Tuesday, August 25, 2020
Computer Based Training (CBT) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
PC Based Training (CBT) - Essay Example A considerable lot of them are using PC based preparing. For what reason is this so? As indicated by Business and Legal Minds, Incorporation (2005), human association stays a many-sided some portion of working environment preparing. In any case, PC based preparing benefits the innovative answer for conventional sorts of preparing. It is said to improve these customary kinds of preparing. PC based preparing shifts from text-just projects to utilizing CD-ROM, and to computer generated reality programs. Organizations and associations are utilizing this sort of preparing on the grounds that it very well may be modified by the requirements of the individual representative. It is likewise profits the workers with a decision. That is; they realize, when, how, and where they need. To numerous organizations, it is practical the greatest number of representatives can utilize a solitary hardware. They likewise permit workers to learn whenever it might suit them. The intelligent method of certain projects makes it an intriguing preparing program for workers. In particular, the r epresentative advancement can be followed. A portion of the projects have post-tests that grant organizations to know whether the worker has understood the preparation. The score benefits a decent boundary for the mentor to assess the viability of the preparation program. Consequently, organizations are picking PC based preparing over other preparing strategies because of the favorable circumstances it is profiting alongside its relationship with the cutting edge world where society is turning out to be increasingly more mechanically propelled (Business and Legal Reports, Inc.,
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Mozart: Symphony #33 in B Flat, Allegro Assai Analysis
E-Essay II Mozart: Symphony #33 In B Flat, K 319 â⬠1. Allegro Assai Form Analysis â⬠Sonata Form (Time)::(Form)::(2 or 3 purposes behind setting division here) EXPOSITION 0. 00::Theme 1::MELODY: Light, basic, sequencing and redundancy; TEXTURE: light to out of nowhere substantial; DYNAMICS: Contrast from piano to Subito strong point; HARMONY: Major with short minor portions 1:35::Bridge:: MELODY: Modulates, short; TEXTURE:: Continues to go from light to overwhelming 2:05::Theme II::MELODY: New darker tune; TEXTURE: Thicker surface, more activity; HARMONY: Minor and moves to Major; 2:19::CADENCE: Ends in a V to I CadenceDEVELOPMENT 2:29::Development: MELODY: Playful, topical advancement of T1, went around the ensemble; TEXTURE: Light, bit by bit gets thicker and substantial; HARMONY; Major, adjusts continually in instrumental segments 3:28::CADENCE: V to I: End in Development tune 1â⬠² RECAPITULATION :44::Theme 1::MELODY: Repeat of Theme 1; TEXTURE: Almost indistinguishable from starting HARMONY: Major with short Minor Excerpts 5:16::Bridge::MELODY: Repeat of Bride 1; TEXTURE: Light to Heavy complexity 5:47::Theme II::Melody: Repeat of Theme II; TEXTURE: Continues to go from Light to Heavy 5:57::Closing Theme: MELODY: New Material Based on end of Theme II; Texture Similar Textures with differentiate from light to substantial consummation in light 6:22:: Final Cadenza Ending in a Major key change from V to IThis Piece by Mozart is one of 41 that he composed and is a Prime case of ordinary Sonata Form. I thought this was fascinating when I discovered how ââ¬Å"correctâ⬠this piece was in following the structure due to Mozart's Background. Knowing about his puerile inventive nature I would have anticipated a slight removing from the ordinary structure. However, angles inside the piece, for example, the extension continually being exchanged among parts and adjusting helps show Mozart's battle with himself and his employers.Mozart's commitment to his music is the thing that propped him up yet controlled him simultaneously, for he knew about his gifts. This can be seen with the consistent abrupt exchanging among light and serene tunes to unexpected substantial and practically intense surfaces of a similar song. This truly can let one see the interior battle he had between his music and the outside world, and both the harmony and stress it caused him.
Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Selams First CPW
Selamâs First CPW Hello Interwebz! Our campus is swarming with high school students and free food. Its all very exciting. Everyone is very excited! Ahhh! Im excited too! In fact, this is also my first CPW ever. I did not attend as a prefrosh. But this is really fun as an MIT student, too~ I didnât think I had been super committed to CPW activities, but I actually did get myself involved in things (hooray!). Today I went shopping for a CPW event tomorrow, and then I went to Meet the Bloggers, in which I met some of you, and we Bloggers also met each othermost of our interaction is on the interwebz rather than IRL. Tomorrow, I am going to be at the CPW Midway for Chinese Students Club, and our Noodle Extravaganza event afterward. Then, Iâm going to Chocolate City for Ill Vibes, an open mic sort of event. The pre-frosh are all very exciting, and I enjoy being excited along with them. Itâs weird that only seven months ago, I was a pre-frosh too. Now I am a freshmen, soon to be rising sophomore. Technically speaking, I already am a sophomoreo__O Yet, the density of my experiences these past seven months have been tremendous. Iâve learned so muchacademically, about myself, about the world, about others. In many ways, I have grown much at MITI thought I was top notch at failing, but I leveled up and got even better! (more on that later) I wonder if I am a different person from who I was. I believe my core values remain the sameI am an optimist. I believe in the good of people. I believe every person has good in them, somewhere, and that many people have their side of the story yet to tell. It is for this reason that I try to be as tolerant and lenient with people as I possibly can. Whatâs been most taxing this year actually might not have been academicsfirst off, academics is hard. LIKE REALLY HARD. I cannot stress this enough, because I donât think freshman are ever told enough how hard it is. I came in hearing âyeah, no one gets an A hereâ but really itâs more like âmost people get Câs hereâ and you know what thatâs ok. It is ok. Many people have failed a class, or even multiple classes. And they are still amazing and very, very successful. But actually what I was worried impacted me most negatively this year as a person were the social issues I experienced. A friend became romantically involved with someone and they got into a big fight. Without saying too much, we were all intertwined in our activities, such that I became exposed to abuse of power, petty arguments, rifts between people. As someone who believed strongly in the good in people, this was taxing. Itâs hard, after all, to keep being tolerant, when you feel like others will not do the same for you or for each other. It probably all sounds very mild, the way I put it, but in actuality, it almost made me lose a little bit of my faith in human beings, and definitely made me reconsider where to put my friendship. In addition to that, there was a lot of sorrow that occurred during our long winter. The fallen snow muted the tragedies that befell us, and on top of all of that, it seemed like our classes decided to push us to our limits all at once. Coming out of all this, I wish to remain, in some core aspects, who I was and who I am, and I may have to fight myself to remain that way. I still want to believe in human beings. I believe the good in them is there. I believe in goodunconditionally. All in all, this CPW has made me very reflective. Talking to all the prefrosh makes me very happy; I love enthusiasm and I want to maintain it. I hope for the best for every one of them.
Saturday, May 23, 2020
How Does Ethical Training Help Nurses Handle Difficult...
How does Ethical Training Help Nurses handle Difficult Ethical Dilemmas While Providing Quality, Patient-Focused Care in Nursing? Nurses are a critical part of the healthcare workforce. They are required to make tough ethical decisions. Without the right ethical training, nurses may experience moral distress, which in turn undermines their ability to make a morally correct decision (Grady et.al. 2008). Consequently, the quality of care provided to patients is significantly compromised. However, the objective of ethical training is to effectively manage ethical dilemmas without compromising patient focused care. Hence, ethical training reflects the preservation of patient preference and rights, ultimately promoting positive patient outcomes. Significance of the Problem The ethical issues experienced by nurses during their daily activities have received a limited amount of attention. Despite this, ethical problems and dilemmas are a part of nursing practices all over the world. Research indicates that 43% of nurses encounter ethical issues on a daily basis while 36% face the same problem on a weekly basis (Ulrich et.al. 2010). At the same time, nurses are required to uphold certain moral values, responsibilities and duties that are crucial to the nursing profession (Ulrich et.al. 2010). As a result, nurses face numerous ethical challenges. Furthermore, nurses encounter numerous factors that undermine their ability to practice in an ethical manner. When faced with ethicalShow MoreRelatedTheoretical Framework4961 Words à |à 20 PagesNursing Practice: A Personal Framework After graduating nursing school in 2008, I started working as an Operating Room nurse (OR) at a level one trauma center, which specializes in neurosurgery. I now scrub and circulate neurology, urology, ENT (ear, nose and throat), and plastic surgeries. I am also a charge nurse and in charge of orienting new nurses and graduate nurses. The OR is fast paced and challenging. One never knows what is going to come through the doors, but you have to be readyRead MoreHsm 542 Week 12 Discussion Essay45410 Words à |à 182 Pages------------------------------------------------- Top of Form Week 1: Introductions/Overview: An Ethical and Legal Framework - Discussion This weeks graded topics relate to the following Terminal Course Objectives (TCOs): A | Given a situation related to reproductive genetics, genetic research, or the human genome project, develop a set of legal and ethical guidelines, which can be applied to genetic issues for the conduct of medical practice and/or research. | B | Given the contentiousRead MoreReflective Account of ....10187 Words à |à 41 Pagesworking together other with twenty AMOââ¬â¢s, ten registered staff nurses and seventeen nursing aid in this department. In Malaysia AMO plays a major role in early diagnosis and treatment of patient whereby they are assign in hospital and clinics. AMO working in the ED are competent in the provision of emergency cares and function as the main front liner care provider that includes provision of emergency treatment, stabilization, definitive care and function as an important component of the Trauma Team (MinistryRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words à |à 1573 PagesCreating a Positive Work Environment 22 â⬠¢ Improving Ethical Behavior 22 Coming Attractions: Developing an OB Model 23 An Overview 23 â⬠¢ Inputs 24 â⬠¢ Processes 25 â⬠¢ Outcomes 25 Summary and Implications for Managers 30 S A L Self-Assessment Library How Much Do I Know About Organizational Behavior? 4 Myth or Science? ââ¬Å"Most Acts of Workplace Bullying Are Men Attacking Womenâ⬠12 An Ethical Choice Can You Learn from Failure? 24 glOBalization! Does National Culture Affect Organizational Practices?Read MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words à |à 1056 Pagesto self-assessment, to a wealth of interactive visual and audio resources, WileyPLUS gives you everything you need to personalize the teaching and learning experience. à » F i n d o u t h ow t o M A K E I T YO U R S à » www.wileyplus.com ALL THE HELP, RESOURCES, AND PERSONAL SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR STUDENTS NEED! 2-Minute Tutorials and all of the resources you your students need to get started www.wileyplus.com/firstday Student support from an experienced student user Ask your local representativeRead MoreLeadership for Health and Social Care and Children65584 Words à |à 263 PagesQUALIFICATION HANDBOOK Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young Peopleââ¬â¢s Services (England) (3978-51/52/53/54/55/56) December 2011 Version 2.1 (July 2011) Qualification at a glance Subject area City Guilds number Age group approved Entry requirements Assessment Fast track Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young Peopleââ¬â¢s Services (England) 3978 19+ There are no entry requirements Portfolio of Evidence, PracticalRead MoreHuman Resources Management150900 Words à |à 604 PagesIdentify the three different roles of HR management. Discuss the three dimensions associated with HR management as a strategic business contributor. Explain why HR professionals and operating managers must view HR management as an interface. Discuss why ethical issues and professionalism affect HR management as a career field. ââ" ââ" ââ" ââ" ââ" 3 HR TRANSITIONS HR Management Contributes to Organizational Success More effective management of human resources (HR) increasingly is being seen asRead MoreLibrary Management204752 Words à |à 820 Pages . . . 76 Forecasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Theory Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Management by Objectives (MBO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Total Quality Management (TQM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Policy Making . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Sources of Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Effective Policy Development .Read MoreInternational Management67196 Words à |à 269 Pageshas renewed calls for corporations to do more to protect the planet and governments to get tougher with companies in terms of oversight and accountability. The advent of social networking and other media has transformed the way citizens interact and how businesses market, promote, and distribute t heir products globally. The same can be said for mass collaboration efforts occurring through digital, online technology for the development of new and innovative systems, products, and ideas. Both socialRead MoreOverview of Hrm93778 Words à |à 376 Pagesfollowing human resource management functionsâ⬠¦ â⬠¢ Staffing (HR planning, recruitment and selection) â⬠¢ Human resource development â⬠¢ Compensation and benefits â⬠¢ Safety and health â⬠¢ Employee and labor relations â⬠¢ Records maintaining, etc. â⬠¢ HR research (providing a HR information base, designing and implementing employee communication system). â⬠¢ Interrelationship of HR functions. A. What is human resource management? As we said that HRM is the management of people working in an organization, it is a subject
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Loanable Funds Theory - 5819 Words
JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS AND FINANCE EDUCATION â⬠¢ Volume 6 â⬠¢ Number 1 â⬠¢ Summer 2007 48 Reconsidering the Introduction to Interest Rate Theory S. Kirk Elwood1 ABSTRACT The various theories of interest rate determination presented in economics textbooks each spotlight a particular fundamental force behind the equilibrium rate. Unfortunately, each theoryââ¬â¢s successful emphasis of one determinant of the interest rate comes at the cost of distorting some other aspect of its determination. This paper argues that the basic market analysis of debt securities (e.g., bonds and commercial paper) left out of most macroeconomic as well as money and banking textbooks provides a straightforward and practical perspective on interest rate determinationâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦But they never extend the analysis to show how interest rates are generally determined by debt securities markets. Most intermediate texts similarly discuss the inverse relationship between interest rates and bond prices without mentioning the markets where those prices are determined (e.g., Blanchard 2003, and DeLong and Olney 2006). Able and Bernanke (2005) go a little further by acknowledging that changes in money demand affect bond holdings, but still no debt securities market is developed. JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS AND FINANCE EDUCATION â⬠¢ Volume 6 â⬠¢ Number 1 â⬠¢ Summer 2007 49 This distinction between debt securities prices and interest rates ââ¬â on which more will be said below ââ¬â is supported by the fact that the actual markets where their joint values are determined are explicitly debt securities markets. Bond markets ââ¬â primary as well as secondary ââ¬â and commercial paper markets quote either the prices or discount rates of their debt securities, and leave the corresponding interest rate to be inferred. The ââ¬Å"interest rateâ⬠is a pricing term generally spoken outside of the larger financial markets by retail borrowers and lenders such as local banks.3 In addition to the great familiarity with interest rates by those who borrow or lend through banks, most economists dependably refer to interest rates instead of debt securitiesââ¬â¢ prices because it is assumed that economic agents think in terms of interestShow MoreRelated2.2 Theoretical Literature. 2.2.1 Theoretical Literature1075 Words à |à 5 Pages Classical Theory of Interest rate This theory was developed by economists like Prof. Pigou, Prof. Marshall, Walras, Knight etc. According to this theory, Interest is the reward for the productive use of the capital which is equal to the marginal productivity of physical capital. The classical theorists regarded interest rate as an equilibrating factor between the demand for and the supply of investible funds. Investment represents the demand for investible funds, and interestRead MoreEconomics Notes: Small and Open Economies, Growth, Aggregate Supply and Demand926 Words à |à 4 Pagesborrowing more expensive, the quantity of loanable funds demanded falls as the interest rate rises. The supply and demand for loanable funds depend on the real interest rate and not nominal. Increase in saving = shift the supply of loanable funds to the right = reduces the interest rate. (graphique page 181) Increase in investment = demand for loanable funds increase = interest rise. Incentive to increase investment = increase in quantity of loanable funds demanded When the government has a budgetRead MoreCarl Menger s Principles Of Economics1344 Words à |à 6 Pagesconsumable output. The economy is at full employment and it is using all of its resources when it is along the curve. The bottom graph is the loanable funds market. On the x-axis there is quantity of loanable funds and on the y-axis is interest rate. Austrians believe that the money that is not spent on consumable goods is then saved and turned into loanable funds. Similar to the MPC, there is always a percentage of money that the consumer does not spend. If a person deposits their savings into aRead MoreTheu.s Gross Domestic Product ( Gdp )1695 Words à |à 7 Pagesfor jobs since they will be willing to accept low wages. So even if easier monetary policy is adopts inflation will not rise. According to the classical economists, there is no effect of monetary policies on the real variables. The provided quantity theory of money: MV=PY If there is an increase in money supply this will shift the LM curve to the down and this will lower the rate of interest. With lower interest rate there is a higher investment and this will shift the AD curve to the right and increasesRead MoreWhat Are The Three Reasons The Aggregate Demand Curve Slopes Downward?960 Words à |à 4 Pagesthey can then place in financial intermediaries (banks) who can in turn loan those funds out. An increase in the supply of loanable funds decreases the interest rate for borrowing funds, enticing people/businesses to borrow funds for investment purposes, increasing the demand for goods and services. If the price level increases, consumers will have less money to place in banks, depleting the supply of loanable funds, which will increase the interest rate deterring individuals from borrowing. ThisRead MoreFiscal Policy And Fiscal Policies1193 Words à |à 5 Pagesfiscal policy can be used to raise income, stimulate spending and increase levels of pr oduction in a given economy, be it open or closed. Gradually, as unemployment falls, this sequence allows the economy to move towards full employment. As with most theories, expansionary fiscal policy does indeed have its criticisms and downfalls. If a given householdââ¬â¢s expenditure were to be higher than the householdââ¬â¢s income, it would spell financial trouble unless the extra spending can be funded somehow. SimilarlyRead MoreEcon 1103- Practice Midterm Exam2153 Words à |à 9 Pagescomparative advantage in both beef and wine c) Canada has an absolute advantage in beef and a comparative advantage in wine d) Argentina has an absolute advantage in wine and a comparative advantage in beef 6. According to the data in Table 1 and the theory of comparative advantage: a) Canada should export both goods and Argentina should export neither good b) Argentina should export both goods and Canada should export neither good c) Canada should export beef and Argentina should export wine d)Read MoreHigh Saving Promotes Faster Growth2505 Words à |à 11 Pagesby 5% from 2007, positive growth was still seen. This suggests China coped better during the economic recession and thereby could suggest is less susceptible to downturn in the future, helping to ensure the long run prosperity of the economy. The theory behind this is that during uncertain times, households with savings to fall back on are less likely to reduce consumption immediately. Hence, aggregate demand should not fall as profoundly as households can still purchase the same level of goods andRead MoreOptimism in the Long Run2012 Words à |à 9 Pagespolicies the Fed is using to stimulate economic growth are: 1. Very low interest rates (Federal funds rate and discount rate) 2. Quantitative Easing Program: Spending $65B (down from $75B) a month on the purchase of U.S. Government bonds from banks Quantitative easing increases the banks supply of loanable funds. Additionally, the Fed controls the interest rates for banks to loan money to one another (Federal Funds rate) and to borrow directly from the Fed (Discount rate). Banks take loans from other banksRead MoreA New Production Facility At Chine For Apple Essay2072 Words à |à 9 Pageswas 22% of GDP, but the growth in spending was decreased. In the 1990 s, the U.S. experienced increased growth due to the introduction of new technology in production to speed up the output of products. This new technology afforded companies the funds to hire more employs and increase profit. This consumer demand leads to stock prices going through the roof, leading to the inevitable bubble bursting and stock prices plunging in 2000. This was the beginning of the recession that hit the U.S. hard
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
A Dirty Job Chapter 14 Free Essays
string(112) " dragged him into his bedroom, even as he protested, swore, and smacked it in the head with a brass table lamp\." 14 BARKING MAD Charlie opened the door and Lily breezed by. ââ¬Å"Jane said you have two huge black dogs up here. I need to see. We will write a custom essay sample on A Dirty Job Chapter 14 or any similar topic only for you Order Now â⬠ââ¬Å"Lily, wait,â⬠Charlie called, but she was across the living room and into Sophieââ¬â¢s room before he could stop her. There was a low growl and she came backing out. ââ¬Å"Oh my fucking God, dude,â⬠she said around a huge grin. ââ¬Å"They are so cool. Where did you get them?â⬠ââ¬Å"I didnââ¬â¢t get them anywhere. They were just here.â⬠Charlie joined Lily just outside the door to Sophieââ¬â¢s room. She turned and grabbed his arm. ââ¬Å"Are they, like, instruments of your death dealing or something?â⬠ââ¬Å"Lily, I thought we agreed that we wouldnââ¬â¢t talk about that.â⬠And they had. In fact, Lily had been great about it. Since sheââ¬â¢d first found out about him being a Death Merchant, sheââ¬â¢d hardly brought it up at all. Sheââ¬â¢d also gone on to graduate from high school without getting a major criminal record and enroll in the Culinary Institute, the upside of which was that she actually wore her white chef ââ¬Ës coat, checked pants, and rubber clogs to work, which tended to soften her makeup and hair, which remained severe, dark, and a little scary. Sophie giggled and rolled over against one of the hounds. They had been licking her and she was covered with hellish dog spit. Her hair was plastered into a dozen unlikely spikes, making her appear a little like a wide-eyed Anim character. Sophie saw Lily in the doorway and waved. ââ¬Å"Goggie, ââ¬ËIly. Goggie,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"Hi, Sophie. Yes, those are nice doggies,â⬠Lily said, then to Charlie: ââ¬Å"What are you going to do?â⬠ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t know what to do. They wonââ¬â¢t let me near her.â⬠ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s good, then. Theyââ¬â¢re here to protect her.â⬠Charlie nodded. ââ¬Å"I think they are. Something happened last night. You know how the Great Big Book talks about the others? I think one of them came after her last night, and these guys showed up.â⬠ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m impressed. Iââ¬â¢d think youââ¬â¢d be more freaked out.â⬠Charlie didnââ¬â¢t want to tell her that he was worn out from freaking out the day before about his little girl killing an old man with the word kitty. Lily already knew too much, and it was obvious now that whatever lay below was dangerous. ââ¬Å"I guess I should be, but they arenââ¬â¢t here to hurt her. I need to go check the library in Berkeley, see if thereââ¬â¢s anything about them there. I need to get Sophie away from them.â⬠Lily laughed. ââ¬Å"Yeah, thatââ¬â¢s going to happen. Look, I have work and school today, but Iââ¬â¢ll go do your research for you tomorrow. In the meantime you can try to make friends with them.â⬠ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t want to make friends with them.â⬠Lily looked at the hounds, one of whom Sophie was pounding on with her little fists as she laughed gleefully, then looked back at Charlie. ââ¬Å"Yes, you do.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah, I guess I do,â⬠Charlie said. ââ¬Å"Have you ever seen a dog that size before?â⬠ââ¬Å"There are no dogs that size.â⬠ââ¬Å"What do you call those, then?â⬠ââ¬Å"Those arenââ¬â¢t dogs, Asher, those are hellhounds.â⬠ââ¬Å"How do you know that?â⬠ââ¬Å"I know that because before I started learning about herbs and reductions and stuff, I spent my free time reading about the dark side, and those guys come up from time to time.â⬠ââ¬Å"If we know that, then what are you going to do research on?â⬠ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m going to try to find out what sent them.â⬠She patted his shoulder. ââ¬Å"I have to go open the shop. You go make nice with the goggies.â⬠ââ¬Å"What do I feed them?â⬠ââ¬Å"Purina Hellhound Chow.â⬠ââ¬Å"They make that?â⬠ââ¬Å"What do you think?â⬠ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËKay,â⬠Charlie said. It took a couple of hours, but after Sophie started smelling like diaper surprise, one of the giant dogs nosed her toward Charlie as if to say, Clean her up and bring her back. Charlie could feel them watching him as he changed his daughter, grateful that disposable diapers didnââ¬â¢t require pins. If heââ¬â¢d accidentally poked Sophie with a pin, he was sure one of the hellhounds would have bitten his head off. They watched him carefully as he moved her to the breakfast bar, and sat on either side of her high chair as he gave her breakfast. As an experiment, he made an extra piece of toast and tossed it to one of the hounds. It snapped it out of the air and licked its chops once, eyes now locked on Charlie and the loaf of bread. So Charlie toasted four more slices and the hounds alternately snapped each out of the air so swiftly that Charlie wasnââ¬â¢t sure he didnââ¬â¢t see some sort of vapor from the pressure of their jaws clamping down. ââ¬Å"So, youââ¬â¢re hellish beasts from another dimension, and you like toast. Okay.â⬠Then, as Charlie started to toast four more slices, he stopped, feeling stupid. ââ¬Å"You donââ¬â¢t really care if itââ¬â¢s toasted, do you?â⬠He flipped a slice of bread to the closest of the dogs, who snapped it out of the air. ââ¬Å"Okay, that will speed things up.â⬠Charlie fed them the remainder of the loaf of bread. He spread a few slices with a thick coat of peanut butter, which did nothing whatsoever, then a half dozen more he spread with lemon dishwasher gel, which appeared to have no ill effect except that it made them burp neat, aquamarine-colored bubbles. ââ¬Å"Go walk, Daddy,â⬠Sophie said. ââ¬Å"No walk today, sweetie. I think weââ¬â¢ll just stay right here in the apartment and try to figure out our new pals.â⬠Charlie got Sophie out of her chair, wiped the jelly off her face and out of her hair, then sat down with her on the couch to read to her from the Chronicleââ¬â¢s classified ads, which was where he plied a large part of his business, other than the Death stuff. But no sooner had he settled into a rhythm than one of the hellhounds came over, took his arm in its mouth, and dragged him into his bedroom, even as he protested, swore, and smacked it in the head with a brass table lamp. You read "A Dirty Job Chapter 14" in category "Essay examples" The big dog let him go, then stood staring at Charlieââ¬â¢s date book like it had been sprayed with beef gravy. ââ¬Å"What?â⬠Charlie said, but then he saw. Somehow, in all the excitement, he hadnââ¬â¢t noticed a new name in the book. ââ¬Å"Look, the number is thirty. I have a whole month to find this one. Leave me alone.â⬠Charlie also noticed in passing that engraved on the hellhoundââ¬â¢s great silver collar was the name ALVIN. ââ¬Å"Alvin? Thatââ¬â¢s the stupidest name Iââ¬â¢ve ever heard.â⬠Charlie went back to the couch, and the dog dragged him back into the bedroom, this time by the foot. As they went through the door Charlie reached for his sword-cane. When Alvin dropped him Charlie leapt to his feet and drew the blade. The big dog rolled over on his back and whimpered. His companion appeared at the door, panting. (Mohammed was the houndââ¬â¢s name, according to the plate on the collar.) Charlie considered his options. He had always felt the sword-cane a pretty formidable weapon, had even been willing to take on the sewer harpies with it, but it occurred to him that these animals had obviously wiped the floor with one of those other creatures of darkness and had no problem sitting down and eating a loaf of soapy toast a couple of hours later. In short, he was out of his league. They wanted him to go retrieve the soul vessel, he would retrieve the soul vessel. But he wasnââ¬â¢t leaving his darling daughter alone with them. ââ¬Å"Alvin is still a stupid name,â⠬ he said, sheathing the sword. When Mrs. Korjev arrived, Charlie had put Sophie down for her nap, and a dark pile of hellhounds was napping by her crib ââ¬â snoring great clouds of lemony-fresh dog breath into the air. It was probably part of Charlieââ¬â¢s rising rascal nature, but he let Mrs. Korjev enter Sophieââ¬â¢s room with only the warning that the little girl had a couple of new pets. He suppressed a snicker as the great Cossack grandmother backed out of the room swearing in Russian. ââ¬Å"Is giant dogs in there.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes, there are.â⬠ââ¬Å"But not like normal giant dog. They are like extra-giant, black animal, they are ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Like bear?â⬠Charlie suggested. ââ¬Å"No, I wasnââ¬â¢t going to say ââ¬Ëbear,ââ¬â¢ Mr. Smart-Alec. Not like bear. Like volf, only bigger, stronger ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Like bear?â⬠Charlie ventured. ââ¬Å"You make your mother ashamed when you are mean, Charlie Asher.â⬠ââ¬Å"Not like bear?â⬠Charlie asked. ââ¬Å"Is not important now. I am just surprised. Vladlena is old woman with weak heart, but you go have good laugh and I will sit with Sophie and huge dogs.â⬠ââ¬Å"Thank you, Mrs. Korjev, their names are Alvin and Mohammed. Itââ¬â¢s on their collars.â⬠ââ¬Å"You have food for them?â⬠ââ¬Å"There are some steaks in the freezer. Just give each one of them a couple and stand back.â⬠ââ¬Å"How they like steaks done?â⬠ââ¬Å"I think frozen will be fine, they eat like ââ¬â ââ¬Å" Mrs. Korjev raised a finger in warning; it lined it up with a large mole on the side of her nose and looked as if she was sighting down a weapon. â⬠ââ¬â like horses. They eat like horses,â⬠Charlie said. Mrs. Ling did not take her introduction to Alvin and Mohammed with quite the composure of her Russian neighbor. ââ¬Å"Aiiiiieeeeeeeeee! Giant shiksas shitting,â⬠exclaimed Mrs. Ling as she ran down the hall after Charlie. ââ¬Å"Come back! Shiksas shitting!â⬠Indeed, Charlie returned to the apartment to find great steaming baguettes of poo strewn about the living room. Alvin and Mohammed were flanking the door to Sophieââ¬â¢s room like massive Chinese foo dogs at the temple gates, looking not so fierce as shamefaced and contrite. ââ¬Å"Bad dogs,â⬠Charlie said. ââ¬Å"Scaring Mrs. Ling. Bad dogs.â⬠He considered for a moment trying to rub their noses in their offense, but short of bringing in a backhoe and chaining them to it, he wasnââ¬â¢t sure that he could make that happen. ââ¬Å"I mean it, you guys,â⬠he added, in an especially stern voice. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m sorry, Mrs. Ling,â⬠Charlie said to the diminutive matron. ââ¬Å"These are Alvin and Mohammed. I should have been more specific when I said Iââ¬â¢d gotten new pets for Sophie.â⬠Actually, he had been vague on purpose, hoping for some sort of hysterical reaction. Not that he really wanted to frighten the old lady, itââ¬â¢s just that Beta Males are seldom ever in a position to frighten anyone physically, so when they get the opportunity, they sometimes lose their sense of judgment. ââ¬Å"Is okay,â⬠said Mrs. Ling, staring at the hellhounds. She seemed distracted, mainly because she was. Having recovered from the initial shock, she was doing the math in her head ââ¬â a rapid-fire abacus clicking off the weight and volume of each pony-sized canine, and dividing him into chops, steaks, ribs, and packages of stew meat. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢ll be all right, then?â⬠Charlie asked. ââ¬Å"You not be late, okay?â⬠said Mrs. Ling. ââ¬Å"I want to go to Sears and look at chest freezer today. You have power saw I can borrow.â⬠ââ¬Å"Power saw? Well, no, but Iââ¬â¢m sure Ray has one he can lend you. Iââ¬â¢ll be back in a couple of hours,â⬠Charlie said. ââ¬Å"But let me clean this up first.â⬠He headed to the basement in hopes of finding the coal shovel that his father had once kept there. As they parted ways that day, both Charlie and Mrs. Ling were counting on Sophieââ¬â¢s history of high pet mortality to quickly solve their respective poop and soup problems. Such, however, was not to be the case. When several weeks passed with no ill effects on the hellhounds, Charlie accepted the possibility that these might, indeed, be the only pets that could survive Sophieââ¬â¢s attention. He was tempted, many times, to call Minty Fresh and ask his advice, but since his last call might have caused the hellhounds to appear in the first place, he resisted the urge. Lilyââ¬â¢s research trips yielded little more: ââ¬Å"They talk about them all through time,â⬠Lily said, calling from the Berkeley library on her cell phone. ââ¬Å"Mostly itââ¬â¢s about how they like to chase blues singers, and evidently thereââ¬â¢s a German robot soccer team called the Hellhounds, but I donââ¬â¢t think thatââ¬â¢s relevant. The thing that comes up again and again, in a dozen cultures, is that they guard the passage between the living and the dead.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, that makes sense,â⬠Charlie said. ââ¬Å"I guess. It doesnââ¬â¢t say where that passage is, does it? What BART station?â⬠ââ¬Å"No, Asher, it doesnââ¬â¢t. But I found this book by a nun who had been excommunicated in the 1890s, isnââ¬â¢t that cool? This library is amazing. They have like nine million books.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes, thatââ¬â¢s great, Lily, what did the ex-nun say?â⬠ââ¬Å"She had found all the references for hellhounds, and the thing they all seemed to agree on was they serve directly the ruler of the Underworld.â⬠ââ¬Å"She was Catholic and she called it the Underworld?â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, they threw her out of the Church for writing this book, but yeah, thatââ¬â¢s what she said.â⬠ââ¬Å"She didnââ¬â¢t have a number we could call in case they got lost.â⬠ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m over here on my day off, Asher, trying to do you a favor. Are you going to keep being a smart-ass about it?â⬠ââ¬Å"No, Iââ¬â¢m sorry, Lily. Go on.â⬠ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s it. Itââ¬â¢s not like thereââ¬â¢s a care-and-feeding guide. Mostly, the research implies that having hellhounds around is a bad thing.â⬠ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢s the title of this book, The Complete Guide to the Fucking Obvious?â⬠ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re paying me for this, you know? Time and travel.â⬠ââ¬Å"Sorry. Yes. So I should try to get rid of them.â⬠ââ¬Å"They eat people, Asher. Whoââ¬â¢s riding the duh train now?â⬠So, with that, Charlie decided that he needed to take an active role in ridding himself of the monstrous canines. Since the only thing about the hellhounds that he could be sure of was that they would go anywhere he took Sophie, he brought them along on their trip to the San Francisco Zoo, and left them locked in the van with the engine running and a shop-vac hose run from the exhaust pipe through the vent window. After what he considered to be an extraordinarily successful tour of the zoo, in which not a single animal shuffled off the mortal coil under the delighted eye of his daughter, Charlie returned to the van to find two very stoned, but otherwise unharmed hellhounds who were burping a burnt plastic vapor after having eaten his seat covers. Various experiments revealed that Alvin and Mohammed were not only immune to most poisons, but they rather liked the taste of bug spray and consequently licked all the paint off the baseboards in Charlieââ¬â¢s apartment in the week following the exterminatorââ¬â¢s quarterly service. As time wore on, Charlie tried to measure the danger of having the giant canines around against the damage that would be done to Sophieââ¬â¢s psyche from witnessing their demise, as she was obviously becoming attached to them, so he backed off the more direct attacks on them and stopped throwing Snausages in front of the number 90 crosstown express bus. (This decision was also made easy when the city of San Francisco threatened to sue Charlie if his dogs wrecked another bus.) Direct attacks, in fact, were difficult for Charlie (as the only true Beta Male martial art was based entirely on the kindness of strangers), so he turned on the hellhounds the awesome power of the Beta Male kung fu of passive aggression. He started conservatively, taking them for a ride over to the East Bay in the van, luring them onto the Oakland mudflats with a rack of beef ribs, then driving away quickly, only to find them waiting in the apartment when he returned, having covered the entire living room with a patina of drying mud. He then tried an even more indirect approach: crating up the hounds and air-freighting them to Korea in the hope they would find themselves in an entre, only to find that they actually made it back to the shop before he had time to sweep the dog hair out of his apartment. He thought that perhaps he might use their own natural instincts to chase them away, after he read on the Internet that the essence of cougar urine was sometimes sprinkled on shrubs and flowers to keep dogs from urinating on them. After a fairly exhaustive search through the phone book, he finally found the number of an outdoorsmanââ¬â¢s supply store in South San Francisco that was a certified mountain-lion whizz dealer. ââ¬Å"Sure, we carry cougar urine,â⬠the guy said. He sounded like he was wearing a buckskin jacket and had a big beard, but Charlie might have just been projecting. ââ¬Å"And thatââ¬â¢s supposed to keep dogs away?â⬠Charlie asked. ââ¬Å"Works like a charm. Dogs, deer, and rabbits. How much do you need?â⬠ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t know, maybe ten gallons.â⬠There was a pause, and Charlie was sure he could hear the guy picking flecks of elk meat out of his beard. ââ¬Å"We sell it in one-, two-, and five-ounce bottles.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, thatââ¬â¢s not going to do it,â⬠Charlie said. ââ¬Å"Canââ¬â¢t you get me like a large economy size ââ¬â preferably from a cougar thatââ¬â¢s been fed nothing but dog for a couple of months? I assume that this is domesticated cougar pee, right? I mean you donââ¬â¢t go out in the wild and collect it yourself.â⬠ââ¬Å"No, sir, I believe they get it from zoos.â⬠ââ¬Å"The wild stuff is probably better, huh?â⬠Charlie asked. ââ¬Å"If you can get it, I mean? I donââ¬â¢t mean you personally. I wasnââ¬â¢t implying that you were out in the wild following a mountain lion around with a measuring cup. I meant a professional ââ¬â hello?â⬠The bearded buckskin-sounding guy had hung up. So Charlie sent Ray over to South San Francisco in the van to buy up all the cougar whizz they had, but in the end it achieved nothing other than making the whole second floor of Charlieââ¬â¢s building smell like a cat box. When it appeared that even the most passive-aggressive attempts would not work, Charlie resorted to the ultimate Beta Male attack, which was to tolerate Alvin and Mohammedââ¬â¢s presence, but to resent the hell out of them and drop snide remarks whenever he had the chance. Feeding the hellhounds was like shoveling coal into two ravenous steam engines ââ¬â Charlie started having fifty pounds of dog food delivered every two days to keep up with them, which they, in turn, converted to massive torpedoes of poo that they dropped in the streets and alleys around Asherââ¬â¢s Secondhand like they were staging their own doggie blitzkrieg on the neighborhood. The upside of their presence was that Charlie went for months on end without hearing a peep from the storm drains or seeing an ominous raven shadow on a wall when he was retrieving a soul vessel. And to that end, the death dealing, the hounds served their purpose as well, for whenever a new name appeared in his date book, the hounds would drag Charlie to the calendar every morning until he returned with the soul object, so he went two years without missing or being late for a retrieval. The big dogs, of course, accompanied Charlie and Sophie on their walks, which had resumed once Charlie was sure that Sophie had her ââ¬Å"specialâ⬠language skill under control. The hounds, while certainly the largest dogs that anyone had ever seen, were not so large as to be unbelievable, and everywhere they went, Charlie was asked what breed they were. Tired of trying to explain, he would simply say, ââ¬Å"Theyââ¬â¢re hellhounds,â⬠and when asked where he got them, he would reply, â⠬Å"They just showed up in my daughterââ¬â¢s room one night and wouldnââ¬â¢t go away,â⬠after which people not only thought him a liar, but an ass as well. So he modified his response to ââ¬Å"Theyââ¬â¢re Irish hellhounds,â⬠which for some reason, people accepted immediately (except for one Irish football fan in a North Beach restaurant who said, ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m Irish and those things arenââ¬â¢t bloody Irish.â⬠To which Charlie replied, ââ¬Å"Black Irish.â⬠The football fan nodded as if he knew that all along and added to the waitress, ââ¬Å"Can I get another fookinââ¬â¢ pint oââ¬â¢ here before I dry up and blow away, lass?â⬠) In a way, Charlie started to enjoy the notoriety of being the guy with the cute little girl and the two giant dogs. When you have to maintain a secret identity, you canââ¬â¢t help but relish a little public attention. And Charlie did, until the day he and Sophie were stopped on a side street on Russian Hill by a bearded man in a long cotton caftan and a woven hat. Sophie was old enough by then to do a lot of her own walking, although Charlie kept a piggyback kid sling with him so he could carry her when she got tired (but more often he would just balance her while she rode on the back of Alvin or Mohammed). The bearded man passed a little too closely to Sophie and Mohammed growled and imposed himself between the man and the child. ââ¬Å"Mohammed, get back here,â⬠Charlie said. It turned out the hellhounds could be trained, especially if you only told them to do things they were going to do anyway. (ââ¬Å"Eat, Alvin. Good boy. Poop now. Excellent.â⬠) ââ¬Å"Why do you call this dog Mohammed?â⬠asked the bearded man. ââ¬Å"Because thatââ¬â¢s his name.â⬠ââ¬Å"You should not have called this dog Mohammed.â⬠ââ¬Å"I didnââ¬â¢t call the dog Mohammed,â⬠Charlie said. ââ¬Å"His name was Mohammed when I got him. It was on his collar.â⬠ââ¬Å"It is blasphemy to call a dog Mohammed.â⬠ââ¬Å"I tried calling him something else, but he doesnââ¬â¢t listen. Watch. Steve, bite this manââ¬â¢s leg? See, nothing. Spot, bite off this manââ¬â¢s leg. Nothing. I might as well be speaking Farsi. You see where Iââ¬â¢m going with this?â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, I have named my dog Jesus. How do you feel about that?â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, then Iââ¬â¢m sorry, I didnââ¬â¢t realize youââ¬â¢d lost your dog.â⬠ââ¬Å"I have not lost my dog.â⬠ââ¬Å"Really? I saw these flyers all over town with ââ¬ËHave You Found Jesus?ââ¬â¢ on them. It must be another dog named Jesus. Was there a reward? A reward helps, you know.â⬠Charlie noted that more and more lately, he had a hard time resisting the urge to fuck with people, especially when they insisted upon behaving like idiots. ââ¬Å"I do not have a dog named Jesus and that doesnââ¬â¢t bother you because you are a godless infidel.â⬠ââ¬Å"No, really, you can not name your dog anything you want and it wonââ¬â¢t bother me. But, yes, I am a godless infidel. At least thatââ¬â¢s how I voted in the last election.â⬠Charlie grinned at him. ââ¬Å"Death to the infidel! Death to the infidel!â⬠said the bearded man in response to Charlieââ¬â¢s irresistible charm. He danced around shaking his fist in the Death Merchantââ¬â¢s face, which scared Sophie so that she covered her eyes and started to cry. ââ¬Å"Stop that, youââ¬â¢re scaring my daughter.â⬠ââ¬Å"Death to the infidel! Death to the infidel!â⬠Mohammed and Alvin quickly got bored watching the dance and sat down to wait for someone to tell them to eat the guy in the nightshirt. ââ¬Å"I mean it,â⬠Charlie said. ââ¬Å"You need to stop.â⬠He looked around, feeling embarrassed, but there was no one else on the street. ââ¬Å"Death to the infidel. Death to the infidel,â⬠chanted the beard. ââ¬Å"Have you seen the size of these dogs, Mohammed?â⬠ââ¬Å"Death to ââ¬â hey, how did you know my name was Mohammed? Doesnââ¬â¢t matter. Never mind. Death to the infidel. Death to the ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Wow, you certainly are brave,â⬠Charlie said, ââ¬Å"but sheââ¬â¢s a little girl and youââ¬â¢re scaring her and you really need to stop that now.â⬠ââ¬Å"Death to the infidel! Death to the infidel!â⬠ââ¬Å"Kitty!â⬠Sophie said, uncovering her eyes and pointing at the man. ââ¬Å"Oh, honey,â⬠Charlie said. ââ¬Å"I thought we werenââ¬â¢t going to do that.â⬠Charlie slung Sophie up on his shoulders and walked on, leading the hellhounds away from the bearded dead man who lay in a peaceful heap on the sidewalk. He had stuffed the manââ¬â¢s little woven hat in his pocket. It was glowing a dull red. Strangely, the bearded manââ¬â¢s name wouldnââ¬â¢t appear in Charlieââ¬â¢s date book until the next day. ââ¬Å"See, a sense of humor is important,â⬠Charlie said, making a goofy face over his shoulder at his daughter. ââ¬Å"Silly Daddy,â⬠Sophie said. Later, Charlie felt bad about his daughter using the ââ¬Å"kittyâ⬠word as a weapon, and he felt that a decent father would try to give some sort of meaning to the experience ââ¬â teach some sort of lesson, so he sat Sophie down with a pair of stuffed bears, some tiny cups of invisible tea, a plate of imaginary cookies, and two giant hounds from hell, and had his first, heart-to-heart, father-daughter talk. ââ¬Å"Honey, you understand why Daddy told you not to ever do that again, right? Why people canââ¬â¢t know that you can do that?â⬠ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢re different than other people?â⬠Sophie said. ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s right, honey, because weââ¬â¢re different than other people,â⬠he said to the smartest, prettiest little girl in the world. ââ¬Å"And you know why that is, right?â⬠ââ¬Å"Because weââ¬â¢re Chinese and the White Devils canââ¬â¢t be trusted?â⬠ââ¬Å"No, not because weââ¬â¢re Chinese.â⬠ââ¬Å"Because we are Russian, and in our hearts are much sorrow?â⬠ââ¬Å"No, there is not much sorrow in our hearts.â⬠ââ¬Å"Because we are strong, like bear?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes, sweetie, thatââ¬â¢s it. Weââ¬â¢re different because weââ¬â¢re strong, like bear.â⬠ââ¬Å"I knew it. More tea, Daddy?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes, Iââ¬â¢d love some more tea, Sophie.â⬠So,â⬠said the Emperor, ââ¬Å"I see you have experienced the multifarious ways in which a manââ¬â¢s life is enriched by the company of a good brace of hounds.â⬠Charlie was sitting on the back step of the shop, pulling whole frozen chickens from a crate and tossing them to Alvin and Mohammed one at a time. Each chicken was snapped out of the air with so much force that the Emperor, and Bummer and Lazarus, who were crouched across the alley suspiciously eyeing the hellhounds, flinched as if a pistol was being fired nearby. ââ¬Å"Multifarious enrichment,â⬠Charlie said, tossing another chicken. ââ¬Å"That is exactly how Iââ¬â¢d describe it.â⬠ââ¬Å"There is no better, nor more loyal, friend than a good hound,â⬠said the Emperor. Charlie paused, having pulled not a chicken from the box, but a portable electric mixer. ââ¬Å"A friend indeed,â⬠he said, ââ¬Å"a friend indeed.â⬠Mohammed snapped down the mixer without even chewing ââ¬â two feet of cord hung from the side of his mouth. ââ¬Å"That doesnââ¬â¢t hurt him?â⬠said the Emperor. ââ¬Å"Roughage,â⬠Charlie explained, throwing a frozen chicken chaser to Mohammed, who gulped it down with the rest of the mixer cord. ââ¬Å"Theyââ¬â¢re not really my dogs. They belong to Sophie.â⬠ââ¬Å"A child needs a pet,â⬠said the Emperor. ââ¬Å"A companion to grow up with ââ¬â although these fellows seem to have done most of their growing.â⬠Charlie nodded, tossing the alternator from an eighty-three Buick into Alvinââ¬â¢s eager jaws. There was a clanking and the dog belched, but his tail thumped against the Dumpster asking for more. ââ¬Å"Well, they have been her constant companions,â⬠Charlie said. ââ¬Å"At least now we have them trained so theyââ¬â¢ll just guard whatever building sheââ¬â¢s in. For a while they wouldnââ¬â¢t leave her side. Bath time was a challenge.â⬠The Emperor said, ââ¬Å"I believe it was the poet Billy Collins who wrote, ââ¬ËNo one here likes a wet dog.'â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes, and he probably never had to get a squirming toddler and two four-hundred-pound dogs out of a bubble bath, either.â⬠ââ¬Å"But theyââ¬â¢ve mellowed, you say?â⬠ââ¬Å"They had to. Sophie started school. The teacher frowned on giant dogs in class.â⬠Charlie flipped an answering machine to Alvin, who crunched it up like a dog biscuit, shards of dog-spit-covered plastic raining down from his jaws. ââ¬Å"So what did you do?â⬠ââ¬Å"It took us a few days, and a lot of explaining, but I trained them to just sit outside the front door of the school.â⬠ââ¬Å"And the faculty relented?â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, I spray-paint them with that granite-texture spray paint every morning, then tell them to sit absolutely still on either side of the door. No one seems to notice them.â⬠ââ¬Å"And they obey? All day?â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, itââ¬â¢s just a half day right now, sheââ¬â¢s only in kindergarten. And you have to promise them a cookie.â⬠ââ¬Å"Thereââ¬â¢s always a price to be paid.â⬠The Emperor pulled a frozen chicken out of the box. ââ¬Å"May I?â⬠ââ¬Å"Please.â⬠Charlie waved him on. The Emperor tossed the chicken to Mohammed, who chomped it down in a single bite. ââ¬Å"My, that is satisfying,â⬠said the Emperor. ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s nothing,â⬠Charlie said. ââ¬Å"If you feed them mini ââ¬â propane cylinders they burp fire.â⬠How to cite A Dirty Job Chapter 14, Essay examples
Saturday, May 2, 2020
LYNDON B JOHNSON ================ Johnson Was Born On Aug. 27, 1908, N Essay Example For Students
LYNDON B JOHNSON ================ Johnson Was Born On Aug. 27, 1908, N Essay LYNDON B JOHNSON ================Johnson was born on Aug. 27, 1908, near Johnson City, Tex., theeldest son of Sam Ealy Johnson, Jr., and Rebekah Baines Johnson. Hisfather, a struggling farmer and cattle speculator in the hill countryof Texas, provided only an uncertain income for his family. Politically active, Sam Johnson served five terms in the Texaslegislature. His mother had varied cultural interests and placed highvalue on education; she was fiercely ambitious for her children.Johnson attended public schools in Johnson City and received a B.S. degree from Southwest Texas State Teachers College in San Marcos. Hethen taught for a year in Houston before going to Washington in 1931 assecretary to a Democratic Texas congressman, Richard M. Kleberg.During the next 4 years Johnson developed a wide network of politicalcontacts in Washington, D. C. On Nov. 17, 1934, he married ClaudiaAlta Taylor, known as Lady Bird. A warm, intelligent, ambitiouswoman, she was a great asset to Johnsons career. They had twodaughters, Lynda Byrd, born in 1944, and Luci Baines, born in 1947. In1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt entered the White House. Johnson greatlyadmired the president, who named him, at age 27, to head the NationalYouth Administration in Texas. This job, which Johnson held from 1935to 1937, entailed helping young people obtain employment and schooling.It confirmed Johnsons faith in the positive potential of governmentand won for him a group of supporters in Texas.In 1937, Johnson sought and won a Texas seat in Congress, where hechampioned public works, reclamation, and public power programs. Whenwar came to Europe he backed Roosevelts efforts to aid the Allies. During World War II he served a brief tour of active duty with the U.S.Navy in the Pacific (1941-42) but returned to Capitol Hill whenRoosevelt recalled members of Congress from active duty. Johnsoncontinued to support Roosevelts military and foreign-policy programs. During the 1940s, Johnson and his wife developed profitable businessventures, including a radio station, in Texas. In 1948 he ran for theU.S. Senate, winning the Democratic party primary by only 87 votes. (This was his second try; in 1941 he had run for the Senate and lost toa conservative opponent.) The opposition accused him of fraud andtagged him Landslide Lyndon. Although challenged, unsuccessfully, inthe courts, he took office in 1949. Senator and Vice-President. Johnson moved quickly into the Senate hierarchy. In 1953 he wonthe job of Senate Democratic leader. The next year he was easilyre-elected as senator and returned to Washington as majority leader, apost he held for the next 6 years despite a serious heart attack in1955. The Texan proved to be a shrewd, skillful Senate leader. Aconsistent opponent of civil rights legislation until 1957, hedeveloped excellent personal relationships with powerful conservativeSoutherners. A hard worker, he impressed colleagues with his attentionto the details of legislation and his willingness to compromise.In the late 1950s, Johnson began to think seriously of running forthe presidency in 1960. His record had been fairly conservative,however. Many Democratic liberals resented his friendly associationwith the Republican president, Dwight D. Eisenhower; others consideredhim a tool of wealthy Southwestern gas and oil interests. Either tosoften this image as a conservative or in response to inner conviction,Johnson moved slightly to the left on some domestic issues, especiallyon civil rights laws, which he supported in 1957 and 1960. Althoughthese laws proved ineffective, Johnson had demonstrated that he was avery resourceful Senate leader. To many northern Democrats, however, Johnson remained a sectionalcandidate. The presidential nomination of 1960 went to Senator John F.Kennedy of Massachusetts. Kennedy, a northern Roman Catholic, thenselected Johnson as his running mate to balance the Democratic ticket. In November 1960 the Democrats defeated the Republican candidates,Richard M. Nixon and Henry Cabot Lodge, by a narrow margin. Johnsonwas appointed by Kennedy to head the Presidents Committee on EqualEmployment Opportunities, a post that enabled him to work on behalf ofblacks and other minorities. As vice-president, he also undertook somemissions abroad, which offered him some limited insights intointernational problems. .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389 , .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389 .postImageUrl , .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389 , .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389:hover , .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389:visited , .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389:active { border:0!important; } .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389:active , .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389 .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ufef00308474ed0070ca680cfce5ad389:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Biblical Theory Of Evolution EssayPresidency-The assassination of President Kennedy on November 22, 1963,elevated Johnson to the White House, where he quickly proved amasterful, reassuring leader in the realm of domestic affairs. In1964, Congress passed a tax-reduction law that promised to promoteeconomic growth and the Economic Opportunity Act, which launched theprogram called the War on Poverty. Johnson was especially skillful insecuring a strong Civil Rights Act in 1964. In the years to come itproved to be a vital source of legal authority against racial andsexual discrimination. In 1964 the Republicans nominated Senator BarryM. Goldwater of Arizona as their presidential nominee. Goldwater wasan extreme conservative in domestic policy and an advocate of strongmilitary action to protect American interests in Vietnam. Johnson hadincreased the number of U. S. military personnel there from 16,000 atthe time of Kennedys assassination to nearly 25,000 a year later.Contrasted to Goldwater, however, he seemed a model of restraint.Johnson, with Hubert H. Humphrey as his running mate, ran a low-keycampaign and overwhelmed Goldwater in the election. The Arizonan wononly his home state and five others in the Deep South.Johnsons triumph in 1964 gave him a mandate for the GreatSociety, as he called his domestic program. Congress responded bypassing the MEDICARE program, which provided health services to theelderly, approving federal aid to elementary and secondary education,supplementing the War on Poverty, and creating the Department ofHousing and Urban Development. It also passed another important civilrights law the Voting Rights Act of 1965.At this point Johnson began the rapid deepening of U.S.involvement in Vietnam; as early as February 1965, U. S. planes beganto bomb North Vietnam. American troop strength in Vietnam increased tomore than 180,000 by the end of the year and to 500,000 by 1968. Manyinfluences led Johnson to such a policy . Among them were personalfactors such as his temperamental activism, faith in U.S. militarypower, and staunch anti-communism. These qualities also led him tointervene militarily in the Dominican Republic allegedly to stop aCommunist takeover in April 1965. Like many Americans who recalledthe appeasement of Nazi Germany in the 1930s, Johnson thought theUnited States must be firm or incur a loss of credibility.While the nation became deeply involved in Vietnam, racial tensionsharpened at home, culminating in widespread urban race riots between1965 and 1968. The breakdown of the interracial civil rights movement,together with the imperfections of some of Johnsons Great Societyprograms, resulted in Republican gains in the 1966 elections andeffectively thwarted Johnsons hope s for further congressionalcooperation.It was the policy of military escalation in Vietnam, however, thatproved to be Johnsons undoing as president. It deflected attentionfrom domestic concerns, resulted in sharp inflation, and promptedrising criticism, especially among young, draft-aged people.Escalation also failed to win the war. The drawn-out struggle madeJohnson even more secretive, dogmatic, and hypersensitive to criticism.His usually sure political instincts were failing. The New Hampshire presidential primary of 1968, in which theanti-war candidate Eugene McCarthy made a strong showing, revealed thedwindling of Johnsons support. Some of Johnsons closest advisors nowbegan to counsel a de-escalation policy in Vietnam. Confronted bymounting opposition, Johnson made two surprise announcements on Mar.31, 1968: he would stop the bombing in most of North Vietnam and seeka negotiated end to the war, and he would no t run for re-election. Johnsons influence thereafter remained strong enough to dictatethe nomination of Vice-President Humphrey, who had supported the war,as the Democratic presidential candidate for the 1968 election.Although Johnson stopped all bombing of the North on November 1, hefailed to make real concessions at the peace table, and the war draggedon. Humphrey lost in a close race with the Republican candidate,Richard M. Nixon. Retirement.After stepping down from the presidency in January 1969, Johnsonreturned to his ranch in Texas. There he and his aides prepared hismemoirs, which were published in 1971 as The Vantage Point:Perspectives of the Presidency, 1963-1969. He also supervisedconstruction of the Johnson presidential library in Austin. .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c , .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c .postImageUrl , .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c , .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c:hover , .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c:visited , .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c:active { border:0!important; } .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c:active , .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6eb5f442eaee849ab9ed6ec978efcb3c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Of all the examples of injustice against humanity Essay Johnsondied on Jan. 22, 1973, 5 days before the conclusion of the treaty bywhich the United States withdrew from Vietnam.BibliographyEvans, Rowland, and Novak, Robert, Lyndon B. Johnson, The Exercise ofPower : A Political Biography (1966);Geyelin, Philip, Lyndon B. Johnson and the World (1966);Goldman, Eric F., The Tragedy of Lyndon Johnson (1969);Johnson, Lady Bird, White House Diary (1970);Kearns, Doris, Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream (1976);Schandler, Herbert, The Unmaking of a President: Lyndon Johnson andVietnam (1977);White, Theodore, The Making of the President1964 (1965);Wicker, Tom, JFK and LBJ: The Influence of Personality Upon Politics(1968; repr. 1970).#
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Anthony Bryan Garcia Essay 3 Essays - Cinco De Mayo,
Anthony Bryan Professor Beope English 120 26 November 2017 Cinco de Mayo It is the fifth of May, or Cinco de Mayo, it is not an official holiday in Mexico, it is barely recognized there . Mexicans living north of the Rio Grande from mak e it their biggest cultural celebration of the year. There are about 20 million Mexicans and Americans with Mexican heritage now living in the U.S. Throw in the thousands of honorary Mexicans who just happen to like tequila, tortillas and mariachis , and the number increases to an outstanding amount . Even with all its red, white and green flag waving and cries of Viva Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is not an expression of hard-core nationalism . It is a day to celebrate Mexican tradition and the survival of that country's emigrants in the new land. Some union leaders will try to use the day as a weekend of street fairs, family parties and soccer games. Yet it is worth reminding ourselves, before the tequila goes to our heads, that Cinco de Mayo refers to an extraordinary imperial momen t in the history of the New World, when a Great Power in Europe thought to contest Mexico's right to exist as a nation. Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. Why is Cinco de Mayo an important date? I t is an important date because 4,000 Mexican soldiers fought and defeated the French armies of 8,000 men. The battle took place at Pueblo, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City. Today, Cinco de Mayo is a bigger holiday in the USA, than in Mexic o. A lthough the day is supposed to celebrate Mexican heritage, it has become Americanized , it is an excuse to party, eat and hav e a few shots of tequila in the name of Mexico. On t he day of Cinco de Mayo, many people get out of control, in so many ways. On May 4 th , 2016, a reporter by the name of Katherine Timpf of National Review Online state that, "The Oakland Police Department issued an apology for warning people not to drive drunk on Cinco de Mayo - because apparently, even acknowledging the fact that people often do drink on Cinco de Mayo is racist against Mexicans." Cinco de Mayo has become a night of fun and celebration in the United States and a night of danger. Drunk driving on Cinco de Mayo threatens not just those enjoying the festivities, but others on the road as well . T hese materials can help your community be aware of the increased risk of drunk driving around Cinco de Mayo. Using these tools, that can be distributed to fit your local needs and objectives will keep you and those in your community safe and informed . "increased DUI enforcement on the road, and people should remember to arrange safe transportation if they planned to celebrate " CITATION Tim16 \l 1033 (Timpf) . According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 38 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities that occurred each year around May 5 th involved impaired drivers or motorcycle operators with blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of .08 and above. Numbers like those are enough to make anyone think twice about getting behind the wheel after tacos and tequila. Keeping those in mind, family members, kids, and other people that died from the drunk drivers. Facts show that on alcohol-intensive holidays like Cinco de Mayo and St. Patrick's Day, statistics show that a person is killed every 51 minutes because of a drunk driving crash. More people drink on Cinco de Mayo than they do on St. Patrick's Day or Super Bowl Sunday. On straightforward way to make the holiday worry-free? Plan head. Make sure you have a game-plan for how you're going to be safe, especially for the trip home. Not sure how to celebrate? Fear not, brave partier, we have some tips. Traditionally, people celebrate in a variety of ways. There's no wrong way to do Cinco de Mayo, unless you get behind the wheel buzzed, if we haven't communicated that clearly enough. The holiday is a time to come together with your friends and cheer
Friday, March 6, 2020
Research Methodology of the BMW Strategy
Research Methodology of the BMW Strategy An Overview This research aims at determining how the BMW brand strategy can influence the Chinese consumer behaviors in the Chinese E-car market. In the reviewed literature, the study already discussed the consumer decision-making process on the purchasing of the E-cars.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Research Methodology of the BMW Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Besides, to make this study viable and empirically confirmable, the reliability of the primary results is a part of the study target. To receive an adequate answer in the goal of this research, the researcher will make the potential BMW Chinese consumers as its target group, based on the aims of the topic. More specifically, the researcher will sample 60 respondents from 10 different target groups, which will be from a stratified random sample. The researcher will analyze primary quantitative data using the computer-aided, SPSS system. Furtherm ore, the researcher will also collect secondary data, which will come from the published journals and from other pieces of literature to support the survey results. The Research Hypothesis The research hypothesizes that the brand reputation of the BMWi electric cars is low among the majority of the Chinese consumers. In the reviewed literature, the research noted that the perception of the Chinese consumers towards the foreign automobiles is considerably low. Moreover, the study analyzed how product information, brand personality, and brand associations influence the consumerââ¬â¢s perception about products. This hypothesis will help in identifying the strengths and weaknesses the BMWi brand. The study believes that the number of people interested in the BMWi electric vehicles is considerably low as the consumerââ¬â¢s attitudes are low towards the BMWi brand. Based on the reviewed literature, the study discovered that marketers measure consumer attitudes through the Rosenberg theory that contains two important variables. These variables include the instrumentality and the value of a product. This hypothesis is sufficient for assessing the perceived instrumentality and value of the BMWi E-cars in the Chinese automobile market.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The study assumes that majority of the aspiring BMW consumers are worried about the future of the electric-supported BMWi vehicles due to low trust. In the reviewed literature, marketing expert Frank Dophreide revealed that the BMW Group has failed to assist its consumers to distinguish between the old BMW models from the new E-car models. This construct will help in investigating the levels of trust among the Chinese consumers towards the BMWi brand. The study hypothesizes that the Chinese consumers cannot associate themselves with any of the BMWI brands because BMW has not reinfo rced the BMWi brand. Following the reviewed literature, the value-drivers model postulates that a brand experience is very meaningful for the consumer experiences. Therefore, reinforcing a meaningful and a different brand experience is essential. This hypothesis will assist the study to examine the attitudes of the consumers on their perceived brand experiences with the BMWi cars. Sociology and Scientific Dimension The intended research will hinge its foundation on the concept of sociology, in which the idea of the peoples way of living and their regular behaviors play important roles in this research. According to the researchers Auguste Comte, Hine, and Flemming, who invented the idea of sociology, the word sociology, literally means the continued cultural life of people (Babbie 2003). The research will take the approach of sociology, based on the idea that analyzing how the BMW brand strategy can influence the E-car consumer behaviors in the Chinese market, needs an understanding of the Chinese consumer behaviors and trends. Consumer behavior is a concept that directly associates with the concept of sociology in a manner that the behaviors of the consumers tell a lot about the cultural and societal values of a certain consumer group (Babbie 2003). In the concept of sociology, sociologists believe that social change can appear in a radical manner or through a regular process.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Research Methodology of the BMW Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Radical and Regular Change The study assumes that social change can be in the form of a radical change perspective or a regular change perspective. A radical social change refers to a form of social transformation, in which people replace their conventional social behaviors in a quick manner and in an abrupt way (Babbie 2003). In a radical social change, people change their cultures, social behaviors, and their rou tine practices in a drastic manner and adopt postmodern behaviors straight away. Contrary to the radical social change, regular social change refers to a process of social transformation whereby people of certain cultural values transform into their cultural behaviors and societal routines in a systematic manner (Bracken 2010). The study shall use the regular change view in the process of finding an approach by which the BMW brand strategy will influence the consumer behaviors in the Chinese market. A regular change perspective will provide the BMW marketers with a systematic way of penetrating into the Chinese E-car market. The Scientific Dimension on Social Change The scientific dimension regarding sociological research entails the concepts of ontology, epistemology, human nature, and methodology (Bracken 2010). In this research, the four concepts comprise an integral part of analyzing how the BMW brand strategy can influence the behaviors of the E-car consumers in the Chinese mar ket. In the social science research, ontology is a modern philosophical term that refers to the manner in which research uncovers what entails reality and how people perceive this reality. According to Bracken (2010), the main purpose of social science research is to help people create an understanding of how people comprehend social reality and how their personal perceptions shape their behaviors in the reality they know. The BMW brand strategy meant to influence the Chinese consumers to adopt the BMW electric cars, targets to help the people understand the reality in the use of electric vehicles (Bracken 2010). The ontological perceptions of the Chinese consumers concerning the BMW i3 and i8 cars will give the BMW Group a chance to teach its E-car consumers. Methodologically, the intended research will also use an epistemological research approach. According to Bracken (2010), epistemology is a social science approach in which the research concentrates on what comprises a valid kn owledge and the way people can obtain that valid knowledge. In epistemology, researchers concentrate on the creation and dissemination of information to suit the people who need it most.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Methodologically, the research seeks to use the epistemological approach to help the Chinese consumers understand the need to embrace the BMW electric vehicles, and help them cease their conventional ideologies about the electric cars. The philosophy of human nature will also be integral in this research. In social sciences, human nature is complex and researchers tend to develop ontological approaches to examine the human nature. While trying to understand ontology, epistemology, and their association with the human nature, it is important to understand that there are two main ontological approaches namely the positivism and the interpretivism approaches. The study will use a positivist approach. The Positivism Approach A positivist research technique is a form of a systematic scientific approach that sees the world as being based on the unchanging, universal laws and the view that everything that occurs around us can be explained by knowledge of these universal laws (Mukherja Alb on 2009, p. 11). This study will employ the positivist paradigm of research because the research on the BMW brand strategy entails the use of manipulative and quantitative approaches in analyzing a research environment. According to Mukherja and Albon (2009), a positivist research yields high validity and reliability because it regularly assumes that the much-needed truth is always within the people. Therefore, since people have enough knowledge to inform research, the positivist approach believes in the quantitative research approach, which accurately helps to measure and quantify a certain phenomenon. In this proposed research, the positivist approach will help the researcher to quantify and measure the responses of the participants quantitatively, and to provide a high data validity and reliability through an appropriate sampling and instrumentation. The Research Approach Based on the philosophies of the ontology and epistemology approaches that informed the research to use the p ositivism paradigm, the research will use the quantitative research approach to collect data, analyze data, and discuss the results. According to Tewksbury (2009), quantitative research aims at measuring, quantifying, and investigating a phenomenon through the collection of numerical data that comes from the closed-ended questionnaires. Quantitative research aims at investigating a phenomenon through manipulative techniques as it views behavior to be regular and predictable. In this study, the researcher intends to use a quantitative method because the research will rely on the positivist approach in which the data involved will provide predictable the aspects. According to Tewksbury (2009), a quantitative research approach helps researchers to study human behaviors under controlled conditions. The research on the BMW brand strategy involves a review of the predictive situations that accompany the participants who will provide data concerning their perceptions about the BMW electric cars. The Research Design Quantitative researchers often use descriptive statistics to present quantitative data and descriptions in a convenient manner (Borman Dowling 2008). The intended research is going to use a descriptive form of research in which a survey approach that uses closed-ended questionnaires will be useful in the collection and analysis of the primary data. Descriptive studies according to the social science researchers are studies that focus on describing the research participants. Therefore, since the study intends to deal with the consumer behaviors of the Chinese BMW users, the descriptive research design will be suitable for describing their consumption trends, consumption attitudes, and their consumption culture. The research will use a quantitative research survey technique to analyze how the BMW brand strategy can influence the consumer behaviors in the Chinese market. A quantitative technique may sometimes involve large data, which ends up not providing c oncise findings. To help make the data concise and meaningful, the descriptive research will help the researcher synthesize the data. The Survey Method Historically, a survey was a kind of a research method that used an observation or an investigation to prove the truth about a phenomenon. However, nowadays a survey is a scientific research term that explains the process of collecting primary data from the selected individuals, or from a research sample. It should remain noted that a short period of 12 weeks spared for an academic research is a limitation for research. Therefore, a questionnaire survey method is the best chosen for the research, because questionnaires are easy to comprehend, take little effort to fill, and are capable of providing a huge amount of information in a little space. A self-made questionnaire made up of 23 questions will be appropriate for this research. According to Ledesma and Valero-Mora (2007), self-made questionnaires help researchers to collect data based on the research question to test the available assumptions. The survey will comprise an interview form of research, in which the researcher will engage directly with the respondents, and administer the questionnaires by hand. The Sampling Strategy Studies involving the ontological and epistemological approaches often involve analyzing certain aspects with the human population. A scientific research must always have a target population in which a study must gather the required responses to produce empirical facts about a study phenomenon. The targeted population of the study is the Chinese E-car consumer group. The theory concerning the use of electric vehicles in China has associated the Chinese E-car consumers with increased levels of adamancy and negative attitudes towards the electric cars, and especially those manufactured by the foreign companies such as the BMW Company. The study will use the Chinese E-car consumers as their target population to unravel the association between cultural perceptions against the BMW electric vehicles, and the consumption trends of the Chinese E-car users. The research targets about 60 respondents from different consumer groups, to provide data on the present Chinese consumer perceptions about the BMW electric cars. The proposed research intends to sample its targeted population using the non-probability sampling technique. This non-probability sampling believes in the critical theory that argues that the modern social structure contains people with varied traits. Non-probability sampling is a research approach used to acquire a sample size from a targeted population through a procedure that does not give the targeted people equal participation opportunities in the research. In this form of sampling, the research will adopt a quota form of non-probability sampling technique to sample the consumers based predominantly on their connection with the BMW cars. To be more specific, the proportional quota sampling strategy w ill apply in this proposed research. Based on its prior empirical evidence, the propositional quota sampling technique will be relevant in this research because it allows researchers to sample the respondents based on their unique characteristics, i.e. age, occupational statuses, situational experiences, social statuses, and economic statuses, among others. This study understands very well that the representation of women in the class of premium car owners in the Chinese population is relatively low than that of men. To ensure that the results remains reliable and logical based on the principles of the propositional quota sampling technique, the study will conduct a pre-visit or a reconnaissance study, which will help the researcher identify the representation gap between the women and men in the premium car ownership. The reconnaissance will take almost a month to the actual study, and the researcher will make frequent quota sampling to ensure that the sample is proportional via a 50-50 representation. During the reconnaissance period, the researcher will sample the 60 respondents based on their educational backgrounds, their income statuses, their ages, and most importantly, their experiences with the BMW brands. A quota sampling of this kind will allow the researcher to get the respondents with high legibility for participation. The Questionnaire Design In quantitative research, researchers collect primary data from the respondents using carefully selected data instruments. A quantitative survey relies on the collection of quantitative data that comes in the form of numerical values or statistical figures. In scientific research, the most appropriate data collection instrument that is suitable for the collection of quantitative data is the closed-ended questionnaire. Closed-ended questionnaires are capable of giving uniform results with high accuracy when appropriately applied in a quantitative research. The proposed research will use self-administered clos ed-ended questionnaires with a manipulative framework in which the respondents will only fit their responses using some fixed conditions. The structured or closed-ended questionnaires will have predetermined responses driven by the existing theories. The study will articulate the questionnaires using the Chinese language to yield better responses because most of the respondents may not be well conversant with English despite their high educational levels. Data Collection Procedure Just like any other scientific research, the study will use two forms of data namely the primary data and the secondary data. Primary data is a form of research data observed and gathered through a first-hand field experience. According to Driscoll (2011), primary research involves the actual collection of data through observations, interviews, and surveys. The most appropriate means of collecting primary quantitative data is through the surveys, which come through the structured questionnaires commonly kn own as the closed-ended questionnaires (Scotland 2012). Just like in the other forms of quantitative research, this study will rely on the surveys administered through the structured questionnaires to collect primary data from the 60 participants identified for the study. The importance of primary data in research is that primary data reinforces the theoretical assumptions and other empirical findings identified in the existing literature. This approach helps because primary data provides verifiable facts to validate the findings of a given research. Secondary Data Research is all about gathering and analyzing data to have a coherent conclusion. To reinforce and bolster the facts established in the primary data, researchers gather data from the peer-reviewed published journals, books, and from other relevant literature sources. According to Nicholson and Bennett (2008), data gathered from the peer-reviewed journal, the books, and other literature sources, where no significant first- hand experience is involved, is known as the secondary data. In this research, the researcher will use several secondary data sources including books, journals, and articles on genuine websites. The study proposed to use secondary data with an aim of strengthening the primary data collected since secondary data is normally capable of enabling a richer exploration of the research phenomena. In a carefully triangulated manner, the research will establish the most relevant secondary data through various internet searches. Data with verified empirical facts will be more useful in this proposed research. Data Analysis In a primary research, the collected data must undergo further synthesis and analysis to provide meaningful information that can enrich the research conclusion. According to Babbie (2003), the practice of social research where a quantitative approach plays a role requires an understanding of how to analyze the quantitative data that comes in the form of numeric data. The mo st reliable data analysis tool that quantitative researchers use is the SPSS data analysis tool (Scotland 2012). The SPSS research tool, which stands for the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, is a form of predictive analytics software that helps researchers to analyze quantitative data appropriately (George Mallery 2003). The software will be appropriate because the study will rely on data collected from the structured questionnaires where numerical data will be present (Scotland 2012). Additionally, the research will use the Excel system to support the SPSS software in analyzing some data that will be in numerical form but maybe with a different dimension. Ethical Considerations In the social science research, the collection of primary data often entails the use of human participants as subjects that provide empirical data of a study. The involvement of human beings as important research subjects that enrich a study in the collection of data often requires a close considera tion of the research ethics (Ledesma Valero-Mora 2007). The proposed research seeks to collect data from 60 participants who are all human beings. The study will ensure a maximum use of ethical principles in the collection, analysis, and dissemination of the primary data collection. Firstly, while collecting primary data will be an essential part of the research, respondents will participate in the study and give information upon their willingness and upon their discretion. In a diplomatic manner, this research understands that using coercion or intimidation to extract information from the research participants is unlawful and unethical. In the secondary data, the research will ensure a proper acknowledgment of the authors through proper document citation. Limitations The proposed research may face limitations because, within the targeted population, it is uneasy to detect the exact number of people with the knowledge about the BMW electric cars. Secondly, the area of study is Chin a, where the introduction of the electric cars has elicited sharp political and social reactions concerning the engagement of the foreign automotive companies in the Chinese automobile market. The inherent social attitudes and political influences are capable of influencing the response behavior of the participants (Tewksbury 2009). Locating the reliable participants is also another significant limitation to this research. The research requires the collection of data from 60 human respondents, who are either in motion with their vehicles or scattered somewhere within the large population. People with premium or personal cars are often uneasy to locate and engage them in a survey because they are either driving or busy with certain schedules. Moreover, BMW has a low brand identity in China, and the Chinese participants may not respond efficiently to some questions. Validity Reliability Since most of the social science studies often measure the human behavior using the positivist par adigm and empirical analytic approaches to discern the reality, the measurement instruments must always prove to be valid and reliable (Drost 2011). Due to the Chinese political and social influences against the foreign car brands, respondents are likely to provide biased information. To help reduce the chances of information biases, the study aims to use a self-made questionnaire, which can suitably counter this social dilemma, as the fixed responses will yield coherent answers (Drost 2011). First, the researcher should determine whether the questionnaire has a correct design and a clearly understandable design that is familiar to the respondents. Moreover, as Drost (2011) states, the researchers must determine whether the selected sample is suitable for the survey when handing out the questionnaire. Additionally, the researcher will make sure that the responses will not remain affected by external inhibiting factors through assuring the respondents of their confidentiality and res pect in the responses they will give. To help ensure high reliability and validity of the research data, the study will employ several test and data reliability measures to improve the validity and reliability of the collected data. In their study, Saunders, Lewis, and Thornwill (2007) discovered that for research to prove empirically correct, researchers must ensure that the instruments of data meet all the satisfactory levels of validity. The four satisfactory levels of data validity include the internal validity, the external validity, the construct validity, and the statistical conclusion validity (Drost 2011). To avoid problems related to the construct validity, just as Drost (2011) recommends, the researcher will ensure that the self-made questionnaires follow the guided principles of forming questionnaires, are scientifically verifiable, and have the proper structure. A researcher can ensure the validity of the data from a survey (Saunders et al. 2007). Before the respondents answer the questionnaires, there has to be a premise, in which the researchers need to know whether respondents have the idea about it. In the construct validity, if the respondents did not clearly understand any of the questions, the researcher will have the responsibility to explain it until they understand how to answer the questionnaire. Because this topic is about a hi-fi tech product, the number of male respondents may be higher than that of the female respondents. However, using a balanced proportion of male and female respondents for a reliable questionnaire is vital (Pogodzinski, Young, Frank Belman 2012). Thus, it is necessary to let respondents understand what the questionnaire includes. Based on the existing theory, several hypotheses are verifiable by the findings. The validity of hypotheses will be used to confront the observation that is conducted by the questionnaire. If hypotheses are not valid, further adjustments of the hypotheses will be necessary (Steele, Hami lton, Stecher 2010). To study the consumer behavior effectively, the researcher will write the questions in the Chinese language. Using the Chinese language to target the Chinese respondents will help to avoid language bias. References Babbie, E 2003, The Practice of Social Research, The Wadsworth Publishing, Belmont City. Borman, G Dowling, N 2008, ââ¬ËTeacher attrition and retention: A meta-analytic and narrative review of the research, Review of Educational Research, vol. 78, no. 3, pp. 4-13. Bracken, S 2010, ââ¬ËDiscussing the importance of ontology and epistemology awareness in practitioner research, Worcester Journal of Learning and Teaching, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 1-10. Castellan, C 2010, ââ¬ËQuantitative and Qualitative Research: A View for Clarity, International Journal of Education, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 1-14. 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