Favorite Restuarant Essay Example for Free

Favorite Restuarant Essay Every year for my birthday we go out as a family to my favorite restaurant, Benihana! For those of you that are ready to have a good time with family or friends this place is definitely the place to go, but it is best to book a reservation ahead of time it isn’t a secret to society. Benihana is an all-time favorite restaurant of mine, with great location, unforgettable entertainment and an excellent menu choice. Benihana is an all-time favorite restaurant of mine because it is located in the heart of downtown, in the midst of all the city lights and city life. When we go to Benihana we park around the block and get a horse carriage to take us to the door. Parking is free the carriage is extra. This is an excellent idea for any special occasion or just a date night on the town. The location is convenient to any of the major freeways (I-45, I-10 and 59). Aside from the location, Benihana is an excellent place to go for a fun filled night of entertainment. I can assure anyone that after an experience at the original Benihana it will be easy to see why I am declaring it to be my favorite restaurant. Benihana has unforgettable entertainment from the moment you walk in. Walking into the restaurant the guest will be greeted by the amazing aroma of some of the best food, laughter and fun for all! The server will take drink orders from each guest and when they come to bring the drink orders, the fun decorated souvenir glass starts out as a unique conversational piece, as the cook prepares the table for even more unforgettable entertainment. At Benihana the food is not only cooked its choreographed. The chefs will have you craving for more as they slice and dice and chop your meal before your eyes, very skilled and trained, in the art of entertainment or â€Å"eater-tainment† as they call it themselves. Each table’s personal chef will perform a uniquely amazing presentation as they cook each guest personal favorites. Everything is cooked right in front of the guest on a Japanese style on a hibachi table. The best entertainment is the entertainment your taste buds get from the outstanding menu. The menu has anything from sushi to steak. Everything is fresh no frozen, no canned, no additives! Each guest will be brought a hot towel to clean their hands. Then served a hot onion soup, as well a huge favorite to many; the salad with the Benihana dressing over the top! You can use chop sticks or the regular silver ware, it’s fun to learn how to use chop sticks, and in case you may not know how to use them, the server will be glad to give quick, fun lessons! One of my personal favorite items from the menu is the â€Å"Sea and Meadow† or better known as steak and shrimp, is served to perfection with vegies, fried rice and sauteed bean sprouts over extra more shrimp. Anything from the menu is to die for and all ranges in price from $10. 75-19. 95 not bad for steak, chicken, and shrimp, or lobster and scallops. Don’t forget to order dessert from the menu, maybe a tempura banana or rainbow sherbet. After dessert the guest have had the most memorable night in a while entertained and full to the brim. For those looking for a new favorite restaurant I would recommend Benihana or even if you are just looking for something outside the norm, or maybe a special someone is having a birthday or anniversary, this is definitely a restaurant that will leave the guest wanting to come back time and time again. Benihana is conveniently located in the heart of downtown, it’s full of surprises, and extreme diner entertainment and everything on the menu is delicious and healthy! Book your reservations and enjoy the experience that will leave a lasting memory and bring home some uniquely designed souvenir cups.

Lloyds Tsb A Retail Bank In The Uk Marketing Essay

Lloyds Tsb A Retail Bank In The Uk Marketing Essay Lloyds TSB is a retail bank in the U Kingdom. It was started in year 1995 by the merger of Lloyds Bank. Lloyds TSB has an wide network of branches and cash machines across United Kingdom and offers 24-hour telephone and online banking services. Now it has 16 million customers, and business accounts. Lloyds TSB Vision: The vision Lloyds TSB is to be the one of best financial services bank in the UK. Lloyds TSB is well known for the customer relationships. Lloyds TSB is mainly focused on the customer satisfaction and their interests better than any other competitors. Lloyds TSB Mission Statement: To make Lloyds TSB the best company in the financial services industry a great place for staff to work and a great place for customers to do business. (Sir Win Bischoff, Chairman) Lloyds TSB Goals: Growing Lloyds TSB as the Number one position in the banking sector. Attracting the customers with new policys. Increasing the customer of the bank. Lloyds TSB Objectives: Developing a good customer relationship between the customers. Increase customer service in order to meet customer needs. Improving services and quality according to the competitors. Lloyds TSB Strategies in year 2005: Strategy is a broad based formula for how business is going to compete, what its goals should be and what polices will be needed to carry out those goals. The essence of formulating competitive strategy is relating a company to its environment. In 2003 they developed customer relationship programmes to deliver higher revenues per customer in the retail market and according to their press releases this strategy seems to be working Our customer satisfaction scores hit record highs in 2005, again reflecting the improvement programmes established over the last couple of years, and we will continue to drive further improvements as we seek to differentiate our service performance against that of our Competitors.  [1]   Lloyds TSB say they are committed to achieving top performance in both effectiveness and efficiency. Effectiveness is the ability to recruit, develop and retain loyal customers who think of us first for their next financial services need. Efficiency is the ability to provide service and sales at a lower cost so that we can give our customers better value. We believe that in order to achieve our goal we must be customer rather than product centric.  [2]   Target customer current account recruitment increased by 28 per cent, compared with 2004.  [3]   Producing new offers to the customers. Providing new services and adding quality to the existing products. In order to compete with the existing competitors Lloyds TSB providing internet banking service in order to become a high performance organisation Lloyds TSB uses Flawless execution that mainly develops relationships with customers. Identifying the customer needs and solving their problems by using advanced technologies. Critical Evaluation Strategic Analysis: Melville, N. et al. (2004) defined the value of information technology in the organizations as the organizational performance impacts of information technology at both the intermediate process level and the organization-wide level, and comprising both efficiency impacts and competitive impacts. If the information technology has been utilized efficiently. It will add value to the organization itself. Brooks, B (2003) suggested that adding value to the business meant extending the ranger of products; reducing the cost; improving the quality of the services and products and so on. There are a lot of ways for the organizations to choose to add value for themselves; but it seems that IT strategy has been widely used in the modern business environment. The strategy plan established for Lloyds TSB has been created after undertaking a through serious issues about the business and the environmental. The strategic plan that implemented by the organisation can move forward with a sense of direction, purpose and urgency. The strategic plan implemented by the TSB exists to achieve some degree of sustainable competitive advantage. Strategic planning as suggested by (Robson 1997) highlights that strategic planning turns a organisations vision into concrete achievable. It describes the initiatives that will achieve the vision in ways deemed consistent with the organisation, its assumed market and the competitive environment. Strategy plan plays an important in developing the organisation and also it involve in the creation of new and lasting competitive advantages and the development of new products and services. It is important whilst strategy making that innovation and dynamism is concurrently endeavoured for as suggested by (Porter 1987) The strategy plan Lloyds TSB is to achieve their vision followed by their mission and goals. The goals specifies how the organisation will get back in to the market leadership. The vision of the organisation will improve the innovation and dynamic approaches towards the market. All the strategies that are implemented by the Lloyds TSB are to tackle the complex situations. How ever all these strategies that developed by the Lloyds TSB are to remain the competition in the financial market. Appendix 1 Table 1 ROE and P/E of UK retail Banks: Recent Return on Equity (ROE) and Price Earnings Ratio (P/E) figures comparing Lloyds against RBS and two of the other top 4 UK retail banks shows: U.K. Bank TTM Ratios ROE P/E* Lloyds TSB Group plc 22.1 13.9 HSBC Holdings plc (NYSE: HBC) 15.9 16.9 Barclays plc (NYSE: BCS) 18.8 14.6 Royal Bank of Scotland 13.0 12.4 *Data provided by Capital IQ, a division of Standard Poors. P/E numbers reported on a normalized basis to adjust for the impact of extraordinary items  [4]   Table 2 CAPM of top 5 UK Retail Banks: Bank Beta Rf Rm CAPM Equity Market Value HBOS 0.9355 4.43% 7.5% 7.30%  £38.88bn HSBC 0.6485 4.43% 7.5% 6.42%  £111.82bn Lloyds TSB 0.9694 4.43% 7.5% 7.40%  £30.14bn Barclays 1.1525 4.43% 7.5% 7.97%  £43.23bn Alliance Leicester 0.6556 4.43% 7.5% 6.44%  £4.92bn RBS 0.8669 4.43% 7.5% 7.09%  £59.07bn Rf = 4.43% currently for Treasury Bills, Rm = 7.5% currently for FTSE 100 return. I have chosen to use the FTSE 100 rate of return because all 6 companies are listed as being in the top ten largest listed UK companies by equity market value and should therefore give a more accurate CAPM figure. Table 3 Earnings Per Share (EPS) in pence: Bank 2004 2003 2002 2001 % Change HBOS 78.1 63.6 50.6 46.4 68.3% HSBC 0.84 0.67 0.59 0.76 10.53% Lloyds TSB 43.3 58.3 32 45.2 à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢4.39% Barclays 51.2 42.3 33.7 36.8 39.13% Alliance Leicester 95.8 79 68 57 68.07% RBS 138 79 68.4 67.6 104.14% Appendix 2 Figure 1 FTSE 100 V Financial Services over past 5 Years: 5 Figure 2 New companies by business sector: 6 Figure 3 Kaplan and Nortons Balanced Scorecard: 7 Appendix 3 Figure 4 UK Premium and Packaged Accounts Market Share: 8 Figure 5 UK Debit Card Market Share 2005: 9 Figure 6 UK Credit Card Market Share 2005: 10 Figure 7 UK top 5 Secured Personal Loan Providers 2005: 11 Figure 8 UK Top 9 Unsecured Personal Loan Providers 2005: 12 Information system in Lloyds TSB: Information System in different departments: Transaction Processing System: In every banking sector we need store the data , modify the data, and we retrieve the data of the transactions. For this we use TPS (Transaction processing System) it generates and retrieve the transaction of organization . Customer Identification: In every banking sector we need the customer authentication (customer identification) ,in Lloyds TSB they use NADRA which is attached with viruses .when the enter the details of him it directly enter into the NADRA to verify the customer ID. So that the Management will identify the original ID cards. By this we totally control the fake accounts holders. When the client enter the details of the account it will directly send to the NADRA their the account details are checked with the bank details if it is correct then the account is opened other wise it is closed. Input (ID #) Viruses Management HUB NADRA (customer identification) Employees Record : In Lloyds TSB the Management will maintain exact details of the employees .they use information system in every where they introduced BIO-metric system in every banks to maintain the exact details of the employee this will increase the efficiency of an employee.Every Lloyds TSB employee should login with the biometric device so that the details of the employee is stored HUB. And logout on leaving this should be done only by tracing with their thumb impressions on biometric device. Employee Job Login Biometric Device HUB Employee Job Logout Real time Banking: In the present situation time plays a major role If any customer want to transfer the funds to another account immediately he should not be waste the time. For that the Lloyds TSB maintain real time banking with that real time banking the customer can transfer their funds to any other accounts with in seconds. Here the TCB maintains the LN . The new transition is send to the LN. Through LN it will send to the HUB where the updates are made and the updates will done . In the present scenario no client is ready to waste their time so, the TSB offering a fast real time online banking system. New Transactions, Updates LN HUB Updated Online Complains: Customers are the main visitors of the banking sector. Lloyds TSB allows the customer to send their complains online. If any customer is not satisfied with the TSB, the TSB offering a privilege to the customer so that they can send online complains. what the customer need to do is he has to fill the online complain form which is send to the TPS, that is linked with the Management their the management can identify the problem and it is send to concerned department their it is resolved. And the solution is send back to the customer. It all happen with massive using of information . Customer Queries Customer Service TPS Identify Problem Send to Concerned Dept. Advices: The information system is very much used in the Lloyds TSB, TSB uses record of all the customers in the server and it will send messages regularly to the customers when they had transactions .If any customer is short off balance then the system automatically alert the massege to the customer and as well as management so that the management can take manual action like send letter or mail to the customer. Customer Service TPS Account Alert Management HUB Advices Send to Customer Account Opening: To open the account the Lloyds TSB maintain the TPS which maintain the hub contains of all the data of an account holder and the information about the account holder.Customer has to give his personal details such as passport number, NI number, Date of birth etc. What ever the information given by the customer the information is send to viruses and Account department .so, that the details are send to the customer service TPS and HUB . then customer account is opened Applicant Identification Viruses A/C Dept. Customer Service TPS HUB New A/C Opened Online Activity Online banking is done with in the same bank or different organization. Suppose a customer need to transfer the funds to another customer then the customer as to enter branch code, sort code and account number and the amount you need to transfer. Then this information is send to the server (HUB), Then the information is checked in the server then the fund is transferred to the branch Customer Customer Service TPS HUB A/C Dept Fund Trnsfr to Concerned Branch ATM Card After registering in to the account the customer details are stored in the hub. When the customer requested for the ATM the details of customer is checked in the HUB and then the card is issued. Lloyds TSB will provide many ATM machines for easy access of the customer. It just asks the ATM card then after it we have to enter the Pin number the pin number is send to the HUB their the pin is checked with the card and the details then money is taken from the machine. Applicant Identification Virses A/C Dept. Customer Service TPS HUB New A/C Opened ATM Issued MANGEMENT OVERVIEW: How the Management In Lloyds TSB is divided we can see Firstly we have an CEO,( Sir Win Bischoff, Chairman) and to the CEO we have an executive directors and all the executive directors are maintains regional managers, all these regional managers will maintains the branch managers under the branch managers we can see the field offecers CEO Executive Directors Field officer employees Regional Managers Regional Managers Regional Managers Branch Managers Branch Managers Branch Managers Branch Managers Branch Managers Branch Managers Business process models: Value Chain Model Secondary Activities Inbound logistics Services Operations Sales Organization value Chain Computerized Ordering System Technology Development HRM Workforce Planning System Administration and Management R D System Primary Activities Outbound logistics Analysis of Lloyds TSB with Value chain : We are considering bank sector as an organisation in this sector we commonly see the operations a lot because this is banking sector we need more consideration on the operations .We have less inbound logistics. We mainly use software operations more. The information system is used more in the banking sector. The banking sector uses Online banking, ATM machines which we use information system . Inbound logistics : The inbound logistics specify the building area, where the business going to start? what are the safety measures we have to take? What is cost of the area we selected? These all come under Inbound Logistics. Operations: The banking sector has to do much part with the operations. Information system is highly used in the operation part. Everything the data of the customer has to enter in the HUB.so, the IS is much used in the operation part Outbound Logistics: the outbound logistics include the output of the bank. Here the bank sector include the their customer as their output . Sales: every organisation wants to improve their sales. The Lloyds TSB increases their sales by adding the customers to them. For that the TSB follows many strategies , With using the advanced technologys the Lloyds TSB is good at attracting their customers. Services: The services is the part of every organisation .Lloyds TSB give more benefits TSB maintain a good relation ship between the customers .It will give extra benefits to the customer It offers different card s like silver, gold, platinum etc . It also give incurrence like mobile incurrence, car break down etc. Porters Five Force Model Analysis of Lloyds TSB with Porters 5 force Model : Threat of New Entrants: Orders from the Government (Financial Services Authority The British Bankers Association) The organisations that which invest high capital investment, are some of the threats When the market is good then there is a possible to enter the new entrants . As can be seen above, the entry barriers in place for the financial services industry are low. When entry barriers are low, new firms can freely enter the industry, which increase rivalry and depletes profits as suggested by (Robson, 1997) Bargaining Power of Customer: Missing the customer relationship. (Customers are seen to bank with several banks, hold different financial products with different financial service providers.) Customers can change their account depending on the banks what they offer interest rate. (Customers are no longer tied into accounts or agreements for a long period of time) Maximum of the customers are very Money minded. (This is through the availability of interest free credit cards/reduced rate loans/competitive savings rates) The Customers can easily get the account details and the bank statements (Information technology has enabled this; loan rates/ credit cards can be searched and compared online offering the best product to the customer with little effort) Customers want to get more service from the bank. Bargaining Power of Supplier: The interest rate is announced by the Bank Of England Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) present moment the interest rates are on hold at 4%. The final rate influence financial services products. Substitute Products: We see Product differential is every where in the financial services industry Examples of product differentiated can be seen below: Increased number of Credit Unions in the form of credit cards/store cards. An example is here, Marks Spencer who now offer a store card and a credit card to customers along with reduced personal loan rate. The above model, as suggested by (Porter, 1985) largely determined the type and level of competition within the financial services industry. Analysis of Lloyds TSB with SWOT analysis : A SWOT analysis is used to analysis the internal and external environments of the organisation. In case of Lloyds TSB. Com. We can identify the Lloyds TSB strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It is suggested by (Harrison, St John 1998) that the results from this situation analysis may form the basis for developing missions, goals and strategies. Figure below highlights the SWOT Matrix SWOT Analysis Internal Factors Strengths Opportunities Weaknesses Opportunities Weaknesses Strengths Threats Threats External Factors Figure SWOT Matrix Strengths: Lloyds TSB is the Europes 4th largest retail bank Lloyds TSB is Britains 8th largest banking sector based on market capitalisation Lloyds TSB has very strong branch network of 2300 Lloyds TSB had more than 16 million customers Lloyds TSB has good brand recognition Lloyds TSB will Provide Mortgages, Insurances, investments and it provides a full range of financial service Lloyds TSB will Provide a full functional internet banking for both personal customers and business customers Lloyds TSB will update the customers with new schemes through :telephony/internet Lloyds TSB New changes has been made in the online banking, that as been expected by customers rapidly. Opportunities: We can increase the online banking customers We can increase the number of premier customers By increasing the amount of wholesale market Increasing the brand recognition . Managing more number of customers in the financial affairs Cross sell (As a range of products exist therefore take advantage of the strong brand name) Example: Foreign Currency combination with Travel Insurance Mortgages combination with Life Insurance Home Insurance combination with Home Utilities Weaknesses: Not maintaining stable Interest rates/this is due to inflation base rate Cross publicity related to the Scottish Widows(Part of LTSB) Policys Due to problems in security, privacy and reliability the internet banking updates every time. Threats: Entering the new banks specifying only internet banking(unconventional banks) The new retail marketing industries have entering in to the banking sector such as Sainsburys supermarket, Marks Spencer, Tesco Supermarket. Missing the customer loyalty Financial banking sector industry is too slow down for the next two years, this will have effect on Lloyds TSB The significance of the SWOT analysis undertaken above is to use the existing business strengths to exploit opportunities, to create new opportunities, to counteract threats and repair any weaknesses as suggested by (Robson 1997) CONCLUSION A management information system is a system or process that provides the information necessary to manage an organization effectively(Richard 1895). This eassy discuses all the activities that the Management Information System perform in our selected organization Lloyds TSB Bank. SUGGESTION Lloyds TSB is using the Information System very efficiently and increasing , but still there are many things that should be improved. With increase of technology, the bank should update the IS up-to-date for providing best services to the customer.. In the Online banking system security should be increased.

Alphonse Scarface Capone Essay examples -- essays research papers

Alphonse “Scarface'; Capone BACKGROUND INFORMATION  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alphonse Capone was born on January 17, 1899. He grew up in rough neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY where he would attend school only up to the sixth grade, when dropped out. Capone got his nickname “Scarface'; from a knife attack by the brother of a woman whom Capone had insulted. The attack left him with three scars across his face and a new nickname.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Capone joined his first gang when he became part of the James Street Gang, headed by the well-known Johnny Torrio. In 1920, upon the request of Torrio, Capone went to work for Johnny’s Uncle, Big Jim Colosimo. Colosimo was the head of the largest prostitution and gambling ring in Chicago.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the murder of Colosimo, Torrio took over his uncle’s empire, but he was forced to retire after an attempt on his life. So Capone took over and by the time he was 26, he was managing more than a thousand employees, each one of whom he demanded full commitment and loyalty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1929, Al Capone’s most famous escapade occurred and was to become known as the St. Valentines Day massacre. The event took place at the bootlegging headquarters of George “Bugs'; Moran, Capone’s latest rival. Five police officers walked into the garage, lined up Moran’s men, and shot them dow...

Majority Rule and Minority Rights Essay -- protecting minorities

Majority rule can often lead to tyranny because of the pursuit of the majorities’ interests; however, with the Supreme Court and its interpretation of the Constitution, minority groups are often able to rule over the unjust majority. Majority rule is essential in a democracy and having limits does not contradict the majority’s power. The principles of majority rule can be upheld while the rights of minorities are protected as long as justice is maintained through the checks on majority factions and justified court rulings. Though the government wants majority rule to be upheld, majority factions are often proved dangerous due to the fact that they may strip the rights of minorities. In Federalist No. 10, Madison states, â€Å"When a majority is included in a faction, the form of popular government, on the other hand, enables it to sacrifice to its ruling passion or interest both the public good and the rights of other citizens† to explain how the existence of large factions can be detrimental to the public good (72). In Chapter 1 of On Liberty, Mill states, â€Å"†¦.‘the tyranny of the majority’ is now generally included among the evils against which society requires to be on its guard† to signify how the principle of majority rule can lead to the â€Å"tyranny of the majority†, also known as when the power of the majority oppresses a minority group (96). Both Mill and Madison introduce how the concept of a majority rule can harm the interests of the people outs ide the â€Å"majority†. A more concise example is given in Martin Luther King’s letter from Birmingham Jail; in his letter, King describes the atrocities the African Americans face on a daily basis due to the majority opinion that African Americans are not of equal standing as the whites. K... .... San Diego: University Readers, 2011. 75-78. Print. King Jr., Martin Luther. â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail.† 1963. In Dimensions of Culture 2: Justice. Ed. Valerie Hartouni, Robert Horwitz and John Skrentny. San Diego: University Readers, 2011. 13-20. Print. Madison, James. â€Å"The Federalist No. 10.† 1787. In Dimensions of Culture 2: Justice. Ed. Valerie Hartouni, Robert Horwitz and John Skrentny. San Diego: University Readers, 2011. 71-74. Print. Mill, John Stuart. â€Å"Chapter 1: Introductory from On Liberty.† 1859. In Dimensions of Culture 2: Justice. Ed. Valerie Hartouni, Robert Horwitz and John Skrentny. San Diego: University Readers, 2011. 95-100. Print. Plessy v. Ferguson. 163 U.S. 537 U.S. Supreme Court. 1896. Rpt. In Dimensions of Culture 2: Justice. Ed. Valerie Hartouni, Robert Horwitz and John Skrentny. San Diego: University Readers, 2011. 175-185. Print. Majority Rule and Minority Rights Essay -- protecting minorities Majority rule can often lead to tyranny because of the pursuit of the majorities’ interests; however, with the Supreme Court and its interpretation of the Constitution, minority groups are often able to rule over the unjust majority. Majority rule is essential in a democracy and having limits does not contradict the majority’s power. The principles of majority rule can be upheld while the rights of minorities are protected as long as justice is maintained through the checks on majority factions and justified court rulings. Though the government wants majority rule to be upheld, majority factions are often proved dangerous due to the fact that they may strip the rights of minorities. In Federalist No. 10, Madison states, â€Å"When a majority is included in a faction, the form of popular government, on the other hand, enables it to sacrifice to its ruling passion or interest both the public good and the rights of other citizens† to explain how the existence of large factions can be detrimental to the public good (72). In Chapter 1 of On Liberty, Mill states, â€Å"†¦.‘the tyranny of the majority’ is now generally included among the evils against which society requires to be on its guard† to signify how the principle of majority rule can lead to the â€Å"tyranny of the majority†, also known as when the power of the majority oppresses a minority group (96). Both Mill and Madison introduce how the concept of a majority rule can harm the interests of the people outs ide the â€Å"majority†. A more concise example is given in Martin Luther King’s letter from Birmingham Jail; in his letter, King describes the atrocities the African Americans face on a daily basis due to the majority opinion that African Americans are not of equal standing as the whites. K... .... San Diego: University Readers, 2011. 75-78. Print. King Jr., Martin Luther. â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail.† 1963. In Dimensions of Culture 2: Justice. Ed. Valerie Hartouni, Robert Horwitz and John Skrentny. San Diego: University Readers, 2011. 13-20. Print. Madison, James. â€Å"The Federalist No. 10.† 1787. In Dimensions of Culture 2: Justice. Ed. Valerie Hartouni, Robert Horwitz and John Skrentny. San Diego: University Readers, 2011. 71-74. Print. Mill, John Stuart. â€Å"Chapter 1: Introductory from On Liberty.† 1859. In Dimensions of Culture 2: Justice. Ed. Valerie Hartouni, Robert Horwitz and John Skrentny. San Diego: University Readers, 2011. 95-100. Print. Plessy v. Ferguson. 163 U.S. 537 U.S. Supreme Court. 1896. Rpt. In Dimensions of Culture 2: Justice. Ed. Valerie Hartouni, Robert Horwitz and John Skrentny. San Diego: University Readers, 2011. 175-185. Print.

Role of a Butler

Throughout history, the word â€Å"butler† has always been associated with service. The dictionary defines a butler as â€Å"The principal manservant of a household. † This definition remains true even when the butler is employed in a hotel. When a guest checks in and has occupied his suite, then this becomes his household. The butler caring for him becomes the â€Å"manager† of the suite (household) and in effect an employee of the guest. Services butlers offer differ from place to place, but their activities are basically centered around making the guest more comfortable and sparing them from having to do tedious and time consuming task. A hotel butler is an ambassador who sells the hotel just as much as anyone else and should be considered a key player in a team of professionals striving to deliver a level of personalized service that exceeds not only the expectation of the guest but will add a point of difference from the service provided anywhere else. Butlers are trained to provide a very personal, and detailed service to their guests. Their main function is to take care of their guest requests, bookings, reservations, problems, complaints, supervise and co-ordinate every service that the guest receives in suite and to ensure guest satisfaction by paying attention to the smallest detail from arrival to departure. Butlers are given the awesome responsibility of contacting guests before arrival to determine their wishes and ensure everything that they like and want to do is arranged before their arrival. They personally greet guests on arrival, take care of their needs and introduce them to the facilities if they are not familiar with them. They ensure suites are ready, they unpack their suitcases, iron, clean and mend anything that is broken. They provide whatever room service needs the guests may have, from making reservations, purchasing items, bringing and serving food. Butlers are often expected to provide morning wake up drinks, lay out clothes, and keep the guest moving smoothly from one engagement to another. When the time comes to leave, the butler packs the suitcases and ensures a smooth departure. Having developed a close relationship with the guests, he then stays in touch and ensures the guest returns. A good butler should be multi-skilled and possess certain natural character traits in order to excel at his or her job. They need to possess good organizational skills and communication skills so they can carry out their tasks and perform their job in an efficient manner. They should be flexible and accommodating to a guest’s needs; capable of dealing with people of all ages and from different cultures; friendly, loyal and very subtle and unobtrusive. They have a responsibility to take ownership of any problems while removing worries and chores from the guest experience; and in the same breath foster that one of a kind unique relationship with them. As an individual who has developed a passion for guest satisfaction and one who works tirelessly in delivering flawless services in a highly professional manner, I am convinced that the role of a butler is an excellent job opportunity for me and I most certainly do possess all the above mentioned character traits that exemplifies a superb butler.

Shadow Kiss Chapter 11

Eleven WE STEPPED OFF THE plane and were immediately hit with wet, blustery weather. Sleet cracked into us, far worse than the flaky white stuff falling back in Montana. We were on the East Coast now, or well, close to it. The queen's court was in Pennsylvania, near the Pocono Mountains, a range I had only a vague idea about. I knew we weren't too close to any major cities, like Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, which were the only ones I knew in the state. The runway we'd landed on was part of the Court's property, so we were already behind wards. It was just like the Academy's small landing strip. In fact, in many ways, the Royal Court was laid out exactly like the school. It was what they told humans the compound was, actually. The Court was a collection of buildings, beautiful and ornate, spreading across well-tended grounds adorned with trees and flowers. At least, the land would be adorned with them when spring came. Just like in Montana, the vegetation was bleak and leafless. We were met by a group of five guardians, all dressed in black pants and matching coats, with white shirts underneath. They weren't uniforms exactly, but custom usually dictated that for formal occasions, guardians wear some sort of nice ensemble. By comparison, in our jeans and T-shirts, our group looked like somebody's poor relations. Yet I couldn't help but think we'd be a lot more comfortable if it came to a fight with Strigoi. The guardians knew Alberta and Dimitri – honestly, those two knew everybody – and after some formalities, everyone relaxed and became friendly. We were all eager to get in out of the cold, and our escorts led us toward the buildings. I knew enough about the Court to know that the largest and most elaborate of the buildings was where all official Moroi business was conducted. It resembled some sort of gothic palace on the outside, but inside, I suspected it probably looked like any set of modern government offices you'd find among humans. We weren't taken there, however. We were led to an adjacent building, just as exquisite on the outside, but half the size. One of the guardians explained that this was where all guests and dignitaries traveling in and out of the Court stayed. To my surprise, we each got our own room. Eddie started to protest this, adamantly saying he needed to stay with Lissa. Dimitri smiled and told him it wasn't necessary. In a place like this, guardians didn't need to stay as close to their Moroi. In fact, they often separated to do their own things. The Court was as heavily warded as the Academy. And really, Moroi visitors at the Academy were rarely trailed so closely by their guardians either. It was only for the sake of the field experience that it was being done with us. Eddie agreed with some reluctance, and again, I was amazed at his dedication. Alberta spoke briefly and then turned to the rest of us. â€Å"Decompress for a bit and be ready for dinner in four hours. Lissa, the queen wants to see you in an hour.† A jolt of surprise ran through Lissa, and she and I exchanged brief, puzzled looks. The last time Lissa had seen the queen, Tatiana had snubbed her and embarrassed her in front of the school for having running away with me. Both of us wondered what she'd want to see Lissa about now. â€Å"Sure,† said Lissa. â€Å"Rose and I'll be ready.† Alberta shook her head. â€Å"Rose isn't going. The queen specifically asked for you alone.† Of course she had. What interest would the queen have in Vasilisa Dragomir's shadow? A nasty voice whispered in my head, Expendable, expendable†¦. The dark sentiment startled me, and I shoved it aside. I went to my room, relieved to see it had a TV. The thought of vegging for the next four hours sounded fantastic. The rest of the room was pretty fancy, very modern looking, with sleek black tables and white leather furniture. I was kind of afraid to sit on it. Ironically, despite how nice it all was, the place wasn't as decked out as the ski resort that we'd stay in over the holidays. I guessed when you came to the Royal Court, you came for business, not a vacation. I had just sprawled on the leather couch and turned on the TV when I felt Lissa in my mind. Come talk, she said. I sat up, surprised by the message itself and the content. Usually our bond was all about feelings and impressions. Specific requests like this were rare. I got up and left the room, going to the one next door. Lissa opened the door. â€Å"What, you couldn't have come to me?† I asked. â€Å"Sorry,† she said, looking like she genuinely meant it. It was hard to be grouchy around someone so nice. â€Å"I just didn't have the time. I'm trying to decide what to wear.† Her suitcase was already open on the bed, with things hung up in the closet. Unlike me, she'd come prepared for every occasion, formal and casual alike. I lay down on the couch. Hers was plush velvet, not leather. â€Å"Wear the print blouse with the black slacks,† I told her. â€Å"Not a dress.† â€Å"Why not a dress?† â€Å"Because you don't want to look like you're groveling.† â€Å"This is the queen, Rose. Dressing up is showing respect, not groveling.† â€Å"If you say so.† But Lissa wore the outfit I suggested anyway. She talked to me as she finished getting ready, and I watched with envy as she applied makeup. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed cosmetics myself. When she and I had lived with humans, I'd been pretty diligent about primping every day. Now, there never seemed to be enough time – or any reason. I was always in some kind of scuffle that made makeup pointless and ruined it anyway. The most I could do was to slather my face with moisturizer. It seemed excessive in the mornings – like I was putting on a mask – yet by the time I faced the cold weather and other harsh conditions, I was always surprised to see my skin had sucked all the moisture up. The smallest pang of regret shot through me that I'd rarely have any opportunities to do this for the rest of my life. Lissa would spend most of her days dressed up, out at royal functions. No one would notice me. It was weird, considering that until this last year, I'd always been the one who was always noticed. â€Å"Why do you think she wants to see me?† Lissa asked. â€Å"Maybe to explain why we're here.† â€Å"Maybe.† Unease filled Lissa, despite her calm exterior. She still hadn't entirely recovered from the queen's brutal humiliation last fall. My own petty jealousy and moping suddenly seemed stupid when compared with what she had to go through. I mentally slapped myself, reminding myself that I wasn't just her unseen guardian. I was also her best friend, and we hadn't talked very much lately. â€Å"You have nothing to be afraid of, Liss. You haven't done anything wrong. And really, you've been doing everything right. Your grades are perfect. Your behavior's perfect. Remember all those people you impressed on the ski trip? That bitch has nothing to get on you about.† â€Å"You shouldn't say that,† said Lissa automatically. She applied mascara to her eyelashes, studied them, and then added another coat. â€Å"Just call 'em like I see 'em. If she gives you any grief, then it's just going to be because she's afraid of you.† Lissa laughed. â€Å"Why would she be afraid of me?† â€Å"Because people are drawn to you, and people like her don't like it when others steal all the attention.† I was a bit astonished at how wise I sounded. â€Å"Plus, you're the last Dragomir. You're always going to be in the spotlight. Who's she? Just another Ivashkov. There are a ton of them. Probably because all the guys are like Adrian and have all sorts of illegitimate children.† â€Å"Adrian doesn't have any children.† â€Å"That we know of,† I said mysteriously. She snickered and stepped back from the mirror, pleased with her face. â€Å"Why are you always so mean to Adrian?† I gave her a look of mock astonishment. â€Å"You're standing up for Adrian now? Whatever happened to you warning me to stay away from him? You practically bit my head off the first time I hung out with him – and that wasn't even by my choice.† She took a thin golden chain out of her suitcase and tried to fasten it around her neck. â€Å"Well, yeah †¦ I didn't really know him then. He's not so bad. And it's true I mean, he's not a great role model or anything, but I also think some of those stories about him and other girls are exaggerated.† â€Å"I don't,† I said, jumping up. She still hadn't managed to fasten the chain, so I took it and put the clasp together for her. â€Å"Thanks,† she said, running her hands over the necklace. â€Å"I think Adrian really likes you. Like, in a wanting-to-be-serious way.† I shook my head and stepped back. â€Å"Nope. He likes me in a wanting-to-get-the-clothes-off-the-cute-dhampir way.† â€Å"I don't believe that.† â€Å"That's because you believe the best about everyone.† She looked skeptical as she began brushing her hair smooth over her shoulders. â€Å"I don't know about that either. But I do think he's not as bad as you think. I know it hasn't been that long since Mason, but you should think about going out with someone else†¦.† â€Å"Wear your hair up.† I handed her a barrette from her suitcase. â€Å"Mason and I were never really going out. You know that.† â€Å"Yeah. Well, I guess that's more reason to start thinking about dating someone. High school's not over yet. Seems like you should be doing something fun.† Fun. It was ironic. Months ago, I'd argued with Dimitri about how it wasn't fair that, as a guardian-in-training, I had to watch my reputation and not act too crazy. He'd agreed it wasn't fair that I couldn't do the kinds of things other girls my age could, but that that was the price I paid for my future. I'd been upset, but after Victor's meddling, I started to see Dimitri's point – to such an extent that he'd actually hinted I shouldn't try to limit myself that much. Now, after Spokane, I felt like a completely different girl from the one who'd talked to Dimitri last fall about having fun. I was only a couple months from graduation. High school things†¦dances†¦boyfriends†¦what did they matter in the grand scheme of things? Everything at the Academy seemed so trivial – unless it was making me a better guardian. â€Å"I don't really think I need a boyfriend to complete my high school experience,† I told her. â€Å"I don't think you do either,† she agreed, tugging her ponytail straight. â€Å"But you used to flirt and go out sometimes. I feel like it'd just be nice for you to do a little of that. It's not like you'd have to have anything serious with Adrian.† â€Å"Well, you won't get any arguments from him on that. I think the last thing he wants is anything serious, that's the problem.† â€Å"Well, according to some of the stories, he's very serious. I heard the other day that you were engaged. Someone else said that he'd been disowned because he told his dad he'd never love anyone else.† â€Å"Ahhhh.† There was really no other adequate response to all these silly rumors. â€Å"The creepy thing is that the same stories are all over the place at the elementary campus too.† I stared at the ceiling. â€Å"Why does this stuff keep happening to me?† She walked over to the couch and looked down at me. â€Å"Because you're awesome, and everyone loves you.† â€Å"Nah. You're the one everyone loves.† â€Å"Well, then, I guess we're both awesome and loveable. And one of these days† – a mischievous sparkle danced in her eyes – â€Å"we'll find a guy you love back.† â€Å"Don't hold your breath. None of that matters. Not right now. You're the one I've got to worry about. We're going to graduate, and you'll go off to college, and it'll be great. No more rules, just us on our own.† â€Å"It's a little scary,† she mused. â€Å"Thinking about being on my own. But you'll be with me. And Dimitri too.† She sighed. â€Å"I can't imagine not having you around. I can't even really remember when you weren't around.† I sat up and gave her a light punch in her arm. â€Å"Hey, be careful. You're going to make Christian jealous. Oh crap. I suppose he's going to be around too, huh? No matter where we end up going?† â€Å"Probably. You, me, him, Dimitri, and any guardians Christian gets. One big happy family.† I scoffed, but inside of me, there was a warm fuzzy feeling building. Things were crazy in our world right now, but I had all these great people in my life. As long as we were all together, everything would be okay. She looked at the clock, and her fear returned. â€Å"I've gotta go. Will you †¦ will you go with me?† â€Å"You know I can't.† â€Å"I know†¦ not in body†¦ but like, will you do that thing? Where you're watching in my head? It'll make me feel like I'm not alone.† It was the first time Lissa had ever asked me to purposely do that. Normally, she hated the thought of me seeing through her eyes. It was a sign of how nervous she really was. â€Å"Sure,† I said. â€Å"It's probably better than anything on TV anyway.† I returned to my own room, taking up an identical position on the couch. Clearing my thoughts, I opened myself up to Lissa's mind, going beyond simply knowing her feelings. It was something the shadow-kissed bond allowed me to do and was the most intense part of our connection. It wasn't just feeling her thoughts – it was actually being inside of her, looking through her eyes and sharing her experiences. I'd learned to control it only recently. I used to slip in without wanting to, much as I sometimes couldn't keep her feelings out. I could control my out-of-body experiences now and even summon up the phenomenon at will – just like I was about to do. Lissa had just reached the parlor the queen was waiting in. Moroi might use terms like â€Å"royal† and even kneel sometimes, but there were no thrones or anything like that here. Tatiana sat in an ordinary armchair, dressed in a navy blue skirt and blazer, looking more like a corporate businesswoman than any sort of monarch. She wasn't alone, either. A tall, stately Moroi whose blond hair was laced with silver sat near her. I recognized her: Priscilla Voda, the queen's friend and adviser. We'd met her on the ski trip, and she'd been impressed with Lissa. I took her presence as a good sign. Silent guardians, dressed in black and white, stood along the wall. To my astonishment, Adrian was there too. He reclined on a small love seat, seeming completely oblivious to the fact that he was hanging out with the Moroi's ultimate leader. The guardian with Lissa announced her. â€Å"Princess Vasilisa Dragomir.† Tatiana nodded in acknowledgment. â€Å"Welcome, Vasilisa. Please sit down.† Lissa sat down near Adrian, her apprehension growing by leaps and bounds. A Moroi servant came by and offered tea or coffee, but Lissa declined. Tatiana meanwhile sipped from a teacup and scrutinized Lissa from head to toe. Priscilla Voda broke the awkward silence. â€Å"Remember what I said about her?† Priscilla asked cheerfully. â€Å"She was very impressive at our state dinner in Idaho. Settled a huge spat over Moroi fighting with guardians. She even managed to calm Adrian's father down.† A frosty smile crossed Tatiana's cold features. â€Å"That is impressive. Half the time, I still feel like Nathan is twelve years old.† â€Å"Me too,† said Adrian, drinking from a wine glass. Tatiana ignored him and again focused on Lissa. â€Å"Everyone seems impressed with you, really. I hear nothing but good things about you, in spite of your past transgressions †¦ which I'm given to understand weren't entirely without their reasons.† Lissa's look of surprise actually made the queen laugh. There wasn't much warmth or humor in the laugh, though. â€Å"Yes, yes †¦ I know all about your powers, and of course I know what happened with Victor. Adrian's been filling me in about spirit as well. It's so strange. Tell me †¦ can you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She glanced to a nearby table. A flowerpot sat on it, dark green shoots sticking through the soil. It was some kind of bulb-based plant that someone was growing indoors. Like its outside counterparts, it was waiting for spring. Lissa hesitated. Using her powers in front of others was a strange thing for her. But, Tatiana was watching expectantly. After only a few moments more, Lissa leaned over and touched the shoots. The stems shot up through the dirt, growing taller – almost a foot high. Huge pods formed along the sides as it grew, bursting open to reveal fragrant white flowers. Easter lilies. Lissa withdrew her hand. Wonder showed on Tatiana's face, and she muttered something in a language I didn't understand. She hadn't been born in the United States but had chosen to hold her Court here. She spoke with no accent, but, as they did for Dimitri, moments of surprise apparently brought out her native tongue. Within seconds, she put her stately mask back on. â€Å"Hmm. Interesting,† she said. Talk about an understatement. â€Å"It could be very useful,† said Priscilla. â€Å"Vasilisa and Adrian can't be the only two out there with it. If we could find others, so much could be learned. The healing itself is a gift, let alone anything else they can conjure. Just think what we could do with it.† Lissa turned optimistic. For a while, she'd been going out of her way to find others like her. Adrian had been the only one she'd discovered, and that had been through sheer luck. If the queen and Moroi council put their resources into it, there was no telling what they might find. Yet something about Priscilla's words troubled Lissa. â€Å"Begging your pardon, Princess Voda†¦I'm not sure we should be so eager to use my – or others' – healing powers as much as you might want to.† â€Å"Why not?† asked Tatiana. â€Å"From what I understand, you can heal almost anything.† â€Å"I can†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Lissa slowly. â€Å"And I want to. I wish I could help everybody, but I can't. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'll definitely help some people. But I know we'd run into other people like Victor, who want to abuse it. And after a while †¦ I mean, how do you choose? Who gets to live? Part of life is that†¦well, some people have to die. My powers aren't a prescription you can get filled as needed, and honestly, I'm afraid they would only be used for, uh, certain kinds of people. Just like the guardians are.† A slight tension built in the room. What Lissa had insinuated was rarely ever mentioned in public. â€Å"What are you talking about?† asked Tatiana with narrowed eyes. I could tell she already knew. Lissa was scared to say her next words, but she did it anyway. â€Å"Everyone knows that there's a certain, um, method to how guardians are distributed. Only the elite get them. Royals. Rich people. People in power.† A chill fell over the room. Tatiana's mouth settled into a straight line. She didn't speak for several moments, and I had a feeling everyone else was holding their breath. I certainly was. â€Å"You don't think our royals deserve special protection?† she asked finally. â€Å"You don't think you do – the last of the Dragomirs?† â€Å"I think keeping our leaders safe is important, yeah. But I also think we need to stop sometimes and look at what we're doing. It could be time to reconsider the way we've always done things.† Lissa sounded so wise and so self-assured. I was proud of her. Watching Priscilla Voda, I could see that she was proud too. She'd liked Lissa from the beginning. But I could also tell that Priscilla was nervous. She answered to the queen and knew that Lissa was swimming in dangerous waters. Tatiana sipped her tea. I think it was an excuse to gather her thoughts. â€Å"I understand,† she said, â€Å"that you're also in favor of Moroi fighting with the guardians and attacking Strigoi?† Another dangerous topic, one Lissa pushed forward into. â€Å"I think if there are Moroi who want to, they shouldn't be denied the chance.† Jill suddenly popped into my head. â€Å"Moroi lives are precious,† said the queen. â€Å"They shouldn't be risked.† â€Å"Dhampir lives are precious too,† Lissa countered. â€Å"If they fight with Moroi, it could save everybody. And again, if Moroi are willing, why deny them? They deserve to know how to defend themselves. And people like Tasha Ozera have developed ways of fighting with magic.† The mention of Christian's aunt brought a frown to the queen's face. Tasha had been attacked by Strigoi when younger and had spent the rest of her life learning to fight back. â€Å"Tasha Ozera †¦ she's a troublemaker. She's starting to gather a lot of other troublemakers.† â€Å"She's trying to introduce new ideas.† I noticed then that Lissa wasn't afraid any longer. She was confident in her beliefs and wanted them expressed. â€Å"Throughout history, people with new ideas – who think differently and try to change things – have always been called troublemakers. But seriously? Do you want the truth?† A wry look crossed Tatiana's face, almost a smile. â€Å"Always.† â€Å"We need change. I mean, our traditions are important. We shouldn't give up on those. But sometimes, I think we're misguided.† â€Å"Misguided?† â€Å"As time's gone on, we've gone along with other changes. We've evolved. Computers. Electricity. Technology in general. We all agree those make our lives better. Why can't we be the same in the way we act? Why are we still clinging to the past when there are better ways to do things?† Lissa was breathless, worked up and excited. Her cheeks felt warm, and her heart raced. All of us were watching Tatiana, searching for any clue in that stony face. â€Å"You're very interesting to talk to,† she finally said. She made interesting sound like a dirty word. â€Å"But I have things I must do now.† She stood up, and everyone hastily followed suit, even Adrian. â€Å"I won't be joining you for dinner, but you and your companions will have everything you need. I'll see you tomorrow at the trial. No matter how radical and naively idealistic your ideas are, I'm glad you'll be there to complete his sentencing. His imprisonment, at least, is something we can all agree on.† Tatiana swept out, two guardians immediately following. Priscilla followed too, leaving Lissa and Adrian alone. â€Å"Well done, cousin. Aren't many people who can throw the old lady off-balance like that.† â€Å"She didn't seem very off-balance.† â€Å"Oh, she was. Believe me. Most of the people she deals with every day wouldn't talk to her like that, let alone someone your age.† He stood up and extended a hand to Lissa. â€Å"Come on. I'll show you around this place. Take your mind off things.† â€Å"I've been here before,† she said. â€Å"When I was younger.† â€Å"Yeah, well, the things we get to see when we're young are different than the things we get to see when we're older. Did you know there's a twenty-four-hour bar in here? We'll get you a drink.† â€Å"I don't want a drink.† â€Å"You will before this trip's over.† I left Lissa's head and returned to my room. The meeting with the queen was over, and Lissa didn't need my unseen support. Besides, I really didn't want to hang out with Adrian right now. Sitting up, I discovered I felt surprisingly alert. Being in her head had kind of been like taking a nap. I decided to do a little exploring of my own. I'd never been to the Royal Court. It really was supposed to be like a mini-town, and I wondered what other things there were to see, aside from the bar that Adrian probably lived in while visiting. I headed downstairs, figuring I'd have to go outside. As far as I knew, this building only held guestrooms. It was kind of like the palace's hotel. When I got to the entryway, however, I saw Christian and Eddie standing and talking with someone I couldn't see. Eddie, ever vigilant, saw me and grinned. â€Å"Hey, Rose. Look who we found.† As I approached, Christian stepped aside, revealing the mystery person. I came to a halt, and she grinned at me. â€Å"Hi, Rose.† A moment later, I felt a smile slowly creep over my face. â€Å"Hello, Mia.†

Correlation Analysis in Sociological Research

Correlation is a term that refers to the strength of a relationship between two variables where a strong, or high, correlation means that two or more variables have a strong relationship with each other while a weak or low correlation means that the variables are hardly related. Correlation analysis is the process of studying the strength of that relationship with available statistical data. Sociologists can use statistical software like SPSS to determine whether a relationship between two variables is present, and how strong it might be, and the statistical process will produce a correlation coefficient that tells you this information. The most widely used type of  correlation coefficient  is the Pearson r. This analysis assumes that the two variables being analyzed are measured on at least  interval scales, meaning they are measured on a range of increasing value. The coefficient is calculated by taking the  covariance  of the two variables and dividing it by the product of their  standard deviations. Understanding the Strength of Correlation Analysis Correlation coefficients can range from -1.00 to 1.00 where a value of -1.00 represents a perfect negative correlation, which means that as the value of one variable increases, the other decreases while a value of 1.00 represents a perfect positive relationship, meaning that as one variable increases in value, so does the other. Values like these signal a perfectly linear relationship between the two variables, so that if you plot the results on a graph it would make a straight line, but a value of 0.00 means that there is no relationship between the variables being tested and would be graphed as separate lines entirely. Take for example the case of the relationship between education and income, which is demonstrated in the accompanying image. This shows that the more education one has, the more money they will earn in their job. Put another way, these data show that education and income are correlated  and that there is a strong positive correlation between the two—as education rises, so too does income, and the same kind of correlation relationship is found between education and wealth as well. The Utility of Statistical Correlation Analyses Statistical analyses like these are useful because they can show us how different trends or patterns within society might be connected, like unemployment and crime, for example; and they can shed light on how experiences and social characteristics shape what happens in a persons life. Correlation analysis lets us say with confidence that a relationship does or does not exist between two different patterns or variables, which allows us to predict the probability of an outcome among the population studied. A recent study of marriage and education found a strong negative correlation between the level  of education and the divorce rate. Data from the National Survey of Family Growth show that  as education level increases among women, the divorce rate for first marriages decreases. Its important to keep in mind, though, that correlation is not the same as causation, so while there exists a strong correlation between education and divorce rate, that does not necessarily mean the decrease in divorce among women is caused by the amount of education received.

The Importance of Biodiversity - 1521 Words

‘Define Biodiversity and using examples, explain why it is important’ Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth. A fuller definition is given in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) from the 1992 Earth summit: ‘Biodiversity is the variability among living organisms from all sources, including terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part ; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems’ (Hambler, C., 2004, 11). Within planet earth today Biodiversity forms the foundation for the vast array of ecosystem services that critically contribute to human well being. It is as important in human managed ecosystems as well as natural ecosystems (Hambler, C.,†¦show more content†¦Endangered species of plants or animals may have properties yet to be discovered that could provide important medicines (Hambler, C., 2004, 29). In addition to such direct benefits, the world’s diverse living creatures working in concert provide important ecological functions such as air and water purification, climate regulation, erosion control, and providing oxygen in the atmosphere that humans need to breathe (Hambler, C., 2004, 29). Some ecologists also stress the aesthetic value of a natural world rich with an abundance of varied and often beautiful life-forms. Many common human behaviours exhibit the importance of being able to enjoy Biodiversity in many different ways. It may be that survival is possible but life without this biodiversity being available may prove boring and unfulfilling (Primack, R.B, 2002,24). In addition, the interactions taking place between world economics and biodiversity also has to be taken into consideration. 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