A Story About Courage Essay

Waking up in the morning to birds chirping and the warm summer breeze is almost impossible when you live in the heart of New York City, well it is for me at least. My name is Sandy Collins, I’m your typical teenage girl. I like going out with my friends, having slumber parties, and going shopping. I moved from Texas to New York City a month and a half ago. The moment I stepped out of the car I instantly loved the change. It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy living in Texas, but now living in New York felt like it made much more sense. As a child I did everything with my dad. Biking, fishing, rollerblading, you name it. I, Sandy Collins has done it. My dad always said he wanted a better life for me then what he had, he sure meant it. Back when I was almost eleven years old my parents got a divorce, great birthday present, huh? At first when I’d walk into the room where my parents would be arguing, they’d pretend they were only talking loud of some sort. But as the months went by, they didn’t even noticed when I’d enter the room. Soon after that my mom filed for a divorce, leaving me in the middle. It was hard to cope with it to begin with, but soon after that I realized I had no part in what happened. Now four years later here I am making the decision to move in with my dad. When I first mentioned moving to New York to my mom, her reaction was absolutely no. After mentioning it a few more times, giving her a month or two, she finally realized that I should be able to make my own decisions because in the end it’d make me happier. Now five months after, BAM! New York City here I come. The twelve hour drive was definitely the worst road trip, bonding time, or whatever my mom would wish to call it. She came up with a clever idea to shove me, my seven year old brother Ricky, my stepfather Joe, and herself in our beat up Toyota Tercel and take on the task to drive us all the way to New York for the last bonding time she’ll have with me in a long time. Not to mention we’re in the month of July. â€Å"Sweetie would you like something to eat? † mom said shaking my shoulder. I’d fallen asleep three hours into the drive. We ordered from the nearest fast food place, Mcdondalds, filling all our hungry appetites. After about ten hours I became so bored I started to play with the lose thread on my shirt. I could tell Ricky wasn’t having any more fun then I was considering he was opening and closing the screen of his Nintendo DS over and over and over again. The traffic became agony, there’s no doubt that you could put your car in park for five minutes and no would notice. Finally after hours of traffic we arrived at the house. Dad had just walked out the front door waving and smiling. â€Å"Dad! † I exclaimed while giving him a giant bear hug. â€Å"Hi hunny, I’m so glad you’re here. Dad said smiling. â€Å"Nice place you got here† Joe said examining it with his eyes. We’ve never been to dad’s place before, he’d always come to Texas to visit on special occasions and my birthday’s. â€Å"Now you be good, call whenever you have the time and no late night walks, New York is very different then back home. † Mom said. She kept going on until she had run out of things to say. â€Å"Okay, Okay mom. See you at thanksgiving, love you. † I said giving her a hug. I realized after saying that, that made her take-in how long it’d be until we’d see each other again. After saying goodbye to everyone I knew I’d miss each and everyone back home in Texas terribly but I had a feeling this was a change for the better. What we had left of the day, dad decided it’d be a good idea to show me around the neighbourhood. â€Å"Your hair is so straight and black now† dad said. â€Å"Yeah, I coloured it a few months ago. I thought it was time for some change, like moving here. † I said smiling. For the next month dad and I went fishing, rollerblading, shopping, and all the other things we used to do when mom and he were together. I even met a new friend, Paige. She’s the neighbour’s daughter; she told me we’d be attending the same school together up the street when school re-opens in two weeks. The next day we arranged to go shopping. â€Å"Hey dad, would it be okay if I go shopping with Paige today? † I said. â€Å"Sure hunny, I have to run a few errands and do some grocery shopping anyway, so I’ll drop you two off at the mall. † Dad said, smiling as always. Paige is so nice and out-going to be around. My friends in Texas were more down-to-earth. We would still go places and what not, but Paige’s personality screams fun. â€Å"We need to spice up your wardrobe, all of your out-fits are too toned down for NYC. † Paige said, trying on a vintage pair of black boots. After a couple of hours of shopping, we grabbed something to eat and went home. Home I kept thinking. I like it here, being with my dad made me so much happier. Walking down the busy streets of New York with the sound of cars honking, people shouting for taxis, bargainers trying to sell you their no more than $5 junk, was now what I got to call home. Oddly I loved it. When I got home I took my shopping bags to my room and headed downstairs to watch T. V while waiting on my dad to come home and make dinner. As I reached for the television remote the phone rang. â€Å"Hello, may I speak to Mr. Collins? † â€Å"He’s not home at the moment; would you like me to take a message? † â€Å"Sure, is this Ms. Collins? † â€Å"Yes it is. † I said, realizing soon after this person was probably referring to Ms. Collins as if I was my dad’s wife. A moment before I was about to correct myself, the person started speaking again. Oh, hi Ms. Collins, this is Tom’s doctor, Dr. Lee. Unfortunately I have to break the bad news to you; Tom’s cancer results have come in positive. He has cancer in his right lung and it’s too late to attempt to cure it. I’m extremely sorry to tell you this way; Tom’s appointment was re-scheduled in two weeks from now when school re-opens, he cancelled the appointment scheduled for today knowing he’d want to spend as much time with your daughter arriving from Texas before school started. When I got the results, knowing Tom for so long, I wanted him to know as soon as possible. † I didn’t know what to do, I held the phone to my ear ready to reply but my mind went blank. Eventually I replied and hung up the phone. Did I really just hear that? No, it couldn’t be. My dad couldn’t have cancer, he just couldn’t. Who am I kidding!? His doctor called for god sakes, I just didn’t want to believe it. Moments later my dad walked in the front door. â€Å"Hi hunny. † He said smiling.

Analysis of Kraft’s Takeover of Cadbury

Analysis of Krafts Takeover of Cadbury Overview Of Both Companies Cadbury’s origins date back to almost two centuries when it was founded by John Cadbury who started the business by selling cocoa and tea in Birmingham, UK. Later he expanded by starting a line of beverages after a merger with Indian Schweppes changing the company name to Cadbury Schweppes (Chinn 1998). Successful product developments and launches have enabled Cadbury to boast of an extensive confectionary line consisting of Cocoa Essence, Easter Eggs,Milk Chocolate, Cadbury Fingers, Dairy Milk, BournevilleChocolate, Milk Tray, Flake Creme Egg, Crunchie, Picnic, Curly windy, Wispa boost, Twirl and Time Out (Cadbury 2010). Kraft, on the other hand, is a US company about a century old, which started off as a door to door cheese business but expanded into other confectionary items through many takeovers previously such as Ritz Crackers, Nabisco (Oreos) and Phenix Cheese Corporation (Philadelphia Cheese) to achieve success (Smith 2009). It is second in terms of sales and popularity in the confectionary industry with annual revenues of $42 billion, operating in more than 150 countries (Kraft 2008). The Idea Of A Takeover Due to recessionary times following fall in sales, many companies in the confectionary industry recognized the potential of merging with their competitors to become competitive and enjoy economies of scale (Mauboussin, 2010). Cadbury had continued to be a strong performer in the confectionary industry and shown steady performance and growth in light of the turbulent economic times. Much of Cadbury’s growth was due to its presence in emerging global markets. Kraft was attracted to Cadbury due its strong performance during the economic crisis. This led to Kraft’s proposal to Cadbury of a takeover. The initial offering of $16.3 billion or 740pence per share by Kraft to Cadbury was outright rejected as derisory and an attempt by Kraft to take over Cadbury for cheap. Cadbury has had strong brands whose ico ns are etched in the minds all over the world, an impressive category line and extensive worldwide consumer base. Successful financial overview and steady business model reinforced Cadbury’s belief that it should be an independent company. Kraft’s bid did not come remotely close to reflecting the company’s true worth. Kraft proposed another bid shortly: This comprised of an offer of  £10.1 billion ($17 billion, same terms as the first bid in September-300 pence in cash and 0.2589 Kraft shares per Cadbury shares. The closing price of 9th November reflected the bid valuation of Cadbury at 710 pence which was lower than the share price of 761p on that day. Kraft’s share price: $26.53; Exchange rate (as agreed): $1.66 / GBP. Ratio: 0.2589 Kraft shares per every Cadbury share (26.53/1.66 * 0.2589 =  £ 4.133 + 4.13 =  £ 7.13).This was less than the price of Cadbury on that day and even the initial level of  £ 7.45. Cadbury rejected the offer on the basi s of undervalued Cadbury which was now of a lesser value. It was in fact even lower than the current Cadbury share price. The Cadbury chairman said:â€Å"Under your proposal, Cadbury would be absorbed into Kraft’s low growth, conglomerate business model, an unappealing prospect which contrasts sharply with our strategy to be a pure play confectionery company.†

Buying Stuff Online and How Your Credit Card is You Essay

Buying Stuff Online and How Your Credit Card is You - Essay Example That said, there are issues with credit, including the fact that credit is often abused and there is also the risk of identity theft. That said, since credit is inextricably bound with the rise of consumerism, credit is very important to society and is not likely to recede anytime soon. This paper will explain how consumerism came about, how globalization and online purchasing has changed how people buy stuff and use credit, and what the dangers are of credit. Evolution of the Economy The economy has been evolving continually, from a period of time before mass production, to mass production, to globalization. The economic realities during the 19th Century, before the advent of mass production, was that a Puritan ethos prevailed. This means that housing was sparse, money was not spent on non-necessities, such as jewelry, eating and drinking well, and fine clothing (Bocock, 2000, p. 8). This all changed with Henry Ford. Henry Ford was the father of consumerism, because, under Ford, wor kers were paid better. Because workers were paid better, they had more purchasing power. Because workers had more purchasing power, there was more demand for products. Consumerism was the result of this cycle (Gabriel & Yang, 1995). Suddenly, it was not just the rich who were able to consume products which were non-necessities, but everybody could (Gabriel & Yang, 1995, p. 10). ... This changed by the middle of the twentieth century, however, in that, by this time, only one third of a British family's income was spent on food (Gabriel & Yang, 1995, p. 12). With mass production came branding, and the individual's desire to purchase products with labels and designers. This was because mass production meant that similar goods were flooding the marketplace. Companies had to stand out amongst the competition. This was the beginning of competitive branding, as different designers and labels emerged, and these designers and labels lent an air of prestige to the products. For example, designers such as Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger made names for themselves, and they were able to charge a premium for their products, because their products carried this extra prestige (Klein, 2000, p. 6). Gender issues emerged during this period. The men were busy making money, and the women were busy spending the money, so the women were the ones that the marketers targeted in the era of consumerism that predated the rise of feminism (Kacen, 2000, p. 347). This all changed in the post-modern society, as consumption became a part of everyone's identity, both male and female. In the post-modern society, according to Kacen (2000), people constructed their identity with brands, figuring out who they are by the brands that they buy. The person's identity became fluid, as the person might go from being a punk, preferring to buy products that would go along with that image, and then the same person might choose a look that is more of a preppy image, and buy products that suit that image. Brands play a part in this identity construction, as well, because certain brands are popular with different segments of society, so choosing certain

Nursing Leadership In Global Healthcare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nursing Leadership In Global Healthcare - Essay Example   I relate to many leaders in my nursing field. Most of them have different ways in which they lead their teams depending on their personalities and the work experience they have in the nursing field. One of the leaders who I have interacted very well is my nurse leader. She has worked for 10 years in this field and I believe she has the best experience. She has good leadership skills, something that makes her the best team leader. She is hardworking, a good communicator, responsible, confident, honest, good team player, the good mentor, open minded, reliable resource, goal oriented and courageous. However, these attributes and behaviors can be considered either as positive or negative depending on when and how they are applied. I can say that my nursing leader is very flexible in her work. She can integrate new ideas into the team and how some measures can be taken to ensure that the best outputs are produced. This is a good show of how a good nursing leader should perform. Flexib ility in nursing is encouraged because through this attribute, many types of research are done and solutions for many nursing problems are identified (Barr & Dowding, 2012). New techniques and procedure are emerging due to this creativity in the nursing field. These techniques and procedures are then used to replace the traditional ways of problem-solving. Therefore, flexibility in leadership is a positive attribute because it leads to innovations that are used to improve the health sectors in the world.  ... She is never influenced by how other members think about the issue but she gives what she thinks is right. Nurses are encouraged to honest in their work. This is because honesty will make them work very well with their team members. One of the fields that each nurse leader must be honest is the financial issues. This is a very sensitive part in nursing and each leader must give the honest arguments just in case must matters arise on it. Any dishonesty might cause very many problems to the nurse leader in charge. However, it is very important for every nurse leader to be honest (Barr & Dowding, 2012). On the other hand, I think honesty in rare occasional can be a negative attribute. This is because some truth can harm the team members who are opposing some issues. For example, some promises can be to the team members and later, the fulfillment delays. Nurse leader will have to use some tricks to make the other members believe on the reasons they are given (Ivanov & Blue, 2007). Theref ore, honesty can be a negative attribute but in a very small degree. She is a very hard working person. Her experience as a nurse leader, she got all the strength and ways in which she can manipulate others in doing the work. She always leads the team on the work to be accomplished. She is a goal getter and everything she starts must be completed with good results. She gives us tasks to do and always encourages every to give the best. This is a positive attribute of nurse leader. This attribute maximizes the work productions and makes the other members to work hard since the leader acts as the role model to them. Through her confidence, she is able to do many tasks that can be hard to other people in the team. Sometimes, she gives very difficult tasks to

DQ2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

DQ2 - Essay Example It was Goffee and Jones who considered the fact that, there are never-ending assortments of leaders and managers moreover no individual can immediately imitate a different leader or a different manager. Accordingly the dare facing the potential leaders and managers is for them to maintain their true personalities with a lot more polished skills. Which is why, individually they would need to formulate their own approach towards successful leadership and managers (Goffee, 2000). Will set a track or else visualization that others pursue, without taking into account the fact as to how this fresh direction is going to be accomplished. There are individuals then within the group who have to try real hard to complete the picture, a lot of effort is then required on their behalf. In this case the individual will be able to administer the resources in order to preserve the position or else make sure things go on in line with the previously recognized tactics. E.g.: a cricket match umpire supervises the game, however does not generally endow with leadership for the reason that there is no fresh alteration, no novel direction. Moreover the umpire is scheming resources to make sure that the rules of the game are ensued also position is preserved. In a situation where both exist, it would imply mutually the establishing of new paths along with administering the resources to accomplish it. E.g. A recently nominated leader otherwise a premier. It is quite possible that an individual might be an effective leader but not an effective manager. In this case, the manager or the leader would somehow make sure that there work goals are met, but they would not be able to accomplish anything in total. Experts also believe that all human beings have sometimes both the traits. The efficiency of the management comes into play here, when they need to recruit an individual and then work upon his skills to polish

Nursing shortage and current Problem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nursing shortage and current Problem - Essay Example It is estimated that by 2010, the shortage in nursing cadres will touch 12 percent. It is also estimated that by 2010, the age of 40 percent of the nursing workforce will be above 50 years (GAO, 2001). According to an AP/Denver report, the long standing shortage of nurses is expected to worsen in next seven years (as cited in Medical News Today, 2009). The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that by 2016, the number of additional jobs opening annually, in nursing, would be 233,000 (ibid). The Health Resources and Services Administration points out the country will run short of one million nurses by 2020 (Vu, 2008). Only the New York state would be requiring 10, 0000 additional nurses by 2020 (Gillibrand, 2009). Buerhaus also points out that by 2025, the shortage of nurses could hit the figure of 500,000 (as cited in Durnham, 2009). The problem is going to aggravate with the aging of baby boomers. The shortage will not end without extensive RN wage and graduation growth every year for at least the next ten years (Livsey, Campbell and Green, 2006). Although hospitals and other health care organizations have experienced nursing shortages over the past 50 years, the most recent shortage, which began in 1998, seems to be the most long lasting (Buerhaus, Staiger, & Auerbach, 2004, p 176). According to Haebler (as cited in Vu, 2008), too, the current shortage predicted long ago by specialists in the health care field is the worst. According to AP, even the allure of good salary packets is not attracting the required number of candidates into the profession (Medical News Today, 2009). At this point, 2.5 million registered nurses, 82.5 percent of whom are employed as nurses, make the largest working group in the healthcare profession (Peterson, 2001). Since they constitute the largest group in healthcare providers, the national health care system is heavily dependent upon them (GAO, 2001). And, thus,

Dream Interpretation in Psychoanalysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dream Interpretation in Psychoanalysis - Essay Example Early in his career, Freud postulated a descriptive categorization of the human psyche into the conscious, the preconscious, and the unconscious. The first of these refers to what is actively part of someone's immediate awareness, the second to what can actively be called to the conscious state, and the last refers to subjects present in the mind which cannot be called into the conscious. This last division contains desires or memories hidden in the psyche which cause one to act, think or feel in a certain manner that they are not able to explain in a rational way. Freud further divides these unconscious 'triggers' into instincts, drives which relate to meeting or ignoring basic human needs, and developmental drives, which are a reaction to social behavior learned from one's parents or environment. By the 1920's, Freud's research evolved into a structural model of the mind, in which he divides the psyche into the id, the ego, and the superego. The id operates on the "pleasure princip le", which seeks to gratify the most immediate desires of a small child. At the opposite end of the model is the superego, which is a human's conscience, containing all of the rules and regulations learned as acceptable to society. Between the two is the ego, or the conscious mind, which interprets the reality of the outside world and how best to operate in satiating the needs of the id. The ego frequently serves as the battleground when the superego rushes to prohibit a desire of the id that clashes with acceptable parameters of social conduct. When such conflict occurs, the ego and superego frequently collaborate unconsciously to repress the desire. Freud believed that the root of most neurotic illnesses lay in this repression. Used as a defense mechanism, repression occurs when an individual tries to avoid an interior conflict by pretending that the desire itself does not exist. When this occurs, the desire does not disappear, but instead remains in the unconscious part of the mind. Here it retains its instinctual strength and the energy manifests itself in other guises: most often in neurotic symptoms, unconscious 'slips of the tongue' when speaking, or in dreams. Furthermore, by repressing the desire to the unconscious, one relinquishes control: the symptoms cannot be alleviated and the repression will not allow the initial instinct to be brought into the conscious mind. By extending Freud's theory of dream manifestations into psychoanalysis, dreams are extremely flexible in the manner with which they can be interpreted. Dreams allow the unconscious to satisfy unfulfilled desires, by allowing 'latent' issues to manifest in the 'real' content of the dream world. Two of the most frequently interpreted methods by which repressed issues surface in dreams are defined by the terms displacement and condensation. When something in a dream causes a disproportionate emotional response, it is because the seemingly unimportant matter is a symbol of a much deeper personal interest. In this manner, when an individual recalls a trivial matter from a dream much more distinctly than the overall elements of the dream, the minor thing is a manifest representation of a deeper trouble. For instance, a dream involving a small dog constantly yipping could be indicative of an