Rally Round the Trade Name Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Rally Round the Trade Name - Essay Example Despite the fact that Gabby’s surname is Rally, it is not lawful for her to use it for her piazza business in the same jurisdiction as occupied by Rally motors. This is because, for one, a trade name is given under two different laws; common law and trade name registration law according to Tatum (2010). Under common law, an individual who first uses a certain trade name in a particular region for a particular purpose has exclusive rights for that name in the particular areas for that specific purpose. As a result, Gabby is not supposed to use her surname in conjunction with her business in the region. Doing this amounts to violating the law and infringing on trade name rights. According to intellectual property law, it is illegal to infringe on a trade name whether one posses the name or not. The issue of trade name protection goes beyond zones of reputation, expansion, and marketing despite being the first to be used in the region. Since Rally is linked with both pizza and motors, it is not a big conflict as it would happen if Gabby had decided to name her car dealership business as Rally Used Cars. It is unlawful for a similar business owner to possess two confusing names for his/ her business. Therefore, there is no problem with Rally’s association with pizza if only she does not use her name confusingly. This is because using this name does not imply that people might confuse pizza with cars. However, when two business uses the same trade name in a similar market region this can lead to a lot of confusion. The truth that Herman started utilizing the name Rally around forty years ago, protects him under both trade name registration law and the under the common law. He is also protected by the fact that he started using the trade name in the region first, before Gabby.

Reflective Employability Skills Assignment

Reflective Employability Skills Assignment Introduction With the rapid development of society, the competitions between companies are also increasing, what the employer want for the graduates are not only focus on the degree but pay more attention to their employability skills. In order to win their competitors in the fierce competition, employers want graduates who have a wide range of skills to bring to the work environment and need the employees with multi-skilled to fulfil many different roles. (Foster, 1998, p.4). So graduates who coming into the workforce must have the skills needed by employers. With the purpose of making ourselves become more competitive in the future job market first we should find out what the employability skills the employer want for graduates, then according to the employability skills do the personal SWOT analysis and make an action plan to improve ourselves. Discussion of employability skills What skills do employers want? Employability skills are defined as skills required not only to gain employment, but also to progress within an enterprise so as to achieve ones potential and contribute successfully to enterprise strategic directions. (DEST 2002a) Today, despite the degree, companies are paying more attention to the employability skills of the graduates, but there is no uniform standard of employability skills. What employability skills the graduates should have are depend on companys actual operating conditions and different companies have different standards. Through a wide range of literature research, the result of what the employability skills needed by companies are almost the same, and can be roughly divided into the following eight basic skills: Communication skills, Teamwork skills, Problem solving skills , Self management skills, Planning and organizing skills, Technology skills, Life-long learning skills and Initiative and enterprise skills. (MONASH, nd) Why do companies want these skills? Communication skills The CIPDs views are based on the latest CIPD/KPMG quarterly Labor Market Outlook, a survey of over 1,400 UK employers, the key attributes employers look for in school leaver recruits are communication skills (40% of employers rank this in their top three required attributes), work ethic (39%) and personality (32%). (CIPD,2006) .Communication happens all the time in the workplace, having effective communication skills can make us have a good relationship with colleagues and superiors ,thus can create a good working environment and help us complete the work more efficiently. Whats more , have good communication skills not only can make the existing customers become more satisfy with the products and services provided by our company but also can attract more clients cooperate with us . Teamwork skills In Todays society, only have the individual working ability is not enough, more and more works need a group of people to complete together .Work in groups can speed up the progress of work and also through brainstorming to create a better idea of the company Problem solving skills In this competitive world, companies will faced various problems at any time, solving the problem successfully enable the company ride out the storm or it will fail. Self-management skills Companies also need graduates have self-management skills to complete the work alone or almost alone, without the need for someone to stand over the employees constantly and tell them want to do.à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ Foster, 1998, p.14à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °. Planning and organizing skills Employers need graduates to make plans and organize the limited sources to achieve both short and long-term goals of company. Technology skills In the technological age, technology skills become increasingly important, company need employees proficiency in using computers and telecommunications systems, understanding current trends and developments managing information through technology. Life-long learning skills In order to make the company development sustainably, only require employee continuous learning can let the company keep pace with this rapid-developing society, and employees who have the life-long learning skills can also bring benefits to the company. Initiative and enterprise skills Employees recruited by the company are all with multi-skilled, the company may frequent transfer their employees to different departments and to take different roles within a company. (Heather and Peter, 2006, p.2) .So this require the employee have the initiative and enterprise skills to adjust themselves easily to new situations and can take the job quickly. Personal SWOT Analysis After identify the employability skills that needed by companies, I make a personal SWOT analysis based on actual experience and self assessment test through the internet. (S)trengths I have good team work and organizing skills. According to the results of my self assessment test, I have a great mark in humanistic-encouraging and affiliative. (See Appendix 1) In the group work I can build on ideas with other members and as team leader I usually will make plans to allocate tasks to the group members to make sure everyone enjoys the tasks they are assigned to. I am good at Self management. I can management my time well and get thing done without being pushed. Usually I will write down the things what I need to do and sort them out according to the importance and the time sequence. After that I will write them to the calendar so that I can know clearly what and when should I do next I do well in learning. I willing to put in time and effort to learn new skills. As a student, beside the major I also join the free English class and the Assessment Centres mini module to improve myself. I have technology skills. I am not only having the basic computer skills but also can use specialised software packages. Since I have learned the business decision modelling in my first year and now I also learning the applied management and decision modelling, all of them need to use the specialised software packages so I learned how to use them in the course. (W)eaknesses I have no employment experience, even the part-time job experience. I am weak in problem solving; when I face problems usually I can not see all sides of them and can not provide good solution of them. My Communication skills are weak. I am an introvert (result in appendix 1) and I am not good at communicate with others .I feel shy when I talking to strangers. (O)pportunities I can find a part-time job through the future of our school to learn new skills to enhance my CV. I am more employable than others if I get work experience in UK. 65% of international employers indicates that they are more willing to employ They are more willing to recruit graduates with overseas work experience (Archer and Davison, 2008.). I have an opportunity to get a good job if I return to China after I graduate. China is widely expected to become the worlds largest human capital market in the future, requiring an explosive number of talented professionals. Companies seeking to hire Mainland Chinese returnees: born and raised in China, studied/worked in the U.S. or Europe and then returned to China. They offer international experience, plus language and cultural skills but are in short supply (Davy, Lau). I can enjoy a variety of preferential policies for overseas student which provided by the Chinese government if I back to China. (T)hreats In recent years, explosive growth trends of Chinese overseas students choose to return home which will increase the competition of getting jobs in China. Employment pressure both in China and UK. not only Chinese graduates for job-hunting with anxiety, graduates of British also face the same problem. The jobs shortage was blamed on a substantial backlog in the number of jobless graduates from previous years creating additional pressure on the employment market in 2010. (Articlesbase,2010). Personal Action Plan After I finished the personal SWOT analysis, according to my own situation I make an action plan base on SMART Skill to be improved Communication skills: Specific Actions: Participating in the activities that organized by school community orinvolvingin the school communitydirectly. Make a lot of friends. Take the initiative in making acquaintances. Do not feel nervous when talking to strangers Next month Take the mini module about communication that provided by the future in our school Presenting and participating in class discussions Semester 2 Measure: Through the IELTS test to improve my English speaking, writing, reading and listening skills. Take the IELTS test Target date:  Christmas  holidays Problem solving skills Specific Actions: Apply for the volunteer opportunities provide by the futureHelping people solve problem while improving my problem solving skills. Become a volunteer Semester 2 Measure: Analysis the requirements of school assignments Meet the assignment requirements of teachers Target date:  Deadline of  assignments Initiative and enterprise skills Specific Actions:  Find part-time jobs in our school or become a volunteer Get part-time jobs, become a volunteer Measure:  Semester 2 Become a trainee of a company  for 1-2week Work in a company as a trainee Target date:  Christmas holidays Teamwork skills Specific Actions:  Working on group assignments Measure:  Do the Group work assignments Target date:  Deadline of group  assignments Planning and organisation skills Specific Actions:  Arranging study and daily lives at university Measure:  Make plans everyday and do thing according to plans Target date:  Everyday Self-management skills Summing up the  gaps in skills and knowledge Specific Actions:  Do self-reflection whenteachers give assignment feedback Target date:  At the end of semester 1 Learning skills Learning new skills that needed by employers Specific Actions:  Attend courses and finish courses Target date:  Semester 2 Technology skills Specific Actions:  Learn something about Photoshop or database. Participate the relevant courses Target date:  During semester 2 Conclusion There is no doubt that employees who having a good degree will gain an excellent starting point, since a good degree helps employees open the door of finding a job, however, a degree alone is not enough, employers want much more from their graduate employees, they want employees can bring benefits to the company and let the company in an invincible position during the fierce competition. Through extensive research I summed up eight kinds of employability skills that most needed by companies. And I made a personal SWOT analysis based on employability skills and self assessment test through the internet and actual experience which made me become more aware of myself. After that I made an action plan for myself. Ill stick to the plan and I hope that it would help me improve my employability skills after I finish it .And get a good job in the competitive job market after I graduate.

Immigration Effects in Midwestern Communities :: Illegal Immigration, Illegal Immigrants

Immigration Effects in Midwestern Communities Works Cited Not Included The immigrants that are moving into the small Midwestern towns in America not only negatively affect the predominantly white resident societies, but also have negative impact on the non-white immigrants. The adjustment that both cultures must make in order to live in the same communities is difficult. Prejudice makes life for immigrants in these small predominantly white American cities difficult. Some of the issues that are being addressed are the social boundaries that the U.S. residents make for none-residents. This may stem from the lack of knowledge and understanding about other cultures. Most immigrants who migrate to these small towns are poor. They have to take low paying jobs because they are not skilled for better jobs and they also have language issues. The jobs do not provide enough income to sustain the households that are sometimes large and the immigrants are forced to apply for government assistance and other welfare forms such as WIC (women, infants and children). In Iowa one in four families received assistance and the unpaid medical costs doubled in the past ten years. (Cooper 1997) Is this why medical insurance is so unaffordable for the average person who is unable to receive insurance through their job? Is this why hospital expenses are outrageous, because of their unpaid bills? It is difficult for workers to pay for insurance when they are unable to afford the basic necessities. Wages in the plants are low so that owners may make higher profits. In Wausau Wisconsin over 60 percent of the Hmong refugees were living on government assistance. The thought from the citizens that the Hmong will stay in a low economic status, could be a burden on the city. (Koltyk 1998) The residents who pay taxes may feel bitter about supporting these ?foreigners?. According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform ?FAIR? (FAIR issue brief 10/02) over one million immigrants are coming into America every year and they are mostly poor. The cost of immigration by the end of 2002 was around sixty-six billion dollars in a country that can hardly support its native poor. (FAIR 2002) What impact does this have on the state welfare and the people that have to pay for these expenses, the taxpayers? Most immigrants, who work in the low paying plants, are living in substandard housing because their wages are so low they can not afford anything better.

Blood Promise Chapter Eighteen

Unsurprisingly, I woke up with a headache. For a few addled seconds, I had no idea what had happened or where I was. As drowsiness wore off, the events on the street came slamming back to me. I sat upright, all of my defenses kicking into action, despite the slight wooziness in my head. Time to figure out where I was now. I sat up on an enormous bed in a darkened room. No-not just a room. More like a suite or a studio. I'd thought the hotel in Saint Petersburg was opulent, but this blew it away. The half of the studio I sat in contained the bed and usual bedroom accessories: a dresser, nightstands, etc. The other half looked like a living room area, with a couch and a television. Shelves were built into the walls, all of them filled with books. Off to my right was a short hall with a door at the end. Probably a bathroom. On my other side was a large picture window, tinted, as Moroi windows often were. This one had more tint than any I'd ever seen. It was almost solid black, nearly impossible to see through. Only the fact that I could differentiate the sky from the horizon-after a fair amount of squinting-let me know it was daytime out there. I slid off the bed, my senses on high alert as I tried to assess my danger. My stomach felt fine; there were no Strigoi in the area. That didn't necessarily rule out some other person, however. I couldn't take anything for granted-doing so was what had gotten me in trouble on the street. There was no time to ponder that, though. Not quite yet. If I did, my resolve here was going to falter. Sliding off the bed, I reached into my coat pocket for the stake. Gone, of course. I saw nothing else nearby that would pass as a weapon, meaning I'd have to rely on my own body to do my fighting. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a light switch on the wall. I flipped it on and froze, waiting to see what-or who-the overhead lights would unveil. Nothing unusual. No one else. Immediately, I did the first obvious thing and checked the door. It was locked, as I'd expected, and the only way of opening it was a numeric keypad. Plus, it was heavy and made of what looked like steel. It reminded me of a fire door. There was no getting past it, so I turned back around to continue my exploration. It was actually kind of ironic. A lot of my classes had gone over detailed ways of checking out a place. I'd always hated those; I'd wanted to learn about fighting. Now it appeared those lessons that had seemed useless at the time had real purpose. The light had brought the suite's objects into sharper relief. The bed was covered in an ivory satin duvet, filled to maximum fluffiness with down. Creeping over to the living room, I saw that the TV was nice-really nice. Large-screen plasma. It looked brand-new. The couches were nice too, covered in matte green leather. It was an unusual color choice for leather, but it worked. All of the furniture in the place-tables, desk, dresser was made of a smooth, polished black wood. In a corner of the living room, I saw a small refrigerator. Kneeling down, I opened it up to find bottled water and juice, assorted fruits, and bags of perfectly cut cheeses. On top of the refrigerator was more snack-type food: nuts, crackers, and some type of glazed pastry. My stomach growled at the sight of it, but no way was I going to eat anything in this place. The bathroom was done in the same style as the rest of the studio. The shower and large Jacuzzi tub were made of black polished marble, and little soaps and shampoos lined the counter. A larger mirror hung over the sink, except†¦ it wasn't actually hanging. It was embedded so tightly into the wall that there was absolutely no way it could be removed. The material was strange too. It looked more like reflective metal than glass. At first I thought that was strange, until I raced back out to the main room and looked around. There was absolutely nothing here that could be turned into a weapon. The TV was too big to move or break, short of cracking the screen, which looked like it was made of some high-tech plastic. There was no glass in any of the tables. The shelves were embedded. The bottles in the refrigerator were all plastic. And the window†¦ I ran over to it, feeling along its edges. Like the mirror, it was fitted perfectly into the wall. There were no panes. It was one smooth piece. Squinting again, I finally got a detailed view of my outer surroundings and saw†¦ nothing. The land appeared to be rolling plains, with only a few scattered trees. It reminded me of the wilderness I'd traveled while going to Baia. I was no longer in Novosibirsk, apparently. And peering down, I saw that I was fairly high up. Fourth floor, maybe. Whatever it was, it was too high to jump without breaking a limb. Still, I had to take some sort of action. I couldn't just sit here. I picked up the desk's chair and slammed it into the window-and achieved little effect on either the chair or the glass. â€Å"Jesus Christ,† I muttered. I tried three more times and still had no luck. It was like they were both made of steel. Maybe the glass was some kind of bulletproof industrial strength stuff. And the chair†¦ well, hell if I knew. It was all one piece of wood and showed no signs of splintering, even after what I'd just put it through. But since I'd spent my whole life doing things that weren't that reasonable, I kept trying to break the glass. I was on my fifth try when my stomach warned me of a Strigoi's approach. Spinning around, I kept a hold of the chair and charged the door. It opened, and I slammed into the intruder, with the chair's legs pointing out. It was Dimitri. Those same conflicted feelings I'd felt on the street returned to me, love mingled with terror. This time, I pushed through the love, not flinching in my attack. Not that it did much good. Hitting him was like hitting the window. He shoved me back, and I staggered, still holding onto the chair. I kept my balance and charged once more. This time, when we collided, he grabbed a hold of the chair and ripped it from my hands. He then tossed it into the wall, like it weighed nothing. Without that meager weapon, it was back to relying on my own body's strength. I'd been doing it for the last couple of weeks with our Strigoi questioning; this should have been the same. Of course, I'd had four other people then as backup. And none of those Strigoi had been Dimitri. Even as a dhampir, he'd been hard to beat. Now he was just as skilled-only faster and stronger. He also knew all my moves, seeing as he'd taught them to me. It was almost impossible to surprise him. But just like with the window, I couldn't stay inactive. I was trapped in a room-the fact that it was a big, luxurious room didn't matter-with a Strigoi. A Strigoi. That's what I had to keep telling myself. There was a Strigoi in here. Not Dimitri. Everything I'd told Denis and the others applied here. Be smart. Be vigilant. Defend yourself. â€Å"Rose,† he said, deflecting one of my kicks effortlessly. â€Å"You're wasting time. Stop.† Oh, that voice. Dimitri's voice. The voice I heard when I fell asleep at night, the voice that had once told me he loved me†¦ No! It's not him. Dimitri is gone. This is a monster. Desperately, I tried to think of how I could win here. I even thought of the ghosts I'd summoned on the road. Mark had said I could do that in moments of wild emotion and that they'd fight for me. This was as wild as emotion could get, yet I couldn't seem to call them. I honestly had no clue how I'd done it before, and all the wishing in the world couldn't make it happen now. Damn. What good were terrifying powers if I couldn't use them to my advantage? Instead, I pulled the DVD player off its shelf, cords ripping from the wall. It wasn't much of a weapon, but I was desperate now. I heard a strange, primal battle scream, and some distant part of me realized I was making it. Again, I ran at Dimitri, swinging the DVD player as hard as I could. It probably would have hurt a little-if it had hit him. It didn't. He intercepted it again, taking it from me, and throwing it down. It smashed to pieces on the floor. In the same motion, he grabbed a hold of my arms to stop me from hitting or reaching for something else. His grip was hard, like it could break my bones, but I kept struggling. He tried reason again. â€Å"I'm not going to hurt you. Roza, please stop.† Roza. The old nickname. The name he'd first called me when we'd fallen prey to Victor's lust charm, both of us wrapped naked in each other's arms †¦ This isn't the Dimitri you knew. My hands were incapacitated, so I struck out with my legs and feet as best I could. It didn't do much. Without full use of the rest of my body for balance, I had no force to throw into my kicks. For his part, he looked more annoyed than truly concerned or angry. With a loud sigh, he grabbed me by the shoulders and flipped me around, pressing me against the wall and immobilizing me with the full force of his body. I struggled a little but was as pinned as the Strigoi had been when the others and I had gone hunting. The universe had a sick sense of humor. â€Å"Stop fighting me.† His breath was warm against my neck, his body right up against mine. I knew his mouth was only a couple inches away. â€Å"I'm not going to hurt you.† I gave another fruitless shove. My breath was coming in ragged gasps, and my head injury throbbed. â€Å"You'll have to understand if I have a hard time believing that.† â€Å"If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead. Now, if you're going to keep fighting, I'll have to tie you up. If you stop, I'll let you stay unrestrained.† â€Å"Aren't you afraid I'll escape?† â€Å"No.† His voice was perfectly calm, and chills ran down my spine. â€Å"I am not.† We stood like that for almost a minute, deadlocked. My mind raced. It was true that he probably would have killed me already if that were his intent, yet that gave me no reason to believe I was even remotely safe. Nonetheless, we were at a draw in this fight. Okay, draw wasn't entirely accurate. I was at a draw. He was toying with me. My head was throbbing where his blow had landed, and this pointless fighting would only take a further toll. I had to regain my strength in order to find a way to escape-if I lived that long. I also needed to stop thinking about how close our bodies were. After our months of being so careful not to touch, this much contact was heady. I relaxed in his hold. â€Å"Okay.† He hesitated before letting me go, probably wondering if he could trust me. The whole moment reminded me of when we'd been together in the little cabin on the periphery of the Academy's grounds. I'd been raging and upset, brimming with spirit's darkness. Dimitri had held me down then, too, and talked me out of that horrible state. We had kissed, then his hands had lifted my shirt, and-no, no. Not here. I couldn't think about that here. Dimitri finally eased up, releasing me from the wall. I turned around, and all my instincts wanted to lash out and attack him again. Sternly, I reminded myself to bide my time so that I could gain more strength and information. Even though he'd let me go, he hadn't moved away. We were only a foot apart. Against my better judgment, I found myself taking him in again, like I had on the street. How could he be the same and yet so different? I tried my best not to focus on the similarities-his hair, the difference in our heights, the shape of his face. Instead, I concentrated on the Strigoi features, the red in his eyes and pallor of his skin. I was so fixated on my task that it took me a moment to realize he wasn't saying anything either. He was studying me intently, like his eyes could look right through me. I shivered. It almost-almost!-seemed as though I captivated him the same way he captivated me. That was impossible, though. Strigoi didn't possess those kinds of emotions, and besides, the thought of him still having any affection for me was probably just wishful thinking on my part. His face had always been hard to read, and now it was overlaid with a mask of cunning and coldness that made it truly impossible to know what was on his mind. â€Å"Why did you come here?† he asked at last. â€Å"Because you hit me on the head and dragged me here.† If I was going to die, I was going to go in true Rose style. The old Dimitri would have cracked a smile or given an exasperated sigh. This one remained impassive. â€Å"That's not what I meant, and you know it. Why are you here?† His voice was low and dangerous. I'd thought Abe was scary, but there was no competition at all. Even Zmey would have backed off. â€Å"In Siberia? I came to find you.† â€Å"I came here to get away from you.† I was so shocked that I said something utterly ridiculous. â€Å"Why? Because I might kill you?† The look he gave me showed that he thought that was indeed a ridiculous thing to say. â€Å"No. So we wouldn't be in this situation. Now we are, and the choice is inevitable.† I wasn't entirely sure what this situation was. â€Å"Well, you can let me go if you want to avoid it.† He stepped away and walked toward the living room without looking back at me. I was tempted to try to do a sneak attack on him, but something told me I'd probably only make it about four feet before getting backhanded. He sat down in one of the luxurious leather armchairs, folding his six-foot-seven frame up as gracefully as he'd always done. God, why did he have to be so contradictory? He had the old Dimitri's habits mixed with those of a monster. I stayed where I was, huddled against the wall. â€Å"Not possible anymore. Not after seeing you now†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Again, he studied me. It felt strange. Part of me responded with excitement to the intensity of his gaze, loving the way he surveyed my body from head to toe. The other part of me felt dirty, like slime or muck was oozing over my skin as he studied me. â€Å"You're still as beautiful as I remember, Roza. Not that I should have expected anything different.† I didn't know what to say to that. I'd never really had a conversation with a Strigoi, short of trading a few insults and threats in the midst of a fight. The nearest I'd come was when I'd been held captive by Isaiah. I actually had been tied up then, and most of the talking had been about him killing me. This†¦ well, it wasn't like that, but it was still definitely creepy. I crossed my arms over my chest and backed up against the wall. It was the closest I could come to some semblance of a defense. He tilted his head, watching me carefully. A shadow fell across his face in such a way that it made the red in his eyes hard to see. Instead, they looked dark. Just like they used to, endless and wonderful, filled with love and bravery†¦ â€Å"You can sit down,† he said. â€Å"I'm fine over here.† â€Å"Is there anything else you want?† â€Å"For you to let me go?† For a moment, I thought I saw a bit of that old wryness in his face, the kind he'd get when I made jokes. Studying him, I decided I'd imagined it. â€Å"No, Roza. I meant, do you need anything here? Different food? Books? Entertainment?† I stared incredulously. â€Å"You make it sound like some sort of luxury hotel!† â€Å"It is, to a certain extent. I can speak to Galina, and she'll get you anything you wish.† â€Å"Galina?† Dimitri's lips turned up in a smile. Well, kind of. I think his thoughts were fond, but the smile conveyed none of that. It was chilling, dark, and full of secrets. Only my refusal to show weakness before him stopped me from cringing. â€Å"Galina is my old instructor, back from when I was in school.† â€Å"She's Strigoi?† â€Å"Yes. She was awakened several years ago, in a fight in Prague. She's relatively young for a Strigoi, but she's risen in power. All of this is hers.† Dimitri gestured around us. â€Å"And you live with her?† I asked, curious in spite of myself. I wondered exactly what kind of relationship they had, and to my surprise, I felt†¦ jealous. Not that I had reason to. He was a Strigoi, beyond me now. And it wouldn't be the first time a teacher and student had gotten together†¦ â€Å"I work for her. She was another reason I returned here when I was awakened. I knew she was Strigoi, and I wanted her guidance.† â€Å"And you wanted to get away from me. That was the other reason, right?† His only answer was a nod of his head. No elaboration. â€Å"Where are we? We're far from Novosibirsk, right?† â€Å"Yes. Galina's estate is outside the city.† â€Å"How far?† That smile twisted a little. â€Å"I know what you're doing, and I'm not going to give you that sort of information.† â€Å"Then what are you doing?† I demanded, all of my pent-up fear bursting out as anger. â€Å"Why are you holding me here? Kill me or let me go. And if you're going to just lock me up and torture me with mind games or whatever, then I really would rather you kill me.† â€Å"Brave words.† He stood up and began pacing once more. â€Å"I almost believe you.† â€Å"They're true,† I replied defiantly. â€Å"I came here to kill you. And if I can't do that, then I'd rather die.† â€Å"You failed, you know. On the street.† â€Å"Yeah. I kind of figured that out when I woke up here.† Dimitri made an abrupt turn and was suddenly standing in front of me, moving with that lightning-fast Strigoi speed. My Strigoi-nausea had never gone away, but the more time I spent with him, the more it faded to a low-level sort of background noise that I could more or less ignore. â€Å"I'm a little disappointed. You're so good, Rose. So very, very good. You and your friends going around and taking down Strigoi caused quite a stir, you know. Some Strigoi were even afraid.† â€Å"But not you?† â€Å"When I heard it was you†¦ hmm.† He turned thoughtful, eyes narrowing. â€Å"No. I was curious. Wary. If anyone could have killed me, it would have been you. But like I said, you hesitated. It was your ultimate test of my lessons, and you failed.† I kept my face blank. Inside, I was still beating myself up over that moment of weakness on the street. â€Å"I won't hesitate next time.† â€Å"There won't be a next time. And anyway, as disappointed as I am in you, I'm still glad to be alive, of course.† â€Å"You aren't alive,† I said through gritted teeth. God, he was so, so close to me again. Even with the changes to his face, the lean and muscled body was the same. â€Å"You're dead. Unnatural. You told me a long time ago you'd rather die than be like this. That's why I'm going to kill you.† â€Å"You're only saying that because you don't know any better. I didn't either back then.† â€Å"Look, I meant what I said. I'm not playing your game. If I can't get out of here, then just kill me, okay?† Without warning, he reached out and ran his fingers along the side of my face. I gasped. His hand was ice cold, but the way he touched me†¦ again, it was the same. Exactly the same as I remembered. How was this possible? So similar†¦ yet so different. All of a sudden, another of his lessons came to mind, about how Strigoi could seem so, so like those you'd once known. It was why it was so easy to hesitate. â€Å"Killing you†¦ well, it's not that simple,† he said. His voice dropped to a low whisper again, like a snake slithering against my skin. â€Å"There's a third option. I could awaken you.† I froze and stopped breathing altogether. â€Å"No.† It was the only thing I could say. My brain couldn't come up with anything more complex, nothing witty or clever. His words were too terrifying to even begin to ponder. â€Å"No.† â€Å"You don't know what it's like. It's†¦ amazing. Transcendent. All your senses are alive; the world is more alive-â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, but you're dead.† â€Å"Am I?† He caught hold of my hand and placed it over his chest. In it, I could feel a steady beating. My eyes widened. â€Å"My heart beats. I'm breathing.† â€Å"Yeah, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I tried desperately to think of everything I'd ever been taught about Strigoi. â€Å"It's not really being alive. It's†¦ it's dark magic reanimating you. It's an illusion of life.† â€Å"It's better than life.† Both of his hands moved up and cupped my face. His heartbeat might have been steady, but mine was racing. â€Å"It's like being a god, Rose. Strength. Speed. Able to perceive the world in ways you could never imagine. And†¦ immortality. We could be together forever.† Once, that was all I'd ever wanted. And deep inside of me, some part still wished for that, wished desperately to be with him for all time. Yet†¦ it wouldn't be the way I wanted it. It wouldn't be like it used to be. This would be something different. Something wrong. I swallowed. â€Å"No†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I could barely hear my own voice, barely even form the words with him touching me like that. His fingertips were so light and gentle. â€Å"We can't be.† â€Å"We could.† One of his fingers trailed down the side of my chin and came to rest on the artery in my neck. â€Å"I could do it quickly. There'd be no pain. It'd be done before you even knew it.† He was probably right. If you were forced to become Strigoi, you had the blood drained from you. Then a Strigoi would usually cut himself and bring that blood to your lips. Somehow, I imagined I'd pass out before I was even half-drained. Together forever. The world blurred a little. I don't know if it was because of my head trauma or the terror coursing through my body. I had envisioned a hundred scenarios when I set out after Dimitri. Becoming a Strigoi hadn't been one of them. Death-his or mine-had been the only thought consuming me, which had been stupid on my part. My sluggish thoughts were interrupted when the door suddenly opened. Dimitri turned, shoving me away hard so that he stood protectively in front of me. Two people entered, shutting the door before I could even consider running for it. One of the newcomers was a Strigoi, a guy. The other was a human woman carrying a tray, her head bowed down. I recognized the Strigoi immediately. It was hard not to; his face haunted my dreams. Blond hair, about the length of Dimitri's, hung over the side of a face that looked like he'd been in his early twenties when he turned. He had apparently seen Lissa and me when we were younger, but I had only seen him twice before. Once had been when I fought him on the Academy's grounds. The other time was when I'd encountered him in the cave that other Strigoi were using as a hangout. He was the one who had bitten and turned Dimitri. The guy barely spared me a glance and instead turned the full force of his anger on Dimitri. â€Å"What the hell is going on?† I had no trouble understanding him. He was American. â€Å"You're keeping some pet up here?† â€Å"It's none of your concern, Nathan.† Dimitri's voice was ice. Earlier, I'd thought he conveyed no emotion in his words. Now I realized it was just more difficult to detect. There was a clear challenge in his voice now, a warning for this other guy to back off. â€Å"Galina gave me permission.† Nathan's eyes drifted from Dimitri to me. His anger turned to shock. â€Å"Her?† Dimitri shifted slightly, putting himself directly in front of me now. Some rebellious part wanted to snap that I didn't need a Strigoi's protection, except†¦ well, I kind of did. â€Å"She was at the school in Montana†¦ We fought†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His lips curled back, showing his fangs. â€Å"I would have tasted her blood if that fire-using Moroi brat hadn't been around.† â€Å"This doesn't have anything to do with you,† replied Dimitri. Nathan's red eyes were wide and eager. â€Å"Are you kidding? She can lead us to the Dragomir girl! If we finish that line off, our names will be legendary. How long are you going to keep her?† â€Å"Get out,† growled Dimitri. â€Å"That's not a request.† Nathan pointed at me. â€Å"She's valuable. If you're going to keep her around as some blood whore plaything, at least share. Then, we'll get the information and finish her.† Dimitri took a step forward. â€Å"Get out of here. If you lay a hand on her, I will destroy you. I will rip your head off with my bare hands and watch it burn in the sun.† Nathan's fury grew. â€Å"Galina won't allow you to play house with this girl. Even you don't have that much favor.† â€Å"Don't make me tell you to leave again. I'm not in a patient mood today.† Nathan said nothing, and the two Strigoi stood there in a staring match. I knew Strigoi strength and power were partially related to age. Nathan had obviously been turned first. I didn't know by how much, but watching them, I got the feeling that Dimitri might be stronger or that it was at least a very, very even match. I could have sworn I saw a glimpse of fear in Nathan's red eyes, but he turned away before I could get a good look. â€Å"This isn't over,† he snapped, moving toward the door. â€Å"I'm talking to Galina.† He left, and for a moment, nobody moved or spoke. Then Dimitri looked at the human woman and said something in Russian. She'd been standing there, frozen. Leaning over, she carefully placed her tray on the coffee table by the couch. She lifted a silver lid up, revealing a plate of pepperoni pizza loaded with cheese. Under any other circumstances, someone bringing me pizza in a Strigoi home would have been ludicrous and funny. Now, in the wake of Dimitri's threat to turn me Strigoi and Nathan's desire to use me to get to Lissa, nothing was funny. Even Rose Hathaway had limits when it came to making jokes. Next to the pizza was a huge brownie, thick with frosting. Food I loved, as Dimitri well knew. â€Å"Lunch,† he said. â€Å"Not poisoned.† Everything on the tray looked amazing, but I shook my head. â€Å"I'm not going to eat.† He arched an eyebrow. â€Å"Do you want something else?† â€Å"I don't want anything else because I'm not going to eat anything at all. If you aren't going to kill me, then I'll do it myself.† It was occurring to me that the suite's lack of weapons was probably for my own protection as much as theirs. â€Å"By starving to death?† There was dark amusement in his eyes. â€Å"I'll awaken you long before then.† â€Å"Why aren't you just doing it now?† â€Å"Because I'd rather wait for you to be willing.† Man, he really did sound like Abe, except that breaking one's kneecaps seemed kind of soft-core in comparison. â€Å"You're going to be waiting a long time,† I said. Dimitri laughed out loud then. His laughter had been rare as a dhampir, and hearing it had always thrilled me. Now it no longer had that rich warmth that had wrapped all around me. It was cold and menacing. â€Å"We'll see.† And before I could form a reply, he moved in front of me again. His hand snaked behind my neck, shoving me against him, and he tilted my face up, pressing his lips against mine. They were as cold as the rest of his skin†¦ and yet there was something warm in there, too. Some voice in me screamed that this was sick and horrible†¦ but at the same time, I lost track of the world around me as we kissed and could almost pretend we were back together in the cabin. He pulled away as quickly as he'd moved in, leaving me gasping and wide-eyed. Casually, like nothing had happened, he gestured to the woman. â€Å"This is Inna.† She looked up at the sound of her name, and I saw she was no older than me. â€Å"She works for Galina too and will check in on you. If you need anything, let her know. She doesn't speak much English, but she'll figure it out.† He said something else to her, and she meekly followed him to the door. â€Å"Where are you going?† I asked. â€Å"I have things to do. Besides, you need time to think.† â€Å"There's nothing to think about.† I forced as much defiance into my words as I could. It must not have sounded very fierce, though, because all my speech earned me was one mocking smile before he left with Inna, leaving me alone in my luxurious prison.

Multi National Corporation

â€Å"On balance, multinational corporations provide more positive outcomes for society than negative ones†. Multinational corporations are practically in every sphere of modern life, from policy making to the  environment and international security; from problems of identity and community to the future of work and nation state. (Gabel and Bruner,  2003, VI) A multi-national corporation (MNC) is a business organisation which has its headquarters in one country but conducts and controls productive activities in a range of different countries.There are numerous examples of such organisations, car manufacturers like Ford, Toyota, Honda , Volkswagen; oil companies like Shell, BP, Exxon Mobil ; technology companies like Dell, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard ,Canon ; food and drink companies such as Coca Cola, Interbrew, McDonalds, FMCG companies like P&G and banking companies like Yes bank, Hsbs, etc.According to Bartlett and Ghoshal (1998), the multinational organisation is defined by the following characteristics: ‘A decentralized federation of asset and responsibilities, a management process defined by simple financial control systems overlaid on informal personal coordination, and a dominant strategic mentality that viewed the company’s worldwide operations as a portfolio of national business. In a multinational organisation, the decisions, obviously, are decentralised. ’ Generally speaking multinational corporations are a boon to this world.They have made this world a better place to live in. There are numerous positive outcomes of a MNC. These corporations have brought this world together and have connected the whole mankind. They have developed the underdeveloped countries through their investments and improving their economy. MNC, by their very nature, are large organisations. Their size means they often have considerable power and influence and as a result have come in for some criticism of their actions. It is also assumed that MN Cs tend to locate operations in poor countries only.This, of course, is not the case. Honda and Nissan have both invested heavily in production facilities in the UK but are Japanese companies. (Bized, 2007) Multinational Corporations are believed to play a major role in improving the economy and lifestyle of the developing country. MNC have made this world a global village and connected people from all parts of the world and made them work together in a state of harmony. Due to these transnational corporations, the working of people from different origin, caste, and race is possible.These corporations are the reason that we can now live together with any type of human. They have made it possible for us to think globally and live globally. It is believed among many economists that MNCs fill various gaps within a host country's economy. The first and most often cited one is that, when domestic investment and savings doesn't meet the required rate of growth in the economy, the gap in i nvestment is filled by the MNCs' investment because these corporations have large funds and so can help in building an economy benefitting the whole world.Secondly when the targeted foreign exchange is not met by the net foreign exchange derived from imports and exports together with net public debt, the gap is constituted by MNCs' net exports and capital inflow. These giant enterprises also fill the gap between targeted government tax revenues and locally raised taxes. Lastly the gap of management skills, entrepreneurship and technological skills are believed to be filled by the MNCs. They bind all sorts of people together because these are huge agencies and so require works of all type.Engineers use technological skills to make a product which is sold by entrepreneurs using management skills and lastly the whole all account is managed by managers. So everyone works together filling up the gap between them. (Financial times, 2001) According to A. K. Cairn Cross, ‘It is not po ssible to buy development so cheaply. The provision of foreign capital may yield a more adequate infrastructure, but rarely by itself generates rapid development unless there are already large investment opportunities going a begging. That is why the intervention of multinational corporations is imperative in the context of the economic growth and modernisation of developing economies where ample investment avenues lie open and yet due to lack of capital and technical know-how, these potentials remain unexploited. Multinational corporations help in reorganising the economic infrastructure in collaboration with the domestic sector through financial and technical help. These corporations build huge buildings and factories which improves the infrastructure of a developing country to a huge extent. Multinational organisations (MNO) have helped in he increase of employment in the host nation as well as in the other countries where it functions. Let us assume that a company manufactures a nd supplies raw material for making furniture. To this firm, the contract to supply the raw material for the new plant might be worth ? 35000. If the plant was not built then the firm will not generate that order and not receive that work. For workers working in the plant, the order helps to maintain the flow of orders and can keep them in employment. It can also be expected that the additional income will find its way through the local economy.If additional people are hired, they will receive an income which they spend. For existing workers, increased orders might equate to job security and they too might feel more confident in spending on new items – furniture, house extension, new white goods, holidays and so on. Inward investment therefore can act as a trigger to generating wealth in the local economy. If a MNC is attracted to an area then this might also lead to other smaller firms in the supply chain deciding to locate in those areas. Other firms providing services to t hese firms are then attracted to the area and so on. (Bized, 2007)MNCs provide immense resources and investments, technology, innovation and expertise to the host societies. A culture of research and development is encouraged and human resources are developed, at least within the organization. MNCs also contribute significantly to the national treasury by paying taxes. As these organisations have huge revenues and profits so the amount of tax paid by these organisations is also large, this in turn lifts up the economy of the country. MNCs bring with them new ideas and new techniques that can help to improve the quality of production and help boost the quality of human capital in the host country.Many will not only look to employ local labour but also provide them with training and new skills to help them improve productivity and efficiency. In some cases this can prove a challenge but in others it can lead to improvements in motivation and productivity. The skills that workers build up can then be passed on to other workers and so this improves the supply of skilled labour in the area which makes it more attractive to new industry as it helps to reduce the costs of training and skilling of workers. In addition to the investment in a country in production and distribution facilities, a multinational orporation might also invest in additional infrastructure facilities like road, rail, port and communications facilities. This can provide benefits for the whole country as in building road or port one requires labour, therefore eradicating the problem of unemployment. If people are employed they will like to buy different products which will lead to increase of production and supply leading to making of new factories to meet the demand and therefore uplifting the whole economy. Peter Drucker (1975) remarks that multinationalism and expanding world trade are two sides of the same coin.He points out that the period of most rapid growth of multinational trade was in t he fifties and sixties. Indeed, during this period the world economy grew faster than the fastest growing domestic economy of Japan. India has always been facing the issue of brain drain since the past few decades where   Indian students go to developed economies like United States for higher studies and  never return back. But the above statement highlights a new trend, even though not as  prominent as the earlier one, entrepreneurs migrating to other emerging economies for better business prospects.But due to liberalization in 1991 many multinational corporations are allowed in our country which has reduced brain drain to a much greater extent, as students get the opportunities to work in a better environment that is matching their level of education, in their home country itself as these corporations give the skilled employees a good amount of money which was missing before the globalization. So they come back after the higher education to work in their home country instead of settling in foreign nations. In short it causes Brain Gain instead of Brain Drain.Good governance, organizational transparency, clear command structures, and performance-based evaluation and incentives programs for employees encourage the merit system. MNCs introduce a professional working environment and culture for local organizations to emulate, thereby promoting sound management and business education. In some cases, large-scale economies, quality control and a healthy competition lead to price cuts and other benefits for the end-user. People have more access to the comforts of life with a large variety of choices.Today a person is available with many choices if he goes to buy a handbag or a shoe. There are ten brands offering the same material so the company is forced to use the best quality materials for their product reducing the amount of prices. Earlier before liberalization there was no competition so as there was a single local company selling a product which gave tha t local company full authority over the prices and the material used in making the product. These local companies used low quality material and increased the prices of the goods.But this drawback has been fulfilled by these multinational corporations. MNCs help boost cross-boundary interaction among people. Even education, particularly, business education, has taken on a global perspective. The global perspectives and opportunities for cross-cultural understanding increase the adaptability of students to alien environments. This leads to the mixing of cultures and practices and encourages pluralism as well as competition which helps in overall learning of the student and makes him capable of working in any environment. (Khalid Rahman, n. d. The enormous resources of the multinational enterprises enable them to have very efficient research and development systems. Thus, they make a commendable contribution to inventions and innovations. They also work to equalize the cost of Factors of Production- Land, Labour, Capital and Entrepreneur-around the world. MNCs also stimulate domestic enterprise because to support their own operations, the MNCs may encourage and assist domestic suppliers. So they help in increase completion and break domestic monopolies.Today fun and entertainment have become a refuge for man from their misery, tension and daily hectic routine. A good level of Media Company can provide that kind of entertainment that will help the common man to relax. A good show can only be made if the company has enough funds to afford it which is only manageable by a multinational corporation. Due to the globalization we are able to enjoy the fun of the animated movies, thrill of James Bond and Romance of Twilight. We have been able to enjoy the 3D effects and the shopping mall life due to these corporations.The luxuries offered by the Grand Hayat or Radisson are not possible without MNCs. Reliance is a perfect example for a MNC which provides entertainment to all sorts of people worldwide. From theatres to producing a movie, from channels to televisions, reliance provides everything related to entertainment to the rest of the world. The ‘khushiyon ki home delivery’ of dominoes or the yummy Mc veggie burger of McDonalds was not even believed to be possible in your home town thirty years back. In this world of skyscrapers and travelling to mile long distances for work, one requires transport.I don’t think one can travel by foot twenty kilometres to your office. One has to possess a vehicle or travel by public transport. These vehicles are manufactured by the MNCs like Ford, Mahindra, Honda, Tata and many more. Multinational companies have made your easy and comfortable. In a survey carried over all over the world the most important, unavoidable and most needed service or profession is the field of medicine. To answer the question of MNCs having more positive outcomes than the negative ones, why not take this important f ield as an index, Particularly in India.This is a proven fact that medical professionals trained in India are amongst the best in the world. A large percentage of doctors in NHS UK (National Health Scheme) 26 % to be exact, and in United States are doctors of Indian origin. This so called brain drain was primarily because of lack of availability of infrastructure and facilities for specialized training and treatments in India. With the advent of Multinational corporations the best of the training facilities, knowledge equipments and medicines are now available freely in India at affordable cost. Health commission of India, London) We take a particular example in the field of orthopaedic surgery, particularly joint replacements. The Dr. C S Ranawat– Atal Bihari Vajpai episode- is not far away when India or India trained doctors replaced our prime ministers knee joint with an artificial joint made by a foreign MNC which was designed and invented by Dr C S Ranwat himself. Incide ntally who is from Indore and an old Dalian. To take a company in particular as an example DEPUY, this was previously owned by Johnson and Johnson but now merged with Synthes.They are the largest manufactures of artificial joints of hip and knee in the world. As their operations are now very well established in India the best, latest joints are available freely to us. As these companies have access to the most modern training facilities and so the faculty Indian doctors can get trained in India and abroad at affordable expenses and with ease. The Depuy academy in Chennai, the Ethicon institute in New Delhi and many others are amongst the best training institutes in the world set up by these huge multinational enterprises.As these corporations have associations, sponsorships with the faculties who are in the fore front of research, the Indian doctors now have better opportunity to gain knowledge with the leaders in their field. The sessions held in many cities held in India of the Am erican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeon (AAOS) and annual meetings of IGOF Indo German orthopaedic foundations are possible only because of the logistic and financial support of these corporate. Similarly the British orthopaedic society is having a special autumn session in the national conference of the Indian orthopaedic association in Chennai.So now we have a situation where the best of the medical professionals with world class training and knowledge armed with all the latest equipments and implants available at our door step. Now a common man who previously could not afford to have such modern operations or surgeries now can have access to them. One do not have to go abroad to have these procedures. Agreed that some profit goes to the multinational giants but the ultimate beneficiary is the common man. As the number of these high end surgeries increases the local hospitals, doctors, infrastructure, paramedical staff have their own benefits.Looking to the huge population of India and as the number of these surgeries are growing rapidly, the Indian doctors are also now becoming opinion at world level and the Mncs are designing the implants to special Asian needs. And as the experience of the Indian MNCs are supplying same products to the world. So the product used in its home country will be same as the product it has supplied to the rest of the world. One cannot deny the fact that, today multinational companies have become part of our lives.With all the above glamour and luxuries offered by these corporations they provide a lot of economic help to the developing countries. There are some negative aspects of multinational companies but there are more positive outcomes. They have made our lives worth living. The technological advancements and business growth is the result of working of these corporations. MNCs have connected the world as a whole. Some will say that globalization has ruined the culture of a country, say India. But what MNCs have eradicated is n ot our rich traditions but our false believes.One still celebrates Diwali with the same enthusiasm as he used to do ten years ago. But due to globalization today women have the right to vote, the literacy rate of our country has increased, female foeticide and infanticide is banned, untouchability has been banned, caste system is eradicated. Today people have started following their own dreams, not doing what others say. Education system of the country has developed. Number of students going into higher education is increasing year by year.This all is possible only because MNCs have brought Globalization which has led to change in the narrow minded mentality of the people to a realistic logical one. Today’s generation is grown up and does not live in a world surrounded by superstitions. Imagine a world without MNCs where we don’t have all the big companies and your favourite brands. From coca-cola to KFC, from Reebok to Adidas, from Starbucks to Barista, CK to UCB, and Louis Vetton to Gucci â€Å"You Are Living It†. REFRENCE LIST 1. Gabel M and H Bruner,  2003. Global In, New York: The New Press. 2.Peter drucker, management, Bombay, Allied publishers Pvt. Ltd. 1975, p. 733 3. Christopher A Bartlett and Sumantra Ghoshal, Managing Across Borders, Boston, Harvard Business School Press, 1998 4. Bized, 2007, Economic Notes- Multi-national Corporations, http://www. bized. co. uk/learn/economics/notes/multi. htm (date accessed: 16/10/2012) 5. Dinithi Thanthiriwatte, 6th June 2004, MNCs – bane or boon for development? Financial Times, Sunday Times. 6. A K Craincross, 1953, Home and Foreign Investment, 1870-1913: Studies in Capital Accumulation, University Press . Khalid Rahman, MNCs and TNCs: Their Role and Socioeconomic Impact on Host Societies, Policy Perspectives, Volume 4, No. 2, http://www. ips. org. pk/globalization/1007-mncs-and-tncs-their-role-and-socioeconomic-impact-on-host-societies. html (date accessed: 18/10/12) 8. Health Com mission of India, London, Biotechnology and Healthcare, http://hcilondon. in/biotech. php (date accessed: 20/10/2012 ) 9. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, http://www3. aaos. org/education/international/courses/prev_courses. cfm? evt_year=2012 (date accessed: 21/10/2012)