The Da Vinci Code Chapter 100-101

CHAPTER 100 Bishop Manuel Aringarosa's body had endured many kinds of pain, and yet the searing heat of the bullet wound in his chest felt profoundly foreign to him. Deep and grave. Not a wound of the flesh†¦ but closer to the soul. He opened his eyes, trying to see, but the rain on his face blurred his vision. Where am I? He could feel powerful arms holding him, carrying his limp body like a rag doll, his black cassock flapping. Lifting a weary arm, he mopped his eyes and saw the man holding him was Silas. The great albino was struggling down a misty sidewalk, shouting for a hospital, his voice a heartrending wail of agony. His red eyes were focused dead ahead, tears streaming down his pale, blood-spattered face. â€Å"My son,† Aringarosa whispered,† you're hurt.† Silas glanced down, his visage contorted in anguish. â€Å"I am so very sorry, Father.† He seemed almost too pained to speak. â€Å"No, Silas,† Aringarosa replied. â€Å"It is I who am sorry. This is my fault.† The Teacher promised me there would be no killing, and I told you to obey him fully. â€Å"I was too eager. Too fearful. You and I were deceived.† The Teacher was never going to deliver us the Holy Grail. Cradled in the arms of the man he had taken in all those years ago, Bishop Aringarosa felt himself reel back in time. To Spain. To his modest beginnings, building a small Catholic church in Oviedo with Silas. And later, to New York City, where he had proclaimed the glory of God with the towering Opus Dei Center on Lexington Avenue. Five months ago, Aringarosa had received devastating news. His life's work was in jeopardy. He recalled, with vivid detail, the meeting inside Castel Gandolfo that had changed his life†¦ the news that had set this entire calamity into motion. Aringarosa had entered Gandolfo's Astronomy Library with his head held high, fully expecting to be lauded by throngs of welcoming hands, all eager to pat him on the back for his superior work representing Catholicism in America. But only three people were present. The Vatican secretariat. Obese. Dour. Two high-ranking Italian cardinals. Sanctimonious. Smug. â€Å"Secretariat?† Aringarosa said, puzzled. The rotund overseer of legal affairs shook Aringarosa's hand and motioned to the chair opposite him. â€Å"Please, make yourself comfortable.† Aringarosa sat, sensing something was wrong. â€Å"I am not skilled in small talk, Bishop,† the secretariat said,† so let me be direct about the reason for your visit.† â€Å"Please. Speak openly.† Aringarosa glanced at the two cardinals, who seemed to be measuring him with self-righteous anticipation. â€Å"As you are well aware,† the secretariat said,† His Holiness and others in Rome have been concerned lately with the political fallout from Opus Dei's more controversial practices.† Aringarosa felt himself bristle instantly. He already had been through this on numerous occasions with the new pontiff, who, to Aringarosa's great dismay, had turned out to be a distressingly fervent voice for liberal change in the Church. â€Å"I want to assure you,† the secretariat added quickly,† that His Holiness does not seek to change anything about the way you run your ministry.† I should hope not!† Then why am I here?† The enormous man sighed. â€Å"Bishop, I am not sure how to say this delicately, so I will state it directly. Two days ago, the Secretariat Council voted unanimously to revoke the Vatican's sanction of Opus Dei.† Aringarosa was certain he had heard incorrectly. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† â€Å"Plainly stated, six months from today, Opus Dei will no longer be considered a prelature of the Vatican. You will be a church unto yourself. The Holy See will be disassociating itself from you. His Holiness agrees and we are already drawing up the legal papers.† â€Å"But†¦ that is impossible!† â€Å"On the contrary, it is quite possible. And necessary. His Holiness has become uneasy with your aggressive recruiting policies and your practices of corporal mortification.† He paused. â€Å"Also your policies regarding women. Quite frankly, Opus Dei has become a liability and an embarrassment.† Bishop Aringarosa was stupefied. â€Å"An embarrassment?† â€Å"Certainly you cannot be surprised it has come to this.† â€Å"Opus Dei is the only Catholic organization whose numbers are growing! We now have over eleven hundred priests!† â€Å"True. A troubling issue for us all.† Aringarosa shot to his feet. â€Å"Ask His Holiness if Opus Dei was an embarrassment in 1982 when we helped the Vatican Bank!† â€Å"The Vatican will always be grateful for that,† the secretariat said, his tone appeasing,† and yet there are those who still believe your financial munificence in 1982 is the only reason you were granted prelature status in the first place.† â€Å"That is not true!† The insinuation offended Aringarosa deeply. â€Å"Whatever the case, we plan to act in good faith. We are drawing up severance terms that will include a reimbursement of those monies. It will be paid in five installments.† â€Å"You are buying me off?† Aringarosa demanded. â€Å"Paying me to go quietly? When Opus Dei is the only remaining voice of reason!† One of the cardinals glanced up. â€Å"I'm sorry, did you say reason?† Aringarosa leaned across the table, sharpening his tone to a point. â€Å"Do you really wonder why Catholics are leaving the Church? Look around you, Cardinal. People have lost respect. The rigors of faith are gone. The doctrine has become a buffet line. Abstinence, confession, communion, baptism, mass – take your pick – choose whatever combination pleases you and ignore the rest. What kind of spiritual guidance is the Church offering?† â€Å"Third-century laws,† the second cardinal said,† cannot be applied to the modern followers of Christ. The rules are not workable in today's society.† â€Å"Well, they seem to be working for Opus Dei!† â€Å"Bishop Aringarosa,† the secretariat said, his voice conclusive. â€Å"Out of respect for your organization's relationship with the previous Pope, His Holiness will be giving Opus Dei six months to voluntarily break away from the Vatican. I suggest you cite your differences of opinion with the Holy See and establish yourself as your own Christian organization.† â€Å"I refuse!† Aringarosa declared. â€Å"And I'll tell him that in person!† â€Å"I'm afraid His Holiness no longer cares to meet with you.† Aringarosa stood up. â€Å"He would not dare abolish a personal prelature established by a previous Pope!† â€Å"I'm sorry.† The secretariat's eyes did not flinch. â€Å"The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.† Aringarosa had staggered from that meeting in bewilderment and panic. Returning to New York, he stared out at the skyline in disillusionment for days, overwhelmed with sadness for the future of Christianity. It was several weeks later that he received the phone call that changed all that. The caller sounded French and identified himself as the Teacher – a title common in the prelature. He said he knew of the Vatican's plans to pull support from Opus Dei. How could he know that? Aringarosa wondered. He had hoped only a handful of Vatican power brokers knew of Opus Dei's impending annulment. Apparently the word was out. When it came to containing gossip, no walls in the world were as porous as those surrounding Vatican City. â€Å"I have ears everywhere, Bishop,† the Teacher whispered,† and with these ears I have gained certain knowledge. With your help, I can uncover the hiding place of a sacred relic that will bring you enormous power†¦ enough power to make the Vatican bow before you. Enough power to save the Faith.† He paused. â€Å"Not just for Opus Dei. But for all of us.† The Lord taketh away†¦and the Lord giveth.Aringarosa felt a glorious ray of hope. â€Å"Tell me your plan.† Bishop Aringarosa was unconscious when the doors of St. Mary's Hospital hissed open. Silas lurched into the entryway delirious with exhaustion. Dropping to his knees on the tile floor, he cried out for help. Everyone in the reception area gaped in wonderment at the half-naked albino offering forth a bleeding clergyman. The doctor who helped Silas heave the delirious bishop onto a gurney looked gloomy as he felt Aringarosa's pulse. â€Å"He's lost a lot of blood. I am not hopeful.† Aringarosa's eyes flickered, and he returned for a moment, his gaze locating Silas. â€Å"My child†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Silas's soul thundered with remorse and rage. â€Å"Father, if it takes my lifetime, I will find the one who deceived us, and I will kill him.† Aringarosa shook his head, looking sad as they prepared to wheel him away. â€Å"Silas†¦ if you have learned nothing from me, please†¦ learn this.† He took Silas's hand and gave it a firm squeeze. â€Å"Forgiveness is God's greatest gift.† â€Å"But Father†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Aringarosa closed his eyes. â€Å"Silas, you must pray.† CHAPTER 101 Robert Langdon stood beneath the lofty cupola of the deserted Chapter House and stared into the barrel of Leigh Teabing's gun. Robert, are you with me, or against me? The Royal Historian's words echoed in the silence of Langdon's mind. There was no viable response, Langdon knew. Answer yes, and he would be selling out Sophie. Answer no, and Teabing would have no choice but to kill them both. Langdon's years in the classroom had not imbued him with any skills relevant to handling confrontations at gunpoint, but the classroom had taught him something about answering paradoxical questions. When a question has no correct answer, there is only one honest response. The gray area between yes and no. Silence. Staring at the cryptex in his hands, Langdon chose simply to walk away. Without ever lifting his eyes, he stepped backward, out into the room's vast empty spaces. Neutral ground.He hoped his focus on the cryptex signaled Teabing that collaboration might be an option, and that his silence signaled Sophie he had not abandoned her. All the while buying time to think. The act of thinking, Langdon suspected, was exactly what Teabing wanted him to do. That's whyhe handed me the cryptex.So I could feel the weight of my decision.The British historian hoped the touch of the Grand Master's cryptex would make Langdon fully grasp the magnitude of its contents, coaxing his academic curiosity to overwhelm all else, forcing him to realize that failure to unlock the keystone would mean the loss of history itself. With Sophie at gunpoint across the room, Langdon feared that discovering the cryptex's elusive password would be his only remaining hope of bartering her release. If I can free the map, Teabingwill negotiate.Forcing his mind to this critical task, Langdon moved slowly toward the far windows†¦ allowing his mind to fill with the numerous astronomical images on Newton's tomb. You seek the orb that ought be on his tomb. It speaks of Rosy flesh and seeded womb. Turning his back to the others, he walked toward the towering windows, searching for any inspiration in their stained-glass mosaics. There was none. Place yourself in Sauniere's mind, he urged, gazing outward now into College Garden. What wouldhe believe is the orb that ought be on Newton's tomb? Images of stars, comets, and planets twinkled in the falling rain, but Langdon ignored them. Sauniere was not a man of science. He was a man of humanity, of art, of history. The sacred feminine†¦the chalice†¦the Rose†¦the banishedMary Magdalene†¦the decline of the goddess†¦the Holy Grail. Legend had always portrayed the Grail as a cruel mistress, dancing in the shadows just out of sight, whispering in your ear, luring you one more step and then evaporating into the mist. Gazing out at the rustling trees of College Garden, Langdon sensed her playful presence. The signs were everywhere. Like a taunting silhouette emerging from the fog, the branches of Britain's oldest apple tree burgeoned with five-petaled blossoms, all glistening like Venus. The goddess was in the garden now. She was dancing in the rain, singing songs of the ages, peeking out from behind the bud-filled branches as if to remind Langdon that the fruit of knowledge was growing just beyond his reach. Across the room, Sir Leigh Teabing watched with confidence as Langdon gazed out the window as if under a spell. Exactly as I hoped, Teabing thought. He will come around. For some time now, Teabing had suspected Langdon might hold the key to the Grail. It was no coincidence that Teabing launched his plan into action on the same night Langdon was scheduled to meet Jacques Sauniere. Listening in on the curator, Teabing was certain the man's eagerness to meet privately with Langdon could mean only one thing. Langdon's mysterious manuscript has touched a nerve with the Priory. Langdon has stumbled onto a truth, and Sauniere fears its release.Teabing felt certain the Grand Master was summoning Langdon to silence him. The Truth has been silenced long enough! Teabing knew he had to act quickly. Silas's attack would accomplish two goals. It would prevent Sauniere from persuading Langdon to keep quiet, and it would ensure that once the keystone was in Teabing's hands, Langdon would be in Paris for recruitment should Teabing need him. Arranging the fatal meeting between Sauniere and Silas had been almost too easy. I had inside information about Sauniere's deepest fears.Yesterday afternoon, Silas had phoned the curator and posed as a distraught priest. â€Å"Monsieur Sauniere, forgive me, I must speak to you at once. I should never breach the sanctity of the confessional, but in this case, I feel I must. I just took confession from a man who claimed to have murdered members of your family.† Sauniere's response was startled but wary. â€Å"My family died in an accident. The police report was conclusive.† â€Å"Yes, a car accident,† Silas said, baiting the hook. â€Å"The man I spoke to said he forced their car off the road into a river.† Sauniere fell silent.† Monsieur Sauniere, I would never have phoned you directly except this man made a comment which makes me now fear for your safety.† He paused. â€Å"The man also mentioned your granddaughter, Sophie.† The mention of Sophie's name had been the catalyst. The curator leapt into action. He ordered Silasto come see him immediately in the safest location Sauniere knew – his Louvre office. Then he phoned Sophie to warn her she might be in danger. Drinks with Robert Langdon were instantly abandoned. Now, with Langdon separated from Sophie on the far side of the room, Teabing sensed he had successfully alienated the two companions from one another. Sophie Neveu remained defiant, but Langdon clearly saw the larger picture. He was trying to figure out the password. He understands the importance of finding the Grail and releasing her from bondage. â€Å"He won't open it for you,† Sophie said coldly. â€Å"Even if he can.† Teabing was glancing at Langdon as he held the gun on Sophie. He was fairly certain now he was going to have to use the weapon. Although the idea troubled him, he knew he would not hesitate if it came to that. I have given her every opportunity to do the right thing.The Grail is bigger than any one of us. At that moment, Langdon turned from the window. â€Å"The tomb†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he said suddenly, facing them with a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes. â€Å"I know where to look on Newton's tomb. Yes, I think I can find the password!† Teabing's heart soared. â€Å"Where, Robert? Tell me!† Sophie sounded horrified. â€Å"Robert, no! You're not going to help him, are you?† Langdon approached with a resolute stride, holding the cryptex before him. â€Å"No,† he said, his eyes hardening as he turned to Leigh. â€Å"Not until he lets you go.† Teabing's optimism darkened. â€Å"We are so close, Robert. Don't you dare start playing games with me!† â€Å"No games,† Langdon said. â€Å"Let her go. Then I'll take you to Newton's tomb. We'll open the cryptex together.† â€Å"I'm not going anywhere,† Sophie declared, her eyes narrowing with rage. â€Å"That cryptex was given to me by my grandfather. It is not yours to open.† Langdon wheeled, looking fearful. â€Å"Sophie, please! You're in danger. I'm trying to help you!† â€Å"How? By unveiling the secret my grandfather died trying to protect? He trusted you, Robert. Itrusted you!† Langdon's blue eyes showed panic now, and Teabing could not help but smile to see the two of them working against one another. Langdon's attempts to be gallant were more pathetic than anything. On the verge of unveiling one of history's greatest secrets, and he troubles himself with a woman who has proven herself unworthy of the quest. â€Å"Sophie,† Langdon pleaded. â€Å"Please†¦ you must leave.† She shook her head. â€Å"Not unless you either hand me the cryptex or smash it on the floor.† â€Å"What?† Langdon gasped.† Robert, my grandfather would prefer his secret lost forever than see it in the hands of his murderer.† Sophie's eyes looked as if they would well with tears, but they did not. She stared directly back at Teabing. â€Å"Shoot me if you have to. I am not leaving my grandfather's legacy in your hands.† Very well.Teabing aimed the weapon. â€Å"No!† Langdon shouted, raising his arm and suspending the cryptex precariously over the hard stone floor. â€Å"Leigh, if you even think about it, I will drop this.† Teabing laughed. â€Å"That bluff worked on Remy. Not on me. I know you better than that.† â€Å"Do you, Leigh?† Yes I do. Your poker face needs work, my friend. It took me several seconds, but I can see now that you are lying. You have no idea where on Newton's tomb the answer lies. â€Å"Truly, Robert? You know where on the tomb to look?† â€Å"I do.† The falter in Langdon's eyes was fleeting but Leigh caught it. There was a lie there. A desperate, pathetic ploy to save Sophie. Teabing felt a profound disappointment in Robert Langdon. I am a lone knight, surrounded by unworthy souls. And I will have to decipher the keystone on my own. Langdon and Neveu were nothing but a threat to Teabing now†¦ and to the Grail. As painful as the solution was going to be, he knew he could carry it out with a clean conscience. The only challenge would be to persuade Langdon to set down the keystone so Teabing could safely end this charade. â€Å"A show of faith,† Teabing said, lowering the gun from Sophie. â€Å"Set down the keystone, and we'll talk.† Langdon knew his lie had failed. He could see the dark resolve in Teabing's face and knew the moment was upon them. When I setthis down, he will kill us both.Even without looking at Sophie, he could hear her heart beseeching him in silent desperation. Robert, this man is not worthy of the Grail.Please do not place it in his hands.No matter what the cost. Langdon had already made his decision several minutes ago, while standing alone at the window overlooking College Garden. Protect Sophie. Protect the Grail. Langdon had almost shouted out in desperation. But I cannot see how! The stark moments of disillusionment had brought with them a clarity unlike any he had ever felt. The Truth is right before your eyes, Robert.He knew not from where the epiphany came. The Grailis not mocking you, she is calling out to a worthy soul. Now, bowing down like a subject several yards in front of Leigh Teabing, Langdon lowered the cryptex to within inches of the stone floor. â€Å"Yes, Robert,† Teabing whispered, aiming the gun at him. â€Å"Set it down.† Langdon's eyes moved heavenward, up into the gaping void of the Chapter House cupola. Crouching lower, Langdon lowered his gaze to Teabing's gun, aimed directly at him. â€Å"I'm sorry, Leigh.† In one fluid motion, Langdon leapt up, swinging his arm skyward, launching the cryptex straight up toward the dome above. Leigh Teabing did not feel his finger pull the trigger, but the Medusa discharged with a thundering crash. Langdon's crouched form was now vertical, almost airborne, and the bullet exploded in the floor near Langdon's feet. Half of Teabing's brain attempted to adjust his aim and fire again in rage, but the more powerful half dragged his eyes upward into the cupola. The keystone! Time seemed to freeze, morphing into a slow-motion dream as Teabing's entire world became the airborne keystone. He watched it rise to the apex of its climb†¦ hovering for a moment in the void†¦ and then tumbling downward, end over end, back toward the stone floor. All of Teabing's hopes and dreams were plummeting toward earth. It cannot strike the floor! I can reach it! Teabing's body reacted on instinct. He released the gun and heaved himself forward, dropping his crutches as he reached out with his soft, manicured hands. Stretching his arms and fingers, he snatched the keystone from midair. Falling forward with the keystone victoriously clutched in his hand, Teabing knew he was falling too fast. With nothing to break his fall, his outstretched arms hit first, and the cryptex collided hard with the floor. There was a sickening crunch of glass within. For a full second, Teabing did not breathe. Lying there outstretched on the cold floor, staring the length of his outstretched arms at the marble cylinder in his bare palms, he implored the glass vial inside to hold. Then the acrid tang of vinegar cut the air, and Teabing felt the cool liquid flowing out through the dials onto his palm. Wild panic gripped him. NO! The vinegar was streaming now, and Teabing pictured the papyrus dissolving within. Robert, you fool! The secret is lost! Teabing felt himself sobbing uncontrollably. The Grail is gone.Everything destroyed.Shuddering in disbelief over Langdon's actions, Teabing tried to force the cylinder apart, longing to catch a fleeting glimpse of history before it dissolved forever. To his shock, as he pulled the ends of the keystone, the cylinder separated. He gasped and peered inside. It was empty except for shards of wet glass. No dissolving papyrus. Teabing rolled over and looked up at Langdon. Sophie stood beside him, aiming the gun down at Teabing. Bewildered, Teabing looked back at the keystone and saw it. The dials were no longer at random. They spelled a five-letter word: APPLE. â€Å"The orb from which Eve partook,† Langdon said coolly,† incurring the Holy wrath of God. Original sin. The symbol of the fall of the sacred feminine.† Teabing felt the truth come crashing down on him in excruciating austerity. The orb that ought be on Newton's tomb could be none other than the Rosy apple that fell from heaven, struck Newton on the head, and inspired his life's work. His labor's fruit! The Rosy flesh with a seeded womb! â€Å"Robert,† Teabing stammered, overwhelmed. â€Å"You opened it. Where†¦ is the map?† Without blinking, Langdon reached into the breast pocket of his tweed coat and carefully extracted a delicate rolled papyrus. Only a few yards from where Teabing lay, Langdon unrolled the scroll and looked at it. After a long moment, a knowing smile crossed Langdon's face. He knows! Teabing's heart craved that knowledge. His life's dream was right in front of him. â€Å"Tell me!† Teabing demanded. â€Å"Please! Oh God, please! It's not too late!† As the sound of heavy footsteps thundered down the hall toward the Chapter House, Langdon quietly rolled the papyrus and slipped it back in his pocket. â€Å"No!† Teabing cried out, trying in vain to stand. When the doors burst open, Bezu Fache entered like a bull into a ring, his feral eyes scanning, finding his target – Leigh Teabing – helpless on the floor. Exhaling in relief, Fache holstered his Manurhin sidearm and turned to Sophie. â€Å"Agent Neveu, I am relieved you and Mr. Langdon are safe. You should have come in when I asked.† The British police entered on Fache's heels, seizing the anguished prisoner and placing him in handcuffs. Sophie seemed stunned to see Fache. â€Å"How did you find us?† Fache pointed to Teabing. â€Å"He made the mistake of showing his ID when he entered the abbey. The guards heard a police broadcast about our search for him.† â€Å"It's in Langdon's pocket!† Teabing was screaming like a madman. â€Å"The map to the Holy Grail!† As they hoisted Teabing and carried him out, he threw back his head and howled. â€Å"Robert! Tell me where it's hidden!† As Teabing passed, Langdon looked him in the eye. â€Å"Only the worthy find the Grail, Leigh. You taught me that.†

Of Mice and Men Novel Essay

The novel was set in California in 1937, on a barley farm. The book is about 2 guys named George and Lennie. They are 2 friends who travels around together going from workplace to work place, earning there keep. To achieve a dream a dream of owning there own piece of land to do whatever they want. There are alot of characters that are lonely in this novel. Candy is one, he is the oldest worker on the farm, and with being a pensioner he is also disabled, but not bye mental, but only has one hand. I think this is why people on the ranch don’t really want to know him. He’s old and one-handed. Krook’s is another lonely individual on the ranch, he’s also one of a kind in the book. He’s the only black person there. Back then it was extremely common for there to be racism, so the fact that a negro was on the ranch made it incredibly hard for him. Curley’s wife is another example of one of a kind on the ranch, she is the only woman on the ranch. Her husband curly is full of himself, and is always looking for a fight. So in order to speak to Curley’s wife, is just asking for trouble. This doesn’t help her, because at first people just think she’s a slapper whose trying to get the guys at the ranch in trouble. but she really cant help feeling lonely and wanting a conversation with a human being now and then. Feisty Curly is very strict over her and almost has her imprisoned. A way Steinbeck has done this is because you don’t even know her name. the fact that no one wants to get to know her, or just the fact she is kept away from society we don’t even know her name. George and Lennie are two guys who are travelling around together, working around wherever they can to earn some money. George is the smaller of the two but the one with the brains. Lennie on the other hand is a big strong lump. The classic type of couple to go travelling around. Lennie isn’t just all brute force, he is actually very affectionate he likes soft animals that he can pet. He doesn’t quite understand his own power, as you will find out later. George takes care of Lennie through there travels, because Lennie wouldn’t survive by himself. Even though Lennie is a burden on George, he doesn’t just leave Lennie because he knows that he’d be nothing without him. Lennie does respect George though like an older brother or parent, he will listen to everything George says and do it. But everyone else he couldn’t give a damn! After a discussion Lennie and George were having about there dream place, George announces to Lennie he knows somewhere like they’ve always talked about. Candy over hears as he is still in the room. Now Candy is an old swamper, who spends his time sweeping. He doesn’t want to live the rest of his life like this. He interrupts there conversation, to give George a proposition of helping them out with the land. He offered a huge sum of money towards it. Maybe he was also buying himself into a relationship. He also offers to cook clean and other various chores around the place. After he offers the money they can’t resist the offer or there dream would stay a dream forever. But I think they knew they could trust Candy as he hasn’t got anything to live for or in any way betray the two. Crooks is the only nigger in this story. I think Steinbeck gave a sense that even if you didn’t read the description of crooks you would know he was different somehow. He isn’t allowed to play cards with the other guys in the bunkhouse, he’s not even aloud in the bunkhouse. He has his own room out in the stables, its kind off like they’ve just said, now he’s out with the other animals. Just because he is a different colour, they just look down on him, like he is an animal. This shows the extent of the racism. But in one way this is the one thing, crook is aloud to have, that is his own personal space. I think the others respect this as they know if they want to come in, then they need his permission first. He is very sour towards white people, as what they have pout him and his family through for generations. So he is very bitter against racists, and white people in general. When Lennie is in the barn, after his pup died, via the over petting from Lennie. Curly’s wife enters the scene. They sit and talk, at first Lennie wants to obey George’s orders, but she convinces him to settle down. I think Steinbeck made this scene more than just to put an end to Curly’s wife. I think its also to bring the two most lonely people on the ranch together. All the men are outside horseshoeing, apart from Lennie. And Curly’s wife just expelled from everyone as per usual. So after talking, they seem to have made ‘friends’. When lennie talks about his love of animals and soft things, she says he can touch her hair, because its soft. But now after Lennie touches her hair it has flipped the story right round to the beginning. Lennie not understanding the delicate female emotions. After stroking her hair for abit, she asks him to stop. But Lennie can’t resist, and just has to keep stroking her. After this she thinks she’s being attacked or assaulted. She gets very panicky, and starts screaming. This gets George very confused and scared. In shock he pleas for her to stop, with his hands around her mouth. This just gets her even more scared and she keeps going. Lennie not knowing what to do, gets angry that she’s not listening to him and violently shakes her. Resulting in her breaking her neck. After he realises what he’s done. He remembers what George told him, and run’s away to the riverside where he was told to go if he caused trouble. Now after everyone had found out Curley’s wife was dead George and curly knew there dream was shattered. There’s nothing they could do to save Lennie from a fait ending only with death. Candy seems very thoughtless and selfish, when he asks George â€Å"George can we still do it?† But I think hes just trying to keep his dream alive for a little more. He really needed an outlet from the life he is leading at this time. George must have been quite offended, especially how close he was to Lennie. But they both must have been annoyed. They’ve both just had there dream shattered in a moment. I think Candy wanted to keep it alive just for a little longer.

Othello and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner Comparative Essay

The transformation between Othello, a 16th century Shakespearean tragedy and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, a 1960’s Romantic Comedy, can be compared by addressing themes that are present in each text. The theme of race can be used to compare the different attitudes of each context, surrounding the significant black characters of Othello in Othello and John in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and there interaction with white females that belong to an upper middle class. The theme of interracial marriages can be used to compare the different values and attitudes of each context, towards a black & white marriage. This applies to both Othello & Desdemona and John & Joanna. By exploring the different contexts, ideas and techniques incorporated into each text, we can apprehend the different messages that each composer has attempted to convey to their audience. Othello – Power of Love Othello is a Shakespearean tragedy, set in Elizabethan Times that present the relationship between, Othello, a ‘moor’ who’s an official in the Venetian army and Desdemona, the daughter of a noble Venetian Senator, Brabantio, and how despite their different experiences in love, a strong relationship can occur, without any initial external input. Desdemona’s assertive behaviour towards romantically pursing Othello, demonstrates her confidence and power, which she maintains throughout the play. Most significantly, the fact that Othello did not ask for Brabantio’s permission to marry Desdemona, demonstrates how Othello did not consider the traditional values of Elizabeth society. However as they play develops, Iago’s manipulation of Othello’s insecurities, leads to the relationship between Othello and Desdemona falling apart. This reflects Elizabethan society and its values towards love and marriage. In Elizabethan times, a marriage between a man and a woman was considered extremely important. Women were generally considered to be in the possession of their father, this was because men were considered powerful and important people. It was in the father’s power to determine whom their daughter married, provided that his family were respectable and had money. A marriage between a ‘moor’ and a white would not have been socially acceptable in Elizabethan times, seeing that the Moorish skin colour portrayed a sense of filth and evil. Whites being superior and educated, while others were considered inferior. This theme can be explored through the objectification of Desdemona in scene 1 Act 3 Lines 182-187 â€Å"How to respect you. You are lord of all my duty: I am hitherto your daughter. But here’s my husband: And so much duty as many mother showed To you, preferring you before her father, so much I challenge that I may profess Due to the moor, my lord.† We see that Desdemona, is detaching herself from her father, just as her mother did to her father. This demonstrates her power and her ability to make decisions despite her father’s approval.

Couple of Questions to answer. two paragraphs for each Essay

Couple of Questions to answer. two paragraphs for each - Essay Example The shifting of power over finance from king to parliament was one of the central factors that helped in the steady extension of political liberties. Power shifted from the king to those who possessed money, but economic and political benefits were not spread uniformly to sections of the society†. (Democracy) The preliminary duty of a criminal justice system in any parliamentary democracy is to protect life and property of its citizens. It should maintain the law and order of the country. Any intrusion from inside or outside should be tackled by the criminal justice system. The culprits must be produced to the court and the court will take necessary actions against the culprits if they found guilty of doing the crime. Harvard Law Review in 1949. The fictitious case revolves around explorers who cannibalize a member of their team and the five Supreme Court judges who provide opinions on what should be done with them† (The Case of the Speluncean Explorers: Nine New Opinions) Even though the members of the explorer team did this crime in order to survive, it cannot be justified since nobody have the right to take life since they cannot give it back. This crime can be justified up to certain extent as per law since no other options were left for them and moreover they have taken the opinions of others before committing the crime. But morally their crime is not justifiable. Law and morality have a definite relationship. It is difficult for the street patrol police to do the civil order policing. The psychology of the mob will be different and hence specially trained police is required to control them. Force may not be a good weapon in controlling the agitations from the mob. Only a psychological approach can be a useful one dealing with the public protests. Street patrol police are usually trained to deal with criminal groups of smaller number. So they

Clean Water Act regulate oil spills in the United States (LAW) Essay

Clean Water Act regulate oil spills in the United States (LAW) - Essay Example e section of CWA that prohibits the discharge of threshold amounts of oil or hazardous substances into navigable waters of the United States is Section 311(b)(3) (Oil Spills/SPCC 1). Section 311(j) of CWA reduces the chances of oil spill and prevents the accidental release of stored oil in navigable waters by mandating facilities to prepare Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans by storing oil in significant quantities (Oil Spills/SPCC 1). The SPCC plans must be in accordance with the National Contingency Plan (NCP) (Chapter Eight 4). For facilities that have a greater risk of oil spills from storage are required to develop plans to respond rapidly in case of oil spills and clean up. The SPCC plans have to be implemented by the facilities that have the total oil product storage of aboveground greater than 1320 gallons or underground more than 4200 gallons or aboveground storage of more than 660 gallons (Pollution Control 4). The SPCC plans must be in agreement with 40 CFR 112.7 and reviewed and certified by Registered Professional Engineer (Pollution Control 4). It must be reviewed by the facilities every three years or every time there is a change in the operator (Pollution Control 4). The copy of SPCC plan must be available with the operator who is attending 8 hours/day (Pollution Control 4). Periodic training must be provided to facility personnel, operator, and management for the spill prevention and response to oil spills (Pollution Control 4). Above storage tanks more than 660 gallons must be provided with secondary containment (Pollution Control 4). Appropriate cleanup equipments must be used to prevent oil spills from reaching navigable waters (Pollution Control 4). For drained water from the diked areas, a control valve must be used to lock when in use (Pollution Control 4). In case of oil spill or discharge in navigable water or in waters of contiguous zone, it must be brought to the notice of management authority of the United

Leadership Apollo 13 movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadership Apollo 13 movie - Essay Example One of the key characters in the film is Jim Lovell; whose real name is real life is Tom Hanks. Tom Hanks depicts the qualities of a leader as depicted by DuBrin in his book â€Å"Leadership†. Jim Lovell portrays some of the most appropriate leadership character traits which deal with interpersonal aspects of a leader. According to DuBrin, Leadership has everything to do with motivation and change among other aspects (35). Other aspects that DuBrin classifies as part of a leader’s role are the administrative and planning aspects. Apollo 13 has the appropriate example of how a leader should act when there are challenges, which are unexpected in an organization. Jim Lovell is portrayed as a charismatic leader, one who is quick in action and a fast thinker when there is a crisis. This character trait is evident in one of the scenes where Jim Lovell and other astronauts approach their long awaited destination. Before landing, the craft’s power system starts having a problem and the crew’s supply of oxygen also runs out. This is the time Jim Lovell’s leadership skills are put to the test when the crew begins to panic. The crew members were aware that there was a problem and time was running out. From this scene, viewers get to see Jim Lovell as a democratic leader, as he favors no crew member when they start panicking and each member is allowed to contribute to decision making. As DuBrin indicates in his book, for a person to be considered an effective leader, he or she has to be aware of cer tain tactics of influencing people (263). On page 263, DuBrin’s point is that when such a person has the ability to influence, he has the power as a leader. Jim Lovell is also depicted as a hands-on leader. DuBrin states that hands-on leadership is required in all areas, if the leader is to be classified as an effective leader (250). Lovell is directly involved in the lives of his crew members. This can be evidenced in the beginning of the film, where Lovell decides

Management in Healthcare Interview of HSO Research Paper

Management in Healthcare Interview of HSO - Research Paper Example St. John’s Medical is a public hospital located in Dallas, Texas; according to the general manager, this hospital has the capacity of accommodating 2500 people, i.e. patients and the medical staff, while, at the same time, it operates 24hrs a day and 7days a week. It is easy to get accessibility to this hospital since there is a public telephone i.e. +972 3211 6578 01, while mails can be send to stjohnsmedical@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 10909 Dallas, Texas. After the interview that I conducted, I was able to compile the following essay regarding human services organization, starting from its definition, organization chart, the organizational structure, and eventually the key management roles of the HSO. It is essential to define the term human services organizations (HSO) to be able to understand this subject; these are entities, which provide the organizational structure whereby there is the making of health service delivery precisely to consumers, regardless to whether the objective of the services is preventive, restorative, acute, palliative or chronic. Therefore, the health services industry comprise of health services providers, for instance, medical practices, nursing homes, hospitals, home health care agencies and clinics. However, there are types of other institutes within the system, for instance, health insurance, biotechnology, managed care, medical equipment suppliers, pharmaceuticals, and educational, as well as research agencies. Apart from being the fundamental health service provider, HSO is also a business (Gapenski, 2008). The wide perception concerning health care practice whereby the health services organization functions comprises of thousands of autonomous medical practices, along with partnerships, managed care, together with provider organizations; both public and nonprofit institutions, for instance hospitals, nursing homes, along with other specialized care facilities, in addition to leading private corporations.

The School of the Americas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The School of the Americas - Essay Example The schools presence in the region represented the United States growing role in Latin America. With the signing of the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (Rio Treaty) in 1947 (Bureau of Political-Military Affairs Washington, DC) the United States involvement in the region grew even more. Yet another name change came in 1949. The U.S. Army Caribbean School continued to train both U.S. and Latin American soldiers. In 1963 the school got its most notable name: The School of the Americas (SOA). The SOA began training using Spanish only and controversy surrounding the school began. With the handing over of the Panama Canal to the government of Panama the school needed a new home. After much politicking, the Spanish speaking school was moved to Fort Benning, Georgia rather than Texas that had a Spanish speaking population (where the school thought was the most logical choice). In an August 1996 report sent to the Honorable Ronald V. ... The School of Americas thus played a part in this transition by providing Spanish language military training to Latin American countries that chose to send soldier-students. The School of the Americas closed in December of 2000 after much controversy and reopened in January 2001 as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation as a result of the National Defense Authorization Act. 2. Training Provided. As stated earlier, The School of the Americas functioned as a Spanish language military school and continues as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. It is interesting to note that the new school offers instruction (again in Spanish) in many of the same courses that the SOA did at the same location. The current school offers training to Latin American military personnel in courses such as2: Civil-Military Operations Course Information Operations Course Departmental Resource Management Human Rights Instructor Course Peace Operations Course The schools website claims that all courses listed are accredited at at least the baccalaureate level, students can receive credit for courses taken,3 and that all students receive at least eight hours of human rights training. As the SOA the school offered courses using manuals with such titles as4: Human Resource Exploitation Training Manual-1983 KUBARK Counterintelligence Interrogation-July 1963 3. The Controversy. As the SOA, the school came under scrutiny by various human rights groups because of the type of training provided to the Latin American students and the resulting human rights violations by SOA graduates. The United States was accused of training these soldiers to protect its economic interests in the region. CIA manuals used by

Separation of church and state Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Separation of church and state - Essay Example The religious beliefs have however had a visible role in the national culture, as well as in the daily American lifestyle. Should the separation of religions and the state hold? If so why should the state and religion be separated? If no, why should there not be a wall between the state and the church? Thesis statement: There should be a wall between the church and the state. The freedom of religion, as in the constitution of the land bars the government from creating any laws that either proclaim any religion as the one of choice or forbid the existence of any. This brings in freedom to individual citizens to be able to be part of any religious organization or none at all. The freedom is translated to public schools where no school is supposed to base its education on a religious perspective. This serves to maintain respect of individual beliefs. In this regard, most schools totally avoid religious connotations to anything. The respect realized, due to the governments stand is there fore a vital stimulant to healthy cohabiting as people would not feel offended fro belonging to a certain religious wing or not belonging to one. Government’s stand on there being a wall between the church and the state is necessary in downplaying religious discriminations and interference, necessary for peaceful coexistence. Due to this prevailing freedom, government properties such as buildings or any other venues are not allowed to discriminate against any entities that would seek to use the facilities, based on their religious affiliations. The government, however, protects the citizens from individuals who would try breaking the law on religious grounds. The government, as well, ensures that religion is not used as a basis to deny others of the basic rights such as voting, tenancy etc. The freedom of religion prohibits the government from interfering with the practice of any religion or imposing of policies that can interfere with the running of the religions. With the a bove points in focus, the government’s delineation from religious activities is vital in creating room for citizens of many backgrounds to coexist peacefully. From a political stand, the establishment of the separation-of-the-church-from-the-state clause in the constitution was very essential maintaining sobriety in the use of state funds. The clause acts to bar any religious organization from using government resources for their interest or to push their agenda. In this regard, a religion, irrespective of the majority public backing cannot enforce their ideas to their benefit, through the use of government resources. The clause, therefore seeks to tame the more popular religions from exhibiting control or dominance over the less popular religions. The neutrality of the government, hence, allows people to freely exercise their beliefs. The clause prevents those who may wish to force a particular belief on others from doing so. Such cases are students being forced to pray in s chool irrespective of their affiliations, people who may wish to erect religious monuments in government property or sticking to various religious accords in public. The clause allows the government to support programs that might have religious affiliations, but have a public advantage. Such a program is the school voucher program that grants vouchers to students to attend private schools that are religious in nature. Such funding, though might seem to have religious backing by the government, is

Creativity and Critical Thinking Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Creativity and Critical Thinking - Research Paper Example When British rulers enacted the Rowlett Act, he opposed the law tooth and nail through fasting and Satyagraha (enforcement of truth) – a totally new way of protest against mighty rulers indeed! After imprisonment, the government was forced to free him from the prison due to people’s pressure. In 1930, he marched over 200 miles with his supporters; tens of thousands of people kept on joining him for the seashore town ‘Dandi’ where he produced salt breaking unjust Salt laws enacted by the British government. The movement came to be known as a largest civil disobedience movement during the time that shook the pillars of British rule in India. Gandhi led the independence movement through nonviolent means until British rulers left India in 1947. Gandhi’s experiments with truth and nonviolence are unique and speak about his creativity and critical thinking on the path that may appear arduous and impossible at the first instance but still the fact remains that later his philosophy was increasingly adopted and followed by many prominent leaders such as Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela successfully for righteous cause of the

How does Descartes use the example of wax to reinforce his argument of Term Paper

How does Descartes use the example of wax to reinforce his argument of the existence of the self - Term Paper Example e I am) which implies that one’s consciousness, set of thoughts or thinking or ability to doubt would give proof of his own existence because of the ‘I’ or ego that conceives it (R. Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy) This is all the more reinforced when Descartes came up with the â€Å"wax argument† in substantiating his proof on the existence of the self. To Descartes, the program of radical doubt must be established on a solitary endeavor or more appropriately, a deliberate isolation which forms the nature of his philosophical work having been freed of social or emotional disturbances enabling him to inquire â€Å"What shall I say of the mind itself, that is, of myself? For as yet I do not admit that I am anything but mind. What, then! I who seem to possess so distinct an apprehension of the ‘piece of wax’, do I not know myself, both with greater truth and certitude, and also much more distinctly and clearly? For if I judge that the wax exists because I see it, it assuredly follows, much more evidently, that I myself am or exist, for the same reason: for it is possible that what I see may not in truth be wax, and that I do not even possess eyes with which to see anything; but it cannot be that when I see, or, which comes to the same thing, when I think I see, I myself who think am nothing (Descartes, Meditation II).â⠂¬  Basically, Descartes proposed the â€Å"wax argument† in two stages being – â€Å"(1) the argument from change; and (2) the argument from intellection then personified the â€Å"wax† in an entity called ‘Bob’ who sits on the mantle as time ‘t’ passes (Graziano, 2011)†. It is claimed that at an instant, Bob is found with initial properties such as those which the senses are susceptible to experience in terms, for instance, of temperature change, phase shift, or shape transformation. â€Å"At time ‘t’, Bob can assume the shape of an orb while being cold and solid at the same time while at some time after ‘t’ he may

United For Israel Essay Example for Free

United For Israel Essay Unity of Israel is needed today more than ever. All the inhabitants of Israel should come together at this moment and show solidarity in the wake of the external problems that are posed to this holy nation. Zionism as described in the holy books used by Christians and Jews has to be fulfilled. The establishment of the State of Israel in 1947 after the dreaded Holocaust was the initial stage in the fulfillment of the prophetic Zion. The Holocaust carried out by the Nazi was a traumatic experience to the Jews and the Christians alike. Israel at the moment is faced by numerous threats from the enemies who have surrounded it. Unity in Israel is a necessity for us to face the impending danger that can be associated to the Holocaust during the Second World War (Merkley, para 1). Following the decision by the United Nations to establish a Jewish State in November of 1947, the world generally agreed that justice had been done to the Jewish people. Thus diligent friends of the Zion agreed that the creation of Israel as a just move was relative one. At the same time, the continued occupation of various territories by Israel at present can be defended in terms of justice with some claiming that some people have suffered injustices due to the Israel occupation. The historical relationship between the churches and Israel has been influenced by their 1948-49 Israel’s Independence war whereby most church leaders had to rework the moral arithmetic finding ‘justice’ in the claims advanced by the Arab Palestinians and little ‘justice’ in the Israel’s position on the matter (Merkley, para 3). However, conservative Christians have remained consistent in supporting the claims advanced by Israel. This has been driven by the notion that Christina Zionists have prioritized the case for the Restoration of the Jews as ordained by the scriptures and therefore resisting any such activities amounted to sinning (Merkley, para 6). In the current world, the World Council of Churches remains to be among the most formidable organizations that reprimand the activities of Israel in the Middle East. Christian Zionists in Israel and around the world should not be swayed by this rhetoric and support the course taken by Israel. This letter was meant to convince the Christians to come and join the ranks of the Zionists spearheaded by the Jews. This is not in the best interest of the Jewish state alone but must be looked at in terms of that tiny piece of land is the battleground for the survival of Jews and Christians alike and for the one God who bestowed that land to the Jewish people as the fountain from which would flow the morality, the willingness to fight the forces of evil in the name of that one God (Weisman, para 5). The Zionist movement is faced with various threats and these forces of evils shall rule by the sword if left unchecked. Christians need to join in the battle for the security of Israel which also expands to include the security of Christianity itself. It must be noted that if left unchecked, the evil forces shall destroy the Jewish people and the Christians will also be destroyed (Weisman, para 5). The alliance between the Christians and the Jews is not something to negotiate about now as there is no time for the negotiations. Zionists and those supporting the movement must unite to defeat the anti-Zionist tendencies that are witnessed in the world today. Israel is the epicenter of all this and that collaboration between the Christians and Jews is a necessity. Surrounded by enemies from virtually all directions, the Zion state faces eminent threat from its adversaries (Weisman, para 5). I appreciate the differences that have existed between the Jews and the Christians but this should not be our weakness in this crucial moment. Our perception about the messiah and his second coming must not be the wedge to separate us. I know that Fundamental Christians talk of the Jewish conversion before the Second Coming of Messiah. I know that they hold the belief that those Jews who would have not been converted before the end of the world would perish in a Holocaust during the Battle of Armageddon (Robinson, para 16). These views should not divide us as we believe in the same God and we have to defend the prophetic Zion as inscribed in our Holy Scriptures. Conclusion: I conclude this letter to my friends, the Christians with a call to unite. We have a task at hand that calls us to come out in defense of God’s promise. Unity at this moment in time is more important than ever, and we shall be judged harshly by history if we let this moment pass and our divisions cost us the right to fulfill what the scriptures had prophesized. Zionism has come to pass and right now we are on track towards this fulfillment. There are various challenges as of now but this generation of Jews and Christians have to come together to accomplish what was started after the end of the Second World war through the creation of the Jewish State. Work Cited: Merkley, Paul, C. Christian Attitudes towards the State of Israel: A Birds-Eye View. 2003. Retrieved on 24th July 2010 from; http://christianactionforisrael. org/attitudes. html Robinson, B. A. Christian Zionism: Christian Support For The State Of Israel: The Politics And Theology Of Armageddon. Retrieved on 24th July 2010 from; http://www. religioustolerance. org/chr_isra. htm. Weisman, Inez. Christians and Jews in Common Cause. 2010. Retrieved on 24th July 2010 from; http://christianactionforisrael. org/commoncause. html

Home care division at unilever

Home care division at unilever This report tries to analyse a very important situation the Home Care Division at Unilever found itself during the late 1990s in Brazil. Unilever, with an 81% market share is the market leader in the detergent powder business. This report is based on the findings of project Everyman a market research carried out in Brazil in order to understand the regional divide in terms of the income, culture, consumption pattern or usage of detergent powder between the consumers of North East and the South East areas of the country. The research also takes into account the competitors of Unilever in Brazil and also its sales and performance in the detergent market. And finally a recommendation is made on what would be the best marketing strategy which the company should adopt to penetrate into the largely unexplored low-income consumer segment in the Fabric wash business thereby expanding its market share and also increasing the profitability for the company. The economic recovery of 1995-1996 was beneficial for the low-income consumers, which meant that the purchasing power of the poorest 10% of the population grew by 27% per year during the period. Our main focus remains on the two main regions of Brazil, the Northeast and the Southwest, especially the lower income consumers of Northeast of Brazil. Consumer behaviour is the process individuals or groups go through to select, purchase, use and dispose of goods, services, ideas or experience to satisfy their needs and desires. (Solomon, Marshall, Stuart, Barnes, Mitchell, 2009). The Decision to buy the detergent for a consumer in both the regions NE and SE is Habitual and hence lacks complexity. It is seen that the level of involvement of the consumer in the decision making process is very low. Also, the consumer is well aware of various brands of detergent or laundry soap which are on offer in the market. Moreover, considering the fact that the risk associated with the purchase of the detergent or laundry soap is minimal, the consumer spends lesser time in evaluating or deciding the brand of purchase. There are various influences which affect the ultimate choice of a consumer. In this case, the various categories of influences which are affecting the consumers choice while buying the detergent powder or laundry soap are shown in Figure 1: There are various different ways in which a consumer tends to internalise any available information to make an informed decision. The key internal influences which are affecting the decision making of the consumers are: Perception: It can be defined as the process of selection, organising and interpreting any information in form of sensation. The consumers perceive Omo as an ideal detergent having all the qualities required to fulfil their washing needs. According to the consumers as given in Exhibit 5, an ideal detergent should demonstrate the following qualities or aspects: Power of the detergent (its ability to clean and whiten the clothes with small quantity of product). Smell/Fragrance (Strong, pleasant smell associated with softening power and gentleness to fabric and hands). Ability to remove stains without laundry soap or bleach The ease with which the powder dissolves and absence of residue (consistency and granularity of the powder). Interestingly, the perception regarding the usage of bleach also differs between the women of the Recife Northeast, where majority of the women prefers using bleach after washing clothes to remove tough stains, whereas only 18% of the women in Sao Paulo Southeast prefer doing so. Learning: It can be defined as the change in buyer behaviour caused due to available information or experience. The consumers in general are well aware of the various brands of washing detergents and soaps available in the market. From the data given regarding Brand Knowledge, market penetration and Top of the mind awareness in Exhibit 8 it is evident that the consumer across regions in Brazil have either the knowledge or have seen or used one or all washing products at some point in time. Lifestyle: Reflects the value, tastes and preferences of people depending on their pattern of living which is determined by how they choose to spend their money, time and energy. The way the clothes are washed differs in both regions since the women in NE attach great value and take pride in keeping themselves and their families spotlessly clean whereas the women in SE consider it as daily chores, less important for self-esteem and social status. Another factor influencing the choice of detergent or soap is the number of households which owns washing machine 28% in Northeast and 73% in Southeast. Social Class: The rank or the status of the people or group in the society can be defined as a Social Class. People are considered to be in the same class who either work in same occupations, having similar level of incomes, or share similar tastes. Exhibit 2 highlights the social class composition in the Southeast and the Northeast of Brazil. The divide is evident with more than 45% of the population in Southeast forming the top 3 Tiers (A, B, C) as compared to the Northeast where more than 53% of the total population form the bottom 2 Tiers (E+ E-). This is one of the major reasons for the difference in the consumption pattern of the detergent powder and laundry soaps in both the regions, although the penetration of both detergent powder and the laundry soap is almost the same. Majority of the population in the north-eastern region use a lot more soap and less detergent as compared to their counterparts in the southeast. Another very interesting fact to note is the frequency at which the clothes are being washed in both the regions. The washing of clothes in the Northeast happens more frequently as compared to the Southeast since the low income group of Northeast have fewer clothes to wear. In the year 1996, the detergent powder and the washing soap market in the Northeast of Brazil was worth a whopping $208 million and growing. As shown in Figure 2 there are 3 key players in the fabric wash market in Brazil with Unilever, the market leader with an 81% market share, close behind is PG with a 15% share in the market and the remaining 4% of the market is captured by local Brazilian companies. The market can be broadly classified based on the type of washing products offered. The detergent powder industry which sells around 42,000 tons of washing powder in the Northeast is growing at an exceptional rate of 17% per annum. And the dominance of major multinationals like Unilever and PG has been because of the capital intensive nature of the of the manufacturing process requiring massive manufacturing and RD costs. Following are some of the key players in the market. Unilever: Unilever has been a dominant force in the detergent powder market in the Northeast with a 75% market share. With a 52 % market share Omo is the most popular and the most dominant brand of detergent powder in the Unilever stable. Minerva is the only brand offered by Unilever in both the detergent powder and the laundry soap with a market share of 17% and 19.1% respectively. And finally Campeiro holds 6% of the total detergent powder market. PG: Although PG entered the Brazilian market in 1988, it has come a long way in becoming the second most successful manufacturer with a 15% share in the detergent powder market. The primary reason for this success can be given to the large amount spend on making manufacturing improvements in the businesses acquired by PG to develop better products for the Brazilian market and the RD and marketing expertise is a direct threat to Unilever. Ace is its the flagship brand which has 11% market share, a direct competitor of Omo with features like superior whiteness, dirt removing capability and fabric protection is priced at 2.35/Kg. Followed by the other brands offered by PG viz. Bold competing against Minerva and with focus on softness sells at 2.50/Kg and Pop is an alternative for Campeiro selling at 1.70/Kg together occupies 6% of the detergent powder market. Others: Invicto owned by local Brazilian company ASA with 5% share of the market which competes against Campeiro is sold at 1.70/Kg. The remaining 3 % of the detergent powder market is currently being held by local Brazilian companies. The Laundry soap market in the Northeast of Brazil is equally big as compared to the detergent powder industry with revenues of $ 102 million, selling around 8,125 tons per year; however its growth rate at just 6% is far slower than its rival. Unlike the detergent powder market where Unilever and PG were the dominant forces, this market is being dominated by brands manufactured by local Brazilian companies; surprisingly PG offers no products in this segment. As shown in Exhibit 7 the local companies hold a major chunk 69.6% of the market share (including others and Flora). Bem-te-vi is extremely popular and is positioned with emphasis on traditional and regional values targeting the low income consumers of Northeast holding 11.3% of the market. Minerva which is the only Unilever brand is considered to be one of the best laundry soaps with an impressive total share of 19.1%. Marketing Mix Strategies help in identifying how a companys marketing would accomplish the objectives by using the following factors; It is a strategic planning method used in evaluating the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats involved in a business. The details of the SWOT analysis for Unilever are evident in Figure 4. 5.1 Growth Strategy Unilever fabric wash products enjoy immense respect and recognition across different regions of Brazil due to its diverse range of products, dependable in-house marketing capabilities and excellent advertising campaigns. However, the ignorance and indecisiveness in adopting a strategy to tap in the huge potential of the low income group of Northeast has been an area of concern for the company. The Product-market Growth Matrix in Figure 5 helps us analyse various growth strategies and identify the most suitable strategy the company should follow to expand their current market. New Products Existing Products Product Emphasis New Markets Existing Markets MKT Emphasis Extension of the current entry level brand Campeiro is the most ideal strategy and hence we need to adopt the Product development strategy model. The new product would be rightly called Campeiro Dazzle. We will further analyse and discuss the targeting, segmentation and positioning strategy which Unilever should follow to achieve its goals. The STP strategy in Northeast for Campeiro Dazzle would be influenced by the following variables: Segmentation: Demographic: More than 53% of the population, approximately 26 million in the Northeast lives on less than two minimum wages. Illiteracy rate at 40% is very high. Psychographic: Bleach is very important to remove fat stains. Washing clothes has a symbolic value for the women and they take pride in keeping their family clean. Considered to be one of the pleasurable activities of the week, hence washing in public laundry, river or pond is considered to be an opportunity to meet and chat with friends. Behavioural: Clothes are washed frequently (5 times a week in Recife). Target marketing strategy: Since Omo and Minerva is already targeted towards the High and middle income group respectively, the new Campeiro Dazzle will be focusing on the low income consumer segment in the Northeast using Differentiated targeting strategy. Positioning: Success of Target marketing strategy is contingent on the identification and selection of most appropriate market segment. Keeping the current positioning of the 3 detergents (Omo, Minerva and Campeiro) unchanged; our primary focus would be to strategically position the new Campeiro Dazzle. The ideal positioning of Camperio Dazzle should be such that it falls between Minerva and Campeiro which fits it in the top left quadrant above the perceived Quality and Price index 100. Unilever can establish Campeiro Dazzle as one of its most sought after and affordable BRAND of CHOICE for the low income consumers by developing a Marketing Mix as mentioned below; The most important concern internally at Unilever Brazil is the issue of cannibalisation of existing premium brands like Omo or Minerva due to shift in strategy following the introduction of the new brand extension Campeiro Dazzle. The concern I believe is a legitimate one and if things do go wrong as feared by many, the results could be devastating for Unilever and could tarnish its image as being the best and most dependable, inviting competitors like PG to take maximum advantage of the situation and eat into Unilevers market share across regions in Brazil. The level of income, however, is the key factor which would avoid any such adverse situation since our new brand is targeted at the low income consumers of the northeast and is not positioned to compete against Omo and Minerva which is targeted at the high income and middle income consumers respectively. Extension of the entry level brand Campeiro is justifiable considering the time and cost constraints faced by Unilever. The process of creating and introducing a new brand involves immense RD, marketing advertising and distribution costs and will also take a long time to develop and Unilever cannot afford at this point in time since its main rival PG has the potential and the expertise to capture the massive detergent low income consumer market by either extending or repositioning one of its own existing products. Based on the Segmentation, target marketing, positioning and marketing mix strategies discussed earlier, it is strongly recommended that Unilever follows a quick growth strategy (3 year) to capture maximum market share of the low income consumers in the northeast by getting them to use Campeiro Dazzle. The Bottom-up budgeting technique would be most helpful since the new strategy requires Unilever to spend more on the promotion of Campeiro Dazzle Push strategy in the first 3 years of its introduction. This would be gradually reduced in the fourth and fifth year once the product eats into the market share of the competitors and demand for product increases Pull Strategy. Æ’Â   Push strategy: Unilever can follow the same 70/30 ratio for ATL BTL communication which it does currently. Emphasis should be more on ATL because of its high reach and low cost-per-contact especially TV advertisements hoardings (Knowledge about the availability of the new product). On the other hand BTL techniques like in-store promotions and improved visibility of the product in the small stores. The biggest factor that can contribute to an instant success of Campeiro Dazzle is if Unilever builds confidence in its secondary, small local wholesalers and specialized distributors by running a high incentive/commission through sales programme. This is one primary reason why 0.50 cents/k.g has been earmarked towards promotional cost. Resulting in our products reaching 75,000 small outlets where most of the low income consumers shop. Æ’Å ¸ Pull Strategy: Promotion is one of the most important and inseparable part of the marketing mix. However for Unilever, assuming the success and the overwhelming acceptance of Campeiro Dazzle over the first three years by the low income consumers the promotion strategy would then have to shift to improve the profit margin. This would be a challenge considering the fact that reversal of the distribution channels is difficult. However, increasing demand for Campeiro Dazzle amongst low income consumers due to effectiveness, high brand value and recognition (thanks to a new TV promotion/advertisement by a well known celebrity or a popular music band which would act as a stimulant) will force the retailers to respond to this demand by stocking more Campeiro Dazzle in their stores. Conclusion: The aforementioned analysis clearly indicates that the existing detergent products and the strategy adopted by Unilever to capture the market share and satisfy the needs of the low income consumers hasnt been very successful. Project Everyman, however, has come as a ray of hope for the company helping it understand the enormous potential of this group of consumers. The implementation of the new strategies mentioned in this report would certainly help Unilever to expand its market share and profitability and most importantly help them implement this business model to gain success in other developing economies of the world and immense respect in the industry.

Development of Recycling Company

Development of Recycling Company Executive Summary Recently, the growing utilization of plastics are specifically used domestic purpose and produced from industrial and consumer applications and need to combined with increased consumer awareness surrounding solid waste recycling, has led to an increased demand for recycled plastic resins and products for our general purposes. One of the quickest increasing types of collected plastic materials for recycling is polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from post-consumer beverage and water bottles. Replay Plastics will capitalize on the opportunities in the recycled resin and packaging markets through two main divisions: a Recycling Division and a Packaging Division. The Company will create a PET cleaning and refining plant where located in the western United States (all 16 major North American PET recycling plants are currently located in the eastern United States or Canada). To be honest, Its initial capacity will be 46 million pounds, and it will utilize post-consumer bottle feed stock presently collected in California, Oregon and Washington States, which collect over 200 million pounds per year. The Company will be vertically integrated and utilize almost all of its recycled material in its Packaging Division and any surplus materials (clean flake) produced will be sold to outside companies. The extruded sheet may then be sold to manufacturers who will thermoform it into high-visibility packaging or use it in other high value added manufacturing operations. The strapping will be sold to companies who ship large packages or pallets, such as the lumber milling industry. The Company currently has commitments available from customers to purchase the entire product produced. MANAGEMENT Ben Braddock, President who has experienced since 30-years of history and related with encompassing all aspects of Polymer Raw Material, Plastic Conversion Methods, and Venture Development. Moreover, he has founded great ventures in the plastic converting industry, and assisted in the launch of five plastic converting manufacturing plants. In his personal life, Sam McGuire, Executive VP and COO, is a graduate Engineer with almost over 20 years experience in the post-consumer plastics recycling industry and is the inventor of the primary cleaning refining technology used in the process for this project. He has received a patent for his technology and has been directly involved in over twenty-five major post consumer plastics recycling projects. Carl R. Smith, CFO, has over 30 years investment and merchant banking and management experience. He has assisted in raising over $500 million and served as board member and/or officer in over 40 public and private companies. FINANCIAL SUMMARY Moreover, after a four month grow-up period to build the recycling and packaging facilities, buy equipment, and incorporate the business, Replay Plastics will begin a quick turnaround of product. Sales will begin in May, and with over $15 Million in sales the first year, we will see a first year net profit of $2.3 Million. The owners are investing $500,000 each, for a total of $1.5 Million, and are securing an $800K long-term loan. The Company is also looking an investment of $2,700,000 in order to begin operations. Then, these funds will be used for the purchase of one recycling line and one manufacturing line, for create of the plant facilities and for working capital. An outside investor providing this amount would receive 48% equity in Replay, and receive an IRR of 69% from simple dividends alone over the next 5 years. At the end of that period, we will consider a public offering of stock or a buy-out by a related business. Recent information on private sales of similar industry companies has indicated that transactions under $25 million have averaged 5.3 times EBITDA, while transactions in the range of $25-250 million have averaged over 7 times EBITDA. Further details can be found in the Financial Plan, below. 1.1 Objectives Sales passing $15 million in first year, $31 million in year 2, growing to $43 million. Gross margin of 35% or more in first year, 45% in second year then 50% or more. Net profit of 13% in year one, then exceeding 20% annually starting in year two. 1.2 Mission Replay Plastics is a generally manufacturing company dedicated to converting waste plastic materials into commercially viable products, utilizing environmentally friendly recycling and manufacturing methods. We intend to make enough profit to generate a significant return for our investors and to finance continued growth and continued development in quality products. We will also maintain a friendly, fair, and creative work environment, which respects diversity, new ideas and hard work. 1.3 Keys to Success The main keys to the success of the Company are: Secure Supply- Contract for supply of post-consumer bottles and post-industrial manufacturing waste for PET raw material feed stock. Marketing Contractual arrangements for the sale of virtually all initial production. Management Strong senior management with extensive, broad-based, industry-specific experience. 1.4 Potential Risks Unavailable or scarce raw material feed stock for production Replay is confident that it has secured good availability of low cost post-consumer PET bottles (feed stock) derived from post-consumer beverage bottles from California based recycling collectors, and has back up sources identified. Technology employed may be unreliable or unproven Replay will use a proven, patented technology that was developed by one of its principals for the cleaning and recycling phase. The extrusion division will employ commercially proven technology the industry is employing unique recycled PET technology which is used by prominent eastern U.S. manufacturers of PET extrusions. There may not be a market for the Companys products The Industry-wide experience of the Management Team has allowed them to identify markets for the Companys products. Their expertise and reputations have allowed them to obtain commitments for virtually all of the planned initial production. The location may not be near enough to markets The markets that have been identified are primarily in the western U.S., which will provide a distinct advantage to the Company because of freight costs and delivery timing. The Company may not be able to attract top management The Company has assembled a world class management team with proven ability and direct experience in the Companys market segments. Company may not meet environmental standards This environmentally-favorable venture provides for the development of technically feasible and economically viable solutions to PET plastic beverage bottle recycling, as well as environmentally aware in-house re-use practices which filter and return nearly all of the process water to the production lines. The Company may not be able to sell all of its production capability Through the Senior Managements industry-wide contacts, the Company has identified potential customers and received commitments for all of the production potential of the initial facility. Company Summary The Company will capitalize on the opportunities in the recycled resin and packaging markets through two main divisions: a Recycling Division and a Packaging Division. Recycling Division Using a patented process, the Company will create a PET cleaning and refining plant located in the western United States; we have chosen this region because all 16 major North American PET recycling plants are currently located in the eastern United States or Canada, despite western states favorable recycling attitudes among consumers. Its initial annual capacity will be 46 million pounds and it will utilize bottle feed stock from California, Oregon and Washington States, which collect over 200,000,000 pounds per year. The Company will become totally vertically integrated, and use all or almost all of its recycled material in its Packaging Division. Any surplus material produced will be sold to outside companies. Packaging Division We will create a plant (actual facilities to be shared with the Recycling Division) to manufacture extruded plastic roll stock sheet or high-strength strapping, employing state-of-the-art technology developed to utilize recycled PET resin. The extruded sheet will be primarily sold to thermoformers who will convert it into high visibility packaging, as well as laminators and fabricators. The strapping will be sold to commercial users for use as package or pallet strapping. The Company currently has commitments from customers to purchase all of the initial production capacity. Excess flake will be sold to outside customers. 2.1 Company Ownership Replay Plastics is owned by the initial founders, B. Braddock, S. McGuire and C. Smith, who are the proposed three executives of the operating entity. The plan was conceived and developed by these individuals, with the intent to apply their extensive experience and contacts in the industry to building a successful profitable corporation. 2.1.1 Potential Conflict Our COO, Mr. Sam McGuire, the inventor and patent holder of the recycling process to be used by the Company, is a principal in Company A of Chicago, IL. For many years, Company has designed, manufactured and assembled plastic recycling equipment, and has given us quotes on meeting our needs in this area. After a thorough investigation, Replay has found that Company A is able to source or supply the required equipment at considerably lower cost than any other company from which a quote was available. Mr. McGuire has disclosed that Company A has included a smaller than normal margin in their quote on goods they will manufacture, to cover overhead, contingency and profit which might result in a small benefit to him. They have agreed to source all of the equipment possible with no added margin. Replay has concluded that the savings available outweigh any other consideration and that we will purchase the cleaning and refining equipment from Company A. 2.2 Start-up Summary Our start-up expenses are budgeted at $210,000, which is mostly for on-site contractor services during facility preparation. $50,000 has been set aside for legal and accounting, $25,000 for special consulting that may be required during start up and $50,000 each for local engineering and lab equipment and supplies. $30,000 has been set aside as a contingency for the start up period. Our largest Start-up Requirement is the building of the recycling and extrusion facility. Its final value at completion is listed below as a long-term asset of $3,620,000 (excluding expensed items like consultants and engineering listed above). Aside from the building itself, we need $25,000 in machinery and fixtures, $500,000 of inventory (plastic bottle feed stock) and cash to cover us through the initial year. Start-up Funding Start-up Expenses to Fund $210,000 Start-up Assets to Fund $4,790,000 Total Funding Required $5,000,000 Assets Non-cash Assets from Start-up $4,145,000 Cash Requirements from Start-up $645,000 Additional Cash Raised $0 Cash Balance on Starting Date $645,000 Total Assets $4,790,000 Liabilities and Capital Liabilities Current Borrowing $0 Long-term Liabilities $800,000 Accounts Payable (Outstanding Bills) $0 Other Current Liabilities (interest-free) $0 Total Liabilities $800,000 Capital Planned Investment Founders $1,500,000 Investor $2,700,000 Additional Investment Requirement $0 Total Planned Investment $4,200,000 Loss at Start-up (Start-up Expenses) ($210,000) Total Capital $3,990,000 Total Capital and Liabilities $4,790,000 Total Funding $5,000,000 Start-up Requirements Start-up Expenses Legal Accounting $50,000 Stationery etc. $5,000 Consultants $25,000 Lab Equipment $50,000 Local Engineering $50,000 Misc Start up $30,000 Other $0 Total Start-up Expenses $210,000 Start-up Assets Cash Required $645,000 Start-up Inventory $500,000 Other Current Assets $25,000 Long-term Assets $3,620,000 Total Assets $4,790,000 Total Requirements $5,000,000 Products Replay Plastics will utilize two processes in the same facility to produce: Cleaned and recycled plastic PET flake (RPET), recovered from post-consumer beverage bottles and manufacturing waste produced by its sheet customers Extruded roll stock sheet PET. Extruded PET high-strength strapping for securing large packages or pallet loads; each using 100% RPET produced in-house 3.1 Product Description Roll stock sheet will be sold to custom thermoformers primarily to be used to produce high-visibility packaging. It will also be sold to manufacturers of laminates and fabricated plastic products. High strength PET packaging strapping is used to secure packages or pallets in such industries as lumber milling and corrugated and other paper production. Both products will be extruded from post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. The recycling programs in California, Washington and Oregon collect in excess of 200,000,000 pounds of PET bottles per annum. Replay initial capacity will be 46,000,000 pounds. Using a patented process, Replay will clean and refine the PET material from the post-consumer bottle stock and post-industrial manufacturing waste. The PET flake resin produced will be extruded into roll stock sheet or high-strength strapping. Although the Company expects to convert all of its bottle feed stock into extruded products, any surplus flake will be sold to outside manufacturers. 3.2 Competitive Comparison While quality and delivery are important factors to our potential clients, price is most often the determining factor in a buying decision. Good-quality packaging products manufactured from recycled (less expensive) resins, as close as practical to the end customers operations, will be most competitive and achieve a significant market share. These factors have helped to determine the business parameters of Replay Plastics. 3.3 Sourcing In excess of 200,000,000 pounds of post-consumer PET beverage bottles are collected and available as feed stock for manufacturers who can re-process this material into commercial products. The Company has excellent relations with the firms and associations that collect and distribute these materials and has been assured that its requirements will be available for the foreseeable future. The Company has entered negotiations with a California based source of post-consumer bottles and is confident that sufficient volumes are available on a contract basis from this source to satisfy its requirements. In addition, the Company intends to purchase production waste from its sheet customers and blend it into its feed stock. Currently, the majority of the post-consumer PET bottles collected in California, Oregon and Washington are exported to China. The Chinese have absorbed the amounts surplus to the use in North America. Their interest has kept the industry in the position of being able to maintain a steady price range for this bottle stock. A significant percentage of all sales of such bottle stock are managed by Plastics Recycling Corporation of California (PRCC), an industry funded marketing agency which operates similarly to a co-operative. They accept bids from potential buyers on behalf of the firms which act as consolidators, which accumulate stocks from the smaller, individual bottle-recycling depots. Some amount of the available stocks are regularly bought by recyclers in eastern North America who focus on the carpet manufacturers who use RPET resin in their process, but the high cost of transport from the western U.S. makes eastern sources more desirable. Replay has a good relationship with Company B, one of the larger consolidators in California. Company B has indicated a desire to contract to supply Replay with all of its raw material needs. They prefer to deal with a local consumer such as Replay, rather than the uncertainty and extra preparation requirements of the export market. There are other sources of post-consumer feed stock known to Replay, and we are confident that we will have sufficient materials available for our production needs. 3.4 Technology Sam McGuire, a key member of our Management team, is one of the original innovators of cleaning and refining technology for post-consumer PET, and we will be utilizing his patented process in our recycling facility. Sam has worked in the establishment and operation of facilities employing similar technologies over the last several years. On the manufacturing side, Management has been an integral part of the advancement of industry practices over the last twenty years or so, and includes in their knowledge base most, if not all, of the state-of-the-art available equipment and manufacturing techniques. Market Analysis Summary Strong demand for recycled plastics is working in the industrys favor. Major users of plastic packaging, apparently responding to consumer desires, have begun incorporating at least some recycled plastic content in their products as part of the growing interest in recycling. Recycled resin demand is on the rise as prices for the two major recycled resins, PET and HDPE, continue to hold value or appreciate against their virgin counterparts. In volume, PET is currently the number one recycled resin. Supply of recycled PET is in excess of 800 million pounds per year. This figure is expected to grow, reaching over 1 billion pounds during the next few years. The plastics industry has developed new markets and applications for recycled resins from both post-consumer and post-industrial sources. PET leads the recycled recovered resins as the most visible and valuable, and its use is increasing. Of the total 3.7 billion pounds of PET consumed in 1997, just 16% was from recycled sources. Of the more than 90 billion pounds of plastics produced annually in the United States, less than 5% is from recycled sources. Plastics, after aluminium, represent the second highest value material in the waste stream and have the highest projected growth rate. Markets and uses for recycled plastics are rapidly expanding. Plastic containers are being collected at the curb for recycling in nearly 500 communities, representing more than 4 million households. U.S. demand for recycled plastic will continue to expand and new markets will develop as technologies permit the efficient segregation and reprocessing of high-purity resins. Improved quality of resins, environmental issues and higher prices for virgin resin will contribute to growth. Packaging is expected to be the largest market segment for recycled plastics, with sheet and lumber following. Surveys indicate that Americans are increasingly willing to collect and separate discarded packages, foregoing a degree of convenience to make products more disposable, and even paying a premium for a recycled item. Increasingly, communities are refusing to consider incineration until every effort is made first to recycle; public sentiment is strongly in favor of products that can be recycled or are made of recycled materials. In recent years, the household recycling rate of PET bottles has more than doubled to 30% of all PET soft drink bottles sold. In fact, PETs recycling rate is the fastest growing among all beverage containers. The future of PET recycling is even brighter than it has been in the past. PET intrinsic scrap value is second only to aluminium among container materials. The plastics industry has launched a research and development program aimed at increasing PET recycling. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), plastic soft drink bottles account for approximately 2% of the solid waste discarded in America. The EPA has set a national goal to recycle 25% of the municipal solid waste stream and the industry is committed to achieving its share of that important g oal. The recycling industry intends to accelerate the rate of plastic recycling as part of its commitment to develop solutions to the solid waste problem. Industry analysts have projected that 50% of all PET containers will be recycled by the year 2007. More plastics will be recycled annually than any other recyclable material. Replay believes a significant answer to Americas waste problem lies in creating high value, recycled thermoformable sheet and other extruded products for the packaging market. Although more than 200 million pounds of PET post-consumer materials are collected in the western United States each year, there is presently no local cleaning and refining facility converting the bottles into resins suitable for re-manufacturing. Originally, recycled PET (RPET) was used primarily in the carpet fiber industry, which is located along the eastern seaboard. The early development of the RPET industry was therefore focused in the eastern USA, with eastern states adopting the first bottle deposit laws that resulted in collection of post-consumer bottles that can be recycled. Recently, California, Oregon and Washington have adopted bottle deposit programs, and accumulation of recyclable materials in those states has begun. With all of the cleaning and recycling plants and the majority of consumers traditionally located in the eastern part of the country, development of consumers of recycled flake and down-line products, such as film and sheet, has been slow to develop in th e West. A strong demand for post-consumer bottles from Asia has prevented the buildup of inventories and reduced the pressure for the collection industry to find or develop western markets. There is currently no independent extrusion plant of recycled polyterephthalate (PET) sheet in the western United States or Canada that services the roll stock requirements of major custom and proprietary formers. With the development of the recycling industry for PET starting in the eastern part of the country, and the preponderance of consumers of sheet there as well, development of independent extrusion facilities using RPET has been slow to develop. It appears that in order to attract such companies, local sources of RPET would have to available. While there are customers in the West for the products, contracting a supply and shipping it from the East makes the venture unattractive. Our founders recognize that an opportunity exists and propose a vertically integrated conversion facility that will employ state-of-the-art technologies to produce extruded sheet and high strength strapping from 100% recycled PET post-consumer bottle stock, cleaned and refined in our own facility. 4.1 Target Market Segment Strategy The Company has chosen its target markets because recycled PET (RPET) is in high demand as flake resin by converters, as roll stock sheet used to produce high visibility packaging and as high strength strapping for the lumber industry. Sales are price-sensitive, so that proximity to markets and feed stock source provide a competitive edge. Replay Plastics identified an opportunity to take advantage of both circumstances in the western United States.

J.B.Priestley’s play, An Inspector Calls Essay -- English Literature

By what means, and how successfully is suspense created and sustained in An Inspector Calls? An Inspector Calls Essay By what means, and how successfully is suspense created and sustained in ‘An Inspector Calls?’  · Show analytical and interpretative skills  · The effects of dramatic devices and structure  · Layers of meaning in language, ideas and themes  · The social and historical setting/context JB Priestley wrote ‘An Inspector Calls’ towards the end of World War 2. The play however, is set in 1912 at a wealthy, middle-class family home. The play is about a family celebrating an engagement, when an Inspector calls, and tells them of a young girl’s suicide. The play is always set in the family’s dining room, but it has precise stage directions, so each character must be sitting in a certain place. Suspense is used right through the play, usually at its peak at the end of an act. I think JB Priestley was trying to get a message across to us that we need to abolish the social class differences, and all be equal. The play is very good because you are always trying to find out who was responsible for the suicide, and you know that everybody fits in, but you don’t know when or how. As you find, or think you’ve found something out, the play takes a new dramatic turn, which definitely makes suspense the key factor. What makes the play even better is that the audience always knows a lot more than the characters do, and you are always wondering: â€Å"why haven’t they worked that out?† Suspense is very successfully created and sustained in ‘An Inspector Calls.’ When Act one begins, the mood is merry, and civilised in the dining room, at The Birlings’ house. The family are happy, excited and ... ...er this phone call means that yes everything was true, or no, it was a hoax. Then, it is used as a dramatic device again when it rings, and the local Inspector says he is coming round to question the Birlings about a young girl’s death. The play ends here. Now, we have found out the suspense is created and sustained very successfully in ‘An Inspector Calls’. With you always wondering whether the Inspector is real, and all the cliffhangers that are used, you are constantly left in suspense, even after the very unusual ending. You are wondering at the end whether this time it really is real, or is it another hoax? We will never know. Dramatic devices are a key element in this play, for example in Act 3; a telephone is the focal point. It can be little things like that. I hope this brings a good conclusion to a very good, interesting, even if strange play.