Essay about The Use of Steroids in Sports - 1299 Words

Peanuts, hot dogs, the cracking sound of a bat crushing a ball over the left field wall. The ability to thrill so many on limitless levels is a familiar characteristic associated sports. So much attention, time, and money are devoted to sports these days, maybe even too much. Perhaps all the pressure is what has sparked steroid use in sports and stimulated numerous controversies over the subject. The use of steroids is an unfair training method for sports. Unfairness is contrary to laws, marked by deception, and unethical. When the legality, lack of work and advantageousness, and cheating are examined it is easy to see how steroids are extremely unfair in more than one way. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;First of all, the use of steroids†¦show more content†¦Besides medical conditions, the team doctors do not have authority to prescribe steroids to the athlete for no reason. In addition to the legality of steroid use in the nation, they are also illegal in many professional sports. So the answer to whether or not if steroids are hurting professional sports is absolutely yes. Perhaps the reason behind steroid use is being able to achieve higher in the sport, which brings up the next concern of steroids being unfair. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Usage of steroids is an unfair training method because of the advantages created from the drugs and the lack of work done to enhance performance. Athletes have gotten where they are and achieved all their accomplishments through nothing but hard work. The usage of steroids has corrupted the work ethic of athletes. Many times it is obvious when athletes are using steroids. Some athletes that have been household names and America has come to love have had drastic changes to their bodies in the past few years over extremely short periods of time. It is almost impossible to achieve results such as athletes have recently through natural training methods. 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SuddenlyRead MoreSteroid Use Sports : Steroids Should Not Be Banned2008 Words   |  9 PagesSteroid use in sports When it comes to the topic of steroid use in sports, some of us will agree that it is a debatable topic. Where this argument usually ends, however, is on the question of whether or not it is cheating to use steroids while in a sport. Whereas some are convinced that it is not cheating due to the benefits it provides towards muscle growth and repair, others maintain their belief that it is a form of cheating because of the regulations that have been acted upon it. I agree thatRead MoreAnabolic Steroid Use in Sports Summary1493 Words   |  6 PagesAnabolic Steroid use in Sports The competitive drive to win at all cost is fierce among athletes. Winning at all cost often includes using one of many performance enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids. Many athletes use performance enhancing drugs, like steroids, to achieve higher goals and set higher records than other drug-free successful athletes. Although athletes are performing at higher levels when using such drugs, what is the cost? Finally anabolic steroids should remain bannedRead MoreThe Use of Steroids in Professional Sports Essay1499 Words   |  6 PagesThe Use of Steroids in Professional Sports They’re among the world’s most controversial drugs. Not Heroin, Ganja, Coke or Crystal Meth, but Anabolic Steroids. Steroids are medical treatments that come in two varieties: Anabolic Steroids and Corticosteroids. These are both synthetic versions of hormones produced naturally in the body but they perform two completely different tasks. Corticosteroids are used by doctors to decrease inflammation. Anabolic Steroids are the familiar term for the syntheticRead MoreEssay about Use of Steroids in Sports1559 Words   |  7 PagesAs the use of performance enhancing drugs is becoming more popular among athletes, many of them dont understand the risks involved in taking these drugs. Many people are looking for a quick way to build muscle, or to get stronger the fastest way possible. Using these performance aids may very well be a quick fix for many athletes, but taking these supplements is unethical and dangerous. Using special drugs to boost an athletes performance is degr ading to sports and to the athlete. The human bodyRead More The Use of Steroids and Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports1507 Words   |  7 PagesI have chosen to write my paper on the topic of steroids and performance enhancing substances that are used today in sports. In this paper I hope to focus on the steroids and performance enhancing drugs and how they have become a problem in sports.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An anabolic steroid is a substance that is related to male sex hormones, known as testosterone. The word â€Å"Anabolic† means muscle building. The word â€Å"steroids† is just referred to as a drug name or a class of drug. Some athletes have made the decisionRead More Steroid Use in Pro Sports is Unethical Essay1296 Words   |  6 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When you were a kid, didn’t you want to play a professional sport? What would you give to be one of the best athletes in the world? Would you risk your reputation? Your health? Would you be willing to die? Although many studies have come out saying that steroids diminish one’s health, people still take them hoping to be the best. Imagine if you were a 28 year old who left college early because a pro team â€Å"guaranteed† you that you would play in the big leagues. Yet you just got stuck inRead MoreThe Use of Steroids is Banned in Professional and Organiz ed Sports533 Words   |  2 PagesFormer NFL superstar and Hall of Famer, Lawrence Taylor once said, â€Å"Steroids are for guys who want to cheat opponents.† The use of steroids is banned in professional and organized sports. Performance enhancing drugs should not be accepted in professional sports. Performance enhancing drugs also known as PED’s, violate rules, give players an unfair advantage, and send a terrible message to young athletes. There are many types of PED’s but the main two are Lean Mass Builders and Stimulants. Lean mass

An Assignment On Human Resource Management - 8731 Words

AA Hamilton College HND in Business Unit 21: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Submitted by: Name: Ana Maria Vasile Group: B9 ID: 23243 This assignment focus on analyzing human resource management in two companies: Tesco and Sainsbury which are in retail industry. It will highlight key area: human resource management, motivation, employment low. Tesco plc is the largest retailer in UK, as well as being a highly significant retailer globally.Tesco PLC is a British multinational grocery, and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom, that was founded in 1919 by Jack Cohen .It is the third largest retailer in the world measured by profits and second-largest retailer in the†¦show more content†¦The founder s principles and values guide us strongly today as they did at the outset - to be the customer s first choice for food shopping by providing high quality products, value for money and excellent service. Why should I work in Personnel? Our purpose in Personnel is clear: to create the best environment for all our colleagues to reach their full potential. In doing so, we build the culture, capability and capacity to help the business meet its multichannel growth ambitions. We do this by: †¢ Facilitating a simple, honest and human culture that’s inclusive, collaborative and connected †¢ Making sure that everyone has the capability and opportunity to reach their full potential †¢ Ensuring that we work with the right structures and processes, to enable flexibility and build capacity †¢ Leading a core people cycle that values individual contribution, builds teams and minimises risk for Tesco. The human resource strategy presently utilised at Tesco’s revolves, as Merkel, Jackson and Pick (2010) discuss, around the training and development of employees, communication and consultation, and rewards and benefits linked to achieving targets. This triple-headed approach to HRM has been successful over the years and has helped the firm to retain and recruit well-motivated staff who present a professional appearance to customers and are proud to work for Tesco. The most significant part of

The Indigo Spell Chapter Two Free Essays

MS. TERWILLIGER REFUSED to say much more after that. She drove us back to Amberwood and hardly seemed to know I was there. We will write a custom essay sample on The Indigo Spell Chapter Two or any similar topic only for you Order Now She just kept muttering things to herself like, â€Å"Not enough time† and â€Å"Need more proof.† When she finally dropped me off, I tried pressing her for more information. â€Å"What was all that about protecting myself?† I asked. â€Å"Protection from what?† We were parked in the fire lane again, and she still wore that distracted look. â€Å"I’ll explain later, in our session tomorrow.† â€Å"I can’t,† I reminded her. â€Å"I’m leaving right after my regular classes. Remember? I have a flight to catch. I told you about it last week. And yesterday. And earlier today.† That brought her back to attention. â€Å"Did you? Well, then. I suppose we’ll make do with what we must. I’ll see what I can have for you in the morning.† I left her for my bed after that, not that I could get much sleep. And when I showed up to her history class the next morning, she was true to her word. Before the bell rang, she walked up to my desk and handed me an old book with a cracked red leather cover. The title was in Latin and translated to Elements of Battle, which sent a chill down my spine. Spells to create light and invisibility were one thing. There was a practicality to them that I could almost rationalize. But battle spells? Something told me I might have a little trouble with those. â€Å"Reading material for the plane,† she said. She spoke in her usual, addled scholar voice, but I could see a glint of that anxiety from last night in her eyes. â€Å"Focus only on the first section. I trust you’ll do your usual thorough job – and then some.† None of the other arriving students paid any attention to us. My last class of the day was an independent study session on late-antique history, which she served as my mentor for. More often than not, she used the session as a passive-aggressive way to teach me magic. So, her giving me books like this was nothing out of the ordinary. â€Å"And,† she added, â€Å"if you could find out where that neighborhood is, it would be extremely useful.† I was speechless for a few moments. Locate one neighborhood in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area? â€Å"That’s . . . a very large area to cover,† I said at last, choosing my words carefully with witnesses around. She nodded and pushed her glasses up her nose. â€Å"I know. Most people probably couldn’t do it.† And on that semi-complimentary note, she returned to her desk at the front of the classroom. â€Å"What neighborhood?† asked a new voice. Eddie Castile had just arrived and slid into a neighboring desk. Eddie was a dhampir – possessing a mix of human and vampire DNA that had been passed down from days when the two races mixed. For all intents and purposes, though, he was indistinguishable from an ordinary human. With his sandy-colored hair and brown eyes, he also bore enough resemblance to me to support our cover story that we were twins. In reality, Eddie was here at Amberwood as a bodyguard for Jill. Dissidents among her own kind, the Moroi, were hunting her, and even though we’d seen no sign of them since coming to Palm Springs, Eddie was always vigilant and ready to pounce. I slipped the red leather book into my messenger bag. â€Å"Don’t ask. Another of her wacky assignments.† None of my friends – save Adrian – knew about my involvement with Ms. Terwilliger’s magic use. Well, and Jill by default. All Moroi possessed some sort of elemental magic. Adrian’s was a rare and powerful one called spirit, which could work miracles of healing. He’d used that magic to bring Jill back from the dead when assassins had killed her. Doing so had made Jill â€Å"shadow-kissed† – that is, it created a psychic bond between them, one that allowed Jill to feel his emotions and sometimes see through his eyes. As a result, Jill knew more about what went on between Adrian and me than I liked. I took my car keys out of my bag and reluctantly handed them over to Eddie. He was the only one I trusted to drive my car, and I always let him borrow it when I left town, in case he needed to run errands for our group. â€Å"Here you go. I better get it back in one piece. Do not let Angeline near the driver’s seat.† He grinned. â€Å"Do I look suicidal? I probably won’t even use it. Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you to the airport later?† â€Å"You’d miss class,† I said. The only reason I was able to cut school early was because of the unusual nature of my independent study. â€Å"I wouldn’t mind, believe me. I’ve got a science test.† He grimaced and lowered his voice. â€Å"I hated physics the first time, you know.† I couldn’t help a smile. Both Eddie and I were eighteen and had graduated high school, me through homeschooling and him through an elite Moroi and dhampir academy. We couldn’t pose as students without going through the motions of class, however. While I didn’t mind the extra work, Eddie wasn’t as taken with a love of learning as I was. â€Å"No thanks,† I told him. â€Å"A cab will be fine.† The bell rang, and Eddie straightened up in his desk. As Ms. Terwilliger called the class to order, he whispered to me, â€Å"Jill’s really bummed she can’t go.† â€Å"I know,† I murmured back. â€Å"But we all know why she can’t.† â€Å"Yeah,† he agreed. â€Å"What I don’t know is why she’s mad at you.† I turned toward the front of the classroom and pointedly ignored him. Jill was the only one who knew about Adrian’s declaration of love, thanks to that bond. It was another one of those things I wished hadn’t been shared, but Adrian couldn’t help it. Although Jill knew vampire-human romances were wrong, she couldn’t forgive me for hurting Adrian so badly. To make things worse, she was probably personally experiencing some of his pain. Even if our other friends didn’t know what had occurred, it was obvious that something wasn’t right with Jill and me. Eddie had picked up on it right away and immediately interrogated me. I’d given him a vague excuse about Jill not liking some rules I’d instated for her here at school. Eddie hadn’t bought that, but Jill had been just as close-mouthed on the matter, leaving him clueless and frustrated. The school day zipped by, and before long, I was in a taxi and on my way to the airport. I’d packed light and only had one small suitcase and my messenger bag, both of which could be carried on. For what seemed like the hundredth time, I took out a small silver and white gift bag and examined its contents. Inside was an expensive crystal sun catcher, the kind meant to be hung on a porch or in a window. It depicted two doves in flight, facing each other. Wrapping it back in its tissue paper, I returned it to its gift bag and then my own bag. I hoped it would be an acceptable gift for the upcoming event. I was going to a vampire wedding. I’d never been to one before. Probably no Alchemist had. Although we worked with the Moroi to protect their existence, the Alchemists made it clear they wanted no involvement that went beyond business contact. After recent events, however, both groups had decided it would be good to improve our professional relations. Since this wedding was a big deal, a few other Alchemists and I had been invited. I knew the couple, and in theory, I was excited to see them married. It was the rest of the event that made me nervous: a huge social gathering of Moroi and dhampirs. Even with other Alchemists there, we’d be hopelessly outnumbered. Being in Palm Springs with Eddie, Jill, and the others had gone a long way in improving my feelings toward their kind. I got along with that little group well and now considered them friends. But even as liberal as I was in such matters, I still possessed a lot of the anxiety other Alchemists had inside the vampiric world. Maybe Moroi and dhampirs weren’t creatures of evil, like I’d once believed, but they certainly weren’t human. I kind of wished my Palm Springs friends were coming with me, but that had been out of the question. The whole point of Jill and the rest of us being in Palm Springs was to hide her away and keep her safe from those trying to kill her. Both Moroi and Strigoi tended to avoid sunny, desert regions. If she suddenly showed up at a major Moroi function, it would defeat the whole purpose. Eddie and Angeline, another dhampir protecting her at Amberwood, had to stay behind as well. Only Adrian and I had been invited to the wedding, and we were thankfully on separate flights. If anyone had noticed that he and I were traveling together, it could attract attention back in Palm Springs, which could then expose Jill. Adrian’s flight wasn’t even leaving from Palm Springs. He was flying out by way of Los Angeles, two hours west, just to make sure we weren’t linked together. I had to connect through a different flight in Los Angeles, which reminded me of Ms. Terwilliger’s task. Find one neighborhood in all of Los Angeles’s greater metropolitan area. Sure, no problem. The only thing I had going for me was that the Victorian houses were so distinct. If I could find some historical society, there was a good chance they could direct me toward areas matching that description. It would narrow my search considerably. I reached my gate at LAX an hour before the scheduled flight. I’d just gotten cozy with Ms. Terwilliger’s book when an overhead announcement declared, â€Å"Paging passenger Melrose. Please come see a customer service agent.† I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Gathering up my things, I approached the desk and was greeted by a cheery airline representative. â€Å"I’m sad to tell you this flight has been overbooked,† she said. From her peppy voice and big smile, she didn’t seem sad at all. â€Å"What’s that mean for me, exactly?† I asked, my dread growing. â€Å"I have a confirmed seat.† I dealt with bureaucracy and red tape all the time, but overbooking flights was something I’d never understood. How did that even happen? It wasn’t like the number of seats was a surprise to them. â€Å"It means that you’re no longer on the flight,† she explained. â€Å"You and a couple other volunteers gave up your seats to accommodate that family. Otherwise, they would’ve had to be split up.† â€Å"Volunteers?† I repeated, following her gesture. Off to the side of the seating area, a family with seven children smiled back at me. The children were tiny and adorable, with big eyes and the kind of cuteness you saw in musicals about orphans finding new homes. Outraged, I turned back toward the agent. â€Å"How can you do that? I checked in way ahead of time! I have a wedding to get to. I can’t miss it.† The woman produced a boarding pass. â€Å"We’ve more than made up for it. We’ve booked you on another flight, to Philadelphia – one that’s leaving sooner. And you’ve even been upgraded to first class for your inconvenience.† â€Å"That’s something,† I said. I was still annoyed at this, simply out of principle. I liked order and procedure. Altering those threw off my world. I looked down at the boarding pass and then did a double take. â€Å"It’s leaving now!† She nodded. â€Å"Like I said, sooner. I’d hurry up if I were you.† Then, on cue, I heard a last-call announcement for my new flight, saying all passengers need to be on board now, as they were about to shut the cabin doors. I wasn’t the swearing type, but I almost was then – especially when I saw that my new gate was on the opposite side of the terminal. Without another word, I grabbed my things and sprinted toward the gate as quickly as I could, making a mental note to write a letter of complaint to the airline. Through some miracle, I made it just before my new flight was closed to passengers, though the agent working that gate sternly told me that next time, I should plan ahead and allow more time. I ignored her and headed into the airplane, where I was greeted by a much nicer flight attendant – especially when she saw my first class ticket. â€Å"You’re right here, Miss Melrose,† she said, pointing to the third row of the cabin. â€Å"We’re so glad you could join us.† She helped me put my suitcase in the overhead bin, which proved to be pretty difficult since other, earlier passengers had taken up most of the space. It required some creative knowledge of spatial relations, and when we finally managed it, I practically passed out into my seat, exhausted from this unexpected flurry of excitement. So much for a relaxing trip. I had just enough time to fasten my seat belt before the plane began backing up. Feeling a little steadier, I plucked the safety card from its pocket so that I could follow along with the attendant’s presentation. No matter how many times I flew, I always thought it was important to be up to speed on procedures. I was watching the attendant fasten an oxygen mask when a familiar and intoxicating scent washed over me. In all of the chaos of making this flight, I hadn’t even bothered to pay attention to my seatmate. Adrian. I stared in disbelief. He was watching me with amusement and had no doubt been waiting to see how long it would take me to notice him. I didn’t even bother asking what he was doing here. I’d known he was flying out of LAX, and through some wacky twist of happenstance, I’d been bumped to his flight. â€Å"This is impossible,† I exclaimed. The scientist in me was too amazed to fully realize the uncomfortable nature of the situation I now found myself in. â€Å"It’s one thing for me to get moved to a new flight. But to end up next to you? Do you know what the odds of that are? It’s incredible.† â€Å"Some might call it fate,† he said. â€Å"Or maybe there just aren’t that many flights to Philadelphia.† He raised a glass of clear liquid to me in a toast. Since I’d never seen Adrian drink water, I had to assume it was vodka. â€Å"Nice to see you, by the way.† â€Å"Um, you too.† The engines roared to life around us, momentarily sparing me from conversation. Reality began sinking in. I was trapped on a five-hour flight with Adrian Ivashkov. Five hours. Five hours sitting only a few inches from him, smelling his overpriced cologne and looking into those knowing eyes. What was I going to do? Nothing, of course. There was nowhere to go, nowhere to escape since even first-class passengers weren’t allowed parachutes. My heart began to race as I frantically groped for something to say. He was watching me in silence, still with that small smirk, waiting for me to lead the conversation. â€Å"So,† I said at last, staring at my hands. â€Å"How’s, uh, your car?† â€Å"I left it out on the street. Figured it’ll be fine there while I’m gone.† I jerked my head up, jaw dropping. â€Å"You did what? They’ll tow it if it’s left there overnight!† Adrian was laughing before I even finished. â€Å"So that’s what it takes to get a passionate reaction, huh?† He shook his head. â€Å"Don’t worry, Sage. I was just kidding. It’s tucked away safely in my building’s parking lot.† I felt my cheeks burn. I hated that I’d fallen into his joke and was even a little embarrassed that I’d just flipped out over a car. Admittedly, it wasn’t just any car. It was a beautiful, classic Mustang that Adrian had recently purchased. In fact, he’d bought it to impress me, pretending he couldn’t drive manual transmission in order to spend more time with me while I taught him. I thought the car was amazing, but it still astonished me that he would have gone to that much trouble for us to be together. We reached our cruising altitude, and the flight attendant returned to get Adrian another drink. â€Å"Anything for you, miss?† she asked. â€Å"Diet Coke,† I said automatically. Adrian tsked once she was gone. â€Å"You could’ve gotten that for free back in coach.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Do I have to spend the next five hours being harassed? If so, I’ll go back in coach and let some lucky person ‘upgrade’ to my seat.† Adrian held up his hands in a placating gesture. â€Å"No, no. Carry on. I’ll entertain myself.† Entertaining himself turned out to be doing a crossword puzzle in one of the in-flight magazines. I took out Ms. Terwilliger’s book and tried to read, but it was hard to focus with him beside me. I kept sneaking glances out of the corner of my eye, partly to see if he was looking at me and partly just to study his features. He was the same Adrian as ever, annoyingly good looking with his tousled brown hair and sculpted face. I vowed I wouldn’t speak to him, but when I noticed he hadn’t written anything in a while and was tapping his pen loudly on the tray, I couldn’t help myself. â€Å"What is it?† I asked. â€Å"Seven-letter word for ‘cotton gin pioneer.'† â€Å"Whitney,† I replied. He leaned over and wrote in the letters. â€Å"‘Dominates the Mohs’ scale.’ Also seven letters.† â€Å"Diamond.† Five words later, I realized what was happening. â€Å"Hey,† I told him. â€Å"I am not doing this.† He looked up at me with angelic eyes. â€Å"Doing what?† â€Å"You know what. You’re luring me in. You know I can’t resist – â€Å" â€Å"Me?† he suggested. I pointed at the magazine. â€Å"Random trivia.† I angled my body away from him and made a big show of opening my book. â€Å"I have work to do.† I felt Adrian look over my shoulder, and I tried to ignore how aware of his proximity I was. â€Å"Looks like Jackie’s still got you working hard in her class.† Adrian had met Ms. Terwilliger recently and had somehow charmed his way into a first-name basis. â€Å"This one’s more like an extracurricular activity,† I explained. â€Å"Really? I thought you were pretty against doing any more with this stuff than you had to.† I shut the book in frustration. â€Å"I am! But then she said – † I bit off the words, reminding myself that I shouldn’t engage with Adrian any more than I had to. It was just too easy to slip back into old, friendly behaviors with him. It felt right when, obviously, it was wrong. â€Å"Then what?† he prompted, voice gentle. I looked up at him and saw no smugness or mockery. I didn’t even see any of the burning hurt that had plagued me these last few weeks. He actually looked concerned, which momentarily distracted me from Ms. Terwilliger’s task. Seeing him this way contrasted drastically with what had followed in the wake of our kiss. I’d been so nervous at the thought of sitting with him on this flight, and yet, here he was, ready to support me. Why the change? I hesitated, unsure what to do. Since last night, I’d been turning her words and the vision over and over in my head, trying to figure out what they meant. Adrian was the only person who knew about my involvement with her and magic (aside from Jill), and until this moment, I hadn’t realized how badly I was dying to discuss this with someone. So, I cracked and told him the whole story of my desert adventure. When I finished, I was surprised to see how dark his expression had become. â€Å"It’s one thing for her to try to get you to learn spells here and there. But it’s a totally different thing for her to drag you into something dangerous.† His ardent concern surprised me a little – but maybe it shouldn’t have. â€Å"From the way she talked, though, it wasn’t like it was her doing. She seemed pretty upset about . . . well, whatever all this means.† Adrian pointed at the book. â€Å"And that’ll help somehow?† â€Å"I guess.† I ran my fingers over the cover and embossed Latin words. â€Å"It has protection and attack spells – things that are a bit more hard core than what I’ve ever done. I don’t like it, and these aren’t even the really advanced ones. She told me to skip those.† â€Å"You don’t like magic, period,† he reminded me. â€Å"But if these can keep you safe, then maybe you shouldn’t ignore them.† I hated admitting when he was right. It only encouraged him. â€Å"Yeah, but I just wish I knew what I was trying to stay safe from – no. No. We can’t do this.† Without even realizing it, I’d slipped into the way things used to be, talking to Adrian in that easy, comfortable way we had. In fact, I’d even been confiding in him. He looked startled. â€Å"Do what? I stopped asking you for crossword help, didn’t I?† I took a deep breath, bracing myself. I’d known this moment was coming, no matter how much I wanted to put it off. I just hadn’t expected it to come while on a plane ride. â€Å"Adrian, we have to talk about what happened. Between you and me,† I declared. He took a moment to consider my words. â€Å"Well . . . last I knew, nothing was happening between you and me.† I dared a look at him. â€Å"Exactly. I’m sorry for what happened . . . what I said, but it was all true. We have to move past this and go on with our lives in a normal way. It’s for the good of our group in Palm Springs.† â€Å"Funny, I have moved past it,† he said. â€Å"You’re the one bringing it up.† I blushed again. â€Å"But it’s because of you! You’ve spent the last few weeks all moody and sulking, hardly ever talking to me. And when you do, there’s usually some nasty barb in it.† While recently having dinner at Clarence Donahue’s, I’d seen one of the most terrifying spiders ever come crawling into the living room. Mustering all my courage, I’d caught the creepy little beast and set him free. Adrian’s comment on my brave act had been, â€Å"Wow, I didn’t know you actually faced down things that scared you. I thought your normal response was to run kicking and screaming from them and pretend they don’t exist.† â€Å"You’re right about the attitude,† he said now, nodding along with my words. Once again, he looked remarkably serious. â€Å"And I’m sorry.† â€Å"You . . . are?† I could only stare. â€Å"So . . . you’re done with all of that . . . stuff? Done with, uh, feeling that way?† I couldn’t bring myself to elaborate. Done with being in love with me. â€Å"Oh, no,† he said cheerfully. â€Å"Not at all.† â€Å"But you just said – â€Å" â€Å"I’m done with the pouting,† he said. â€Å"Done with being moody – well, I mean, I’m always a little moody. That’s what Adrian Ivashkov’s all about. But I’m done with the excessive stuff. That didn’t get me anywhere with Rose. It won’t get me anywhere with you.† â€Å"Nothing will get you anywhere with me,† I exclaimed. â€Å"I don’t know about that.† He put on an introspective look that was both unexpected and intriguing. â€Å"You’re not as much of a lost cause as she was. I mean, with her, I had to overcome her deep, epic love with a Russian warlord. You and I just have to overcome hundreds of years’ worth of deeply ingrained prejudice and taboo between our two races. Easy.† â€Å"Adrian!† I felt my temper beginning to flare. â€Å"This isn’t a joke.† â€Å"I know. It’s certainly not to me. And that’s why I’m not going to give you a hard time.† He paused dramatically. â€Å"I’ll just love you whether you want me to or not.† The attendant came by with hot towels, putting our conversation on hold and allowing his slightly disturbing words to hang in the air between us. I was dumbfounded and couldn’t muster a response until after she came back to collect the cloths. â€Å"Whether I want you to or not? What on earth does that mean?† Adrian grimaced. â€Å"Sorry. That came off creepier than I intended. I just mean, I don’t care if you say we can’t be together. I don’t care if you think I’m the most evil, unnatural creature walking the earth.† For the briefest of moments, his choice of words threw me back in time, to when he’d told me I was the most beautiful creature walking the earth. Those words haunted me now, just as they had then. We’d been sitting in a dark, candlelit room, and he’d looked at me in a way that no one ever had – Stop it, Sydney. Focus. â€Å"You can think whatever you want, do whatever you want,† Adrian continued, unaware of my traitorous thoughts. There was a remarkable calm about him. â€Å"I’m going to just go on loving you, even if it’s hopeless.† I don’t know why that shocked me as much as it did. I glanced around to make sure no one was listening. â€Å"I . . . what? No. You can’t!† He tilted his head to the side as he regarded me carefully. â€Å"Why? It doesn’t hurt you or anything. I told you I won’t bother you if you don’t want me to. And if you do, well, I’m all about that. So what’s it matter if I just love you from afar?† I didn’t entirely know. â€Å"Because . . . because you can’t!† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"You . . . you need to move on,† I managed. Yes, that was a sound reason. â€Å"You need to find someone else. You know I don’t – that I can’t. Well, you know. You’re wasting your time with me.† He remained firm. â€Å"It’s my time to waste.† â€Å"But it’s crazy! Why would you do that?† â€Å"Because I can’t help doing it,† he said with a shrug. â€Å"And hey, if I keep loving you, maybe you’ll eventually crack and love me too. Hell, I’m pretty sure you’re already half in love with me.† â€Å"I am not! And everything you just said is ridiculous. That’s terrible logic.† Adrian returned to his crossword puzzle. â€Å"Well, you can think what you want, so long as you remember – no matter how ordinary things seem between us – I’m still here, still in love with you, and care about you more than any other guy, evil or otherwise, ever will.† â€Å"I don’t think you’re evil.† â€Å"See? Things are already looking promising.† He tapped the magazine with his pen again. â€Å"‘Romantic Victorian poetess.’ Eight letters.† I didn’t answer. I had been rendered speechless. Adrian never mentioned that dangerous topic again for the rest of the flight. Most of the time, he kept to himself, and when he did speak, it was about perfectly safe topics, like our dinner and the upcoming wedding. Anyone sitting with us would never have known there was anything weird between us. But I knew. That knowledge ate me up. It was all-consuming. And as the flight progressed, and eventually landed, I could no longer look at Adrian the same way. Each time we made eye contact, I just kept thinking of his words: I’m still here, still in love with you, and care about you more than any other guy ever will. Part of me felt offended. How dare he? How dare he love me whether I wanted him to or not? I had told him not to! He had no right to. And the rest of me? The rest of me was scared. If I keep loving you, maybe you’ll eventually crack and love me too. It was ludicrous. You couldn’t make someone love you just by loving them. It didn’t matter how charming he was, how good looking, or how funny. An Alchemist and a Moroi could never be together. It was impossible. I’m pretty sure you’re already half in love with me. Very impossible. How to cite The Indigo Spell Chapter Two, Essay examples

Costco Wholesale Corporation Mission, Business Model, and Strategy Essay Example

Costco Wholesale Corporation: Mission, Business Model, and Strategy Essay Wholesale Corporation: Mission, Business Model, and Strategy Renee Francia Strategic Human Resources BME 0939883 May 2013 Term Company Background Costco Wholesale Corporation (Costco) is a retail membership warehouse chain which was founded by Jim Sinegal and Jeff Brotman in 1983. Headquartered out of Issaquah, Washington, Costco has grown in to one of the largest wholesale giants in the industry. The company’s business model was to generate high sales volumes and rapid inventory turnover by offering members low prices on a limited selection of nationally branded and selected private-label products in a wide range of merchandise categories (Gamble Thompson Jr. , 2009, p. 217). This concept was created using the Price Club model, a member warehouse retailer that has stores primarily on the west coast and was a pioneer of the membership warehouse concept, as Sinegal was a former manager there. The first Costco store opened in Seattle the same year that Wal-Mart launched its warehouse membership format, Sam’s Club (Gamble Thompson Jr. 2009, p. 216). The mission Costco had in mind was, â€Å"To continually provide our members with quality foods and services at the lowest possible prices† (Gamble Thompson Jr. , 2009, p. 217). This business model proved to be effective and Costco was able to open new stores with funding from public shareholders. After this ex pansion, Costco became the first U. S. company to reach $1 billion in sales in less than six years (Gamble Thompson Jr. , 2009, p. 217). In 1993 Costco merged with Price Club and was renamed PriceCostco. In 1997 PriceCostco changed its name to Costco Companies Inc. nd then again to Costco Wholesale Corporation after their relocation to Washington. Strategy Costco was planned using a strategic vision of providing affordable high-quality products with a quick turnover rate while participating in responsible and sincere business practices. The cornerstones of Costco’s strategy were low prices, limited selection, and a treasure-hunt shopping experience (Gamble Thompson Jr. , 2009, p. 217). Costco remains competitive by offering low prices to their members and by provide good pay and an excellent work environment to their employees. We will write a custom essay sample on Costco Wholesale Corporation: Mission, Business Model, and Strategy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Costco Wholesale Corporation: Mission, Business Model, and Strategy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Costco Wholesale Corporation: Mission, Business Model, and Strategy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Costco is able to offer lower prices and better values by eliminating all the frills and costs historically associated with the conventional wholesalers and retailers, including salespeople, fancy buildings, delivery, billing, and accounts receivable. Sinegal was quoted saying that, â€Å"We [Costco] run a tight operation with extremely low overhead which enables us to pass on dramatic savings to our members (Gamble Thompson Jr. , 2009, p. 221). Costco’s pricing strategy has allowed them to develop a cost-based advantage over their competitors. Using a low-cost provider strategy, Costco was able to achieve lower overall costs than their rivals and appeal to a broad spectrum of customers (Gamble Thompson Jr. , 2009, p. 36). This strategy in line with limited selection enabled Costco to operate profitably at significantly lower gross margins than traditional wholesalers, mass merchandisers, supermarkets, and supercenters. Part of Costco’s strategy was to provide only a limited selection to their members; about 4,000 items. Although the number of items where limited, the store carried a broad range of products from steaks to caskets to fine jewelry. Costco is known for selling in bulk or large quantities. By doing this Costco is able to lower their business costs and keep lower sales prices on their products. Costco’s merchandise buyers remained on the lookout to make one-time purchases of items that would appeal to the company’s clientele and that would sell out quickly. (Gamble Thompson Jr. , 2009, p. 220) With the ever changing inventory, Costco customers are encouraged to make purchases that day, because the next time they visit, the item may not be in stock. This strategy helps increase sales as well as continues to bring customers back in to the store. Analysis Costco’s strategy has proven to be successful allowing them to rise above their competitors in terms of stores, sales volumes, and members. Costco has had steady growth in sales and earnings going as far back as 1995 as shown in Costco’s financial reports published on their corporate website. Also, Costco’s stock had substantial growth between 1995 and 200 and has shown steady growth trends since them (Yahoo Finance, 2013). Their member renewal rate was approximately 89. 7% in the U. S. and Canada, and approximately 86. 4% on a worldwide basis in 2012, consistent with recent years (Costco, 2012, p. 11). Costco’s strong financial performance, stock price trends, and customer retention are all indicators that their strategy is in line with their visions and objectives. Many of Costco’s strengths are held with their low prices, limited selection, and their employees. Costco prefers to hire from within and focused on career longevity and development for their employees. It was company policy to fill at least 86 percent of its higher-level openings buy promotions from within; in actuality, the percentage ran close to 98 percent, which meant that the majority of Costco’s management team members were home grown (Gamble Thompson Jr. 2009, p. 226). Even with their many strengths, Costco still had some weaknesses. Their warehouses appeared to be very industrial, with concrete floors and merchandise displayed on wooden pallets. Costco also relied heavily on word-of-mouth advertisement, which saved the company money in terms of marketing, but could also be hurting their ne w member attainment. The long lines that tend to form during peak shopping periods are also a deterrent for new member or renewals. Some members may not see the benefit to saving in bulk if they have to wait in extremely long checkout lines. Costco has a specific member demographic in mind and normally attract more affluent customers. The average member had an income of nearly $75,000 a year. This provides Costco with the opportunity to have more revenue by catering to those with a higher disposable income. In similar terms, they are missing out on an entire customer base, in the lower income earning families, because they are often not able to pay the membership fees or afford to pay â€Å"bulk† prices in order to save money. Costco’s biggest threat has proven to be their competitors. In their 2012 Annual Report Costco states that, â€Å"our inability to respond effectively to competitive pressures, changes in the retail markets and member expectations could result in lost market share and negatively affect our financial results. Some competitors may have greater financial resources, better access to merchandise and greater market penetration than we do (p. 14). Conclusion According to Costco’s 2012 Annual Report, net sales totaled almost $97 billion over 600 stores worldwide, for the year (p. 25). Their membership fees increased more than 11% and Costco has about 26. 7 million households and 6. 4 million businesses that have paid memberships with the company (Costco, 2012, p. 11). Costco’s strategic business and management plans have allowed them become one of the largest wholesale giants in the industry and it is these strategies that set them apart from their competitors. Costco’s markups and prices were so low that Wall Street analysts had criticized Costco management for going all out to please customers at the expense of increasing profits for shareholders (Gamble Thompson Jr. , 2009, p. 219). Sinegal was confident that his business strategy would help build a lasting, profitable organization. He was focused on the future of the business rather than just the right now; which turned out to be an extremely profitable business strategy. References Costco Wholesale. 2012) Annual Report 2012. Costco Wholesale Corporation. Gamble, J. E. Thompson Jr. , A. A. (2009). Essentials of Strategic Management: A Quest for the Competitive Advantage. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Investor Relations. (2013). Costco Wholesale Corporation. Retrieved from http://phx. corporate-ir. net/phoenix. zhtml? c=83830p=irol-reportsannual Yahoo Finance. (2013). Costco Wholesale Corporation – NasdaqGS. Retrieved from http://finance. yahoo. com/q/bc? s=COSTt=myl=onz=lq=lc=

Hypnosis

Hypnosis is known to many as a person taking control of another persons mind and controlling their actions. While that is a fair understanding of hypnosis, most hypnosis only works if the person being hypnotized wants to be hypnotized. After studying all the aspects and features of hypnosis, the most amazing factor is the enormous influence on a subjects suggestibility. The history of hypnosis is as ancient as that of sorcery, magic and medicine, to whose methods it belonged. Hypnosiss scientific history began in the later part of the 18th century with Franz Mesmer, a Viennese physician, who used it in the treatment of patients. Ever since Franz Anton Mesmer proposed his theory of animal magnetism more than 200 years ago, hypnosis has fought an uphill battle for scientific credibility. Hypnosis has been used in place of anesthesia to numb the pain of childbirth and major surgical procedures such as amputation and abdominal surgery. Numerous reports attest the effectiveness of hypnosis in the treatment of warts. In those who have been hypnotized, warts later disappear entirely on their own with out medicine or surgery. Since warts are virally induced, this striking phenomenon has fueled belief that hypnosis somehow mobilizes immune response. Patients can be hypnotized during amputation in order to relieve pain when morphine is not ava! ilable or when a person is allergic to medicine or if medicine is unavailable. Because of the mistaken belief that it was an occult force, which he termed animal magnetism that flowed through the hypnotist into the subject, Mesmer was soon discredited. Hypnotism or mesmerism, as it was nicknamed after Mesmer, continued to interest medical practitioners. In the mid-1880s, Sigmund Freud visited France and was impressed by the therapeutic potential of hypnosis for neurotic disorders. On his return home, he used hypnosis to help neurotics recall disturbing event...

2018â€2019 SAT Score Release Dates

2018–2019 SAT Score Release Dates Because SAT scores can play an important role in the college admissions process, most applicants are eager to learn how they performed on the exam. Scores are typically available online about two to three weeks after the test date. The table below presents the exact dates.   2018–2019  SAT Score Release Dates SAT Test Date Multiple-Choice Scores Available Online Essay Scores Available May 5, 2018 May 18-24 by May 29 June 2, 2018 July 11 by July 11 August 25, 2018 September 7 by September 9 October 6, 2018 October 19 by October 21 October 10, 2018 November 2 by November 4 November 3, 2018 November 16 by November 16 December 1, 2018 December 14 by December 16 March 6, 2019 March 29 by March 31 March 9, 2019 March 22 by March 24 March 27, 2019 April 19 by April 21 April 9, 2019 May 2 by May 5 April 23, 2019 May 16 by May 19 May 4, 2019 May 17 by May 19 June 1, 2019 July 10 by July 14 The SAT is offered worldwide on Saturdays  seven times a year. This table presents more than seven test dates because of special school-day administrations of the exam. These weekday options- October 10, March 6, March 27, April 9, and April 23- wont be available or convenient for many high school students.   How Do I Check My SAT Scores? When you register for the SAT, you create  an online account to do so. Be sure to keep track of your login information, for you will use that same online account to retrieve your SAT scores. In the My SAT section of your College Board account, youll find the scores for every SAT and SAT Subject Test youve taken. Youll also find breakdowns of your scores and percentile rankings that show how you measure up compared to other students. Another benefit of the College Boards online score reports is that youll get a customized study plan should you choose to retake the SAT, and youll get access to free SAT practice materials through Khan Academy. What Time Do My SAT Scores Appear? In the past, scores would appear online at 8:00 a.m. EST. In recent administrations of the exam, the scores have rolled out throughout the day. If you live on the east coast, dont bother setting your alarm for the wee hours to get your scores early. They will not be posted before 8:00 a.m. Also, dont panic if the morning of the score availability date comes and goes and your scores have not yet appeared online. It could be the afternoon or even the evening before your scores appear. There have also been cases in which the College Board has missed the score date for logistical reasons, and locally scores may be delayed if there were testing abnormalities at your particular testing center. In short, be patient. The only reason you should worry about your scores is if your classmates who took the exam on the same date have received their scores, and a day later your scores still have not appeared. At that point, it may be worth contacting the College Board to see what the issue may be. Why Do  My SAT Essay Scores Appear Later Than the Multiple Choice Score? Youll notice that the College Board provides a later score availability date for the SAT essay than for the multiple-choice section of the exam. The reason for this is rather simple: the multiple-choice answers are scored by a computer whereas the essay section needs to be scored by experienced readers. In fact, your essay will be read by two different people and then the scores from those two readers will be added together to arrive at your final SAT essay score. The logistics of getting the essay scores are much more complicated than for the multiple-choice section. The essay readers need to be trained for consistency in the scoring process, the essays need to be distributed to those readers, and then the scores from those readers need to be reported back to the College Board. Even though the essays are scored holistically (the readers do not mark up the essays or spend much time focusing on an essays minutiae), reading and scoring the essays is still a time-consuming process. It makes sense that the College Board can post the multiple-choice scores before the essay scores. That said, you may very well find that your essay scores  are available when your multiple-choice scores are posted. Paper SAT Scores and College Score Reports Once the College Board has your SAT scores, posting those scores online is quick and easy. Paper score reports, however, take more time, as do the reports you requested that will be sent to colleges. In general, you can expect paper score reports and college reporting within ten days of receiving all of your scores (multiple-choice and  the essay scores) online. Be sure to take this slight delay into account when you calculate when you should take the SAT. Youll want to make sure your score reports will arrive at colleges by the application deadline.   Can I Get My Scores Earlier Than The Posted Dates? In a word, no. Scoring and processing hundreds of thousands of answer sheets takes time, and the College Board isnt in a position to flag individual exams for expedited service. If youre applying Early Action or Early Decision, youll want to plan ahead so that you are taking exams that will get scores to colleges on time. The new August test date makes this easier, and the August and October exams should work fine  for early admission programs.   That said, for a fee, you can order rush service to get a score report mailed to a college more quickly (see SAT Costs, Fees, and Waivers). This doesnt change the date that scores become available, but it helps get a score report to a specific college a little faster if you didnt order the scores at the time of the exam. I Got My Scores. What Now? Once you have received your scores, youll need to figure out what the scores mean in relation to your college aspirations. Are your SAT scores good enough? Are you on target for admission to the college you hope to attend?  If time allows, should you take the exam again?  What are your options if your scores arent what you had hoped for?   To get a sense of how you measure up at some of the nations most selective colleges and universities, these articles can help guide you. They present SAT data for the middle 50% of admitted students at different types of colleges: SAT Scores for the Ivy LeagueSAT Scores for Top Liberal Arts CollegesSAT Scores for Top Public Universities Can I Challenge My SAT Scores? If your SAT scores seem far off from what you expected, you have some options for figuring out what went wrong. It is possible, for example, that your answer sheet did not scan properly. For a fee, you can request that your multiple-choice answer sheet be scored by hand. This needs to be done within five months of the test date. If it turns out that an error did occur in the processing of your score, the College Board will refund the verification fee. Note that the College Board will  not  rescore your exam if you failed to follow directions. For example, if you did not fill in the ovals properly or you used a pen instead of a #2 pencil, you will not be eligible to have your scores changed. With the SAT essay, the situation is similar. You can request that your essay score be verified in case of a score reporting error or a scanning problem. Your essay will  not  be reread. The College Boards essay scoring process has built-in safety measures to ensure accurate scores. Two readers will score your essay, and if the scores by those two readers differ by more than one point (on a 4-point scale), the essay will be sent to a scoring director who will score the essay. A Final Word on SAT Scores Theres no getting around the fact that SAT (and ACT) scores often play an important role in the college admissions process. That said, try to put the exam in perspective. Your academic record will matter more than the SAT, so be sure to work hard and do well in challenging college-preparatory classes. Also, realize that the most selective colleges have holistic admissions, so a winning application essay and meaningful extracurricular involvement can help compensate for less-than-ideal SAT scores. Finally, keep in mind that hundreds of colleges have test-optional admissions and dont consider SAT scores at all.

What makes people like to stay on their jobs Essay

What makes people like to stay on their jobs - Essay Example Based on developed level of satisfaction and happiness, employees determine whether to continue working for an organization or not. The factors also determine the employees’ productivity level, should they choose to remain in an organization. It is therefore important to investigate conditions that determine employees’ happiness and satisfaction to stay in jobs and reasons why employees may not like their jobs. Non-monetary factors Non-monetary factors are essential determinants of employees’ utility in a workplace. As a result, they are able to make an employee happy or not. An employee will for instance be happy if considered non-monetary factors meet his or her expectations. A match between job descriptions and an employee’s traits or abilities is one of the non-monetary factors that determine a person’s happiness in a job. This is because of the different expertise that each type of job requires and the involved strain in performing a job, shoul d an employee lack the required skills or traits. Matching employees with jobs that require their skills, level of experience and traits therefore eliminates strain in work, improves utility, and induce happiness. Employees in such working conditions like their jobs and would prefer to remain in the jobs and work effectively towards productivity. Mismatching employees’ ability with job requirements however identifies strains and incompetence in work that may discourage employees and lead to job dislike (Gaurav 9). Appreciating and recognizing employees are other non-monetary factors that influence employees’ happiness (Gaurav 9). This is because of the associated self worth that leads to self-confidence and internal motivation among employees. Examples of appreciation include congratulating an employee for an achievement such as meeting set objectives or doing an outstanding work. Recognition is, however, achieved by identifying an employee’s performance or char acteristics before peers. An appreciated or recognized employee therefore develops a self worth into satisfaction and happiness while lack of appreciation and recognition demoralizes employees who may consequently develop negative attitude towards their jobs. Presence of stress in a work environment is another non-monetary factor that determines employees’ happiness and developed attitudes towards a job. Stress primarily reduces people’s level of happiness and utility. Stressed employees will therefore be unhappy and would not like their jobs while employees who work in a stress free environment are likely to be happy and like their jobs (Gaurav 9). Monetary factors Monetary factors define direct financial advancements to employees. Remunerations, rewards, and appraisal-based advancements are examples. Even though not regarded as principal determinant to employees’ satisfaction in a job, money is instrumental. Employees will for example be comfortable when their basic remunerations match their competence and their level of input to an organization. A relatively low remuneration level would therefore not satisfy an employee and would lead to unhappiness. An underpaid employee will also most likely not appreciate the job and would be ready to leave for an opportunity that can match competence with pay. An organization’s reward system is another monetary factor to employees’ satisfaction and happiness that is directly associated with non-monetary aspects of appreciation and recognition. A performance-based reward for example indicates an organization’s appreciation of an employees’ performance and initiates the employees’ satisfaction in the work. Rewarded employees will therefore be happy and satisfied in their work. Similarly, those who have