The American Dream in Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun :: A Raisin in the Sun

The American Dream in Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun "A Raisin in the Sun" by Lorraine Hansberry is about living the "American Dream". Hansberry wrote her story in 1959. The "American Dream" that she describes and the one that currently exists are vastly different. In 1959, the dream was to work hard and live a comfortable life. American’s believed that you would live a good life as long as you had your family and had food on the table. Let’s fast forward to 2003. The "American Dream" is to have two cars, a glamorous house, a pool, a 40 hour a week job, and oodles of "stuff". I define stuff as material possessions such as DVD’s, video games, and TV’s. When did the dream go from being happy to having tons of material possessions? I am devising a tipping point strategy to change the "American Dream" back to having a close relationship with your family, working hard, and being happy. By changing the dream, Americans will be happier and have less stress in their life. The new "American Dream" is strongly engraved into the minds of society. It will be difficult to "tip" back the other way. The change will not happen suddenly. It can only happen slowly, and over a long period of time. The change from Hansberry’s dream and the current dream also took years to change. The Law of the Few plays a huge role in changing the dream. To tip the dream in the better direction, some people that are influential in society need to adopt this dream as their own. If a man as successful as Bill Gates decided that he wanted a more laid back, it would do a great deal to attract others to do so as well. In retrospect, if I adopted this dream, no one would care. Bill Gates is considered a connector in our society. He has done much to improve our technology. That is why he would be more likely to cause a "social epidemic" than I would. The second factor that would have to be dealt with in changing the "American Dream" is the stickiness factor. Let’s use Bill Gates as the example again. If he went on TV proclaiming that he was a billionaire, no one would listen. Even if they did listen, they would not remember. If Gates went on TV and said he was only going to work part time and he was going to give most of his money to charity, people would listen.

The Impressionist Movement :: essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Impressionism was a movement that occurred in both art and poetry. It was a time in which the people broke from the traditional standards or styles. They wanted to bring new ways of expressing their ideas to their societies. These ideas were seen through subjects of interest, such as art and poetry. Claude Monet’s Woman with a Parasol: Madame Monet and Her Son and William Butler Yeats’s â€Å"The Wild Swans at Coole† both characterize important aspects of the Impressionist Age.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The word â€Å"impressionism† is mostly associated with the artistic movement. The first time this term was used with reference to art was when one writer was speaking of a painting by Claude Monet, called Impression: Sunrise (1872, Musee Marmottan, Paris). The term was first officially used in 1877 (â€Å"Impressionism†). The artists of this movement were characterized as impressionists because of their simplified works (â€Å"Monet, Claude Oscar†). They were part of a group in which the artists shared similar styles and techniques between 1867 and 1886. Some of the important artists were Monet, Renoir, Pisarro, Sisley, Morisot, as well as a few others (Pioch). Monet and Renoir both painted scenes of La Grenouillere. Their work signified the beginning of this new age of art (Mataev). The Impressionist Movement grew because these painters wanted a different style, a new technique, and paintings with more unique subjects. The popular paintings of the time were all approved by the Academie des Beaux Arts. The standard type of paintings that were most commonly approved included a scale of tones for forming shapes and blacks and browns for making shadows. These classical paintings were realistic, usually of scenes indoors. Impressionists turned from this traditional art and began to paint their subjects outside, using unarranged light. These paintings were more spur-of-the-moment type, and appeared less realistically (â€Å"Impressionism†). There are certain characteristics that set impressionist art apart from all other styles of art.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Impressionists, both in art and poetry, portrayed great images of their subjects by using their styles or techniques. They often captured scenes with vivid color, with great light effects, and with motion (Sporre 525). The impressionist painters tried to view their subjects not as what they really were, but as different areas of color, shapes and light. They commonly used quick, free brush strokes of non-detailed spots of color. This method created a lively appearance (Sporre 527). Impressionists did not mix their colors, as the earlier artists had done.

Vampire Academy Chapter 3

THREE SENDING US STRAIGHT TO CLASS after our meeting seemed beyond cruel, but that's exactly what Kirova did. Lissa was led away, and I watched her go, glad the bond would allow me to keep reading her emotional temperature. They actually sent me to one of the guidance counselors first. He was an ancient Moroi guy, one I remembered from before I'd left. I honestly couldn't believe he was still around. The guy was so freaking old, he should have retired. Or died. The visit took all of five minutes. He said nothing about my return and asked a few questions about what classes I'd taken in Chicago and Portland. He compared those against my old file and hastily scrawled out a new schedule. I took it sullenly and headed out to my first class. 1st Period Advanced Guardian Combat Techniques 2nd Period Bodyguard Theory and Personal Protection 3 3rd Period Weight Training and Conditioning 4th Period Senior Language Arts (Novices) -Lunch – 5th Period Animal Behavior and Physiology 6th Period Pre-calculus 7th Period Moroi Culture 4 8th Period Slavic Art Ugh. I'd forgotten how long the Academy's school day was. Novices and Moroi took separate classes during the first half of the day, which meant I wouldn't see Lissa until after lunch – if we had any afternoon classes together. Most of them were standard senior classes, so I felt my odds were pretty good. Slavic art struck me as the kind of elective no one signed up for, so hopefully they'd stuck her in there too. Dimitri and Alberta escorted me to the guardians' gym for first period, neither one acknowledging my existence. Walking behind them, I saw how Alberta wore her hair in a short, pixie cut that showed her promise mark and molnija marks. A lot of female guardians did this. It didn't matter so much for me now, since my neck had no tattoos yet, but I didn't want to ever cut my hair. She and Dimitri didn't say anything and walked along almost like it was any other day. When we arrived, the reactions of my peers indicated it was anything but. They were in the middle of setting up when we entered the gym, and just like in the commons, all eyes fell on me. I couldn't decide if I felt like a rock star or a circus freak. All right, then. If I was going to be stuck here for a while, I wasn't going to act afraid of them all anymore. Lissa and I had once held this school's respect, and it was time to remind everyone of that. Scanning the staring, openmouthed novices, I looked for a familiar face. Most of them were guys. One caught my eye, and I could barely hold back my grin. â€Å"Hey Mason, wipe the drool off your face. If you're going to think about me naked, do it on your own time.† A few snorts and snickers broke the awed silence, and Mason Ashford snapped out of his haze, giving me a lopsided smile. With red hair that stuck up everywhere and a smattering of freckles, he was nice-looking, though not exactly hot. He was also one of the funniest guys I knew. We'd been good friends back in the day. â€Å"This is my time, Hathaway. I'm leading today's session.† â€Å"Oh yeah?† I retorted. â€Å"Huh. Well, I guess this is a good time to think about me naked, then.† â€Å"It's always a good a time to think about you naked,† added someone nearby, breaking the tension further. Eddie Castile. Another friend of mine. Dimitri shook his head and walked off, muttering something in Russian that didn't sound complimentary. But as for me? ­well, just like that, I was one of the novices again. They were an easygoing bunch, less focused on pedigree and politics than the Moroi students. The class engulfed me, and I found myself laughing and seeing those I'd nearly forgotten about. Everyone wanted to know where we'd been; apparently Lissa and I had become legends. I couldn't tell them why we'd left, of course, so I offered up a lot of taunts and wouldn't-you-like-to-knows that served just as well. The happy reunion lasted a few more minutes before the adult guardian who oversaw the training came over and scolded Mason for neglecting his duties. Still grinning, he barked out orders to everyone, explaining what exercises to start with. Uneasily I realized I didn't know most of them. â€Å"Come on, Hathaway,† he said, taking my arm. â€Å"You can be my partner. Let's see what you've been doing all this time.† An hour later, he had his answer. â€Å"Not practicing, huh?† â€Å"Ow,† I groaned, momentarily incapable of normal speech. He extended a hand and helped me up from the mat he'd knocked me down on – about fifty times. â€Å"I hate you,† I told him, rubbing a spot on my thigh that was going to have a wicked bruise tomorrow. â€Å"You'd hate me more if I held back.† â€Å"Yeah, that's true,† I agreed, staggering along as the class put the equipment back. â€Å"You actually did okay.† â€Å"What? I just had my ass handed to me.† â€Å"Well, of course you did. It's been two years. But hey, you're still walking. That's something.† He grinned mockingly. â€Å"Did I mention I hate you?† He flashed me another smile, which quickly faded to something more serious. â€Å"Don't take this the wrong way? ­I mean, you really are a scrapper, but there's no way you'll be able to take your trials in the spring – â€Å" â€Å"They're making me take extra practice sessions,† I explained. Not that it mattered. I planned on getting Lissa and me out of here before these practices really became an issue. â€Å"I'll be ready.† â€Å"Extra sessions with who?† â€Å"That tall guy. Dimitri.† Mason stopped walking and stared at me. â€Å"You're putting in extra time with Belikov?† â€Å"Yeah, so what?† â€Å"So the man is a god.† â€Å"Exaggerate much?† I asked. â€Å"No, I'm serious. I mean, he's all quiet and antisocial usually, but when he fights? ­wow. If you think you're hurting now, you're going to be dead when he's done with you.† Great. Something else to improve my day. I elbowed him and went on to second period. That class covered the essentials of being a bodyguard and was required for all seniors. Actually, it was the third in a series that had started junior year. That meant I was behind in this class too, but I hoped protecting Lissa in the real world had given me some insight. Our instructor was Stan Alto, whom we referred to simply as â€Å"Stan† behind his back and â€Å"Guardian Alto† in formal settings. He was a little older than Dimitri, but not nearly as tall, and he always looked pissed off. Today, that look intensified when he walked into the classroom and saw me sitting there. His eyes widened in mock surprise as he circled the room and came to stand beside my desk. â€Å"What's this? No one told me we had a guest speaker here today. Rose Hathaway. What a privilege! How very generous of you to take time out of your busy schedule and share your knowledge with us.† I felt my cheeks burning, but in a great show of self-control, I stopped myself from telling him to fuck off. I'm pretty sure my face must have delivered that message, however, because his sneer increased. He gestured for me to stand up. â€Å"Well, come on, come on. Don't sit there! Come up to the front so you can help me lecture the class.† I sank into my seat. â€Å"You don't really mean – â€Å" The taunting smile dried up. â€Å"I mean exactly what I say, Hathaway. Go to the front of the class.† A thick silence enveloped the room. Stan was a scary instructor, and most of the class was too awed to laugh at my disgrace quite yet. Refusing to crack, I strode up to the front of the room and turned to face the class. I gave them a bold look and tossed my hair over my shoulders, earning a few sympathetic smiles from my friends. I then noticed I had a larger audience than expected. A few guardians – including Dimitri – lingered in the back of the room. Outside the Academy, guardians focused on one-on-one protection. Here, guardians had a lot more people to protect and they had to train the novices. So rather than follow any one person around, they worked shifts guarding the school as a whole and monitoring classes. â€Å"So, Hathaway,† said Stan cheerfully, strolling back up to the front with me. â€Å"Enlighten us about your protective techniques.† â€Å"My? ­techniques?† â€Å"Of course. Because presumably you must have had some sort of plan the rest of us couldn't understand when you took an underage Moroi royal out of the Academy and exposed her to constant Strigoi threats.† It was the Kirova lecture all over again, except with more witnesses. â€Å"We never ran into any Strigoi,† I replied stiffly. â€Å"Obviously,† he said with a snicker. â€Å"I already figured that out, seeing as how you're still alive.† I wanted to shout that maybe I could have defeated a Strigoi, but after getting beat up in the last class, I now suspected I couldn't have survived an attack by Mason, let alone an actual Strigoi. When I didn't say anything, Stan started pacing in front of the class. â€Å"So what'd you do? How'd you make sure she stayed safe? Did you avoid going out at night?† â€Å"Sometimes.† That was true – especially when we'd first run away. We'd relaxed a little after months went by with no attacks. â€Å"Sometimes,† he repeated in a high-pitched voice, making my answer sound incredibly stupid. â€Å"Well then, I suppose you slept during the day and stayed on guard at night.† â€Å"Er? ­no.† â€Å"No? But that's one of the first things mentioned in the chapter on solo guarding. Oh wait, you wouldn't know that because you weren't here.† I swallowed back more swear words. â€Å"I watched the area whenever we went out,† I said, needing to defend myself. â€Å"Oh? Well that's something. Did you use Carnegie's Quadrant Surveillance Method or the Rotational Survey?† I didn't say anything. â€Å"Ah. I'm guessing you used the Hathaway Glance-Around-When-You-Remember-To Method.† â€Å"No!† I exclaimed angrily. â€Å"That's not true. I watched her. She's still alive, isn't she?† He walked back up to me and leaned toward my face. â€Å"Because you got lucky.† â€Å"Strigoi aren't lurking around every corner out there,† I shot back. â€Å"It's not like what we've been taught. It's safer than you guys make it sound.† â€Å"Safer? Safer? We are at war with the Strigoi!† he yelled. I could smell coffee on his breath, he was so close. â€Å"One of them could walk right up to you and snap your pretty little neck before you even noticed him – and he'd barely break a sweat doing it. You might have more speed and strength than a Moroi or a human, but you are nothing, nothing, compared to a Strigoi. They are deadly, and they are powerful. And do you know what makes them more powerful?† No way was I going to let this jerk make me cry. Looking away from him, I tried to focus on something else. My eyes rested on Dimitri and the other guardians. They were watching my humiliation, stone-faced. â€Å"Moroi blood,† I whispered. â€Å"What was that?† asked Stan loudly. â€Å"I didn't catch it.† I spun back around to face him. â€Å"Moroi blood! Moroi blood makes them stronger.† He nodded in satisfaction and took a few steps back. â€Å"Yes. It does. It makes them stronger and harder to destroy. They'll kill and drink from a human or dhampir, but they want Moroi blood more than anything else. They seek it. They've turned to the dark side to gain immortality, and they want to do whatever they can to keep that immortality. Desperate Strigoi have attacked Moroi in public. Groups of Strigoi have raided academies exactly like this one. There are Strigoi who have lived for thousands of years and fed off generations of Moroi. They're almost impossible to kill. And that is why Moroi numbers are dropping. They aren't strong enough – even with guardians – to protect themselves. Some Moroi don't even see the point of running anymore and are simply turning Strigoi by choice. And as the Moroi disappear? ­Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"? ­so do the dhampirs,† I finished. â€Å"Well,† he said, licking sprayed spit off his lips. â€Å"It looks like you learned something after all. Now we'll have to see if you can learn enough to pass this class and qualify for your field experience next semester.† Ouch. I spent the rest of that horrible class – in my seat, thankfully – replaying those last words in my mind. The senior-year field experience was the best part of a novice's education. We'd have no classes for half a semester. Instead, we'd each be assigned a Moroi student to guard and follow around. The adult guardians would monitor us and test us with staged attacks and other threats. How a novice passed that field experience was almost as important as all the rest of her grades combined. It could influence which Moroi she got assigned to after graduation. And me? There was only one Moroi I wanted. Two classes later, I finally earned my lunch escape. As I stumbled across campus toward the commons, Dimitri fell into step beside me, not looking particularly godlike – unless you counted his godly good looks. â€Å"I suppose you saw what happened in Stan's class?† I asked, not bothering with titles. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"And you don't think that was unfair?† â€Å"Was he right? Do you think you were fully prepared to protect Vasilisa?† I looked down at the ground. â€Å"I kept her alive,† I mumbled. â€Å"How did you do fighting against your classmates today?† The question was mean. I didn't answer and knew I didn't need to. I'd had another training class after Stan's, and no doubt Dimitri had watched me get beat up there too. â€Å"If you can't fight them – â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, yeah, I know,† I snapped. He slowed his long stride to match my pain-filled one. â€Å"You're strong and fast by nature. You just need to keep yourself trained. Didn't you play any sports while you were gone?† â€Å"Sure,† I shrugged. â€Å"Now and then.† â€Å"You didn't join any teams?† â€Å"Too much work. If I'd wanted to practice that much, I'd have stayed here.† He gave me an exasperated look. â€Å"You'll never be able to really protect the princess if you don't hone your skills. You'll always be lacking.† â€Å"I'll be able to protect her,† I said fiercely. â€Å"You have no guarantees of being assigned to her, you know – for your field experience or after you graduate.† Dimitri's voice was low and unapologetic. They hadn't given me a warm and fuzzy mentor. â€Å"No one wants to waste the bond – but no one's going to give her an inadequate guardian either. If you want to be with her, then you need to work for it. You have your lessons. You have me. Use us or don't. You're an ideal choice to guard Vasilisa when you both graduate – if you can prove you're worthy. I hope you will.† â€Å"Lissa, call her Lissa,† I corrected. She hated her full name, much preferring the Americanized nickname. He walked away, and suddenly, I didn't feel like such a badass anymore. By now, I'd burned up a lot of time leaving class. Most everyone else had long since sprinted inside the commons for lunch, eager to maximize their social time. I'd almost made it back there myself when a voice under the door's overhang called to me. â€Å"Rose?† Peering in the voice's direction, I caught sight of Victor Dashkov, his kind face smiling at me as he leaned on a cane near the building's wall. His two guardians stood nearby at a polite distance. â€Å"Mr. Dash-er, Your Highness. Hi.† I caught myself just in time, having nearly forgotten Moroi royal terms. I hadn't used them while living among humans. The Moroi chose their rulers from among twelve royal families. The eldest in the family got the title of â€Å"prince† or â€Å"princess.† Lissa had gotten hers because she was the only one left in her line. â€Å"How was your first day?† he asked. â€Å"Not over yet.† I tried to think of something conversational. â€Å"Are you visiting here for a while?† â€Å"I'll be leaving this afternoon after I say hello to Natalie. When I heard Vasilisa – and you – had returned, I simply had to come see you.† I nodded, not sure what else to say. He was more Lissa's friend than mine. â€Å"I wanted to tell you? ­Ã¢â‚¬  He spoke hesitantly. â€Å"I understand the gravity of what you did, but I think Headmistress Kirova failed to acknowledge something. You did keep Vasilisa safe all this time. That is impressive.† â€Å"Well, it's not like I faced down Strigoi or anything,† I said. â€Å"But you faced down some things?† â€Å"Sure. The school sent psi-hounds once.† â€Å"Remarkable.† â€Å"Not really. Avoiding them was pretty easy.† He laughed. â€Å"I've hunted with them before. They aren't that easy to evade, not with their powers and intelligence.† It was true. Psi-hounds were one of many types of magical creatures that wandered the world, creatures that humans never knew about or else didn't believe they'd really seen. The hounds traveled in packs and shared a sort of psychic communication that made them particularly deadly to their prey – as did the fact that they resembled mutant wolves. â€Å"Did you face anything else?† I shrugged. â€Å"Little things here and there.† â€Å"Remarkable,† he repeated. â€Å"Lucky, I think. It turns out I'm really behind in all this guardian stuff.† I sounded just like Stan now. â€Å"You're a smart girl. You'll catch up. And you also have your bond.† I looked away. My ability to â€Å"feel† Lissa had been such a secret for so long, it felt weird to have others know about it. â€Å"The histories are full of stories of guardians who could feel when their charges were in danger,† Victor continued. â€Å"I've made a hobby of studying up on it and some of the ancient ways. I've heard it's a tremendous asset.† â€Å"I guess.† I shrugged. What a boring hobby, I thought, imagining him poring over prehistoric histories in some dank library covered in spiderwebs. Victor tilted his head, curiosity all over his face. Kirova and the others had had the same look when we'd mentioned our connection, like we were lab rats. â€Å"What is it like – if you don't mind me asking?† â€Å"It's? ­I don't know. I just sort of always have this hum of how she feels. Usually it's just emotions. We can't send messages or anything.† I didn't tell him about slipping into her head. That part of it was hard even for me to understand. â€Å"But it doesn't work the other way? She doesn't sense you?† I shook my head. His face shone with wonder. â€Å"How did it happen?† â€Å"I don't know,† I said, still glancing away. â€Å"Just started two years ago.† He frowned. â€Å"Near the time of the accident?† Hesitantly, I nodded. The accident was not something I wanted to talk about, that was for sure. Lissa's memories were bad enough without my own mixing into them. Twisted metal. A sensation of hot, then cold, then hot again. Lissa screaming over me, screaming for me to wake up, screaming for her parents and her brother to wake up. None of them had, only me. And the doctors said that was a miracle in itself. They said I shouldn't have survived. Apparently sensing my discomfort, Victor let the moment go and returned to his earlier excitement. â€Å"I can still barely believe this. It's been so long since this has happened. If it did happen more often? ­just think what it could do for the safety of all Moroi. If only others could experience this too. I'll have to do more research and see if we can replicate it with others.† â€Å"Yeah.† I was getting impatient, despite how much I liked him. Natalie rambled a lot, and it was pretty clear which parent she'd inherited that quality from. Lunch was ticking down, and although Moroi and novices shared afternoon classes, Lissa and I wouldn't have much time to talk. â€Å"Perhaps we could – † He started coughing, a great, seizing fit that made his whole body shake. His disease, Sandovsky's Syndrome, took the lungs down with it while dragging the body toward death. I cast an anxious look at his guardians, and one of them stepped forward. â€Å"Your Highness,† he said politely, â€Å"you need to go inside. It's too cold out here.† Victor nodded. â€Å"Yes, yes. And I'm sure Rose here wants to eat.† He turned to me. â€Å"Thank you for speaking to me. I can't emphasize how much it means to me that Vasilisa is safe – and that you helped with that. I'd promised her father I'd look after her if anything happened to him, and I felt like quite the failure when you left.† A sinking sensation filled my stomach as I imagined him wracked with guilt and worry over our disappearance. Until now, I hadn't really thought about how others might have felt about us leaving. We made our goodbyes, and I finally arrived inside the school. As I did, I felt Lissa's anxiety spike. Ignoring the pain in my legs, I picked up my pace into the commons. And nearly ran right into her. She didn't see me, though. Neither did the people standing with her: Aaron and that little doll girl. I stopped and listened, just catching the end of the conversation. The girl leaned toward Lissa, who seemed more stunned than anything else. â€Å"It looks to me like it came from a garage sale. I thought a precious Dragomir would have standards.† Scorn dripped off the word Dragomir. Grabbing Doll Girl by the shoulder, I jerked her away. She was so light, she stumbled three feet and nearly fell. â€Å"She does have standards,† I said, â€Å"which is why you're done talking to her.†

Chabros International Group: A World of Wood

The Chabros International Group started with fairly low-key beginnings in the late sixties, but has gradually become a respected name in a wealth of different timber markets. In particular, it has become a well-known wood and veneer supplier due to the relentless and often pioneering efforts of its president Antoine Chami, who has carefully built up a reputation for high quality products and exceptional service. The company employs more than 600 staff with an annual turnover of $100 million USD.Chabros is a leading producer and supplier of wood and veneer and a distributor of a wide range of interior and exterior products that have been specified and used in major high-end projects throughout the Middle East for over 40 years. With an aim to cater to the innovative needs of woodworking professionals, architects & interior designers as well as contractors, Chabros has established overseas production units and distribution points throughout the Middle East Region, targeting businesses that are in search for quality products and exceptional service.In addition to its strong presence of Lebanon, Chabros has always been devoted to expand its range of products to provide original and fresh design solutions to its customers. Chabros has also added a line of services to its current product offerings including veneer stitching & pressing, sanding, veneer finger jointing, parquet and exterior decking installation as well as teak yacht decking. Chabros is positioned as one of the market leading suppliers of Wood & Veneer with a large stock of wide range of products, exceptional service and unique expertise.The company’s success is driven by its loyal customers, their team and their unrelenting focus on delivering results by executing with excellence. In Lebanon, Chabros was one of the first to produce veneer products instead of solid wood because of its ecological and economical benefits. The company’s vision has always been to expand the business further in order to meet the industry’s demands and replenish the shortages that exist. However, due to the wars and political unrest in Lebanon, the company’s desire to expand was stifled somewhat until 1998 when it ventured into the GCC and could establish a branch in Dubai.In the midst of a growing global market, Chabros has established overseas production units and distribution points throughout the Middle East Region, targeting businesses that are in search for quality products and exceptional service. The company’s regional distribution centers are headquartered in Dubai covering a vast geographical area of supply. The Chabros International Group case studies how Chabros confronts a drastic drop in its largest subsidiary's sales after 2008's global economic crisis.Chami, the company’s owner and president, was reviewing his company's 2009 end-of-year financial statements and, in particular, a 30 per cent drop in sales in Dubai. In 2007, a year before the globa l economic crisis, Chami had invested more than $11 million to acquire and expand a sawmill in Serbia to meet Chabros's growing lumber sales demand. With a much higher capacity to produce lumber and a much lower probability to sell it, Chami had to decide what to do to overcome this challenge. Shocked, Chami went into crisis mode and consulted all of his top management to address these issues.Questions that were raised: Should he close parts of his Serbian sawmill? Should he try to boost his company's sales to use all of his sawmill's available capacity? If so, should Chabros try to increase sales within the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and Egypt or should it expand into a new country such as Algeria, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Syria, Tunisia? Would Morocco, among other countries, be the best country to expand into? Was it the right time to embark on such an expansion?The management also had explored different alternatives such as closing parts o f the Serbian sawmill and different strategies that they could follow if they decided to try grow the company’s sales. The future seemed so uncertain and the team did not know what to expect. It was clear that closing the Serbian sawmill was out of the question, mainly because the company had invested over $11 just less than two years ago. Closing that plant would put the company in a difficult financial situation as it invested for the long run.The company’s best alternative would be to continue operations in the Serbian sawmill and try to expand into other markets where such materials were in high demand. Prior to this, expansion, an extensive research would have to be conducted, particularly due to the crisis affecting many parts of the world. If Chabros was able to find an expanding market, they could continue operations in all of their sawmills. Another option would be to sell off either part of the operations or the entire sawmill.Both of these options would put them at a loss, however, it would be a better option than shutting the entire mill. Some of the strengths and competitive advantages, which Chabros International Group consisted of, were being simultaneously a manufacturer and a wholesaler, which gave them strategic flexibility. They understood and adapted to its Western suppliers and the Middle East and North Africa suppliers. Lebanese people are very adaptable due to their culture, which brought the main sawmill to a much greater advantage.Another strength which Chabros had, was providing its customers with more varied and customized wood products than most other competitors, which built distinctive relationships with its key suppliers. With strengths and advantages come disadvantages, which Chabros had as well. Being a lumber manufacturer put Chabros in the reverse situation and sometimes gave it a disadvantage compared to lumber wholesalers. This happened during the financial crisis, where euro reached an all time high of $1.55 and Chabro’s Russian supplier was able to sell at a lower price. A weak point where Chabros stands, is not working on their brand name. Although Chabros was operating in seven MENA countries, their name was not very well known, not to mention in its parent country, Lebanon. Through its affiliates all over the world, the company has established strategic alliances with mills in Africa, North and South America and Europe, which are responsible for sourcing, cooking, cutting, drying, grading and supplying the various wood products.In recent years, it has broadened its product lines to include new products such as mother-of-pearl laminates and Duroxill UF powder glue. The growth of the company means it has also extended its services, which have developed to include the production of lay-ons, veneered boards and parquetry designs through the use of various splicing, cutting and laser machines in its different locations. Chabros International Group: A World of Wood The Chabros International Group started with fairly low-key beginnings in the late sixties, but has gradually become a respected name in a wealth of different timber markets. In particular, it has become a well-known wood and veneer supplier due to the relentless and often pioneering efforts of its president Antoine Chami, who has carefully built up a reputation for high quality products and exceptional service. The company employs more than 600 staff with an annual turnover of $100 million USD.Chabros is a leading producer and supplier of wood and veneer and a distributor of a wide range of interior and exterior products that have been specified and used in major high-end projects throughout the Middle East for over 40 years. With an aim to cater to the innovative needs of woodworking professionals, architects & interior designers as well as contractors, Chabros has established overseas production units and distribution points throughout the Middle East Region, targeting businesses that are in search for quality products and exceptional service.In addition to its strong presence of Lebanon, Chabros has always been devoted to expand its range of products to provide original and fresh design solutions to its customers. Chabros has also added a line of services to its current product offerings including veneer stitching & pressing, sanding, veneer finger jointing, parquet and exterior decking installation as well as teak yacht decking. Chabros is positioned as one of the market leading suppliers of Wood & Veneer with a large stock of wide range of products, exceptional service and unique expertise.The company’s success is driven by its loyal customers, their team and their unrelenting focus on delivering results by executing with excellence. In Lebanon, Chabros was one of the first to produce veneer products instead of solid wood because of its ecological and economical benefits. The company’s vision has always been to expand the business further in order to meet the industry’s demands and replenish the shortages that exist. However, due to the wars and political unrest in Lebanon, the company’s desire to expand was stifled somewhat until 1998 when it ventured into the GCC and could establish a branch in Dubai.In the midst of a growing global market, Chabros has established overseas production units and distribution points throughout the Middle East Region, targeting businesses that are in search for quality products and exceptional service. The company’s regional distribution centers are headquartered in Dubai covering a vast geographical area of supply. The Chabros International Group case studies how Chabros confronts a drastic drop in its largest subsidiary's sales after 2008's global economic crisis.Chami, the company’s owner and president, was reviewing his company's 2009 end-of-year financial statements and, in particular, a 30 per cent drop in sales in Dubai. In 2007, a year before the globa l economic crisis, Chami had invested more than $11 million to acquire and expand a sawmill in Serbia to meet Chabros's growing lumber sales demand. With a much higher capacity to produce lumber and a much lower probability to sell it, Chami had to decide what to do to overcome this challenge. Shocked, Chami went into crisis mode and consulted all of his top management to address these issues.Questions that were raised: Should he close parts of his Serbian sawmill? Should he try to boost his company's sales to use all of his sawmill's available capacity? If so, should Chabros try to increase sales within the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and Egypt or should it expand into a new country such as Algeria, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Syria, Tunisia? Would Morocco, among other countries, be the best country to expand into? Was it the right time to embark on such an expansion?The management also had explored different alternatives such as closing parts o f the Serbian sawmill and different strategies that they could follow if they decided to try grow the company’s sales. The future seemed so uncertain and the team did not know what to expect. It was clear that closing the Serbian sawmill was out of the question, mainly because the company had invested over $11 just less than two years ago. Closing that plant would put the company in a difficult financial situation as it invested for the long run.The company’s best alternative would be to continue operations in the Serbian sawmill and try to expand into other markets where such materials were in high demand. Prior to this, expansion, an extensive research would have to be conducted, particularly due to the crisis affecting many parts of the world. If Chabros was able to find an expanding market, they could continue operations in all of their sawmills. Another option would be to sell off either part of the operations or the entire sawmill.Both of these options would put them at a loss, however, it would be a better option than shutting the entire mill. Some of the strengths and competitive advantages, which Chabros International Group consisted of, were being simultaneously a manufacturer and a wholesaler, which gave them strategic flexibility. They understood and adapted to its Western suppliers and the Middle East and North Africa suppliers. Lebanese people are very adaptable due to their culture, which brought the main sawmill to a much greater advantage.Another strength which Chabros had, was providing its customers with more varied and customized wood products than most other competitors, which built distinctive relationships with its key suppliers. With strengths and advantages come disadvantages, which Chabros had as well. Being a lumber manufacturer put Chabros in the reverse situation and sometimes gave it a disadvantage compared to lumber wholesalers.This happened during the financial crisis, where euro reached an all time high of $1.55 a nd Chabro’s Russian supplier was able to sell at a lower price. A weak point where Chabros stands, is not working on their brand name. Although Chabros was operating in seven MENA countries, their name was not very well known, not to mention in its parent country, Lebanon. Through its affiliates all over the world, the company has established strategic alliances with mills in Africa, North and South America and Europe, which are responsible for sourcing, cooking, cutting, drying, grading and supplying the various wood products.In recent years, it has broadened its product lines to include new products such as mother-of-pearl laminates and Duroxill UF powder glue. The growth of the company means it has also extended its services, which have developed to include the production of lay-ons, veneered boards and parquetry designs through the use of various splicing, cutting and laser machines in its different locations.

Counseling Liza

Joe understands Liza’s theme or belief that she has a problem with her boyfriend. It is not a life theme seeing as Liza’s problems with her boyfriend are recent and ongoing events. Besides, the frustration that she feels is her moodiness in the face of the problematic situation. However, if Liza expresses the belief that â€Å"All men are obnoxious,† Joe may rightfully conclude that it is a life theme that his client is expressing; and that, in fact, she is having a problem with her boyfriend because of a core belief.In order to deal with Liza’s stuck pattern of repeating the same story about her problem with her boyfriend, Joe should use both education and hypothesizing in his counseling sessions with Liza. It is clear that Liza would like to find a way out of her problem with her boyfriend. Regardless of whether she would like to continue her relationship with her boyfriend or not, Joe should provide his client with literature concerned with her particul ar patterns.Bibliotherapy in the area of relationship patterns should help Liza understand her own patterns. Furthermore, Joe should complement the education with hypothesizing by asking questions that would allow Liza to speak her mind and thereby understand her situation better. To allow Liza to hypothesize, Joe should ask her questions after she has spoken her automatic thoughts.If Liza claims about her boyfriend, â€Å"He always does that,† referring to problem behavior on the part of her boyfriend; Joe should follow up with the question, â€Å"Why do you think he does that? † Such questions would allow Liza to truly understand the situation that she is faced with. Moreover, her education as part of the therapeutic process would add to her insight, allowing her to eventually leave the problem pattern that she must work her way out of with the help of the counselor.

Analysis Of Ancient Egyptian History History Essay

Analysis Of Ancient Egyptian History History Essay Ancient Egypt was known as the’Cradle of Civilization’. Egyptian civilization is a gift of the Nile River that flows from the northern part of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. The river nile was the longest river that located in the Northern Africa. According to historian, Egypt was the second and the oldest civilization in the world that was formed about 3000 B.C.E. The Egypt remains a very interesting history in terms of culture, religion, agriculture, powerful government, their economy, construction of buildings like the pyramids and so forth. Historically, Egypt is an old civilization that ruled by the 30 dynasty of pharaohs in 3100 B.C.E and 332 B.C.E , which it has been divided into the three most major time periods in Egypt, those kingdoms were; the Old kingdom, Middle kingdom and New kingdom. The history of timeline of Ancient Egypt Historians also have divided the time period of ancient Egyptian history to some of the period. The following periods were: Prehist oric ( – 3100 BCE), Early Dynastic Period ( 3000 – 2686), Old Kingdom ( 3000 – 2890), First Intermediate Period (2181 -2055), Middle Kingdom (2055-1650), Second Intermediate Period (1650-1550), New Kingdom (1550 – 1069), Third Intermediate Period (1069 – 664) and Late Period (664 – 332) Pharaoh The King of Egypt was called as Pharaoh, which in other words, â€Å"greatest house†. Pharaoh had absolute power over Egypt and is fully entitled. In the reign of the pharaoh, the Egyptians believed in the existence of God, where the pharaoh considered as god. Pharaoh is not only a political leader that was exalted by the society of Egypt, but he is also regarded as a religious leader as well. Social Organization Position of women Women have a unique status in the Egyptian civilization as it has its own rights. Women role is very important ancient Egypt as the wife and mother, and also its position has been considered precious. In the royal fam ily, the ancient Egyptian women not only became the wife of a pharaoh, or a god, but will become the mother of the pharaoh. Pharaoh could have more than one wife. Religion and beliefs of ancient Egypt Ancient Egyptian civilization is known as a religious center, as evidenced by the discovery of monuments and temples of the religious nature of ancient Egyptian society and beliefs. The Egyptian believed that the world was dominated by many gods to determine life and death of a life, which was also called as trust in polytheism. Each of the Egyptian god often associated with the natural elements such as Re (sun god), Ra-Atum (God’s Heaven) and Amun (Wind God). The Egytian worship the ‘spirit’ where it is believed to help them obtaining the benefits and avoid misfortune or natural disaster. For instance, the Egyptian society worships ‘plant spirit’ to get a good crop. Pharaoh was deemed to be the descendants of God, and because of these, Pharaoh regarded as the great god and has the right to do anything for the Egyptian society. Ancient Egyptian society believes that there is life after death. For them, the person who died will live again in the hereafter. Thus, they preserve bodies (mummification) and build a huge pyramid to keep the mummy of the pharaoh. Pyramid is considered as a meditative spirit, used to store treasures, such as the property of the pharaoh. Food and furniture are also stored in the pyramids because they believed that by doing so the spirit will live in the hereafter.ListenRead phoneticallyListen

Evaluation of demand price elasticity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Evaluation of demand price elasticity - Essay Example The consideration which we pay for a product at a certain quantity is called the price of the product. When we talk of the product price, we mean market price. That is the price at which the product is sold to all buyers in the market. The quantity of a product that we purchase at a certain price is called the demand of the product.The price of a product and its quantity demanded are closely related in the sense that each of these has a bearing on another. When one of these two changes, the other also tends to change. This tendency is very well described by what is popularly known as Law of Demand. The law of Demand is a general law which need not be applicable in all situations. In certain situations, this law seems to be unrealistic. The Law of Demand states that when the price increases, the quantity demanded decreases and vice versa, other things remaining the same. The phrase 'other things remain the same' is an important one that it portrays the exceptions of Law of Demand. The Law of Demand, therefore, postulates the direction of change in one variable (price or quantity) due to the change in other variable. The law is silent about the magnitude of change; it talks only about the direction of change in one variable due to a change in another variable. It does not talk anything about the degree by which demand changes as a result of a change in price. Here lies the importance of Elasticity of Demand. This concept tells us the extent to which demand increases or decreases owing to a decrease or increase in price. Therefore, Law of Demand is a qualitative measurement whereas Elasticity of Demand is a quantitative measurement. Research Methodology At this juncture, the present research study is an attempt to analyze and evaluate the price elasticity phenomenon with the support of an empirically collected data on a certain product and its substitutes. The research is basically a qualitative one that analyzes the data to arrive at logical conclusions. The research uses observation method for data collection as the recorded data alone are sufficient. The data are collected directly by approaching three shops at different places (City I, City II and City III-for convenience) in the New York City. The demand elasticity is evaluated over a period of twelve months, which is segregated into four periods of three months each. The price variations of selected brands over this period are collected and the quantity sold during the same period is compared with that of the other two locations. Therefore, the study takes into account the price of the selected products and their quantity sold (demand) during a period of 1 year, which later co mpared with that of same brands from two shops each in other two locations. Unit of the study Three similar products with different brands from one shop constitute the units of study. For comparison, two more shops at different places in New York City are located and similar three brands are taken from each of the two shops. Therefore, altogether the product range is nine of three different brands. The three brands from City I form the units of study about which the price elasticity of demand is evaluated in comparison with similar brands from City II and City III. Data Collection The present study relies heavily on secondary data. Primary data are not supposed to be collected as the study depends upon the recorded fact such as price, quality and demand (quantity sold). Data are collected directly by approaching shops from three shops. Observation method is also applied to assess the quality of the products. The printed price less any discount form the price of the products and demand data are collected from the records of the concerned shops. The study is