Friday, October 4, 2019

A Contrast and Comparison Between Two Historical Bands Essay Example for Free

A Contrast and Comparison Between Two Historical Bands Essay Both Metallica and Ozzy have suffered tragedies in regard to their band members. In March 1982, Randy Rhodes, the lead guitarist for Ozzy’s band, died in a plane crash. This was not something that anyone, let alone Ozzy, would have thought would happen. Randy was afraid to fly, but he was convinced by the pilot of the plane that it would be a safe flight, and he would not perform any crazy stunts like he normally did when flying the band. However, the pilot couldn’t resist doing a â€Å"fly by† and when the plane buzzed by the home, the pilot got too close and the wing clipped the house causing the pilot to lose control and crash the plane. This tragedy devastated Ozzy; Randy was like a family member to him. For a while Ozzy was not sure he wanted to continue in the music business and almost ended his career. However, he eventually realized Randy would want him to continue and so Ozzy continued to make music. Metallica also lost a band member in a tragic accident. In September 1986, while the band was on tour in Sweden, the driver of the tour bus lost control causing it to crash and flip several times. Band member, Cliff Burton, was asleep in the back of the bus and when the bus began to flip he was thrown out of one of the windows. The bus landed on top of him and he died instantly. Cliff was the bassist for the band and they loved him like family, but they believed the band must continue so he was replaced. Despite continuing with their lives, the rest of the band will always remember Cliff, and he will live on in their hearts and also in their music. As with many heavy metal bands, Metallica and Ozzy have also dealt with alcohol and drug addiction. This led to legal and personal issues within their lives. Ozzy was banned from the city of San Antonio for urinating on the Alamo while inebriated. During another one of his drunken binges, he tried to strangle his wife, Sharon. Metallica’s problems with alcohol did not lead to expulsion from any public place, or any form of attempted murder, but at one point they did treat one of their band members, Jason Newsted, very badly. The explanation from every band member, for their mistreatment of him, is that they were mourning the death of Cliff Burton, and this was therapy for them. They did often treat him as if he were an outsider and not a true member of the band. They hazed him terribly and treated him as if he were their lackey rather than a true band member. On one the albums, And Justice For All, they went as far as to turn down his bass, so he is not even heard on the album. The hazing, drinking, and drug abuse lead to strife within the band, and contributed to Jason leaving. Eventually the lead singer of Metallica, James, went to rehab and spent three months working on getting sober. Both Metallica and Ozzy have been sober for over five years now. Another way in which the bands are similar is that both Metallica and Ozzy have had their share of controversy, furthering the belief in the heavy metal band stereotype. Ozzy was known for theatrics and stunts during his concerts which furthered the public’s perception that he was a devil worshipper. At one point in his career, Ozzy bit the head off of a bat at one of his concerts. It was thrown onto the stage and he maintains that he was not aware the bat was real until after he bit off the head. He also bit a doves head off, while intoxicated, during a meeting with some record company executives, furthering the belief that he is a Satanist. Metallica is not known for wild theatrics during their concerts but their behaviors after their concerts, as well as their professional dealings, have been a source of controversy within their career. They were the first band to sue Napster for piracy which really angered their fans. Their excessive use of drugs and alcohol, as well as their sexual promiscuity while married, also altered fan’s view of them. The drugs, alcohol and loose morals have all led to changes within the band’s lives. When Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield became parents, they decided to change their ways, become sober, and believe in more than money. When one thinks of heavy metal music and artists, they often think of devil worshipping and substance abuse. While in some cases this is true, that is not the case with Metallica and Ozzy. In fact, what most people do not realize is that both bands and their members are Christians. Ozzy always has been a member of the Church of England. It is well known that he prays before each performance as well as professing his beliefs in several of his songs. Metallica members are born again Christians and they profess this in many of their songs as well. While it is true that Ozzy and Metallica both have song lyrics that contradict their religious view. Songs such as Jump in the Fire by Metallica, with lyrics such as â€Å"Follow me now my child. Do just as I say. Jump by your will or be taken by force, I’ll get you either way†, are primarily for shock value. Many metal bands completely fit the stereotype of being drug addicted, alcoholic, and Satan worshipers. However, some bands, such as Metallica and Ozzy Osborne, have managed to overcome these addictions and are Christians. They love the metal sound, music, and beat and continue to make the type of music they are known for without the lifestyle of most metal bands. Both bands have had their share of controversy throughout their careers but have overcome this controversy and continue to have a large fan base, even after all these years. These two bands are very similar in many ways: they have stood the test of time and continue to have their fans despite some of the crazy things they have done. Metallica continues to make music while Ozzy now focuses more on family for various reasons, but their music continues to touch the lives of their fans, and no matter what happens, that will never change.

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Impacts of low cost airlines in Singapore

Impacts of low cost airlines in Singapore What impacts have the low cost airlines had on the tourism product in Singapore? Consider this from a consumer perspective and a supplier perspective; i.e. hoteliers. Introduction Tourism related activities have change and grown in different ways of classifying the industry have emerged. It has also evolved as attempts have been made to place a title on a difficult to define group of naturally related service activities and participants. The activities undertaken during their stay in those destinations, and the facilities created to cater to their needs is temporary movement of people to destinations outside their normal place of work and residences. History of Low cost carrier The first airline that created the concept of a low cost airline is Southwest Airline, an American domestic carrier which launched its flight on 18 June 1971. The airline was created to provide consumers with cheap airfares. The creation of low cost carriers proved to be attractive to consumers, and also a threat to premium airlines as they were able to offer cheaper airfares as compared to the full cost airlines. With its unique branding of air stewardesses in hot pants and white boots, Southwest’s concept was copied around the world. More people began to see the success in the concept of low cost carriers, and the market for low cost carriers began to expend. The industry for low cost carriers has grown significantly over the past decade. According to an Airline Business low-cost airline survey done in 2011, low cost carriers â€Å"carried nearly 640 million passengers in 2010†. Low cost carrier in Singapore In Singapore, there are three low cost carriers based here, and a total of 6 low cost carriers that have operations in the country. The pioneer low cost airline in Singapore is Tigerair, previously known as Tiger Airways. The budget carrier was established in 2004, and has since then grown to be the biggest low cost carrier, and second biggest airline in Singapore as of 29 April 2010. Jetstar Asia, which was established soon after Tigerair in 2004, is also one of the airlines based in Singapore. As these low cost carriers have managed to create a new market, traditional airlines are more inclined to create a low cost carrier as subsidiary so as to maintain or even increase its market share. As a result, airlines such as Scoot were created. Scoot is a low cost carrier established by Singapore Airlines, to offer no-frills, low-fare flights for medium and long-haul routes. In general, low cost carriers have a positive effect on the travel industry. While it may have a negative impact on premium airlines, low cost carriers have managed to increase the profit of the tourism industry. This is because passengers who have been unwilling or unable to afford the traditional full-frill airfares now have the option to fly at a lower airfare. In Singapore, the growth of the low cost airline industry has increased so much over the years, there was a budget terminal built specially for low cost carriers. However, as there is still much potential for low cost carriers to expand, the Singapore government has decided to tear down the budget terminal and build a new Terminal 4, in order to provide passengers with the best experience. This is a prominent evidence that proves that low cost carriers have become an influential segment here in Singapore. Jetstar Asia had scheduled 37 flights to Singapore on February 12, 2014, on an average 1.5 hours a flight landing in Singapore which is very frequent. This is one of the reason why Singapore Changi International Airport ranked 15th in the world busiest airport 2013 with the passengers of 51,181,804 in 2012. Consumer perspective When the budget airline concept first launched, many consumers deem it’s unsafe, and even flying without maintenances. A few years down the road, more and more consumers are choosing low cost carrier as their first choice when flying overseas. The word budget implies something made cheaply, without much concern for quality, but the answer to this is no. Budget airlines are no less safe than any other airline, cutting corners on safety could completely ruin their business. Some of their cost-cutting measures even increase safety. The biggest differences between low cost carrier and full-fledged carrier are that low cost carrier plane is smaller than full-fledged carrier plane, and on-board catering has to be paid extra when flying with budget airlines, extra costs mean the quality of the food is often good or even better than the regular airlines. Consumers are recommended to look at hidden extra charges and what is the special offers which regular airlines have before they book the flights. Consumers who are flying short distance may prefer to fly with budget airline as they may find that the additional services of a traditional airline are redundant. Not all passengers taking low cost carriers are budget traveler, because some are taking short route flight, and they just need a seat to fly to certain country. 40% of the travelers are visiting friends or relatives, 37% for vacation or leisure, 20% for business and 3% of other purpose. Definition of tourism product It is the inclusion of a whole tourism package to meet the clients’ expectations. These would include accommodation, tourism, meals, entertainment, and transport among others. It can be divided into a local product to encourage the citizens to participate or international products for revenue collection. 5 Advantages of tour package Convenience – Traveler does not need to spend a lot of time deciding what to do and which supplier to use. The decision-making process will be shortened. One-stop shopping – One payment covers the cost and paperwork of two or more services which made buying process easier. The traveler is allowed to know how much the trip will cost because all inclusive tour can be seen as virtually cash free Cost savings – Tour packages will be more expensive if the tourist were to buy all the elements separately, tour group are able to able to get special discount and this cost saving will be passed on the tourists because they are able to take advantage of volume discount straight from the suppliers. Special treatment – Tour member will receive privileged treatment as the volume of business tour operator represent to service supplier. Take for example that tour group members seldom stand in the long queue or under the hot sun, transport are park near from the entrances to attractions and when they arrived, the hotelier will pre-check-in the tour groups, and they just simply pass them the hotel key. Worry free – The tour personnel will handle problems and details allowing the tourists to concentrate on the experiences and the new world around them when traveling on a hosted or escorted tour. Economic impacts When travelers from another country purchase goods and services within Singapore, tourism acts as an export industry by earning revenues from external sources. Travelers’ expenditures also increase the general level of economic activity in the host community in numerous ways, direct and indirectly, the two most visible being creating new job opportunities and income. Taxes collected by government will also increase with the higher level of economic activity. There are several factors that can influence the level of tourism activities

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Multiculturalism In Canada :: Immigration, Ethnic Diversity

Multiculturalism is a part of any country.There are Jews in Germany, Poles in Ireland, Asians in Canada and so on. I believe multiculturalism is a good idea. It provides a wealth of cultural activities, foods, and different views of life. No one is really a true Canadian besides the native people. We are all part of a vast society we call Canada. In Canada we pride ourselves in being a mosaic, so to speak,unlike the United States where they are a so called melting pot so that if it doesn't fit they make it fit where as we change to adapt. The many cultures existing in Canada have created a rich cultural experience. An example is our Heritage Day celebrations where we celebrate our various diversities. Did you know that the most commonly spoken language in Vancouver is Mandarin Chinese and other dialects of Chinese? People may be shocked but it's true because we are a free country and allow lots of immigrants in. The fact is that we may have to close our doors to immigrants because sooner or later the social system will break down. We will not be regarded as the great free country that accepts so many immigrants.Although I hope we do not come to this point,I fear it will happen. Language is a part of multiculturalism. Evidence of this can be found in some many cities and towns. You will see signs in English or French and under them, you will see German , Japanese ,Arabic etc..Other examples of this are newspapers and media productions in varying languages. People that have a choice as to where they want to immigrate to , usually choose Canada because Canada is a great place to live according to U.N. statistics. Some people don't like multiculturalism and form cults, an example of which is the KKK. They are dead set against black people and believe in white Multiculturalism In Canada :: Immigration, Ethnic Diversity Multiculturalism is a part of any country.There are Jews in Germany, Poles in Ireland, Asians in Canada and so on. I believe multiculturalism is a good idea. It provides a wealth of cultural activities, foods, and different views of life. No one is really a true Canadian besides the native people. We are all part of a vast society we call Canada. In Canada we pride ourselves in being a mosaic, so to speak,unlike the United States where they are a so called melting pot so that if it doesn't fit they make it fit where as we change to adapt. The many cultures existing in Canada have created a rich cultural experience. An example is our Heritage Day celebrations where we celebrate our various diversities. Did you know that the most commonly spoken language in Vancouver is Mandarin Chinese and other dialects of Chinese? People may be shocked but it's true because we are a free country and allow lots of immigrants in. The fact is that we may have to close our doors to immigrants because sooner or later the social system will break down. We will not be regarded as the great free country that accepts so many immigrants.Although I hope we do not come to this point,I fear it will happen. Language is a part of multiculturalism. Evidence of this can be found in some many cities and towns. You will see signs in English or French and under them, you will see German , Japanese ,Arabic etc..Other examples of this are newspapers and media productions in varying languages. People that have a choice as to where they want to immigrate to , usually choose Canada because Canada is a great place to live according to U.N. statistics. Some people don't like multiculturalism and form cults, an example of which is the KKK. They are dead set against black people and believe in white

Branzburg vs. Hayes Essay -- essays research papers fc

The case of Branzburg vs. Hayes all began in 1969, when a Louisville Kentucky reporter by the name of Branzburg wrote a story, in the Courier-Journal, which described how two local residences made hashish marijuana. The article went into great detail and revealed many facts, including the amount of money the two made on selling the hashish to the public. The article also featured pictures of the two individual’s hands working with a plant like substance and was identified for readers as hashish in the caption under the picture. Branzburg was in agreement with the drug dealers and promised them he would not reveal their real names or identities in the article.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After the article was published, Branzburg was immediately subpoenaed by the Jefferson County Court system. The court demeaned that he name the two individuals featured in the article, but he stood strong and refused to give up their names like he had promised them. Branzburg argued that the Kentucky Privilege Statute passed in 1962 protected him from having to give up the names.(1) He also argued that the First Amendment and Kentucky constitution, (Sections 1,2, and 8) protected his right not to disclose the information of the two individual’s identities.(2) However, the Kentucky courts fought back arguing that the Kentucky Privilege Statute didn’t allow a reporter to refuse to testify about things they saw, or not disclose the names of people they were in contact with. Branzburg then took his case to the Kentucky appeals court, which ruled against him once again. He continued to fight the good fight for what he thought was true and right; the case finally ended up at the Supreme Court.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Branzburg’s decision not to disclose the information the court sought was due to the belief that his integrity and effectiveness as a reporter would be tarnished if he named names. Branzburg placed a high value on the confidentiality between him and the subjects he was investigating and reporting on. He felt that if he had released the two names in the article he published that subjects in the future would be unwilling to disclose information that was vital in writing the kind of stories he so desired. If people from the local area saw that Branzburg couldn’t keep his subjects identities anonymous as they had requested, than others in the future would be ve... ...t the law would eventually find him and force him to disclose the individual’s identities. I think his motives behind writing the story were to produce a thought provoking article that revealed the under ground operation of the drug manufacturing community. He wanted to shakes things up and report on something that was controversial and intriguing, however in the end he became a rat. Works Cited 1.) Kentucky Reporters’ Privilege Statute, KY. REV. STAT. SEC. 421.100 (1962), http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=408&invol=665 Section I, paragraph 2. 2.) http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=408&invol=665 Section I, paragraph 2. 3.) http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=408&invol=665 Section 2 Paragraph 1 4.) http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=408&invol=665 Section 2, paragraph 2 5.) In re Pappas - 408 U.S. 665 (1972) - Docket Number: 70-94 http://www.oyez.org/oyez/resource/case/870/ 6.) U.S. Constitution: Fifth Amendment Fifth Amendment - Rights of Person http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment05/

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

A Dirty Job Chapter 5

5 DARKNESS GETS UPPITY Hey, Ray,† Charlie said as he came down the steps into the storeroom. He always tried to make a lot of noise on the steps and usually fired a loud and early â€Å"hello† to warn his employees that he was coming. He'd worked a number of jobs before coming back to take over the family business, and had learned from experience that nobody liked a sneaky boss. â€Å"Hey, Charlie,† Ray said. Ray was out front, sitting on a stool behind the counter. He was pushing forty, tall, balding, and moved through the world without ever turning his head. He couldn't. As a San Francisco policeman, he'd caught a gangbanger's bullet in the neck six years ago, and that was the last time he'd looked over his shoulder without using a mirror. Ray lived on a generous disability pension from the city and worked for Charlie in exchange for free rent on his fourth-floor apartment, thus keeping the transaction off both their books. He spun around on the stool to face Charlie. â€Å"Hey – uh – I wanted to say that, you know, your situation, I mean, your loss. Everybody liked Rachel. You know, if I can do anything – â€Å" It was the first time Charlie had seen Ray since the funeral, so the awkwardness of secondary condolences had yet to be forded. â€Å"You've done more than enough by picking up my shifts. Whatcha working on?† Charlie was trying desperately to not look at the various objects in the shop that were glowing dull red. â€Å"Oh, this.† Ray rotated and pushed back so that Charlie could see the computer screen, where there were displayed rows of portraits of smiling, young Asian women. â€Å"It's called Desperate Filipinas dot-com.† â€Å"Is this where you met Miss LoveYouLongTime?† â€Å"That was not her name. Did Lily tell you that? That kid has problems.† â€Å"Yeah, well, kids,† Charlie said, suddenly noticing a matronly woman in tweed who was browsing the curio shelves at the front of the store. She was carrying a porcelain frog that was glowing dull red. Ray clicked on one of the pictures, which opened a profile. â€Å"Look at this one, boss. It says she's into sculling.† He spun on his stool again and bounced his eyebrows at Charlie. Charlie pulled his attention from the woman with the glowing frog and looked at the screen. â€Å"That's rowing, Ray.† â€Å"No it's not. Look, it says she was a coxswain in college.† Again with the eyebrow bounce, he offered a high five. â€Å"Also rowing,† Charlie said, leaving the ex-cop hanging. â€Å"The person at the back of the boat who yells at the rowers is called the coxswain.† â€Å"Really?† Ray said, disappointed. He'd been married three times, and been left by all three wives because of an inability to develop normal adult social skills. Ray reacted to the world as a cop, and while many women found that attractive initially, they expected him eventually to leave the attitude, along with his service weapon, in the coat closet when he arrived home. He didn't. When Ray had first come to work at Asher's Secondhand, it had taken two months for Charlie to get him to stop ordering customers to â€Å"move along, there's nothing to see here.† Ray spent a lot of time being disappointed in himself and humanity in general. â€Å"But, dude, rowing!† Charlie said, trying to make it all better. He liked the ex-cop in spite of his awkwardness. Ray was basically a good guy, kindhearted and loyal, hardworking and punctual, but most important, Ray was losing his hair faster than Charlie. Ray sighed. â€Å"Maybe I should search for another Web site. What's a word that means that your standards are lower than the desperate?† Charlie read down the page a little. â€Å"This woman has a master's degree in English lit from Cambridge, Ray. And look at her. She's gorgeous. And nineteen. Why is she desperate?† â€Å"Hey, wait a minute. A master's degree at nineteen, this girl is too smart for me.† â€Å"No she's not. She's lying.† Ray spun on the stool as if Charlie had poked him in the ear with a pencil. â€Å"No!† â€Å"Ray, look at her. She looks like one of those Asian models for Sour Apple Flavored Calamari Treats.† â€Å"They have that?† Charlie pointed to the left side of the front window. â€Å"Ray, let me introduce you to Chinatown. Chinatown, this is Ray. Ray, Chinatown.† Ray smiled, embarrassed. There was a store two blocks up that sold nothing but dried shark parts, the windows full of pictures of beautiful Chinese women holding shark spleens and eyeballs like they'd just received an Academy Award. â€Å"Well, the last woman I met through here did have a few errors and omissions in her profile.† â€Å"Like?† Charlie was watching the woman in tweed with the glowing frog, who was approaching the counter. â€Å"Well, she said that she was twenty-three, five feet tall, a hundred five pounds, so I thought, ‘Okay, I can have fun with a petite woman.' Turns out it was a hundred and five kilos.† â€Å"So, not what you expected?† Charlie said. He smiled at the approaching woman, feeling panic rise. She was going to buy the frog! â€Å"Five foot – two-thirty. She was built like a mailbox. I might have gotten past that, but she wasn't even twenty-three, she was sixty-three. One of her grandsons tried to sell her to me.† â€Å"Ma'am, I'm sorry, you can't buy that,† Charlie said to the woman. â€Å"You hear the expression all the time,† Ray went on, â€Å"but you hardly ever meet anyone really trying to sell his own grandmother.† â€Å"Why not?† the woman asked. â€Å"Fifty bucks,† Ray said. â€Å"That's outrageous,† the woman said. â€Å"It's marked ten.† â€Å"No, it's fifty for the grandmother Ray is dating,† Charlie said. â€Å"The frog is not for sale, ma'am, I'm sorry. It's defective.† â€Å"Then why do you have it on the shelf? Why is it marked for sale? I don't see any defect.† Evidently she couldn't see that the goofy porcelain frog was not only glowing in her hands, it had started to pulsate. Charlie reached across the counter and snatched it away from her. â€Å"It's radioactive, ma'am. I'm sorry. You can't buy it.† â€Å"I wasn't dating her,† Ray said. â€Å"I just flew to the Philippines to meet her.† â€Å"It is not radioactive,† the woman said. â€Å"You're just trying to jack up the price. Fine, I'll give you twenty for it.† â€Å"No, ma'am, public safety,† Charlie said, trying to look concerned, holding the frog to his chest as if shielding her from its dangerous energy. â€Å"And it's clearly ridiculous. You'll note that this frog is playing a banjo with only two strings. A travesty, really. Why don't you let my colleague show you something in a cymbal-playing monkey. Ray, could you show this young woman something in a monkey, please.† Charlie hoped that the â€Å"young woman† would win him points. The woman backed away from the counter, holding her purse before her like a shield. â€Å"I'm not sure I want to buy anything from you wack jobs.† â€Å"Hey!† Ray protested, as if to say that there was only one wack job on duty and he wasn't it. Then she did it, she quickstepped to a rack of shoes and picked up a pair of size-twelve, red Converse All Stars. They, too, were glowing. â€Å"I want these.† â€Å"No.† Charlie tossed the frog over his shoulder to Ray, who fumbled it and almost dropped it. â€Å"Those aren't for sale either.† The tweed woman backed away toward the door, holding the sneakers behind her. Charlie stalked her down the aisle, taking the occasional grab at the All Stars. â€Å"Give them.† When the woman butt-bumped into the front door and the bell over the jamb jingled, she looked up and Charlie made his move, faking hard left, then going right, reaching around her and grabbing the laces of the sneakers, as well as a scoop of big, tweedy ass in the bargain. He quickstepped back toward the counter, tossed the sneakers to Ray, and then turned and fell into a sumo stance to challenge the tweed woman. She was still at the door, looking as if she couldn't decide to be terrified or disgusted. â€Å"You people need to be put away. I'm reporting you to the Better Business Bureau and the local merchants' association. And you, Mr. Asher, can tell Ms. Severo that I will be back.† And with that, she was through the door and gone. Charlie turned to Ray. â€Å"Ms. Severo? Lily? She was here to see Lily?† â€Å"Truant officer,† Ray said. â€Å"She's been in a couple of times.† â€Å"You might have said something.† â€Å"I didn't want to lose the sale.† â€Å"So, Lily – â€Å" â€Å"Ducks out the back when she sees her coming. The woman also wanted to check with you that the notes for Lily's absences were legitimate. I vouched.† â€Å"Well, Lily is going back to school, and as of right now, I'm back to work.† â€Å"That's great. I took this call today – an estate in Pacific Heights. Lots of nice women's clothes.† Ray tapped a piece of notepaper on the counter. â€Å"I'm not really qualified to handle it.† â€Å"I'll do it, but first we have a lot to catch up on. Flip the ‘Closed' sign and lock the front door, would you, Ray?† Ray didn't move. â€Å"Sure, but – Charlie, are you sure that you're ready to go back to work?† He nodded to the sneakers and frog on the counter. â€Å"Oh, those, I think there's something wrong with them. You don't see anything unusual about those two items?† Ray looked again. â€Å"Nope.† â€Å"Or that once I took the frog away from her, she went right for a pair of sneakers that are clearly not her size?† Ray weighed the truth against the sweet deal he had here, with an apartment and under-the-table income and a boss that had really been a decent guy before he went 51/50, and he said, â€Å"Yeah, there was something strange about her.† â€Å"Aha!† said Charlie. â€Å"I just wish I knew where I could get a Geiger counter.† â€Å"I have a Geiger counter,† Ray said. â€Å"You do?† â€Å"Sure, you want me to get it?† â€Å"Maybe later,† Charlie said. â€Å"Just lock up, and help me gather up some of the merchandise.† Over the next hour Ray watched as Charlie moved a set of what seemed randomly chosen items from the store to the back room, directing him to under no circumstances put them back out or sell them to anyone. Then he retrieved the Geiger counter that he'd obtained on a sweet trade for a stringless oversized tennis racket and tested each item as Charlie instructed. And, of course, they were as inert as dirt. â€Å"And you don't see any glowing or pulsating or anything in this pile?† Charlie asked. â€Å"Sorry.† Ray shook his head, feeling a little embarrassed that he was witnessing this. â€Å"Good first day back to work, though,† Ray said, trying to make it all better. â€Å"Maybe you should call it a day, go check on the baby, and make that estate call in the morning. I'll box this stuff up and mark it so Lily won't sell or trade it.† â€Å"Okay,† Charlie said. â€Å"But don't throw it out, either. I'm going to figure this out.† â€Å"You betcha, boss. See you in the morning.† â€Å"Yeah, thanks, Ray. You can go home when you finish.† Charlie went back to his apartment, checking his hands the whole way to see if any of the red glow from the pile of objects had rubbed off on them, but they seemed normal. He sent Jane home, fed and bathed Sophie, and read her to sleep with a few pages from Slaughterhouse-Five, then went to bed early and slept fitfully. He awoke the next morning in a haze, then sat bolt upright in bed, eyes wide and heart pounding when he saw the note sitting on the nightstand. Another one. Then he noticed that this time it wasn't his handwriting, and the number was obviously a phone number, and he sighed. It was the estate appointment that Ray had made for him. He'd put it on the nightstand so he wouldn't forget. Mr. Michael Mainheart, it read; then upscale women's clothing and furs, with a double underline. The phone number had a local exchange. He picked up the note, and under it was a second piece of notepaper, this one with the same name, written in his own handwriting, and under it, the numeral 5. He didn't remember writing any of it. At that moment, something large and dark passed by the second-story bedroom window, but by the time he looked up, it was gone. A blanket of fog lay over the Bay and from Pacific Heights the great orange towers of the Golden Gate Bridge jutted through the fog bank like carrots from the faces of sleeping conjoined twin snowmen. In the Heights, the morning sun had already opened the sky and workmen were scurrying about, tending yards and gardens around the mansions. When he arrived at the home of Michael Mainheart the first thing Charlie noticed was that no one noticed him. There were two guys working in the yard, to whom Charlie waved as he passed, but they did not wave back. Then the mailman, who was coming off the big porch, drove him off the walkway into the dewy grass without so much as an â€Å"excuse me.† â€Å"Excuse me!† Charlie said, sarcastically, but the mailman was wearing headphones and listening to something that was inspiring him to bob his head like a pigeon feeding on amphetamines, and he bopped on. Charlie was going to shout something devastatingly clever, then thought better of it, for although it had been some years since he'd heard of a postal employee perpetrating a massacre, as long as the term â€Å"going postal† referred to anything besides choosing a shipping carrier, he felt he shouldn't press his luck. Called a wack job by a complete stranger one day and shouldered off the sidewalk by a civil servant the next: this city was becoming a jungle. Charlie rang the bell and waited to the side of the twelve-foot leaded-glass door. A minute later he heard light, shuffling steps approaching and a diminutive silhouette moved behind the glass. The door swung open slowly. â€Å"Mr. Asher,† said Michael Mainheart. â€Å"Thank you for coming.† The old man was swimming in a houndstooth suit that he must have bought thirty years ago when he was a more robust fellow. When he shook Charlie's hand his skin felt like an old wonton wrapper, cool and a little powdery. Charlie tried not to shudder as the old man led him into a grand marble rotunda, with leaded-glass windows running to a vaulted, forty-foot ceiling and a circular staircase that swept up to a landing that led off to the upper wings of the house. Charlie had often wondered what it was like to have a house with wings. How would you ever find your car keys? â€Å"Come this way,† Mainheart said. â€Å"I'll show you where my wife kept her clothes.† â€Å"I'm sorry about your loss,† Charlie said automatically. He'd been on scores of estate calls. You don't want to come off as some kind of vulture, his father used to say. Always compliment the merchandise; it might be a piece of crap to you, but they might have a lot of their soul poured into it. Compliment but never covet. You can make a profit and preserve everyone's dignity in the process. â€Å"Holy shit,† Charlie said as he followed the old man into a walk-in closet the size of his own apartment. â€Å"I mean – your wife had exquisite taste, Mr. Mainheart.† There was row upon row of designer couture clothing, everything from evening gowns to racks, two tiers high, of knit suits, arranged by color and level of formality – an opulent rainbow of silk and linen and wool. Cashmere sweaters, coats, capes, jackets, skirts, blouses, lingerie. The closet was shaped like a T, with a large vanity and mirror at the apex, and accessories on each wing (even the closet with wings!), shoes on one side, belts, scarves, and handbags on the other. A whole wing of shoes, Italian and French, handmade, from the skins of animals who had led happy, blemish-free lives. Full-length mirrors flanked the vanity at the end of the closet and Charlie caught the reflection of himself and Michael Mainheart in the mirror, he in his secondhand gray pinstripe and Mainheart in his ill-fitting houndstooth, studies in gray and black, stark and lifeless-looking in this vibrant garden. The old man went to the chair at the vanity and sat down with a creak and a wheeze. â€Å"I expect it will take you some time to assess it,† he said. Charlie stood in the middle of the closet and looked around for a second before replying. â€Å"It depends, Mr. Mainheart, on what you want to part with.† â€Å"All of it. Every stitch. I can't stand the feel of her in here.† His voice broke. â€Å"I want it gone.† He looked away from Charlie at the shoe wing, trying not to show that he was tearing up. â€Å"I understand,† Charlie said, not sure what to say. This collection was completely out of his league. â€Å"No, you don't understand, young man. You couldn't understand. Emily was my life. I got up in the morning for her, I went to work for her, I built a business for her. I couldn't wait to get home at night to tell her about my day. I went to bed with her and I dreamed about her when I slept. She was my passion, my wife, my best friend, the love of my life. And one day, without warning, she was gone and my life is a void. You couldn't possibly understand.† But Charlie did. â€Å"Do you have any children, Mr. Mainheart?† â€Å"Two sons. They came back for the funeral, then they went home to their own families. They offer to do whatever they can, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"They can't,† Charlie finished for him. â€Å"No one can.† Now the old man looked up at him, his face as bereft and barren as a mummified basset hound. â€Å"I just want to die.† â€Å"Don't say that,† Charlie said, because that's what you say. â€Å"That feeling will pass.† Which he said because everyone had been saying it to him. As far as he knew, he was just slinging bullshit clichs. â€Å"She was – † Mainheart's voice caught on the edge of a sob. A strong man, at once overcome by his grief and embarrassed that he was showing it. â€Å"I know,† Charlie said, thinking about how Rachel still occupied that place in his heart, and when he turned in the kitchen to say something to her, and she wasn't there, it took his breath. â€Å"She was – â€Å" â€Å"I know,† Charlie interrupted, trying to give the old man a pass, because he knew what Mainheart was feeling. She was meaning and order and light, and now that she's gone, chaos falls like a dark leaden cloud. â€Å"She was so phenomenally stupid.† â€Å"What?† Charlie looked up so quickly he heard a vertebra pop in his neck. Hadn't seen that coming. â€Å"The dumb broad ate silica gel,† Mainheart said, irritated as well as agonized. â€Å"What?† Charlie was shaking his head, as if trying to rattle something loose. â€Å"Silica gel.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Silica gel! Silica gel! Silica gel, you idiot!† Charlie felt as if he should shout the name of some arcane stuff back at him: Well, symethicone! Symethicone! Symethicone, you butt-nugget! Instead he said, â€Å"The stuff fake breasts are made of? She ate that?† The image of a well-dressed older woman macking on a goopish spoonful of artificial boob spooge was running across the lobes of his brain like a stuttering nightmare. Mainheart pushed himself to his feet on the vanity. â€Å"No, the little packets of stuff they pack in with electronic equipment and cameras.† â€Å"The ‘Do Not Eat' stuff?† â€Å"Exactly.† â€Å"But it says right on the packet – she ate that?† â€Å"Yes. The furrier put packets of it in with her furs when he installed that cabinet.† Mainheart pointed. Charlie turned, and behind the large closet door where they had entered was a lighted glass cabinet – inside hung a dozen or so fur coats. The cabinet probably had its own air-conditioning unit to control the humidity, but that wasn't what Charlie was noticing. Even under the recessed fluorescent light inside the cabinet, one of the coats was clearly glowing red and pulsating. He turned back to Mainheart slowly, trying not to overreact, not sure, in fact, what would constitute an overreaction in this case, so he tried to sound calm, but not willing to take any shit. â€Å"Mr. Mainheart, I appreciate your loss, but is there something more going on here than you've told me?† â€Å"I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean.† â€Å"I mean,† Charlie said, â€Å"why, of all the used-clothing dealers in the Bay Area, did you decide to call me? There are people who are much more qualified to deal with a collection of this size and quality.† Charlie stormed over to the fur cabinet and pulled open the door. It made a floof-tha sound that the seal on a refrigerator door makes when opened. He grabbed the glowing jacket – fox fur, it appeared to be. â€Å"Or was it this? Did the call have something to do with this?† Charlie brandished the jacket like he was holding a murder weapon before the accused. In short, he thought about adding, are you fucking with me? â€Å"You were the first used-clothing dealer in the phone book.† Charlie let the jacket drop. â€Å"Asher's Secondhand?† â€Å"Starts with an A,† Mainheart said, slowly, carefully – obviously resisting the urge to call Charlie an idiot again. â€Å"So it has nothing to do with this jacket?† â€Å"Well, it has something to do with that jacket. I'd like you to take it away with all the rest of it.† â€Å"Oh,† Charlie said, trying to recover. â€Å"Mr. Mainheart, I appreciate the call, and this is certainly a beautiful collection, amazing, really, but I'm not equipped to take on this kind of inventory. And I'll be honest with you, even though my father would be spinning in his grave for telling you this, there is probably a million dollars' worth of clothes in this closet. Maybe more. And given the time and space to resell it, it's probably worth a quarter of that. I just don't have that kind of money.† â€Å"We can work something out,† Mainheart said. â€Å"Just to get it out of the house – â€Å" â€Å"I could take some of it on consignment, I suppose – â€Å" â€Å"Five hundred dollars.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Give me five hundred dollars and get it out of here by tomorrow and it's yours.† Charlie started to object, but he could feel what felt like the ghost of his father rising up to bonk him on the head with a spittoon if he didn't stop himself. We provide a valuable service, son. We are like an orphanage to art and artifact, because we are willing to handle the unwanted, we give them value. â€Å"I couldn't do that, Mr. Mainheart, I feel as if I'd be taking advantage of your grief.† Oh for Christ's sake, you fucking loser, you are no son of mine. I have no son. Was that the ghost of Charlie's father, rattling chains in his head? Why, then, did it have the voice and vocabulary of Lily? Can a conscience be greedy? â€Å"You would be doing me a favor, Mr. Asher. A huge favor. If you don't take it, my next call is to the Goodwill. I promised Emily that if something ever happened to her that I wouldn't just give her things away. Please.† And there was so much pain in the old man's voice that Charlie had to look away. Charlie felt for the old man because he did understand. He couldn't do anything to help, couldn't say, It will get better, like everyone kept saying to him. It wasn't getting better. Different, but not better. And this fellow had fifty more years in which to pack his hopes, or in his case, his history. â€Å"Let me think about it. Check into storage. If I can handle it, I'll call you tomorrow, would that be all right?† â€Å"I'd be grateful,† Mainheart said. Then, for no reason that he could think of, Charlie said, â€Å"May I take this jacket with me? As an example of the quality of the collection, in case I have to divide it among other dealers.† â€Å"That would be fine. Let me show you out.† As they passed into the rotunda, a shadow passed across the leaded-glass windows, three stories up. A large shadow. Charlie paused on the steps and waited for the old man to react, but he just tottered on down the staircase, leaning heavily on the railing as he went. When Mainheart reached the door he turned to Charlie, extending his hand. â€Å"I'm sorry about that, uh, outburst upstairs. I haven't been myself since – â€Å" As the old man began to open the door a figure dropped outside, casting the silhouette of a bird as tall as a man through the glass. â€Å"No!† Charlie dove forward, knocking the old man aside and slamming the door on the great bird's head, the heavy black beak stabbing through and snapping like hedge clippers, rattling an umbrella stand and scattering its contents across the marble floor. Charlie's face was only inches from the bird's eye, and he shoved the door with his shoulder, trying to keep the beak from snapping off one of his hands. The bird's claws raked against the glass, cracking one of the thick beveled panels as the animal thrashed to free itself. Charlie threw his hip against the doorjamb then slid down it, dropped the fox jacket, and snatched one of the umbrellas from the floor. He stabbed up into the bird's neck feathers, but lost his purchase on the doorjamb – one of the black talons snaked through the opening and raked across his forearm, cutting through his jacket, his shirtsleeve, and into the flesh. Charlie shoved the umbrella with all he had, driving the bird's head back through the opening. The raven let out a screech and took flight, its wings making a great whooshing noise as it went. Charlie lay on his back, out of breath, staring at the leaded-glass panels, as if any moment the shadow of the giant raven would come back, then he looked to Michael Mainheart, who lay crumpled on his side like a stringless marionette. Beside his head lay a cane with an ivory handle that had been carved into the shape of a polar bear that had fallen from the umbrella stand. The cane was glowing red. The old man was not breathing. â€Å"Well that's fucked up,† Charlie said.

Monday, September 30, 2019

Psychosexual stages vs. psychosocial stages Essay

In psychology when the word development is mention to two theorists, stand out. These theorists are Sigmund Freud and Erik Erikson. Freud being the father of psychology changed the technique of studying the development of individuals. Erikson was influenced by Freud but he felt that be underestimated other significant dimension that shape our development. They both agreed that personality develop is mostly an unconscious process and when it does happen, it is over time and has universal stages. They believe that personality is developing through a sequence of predestined stages. In each stage, there is crisis that needs to be conquered in order to advance to the next stage in life. However, Freud believed the libido, person’s biology and basic needs are major factors in our development of personality (Simon & Gagnon). Although Freud’s theory influenced Erikson, instead he believed environment and culture were major factors that influenced our personality (Wallerstein, Robert & Goldberger, 2000). Freud called this development process psychosexual theory and Erikson called it psychosocial theory. Both have similarity within their theories as the age group are divided the same. Even so, they differ in way. Freud believed that the first three stages were the most important. He also understood personalities were developed by conflicts resolved and the demands from reality. Erikson believed all stage were equally important and cultural experiences helped develop personally (Wallerstein, Robert & Goldberger, 2000). They both had a different development process and outcomes. In order to grasp the theories, I will examine each theorist and personality stages individually. In the first stage, that Freud called this psychosexual stage the oral stage and Erikson called this psychosocial stage the trust vs. mistrust stage. Both Freud and Erikson acknowledge the trust and dependency infants have to their mothers. In the oral stage, the child makes the connection between the mother’s presences with satisfying of their hunger. In the trust vs. mistrust, the child develops trust when they can depend on the mother to fulfill their needs thus developing a trustworthy relationship. However, these theories express different outcome when need are satisfied or not. For Freud, the crisis here is weaning the child from the mother. As time progresses the infant begin to differentiation itself from their mother. The child comes to acknowledge there is no longer an umbilical connection and they a separate person from their mother (Simon & Gagnon). As a result, later in life they grow to be optimistic and passivity. On the other hand, if the infants who do not make the distinction turn out to be pessimistic, immature and gullibility and obsessed with the mouth. Some of these obsessions include biting nails, thumb sucking, and eating and drink obsessively and verbal aggressive. As for Erikson’s theory, trust and mistrust is the ego crisis. If the infant discover that no one is willing to fulfill his need then mistrust will develop. Conversely, if the child’s needs are satisfied through good parenting, the child will develop trust. The child will also develop the skill of hope and learn cosmic order in respect to society (Cloninger, 2004). In the second stage, Freud called this psychosexual stage the anal stage and Erikson called this psychosocial stage the autonomy vs. shame stage. Both Freud and Erikson acknowledge child want to have personal control and the importance of toilet training. In the anal stage, the child wants to master holding on and letting go. Therefore, the child learn the control his own bowel movements through toilet training. In autonomy vs. shame stage, toilet training is used to master their body functions (Wallerstein, Robert & Goldberger, 2000). This will instill a sense of control and independence in the child. However, both theories disagreed on the outcome of successful or failing to toilet training. For Freud, the crisis is toilet training. If the child is successful at toilet training then they will be creative and productive in their adult life (Simon & Gagnon). Nevertheless, if the child fails they will either become anal explosive or retentive. Anal explosive is when the child is rebelling during toilet training. This rebellion will cause the child to be messy, cruel, destructive and hostile as an adult. Anal-retentive is when the child withholds during toilet training. This will cause the child to be controlling, stingy and stubborn. For Erikson, although toilet training is important the crisis in this stage is control and independence. If the child does not feel supported, they will develop shame and doubt. It is important that the child feel supported by parents in order to develop autonomy, the ego skill will, law, and order in respect to society (Cloninger, 2004). In the third stage, Freud called this psychosexual stage the phallic stage and Erikson called this psychosocial stage the Initiative vs. guilt stage. Both Freud and Erikson recognize that at these stages the child finding identity with his or her parent, and sex difference. In phallic stage, the child begins to identify him or she with their parents thus acknowledges sexual difference. According to Freud, this process occurs through the Oedipus and Electra conflict. The Oedipus conflict is when the son wants to murder his father because he wants to be with his mother. The reason the wants to murder the father is for fear. He fears his father will discover the desire for his mother, and will be punished with castration (Cloning, 2004). The Electra conflict is when a girl changes her erotic relationship from the mother to the father. This relationship change is possible by the girl’s anger toward her mother (Cloninger, 2004). The reason for her anger is that she feels her mother was not dominant enough to protect her from castration. This change of object is facilitated by the girl’s anger toward her mother for not being powerful enough to protect her from castration. The child identifies with the same-sex parent in order to vicariously posses parent of the opposite sex (Simon & Gagnon). The child believe the more they are like the same-sex parent they will be able to replace the other parent. Thus the superego will develop and the end of the crisis. If the child cannot resolve this struggle they will have trouble forming the superego, sexual role identity and sexual confused (Simon & Gagnon). In the initiatives vs. guilt, the child acknowledges sex difference and parent identification through these social roles. According to Erikson, the child decided the person they want, affirm their power and control through playing and social contact (Widick, Parker & Knefelkamp, 2006). The child must feel encourage to play and have social contact in order to have initiative. The child will also have a sense of purpose and learn ideal prototypes in society. However, if the child is not encouraged they will believe they are bad and have guilt (Widick, Parker & Knefelkamp, 2006). In the fourth stage, Freud called this psychosexual stage the latency stage and Erikson called this psychosocial stage the industry vs. inferiority stage. Both Freud and Erikson acknowledge the importance of development thought school. In the latency stage, the child develops into a more socially and academically driven person. This helps the child become constructive. In industry vs. inferiority, the child works on tasks until they are complete. The child hopes to receive recognition for constructing something for society. During this stage, Freud explains that the child’s sexual drive is inactive thus there is no crisis. This is because there is a repression of sexual impulse (Simon & Gagnon). Instead the child use this repressed energy in to their social and academic lives. Yet, Erikson believes the crisis here is how to become a product individual in society. During this stage, the children want to learn new skill like reading, writing, counting and drawing (Widick, Parker & Knefelkamp, 2006). Those children who are not encourage or praise for their accomplishment from their parents or teachers will develop problems with competence and self-esteem and inferiority. However, the children who are encouraged or praise for their accomplishment develop confidence, pride, competence and technological order in society (Cloninger, 2004). In this fifth stage, things are a little different. This fifth stage concluded Freud‘s psychosexual stage while Erikson had four left. These stages are identity vs. identity diffusion, intimacy vs. isolation, generativity vs. stagnation and integrity vs. despair. I will compare and contrast these four stages with Freud’s psychosexual stage the genital stage. Both Freud and Erikson acknowledge the importance of building the self through previous experience through the genital stage and identity vs. identity diffusion. In the genital stage, there is no crisis but after being able to overcome each psychosexual stage now the individual can began to live a balanced life. However, sexual desires are no long dormant instead; they are strong sexual interest in the opposite sex. Adolescences are in search of sexual or romantic relationships with other adolescences (Simon & Gagnon). Some of the characteristics that are developed include vanity, appearance and attention. For Erikson, the crisis here is finding self and personal identity. In order for an adolescence to establish a sense of self, they must go out and try new things. If the child is not encouraged, they can develop negative identity or identity foreclosure and identity confusion (Widick, Parker & Knefelkamp, 2006). Nevertheless, if the child is encouraged to explore different roles, activities and behaviors the adolescence will be able to develop their identity, the ego skill of fidelity and learn ideological worldview in society and is able to move to the next stage (Cloninger, 2004). Erikson called this intimacy vs. isolation. Both Freud and Erikson acknowledge the importance of seeking a relationship with the opposite sex through their theories. In the genital stage, there is no crisis but latency has been conquered and the focus is seeking pleasure through sexual contact (Simon & Gagnon). In Erikson’s intimacy vs. isolation, the crisis is finding love not sexual pleasure. Since the young adults have a sense of identity, they can seek an intimate relationship without fears of losing their identity (Widick, Parker & Knefelkamp, 2006). If a person does not find intimacy with someone, the young adult will become isolated. However, if they do find intimacy they will develop the ego skill of love and learn pattern of cooperation and competition in society and advance (Cloninger, 2004). Erikson called this generativity vs. stagnation. Both Freud and Erikson recognize the significance of seeking welfare of life and society through their contributions. In the genital stage, as the individual mature in to adulthood, they are no longer just interested in their selves but others. In Erikson, generativity vs. stagnation, the adult want to contribution to society and that will ultimately outlive them. This contribution is range from children, social or political change or art (Wallerstein, Robert & Goldberger, 2000). If the adult is unable to cultivate a contribution then they will have sense stagnation, failure, disconnected or involved in their life. On the other hand, if they are able to contribute they will feel a sense of generativity, develop the ego skill of care and learn currents of education and tradition in society thus move to the final stage (Cloninger, 2004). Erikson called this integrity vs. despair. Both Freud and Erikson identify this stage when the personality is complete formed. In the genital stage, the personality is well balanced in all aspects of the person (Simon & Gagnon). In Erikson, integrity vs. despair, the individual reflect on their life. When reflecting occurs if there are regrets or dissatisfied with life, they will have despair (Wallerstein, Robert & Goldberger, 2000). However, if there is a sense of fulfillment then they will have integrity, wisdom as an ego skill and in society (Cloninger, 2004). Now that I have examined each theorist and their stage individually, it is clearly to see where there theories are similar and different. When compare the theories we are able to see why personality development is unconscious, slow and universal. In contrast, we can see how they differ in the process of development by recognizing the outcome. 1. Reference 2. Cloninger, S. (2004). Theories of personality. (pp. 45-48). NUpper Saffle RIver, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. 3. Simon, W., & Gagnon, J. (n.d.). Psychosexual development. Society, 35(2), 60-67. 4. Wallerstein. , Robert, S., & Goldberger, L. (2000). Ideas and identities: The life work of erik erikson.Psychoanalytic Psychology, 17(2), 437-442. 5. Widick, C., Parker, C., & Knefelkamp, L. (2006). Erik erikson and psychosocial development. New Direcrtion for Student, 1978(4), 1-17.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Direct Marketing-Facebook Essay

1a) Facebook generates a revenue of 2 billion dollars a year, yes it is free for user to join but that is where they generate there money from. With over 750 million active users Facebook make the majority of their money through advertising. The ads that appear on the right border of the screen. They gather all the information about you and accordingly they let the advertisement that they think you would be interested in appear for you on the screen, more like a tailor-made advertisement. Another way of making money is selling information on users the same way of Google, Google has planned to sell their information but Facebook did not. b) some of the very important features on social networking are User-centric interface for example Facebook’s front page is exemplary for an egocentric user interface. It provides detailed information about updates and notifications of a user and also provides a one-click-interface that makes it easy to update the current status, hide information provided by friends and it updates you about people a user may know or groups or conversations that the user may be interested in. Real time updates, One of the reasons why micro-blogging services have managed to take off over the last years, was their ability to bring the new, â€Å"real-time† dimension to the social interaction on the Web. Different from instant messaging where users were mostly focused on the two-way-conversations, Twitter & Co. delivered many-ways-conversations to the Web. Simple and Usable Forms, Web forms are probably the most important design element for social media and networking sites. Forms and inputs are used in everything from sign-up to search, log-in, replying to a post or adding some other content. Since forms are extremely important, they must be usable. 2) I would defiantly agree to start the loyalty card in my hypermarket. One of the most revenue generating businesses is the super and hypermarkets. I wouldn’t look a lot about the competition the main important thing if I do own a hyper market would be the location of my store, unless I have a good name like Lulu  or Union Coop I wouldn’t open my hyper market next to well known retail hyper market. Every store has its loyal customers, the people who live close to my store will prefer to come to mine than to go somewhere far to buy there needs, people now days tend to look for the easy way, so having a loyalty card is very beneficial for me and would make my customers comfortable and think that out of what they pay they can get something back even if its minor with this loyalty card. I believe that it would be a success because every retail store has got its own loyal customers and for those I can have loyalty cards which will help in keeping them as my customers and not think of going to any of my competitors. 3) it is a part of direct marketing, in-bound and out-bound idea has came up to improve relation ship with customer and try to help in making things easier for them. For example and in-bound call is when a customer calls in it can be an employee that answers â€Å"call center† and the customer gets the chance to ask anything he wants related to that firm can be a product that hes not happy with etc in this case of ADCB it is on call banking so he can ask to debit an amount onto another account or clear a doubt that he had etc. this would let the customer be more comfortable working with this bank and not forgetting how easy it is. Not having to go all the way to the bank branch in order to finish a transaction where you can just get it done in a call. And the better the employees of the call center are with the customers the stronger the relation ship gets between the bank and its customers.