ego, Stephen Dedalus, which may help illustrate this inner conflict with religion and the community. His confused, indifference can be portrayed through this alter ego as it has been through the naive journey of the young narrator in Araby. As the story of Araby eventually unfolds, we learn that the young boy is deluded by his â€Å"crush. † During his first actual encounter, he learned of her involvement with a convent, which in reality would have rendered her â€Å"off the market† but the narrator disregards this important point. His vain nature causes him to continue this obsession and transcend it into the anticipation for attending the bazaar rather than facing the reality that she has vowed to the church in becoming a Nun. In fact, this transfer of obsession only shows that the stories underlying theme is not of romance but of self-love. As one critic explains the outcome â€Å"He has come to accept as just a life in which children play in joyless streets, girls cannot attend bazaars because of convent duties, old ladies collect used stamps for pious purposes, aunts mark time as â€Å"this night of Our Lord,† and even drunken uncles cannot resist moralizing. † After a chronology of events strengthens the narrators doubt and weakens his hope on winning over Mangan’s sister; he suffers from a sense of disillusion. In reference to the concluding thoughts of the narrator, as Coulthard implies, â€Å"[most commentators] omit religion from their list of disenchanting influences and regard â€Å"anguish† as the most important word in the narrator’s climactic memory of his disillusioning boyhood experience†(Coulthard). The boy reflects â€Å"Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger† (Joyce Pg. 32). This shows that the boy has not overcome but, in a sense, matured. He has learned of his mistake and has accepted his unfortunate circumstances. It has been said that Joyce traveled back and forth from Ireland to Trieste, to Rome, and then London, then finally Zurich by 1912 never to return to Ireland again (Geheber). It seems that the Narrators change of perspective throughout the tale reflects Joyce’s contrasting alter-ego and indecisive outlook of the Irish-Roman Catholic culture illustrated by his travels. This soul psychology of naive verses wise nature portrayed by the narrator’s emotional change seems to capture a piece of Joyce that has been seen throughout his confusingly indifferent feelings with his homeland and the foes he has encountered during his life. The narrator’s feelings towards the community also become more defined after his comment on a specific book discovered in the back drawing room of his home. Perhaps one of the most theme bearing points of the story, the narrator discovers three books. The first two speak of religious tolerance. â€Å"The Abbot† and â€Å"The Devout Communicator† are two stories that directly signal highly religious views of god fearing, law abiding people of extreme holiness. These are both two topics that have been known to frustrate Joyce (Geheber). An Abbot is a â€Å"superior of an abbey of monks† (Hyperdictionary) while being Devout is to be completely devoted to a pious belief (Merriam-Webster). This â€Å"Devotion† may go uncanny regarding whether the specific belief draws enormous sacrifice to livelihood. The last book, however, draws the boy’s interest; he quotes â€Å"I liked the last best because its leaves were yellow† in reference to â€Å"The Memoirs of Vidocq† (Joyce Pg. 328). The significance to Joyce and the theme of Araby provided by this single reference is intense. As Coulthard notes, â€Å"The Memoirs of Vidocq, the autobiography of a French policeman and soldier of fortune, would have provided vicarious escape from [this Catholic discipline]† (Coulthard). Eugene Francois Vidocq was a French man of the 18th century who is described as having a â€Å"mischievous nature† causing him to be â€Å"often at odds with his parents† (Fleisher). Joyce’s use of this reference in Araby has more significance than otherwise noted by the naked eye. Vidocq can also be compared to feelings of rebellion being that he ran away from home due to deceitful acts of betrayal towards his own father. â€Å"In the company of a young woman he ran off with, he traveled to various French seaports seeking passage to the ‘New World’ (Fleisher). † In the boy’s words as he describes the book as â€Å"yellow†, we notice a sense of relation to Vidocq as comparing the shade with a sense of bitterness and melancholy towards his own family and culture. Also, in a short biographical background of Joyce in â€Å"The Norton Introduction to Literature†, we learn that James Joyce had also â€Å"eloped† with a young woman Nora very similar to Vidocq’s journey of exile (Hunter Pg. 391)(Fleisher). This is merely a self-reflection by the author, who makes a strong note of incorporating his own experiences into this piece of literature. In the tale, Joyce continues to combine his own experiences living throughout Europe. It is said that immediately after graduating from the local University, as a young adventurous man, Joyce promptly fled to Paris (Ellman)(Hunter Pg. 91). Paris has always been known as a very artsy, open minded center of creativity (Walz). Descriptions of Paris in the early 20th century may draw upon one to conclude a grippingly lucid contrast to the setting so symbolically portrayed in Araby. Joyce describes the transportation during the young boys trip to the Bazaar â€Å"I strode down Buckingham street toward the station†¦I took my seat in a third-class carriage of a deserted train† (Joyce Pg. 331). He goes on to describe the slow speed of the train as an â€Å"intolerable delay. This is a great example of the large contrast to the well known metro system of Paris at the time. There is no question that Joyce’s comparison of Paris to his indigenous Irish ascetic culture greatly influenced the context of his work. In reference to the popular surrealist culture arising in 20th century Paris one critic quotes â€Å"In addition to its better known literary and artistic origins, the French surrealist movement drew inspiration from currents of psychological anxiety and rebellion running through a shadowy side of mass culture, specifically in fantastic popular fiction and sensationalistic journalism† (Walz). Surrealism was a movement of writers and artists that used fantastic images to represent unconscious thoughts and dreams very similar to the display of symbolism used by Joyce in Araby. Additionally, this â€Å"psychological anxiety and rebellion† are exactly the underlying emotions felt by the narrator through out his journey toward realism. Although Joyce was not a true surrealist, many of the techniques revolving around these literary methods can be easily seen within his work â€Å"Ulysses† (Ellis-Christensen). In this novel, Joyce uses the idea of a â€Å"stream of consciousness†. Although, less apparent, these same methods and techniques of thought will begin to emerge among the lines of Araby, but in a much more figurative sense. â€Å"I had hardly any patience with the serious work of life which, now that it stood between me and my desire†¦Ã¢â‚¬  expresses the Narrator speaking of desire and an inner struggle with himself. These emotions by the narrator most certainly may be shared by the author as well, which initially drove him to Paris and throughout Europe as a young scholar. As Joyce tells the story through the narrators first person perspective, views on life and religion seems to become much more metaphorical than otherwise noticed upon a single reading of the text. Additionally, in â€Å"James Joyce’s Concept of the Underthough†, Michael Harding explains Joyce’s use of existential thought in many of his works. He goes on to describe how famous Philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein’s works on logic relating to ethical and religious points of view had a profound impact on Joyce (Harding). As Robert C. Solomon defines existentialism, it is â€Å"disorientation† or â€Å"Confusion† from a world based on planned identity and freeing ones mind to think from a non-conditioned perspective (Solomon). This idea of â€Å"freedom† which can be seen in the line â€Å"when the Christian Brothers’ School set the boys free† is exactly what the narrator strived for in Araby. Alone, this line summarizes Joyce’s thoughts on religion and how it intrudes on his thoughts of existentialism. Therefore, the underlying religious context of the story is only added by Joyce as a reference to illustrate a conditioned existence. As Coulthard comments â€Å"But they were â€Å"freed† into an equally grim world where not even play brought pleasure†, he shows how the entire story clarifies an entire existence of conditioning which Joyce spends many years of external influence deflecting (Coulthard). This is the basis for the theme of escapism and is directly denoted by his many years of philosophic inquiring among other European nations. The entire theme, characters, and setting within the fictional tale of Araby have a much larger than fictional significance to Joyce’s life. Each line, phrase, and reference has a greater figurative meaning that applies to his struggles throughout his confused and imbalanced maturity while in Dublin. While never sure whether to accept the Irish Roman Catholic faith and always striving for something more, Joyce reflects on himself through the narrator of Araby and essentially uses this ale as his own form of escapism. He may have seen himself as an idealist, who felt hindered and limited in his childhood endeavors. From the description of a â€Å"dark† community, to the expression of initial hopefulness, and later self deceit he provides a plot to transcend his own feelings. With the addition of a romantic, yet philosophical context, Joyce clearly shows personal attachment of his perspective on religion and life into his fiction.

The Vampire Diaries: The Fury Chapter One

Elena stepped into the clearing. Beneath her feet tatters of autumn leaves were freezing into the slush. Dusk had fallen, and although the storm was dying away the woods were getting colder. Elena didn't feel the cold. Neither did she mind the dark. Her pupils opened wide, gathering up tiny particles of light that would have been invisible to a human. She could see the two figures struggling beneath the great oak tree quite clearly. One had thick dark hair, which the wind had churned into a tumbled sea of waves. He was slightly taller than the other, and although Elena couldn't see his face she somehow knew his eyes were green. The other had a shock of dark hair as well, but his was fine and straight, almost like the pelt of an animal. His lips were drawn back from his teeth in fury, and the lounging grace of his body was gathered into a predator's crouch. His eyes were black. Elena watched them for several minutes without moving. She'd forgotten why she had come here, why she'd been pulled here by the echoes of their battle in her mind. This close the clamor of their anger and hatred and pain was almost deafening, like silent shouts coming from the fighters. They were locked in a death match. I wonder which of them will win, she thought. They were both wounded and bleeding, and the taller one's left arm hung at an unnatural angle. Still, he had just slammed the other against the gnarled trunk of an oak tree. His fury was so strong that Elena could feel and taste it as well as hear it, and she knew it was giving him impossible strength. And then Elena remembered why she had come. How could she have forgotten? He was hurt. His mind had summoned her here, battering her with shock waves of rage and pain. She had come to help him because she belonged to him. The two figures were down on the icy ground now, righting like wolves, snarling. Swiftly and silently Elena went to them. The one with the wavy hair and green eyes- Stefan, a voice in her mind whispered-was on top, fingers scrabbling at the other's throat. Anger washed through Elena, anger and protectiveness. She reached between the two of them to grab that choking hand, to pry the fingers up. It didn't occur to her that she shouldn't be strong enough to do this. She was strong enough; that was all. She threw her weight to the side, wrenching her captive away from his opponent. For good measure, she bore down hard on his wounded arm, knocking him flat on his face in the leaf-strewn slush. Then she began to choke him from behind. Her attack had taken him by surprise, but he was far from beaten. He struck back at her, his good hand fumbling for her throat. His thumb dug into her windpipe. Her attack had taken him by surprise, but he was far from beaten. He struck back at her, his good hand fumbling for her throat. His thumb dug into her windpipe. But he was stronger than she was. With a jerk of his shoulders, he broke her hold on him and twisted in her grasp, flinging her down. And then he was above her, his face contorted with animal fury. She hissed at him and went for his eyes with her nails, but he knocked her hand away. He was going to kill her. Even wounded, he was by far the stronger. His lips had drawn back to show teeth already stained with scarlet. Like a cobra, he was ready to strike. Then he stopped, hovering over her, his face changing. Elena saw the green eyes widen. The pupils, which had been contracted to vicious dots, sprang open. He was staring down at her as if truly seeing her for the first time. Why was he looking at her that way? Why didn't he just get it over with? But now the iron hand on her shoulder was releasing her. The animal snarl had disappeared, replaced by a look of bewilderment and wonder. He sat back, helping her to sit up, all the while gazing into her face. â€Å"Elena,† he whispered. His voice was cracked. â€Å"Elena, it's you.† Is that who I am? she thought. Elena? It didn't really matter. She cast a glance toward the old oak tree. He was still there, standing between the upthrust roots, panting, supporting himself against it with one hand. He was looking at her with his endlessly black eyes, his brows drawn together in a frown. Don't worry, she thought. I can take care of this one. He's stupid. Then she flung herself on the green-eyed one again. â€Å"Elena!† he cried as she knocked him backward. His good hand pushed at her shoulder, holding her up. â€Å"Elena, it's me, Stefan! Elena, look at me!† She was looking. All she could see was the exposed patch of skin at his neck. She hissed again, upper lip drawing back, showing him her teeth. He froze. She felt the shock reverberate through his body, saw his gaze shatter. His face went as white as if someone had struck him a blow in the stomach. He shook his head slightly on the muddy ground. â€Å"No,† he whispered. â€Å"Oh, no†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He seemed to be saying it to himself, as if he didn't expect her to hear him. He reached a hand toward her cheek, and she snapped at it. â€Å"Oh, Elena†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he whispered. The last traces of fury, of animal bloodlust, had disappeared from his face. His eyes were dazed and stricken and grieving. The last traces of fury, of animal bloodlust, had disappeared from his face. His eyes were dazed and stricken and grieving. He stared at her a moment, the pain in his eyes reaching a peak, and then he simply gave up. He stopped fighting completely. She could feel it happen, feel the resistance leave his body. He lay on the icy ground with scraps of oak leaves in his hair, staring up past her at the black and clouded sky. Finish it, his weary voice said in her mind. Elena hesitated for an instant. There was something about those eyes that called up memories inside her. Standing in the moonlight, sitting in an attic room†¦ But the memories were too vague. She couldn't get a grasp on them, and the effort made her dizzy and sick. And this one had to die, this green-eyed one called Stefan. Because he'd hurt him, the other one, the one Elena had been born to be with. No one could hurt him and live. She clamped her teeth into his throat and bit deep. She realized at once that she wasn't doing it quite right. She hadn't hit an artery or vein. She worried at the throat, angry at her own inexperience. It felt good to bite something, but not much blood was coming. Frustrated, she lifted up and bit again, feeling his body jerk in pain. Much better. She'd found a vein this time, but she hadn't torn it deeply enough. A little scratch like that wouldn't do. What she needed was to rip it right across, to let the rich hot blood stream out. Her victim shuddered as she worked to do this, teeth raking and gnawing. She was just feeling the flesh give way when hands pulled at her, lifting her from behind. Elena snarled without letting go of the throat. The hands were insistent though. An arm looped about her waist, fingers twined in her hair. She fought, clinging with teeth and nails to her prey. Let go of him. Leave him! The voice was sharp and commanding, like a blast from a cold wind. Elena recognized it and stopped struggling with the hands that pulled her away. As they deposited her on the ground and she looked up to see him, a name came into her mind. Damon. His name was Damon. She stared at him sulkily, resentful of being yanked away from her kill, but obedient. Stefan was sitting up, his neck red with blood. It was running onto his shirt. Elena licked her lips, feeling a throb like a hunger pang that seemed to come from every fiber of her being. She was dizzy again. â€Å"I thought,† Damon said aloud, â€Å"that you said she was dead.† He was looking at Stefan, who was even paler than before, if that was possible. That white face filled with infinite hopelessness. â€Å"Look at her† was all he said. A hand cupped Elena's chin, tilting her face up. She met Damon's narrowed dark eyes directly. Then long, slender fingers touched her lips, probing between them. Instinctively Elena tried to bite, but not very hard. Damon's finger found the sharp curve of a canine tooth, and Elena did bite now, giving it a nip like a kitten's. Damon's face was expressionless, his eyes hard. â€Å"Do you know where you are?† he said. Elena glanced around. Trees. â€Å"In the woods,† she said craftily, looking back at him. â€Å"And who is that?† She followed his pointing finger. â€Å"Stefan,† she said indifferently. â€Å"Your brother.† â€Å"And who am I? Do you know who I am?† She smiled up at him, showing him her pointed teeth. â€Å"Of course I do. You're Damon, and I love you.†

Pro Legalization of Marijuana essays

Pro Legalization of Marijuana essays In the early 1900's Americans realized that alcohol and other types of drugs popular at the time were being abused and thought it may be a good idea to criminalize their use to stop the problems that their use and abuses caused. Legislation was introduced and made into laws, outlawing alcoholic beverages on January 29th, 1920, Marijuana in 1937, cocaine, and other mind altering drugs. It took our government 13 years to admit that these laws were a total failure and reversed most of them. I think it is time to change the remaining failing prohibition laws and let the tax payers decide for themselves what to consume. I believe in the theory of legalizing freedom. I don't believe in the government protecting me from myself. For some unknown reason they decided to keep nicotine legal in the forms of cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, and snuff tobacco. Our government decided that they could create new taxes on these drugs since they may not have been aware of their dangers and habit forming tendencies. These new taxes could help pay for all the new federal government jobs that were created. Caffeine the active drug found in coffee and soft drinks was also ignored. Our government opened new federal branches of governments called The Federal Prohibition Agents and later the ATF, the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Bureau. Supply and demand have always controlled these drugs. Demand was high and the tax paying citizens were furious that a few decided for the rest that they could no longer have the freedom to consume these mind altering drugs. Alcohol was already being produced in stills in back yards around the country and occasionally someone got sick or even died from bad alcohol. Marijuana and cocaine were mostly used by either the rich or the minorities whereas alcohol was by far the drug of choice at the time. It didn't take long before ...