The Legend of The Scottish Play :: Urban Legends

The Legend of "The Scottish Play" 1) Background I interviewed a freshman theater major at the University on the topic of urban legends. The interview was conducted in my dormitory room. The nineteen-year-old female college student is originally from Delaware, and her parents are both real estate appraisers. When inquired about urban legends, she recalled the theater lore and superstitions that she knew intimately as an actress. The interviewee was particularly eager to talk about the curse associated with Macbeth, the Scottish Play. 2) Transcription of the Legend of the Scottish Play Macbeth! That’s not a superstition! That’s truth and fact! [gestures emphatically with fist] If you do Macbeth, something bad will happen; if you say, â€Å"Macbeth† in the theater, something bad will happen. I have true stories to testify to that one. Let’s see, umm what show were we doing?... Our Town, we were doing Our Town. And there are [clears throat] people in my school like to mess with people like me who believe in the Macbeth superstition, and so they’ll go into the theater and they’ll just go, â€Å"MACBETH!† and I will freak out and I tell them to go outside and spin around three times and spit over their left shoulder, because that’s the [antidote]. But they don’t, because they’re trying to mess with me, and something bad always happens. So when we’re doing Macbeth, this kid, who is one of the stage managers, I wasn’t there when it happened so I couldn’t make him go outside, but my director told me that he said, â€Å"Macbeth,† in the theatre, and so I was like freaking out and everyone was like, â€Å"don’t freak out, it’s not a big deal,† but it was, because our curtain broke. That day. Later that day, the curtain broke. It was two days before the show. Yeah. His fault. Another example. We were doing Romeo and Juliet and okay, now I know this is not an accident, but it doesn’t matter. Still, somebody said â€Å"Macbeth† in the theatre, and I told them to go outside and spin around but they didn’t do it, and then somebody stole all my costumes, and I was Juliet so it was kind of a big deal and kind of bad. It came from, because the um, the spells that are said

Owning a business Essay -- essays research papers

OWNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS WITH EMPHASIS ON CHILD CARE CENTERS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   INTRODUCTION This paper will discuss ways in order for you to become a business owner as well as how to start your own child care center. Owning a business is not an easy job. There is actually a very complicated and long process to become a small business owner. Before you start to think about what you want to do, you need to ask yourself if you will be committed to this venture. If you are then proceed on with your business however, if you are not then owning a business is probably not for you. With owning your own business, your going to have less personal time then you had previously. Here are some reasons people become entrepreneurs. Many people have a strong desire to be independent, they would rather be their own boss because they don’t take orders from others well. Owning a business is also a chance for owners to work at something they enjoy, they aren’t shoved behind a desk doing filing work for eight hours a day. You are free to operate at your own paces with your own busi ness. Depending on the type of business you own, you have a great opportunity to accumulate great wealth. Purpose and Scope The purpose of this report is to inform readers of the options available to people who want to own their own business. There is also a growing need for child care. So with this need more and more people are deciding to open up child care centers. In this report I will lay out steps in how to start your own business, and what to do from there. Also, pros and cons to owning your own business. Sources and Methods In order to give the information needed to start your own business, I have searched many journals as well as business related books. Internet sources have also help get information. I have also conducted an interview with an owner of a child care center. GETTING STARTED Choosing what kind of business to open is the most important decision to make. Just because you like to make bracelets doesn’t mean you would like running a business making bracelets. You need to think about how much money you want to make, past experiences, attitudes on the business you choose, and your going to need a knowledge and some skills with the choice you make. Pros and Cons With everything else in life there can be advantages and disadvantages to owning a business. There are many... ...a business to run, consider child care. Child care is a growing need. More mothers are going back to work after having children. The children need structure during the hours their parents are away. Those who are too young for school can find a childcare center warm and inviting. Most childcare centers will provide a curriculum that will help your children learn. The people who open and run daycare centers are doing so for a reason. That reason is because they love children. So in conclusion, if your job is going nowhere and you need to start over, consider starting your own business. Also if you like kids and can deal with them properly, consider opening a childcare center. Works Sited Burstiner, Irving. â€Å"The Small Business Handbook.† Third Edition. FIRESIDE Rockefeller Center. New York, NY 1997 Gallagher, Patricia. C. â€Å"Start Your Own Child Care Business† Second Edition. Young Sparrow Press, Worcester, PA 2000 McKeever, Mike. â€Å"How to Write a Business Plan† Sixth Edition. September 2002. WWW.Startingadaycarecenter.com â€Å"Starting a Day Care Center† 2003 WWW.Onlinewbc.gov â€Å"Online Women’s Business Center† 2004 WWW.SBA.gov â€Å"Owning Your Own Business (Pros and Cons)† 2003

Electoral Systems :: essays research papers fc

From my limited studies of comparative government I have come to the conclusion that a plurality type of electoral process where winner takes all is a superior compared to proportional representation for several key reasons. Proportional representation is based on having an election based on census instead of consensus. In other words, ask the masses which party they feel will do the best job on a ticket where there may be several political parties running which intern will select its own leader from a list based on an individual's faithfulness to the party. The pros of proportional representation includes increase voter turnout based on the premise that every vote counts for a particular party, so you may not get all of the representation as in the plurality, but you may get some representation, so it gives more choices to the voter. Proportional representation would increase the amount of women in office because they make up 50 percent of the population, and this form of election would decrease the amount of negative campaigning, because the competition shift from all or nothing to all or something (http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/6/0,5716,63126+1+61565,00.html). An example of this would be if a politician gets 51% of the vote, this would garner 100% of the representation. There is no reason for a political party with less then 45% of the vote to make an effort as a party. Why spend the money?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Plurality on the other hand is a vote of consensus rather then census in other words, the party with the most votes will be elected. It's easy to understand by voters, allows quick decisions and it is less costly to run. The only significant drawbacks include low voter turnout and the party that has the less amount of voters usually gets removed, so the winner takes all. The drawback to this is there may not be significant representation among the masses, but at least there is a constraint in the number of parties (http://www.ask.com/main/metaanswer.asp?metaEngine=directhit&origin.html). Plurality is ideal for us Americans who are accustomed to a simple yuppie lifestyle with the most complicated decision in our daily existence is what will eat for dinner.

Employment and Trade Unions Essay

Throughout the study I have tried with the best of my capacity to accommodate as much information and relevant issues as possible and tried to follow the instructions as you have suggested. I tried my best to make this report as much informative as possible. I sincerely believe that it will satisfy your requirements. I however sincerely believe that this report will serve the purpose of my course (Industrial Relation). I am grateful to you for your guidance and kind co-operation at every step of my endeavor on this report. My effort will be reworded only if it adds value to the research literature. Introduction One of the major functions of human resource management is to maintain smooth industrial relations (IR). It is also treated as one of the oldest functions of HRM. It is basically allied with the relations between the employer and the workers in the industry (Singh & Kumar, 2011: 3). According to Weeratunga (2003:5) â€Å"Industrial Relations or Labor Relations, the terms used interchangeably, can be viewed as the interaction between the various interested parties involved in employment. The employer and the employee are obvious parties. The state, in ensuring a level playing field for both sides, provides the legal framework within which such relations may take place†. In industrial relations, workers are generally represented by their trade unions formed under chapter 13 of Bangladesh Labor Act–2006 whereas employers are represented by their associations such as Bangladesh Employers Federation. HR managers mediate the relationships between workers and employers though they are appointed by the representatives of employers. Another related term is ‘Employee Relations’. Though both the terms industrial relations and employee relations are structurally similar (Decenzo& Robbins, 1999: 18), employee relations includes, in addition to industrial relations, such aspects as participative management, employee wellbeing, employee development, employee compensation, employee protection and health, and the like (Aswathappa, 2008:534). Generally industrial relations cover the areas such as trade unions, collective bargaining, settlement of industrial disputes, grievance handling procedure, role of government, labor laws, courts and tribunals and role of employers. In the context of developing countries, industrial relations has been influenced by features such as high exploitation of workers, low level of worker participation in decision making, government and political interferences, high rate of illiteracy of workers, low level of employment, low level of awareness among the laborers regarding rights, laws, and trade unionism, and low labor productivity (Khan &Taher, 2008: 222-23). Industrial relations plays an important role in establishing and maintaining industrial democracy (Monappa, 2004: 9) and it is the key to improve productivity in industrial enterprises (Aswathappa, 2004: 534). Human resource management can play vital roles in enhancing cooperative and friendly industrial relations. In Bangladesh, collective bargaining on pay between employer and workmen is prohibited in the public sector enterprises as the government designs uniform pay and benefits for the employees of all public sector enterprises (Mahmood, 2008). The limited scope of collective bargaining in the public sector of Bangladesh influences the trade unions to develop network with government, political parties and other powerful bodies in organizing their activities. It hinders effective interactions between the representatives of employers and workers at enterprise level. Though performance based pay is considered to have significant impact on employee performance (Dessler&Varkkey, 2010: 15), it is not at all practiced by the public sector enterprises in Bangladesh. As a result, public sector enterprises in Bangladesh have been incurring huge losses. On the other hand, all types of collective bargaining takes place at enterprise level in case of private sector enterprises (Khan, 1996). Mahmood (2008) mentioned that the industrial relations process in the private sector was often disturbed by links between private and public sector unions. Objectives: a) To explore the differences between public and private sector industrial enterprises of Bangladesh with respect to overall status of IR. b) To put forward policy implications of overall improvement in IR of Bangladesh. Industrial Relations Studies in Bangladesh Khan (1986) studied industrial relations in Bangladesh with special emphasis on trade unionism. †¦ Trade Unions Trade Union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals such as protecting the integrity of its trade, achieving higher pay, increasing the number of employees an employer hires, and better working conditions. An organized association of workers in a trade, group of trades, or profession, formed to protect and further their rights and interests. – A group of employees in a particular sector, whose aim is to negotiate with employees over pay, job security, working hours, etc. using the collective power of the members. The most common purpose of these associations or unions is â€Å"maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment†. Causes of organizing trade unions Provision of benefits to members: professional training, legal advice and representation for members is still an important benefit of trade union membership. Industrial action: Trade unions may enforce strikes or resistance to lockouts in furtherance of particular goals. Political activity: Trade unions may promote legislation favourable to the interests of their members or workers as a whole. To this end they may pursue campaigns, undertake lobbying, or financially support individual candidates or parties. Conditions of employment and any grievances — are settled through trade unions. Bargaining rights: Trade unions bargain and ensure the status, rights, wages and demands of workers of the modern world of industry. Contribution in economical growth: Trade unions are growing rapidly in an economy because of the expansion of business and economical growth. Objectives Trade unions are the only way to manage, compliant, and control the labour force. Lots of objectives are there to organize trade unions. . To defend or improve the wages and working conditions of workers and to bring about a change in the economic order. 2. To strengthen their (labour) bargaining power collectively to establish and achieve all their rights. 3. To dully protect all other interest of the workers . And from the management’s point of view the objectives as written: a) To reduce the number of negotiation. b) To specify work rules, disagreements and grievances to give the better solution to workers claim. c) To establish the efficient communication between the employers and management to enforce the predictable standards. ) To enhance the overall organizational effectiveness workers can also be sometimes inspired to form and organize trade union. In fact, objectives of a trade union are not defined; rather these are changing according to the need of the economy and overall industry. When these objectives are not settled then the rivals are started History of Trade Unions The Pakistan Period (1947-71) -The East Pakistan Trade Unions Act, 1965 was enacted repealing the Trade Unions Act, 1926. -The Labor Disputes Act, 1965 was enacted. -Industrial Relations Ordinance, 1969 was enacted integrating the above two Acts. Bangladesh Period (1971-onwards) -Government of Bangladesh declared a labor policy in 1972. The right to strike and collective bargaining in the nationalized industries was prohibited for six months by Presidential order no. 55 in May 1972. -In 1973, the right to strike and lockout, as granted by IRO, 1969 was withdrawn. -In 1974 Act completely suspended the democratic rights of workers by prohibiting trade union activities such as strikes, lock-outs, collective bargaining. -The military regime of 1975 imposed restrictions on the rights of collective bargaining. The Industrial Relations (Amendment) Ordinance, 1977 liberalized the Rights of Freedom of Association -The Labor Policy of 1980 restored the right to freedom of association to a considerable extent -In 1982 the military regime banned trade union activities, strikes, and right of freedom of association. Limitations In Bangladesh Trade Unions have a lot of unavoidable problems: 1. Lack of consciousness: Trade union are not actu ally completely aware about employees legal rights and duties. 2. Lack of Unity: In Bangladesh trade unions are separated for political influence. 3. Lack of knowledge: The workers of Bangladesh don’t have enough knowledge about their rights and duties. 4. Political influence: In Bangladesh, trade unions work a part of political parties not as a free right saving association. 5. Division of trade union: Bangladesh is a country where every organization has more trade unions in name only. The overall productivity got down. Suggestions Strengthening bilateral collective bargaining for solving problems quickly and effectively. Multiplicity of trade union creates the rivals in a union. So it must be reduced. Political involvement must be reduced. Organization must support financially as trade unions support the worker. Training programs under trade union should be helpful to develop the skills of the workers. Trade union’s function should be increased and widened throughout the organization. Union leader must be given importance and encourage the members. If trust between workers and management increases, productivity increases. Management must help and guide trade unions to settle industrial clashes and crisis. Trade unions always should demand reasonable thing to the management. . What is a dispute? Academically speaking, industrial dispute refers to any conflict between employees and employers, between employers and employers and between employers and employees. †¢ But in reality, dispute is understood as the conflict between employees and employers. There are three types of Disputes : †¢ Disciplinary disputes †¢ Grievance disputes †¢ Industrial disputes †¢ According to Industrial Dispute Act, 1947, Industrial dispute means any dispute or difference between employers and employers, or between employers and workmen, or between workmen and workmen, which is connected with the mployment or non-employment or terms of employment or with the conditions of labour of any person. Causes of Industrial Disputes: Some of the prominent causes of industrial disputes may be listed thus: Employment: The list here includes disputes over wages, allowances, bonus, benefits, working, condition, unjust dismissals, retrenchment of workers, methods of job evaluation, changes in methods of production, non-implement of awards of tribunals, etc. The National Commission on Labor remarked â€Å"though on majority of occasions industrial disputes were based on claims pertaining to the terms and condition of employment, sometimes economic issues of a general character dominated and, on occasion, purely motives†. The causes of industrial disputes can be broadly classified into two categories: economic and non-economic causes. The economic causes will include issues relating to compensation like wages, bonus, allowances, and conditions for work, working hours, leave and holidays without pay, unjust layoffs and retrenchments. The non economic factors will include victimization of workers, ill treatment by staff members, sympathetic strikes, political factors, indiscipline etc. Wages and allowances:  Since the cost of living index is increasing, workers generally bargain for higher wages to meet the rising cost of living index and to increase their standards of living. In 2002, 21. 4% of disputes were caused by demand of higher wages and allowances. This percentage was 20. 4% during 2003 and during 2004 increased up to 26. 2%. In 2005, wages and allowances accounted for 21. % of disputes. Personnel and retrenchment:  The personnel and retrenchment have also been an important factor which accounted for disputes. During the year 2002, disputes caused by personnel were 14. 1% while those caused by retrenchment and layoffs were 2. 2% and 0. 4% respectively. In 2003, a similar trend could be seen, wherein 11. 2% of the disputes were caused by personnel, while 2. 4% and 0. 6% of disputes were caused by retrenchment and layoffs. In year 2005, only 9. 6% of the disputes were caused by personnel, and only 0. 4% were caused by retrenchment. Indiscipline and violence:  From the given table, it is evident that the number of disputes caused by indiscipline has shown an increasing trend. In 2002, 29. 9% of disputes were caused because of indiscipline, which rose up to 36. 9% in 2003. Similarly in 2004 and 2005, 40. 4% and 41. 6% of disputes were caused due to indiscipline respectively. During the year 2003, indiscipline accounted for the highest percentage (36. 9%) of the total time-loss of all disputes, followed by cause-groups wage and allowance and personnel with 20. 4% and11. % respectively. A similar trend was observed in 2004 where indiscipline accounted for 40. 4% of disputes. Bonus:  Bonus has always been an important factor in industrial disputes. 6. 7% of the disputes were because of bonus in 2002 and 2003 as compared to 3. 5% and 3. 6% in 2004 and 2005 respectively. Leave and working hours: Leaves and working hours have not been so important causes of industrial disputes. During 2002, 0. 5% of the disputes were because of leave and hours of work while this percentage increased to 1% in 2003. During 2004, only 0. % of the disputes were because of leaves and working hours. ? Miscellaneous:  The miscellaneous factors include –  Ã‚   Inter/Intra Union Rivalry –  Ã‚   Charter of Demands –  Ã‚   Work Load –  Ã‚   Standing orders/rules/service conditions/safety measures   Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  Ã‚   Non-implementation of agreements and awards etc. Collective Bargaining Collective bargaining includes not only negotiations between the emp loyers and unions but also includes the process of resolving labor-management conflicts. Thus, collective bargaining is, essentially, a recognized way of creating a system of industrial jurisprudence. It acts as a method of introducing civil rights in the industry, that is, the management should be conducted by rules rather than arbitrary decision making. It establishes rules which define and restrict the traditional authority exercised by the management. Importance to employees ? Collective bar aining develops a sense of self respect and responsibility among the employees. It increases the strength of the workforce, thereby, increasing their bargaining capacity as a group. Collective bargaining increases the morale and productivity of employees. It restricts management’s freedom for arbitrary action against the employees. Moreover, unilateral actions by the employer are also discouraged. Effective collective bargaining machinery strengthens the trade unions movement. The workers feel motivated as they can approach the management on various matters and bargain for higher benefits. It helps in securing a prompt and fair settlement of grievances. It provides a flexible means for the adjustment of wages and employment conditions to economic and technological changes in the industry, as a result of which the chances for conflicts are reduced. Importance to employers 1. It becomes easier for the management to resolve issues at the bargaining level rather than taking up complaints of individual workers. 2. Collective bargaining tends to promote a sense of job security among employees and thereby tends to reduce the cost of labor turnover to management. 3. Collective bargaining opens up the channel of communication between the workers and the management and increases worker participation in decision making. 4. Collective bargaining plays a vital role in settling and preventing industrial disputes. Importance to society: 1. Collective bargaining leads to industrial peace in the country 2. It results in establishment of a harmonious industrial climate which supports which helps the pace of a nation’s efforts towards economic and social development since the obstacles to such a development can be reduced considerably. 3. The discrimination and exploitation of workers is constantly being checked. 4. It provides a method or the regulation of the conditions of employment of those who are directly concerned about them.

Analysis and Evaluation of the Attractiveness of the Uk Market

The Apple TV: Analysis and evaluation of the attractiveness of the current UK market Executive Summary This report provides an analysis and evaluation of the three levels of the marketing environment for Apple TV and studies the attractiveness of the current UK market. It will consider the future success or not of the apple TV in the UK and from this analysis recommend the modifications and improvement apple should do.Most of the information in the report is based on market reports such as Keynote, Websites, Newspapers and finally the â€Å"Marketing an Introduction† (8th Edition) textbook (Gary Armstrong, Philip Kotler, Michael Harker, Ross Brenan; 2007) and the lecture slides provided by Michael Harker. The principal theories which were significant in the redaction of this report were the SWOT analysis and the PEST analysis. Results of data analyzed show that: †¢ Apple has a strong brand image and international popularity and makes large investment in research and devel opment. The television industry is radically changing with the appearance of a new type of television service, the internet television. †¢Apple TV has numerous and strong competitors. †¢Because of the strong position of its suppliers Apple suffers from the pricing pressure. †¢The Apple TV's price is too expensive. †¢The number of formats supported by the Apple TV is too limited. In conclusion we can recommend Apple to lower the price and increase the number of formats supported by the Apple TV. Apple should fabricate itself some of the Apple TV's components to be out of the pressure provided by its suppliers.Apple should also differentiate itself by increasing the number of Application downloadable for the apple TV and creating a special Touch screen working with the Apple TV. The reliability of this report is partially limited because it is concentrated on the study of the micro and macro environment. It is essentially based on secondary resources and some infor mation provided by non official and official website can be not impartial or not up to date. Furthermore Apple refuses to give too much information about the Apple TV and its finance. CONTENTS: Presentation page (p1) I)Executive Summary (p2) II)Contents (p3) II) Introduction (p4)III) Analysis and Interpretations (p4) 1) Micro-Environment (p4) A- The company (p4) B-The suppliers (p5) C-Marketing intermediaries (p5) D- Competitors (p5/6) D-Consumers (p6) 2) Internal Environment (p6) A-Employees (p6/7) B-Finance (p7) 3) Macro-Environment (p7) A-Political and economic (p7) B-Social (p7/8) C-Technologic (p8) D-Environmental (p8) E-Legal (p9) IV) Conclusion (p9) V) Recommendations (p10) VI) Bibliography (p10/11/12/13) VII) Appendix (p13) Introduction Created in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Apple Company is an American informatics multinational corporation which is headquartered in Cupertino, Silicon Valley.Best known for its skills in computers, Apple has diversified in recent years by venturing i nto the music industry and the mobile phone. Always attracted by new opportunities, Apple touches today with its Apple TV a market that it has never explored: the television. But is this new technology a good business idea and does this product have a chance to succeed in a country such as the UK? To answer this question and to give some advice and recommendation about the Apple TV this report will study its three environment level in the UK market.Every section provides an abstract rate which gives an approximate idea of the Attractiveness of the current UK market. Analysis & Interpretation I)The microenvironment First, this report will analyze the microenvironment which consists of â€Å"the actors close to the company that affect its ability to serve the customer†. (Gary Armstrong, Philip Kotler, Michael Harker and Ross Brenan; 2007, p) The company †¢These recent years Apple has managed to establish itself well in the world market. The company did not stop growing dur ing the last 10 years and became more and more efficient and competitive. Moreover, because of its exponential growth, opportunities are opening up to the organization such as the massive reinvestment in research and development. (Wikinvest, 2010) †¢Apple uses an effective advertising strategy and has a website easy to use, attractive, and informative. †¢Apple has an international popularity and a strong brand name which continue to increase the company in the world market. Rating: 8. 5/10 Suppliers †¢Apple requires each of its suppliers to meet the highest standards for all goods and services. Apple business environment is competitive and fast-paced.That is why their suppliers must understand this dynamic and be agile and flexible in responding to changing business conditions. (Apple,2010) †¢The most expensive components of the Apple TV are the processor A4 Apple designed and manufactured by Samsung (16. 55 dollar), the 8 GB flash memory products by Toshiba (14 dollar) and the chip supports from Broadcom Communications Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (about 7. 65 dollars). This doesn’t take into account the costs of research and development, product transport, logistics costs and even the marketing budget. cnet new, 2010) †¢With a net production cost of 64 dollars and a sale price of $ 99 U. S. , Apple's margin is not very important. We can also underline that Apple suppliers have a very strong position which can make Apple suffer of the pricing pressure. (macnn, 2010) Rating: 5/10 Marketing Intermediaries: †¢Apple Retail Stores: At the end of June of this year Apple had 293 retail stores open for business and during September Apple opened 24 new stores all around the world. In the UK there are 29 Apples stores. Besides during the month of June, store revenue increased 73% to $2. 78 billion and produced average store sales of $9 million. (postsateventide, 2010) †¢Others: Apple has also a large number of other retailers such as FN AC. †¢Apple has a large number of retailer which are efficient and provides the company an important revenue. Rating: 6/10 Competitor: †¢For this product, the search engine Google also launches into battle with its â€Å"Google TV†, designed by Japan's Sony and the U. S. Logitech. (BBC,2010) †¢Furthermore, in the United Kingdom the party may not be easy because of the success of TV offerings on the Internet, included in subscriptions providing triple play (broadband, TV, phone connection).ISPs Internet multiply the number of available channels and services: catch-up TV, VaD †¦ All at a competitive price yet (between 30 and 40 euros per month for the triple play). (oezratty, 2010) Companies such as SKY are well implanted in the market and don't stop growing and developing. (market report) †¢In addition Apple will have to deal with other products that already make the same type of services, such as game consoles lounge (Sony's PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 from Microsoft). (macgeneration, 2010) †¢ In the U. S. there are also cases very similar to the Apple TV, that start-up Vudu and Roku California, where boxing Box, D-Link. If they are a success they may extend to the rest of the world including the UK. (popsci, 2008) Rating: 3/10 Consumer: †¢Apple is marketing to people who have a few characteristics. Most of the time Middle/Upper income folks ages 12-35 who are willing to pay a bit more for a better user experience. Its consumers are people who enjoy technology and in this case especially people who like to conserve a lot of digital photos or video. The prime target seems to be an iTunes user who is already used to the Apple concept. But because of the Hi-Def nature of the Apple TV, only a small percentage of this target audience will really buy one. Rating: 3/10 II)The interne environment : Employees: Apple employees are trained to have very strong technical knowledge and to be very efficient in order to deliver a high standard of consumer service. Despite this, these recent years have seen the appearance of numerous scandals especially about its China factories' employees.Indeed stories about employees' suicide (BBC, 2010), employees' poisoning (Macobservers, 2010) and the presence of children of fifteen years old as employees (telegraph, 2010) has greatly tarnished the company's image. That is why Apple has seriously reviewed the maintenance of its factories in China to avoid further scandals (note a contract signed by the employees in whom they undertake not to commit suicide). Finance: †¢As Steve Jobs says, the analysis of their quarterly revenue makes us understand why â€Å"Apple is now a $50 billion company†: The Company posted revenue of $15. 68 billion and a net quarterly profit of $3. 8 billion. (Apple, 2010) †¢Apple has moved more than 250,000 units since the device went on sale. (MacWorld,2010) Rating: 5/10 III) The macro environment: This analyze will finally end with a study of he macro environment which consists of â€Å"the larger societal forces that affect the micro environment. † (Gary Armstrong, Philip Kotler, Michael Harker and Ross Brenan; 2007, p) Political and economic †¢Analyzing the political aspect of its company we can see that Apple is a stable organization which is located in 31 countries. When it comes to the economy the company tries to adjust to the economic situation of their market. Today they have to face the crisis of 2009 which created unemployment and inflation, and has impoverished most of the population. †¢Unemployment in the UK now stands at 2. 45 million, following a fall of 9,000 in the three months to October but the inflation rate rose to 3. 2%. The UK is still very affected by the crisis. (BBC, 2010) Rating: 3/10 Social To study the sociocultural aspect of the macro environment Apple, many factors have to be taken into account †¢The population of the UK is ageing. Over the past 25 years, th e median age increased from 35 years in 1984 to 39 years in 2009.It is projected to continue to increase over the next 25 years rising to 42 by 2034. (statistics. gov,2010) †¢The culture aspect of the Apple TV environment is favorable to the success of this product because the today’s society wants always to have new technology that is more and more efficient and developed and most people will not be afraid to purchase a new technology. †¢Easy to use, their product seems perfectly adapted to this segment of the population which, while appreciating the new technology, is especially looking for product easy to use providing a simple and fun interface.Rating: 5/10 Technological †¢To improve the technology aspect of the macro environment, the company makes use of various technological innovations that help in increasing productivity and improving the quality of their products. †¢Indeed, the television industry is radically changing with the development of a ne w type of television service, the internet television. Users are now being delivered directly to TV sets in broadband-enabled households around the globe and are now offered with free-to-view television via their online ideo players, giving them more choice about how and when they watch (researchandmarkets, 2010). †¢After the failure of the product’s first edition presented in September 2006, Steve Jobs announced a second-generation version of the Apple TV in September 2010 which seemed to have many advantages compared to its predecessor. About a quarter of the size and one-third of the price of the original Apple TV, the new Apple TV dispenses with the PC/Mac link altogether, to provide a direct connection to the Web and a video download service is included. With its new product, Apple makes new improvements in online video. It puts at the disposal of users thousands and thousands of online video programs accessible via the iTunes store. The Apple TV is easy to use and prevents users from buffering, downloading, stuttering, or subscribing. (LOUDERBACK, 2008) †¢Moreover, unequal access to broadband means that viewing TV via Internet with a good level of image quality is only accessible part of the population. (Oezratty, 2010) Rating: 3/10 Environmental Because Apple knows that the ecological aspect of its production is very important to improve its image to its clients, the company uses Greenpeace as a way to recycle its polluting components (Greenpeace, 2007). Rating: 5/10 Legal And finally to switch with the law component of the macro environment Apple makes sure they comply with what the law states in the country and they respect the regulated standards of the country. In the UK Apple has to follow the EU anti-competitive laws: †¢Both UK and EU competition law prohibit agreements, arrangements and concerted business practices which prevent, restrict or distort competition. They prohibit businesses with significant market shares unfairl y exploiting their strong market positions. (out-law, 2010) Rating: 6/10 Conclusion Apple has an international popularity, a strong brand name and has considerably increased its fund in research and development. Thanks to this, most of their products have been a real success (IPod, IPhone †¦) But as Steve Jobs says the apple TV is still a hobby for the company which would like to succeed one day in the television industry, and today this product is still too weak to succeed in this market. First, the price (119? is too expensive at a time when the market has switched to the online rental. Then, most of the users will prefer to access directly to their music, films and photo with their computer using the Shortcuts to which they are used. Furthermore the Apple TV does nothing more than the box of an operator even if it is simpler with an interface that is clear and entertaining. Its possibilities are even less at some levels, since the formats supported are those dubbed by Apple: H. 624, MPEG-4, M-JPEG, AIFF, MP3, AAC, JPEG, GIF and TIFF (to mention only the main).This new market is highly competitive and Apple is not sufficiently differentiated to its competitors. Finally, the Apple's suppliers have a too important influence on the company. Final rate: 4/10 Recommendations Following the Marketing environment analysis and the conclusion some advices can be recommended to Apple. †¢Lower the price. †¢For broadband, Apple may just wait or target its bid on these target audiences that may already be well connected. †¢Apple may also overshadow all other competitors on the market by creating an application â€Å"Store TV† as the Iphone. Increase the number of format supported by the Apple TV including the divX. †¢Apple should fabricate for itself some of the Apple TV's component such as the GB flash memory. †¢Increase the number of Application downloadable for the apple TV including the Iphone's application †¢ Created a specia l Touch screen working with the Apple TV which could provide the user a manual photo or video retouching system. †¢Avoiding scandals such as the China's ones and being stricter about its foreign supplier conventions. References Book: Marketing an Introduction† (8th Edition) textbook (Gary Armstrong, Philip Kotler, Michael Harker, Ross Brenan; 2007) Websites: -(wikinvest, 2010) Research and Development excerpt taken from the AAPL 10-K filed Jan 25, 2010. http://www. wikinvest. com/stock/Apple_(AAPL)/Research_Development -(Apple,2010) Apple and procurement, 2010 http://www. apple. com/procurement/ -(postsateventide, 2010) Apple and law of large numbers, Robert Paul Leitao, July 31, 2010 http://www. postsateventide. com/2010/07/apple-and-law-of-large-numbers. tml – (oezratty, 2010) Apple peut-il reussir dans la TV? 25 august 2010 http://www. oezratty. net/wordpress/2010/apple-peut-il-reussir-dans-la-tv/ – (macgeneration, 2010) L’Apple TV, console masque, Jean-Baptiste Giraud, October 2010 http://friendfeed. com/uberapple/47cd4a0d/lapple-tv-console-masquee-macgeneration -(Apple, 2010) Apple Reports First Quarter Results http://www. apple. com/pr/library/2010/01/25results. html -(statistics. gov,2010) Fastest increase in the ‘oldest old’, Office for National Statistics; General Register Office for Scotland http://www. statistics. ov. uk/cci/nugget. asp? id=949 -(researchandmarkets, 2010) Internet Television: 2010 to 2014 – Analyzing How the Internet will Change Television http://researchandmarkets. net/reportinfo. asp? report_id=1343728&t=d&cat_id= – (Greenpeace, 2007) Tasty news from Apple! http://www. greenpeace. org/international/en/news/features/tasty-apple-news-020507/ -(Out-law, 2010) Competition law – the basics, based on UK law, updated in April 2010. http://www. out-law. com/page-5811 Newspaper: -(BBC,2010) Google and Apple heat up battle for TV screens By Maggie Shiels http://www. bc. co. u k/news/technology-11521742 -(BBC, 2010) Apple boss defends conditions at iPhone factory http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/10212604 -(BBC, 2010) UK inflation rate in surprise October increase http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/business-11764588 -(cnet new, 2010) New Apple TV may cost less than $64 to build, October 5, 2010 http://www. macnn. com/articles/10/10/05/could. prove. more. profitable/. -(Telegraph, 2010) Apple admits using child labour, Malcolm Moore, 27 Feb 2010 http://www. telegraph. co. k/technology/apple/7330986/Apple-admits-using-child-labour. html -(MacWorld,2010) Apple sales top $20 billion in fiscal fourth quarter, Oct 18, 2010, Philip Michaels http://www. macworld. com/article/154967/2010/10/4q_earnings. html -(Macobservers, 2010) China Factory Workers Claim Poisoning from Apple Products October, 2010, Jeff Gamet http://www. macobserver. com/tmo/article/china_factory_workers_claim_poisoning_from_apple_products/ -(popsci, 2008) BATTLE OF THE INTERNET VIDEO BOXES: NETFLIX VS. A PPLE TV VS. VUDU, Sean Captain, 2008 http://www. popsci. om/gear-gadgets/article/2008-06/battle-internet-video-boxes-netflix-vs-apple-tv-vs-vudu -(macnn, 2010) New Apple TV may cost less than $64 to build, October 5, 2010 http://www. macnn. com/articles/10/10/05/could. prove. more. profitable/. Reports: -(LOUDERBACK, 2008) JIM LOUDERBACK, Apple TV's Extreme Makeover, PC Magazine 27 no7 58 Je 2008 http://www. keynote. co. uk/market-intelligence/view/product/1276/digital-tv/chapter/1/executive_summary -(market report) Digital TV Market Report, 2003 http://www. keynote. co. uk/market-intelligence/reports/category/new-media Graphs: -Appendix1: The microenvironment

Persevere of a Young Lady Essay

The start of the Holocaust began under the leadership Hitler. The Nazis blindsided by ideology started a war of hate against the Jewish People. The Germans at the beginning restricted human rights and bans transportation. Later in their rampage they began the onslaught of the Jewish people. Jews that managed not to escape the German stronghold were hunted down. People of Jewish decent had to abandon their lives and go in hiding. Hidden Jews had to live in the moment because they never know what is the future is ahead. In Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank shows the reader that the Holocaust did exist. The diary shows how a young girl was able to persevere in the cold settings. Frank described how important to lean on family but also believe in yourself. â€Å"Anne Frank’s ability to always improve herself enables her to resist oppression, determine for growth and a mind of direction†. Anne Frank’s was in a terrible situation where she had to remain hidden and stay with people who did not respect her. Under oppression, Frank felt the need to define herself. She longed for knowledge and enthusiasm to accompany her behind the walls. She was an able to reason the best approaches to address the situation. Frank shows her dedication in improving her condition: â€Å"Alone I had to face the difficult task of changing myself, to stop the everlasting reproaches, which were so oppressive and which reduced me to such terrible despondency† (170). At the time Anne was not strong to prevail against the compression of emotions in the house. Anne realized that she was becoming narcissistic; she started to enhance her view of situation differently. As the reader I felt that Anne at moments only felt that she was only individual going through these chaotic times. The way how Anne disrespected her mother was a developmental process. Anne comments were detrimental to her mother relationship. The sadness of her mother affected different parts of the family. I felt metaphorically Anne felt that group was like a wind chime, when you affect one part the other chimes respond. The need to improve herself is important for happiness in the Secret Annexe. Anne wanted to become something bigger then she. She was determined to become an Independent Woman. Being backed in the corner, Anne belief in improvement off sprang into knowledge of optimism. â€Å"The war goes on just the same, whether or not we choose to quarrel, or long for freedom and fresh air, and so we should try to make the best of our stay here. Now I’m preaching, but I also believe that if I stay here for very long I shall grow in to a dried up beanstalk. And I did so want to grow in to a real young woman†(138-139). Anne optimism in conflicts of her family and war was best kept to herself. Frank felt that the person who is able to control a situation is the one who can master oneself. This level of maturation was achieved by a bright girl. Anne intrigue in optimism of the moment was like the saying â€Å"the longest rope in the world has an end†. She had a good idea of how days were passing in the Secret Annexe. Anne remembered the days of having the freedom to go to school. Unlike girls her age going to school, Anne wanted become a woman. Anne not only wants to be a woman but to have a vision. Anne looked to the future for motivation. Despite all the troubles she was focused on improving her status. The motivation of this girl to pursue her goal shows no matter the situation it can always be manipulated. She did not worry of the past but focused on the future. Anne hard skin started to show: â€Å"Then I began trying to talk some courage into myself. I could only say: â€Å"I must, I must, I must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Completely stiff from the unnatural position, I fell against the side of the bed and fought on, until I climbed into bed again just before half past ten. It was over! And now it’s all over. I must work, so as not to be a fool, to get on, to be a journalist, because that’s what I want! I know that I can write, a couple of my stories good, my descriptions of the â€Å"Secret Annexe† are humorous, there’s a lot in my diary that speaks, but – whether I have real talent remains to be seen. †(197). Anne showed a commitment to achieve her max potential. She will work hard to be remembered on this earth. Anne becomes very aware of her talent to write with beautiful description with clarity. I think that this moment indicated that Anne was showing Independence. She was not going to let hunger get in her way of success. Anne’s spirit of growth has enabled her to direct what in life she wanted to pursue. During the time of the Holocaust put a big strain on the individuals who were persecuted. Many lifeless acts by Germans had destroying many Jewish Famines but not their hearts. The Frank family never successfully managed to hide in Amsterdam. The Frank Family was transported to a Holocaust Camp where the Dad only managed to survive. The father of Ann Frank, Otto Frank took the need to publish Anne’s Diary. Anne’s Diary shows that the holocaust did exist and the life she has lived. This is important time in history where the most persecuted people in modern history was able to persevere.

Night World : Soulmate Chapter 8

Hannah sat up in bed, gasping. For several moments she didn't know where she was. Through a gap in her curtains she could see the gray light of dawn-just like Hana's gray dawn-and she thought she still might be in the nightmare. But then, slowly, objects in the room became clear. Her bookshelves, crammed with books and crowned with one near-perfect trilobite fossil on a stand. Her dresser, its top piled with things that belonged in other places. Her posters of Velociraptor and T. Rex. I'm me. I remember me. She had never been so happy to be herself, or to be awake. But that dream she'd just had-that had happened to her. A long time ago, sure, but nothing like so long ago as, say, when the T. Rex had been alive. Not to mention the trilobite. A few thousand years was yesterday to Mother Earth. And it was all real, she knew that now. She accepted it. She had fallen asleep and her subconscious had pulled back the veil of the past and allowed her to see more of Hana's story. Thierry, she thought. The people of Hana's clan tortured him. God knows for how long-I'm just glad I didn't have to watch more. But it puts sort of a different twist on things, doesn't it? She still didn't know how the story ended. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. But it was hard to blame him for whatever had happened afterward. An awful feeling was settling in Hannah's stomach. All those things I said to him-terrible things, she thought. Why did I say all that? I was so angry-I lost control completely. I hated him and all I cared about was hurting him. I really thought he must be evil, pure evil. I told him to go away forever. How could I have done that? He's my soulmate. There was a strange emptiness inside her, as if she'd been hollowed out like a tree struck by lightning. Inside the emptiness, a voice like a cool dark wind whispered, But you told Paul that he kept killing you over and over. Is that justifiable? He's a vampire, a predator, and that makes him evil by nature. Maybe he can't help being what he is, but there's no reason for you to be destroyed again because of it. Are you going to let him kill you in this life, too? She was torn between pity for him and the deep instinct that he was dangerous. The cool wind voice seemed to be the voice of reason. Go ahead and feel sorry for him, it said. Just keep him far away from you. She felt better having come to a decision, even if it was a decision that left her heart numb. She glanced around the room, focused on the clock by her bedside, and blinked. Oh, my God-school. It was quarter to seven and it was a Friday. Sacaja-wea High seemed light-years away, like someplace she'd visited in a past life. But it's not. It's your life, now, the only one that counts. You have to forget all that other stuff about reincarnation and vampires and the Night World. You have to forget about him. You sent him away and he's gone. So let's get on with living in the normal world. Just thinking this way made her feel braced and icy, as if she'd had a cold shower. She took a real shower, dressed in jeans and a denim shirt, and she had breakfast with her mother, who cast her several thoughtful glances but didn't ask any questions until they were almost finished. Then she said, â€Å"Did everything go all right at Dr. Winfield's yesterday evening?† Had it only been yesterday evening? It seemed like a week ago. Hannah chewed a bite of cornflakes and finally said, â€Å"Uh, why?† â€Å"Because he called while you were in the shower. He seemed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her mother stopped and searched for a word. â€Å"Anxious. Worse than worried but not as bad as hysterical.† Hannah looked at her mother's face, which was narrow, intelligent, and tanned by the Montana sun. Her eyes were more blue than Hannah's gray, but they were direct and discerning. She wanted to tell her mother the whole story- but when she had time to do it, and after she'd had . time to think it out. There was no urgency. It was all behind her now, and it wasn't as if she needed advice. â€Å"Paul's anxious a lot,† she said judiciously, sticking to the clean edge of truth. â€Å"I think that's why he became a psychologist. He tried a sort of hypnosis thing on me yesterday and it didn't exactly work out.† â€Å"Hypnosis?† Her mother's eyebrows lifted. â€Å"Hannah, I don't know if you should be getting into that-â€Å" â€Å"Don't worry; I'm not. It's over. We're not going to try it again.† â€Å"I see. Well, he said for you to call him to set up another appointment. I think he wants to see you soon.† She reached over suddenly and took Hannah's hand. â€Å"Honey, are you feeling any better? Are you still having bad dreams?† Hannah looked away. â€Å"Actually-I sort of had one last night. But I think I understand them better now. They don't scare me as much.† She squeezed her mother's hand. â€Å"Don't worry, I'm going to be fine.† â€Å"All right, but-† Before her mother could finish the sentence a horn honked outside. â€Å"That's Chess. I'd better run.† Hannah gulped down the dregs of her orange juice and dashed into her bedroom to grab her backpack. She hesitated a split second by the wastebasket, then shook her head. No. There was no reason to take the black rose ring with her. It was his, and she didn't want to be reminded of him. She slung the backpack over her shoulder, yelled goodbye to her mother, and hurried outside. Chess's car was parked in the driveway. As Hannah started toward it she had an odd impression. She seemed to see a figure standing behind the car-a tall figure, face turned toward her. But her eyes were dazzled by the sun and at that instant she involuntarily blinked. When she could see again, there was nothing in that spot except a little swirl of dust. â€Å"You're late,† Chess said when Hannah got in the car. Chess, whose real name was Catherine Clovis, was petite and pretty, with dark hair cut in a cap to frame her face. But just now her slanted green cat eyes and Mona Lisa smile reminded Hannah too much of Ket. It was disconcerting; she had to glance down to make sure Chess wasn't wearing a deerskin outfit. â€Å"You okay?† Now Chess was looking at her with concern. â€Å"Yeah.† Hannah sank back against the upholstery, blinking. â€Å"I think I need to get my eyes checked, though.† She glanced at the spot where the phantom figure had been-nothing. And Chess was just Chess: smart, savvy, and faintly exotic, like an orchid blooming in the badlands. â€Å"Well, you can do it when we go shopping this weekend,† Chess said. She slanted Hannah a glance. â€Å"We must go shopping. Next week's your birthday and I need something new to wear.† Hannah grinned in spite of herself. â€Å"Maybe a new necklace,† she muttered. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Nothing.† I wonder what happened to Ket, she thought. Even if Hana died young, at least Ket must have grown up. I wonder if she married Ran, the guy who wanted to â€Å"mate† her? â€Å"Are you sure you're okay?† Chess said. â€Å"Yeah. Sorry; I'm a little brain-dead. I didn't sleep well last night.† Her plan for Chess was exactly the same as for her mother. Tell her everything-in a little while. When she was less upset about it. Chess was putting an arm around her, steering skillfully with the other. â€Å"Hey, we've got to get you in shape, kid. I mean, first it's your birthday, then graduation. Isn't that psychologist doing anything to help?† Hannah muttered, â€Å"Maybe too much.† That night, she was restless again. The school day had passed uneventfully. Hannah and her mother had had dinner peacefully. But after her mother went out to a meeting with some local rockhounds, Hannah found herself wandering around the house, too wound up to read or watch TV, too distracted to go anywhere. Maybe I need some air, she thought-and then she caught herself and gave a self-mocking grin. Sure. Air. When what you're really thinking is that he just might be out there. Admit it. She admitted it. Not that she thought Thierry was very likely to be hanging around her backyard, considering what she'd said to him. And why should you want to talk to him? she demanded of herself. He may not be completely and totally and pointlessly evil, but he's still no boy scout. But she couldn't shake a vague feeling of wanting to go outside. At last she went out on the porch, telling herself that she'd spend five minutes here and then go back inside. It was another beautiful night, but Hannah couldn't enjoy it. Everything reminded her too much of him. She could feel herself softening toward him, weakening. He had looked so stricken, so devastated, when she told him to go away†¦. â€Å"Am I interrupting?† Hannah started. She wheeled toward the voice. Standing on the other side of the porch was a tall girl. She looked a year or so older than Hannah, and she had long hair, very long hair, so black that it seemed to reflect moonlight like a raven's wing. She was extraordinarily beautiful-and Hannah recognized her. She's the one from my vision. That flash of a girl telling me that Thierry was cunning. She's the one who warned me about him. And she's the figure I saw behind Chess's car this morning. She must have been watching me then. â€Å"I'm sorry if I scared you,† the girl said now, smiling. â€Å"You looked so far away, and I didn't mean to startle you. But I'd really like to talk to you if you have a few minutes.† â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hannah felt strangely tongue-tied. Something about the girl made her uncomfortable, in a way that went beyond the dreamlike weirdness of recognizing somebody she'd never seen in her present life. But she's your friend, she told herself. She's helped you in the past; she probably wants to help you again now. You should be grateful to her. â€Å"Sure,† Hannah said. â€Å"We can talk.† She added somewhat awkwardly, â€Å"I remember you.† â€Å"Wonderful. Do you really? That makes everything so much easier.† Hannah nodded. And told herself again that this girl was her friend, and nobody to be hostile to or wary of. â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The girl glanced around the porch, where there was dearly no place to sit. â€Å"Ah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hannah was embarrassed, as if the girl had asked, â€Å"Do you entertain all your visitors outside?† She turned around and opened the back door. â€Å"Come on in. We can sit down.† â€Å"Thank you,† the girl said and smiled. In the bright fluorescent lights of the kitchen, she was even more beautiful. Hauntingly beautiful. Exquisite features, skin like silk. Lips that made Hannah think of adjectives like full and ripe. And eyes that were like nothing Hannah had ever seen before. They were large, almond-shaped, heavy-lashed, and luminous. But it wasn't just that. Every time Hannah looked, they seemed to be a different color. They changed from honey to mahogany to jungle-leaf green to larkspur purple to misty blue. It was amazing. â€Å"If you remember me, then you must know what I'm here about,† the girl said. She rested an elbow on the kitchen table and propped her chin on her fist. Hannah said one word. â€Å"Thierry.† â€Å"Yes, From the way you say that, maybe you don't need my advice after all.† The girl had an extraordinary voice as well; low and pleasant, with a faint husky throb in it. Hannah lifted her shoulders. â€Å"Well, there's still a lot I don't know about him-but I don't need anybody to tell me that he's dangerous. And I've already told him to go away.† â€Å"Have you really? How remarkably brave of you.† Hannah blinked. She hadn't thought of it as being so brave. â€Å"I mean, you do realize how powerful he is? He's a Lord of the Night World, the head of all the made vampires. He could†-the girl snapped her fingers- â€Å"call out a hundred little vampires and werewolves. Not to mention his connection with the witches in Las Vegas.† â€Å"What are you trying to say? That I shouldn't have told him to go away? I don't care how many monsters he can call out,† Hannah said sharply. â€Å"No. Of course you don't. Like I said, you're brave.† The girl regarded her with eyes the deep purple of bittersweet nightshade. â€Å"I just want you to realize what he's capable of. He could have this whole county wiped out. He can be very cruel and very childish-if he doesn't get what he wants he'll simply go into a rage.† â€Å"And does he do that a lot-go into rages?† â€Å"All the time, unfortunately.† I don't believe you. The thought came to Hannah suddenly. She didn't know where it came from, but she couldn't ignore it. There was something about this girl that bothered her, something that felt like a greasy stone held between the fingers. That felt like a lie. â€Å"Who are you?† she said directly. When the girl's eyes-now burnt sienna-lifted to hers this time, she held them. â€Å"I mean, why are you so interested in me? Why are you even here, in Montana, where I am? Is it just a coincidence?† â€Å"Of course not. I came because I knew that he was about to find you again. I'm interested in you* because-well, I've known Thierry since his childhood, before he became a vampire, and I feel a certain obligation to stop him.† She smiled, meeting Hannah's steady gaze easily. â€Å"And my name †¦ is Maya.† She said the last words slowly, and she seemed to be watching Hannah for a reaction. But the name didn't mean anything to Hannah. And Hannah simply couldn't figure out whether this girl called Maya was lying or not. â€Å"I know you've warned me about Thierry before,† she said, trying to gather her thoughts. â€Å"But I don't remember anything about it except you telling me. I don't even know what you are-I mean, are you somebody who's been reincarnated like me? Or are you†¦ ?† She left the question open-ended. As a matter of fact, she knew Maya wasn't human; no human was so eerily beautiful or supernaturally graceful. If Maya claimed she was, Hannah would know for sure it was a deception. â€Å"I'm a vampire,† Maya said calmly and without hesitation. â€Å"I lived with Thierry's tribe in the days when you lived with the Three Rivers clan. In fact, I'm the one who actually made him into a vampire. I shouldn't have done it; I should have realized he was one of those people who couldn't handle it. But I didn't know he'd go crazy and become†¦ what he is.† She looked off into the distance. â€Å"I suppose that's why I feel responsible for him,† she finished softly. Then she looked back at Hannah. â€Å"Any other questions?† â€Å"Hundreds,† Hannah said. â€Å"About the Night World, and about what's happened to me in past lives-â€Å" â€Å"And I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to answer most of them. There are rules against talking about the Night World-and anyway, it's safer for you not to know. As for your past lives, well, you don't really want to know what he's done to you each time, do you? It's too gruesome.† She leaned forward, looking at Hannah earnestly. â€Å"What you should do now is put the past behind you and forget about all this. Try to have a happy future.† It was exactly what Hannah had decided to do earlier. So why did she feel like bristling now? She weighed different responses and finally said, â€Å"If he wants to kill me so much, why didn't he just do it last night? Instead of talking to me.† â€Å"Oh, my dear child.† The tone was slightly patronizing, but seemed genuinely pitying. â€Å"He wants you to love him first, and then he kills you. I know, it's sick, it's twisted, but it's the way he is. He seems to think it has to be that way, since it was that way the first time. He's obsessed.† Hannah was silent. Nothing inside her stood up to say that this was a lie. And the idea that Thierry was obsessed certainly rang true. At last she said slowly, â€Å"Thank you for coming to warn me. I do appreciate it.† â€Å"No, you don't,† Maya said. â€Å"I wouldn't either if someone came to tell me things I didn't want to hear. But maybe someday you will thank me.† She stood. â€Å"I hope we won't have to meet again.† Hannah walked her to the back door and let her out. On the porch, Maya turned. â€Å"He really is insane, you know!† she said. â€Å"You'll probably begin to have, doubts again. But he's obsessive and unstable, just like any stalker; and he's really capable of anything. Don't be fooled.† â€Å"I don't think I'm ever going to see him again,† Hannah said, unreasonably annoyed. â€Å"So it's going to be kind of hard to fool me.† Maya smiled, nodded, then did the disappearing act. Just as Thierry had, she turned and simply melted into the night. Hannah stared out into the darkness for a minute or so. Then she went back into the kitchen and called Paul Winfield's number. She got his answering machine. â€Å"Hi, this is Hannah, and I got your message about making another appointment. I was wondering if we could maybe do it tomorrow-or anyway some time over the weekend. And†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She hesitated, wondering if it was something she should say in person, then shrugged. Might as well give him time to prepare. â€Å"And I'd like to do another regression. There are some things I want to figure out.† She felt better after she hung up. One way or another, she would get at the truth. She headed into her bedroom with a faint, grim smile. And stopped dead on the threshold. Thierry was sitting on her bed. For a moment Hannah stood frozen. Then she said sharply, â€Å"What are you doing here?† At the same time, she glanced around the room to see how he had gotten in. The windows were shut and only opened from inside. He must have walked in while I was in the kitchen talking with Maya. â€Å"I had to see you,† Thierry said. He looked- strange. His dark eyes seemed hot somehow, as if he were burning inside. His face was tense and grim. â€Å"I told you to keep away from me.† Hannah kept fear out of her voice-but she was scared. There was a sort of electricity in the air, but it wasn't a good electricity. It was purely dangerous. â€Å"I know you did, and I tried. But I can't stay away, Hannah. I just can't. It makes me †¦ crazy.† And with that, he stood up. Hannah's heart seemed to jump into her throat and stay there, pounding hard. She fought to keep her face calm. He's fast, a little voice in her head seemed to say, and with relief she recognized the dark wind voice, the cool voice of reason. There's no point in running from him, because he can catch you in a second. â€Å"You have to understand,† Thierry was saying. â€Å"Please try to understand. I need you. We were meant to be together. Without you, I'm nothing.† He took a step toward her. His eyes were black and fathomless, and Hannah could almost feel their heat. Obsessed, yes, she thought. Maya was right. He may jut on a good front, but underneath he's just plain crazy. like any stalker. â€Å"Say you understand,† Thierry said. He reached a pleading hand toward her. â€Å"I understand,† Hannah said grimly. â€Å"And I still want you to go away.† â€Å"I can't. I have to make sure we'll be together, the way we were meant to be. And there's only one way to do that.† There was something different about his mouth, Two delicate fangs were protruding, indenting .his lower lip. Hannah felt a cold fist dose over her heart. â€Å"You have to join the Night World, Hannah. You have to become like me. I promise you, once it's over, you'll be happy.† â€Å"Happy?† A wave of sickening revulsion swept over Hannah. â€Å"As a monster like you? I was happy before you ever showed up. I'd be happy if you'd just keep out of my life forever. I-â€Å" Stop talking! The cool wind voice was screaming at her, but Hannah was too overwrought to listen. â€Å"You're disgusting. I hate you. And nothing can j ever make me love you ag-â€Å" She didn't get to finish. In one swift movement, he was in front of her. And then he grabbed her.