Introduction to Slavic Mythology

Early Slavic mythology has been a challenge for historians to study. Unlike many other mythologies, there is no existing original source material because the early Slavs left no records of their gods, prayers, or rituals. However, secondary sources, mostly written by monks during the period in which the Slavic states were Christianized, have provided a rich cultural tapestry woven with the mythology of the region. Key Takeaways: Slavic Mythology The old Slavic mythological and religious system lasted for about six centuries, until the arrival of Christianity.Most Slavic myths feature gods who have dual and opposite aspects.A number of seasonal rituals and celebrations were held according to agricultural cycles. History It is believed that Slavic mythology can trace its roots back to the Proto-Indo European period, and perhaps as far back as the Neolithic era. The early Proto-Slav tribes split into groups, consisting of the East, West Slavs, and South Slavs. Each group created its own distinct set of localized mythologies, deities, and rituals based upon the beliefs and legends of the original Proto-Slavs. Some of the Eastern Slavic traditions see some overlap with the gods and practices of their neighbors in Iran. The Svantevit-Stone in the church in Altenkirchen. Heritage Images / Getty Images The predominant Slavic indigenous religious structure lasted for about six hundred years. In the late 12th century, Danish invaders began to move into the Slavic regions. The Bishop Absalon, an advisor of King Valdemar I, was instrumental in replacing the old Slavic pagan religion with Christianity. At one point, he ordered the toppling of a statue of the god Svantevit at a shrine in Arkona; this event is considered the beginning of the end of ancient Slavic paganism. Deities There are numerous deities in Slavic mythology, many of whom have dual aspects. The deity Svarog or Rod, is a creator and considered a father god to many other figures in Slavic mythology, including Perun, a god of thunder and the sky. His opposite is Veles, who is associated with the sea and chaos. Together, they bring balance to the world. There are also seasonal deities, like Jarilo, who is associated with the fertility of the land in the spring, and Marzanna, a goddess of wintertime and death. Fertility goddesses like Mokosh watch over women, and Zorya represents the rising and setting sun at dusk and dawn each day. Rituals and Customs The traditional annual Slavic holiday of Ivan Kupala. SERHII LUZHEVSKYI / Getty Images Many Slavic rituals in the old religion were based on agricultural celebrations, and their calendar followed the lunar cycles. During Velja Noc, which fell around the same time that we celebrate Easter today, the spirits of the dead wandered the earth, knocking on the doors of their living relatives, and shamans put on elaborate costumes to keep evil spirits from doing harm. During the summer solstice, or Kupala, a festival was held involving an effigy set alight in a great bonfire. This celebration was associated with the wedding of the fertility god and goddess. Typically, couples paired off and celebrated with sexual rituals to honor the fertility of the land. At the end of the harvest season each year, priests created a huge wheat structure—scholars disagree on whether this was a cake or an effigy—and placed it in front of the temple. The high priest stood behind the wheat, and asked people if they could see him. No matter what the answer was, the priest would plead to the gods that the following year, the harvest would be so bountiful and big that no one would be able to see him behind the wheat. Creation Myth Maslenitsa, representing winter and death in Slavic mythology. bruev / Getty Images In the Slavic creation myths, in the beginning, there was only darkness, inhabited by Rod, and an egg that contained Svarog. The egg cracked open, and Svarog climbed out; the dust from the shattering eggshell formed the sacred tree which rose to separate the heavens from the sea and the land. Svarog used gold powder from the underworld, representing fire, to create the world, full of life, as well as the sun and the moon. The debris from the bottom of the egg was gathered and shaped to make humans and animals. In different Slavic regions, there are variations of this creation story. They almost always include two deities, one dark and one light, representing the underworld and the heavens. In some tales, life is formed from an egg, and in others it comes out of the sea or the sky. In further versions of the story, mankind is formed from clay, and as the god of light forms angels, the god of darkness creates demons to provide balance. Popular Myths There are numerous myths in Slavic culture, many of which focus on the gods and goddesses. One of the best known is that of Czernobog, who was the incarnation of darkness. He decided he wanted to control the world, and the entire universe as well, so he turned into a great black serpent. Svarog knew that Czernobog was up to no good, so he took up his hammer and forge and created additional gods to help him stop Czernobog. When Svarog called for aid, the other gods joined him to defeat the black serpent. Veles was a god who was banished from the heavens by the other gods, and he decided to get his revenge by stealing their cows. He called up the witch Baba Yaga, who created a massive storm that made all of the cows fall from heaven down to the underworld, where Veles hid them in a dark cave. A drought began to sweep the land, and people became desperate. Perun knew that Veles was behind the chaos, so he used his sacred thunderbolt to defeat Veles. He was eventually able to free the heavenly cows, take them back home, and restore order to the land. In Popular Culture Baba Yaga is one of many Slavic folk characters appearing in pop culture. AlexStepanov / Getty Images Recently, there has been a resurgence in interest in Slavic mythology. Many modern Slavs are returning to the roots of their ancient religion and celebrating their culture and traditions of old. In addition, Slavic myth has made its appearance in a number of pop culture mediums. Video games like The Witcher series and Thea: The Awakening are heavily influenced by Slavic folktales, and Baba Yaga shows up in Rise of the Tomb Raider. In film, Disneys Fantasia features a sequence called Night on Bald Mountain, in which Czernobog is the great black demon, and a number of successful Russian movies like Finest, the Brave Falcon and Last Night all draw from Slavic legends. In the STARZ television series, American Gods, based on Neil Gaimans novel of the same name, both Zorya and Czernobog play important roles. Sources Emerick, Carolyn. â€Å"Slavic Myth in Modern Pop Culture.†Ã‚  Oakwise Reikja, https://www.carolynemerick.com/folkloricforays/slavic-myth-in-modern-pop-culture.GliÅ„ski, MikoÅ‚aj. â€Å"What Is Known About Slavic Mythology.†Ã‚  Culture.pl, https://culture.pl/en/article/what-is-known-about-slavic-mythology.Hudec, Ivan.  Tales from Slavic Myths. Bolchazy-Carducci, 2001.Morgana. â€Å"Creation Stories in Slavic Tradition.†Ã‚  Wiccan Rede, https://wiccanrede.org/2018/02/creation-stories-in-slavic-tradition/.

Racism, Prejudice, And Stereotyping - 850 Words

Racism, prejudice, and stereotyping are major issues in America. Racism is defined as â€Å"a set of beliefs that one’s own racial group is superior to other groups (Benokraitis, 2014, p. 185). The existence of racism comes hand to hand with hate groups. Hate groups are an organized group of individuals who demonstrates hatred against people of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other designated sector of society. One particular hate group that I would like to explore is â€Å"World Church of the Creator†. â€Å"World Church of the Creator† is a white supremacist group that considers itself a religion found on the proposition that the white race is â€Å"nature’s highest creation (ADL- World Church of the Creator, 2001). Hate groups have been around for many years, and don’t seem to be going anywhere any time soon. According to an article in the Washington Post, hate groups have rose for the first time in 2015. 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Difference in Sunni and Shia Muslims Free Essays

The difference between Sunni and Shia Muslims is not Islamic beliefs or spiritual differences, but politics. The division of Sunni and Shia Muslims started after the death of the Prophet Muhammad. Sunni Muslims believed that the new leader of the Muslim nation should be elected out of those most capable of the job. We will write a custom essay sample on Difference in Sunni and Shia Muslims or any similar topic only for you Order Now Shia Muslims believed that leadership should be passed to his cousin or son-in-law. The leader was elected out of those most capable of the job. Abu Bakr was the first Caliph of the Islamic nation. The word â€Å"Sunni† in Arabic means â€Å"one who follows the traditions of the Prophet. † The word â€Å"Shia† in Arabic means â€Å"a group or supportive party of people. † They are also known as â€Å"followers of the Prophet. † Shias believe that Imams are descendants of the Prophet. Sunnis accept that the first four Caliphs were followers of Mohammad, but do not grant any kind of divinely inspired status to their clerics. Afghanistan is made up of 84 percent Sunnis and 15 percent Shias. Most Pashtuns are Sunni Muslims, while most Hazaras are Shia Muslims. In â€Å"The Kite Runner† Amir and Baba are Sunni Muslims and Hassan and Ali are Shia Muslims. Hazaras are generally Shia Muslims and Pashtuns are generally Sunni Muslims. They have different beliefs but between Amir and Hassan it does not make a difference. Hassan is called derogatory names by Assef and some others because he is a Hazara and a Shia Muslim. Amir is not because he is a Pashtun and a Sunni Muslim. How to cite Difference in Sunni and Shia Muslims, Papers

Operations Management Inventory Management

Question: Discuss about the Operations Management for Inventory Management. Answer: Introduction The retail industry of Australia is growing at a tremendous pace that results in an increase in the competition. Currently, the changes in the market trends have enforced the leading organisations to make changes in their operational strategies to survive in the battle of immense competition. Furthermore, changes have been noticed in the taste of the customers and the way people buy products from the retail stores. Hence, an effective management of operations has emerged to be a key factor in the success of retail stores in the present business scenario (Horngren, Datar, Rajan, 2012). The government policies have also changed for the retailer businesses in Australia that makes it difficult for any organisation to operate with traditional operations management strategy. Hence, it has become mandatory for any retail business to make necessary changes in the operational strategy and implement competitive tactics to survive and grow in the market. A retail store must provide goods in ti me and offer a variety of products to enhance its positioning in the market. The study has been developed to analyse a given case study on inventory management of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre (Bianco Gamba, 2015). Hence, the primary aim of the paper is to analyse the current supply chain system of the organisation and recommend modern tactics of inventory management and procurement for the development of business. The paper presents the current inventory management and purchasing system of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre. Additionally, it presents a discussion on the pros and cons of the traditional inventory management system. According to the findings, an appropriate supply chain and inventory management system has been presented for the Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre in the paper. Finally, the paper presents proper recommendation of a modern supply chain management system for the Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre to seek competitive advantage in the market (Jaber, 2009). Current Purchasing and inventory management process The existing purchasing and inventory management system of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre can be identified as somewhat old-fashioned, to say the least. As the Purchasing and Inventory Manager at Brisbane Outdoor Power Centres Strathpine branch, it can be identified that the inventory management has been based on Saxons laissez-faire approach (Sepehri, 2011). Meanwhile, in order to maintain the three stores of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre located in Mt Gravatt, Strathpine, and Ipswich (Burt, Starling, Dobler, 2013). In the case of maintaining stocks, the inventory managers of the three identified stores located at different locations have utilised the inventory of the other stores to create a sustainable supply chain management. Currently, the stock maintenance and inventory system of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre look vulnerable to some extent (Schmidt, Foerstl, Schaltenbrand, 2016). Understandably, huge investment is required to improve the current stock maintenance level of the three stores. On the other hand, as the Purchasing and Inventory Manager of one of the stores of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre, it must be mentioned that the existing purchasing and inventory management facility of the enterprise lacks integrated approaches (Adamik, 2008). Apparently, the inventory management system of the stores is looking out of the ordinary in compared to the other retail businesses. Saxons laissez-faire approach has been utilised to promote autonomous functions of the three stores. Moreover, in the case of shortage of inventory, the managers are allowed to shift the inventory as per the demand. Conversely, in the three stores, the product brands may vary due to lack of business regime. Decisively, the other market competitors operated within the same market have not preferred such traditional inventory management system (Lago Roque, 2007). Now, in the case of product purchasing for inventory and stock management, the managers of the three retail outlets have been given the responsibility and authentication to purchase the inventory according to the suitability and limit. Thus, the administration of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre has put the significant responsibility on the managers to dictate purchasing terms (Chalos, 2007). Moreover, being one of the Purchasing and Inventory Managers of the firm, it can be identified that the three stores of the organisation have followed the different level of inventory management that is not suitable for long-term sustainability. Competitive advantages and disadvantages of the currently used process It can be seen from the above analysis that Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre uses a traditional method of purchasing and inventory system. Hence, the traditional supply chain process has certain advantages and disadvantages that influence the business of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre. The primary advantages of the Brisbane Outdoor Power Centres inventory process are the hustle-free operations, minimum investment, and minimum space for inventory. Along with that, the disadvantages of the currently used process are the loss of reputation, shipment delay and poor stock management (Chopra Meindl, 2007). Hence, the advantages and disadvantages of the currently used process of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre are discussed in details as follows: Advantages The advantages of traditional inventory management system are discussed herein below: Hustle-free operations: It can be seen that the inventory manager of every store operates individually. The inventory managers are not responsible for the inventory management of other stores. Hence, the workload of the employees reduces because of small area of operations (Mercado, 2008). Minimum investment: The cost of maintaining inventories reduces because the stores do not offer all products individually. Hence, there is a minimum investment required due to no extra inventory. Furthermore, the stores order products according to the demand of the consumers that minimise the cost of maintaining inventory (Fine, 2013). Minimum space for inventory: There is no need of maintaining a large warehouse of all three stores because the each store orders products individually. Hence, the cost of hiring or maintaining a warehouse reduces (Bag, 2016). On the other hand, the company does not need extra money to pay for more employees to maintain a common inventory. Along with that, the pressure of work for the inventory managers reduces because the inventory is located in the store itself. Disadvantages The disadvantages of traditional inventory management system are discussed herein below: Poor stock: It can be seen that the currently used process of procurement and inventory management of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre provides it with a poor stock, which is not capable of meeting the changing demand of the customers. The customers need to wait for the products to arrive after ordering in the stores that reduces the satisfaction level of the buyers (Mentzer, 2011). Shipment delay: Unorganised ordering of products may lead to delay in shipments that create a chaos for the store managers. The orders that are made after the products are sold may lead to shipment delay. Hence, it is important for any store to manage adequate inventory to meet the growing needs of the customers in time (Handfield Nichols, 2009). Poor reputation: The shipment delay and poor stock may lead to loss of goodwill for the Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre. It is important to provide all types of products to the customers in time to enhance the reputation of the business. Appropriate supply-chain and inventory management system The above disadvantages shows that there is a need of an appropriate supply chain and inventory management system that can reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of maintaining adequate stock for all three stores. An appropriate supply-chain and inventory management system can be achieved by following the below mentioned strategies: Continuous Analysis and Manipulation: There is a need of regular market research for the Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre to estimate the fluctuation of the price of products (Martinez Ramos, 2014). Furthermore, a regular analysis and manipulation of new strategies helps to reduce the cost of inventory and increase the profitability of the company. Just-In-Time Strategy: Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre must use a just-in-time strategy to reduce the cost and space of maintaining adequate stock. On the other hand, the just-in-time strategy will help to increase the reputation of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre in the market. Online Procurement and Inventory system: An online inventory management and procurement system can be utilised that will increase the efficiency of purchasing products (Berman, Krass, Mahdi Tajbakhsh, 2011). It will automatically alert the inventory managers regarding the exhaustion of stocks. Single inventory for all stores: A centralised warehouse can be used to increase the efficiency and cost of maintaining adequate stock. It helps to increase the range of products offered by individual stores of the company. Recommendations for restructuring the purchasing and inventory functions As the Purchasing and Inventory Manager at Brisbane Outdoor Power Centres Strathpine branch, a list of recommendation has been produced in the underlying section that must be utilised by Ms Belinda Green, the new CEO in order to improve the functionality of the three stores. Clearly, modern supply chain management theories, multi-period model, just-in-time inventory models and other professional standards must be developed within the inventory and procurement system to minimise the issues related to inventory management and business productivity. Contemporary Supply Chain Management: Online inventory management system must be promoted within the inventory and procurement management of the three stores to control the stocks and costs of inventory. Thus, the shortage of stocks and product variety can be controlled within the stores. Significantly, such supply chain management can add new dimension in inventory and purchasing facility of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre. Apply Just-In- Time Inventory Model: Through the application of Just-In-Time model, the purchasing of inventory can be suitably maintained in the inventory management without affecting the budget. Invariable, such inventory model can increase the sales of products as well. Apply Multi-Period inventory Model: The multi-period inventory model can be utilised in the three stores of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre to avoid shortage of products. Also, fixed-order quantity model can be taken into consideration for improved inventory management. Tactically, such improved inventory management model can improve the functions of inventory management. Cost efficient contemplation: The recent inventory and purchasing management of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centres outlets lacks suitable supply chain and logistics management. Therefore, the managers must introduce business regime identifying the standardised market suppliers of effective branded products. Moreover, such improved consignment agreements with the suppliers can minimise the cost of inventory and purchasing management. Promote Centralised Warehouse System: As Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre has three different outlets at three different locations, a centralised warehouse system must be recommended for sustainable inventory management. Thus, the inventory budget can be shortened. Clearly, the centralised warehouse facility would keep the balance between the reserved and return products restricting massive or unwanted purchase. Conclusion Under the leadership of Donald Saxon, Brisbane Outdoor Power Centres retail outlets have shown significant business propagation and market penetration. Decisively, the purchasing and inventory management system of the three outlets of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre must be improved in order increase the productivity and sales. Under the current business scenario, Ms Belinda Green, the CEO of the firm must consider the review of the performance level of current purchasing and inventory management system of the firm to make several changes for the betterment of services. Critically, the managers of the outlets must take additional responsibility to promote innovation in the purchasing and stock management. Moreover, Ms Belinda Green must bring some strategic changes to put more investment in the purchasing and inventory management system of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre. Through the identification of significant inventory management theories such as Just-In-time model, multi-period inve ntory model, and fixed order quantity model must be included in the current inventory and procurement system for sustainable business operations. References Adamik, J. (2008).Developing a strategic benefits program. Scottsdale: WorldatWork Press. Bag, S. (2016). Flexible procurement systems is key to supply chain sustainability.Journal Of Transport And Supply Chain Management,10(1). https://dx.doi.org/10.4102/jtscm.v10i1.213 Berman, O., Krass, D., Mahdi Tajbakhsh, M. (2011). On the Benefits of Risk Pooling in Inventory Management.Production And Operations Management,20(1), 57-71. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1937-5956.2010.01134.x Bianco, M. Gamba, A. (2015), Inventory and Corporate Risk Management.SSRN Electronic Journal. https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2661384 Burt, D., Starling, S., Dobler, D. (2013).World class supply management. Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Chalos, P. (2007). Reducing Inventory Cost.American Pharmacy,27(7), 40-44. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0160-3450(16)33263-9 Chopra, S. Meindl, P. (2007).Supply chain management. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall. Fine, C. (2013). Intelli-Sourcing to Replace Offshoring as Supply Chain Transparency Increases.J Supply Chain Manag,49(2), 6-7. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jscm.12018 Handfield, R. Nichols, E. (2009).Introduction to supply chain management. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Horngren, C., Datar, S., Rajan, M. (2012).Cost accounting. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Jaber, M. (2009).Inventory management. Boca Raton: CRC Press. Lago, A. Roque, D. (2007). Inventory cost saving benefits from the standardization of computer modular instruments.Omega,15(4), 331-337. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0305-0483(87)90021-1 Martinez Ramos, M. (2014). Interaction between management accounting and supply chain management.Supply Chain Management: An International Journal,9(2), 134-138. https://dx.doi.org/10.1108/13598540410527033 Mentzer, J. (2011).Supply chain management. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications. Mercado, E. (2008).Hands-on inventory management. New York: Auerbach Publications. Schmidt, C., Foerstl, K., Schaltenbrand, B. (2016). The Supply Chain Position Paradox: Green Practices and Firm Performance.J Supply Chain Manag. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jscm.12113 Sepehri, M. (2011). Cost and inventory benefits of cooperation in multi-period and multi-product supply.Scientia Iranica,18(3), 731-741. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scient.2011.05.020.

Mark Cuban Essays - Marketing, E-commerce, Direct Marketing

Mark Cuban I. Situation Analysis 1. Background The Faith Mountain Company has experienced a great deal of success since opening in 1977. What Cheri and Martin Woodard began as a local store that sold herbs, related products, and antiques has slowly evolved into a major mail-order catalog company and retail store that develops, manufactures, and markets high-quality gifts, apparel, and home accessories. In 1991, Faith Mountain was still a relatively small company with less than 50 employees. However, sales have been steadily increasing for Faith Mountain, as they went from about $1.2 million in sales in 1987 to just over $5 million in 1991. In 1991 The Faith Mountain Company set for itself the overall goal of $25 million in annual sales by 1995, with $10 million coming from sales from the Faith Mountain catalog, $5 million from the retail division, and $10 million from the acquisition and development of another catalog company. Reaching these goals will have implications in all areas of operation, including expansion, human resour ces, marketing, and finance. 2. Industry Overview The Faith Mountain Company operates in the specialty mail-order industry. According to a study by Arnold Fishman of Marketing Logistics, the total mail-order sales in the United States in 1990 topped $200 billion, with consumer mail order at $98.2 billion. Of the consumer mail order, $40.7 billion was spent on services; $44.5 billion was spent on specialty merchandisers, and $13 billion on products from general merchandisers. Total mail order sales for 1990 reflected 10.1 percent of general merchandise sales, 3.2 percent of retail sales, 2.1 percent of consumer services, and 1.8 percent of gross national product for the year. On a per capita basis, Americans spent an average of $393 on mail-order purchases in 1990. Specialty mail-order vendors, such as The Faith Mountain Company, have a substantially greater share (77 percent) of consumer mail-order product sales than do general merchandising mail-order vendors such as J.C. Penney (23 percent). As credit card companies offer new inducements and incentives to customers who shop by mail, it is anticipated that shopping by mail will become more prevalent. However, third-class postage rate increases and the placement of taxes on mail-order goods in some states may have a negative affect on the mail-order industry. 3. Business Unit Analysis The Faith Mountain Company develops, manufactures, and markets high-quality gifts, apparel, and home accessories, distributing through use of two business units, the mail-order unit, which distributes catalogs four times per year and provided the bulk of the 1991 total sales with about $4.7 million in revenue, and the retail-store unit, which had revenues of nearly $300 thousand. Both units operated under the same premise, that they achieve competitive advantage by providing customers with superiority in merchandise, quality, and service. Faith Mountain gained superiority in merchandise by seeking exclusive marketing rights for products and by moving more towards private labeling. High standards of quality were provided to customers because Faith Mountain manufactured about 20 percent of its merchandise, which means they could customize and personalize products to an individual customers needs. Superior service was being achieved in the mail-order division by implementing a system designed to answer 90 percent of all customer service inquiries within the first two minutes, and service operators were authorized to do whatever it took to keep customers happy. However, pricing was also a priority to Faith Mountain, as customer service policies included guaranteed lowest prices. The retail store featured the same product lines as those in the catalog, but not all items from the catalog were sold in the store, and about 20 percent of the store merchandise was not offered in the catalog. Also, the retail store benefits substantially from the catalog, as the stores sales revenue and traffic increases after the release of a new catalog. Because the Faith Mountain Company is relatively small, the Woodards were able to successfully supervise nearly all facets of both the retail division and the mail-order division without much difficulty. However, with the Woodards intending to open another retail store and increasing their customer bases with the mail order division, they may have to rely on middle management to overtake some of the duties that they had previously handled. 4. Buyer Analysis The Faith Mountain Company had a specific target market in

How to Use Pinterest For Business The Ultimate Marketers Guide

How to Use Pinterest For Business The Ultimate Marketers Guide Pinterest is that fun platform where people plan unrealistic weddings, right? They can do that, but they can also do more. They look for recipes, plan their homes and so much more. After all, there are over 75 billion ideas  out there. What if your business was able to show potential customers how your product or services could help them actually accomplish their ideas? Using Pinterest allows your business to do just that. When your customers are searching for inspiration or solutions, your organization can be there to help them achieve what they want. However, you need to be strategic with your Pins. It’s easy to jump on to the platform and start saving Pins everywhere. In this post, we’ll show you exactly how to use Pinterest for your business, making it a key piece in your social media marketing strategy. Do This With : Did you know you can schedule Pins on your marketing calendar, and measure their performance with robust analytics, with ? Try it free for two weeks or schedule a demo to start saving time on social media marketing. Download Your Pinterest Marketing Strategy Template When you’re ready to actively start planning your Pinterest strategy, use our free template. In this post, well show you how to complete each slide, so you can build an effective and clearly documented strategy in no time flat. Pinterest is still relatively new in the world of social media. So instead of searching for all the need-to-know information you want, we compiled it into one infographic. Get the 411 on #Pinterest marketing with this handy infographic.Is Your Audience On Pinterest? The first step in using Pinterest for marketing your business is to figure out if your audience is even active on the channel. How do you do this? First, determine the demographic makeup of the 175 million people who use Pinterest. Then see if your target audience falls into that category. If they do, Pinterest may be the channel for you. The Demographics of Pinterest According to the latest data from Pinterest and other sources, this is the current demographic makeup of Pinterest users as of 2016. How to Determine If Your Target Audience Fits The Bill So now that you have a bit of background on the demographics of Pinterest users, how do they compare to your target audience? If your target audience is primarily female Millennials, it would make sense to start investing time into creating content for a Pinterest profile. If your audience doesn’t fit the current Pinterest audience demographic, it may not make the most sense to spend time creating content for this social media channel. Is your target audience active on Pinterest?Do Your Business Objectives Match What Pinterest Has To Offer? You’ve decided that Pinterest is something you want your social media team to invest in. So what’s next? You need to figure out how you are going to tie your business objectives to your Pinterest marketing strategy. How To Find Your Business Objectives Your business objectives are the overarching goals that have been created by upper management that need to be met by the end of the year. These are the objectives that every team in your company helps contribute to. Some example business objectives could be: â€Å"We want 60% of our audience to be millennials.† â€Å"We want to be the number one soft drink for women over 40.† â€Å"We want to sell more ski resort passes to college-aged vacationers.† Because these objectives are so high level, they’ve probably already been decided by your CEO, CMO, etc. Schedule a meeting or email them to find out exactly what those objectives are (if you don’t already know). Here's how to connect your #Pinterest #marketing strategy to your business objectives.How Is Being On Pinterest Going To Benefit My Business? The next thing you need to determine after you’ve gotten your business objectives is: How is being on Pinterest going to benefit my business? This question should be answered anytime you try something new. Your answers are going to vary based on what your business wants to achieve. There are two steps to this process, the first is determining what your business wants to achieve (your business objectives). Then your marketing team needs to determine if the suggested channel is going to be beneficial in helping you reach your goals. For example, if your business wanted to engage more with your customers and increase product recall, pinning your products to Pinterest could provide that benefit. If it makes sense to your marketing team, pursue Pinterest. You’ll never know if something works unless you try. How could #Pinterest marketing benefit your business?How To Create Your Pinterest Boards By now you’ll have set your account. You’re all ready to go. Until you realize your profile is completely blank. It’s time to add some boards. Boards are like groups that hold certain categories of pins. Each one of these boards has a title, which needs to be awesome enough to grab the attention of your audience and make them want to follow it. So how do you know what types of boards create? Recommended Reading: How To Create A Marketing Strategy That Will Skyrocket Your Results By 9,360% Create Boards Around Your Content Core Your content core is a special place where you take into consideration what your audience cares about and combine it with what you want to say. Your content core is basically the intersection between what your audience cares about, and your brand's expertise: Create Pinterest boards about topics in your core.   Once you have your board topics figured out you can move on to naming them. Record your content core topics in your template. How to Choose The Right Titles Pinterest suggests you should set your boards up like window displays. You want them to appeal to your audience’s tastes and also keep them coming back for more. Here’s a basic look at it from their perspective: Rebekah Radice takes Pinterest’s advice one step further with a few great ideas  that’ll help you choose memorable names for your boards. Make them: Eye-catching. Keyword rich. Content specific. She’s right. Start With: If you’re just starting out on Pinterest, come up with two different board ideas. Build those to start with. If you’ve been on Pinterest for awhile now, focus on cleaning up two of the Pinterest boards you already have. When going through your boards, make sure there aren’t any exact duplicates, make sure the links work, and add keywords to the descriptions. Maybe even rewrite descriptions, so they are stronger. So how do you set up your boards once you’ve decided on a title? First, go to your Pinterest profile and select Boards: After that, all you have to do is enter your board name. For this example, let’s say we’re a local farmers market. A great board title could be Seasonal Recipes. Record your board titles in your template. How should brands select #pinterest board categories and titles? Find out here.How To Curate Pins Something like 80% of the content shared on Pinterest are Repins (now called Saves). Start out by exploring Pinterest for content you think your audience will enjoy, and save that awesome stuff. When Pinning, abide by the 80/20 rule: Share 80% of other people’s content and only 20% of your own. For every piece of content that you share, that is yours, save four Pins from others. As you begin, your goals will be: Make connections with other pinners by following them, liking, saving, and commenting on their Pins. Build your content foundation with curated content to find your audience and build a following. Know what your niche likes so you can share more of that. Record the topics your curated content should cover in your template. Recommended Reading: How to Curate Content For Social Media To Help Boost Your Reach How To Create Your Pins While the 80/20 rule says that you should Pin 80% of your content, you’ll still need to figure out how to create the other 20% of those pins. Here’s how to do it. Writing Your Pin Descriptions Mitt Ray writes about Pinterest a lot. And he compiled some interesting data  to help you write better descriptions for your Pins so you can get the attention your content deserves. Mitt suggests that by writing a great Pin, your audience will have a better chance of finding your awesome content. Writing An Awesome Pin: Longer descriptions get the most Repins.  Aim for slightly more than 300 characters. Buzzfeed found that robust descriptions, especially if your image isn’t beautiful, interesting, or useful, combined with positivity  help get them more Saves and click-throughs. Include a link back to your site.  Adding a link back to your site will make your entire description a clickable link. Write a killer call to action.  If you want your Pins to convert, inspire Pinners to click through with an awesome call to action. Use keywords.  Your audience uses keywords to find the content they want. If you’ve focused your blog on an SEO content strategy, you’ve already located the keywords you know your audience is searching for, so include those in your descriptions. Mention others.  When you share other people’s content, mention them as a thank you. Plus, you’ll make more friends that way! How to Use Pinterest For Business The Ultimate Marketers Guide Pinterest is that fun platform where people plan unrealistic weddings, right? They can do that, but they can also do more. They look for recipes, plan their homes and so much more. After all, there are over 75 billion ideas  out there. What if your business was able to show potential customers how your product or services could help them actually accomplish their ideas? Using Pinterest allows your business to do just that. When your customers are searching for inspiration or solutions, your organization can be there to help them achieve what they want. However, you need to be strategic with your Pins. It’s easy to jump on to the platform and start saving Pins everywhere. In this post, we’ll show you exactly how to use Pinterest for your business, making it a key piece in your social media marketing strategy. Do This With : Did you know you can schedule Pins on your marketing calendar, and measure their performance with robust analytics, with ? Try it free for two weeks or schedule a demo to start saving time on social media marketing. Download Your Pinterest Marketing Strategy Template When you’re ready to actively start planning your Pinterest strategy, use our free template. In this post, well show you how to complete each slide, so you can build an effective and clearly documented strategy in no time flat.How to Use Pinterest For Business: The Ultimate Pinterest Marketing GuideWhat Should Marketers Know About Pinterest? Pinterest is still relatively new in the world of social media. So instead of searching for all the need-to-know information you want, we compiled it into one infographic. Get the 411 on #Pinterest marketing with this handy infographic.Is Your Audience On Pinterest? The first step in using Pinterest for marketing your business is to figure out if your audience is even active on the channel. How do you do this? First, determine the demographic makeup of the 175 million people who use Pinterest. Then see if your target audience falls into that category. If they do, Pinterest may be the channel for you. The Demographics of Pinterest According to the latest data from Pinterest and other sources, this is the current demographic makeup of Pinterest users as of 2016. How to Determine If Your Target Audience Fits The Bill So now that you have a bit of background on the demographics of Pinterest users, how do they compare to your target audience? If your target audience is primarily female Millennials, it would make sense to start investing time into creating content for a Pinterest profile. If your audience doesn’t fit the current Pinterest audience demographic, it may not make the most sense to spend time creating content for this social media channel. Is your target audience active on Pinterest?Do Your Business Objectives Match What Pinterest Has To Offer? You’ve decided that Pinterest is something you want your social media team to invest in. So what’s next? You need to figure out how you are going to tie your business objectives to your Pinterest marketing strategy. How To Find Your Business Objectives Your business objectives are the overarching goals that have been created by upper management that need to be met by the end of the year. These are the objectives that every team in your company helps contribute to. Some example business objectives could be: â€Å"We want 60% of our audience to be millennials.† â€Å"We want to be the number one soft drink for women over 40.† â€Å"We want to sell more ski resort passes to college-aged vacationers.† Because these objectives are so high level, they’ve probably already been decided by your CEO, CMO, etc. Schedule a meeting or email them to find out exactly what those objectives are (if you don’t already know). Here's how to connect your #Pinterest #marketing strategy to your business objectives.How Is Being On Pinterest Going To Benefit My Business? The next thing you need to determine after you’ve gotten your business objectives is: How is being on Pinterest going to benefit my business? This question should be answered anytime you try something new. Your answers are going to vary based on what your business wants to achieve. There are two steps to this process, the first is determining what your business wants to achieve (your business objectives). Then your marketing team needs to determine if the suggested channel is going to be beneficial in helping you reach your goals. For example, if your business wanted to engage more with your customers and increase product recall, pinning your products to Pinterest could provide that benefit. If it makes sense to your marketing team, pursue Pinterest. You’ll never know if something works unless you try. How could #Pinterest marketing benefit your business?How To Create Your Pinterest Boards By now you’ll have set your account. You’re all ready to go. Until you realize your profile is completely blank. It’s time to add some boards. Boards are like groups that hold certain categories of pins. Each one of these boards has a title, which needs to be awesome enough to grab the attention of your audience and make them want to follow it. So how do you know what types of boards create? Recommended Reading: How To Create A Marketing Strategy That Will Skyrocket Your Results By 9,360% Create Boards Around Your Content Core Your content core is a special place where you take into consideration what your audience cares about and combine it with what you want to say. Your content core is basically the intersection between what your audience cares about, and your brand's expertise: Create Pinterest boards about topics in your core.   Once you have your board topics figured out you can move on to naming them. Record your content core topics in your template. How to Choose The Right Titles Pinterest suggests you should set your boards up like window displays. You want them to appeal to your audience’s tastes and also keep them coming back for more. Here’s a basic look at it from their perspective: Rebekah Radice takes Pinterest’s advice one step further with a few great ideas  that’ll help you choose memorable names for your boards. Make them: Eye-catching. Keyword rich. Content specific. She’s right. Start With: If you’re just starting out on Pinterest, come up with two different board ideas. Build those to start with. If you’ve been on Pinterest for awhile now, focus on cleaning up two of the Pinterest boards you already have. When going through your boards, make sure there aren’t any exact duplicates, make sure the links work, and add keywords to the descriptions. Maybe even rewrite descriptions, so they are stronger. So how do you set up your boards once you’ve decided on a title? First, go to your Pinterest profile and select Boards: After that, all you have to do is enter your board name. For this example, let’s say we’re a local farmers market. A great board title could be Seasonal Recipes. Record your board titles in your template. How should brands select #pinterest board categories and titles? Find out here.How To Curate Pins Something like 80% of the content shared on Pinterest are Repins (now called Saves). Start out by exploring Pinterest for content you think your audience will enjoy, and save that awesome stuff. When Pinning, abide by the 80/20 rule: Share 80% of other people’s content and only 20% of your own. For every piece of content that you share, that is yours, save four Pins from others. As you begin, your goals will be: Make connections with other pinners by following them, liking, saving, and commenting on their Pins. Build your content foundation with curated content to find your audience and build a following. Know what your niche likes so you can share more of that. Record the topics your curated content should cover in your template. Recommended Reading: How to Curate Content For Social Media To Help Boost Your Reach How To Create Your Pins While the 80/20 rule says that you should Pin 80% of your content, you’ll still need to figure out how to create the other 20% of those pins. Here’s how to do it. Writing Your Pin Descriptions Mitt Ray writes about Pinterest a lot. And he compiled some interesting data  to help you write better descriptions for your Pins so you can get the attention your content deserves. Mitt suggests that by writing a great Pin, your audience will have a better chance of finding your awesome content. Writing An Awesome Pin: Longer descriptions get the most Repins.  Aim for slightly more than 300 characters. Buzzfeed found that robust descriptions, especially if your image isn’t beautiful, interesting, or useful, combined with positivity  help get them more Saves and click-throughs. Include a link back to your site.  Adding a link back to your site will make your entire description a clickable link. Write a killer call to action.  If you want your Pins to convert, inspire Pinners to click through with an awesome call to action. Use keywords.  Your audience uses keywords to find the content they want. If you’ve focused your blog on an SEO content strategy, you’ve already located the keywords you know your audience is searching for, so include those in your descriptions. Mention others.  When you share other people’s content, mention them as a thank you. Plus, you’ll make more friends that way!

Air Pollution law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Air Pollution law - Essay Example 30 billion (Colls 2002: p.1). One can agree with Colls (2002) who asserts, â€Å"Clearly we are paying a high price, both in lives and money, for polluting the atmosphere† (p.1). That’s why authorities and non-governmental organisations of all levels, from local to international, strive to establish regulations, standards and decision-making procedures for air pollution control. This paper is aimed to present an overview of major regulations in the air pollution control area at three levels: the world, the European Union and the United Kingdom. The overview will help to better understand similarities and differences in air pollution control on global and local scopes, as well as to trace the development of air pollution legislation. The first section introduces a concept of air pollution and gives a brief overview of its causes and effects, focusing mainly on hazards for health and environment. The following three sections describe current air pollution regulations, the ir predecessors and trends for the future development at the international level, in the EU and in the UK accordingly. In conclusion, the main points are summarised. 1. Air pollution, its causes and effects Air pollution was recognised as one of the major worldwide environmental problems in 1970s (UNECE 2004). In a broad sense pollution can be defined as â€Å"the introduction by man into the environment of substances or energy liable to cause hazard to human health, harm to living resources and ecological systems, damage to structure or amenity or interference with legitimate use of the environment† (Colls 2002: 1). The definition emphasises a determinative role of man in air pollution – only substances, which arise from people’s activities are counted as pollution; gases and chemicals produced in air naturally (e.g. from volcanoes or as a result of the vegetation decay) are not considered to be pollutants. The nature and intensity of people’s activities , the type of used chemicals and the surrounding meteorological conditions determine the composition and concentration of pollutants. It is widely acknowledged that motor vehicles produce the most toxic gases, and they are considered as the major source of outdoor air pollution. Outdoor air pollution is also caused by activities of industrial and commercial production plants, coal-fired power stations, cargo transports and other activities related to smoke and gas emission. Indoor air pollution is no less hazardous, in particular, in developing countries, where coal and biomass fuels are still widely used in homes for heating and cooking. According to WHO (2008), the air pollution level in such homes may be 10-50 times higher than maximum allowable values. Among pollutants having the most severe impact on health and environment are: â€Å"hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hydrogen sulfide (H2S)† (Clean Air World, n.d.). WHOE (2006) considers airborne fine dust, known as particulate matter (PM), as a very hazardous pollutant, which can be either emitted directly to the air or formed as a result of chemical reactions of certain gases (e.g. sulphur dioxide or ammonia (NH3)). There are also greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide

Reflective Report On Glo-Bus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Reflective Report On Glo-Bus - Essay Example The paper tells that the Glo-Bus business simulation exercise is a case of experiential learning. This is an important aspect of the learning process, which has positive outcomes on the learners. I consider the whole exercise educative, informative, and a fun way of learning. According to Kolb et al., experiential learning should be included in the learning process, as this boosts the quality of learning, as well as the learning outcomes. They divided experiential learning into four stages, including concrete experience, observation and reflection, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation. Therefore, reflection after experimentation counts, according to these authors. Therefore, the reflective approach argued by Kolb et al., helps me, as a learner to evaluate the impact of my experiential learning on my ideologies and on the learning objectives of the specific course. This was my first experience with an online business simulation exercise. Therefore, I ventured into thi s exercise with a lot of expectations and enthusiasm, that I would learn more business management concepts, and add on to my existing theoretical knowledge of the business processes and concepts. Additionally, this, I thought would give me a feel of what being a manager, or what being part of a management team in a high-ranking company entails and feels like. This is because, in our company, I was a co-manager, therefore, had the responsibilities of what a co-manager does in real life management cases. According to Butzen and Lee (2003), corporate leadership requires high level of discipline and integrity, especially where finances are concerned. Nonetheless, this is what this simulation experience also presented me with. The learning experience in this business simulation exercise revolved around, but not limited to the basic mechanics of operating a company. Christodoulou and Zorica

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 107

Assignment Example Chapter 22 is called genitourinary alterations. This chapter talks about diseases that attack the urinary tract and the genitals. The chapter further provides treatment and nursing care for victims suffering from genitourinary alterations. It also talks about the pathophysiology of these alterations. Chapter 23 on the other hand, talks about gastrointestinal alterations. These are defects that affect the gastrointestinal tract. The chapter then goes deeper to further elaborate on these alterations. The chapter then gives as ways in which we can take care of patients diagnosed with these alterations. Chapter 24 talks about respiratory alterations. These are diseases that affect the lungs and trachea; the respiratory system. These alterations hinder with the intake of oxygen in the body and may also lead to an increase in production of carbon dioxide in the body. The chapter then tells means of controlling and treating these alterations. In conclusion, upon completion of the reading of this book a student should be able to know pharmacological treatments for these alterations. Pharmacology deals with the study of drug action. Hence one should know which drug is appropriate for which disease and how the drug acts in the

Tescos Performance Based On Financial Ratios Commerce Essay

Tescos Performance Based On Financial Ratios Commerce Essay This research proposal studies on the factors which Tesco in their current profitability and meet it short-term financial obligation. Tesco also look strong for the employees motivation and the company competitive exists. Tesco was founded in year 1919 by Jack Cohen and the first Tesco name appeared in year 1929 (Tesco, 2010). Nowadays, the Britian leading retailer is Tesco and also United Kingdom based international supermarket chain (TESCO, 2010 and Tesco House, n.d.). They operating over 4,800 stores globally and employing over 472,094 people (Checksure, n.d.). At the beginning, they specializing in food, now move into areas like clothes, consumer electronics, consumer financial services, selling and renting DVDs, compact discs and music downloads, internet service and consumer telecoms (Tesco House, n.d.). They have 588 supermarkets and 257 are superstores. Besides that, they operates in 13 countries such as Republic of Ireland, Hungary Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey and Poland in Europe, China, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, India, and the U.S. (Tesco, 2010). The key towards Tesco success was related to their financial position which consists of generate a return on its resource, able to meet its short-term financial obligations and the efficiency ratios. Usually, the financial ratios analysis is including profitability, liquidity and investment ratios. Its normally used to analysis company performance which analyzes the success, failure and progress of company business. (Woods, 1999). In addition, it can also calculate for a company to be compared with other companies and own companies own past figures (Jiao and Bhalotra, 2007). Profitability ratios determine that the companys able to generate a return on its resource (missouribusiness.net, n.d.). Besides that, profitability shows proportion is advantageous business, measuring the overall performance was investigated, the profits of the company, can be used to test how your company operation, compares the current performance and the record of the past (Jiao and Bhalotra, 2007). It including gross profit, net profit margin, return on assets, and return on equity. The gross profit margin is indicates how well the company be able to generate a return at the gross profit level (Missouribusiness.net., n.d.). The gross profit margin considers the firms cost of goods sold, but does not include other costs (Netmba.com, n.d.). The formula for calculate the gross profit margin which is gross profit margin equal sales minus cost of goods sold divide by sales and multiply 100 percent. The formula calculates for net profit margin is net profit divide total sales also can call net sales and multiply 100 percent. However, this ratio ability provides a significant investment, indicate its sales business ability covers the smallest fixed cost and remains an acceptable profit (Missouribusiness.net, n.d). Formula calculation for return on assets is net incomes before taxes divide by total assets and multiply by 100 percent. This ratio display the effectively of the firms assets able being used to generate profits (Netmba.com, n.d.). In addition, low return on assets (ROA) indicates inefficient management, adverse when a high ROA which mean efficient in management (Barry, n.d.). Otherwise, this ratio in public company normally report return on assets to their shareholders, cause to tell them how well when using its assets to produce income. The return on equity (ROE) also knows as return on investment (ROI). The calculation compete for ROE which is return on equity equal net profit before taxes divide by shareholder equity multiply by 100 percent. These ratios usually indicate how well the company is utilizing its equity in investment and normally will higher than return on assets. According to proficient, if those companies hope their business growth in future, therefore, their ratio needs at least 10 to 14 percent in ROI (Barry, n.d.). This is a good figure to compare beside competitors or an industry average. For example, if the ratio is lower which mean that they meager management performance. In other words, a high return on investment indicates that management is doing well. Liquidity ratios is show how quick the company able to convert assets to cash, and pay off interest (Carter, 2010). Furthermore, the low levels of liquidity ratio can demonstrate poor management for grown up company (Netmba.com, n.d.). Besides that, its providing with useful limit for business managers to help them regulate their borrowing and spending (Barry, n.d.). The main liquidity ratios are the current ratio and quick ratio. Current ratio is also called the working capital ratio (Missouribusiness.net, n.d.). It is the number of times a companys current assets exceed its current liabilities, which is an indication of the solvency of that business (Auerbach, n.d.). The formula to compute the current ratio which is total Current Assets divide total Current Liabilities. A general rule of thumb for current ratio should be at least 2:1 (Missouribusiness.net, n.d.). A lower current ratio determines that the company may not be ability to pay its invoices on time, while a higher ratio means that company has money in cash or safe investment that could be put to better use in business (Barry, n.d.). The quick ratio is also called the acid test ratio (Missouribusiness.net, n.d.). It indicates the extent to which company could pay current liabilities without relying on the sale of inventory (Missouribusiness.net, n.d.). A general rule of thumb states that the ratio should be 1 to 1 or 1:1 (Missouribusiness.net, n.d.). If it is higher, the company may be keeping too much cash on hand or have a poor collection program for accounts receivable (Barry, n.d.). If it is lower, it may indicate that the company relies too heavily on inventory to meet its obligations. The formula for compete quick ratio is current assets minus inventory and divide current liabilities. 4.0 Significance of study: Basically, this study is seen vital as in it helps Tesco to do their financial performance more effectively. Regarding on that, it more related to the financial ratio analysis whether in term of profitability, liquidity and investment ratios that Tesco would take in for their effective management. Furthermore, this study also could acts as references for other retails that going to develop in the future as well to enhance competitive advantages. 5.0 Literature Review: Part A 5.1 Profitability ratios Profitability ratios are an indication of companys overall efficiency and performances. According to the calculation of annual report, the Tesco gross profit margin from year 2009 (7.76%) to 2010 (8.10%) increases 0.34 percent. During year 2010, Tesco net profit margin increasing 0.14 percent from 3.97 percent to 4.11 percent (Tesco, 2010). It indicates Tesco every year able to grown their revenues (Wearden, 2010). This is because they believe that having a good profitability the companies now can operate well in worldwide markets. Besides that, the profitability also provided information for investor to let the investors to know how well they company is going to evolution (Beginnermoneyinvesting.com, n.d.). Not only Tesco using this ratios and Carrefour S.A also use this ratio method. Because the Carrefour believe that improve in the profitability, it will efficient to the businesses running. Therefore, Tesco and Carrefour believed that using past data as a benchmark to make a concl usion as to why the profitability is increasing and decreasing, so that the company can go well (Mysmp.com, n.d.). For example, during the fiscal year in 2008, the Tesco had a better sales growth rate, so that they company moving up from number four to number three in the ranking in the world. When hold on more of retaining, its profits would cope with future external market challenges (Fresh Easy Buzz, 2010). 5.2 Investment Ratios Return on equity also known as return on investment (ROI). This ratio widely use by company because it ability to indications how efficiently the money invested in a company is providing a return to those investors (finpipe.com). In addition, the investor will through by ROE to get information what they need to make a sound decision (Winters, 2002). The investors normally will look for positive ROE, before making any kind of investment and also use to compare different investment options by an investment advisor (Dogra, n.d.). During 2010, Tesco ROE is 12.04 if compare to 2009 (11.98%) it increase around 0.06 percent. Besides that, Carrefour also emphasis on ROE, because investor is their money income if their ROE is not well that will influence their business and will affect them to expand in international business in worldwide. Therefore, the equity also look more to the operational and profitability ratios which to determine future profits that will accrue to the shareholder and t he shareholders compare the profitability of different projects by looking into their return on investment ratios (Dogra, n.d. and finpipe.com, n.d.). According to Shannon report (2010), Tesco CEO Terry Leahy announcement that the 145 store Fresh Easy should become profitable in fiscal 2013. Because of this announcement it causes the return on equity growth. In addition, a sharp improvement in Asia markets like Thailand and Korea able to helped drive sales growth. Return on Assets is evaluate to use get a feel for how well a company using their assets to generate income (money-zine.com, n.d.). During year 2010, Tesco ROA increase around 0.5 percent from 6.4 percent to 6.9 percent, because of the amortization charge on intangible assets arising acquisition. It also causes the group trading profits increase. In addition, they release cash from property through a sequence of joint ventures and other sale and leaseback transaction. Therefore, these transactions so far is completed which with pension funds, property companies and other investors would have delivered aggregate proceeds of  £2.2bn (Tesco, 2010). 5.3 Liquidity ratios Liquidity ratios are determined of a company ability to meet its debts (Winters, 2002). Liquidity ratios have current ratio and quick ratio. Current ratio is help company to see their able to pay their current debts without going against future earnings. In year 2009, Tesco current ratio 2009 is 0.77: 1 and year 2010 is 0.74:1. However, we can realize that current ratio from 2010 is decrease. This is because they always have new markets to invest in. The Tesco CEO Terry Leahy increase in borrowing ratios when spearheaded  £6.6 billion of spending on expansion, including the  £958 million takeover of South Koreas Homever supermarket chain. Although, Tescos facing debt is high but they feel it still very healthy balance sheet (Bloomberg, 2009). Quick ratio is show of the companys ability to make the payments on current obligation. Quick ratio for Tesco in year 2009 is 0.61:1 and year 2010 is 0.56:1. It shows that year 2010 ratio is decrease. This is because during that period they facing financial crisis. Although their ratio is decrease but they still can pay the debts because of they repaid their debt more early and use that was earning little interest to buy back higher interest-bearing corporate bonds (Tesco, 2010). Part B 5.4 Competition Besides that, competition in the worlds market is more important because it enables help the company assess intelligently the business environment in which the firm operates. This is because if without competition, the company unable to improve as in no competitive advantage. The competition enables the management to identify the companys weak points which to helps the firm to concentrate on the areas it needs to improve. The Main competitors of the Tesco are Carrefour S.A., J Sainsbury plc, Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC and so on (Datamonitor, 2004). These are the main competitors in business strategies and the value markets. In other words, it also can help the company to know what kinds of actions are required to development with the competitive position in the industry (Articlesbase.com, n.d). 5.5 Motivation Employees are considered the important asset of a company. Based on that, the key of business success is general relying on employees. Employees are considered the important asset of a company. Based on that, the key of business success is general relying on employees. Tesco mission is work as a team, trust and respect each other, listen, support and say thank you, and share knowledge and experience to customers. Above all they want their employees everyone at Tesco can enjoy their work. Besides that, the Tesco believe that if you treat people well they will give great service so they customer able to enjoy their shopping trip. Tesco know their employees can work better when they are given the space to make decisions and take responsibility. They also encourage their employees to learn from their mistakes and challenge conventional thinking (Tesco, 2010). 6.0 Methodology: Theoretical framework for this study is: Gross Profit Margin (IV) DB Total Assets Turnover (IV) Net Profit Margin (IV) Return on Assets (IV) Stock Turnover Period (IV) Tesco Performance (DV) Quick Ratio (IV) Return on Equity (IV) Current Ratio (IV) In this case, the Tesco performance is dependent and financial ratios are independent. Generally, secondary data collection is going to be done in order to help achieve the objectives in this study. It can through by annual report to do a comparatives which how well the Tesco performance in current year and previous year. In addition, they can highlight the variances in past budget, so that they can improve in following year through by these problems. (Words count: 2061) Reference lists Auerbach. A., n.d. How To Analyze Your Business Using Financial Ratios. [Online] Available at: ,http://www.esmalloffice.com/SBR_template.cfm?DocNumber=PL12_1500.htm> [Accessed 26 October 2010] Barry. C.C., n.d. Financial Ratios. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 October 2010] Beginnermoneyinvesting.com, n.d. Profitability Ratios. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 14 November 2010] Bloomberg, 2009. Tescos debt-fueled growth sparks investor backlash. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 29 October 2010] Carter. M., 2010. The Purpose of Financial Ratios. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 October 2010] Checksure, n.d. Tesco Plc and History of Tesco Plc. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 26 October 2010] Datamonitor, 2004. Tesco PLC. [pdf] Available at: [Accessed 15 November 2010] Dogra. A., n.d. Return on Assets Ratio. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 14 November 2010] Finpipe.com, n.d. Financial ratio analysis. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 4 November 2010] Fresh Easy Buzz, 2010. Tesco Drops From Third to Fourth Place in Important Global Retailing Ranking Despite Having Higher Sales Growth Than Rival. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 29 October 2010] Jiao. K. and Bhalotra. K., 2007. Financial Analysis J Sainsbury Plc. [pdf] Available at: [Accessed 27 October 2010] Kulkarni. A., n.d. Return on Equity Ratio. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 14 November 2010] Missouribusiness.net, n.d. Financial Ratios. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 October 2010] Money-zine.com, n.d. Investment Ratios. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 14 November 2010] Mysmp.com, n.d. Profitability Ratios. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 14 November 2010] Netmba.com, n.d. Financial Ratios. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 October 2010] Shannon. S., 2010. Tesco First-Half Profit Gains as International Sales Rebound. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 29 October 2010] Tesco, 2010. About TESCO. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 25 October 2010] Tesco, 2010. Annual report 2009 2010. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 28 November 2010] Tesco, 2010. Annual report 2009 2010. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 28 November 2010] Tesco, 2010. Creating good jobs and careers. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 15 November 2010] Tesco, 2010. Group performance. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 29 October 2010] Tesco House, n.d. Tesco Plc Business Information, Profile, and History. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 17 October 2010] Wearden. G., 2009. Tesco reports weak sales growth. The company is still planning to hire around 10,000 people during 2009 more than Sainsburys and Morrisons together. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 30 October 2010] Wearden. G., 2009. Tesco unveils record profits of  £3bn. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 28 October 2010] Wearden. G., 2010. Tesco rings up record profits. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 28 October 2010] Winters. A., 2002. Investment tips: what are key investment ratios? [Online] Available at: [Accessed 14 November 2010] Executive Summary:http://www.scribd.com/doc/39455198/TESCO-Financial-Analysis

common law and equity Essays -- essays research papers

Equity is frequently referred to as a supplement to the common law. Cruzon defines Equity as a system of law developed by the court of chancery in parallel with the common law. It was designed to complement it, providing remedies for situations that were unavailable at Law. Because of this, Equity provided a dimension of flexibility and justice that was often times lacking because of the common law’s rigidity. This rigidity stems from the fact that, while courts sometimes altered their jurisdictions and procedures, the fundamental premises and noticeable forms of the common law went largely unchanged between the 13th and 19th centuries. The common law was regarded as a birthright for all Englishmen; however, as the Crown continued to impose new jurisdictions, many statues sought to protect the peoples’ right to due process. In 1215 the Magna Carta was issued which sought to protect a free man’s right to life, liberty, and property except by the due process of the law. These statutes meant to limit the power of the crown, the very power that had introduced the common law as an alternative to the previous localized form of justice, and characterized a shift in the common law. Yet, due process legislation could only be invoked where the common law was considered to be deficient, and petitions were sent to the king, seeking his grace, when this was thought to be the case. Gradually the number of these petitions increased so much that they had to be reserved for special councils of the parliament, and as they continued to increase, only the most significant petitions were reserved for the parliament. The re st, mainly private suits, were passed on to individual councilors such as the chancellor, admiral, or marshal. These councilors grew in importance as petitioners began approach the appropriate individual directly. Out of the councilors’ arrangements for dealing with these cases, along with their added significance, developed several distinct courts. The most important of these was that of the chancellor as it developed its own jurisprudence. The Chancery began as the royal secretariat. Originally it was a department where royal writs and charters were drawn and sealed. Much of the chancellor’s later power stemmed from the fact that he had custody of the great seal of England, which was used to authenticate these documents. Because the writs originated from thi... ...  Ã‚  In the 19th century radical reforms of the judicial system attacked the practical flaws of the chancery. In 1813 the supreme power of the chancellor was checked by the appointment of a vice-chancellor. Later, this effort was continued by increasing the power of the Master of the Rolls, and the abolition of many of the offices in the court. By reducing the spread of the court and once again streamlining business, hopes were for joining the two courts and, once and for all, eliminating the rivalry between them. After 500 years, however, the chancery still left a bad taste in peoples’ mouths, and under Victorian legislation, the power of the supreme courts was increased to administer the law and equity: the chancery and the common law courts were abolished, forever ending the age old dispute between the two. While the chancery was abolished, equity has taken on a broader meaning and still survives today in England and the US. It is that approach to justice giving more precedent to particular facts of a case. Equity is important because it gave increasing protection to the individual, and represented a breaking away from the medieval notion of the all-powerful feudal lord.

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening Chapter Four

By the time Elena reached her locker, the numbness was wearing off and the lump in her throat was trying to dissolve into tears. But she wouldn't cry at school, she told herself, shewouldn't . After closing her locker, she made for the main exit. For the second day in a row, she was coming home from school right after the last bell, and alone. Aunt Judith wouldn't be able to cope. But when Elena reached her house, Aunt Judith's car was not in the driveway; she and Margaret must have gone out to the market. The house was still and peaceful as Elena let herself in. She was glad for that stillness; she wanted to be alone right now. But, on the other hand, she didn't exactly know what to do with herself. Now that she finallycould cry, she found that tears wouldn't come. She let her backpack sag to the floor in the front hall and walked slowly into the living room. It was a handsome, impressive room, the only part of the house besides Elena's bedroom that belonged to the original structure. That first house had been built before 1861, and had been almost completely burned in the Civil War. All that could be saved was this room, with its elaborate fireplace framed by scrolled molding, and the big bedroom above. Elena's father's greatgrandfather had built a new house, and Gilberts had lived in it ever since. Elena turned to look out of one of the ceiling-to-floor windows. The glass was so old that it was thick and wavery, and everything outside was distorted, looking slightly tipsy. She remembered the first time her father had showed her that wavery old glass, when she had been younger than Margaret was now. The fullness in her throat was back, but still no tears would come. Everything inside her was contradictory. She didn't want company, and yet she was achingly lonely. Shedid want to think, but now that she was trying to, her thoughts eluded her like mice running from a white owl. White owl†¦ hunting bird†¦ flesh eater†¦ crow, she thought. â€Å"Biggest crow I've ever seen,† Matt had said. Her eyes stung again. Poor Matt. She'd hurt him, but he'd been so nice about it. He'd even been nice to Stefan. Stefan . Her heart thudded once, hard, squeezing two hot tears out of her eyes. There, she was crying at last. She was crying with anger and humiliation and frustration-and what else? What had she really lost today? What did she really feel for this stranger, this Stefan Salvatore? He was a challenge, yes, and that made him different, interesting. Stefan was exotic†¦ exciting. Funny, that was what guys had sometimes told Elena she was. And later she heard from them, or from their friends or sisters, how nervous they were before going out with her, how their palms got sweaty and their stomachs were full of butterflies. Elena had always found such stories amusing. No boy she'd ever met in her life had made her nervous. But when she'd spoken to Stefan today, her pulse had been racing, her knees weak. Her palms had been wet. And there hadn't been butterflies in her stomach-there had been bats. She was interested in the guy because he made her feel nervous? Not a very good reason, Elena, she told herself. In fact, a very bad reason. But there was also that mouth. That sculpted mouth that made her knees weak with something entirely different than nervousness. And that night-dark hair-her fingers itched to weave themselves into its softness. That lithe, flat-muscled body, those long legs†¦ and thatvoice . It was his voice that had decided her yesterday, making her absolutely determined to have him. His voice had been cool and disdainful when talking to Mr. Tanner, but strangely compelling for all that. She wondered if it could turn night-dark as well, and how it would sound saying her name, whispering her name†¦ â€Å"Elena!† Elena jumped, her reverie shattered. But it wasn't Stefan Salvatore calling her, it was Aunt Judith rattling the front door open. â€Å"Elena? Elena!† And that was Margaret, her voice shrill and piping. â€Å"Are you home?† Misery welled up in Elena again, and she glanced around the kitchen. She couldn't face her aunt's worried questions or Margaret's innocent cheerfulness right now. Not with her eyelashes wet and new tears threatening any minute. She made a lightning decision and quietly slipped out the back door as the front door banged shut. Once off the back porch and into the yard, she hesitated. She didn't want to run into anyone she knew. But where could she go to be alone? The answer came almost instantly. Of course. She'd go see Mom and Dad. It was a fairly long walk, almost to the edge of town, but over the last three years it had become familiar to Elena. She crossed over Wickery Bridge and climbed up the hill, past the ruined church, then down into the little valley below. This part of the cemetery was well-kept; it was the old section that was allowed to run slightly wild. Here, the grass was neatly trimmed, and bouquets of flowers made splashes of bright color. Elena sat down by the big marble headstone with â€Å"Gilbert† carved into the front. â€Å"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad,† she whispered. She leaned over to place a purple impatiens blossom she'd picked along the way in front of the marker. Then she curled her legs under her and just sat. She'd come here often after the accident. Margaret had been only one at the time of the car crash; she didn't really remember them. But Elena did. Now she let her mind leaf back through memories, and the lump in her throat swelled, and the tears came easier. She missed them so much, still. Mother, so young and beautiful, and Father, with a smile that crinkled up his eyes. She was lucky to have Aunt Judith, of course. It wasn't every aunt who would quit her job and move back into a little town to take care of two orphaned nieces. And Robert, Aunt Judith's fianc ¦, was more like a stepfather to Margaret than an uncle-to-be by marriage. But Elena remembered her parents. Sometimes, right after the funeral, she had come out here to rage at them, angry with them for being so stupid as to get themselves killed. That was when she hadn't known Aunt Judith very well, and had felt there was nowhere on earth she belonged anymore. Where did she belong now? she wondered. The easy answer was, here, in Fell's Church, where she'd lived all her life. But lately the easy answer seemed wrong. Lately she felt there must be something else out there for her, some place she would recognize at once and call home. A shadow fell over her, and she looked up, startled. For an instant, the two figures standing over her were alien, unfamiliar, vaguely menacing. She stared, frozen. â€Å"Elena,† said the smaller figure fussily, hands on hips, â€Å"sometimes I worry about you, I really do.† Elena blinked and then laughed shortly. It was Bonnie and Meredith. â€Å"What does a person have to do to get a little privacy around here?† she said as they sat down. â€Å"Tell us to go away,† suggested Meredith, but Elena just shrugged. Meredith and Bonnie had often come out here to find her in the months after the accident. Suddenly, she felt glad about that, and grateful to them both. If nowhere else, she belonged with the friends who cared about her. She didn't mind if they knew she had been crying, and she accepted the crumpled tissue Bonnie offered her and wiped her eyes. The three of them sat together in silence for a little while, watching the wind ruffle the stand of oak trees at the edge of the cemetery. â€Å"I'm sorry about what happened,† Bonnie said at last, in a soft voice. â€Å"That was really terrible.† â€Å"And your middle name is ‘Tact,' † said Meredith. â€Å"It couldn't have been that bad, Elena.† â€Å"You weren't there.† Elena felt herself go hot all over again at the memory. â€Å"Itwas terrible. But I don't care anymore,† she added flatly, defiantly. â€Å"I'm finished with him. I don't want him anyway.† â€Å"Elena!† â€Å"I don't, Bonnie. He obviously thinks he's too good for-for Americans. So he can just take those designer sunglasses and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  There were snorts of laughter from the other girls. Elena wiped her nose and shook her head. â€Å"So,† she said to Bonnie, determinedly changing the subject, â€Å"at least Tanner seemed in a better mood today.† Bonnie looked martyred. â€Å"Do you know that he made me sign up to be the very first one to give my oral report? I don't care, though; I'm going to do mine on the druids, and-† â€Å"On the what?† â€Å"Droo-ids. The weird old guys who built Stonehenge and did magic and stuff in ancient England. I'm descended from them, and that's why I'm psychic.† Meredith snorted, but Elena frowned at the blade of grass she was twirling between her fingers. â€Å"Bonnie, did you really see something yesterday in my palm?† she asked abruptly. Bonnie hesitated. â€Å"I don't know,† she said at last. â€Å"I-Ithought I did then. But sometimes my imagination runs away with me.† â€Å"She knew you were here,† said Meredith unexpectedly. â€Å"I thought of looking at the coffee shop, but Bonnie said, ‘She's at the cemetery.' † â€Å"Did I?† Bonnie looked faintly surprised but impressed. â€Å"Well, there you see. My grandmother in Edinburgh has the second sight and so do I. It always skips a generation.† â€Å"And you're descended from the druids,† Meredith said solemnly. â€Å"Well, it's true! In Scotland they keep up the old traditions. You wouldn't believe some of the things my grandmother does. She has a way to find out who you're going to marry and when you're going to die. She told me I'm going to die early.† â€Å"Bonnie!† â€Å"She did. I'm going to be young and beautiful in my coffin. Don't you think that's romantic?† â€Å"No, I don't. I think it's disgusting,† said Elena. The shadows were getting longer, and the wind had a chill to it now. â€Å"So who are you going to marry, Bonnie?† Meredith put in deftly. â€Å"I don't know. My grandmother told me the ritual for finding out, but I never tried it. Of course†-Bonnie struck a sophisticated pose-â€Å"he has to be outrageously rich and totally gorgeous. Like our mysterious dark stranger, for example. Particularly if nobody else wants him.† She cast a wicked glance at Elena. Elena refused the bait. â€Å"What about Tyler Smallwood?† she murmured innocently. â€Å"His father's certainly rich enough.† â€Å"And he's not bad-looking,† agreed Meredith solemnly. â€Å"That is, of course, if you're an animal lover. All those big white teeth.† The girls looked at each other and then simultaneously burst into laughter. Bonnie threw a handful of grass at Meredith, who brushed it off and threw a dandelion back at her. Somewhere in the middle of it, Elena realized that she was going to be all right. She was herself again, not lost, not a stranger, but Elena Gilbert, the queen of Robert E. Lee. She pulled the apricot ribbon out of her hair and shook the hair free about her face. â€Å"I've decided what to domy oral report on,† she said, watching with narrow eyes as Bonnie finger-combed grass out of her curls. â€Å"What?† said Meredith. Elena tilted her chin up to gaze at the red and purple sky above the hill. She took a thoughtful breath and let the suspense build for a moment. Then she said coolly, â€Å"The Italian Renaissance.† Bonnie and Meredith stared at her, then looked at each other and burst into whoops of laughter again. â€Å"Aha,† said Meredith when they recovered. â€Å"So the tiger returneth.† Elena gave her a feral grin. Her shaken confidence had returned to her. And though she didn't understand it herself, she knew one thing: she wasn't going to let Stefan Salvatore get away alive. â€Å"All right,† she said briskly. â€Å"Now, listen, you two. Nobody else can know about this, or I'll be the laughingstock of the school. And Caroline would just love any excuse to make me look ridiculous. But I do still want him, and I'm going to have him. I don't know how yet, but I am. Until I come up with a plan, though, we're going to give him the cold shoulder.† â€Å"Oh,we are?† â€Å"Yes,we are. You can't have him, Bonnie; he's mine. And I have to be able to trust you completely.† â€Å"Wait a minute,† said Meredith, a glint in her eye. She unclasped the cloisonne pin from her blouse, then, holding up her thumb, made a quick jab. â€Å"Bonnie, give me your hand.† â€Å"Why?† said Bonnie, eyeing the pin suspiciously. â€Å"Because I want to marry you. Why do you think, idiot?† â€Å"But-but-Oh, all right. Ow!† â€Å"Now you, Elena.† Meredith pricked Elena's thumb efficiently, and then squeezed it to get a drop of blood. â€Å"Now,† she continued, looking at the other two with sparkling dark eyes, â€Å"we all press our thumbs together and swear. Especially you, Bonnie. Swear to keep this secret and to do whatever Elena asks in relation to Stefan.† â€Å"Look, swearing with blood is dangerous,† Bonnie protested seriously. â€Å"It means you have to stick to your oath no matter what happens, no matterwhat , Meredith.† â€Å"I know,† said Meredith grimly. â€Å"That's why I'm telling you to do it. I remember what happened with Michael Martin.† Bonnie made a face. â€Å"That was years ago, and we broke up right away anyway and-Oh, all right. I'll swear.† Closing her eyes, she said, â€Å"I swear to keep this a secret and to do anything Elena asks about Stefan.† Meredith repeated the oath. And Elena, staring at the pale shadows of their thumbs joined together in the gathering dusk, took a long breath and said softly, â€Å"And I swear not to rest until he belongs to me.† A gust of cold wind blew through the cemetery, fanning the girls' hair out and sending dry leaves fluttering on the ground. Bonnie gasped and pulled back, and they all looked around, then giggled nervously. â€Å"It's dark,† said Elena, surprised. â€Å"We'd better get started home,† Meredith said, refastening her pin as she stood up. Bonnie stood, too, putting the tip of her thumb into her mouth. â€Å"Good-bye,† said Elena softly, facing the headstone. The purple blossom was a blur on the ground. She picked up the apricot ribbon that lay next to it, turned, and nodded to Bonnie and Meredith. â€Å"Let's go.† Silently, they headed up the hill toward the ruined church. The oath sworn in blood had given them all a solemn feeling, and as they passed the ruined church Bonnie shivered. With the sun down, the temperature had dropped abruptly, and the wind was rising. Each gust sent whispers through the grass and made the ancient oak trees rattle their dangling leaves. â€Å"I'm freezing,† Elena said, pausing for a moment by the black hole that had once been the church door and looking down at the landscape below. The moon had not yet risen, and she could just make out the old graveyard and Wickery Bridge beyond it. The old graveyard dated from Civil War days, and many of the headstones bore the names of soldiers. It had a wild look to it; brambles and tall weeds grew on the graves, and ivy vines swarmed over crumbling granite. Elena had never liked it. â€Å"It looks different, doesn't it? In the dark, I mean,† she said unsteadily. She didn't know how to say what she really meant, that it was not a place for the living. â€Å"We could go the long way,† said Meredith. â€Å"But that would mean another twenty minutes of walking.† â€Å"I don't mind going this way,† said Bonnie, swallowing hard. â€Å"I always said I wanted to be buried down there in the old one.† â€Å"Will you stop talking about being buried!† Elena snapped, and she started down the hill. But the farther down the narrow path she got, the more uncomfortable she felt. She slowed until Bonnie and Meredith caught up with her. As they neared the first headstone, her heart began beating fast. She tried to ignore it, but her whole skin was tingling with awareness and the fine hairs on her arms were standing up. Between the gusts of wind, every sound seemed horribly magnified; the crunching of their feet on the leaf-strewn path was deafening. The ruined church was a black silhouette behind them now. The narrow path led between the lichen-encrusted headstones, many of which stood taller than Meredith. Big enough for something to hide behind, thought Elena uneasily. Some of the tombstones themselves were unnerving, like the one with the cherub that looked like a real baby, except that its head had fallen off and had been carefully placed by its body. The wide granite eyes of the head were blank. Elena couldn't look away from it, and her heart began to pound. â€Å"Why are we stopping?† said Meredith. â€Å"I just†¦ I'm sorry,† Elena murmured, but when she forced herself to turn she immediately stiffened. â€Å"Bonnie?† she said. â€Å"Bonnie, what's wrong?† Bonnie was staring straight out into the graveyard, her lips parted, her eyes as wide and blank as the stone cherub's. Fear washed through Elena's stomach. â€Å"Bonnie, stop it. Stop it! It's not funny.† Bonnie made no reply. â€Å"Bonnie!† said Meredith. She and Elena looked at each other, and suddenly Elena knew she had to get away. She whirled to start down the path, but a strange voice spoke behind her, and she jerked around. â€Å"Elena,† the voice said. It wasn't Bonnie's voice, but it came from Bonnie's mouth. Pale in the darkness, Bonnie was still staring out into the graveyard. There was no expression on her face at all. â€Å"Elena,† the voice said again, and added, as Bonnie's head turned toward her, â€Å"there's someone waiting out there for you.† Elena never quite knew what happened in the next few minutes. Something seemed to move out among the dark humped shapes of the headstones, shifting and rising between them. Elena screamed and Meredith cried out, and then they were both running, and Bonnie was running with them, screaming, too. Elena pounded down the narrow path, stumbling on rocks and clumps of grass root. Bonnie was sobbing for breath behind her, and Meredith, calm and cynical Meredith, was panting wildly. There was a sudden thrashing and a shriek in an oak tree above them, and Elena found that she could run faster. â€Å"There's something behind us,† cried Bonnie shrilly. â€Å"Oh, God, what's happening?† â€Å"Get to the bridge,† gasped Elena through the fire in her lungs. She didn't know why, but she felt they had to make it there. â€Å"Don't stop, Bonnie! Don't look behind you!† She grabbed the other girl's sleeve and pulled her around. â€Å"I can't make it,† Bonnie sobbed, clutching her side, her pace faltering. â€Å"Yes, you can,† snarled Elena, grabbing Bonnie's sleeve again and forcing her to keep moving. â€Å"Come on.Come on!† She saw the silver gleam of water before them. And there was the clearing between the oak trees, and the bridge just beyond. Elena's legs were wobbling and her breath was whistling in her throat, but she wouldn't let herself lag behind. Now she could see the wooden planks of the footbridge. The bridge was twenty feet away from them, ten feet away, five. â€Å"We made it,† panted Meredith, feet thundering on the wood. â€Å"Don't stop! Get to the other side!† The bridge creaked as they ran staggering across it, their steps echoing across the water. When she jumped onto packed dirt on the far shore, Elena let go of Bonnie's sleeve at last, and allowed her legs to stumble to a halt. Meredith was bent over, hands on thighs, deep-breathing. Bonnie was crying. â€Å"What was it? Oh, what was it?† she said. â€Å"Is it still coming?† â€Å"I thought you were the expert,† Meredith said unsteadily. â€Å"For God's sake, Elena, let's get out of here.† â€Å"No, it's all right now,† Elena whispered. There were tears in her own eyes and she was shaking all over, but the hot breath at the back of her neck had gone. The river stretched between her and it, the waters a dark tumult. â€Å"It can't follow us here,† she said. Meredith stared at her, then at the other shore with its clustered oak trees, then at Bonnie. She wet her lips and laughed shortly. â€Å"Sure. It can't follow us. But let's go home anyway, all right? Unless you feel like spending the night out here.† Some unnameable feeling shuddered through Elena. â€Å"Not tonight, thanks,† she said. She put an arm around Bonnie, who was still sniffling. â€Å"It's okay, Bonnie. We're safe now. Come on.† Meredith was looking across the river again. â€Å"You know, I don't see a thing back there,† she said, her voice calmer. â€Å"Maybe there wasn't anything behind us at all; maybe we just panicked and scared ourselves. With a little help from the druid priestess here.† Elena said nothing as they started walking, keeping very close together on the dirt path. But she wondered. She wondered very much.