The Return: Midnight Chapter 34

â€Å"You've been fed and taken care of as best as we can manage,†Meredith said, looking at allthe taut, frightened young faces turned toward her in the basement. â€Å"And now there's just one thing I want to ask of you in return.†She made an effort and steadied her voice. â€Å"I want to know if anybody knows of a mobile phone that connects to the Internet, or a computer that is Stillworking. Please, please – if you even think you know where one might be, tel me.† The tension was like a thick rubber cord, dragging Meredith toward each of the pale, strained faces, dragging them to her. It was just as well that Meredith was essential y well – balanced. About twelve hands went up immediately, and their lone five-year-old whispered, â€Å"My mommy has one. And my daddy.† There was a pause before Meredith could say, â€Å"Does anybody know this kid?†and an older girl spoke up before she could. â€Å"She just means they had them before the Burning Man.† â€Å"Is the Burning Man cal ed Shinichi?†Meredith asked. â€Å"‘Course. Sometimes he would make the red parts of his hair burn up way over his head.† Meredith filed that little fact away under Things I do not want to see, honest, cross my heart, ever. Then she shook herself free from the image. â€Å"You guys and girls, please, please think. I only need one, one mobile phone with Internet access that Stillhas power right now. One laptop or computer that is Stillworking now, maybe because of a generator Stillmaking electricity. Just one family with a home generator Stillworking. Anybody?† The hands were down now. A boy she thought she recognized as being one of the Loring siblings, maybe age ten or eleven, said, â€Å"The Burning Man told us that mobile phones and computers were bad. That was why my brother got in a fistfight with my dad. He threw al the mobiles at home in the toilet.† â€Å"Okay. Okay, thanks. But anybody who's seen a working mobile or computer? Or a home generator – â€Å" â€Å"Why, yes, my dear, I've got one.†The voice came from the top of the stairs. Mrs. Flowers was standing there, dressed in a fresh sweat suit. Strangely, she had her voluminous purse in her hand. â€Å"You had – have a generator?†Meredith asked, her heart sinking. What a waste! And if disaster came al because she, Meredith, hadn't finished reading over her own research! The minutes were ticking away, and if everyone in Fel ‘s Church died, it would be her fault. Her fault. She didn't think she could live with that. Meredith had tried, al her life, to reach the state of calm, concentration, and balance that was the other side of the coin from the fighting skil s her various disciplines had taught her. And she had become good at it, a good observer, a good daughter, even a good student for al that she was in Elena's fast-paced, high-flying clique. The four of them: Elena, Meredith, Caroline, and Bonnie had fit together like four pieces of a puzzle, and Meredith Stillsometimes missed the old days and their daring, dominating pseudo-sophisticated capers that never real y hurt anyone – except the sil y boys who had mil ed around them like ants at a picnic. But now, looking at herself, she was puzzled. Who was she? A Hispanic girl named for her mother's Welsh best friend in col ege. A hunter-slayer of vampires who had kitten canines, a vampire twin, and whose group of friends included Stefan, a vampire; Elena, an ex-vampire – and possibly another vampire, although she was extremely hesitant to cal Damon a â€Å"friend.† What did that alladd up to? A girl trying to do her best to keep her balance and concentration, in a world that had gone insane. A girl Stillreeling from what she'd learned about her own family, and now tottering from the need to confirm a dreadful suspicion. Stop thinking. Stop! You have to tel Mrs. Flowers that her boardinghouse has been destroyed. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers – about the boardinghouse – I have to talk to you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Why don't you use my BlackBerry first?†Mrs. Flowers came down the basement stairs careful y, watching her feet, and then the children parted before her like waves on the Red Sea. â€Å"Your†¦?†Meredith stared, choked up. Mrs. Flowers had opened her enormous purse and was now proffering a rather thick al -black object to her. â€Å"It Stillhas power,†the old lady explained as Meredith took the thing in two shaking hands, as if receiving a holy object. â€Å"I just turned it on and it was working. And now I'm on the Internet!† – proudly. Meredith's world had been swal owed up by the smal , grayish, antiquated screen. She was so amazed and excited at seeing this that she almost forgot why she needed it. But her body knew. Her fingers clutched; her thumbs danced over the mini-keyboard. She went to her favorite search page and entered the word â€Å"Orime.†She got pages of hits – most in Japanese. Then feeling a trembling in her knees, she typed in â€Å"Inari.† 6,530,298 results. She went to the very first hit and saw a web page with a definition. Key words seemed to rush out at her like vultures. Inari is the Japanese Shinto deity of rice†¦and†¦foxes. At the entrance to an Inari shrine are†¦statues of two kitsune†¦one male and one female†¦each with a key or jewel carried in mouth or paw†¦These fox-spirits are the servants and messengers of Inari. They carry out Inari's orders†¦. There was also a picture of a pair of kitsune statues, in their fox forms. Each had a front paw resting on a star bal . Three years ago, Meredith had fractured her leg when she was on a skiing trip with her cousins in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She had run straight into a smal tree. No martial arts skil s could save her at the last minute; she knew she was skiing off the groomed areas, where she could run into anything: powder, crud, or iced-over ruts. And, of course, trees. Lots of trees. She was an advanced skier, but she had been going too fast, looking in the wrong direction, and the next thing she knew, she was skiing into the tree instead of around it. Now she had the same sensation of waking up after a head-on into wood. The shock, the dizziness and nausea that were, initial y, worse than the pain. Meredith could take pain. But the pounding in her head, the sickening awareness that she had made a big mistake and that she was going to have to pay for it were unbearable. Plus there was a curious horror about the knowledge that her own legs wouldn't hold her up. Even the same useless questions ran through her subconscious, like: How could I be so stupid? Is this possibly a dream? and, Please, God, can I hit the Undo button? Meredith suddenly realized that she was being supported on either side by Mrs. Flowers and their sixteen-year-old, Ava Wakefield. The mobile was on the cement floor of the basement. She must have actual y started to black out. Several of the younger kids were screaming Matt's name. â€Å"No – I – I can stand up alone†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Al she wanted in the world was to go into the darkness and get away from this horror. She wanted to let her legs go slack and her mind go blank, to flee†¦ But she couldn't run away. She had taken the stave; she had taken the Duty from her grandfather. Anything supernatural that was out to harm Fel ‘s Church on her watch was her problem. And the problem was that her watch never ended. Matt came clattering down the stairs, carrying their seven-year-old, Hailey, who continual y shook with petit mal seizures. â€Å"Meredith!†She could hear the incredulity in his voice. â€Å"What is it? What did you find, for God's sake?† â€Å"Come†¦look.†Meredith was remembering detail after detail that should have set off warning bel s in her mind. Matt was somehow already beside her, even as she remembered Bonnie's very first description of Isobel Saitou. â€Å"The quiet type. Hard to get to know. Shy. And†¦nice.† And that first visit to the Saitou house. The horror that quiet, shy, nice Isobel Saitou had become: the Goddess of Piercing, blood and pus oozing from every hole. And when they had tried to carry dinner to her old, old grandmother, Meredith had noticed absently that Isobel's room was right under the dol -like old lady's. After seeing Isobel pierced and clearly unbalanced, Meredith had assumed that any evil influence must be trying to travel up, and had worried in the back of her mind about the poor, old, dol -sized grandmother. But the evil could just as easily have traveled down. Maybe Jim Bryce hadn't given Isobel the malach madness after al . Maybe she had given it to him, and he had given it to Caroline and to his sister. And that children's game! The cruel, cruel song that Obaasan – that Inari-Obaasan had crooned. â€Å"Fox and turtle had a race†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And her words: â€Å"There's a kitsune involved in this somewhere.† She'd been laughing at them, amusing herself! Come to that, it was from Inari-Obaasan that Meredith had first heard the word â€Å"kitsune.† And one more additional cruelty, that Meredith had only been able to excuse before by assuming Obaasan had very poor sight. That night, Meredith had had her back to the door and so had Bonnie – they had both been concentrating on â€Å"poor decrepit old Grandma.†But Obaasan had been facing the door, and she was the only one who could have seen – must have seen – Isobel sneaking up behind Bonnie. And then, just as the cruel game song told Bonnie to look behind her†¦ Isobel had been crouching there, ready to lick Bonnie's forehead with a forked pink tongue†¦ â€Å"Why?†Meredith could hear her own voice saying. â€Å"Why was I so stupid? How could I not have seen from the beginning?† Matt had retrieved the BlackBerry and read the web page. Then he just stood, fixed, his blue eyes wide. â€Å"You were right,†he said, after a long moment. â€Å"I want so much to be wrong†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Meredith – Shinichi and Misao are Inari's servants†¦If that old lady is Inari we've been running around like crazy after the wrong people, the hired muscle†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"The damn note cards,†Meredith choked out. â€Å"The ones done by Obaasan. They're useless, flawed. Al those bul ets she blessed should have been no good – but maybe she did bless them – as a game. Isobel even came to me and changed al the characters the old lady had done for the jars to hold Shinichi and Misao. She said that Obaasan was almost blind. She left a tear on my car seat. I couldn't understand why she should be crying.† â€Å"I Stillcan't. She's the granddaughter – probably the third generation of a monster!†Matt exploded. â€Å"Why should she cry? And why do the Post-it Notes work?† â€Å"Because they're done by Isobel's mother,†Mrs. Flowers said quietly. â€Å"Dear Matt, I truly doubt that the old woman is related to the Saitous at all. As a deity – or even a powerful magic-user named after a deity – and undoubtedly a kitsune herself, she surely just moved in with them and used them. Isobel's mother and Isobel had no choice but to carry on the charade for fear of what she'd do to them if they didn't.† â€Å"But Mrs. Flowers, when Tyrone and I pul ed that leg bone out of the thicket, didn't you say that the Saitou women made such excel ent amulets? And didn't you say that we could get the Saitou women to help translate the words on the clay jars when Alaric sent the pictures of them from that Japanese Island?† As for my belief in the Saitou women, Well, I'l have to quibble a little here,†Mrs. Flowers said. â€Å"I couldn't know that this Obaasan was evil, and there are Stilltwo of them who are gentle and good, and who have helped us tremendously – and at great risk to themselves.† Meredith could taste the bitterness of bile in her mouth. â€Å"Isobel could have saved us. She could have said ‘My fake grandmother is real y a demon.'† â€Å"Oh, my dear Meredith, the young are so unforgiving. This Inari was probably instal ed in her house when she was a child. Al she knows at first is that the old woman is a tyrant, with a god's name. Then perhaps some demonstration of power – what happened to Orime's husband, I wonder, to make him go back to Japan – if indeed he went there? He may well be dead. And then Isobel is growing up: shy, quiet, introverted – frightened. This is not Japan; there are no other priestesses here to confide in. And you saw the consequences when Isobel reached out to someone outside of the family – to her boyfriend, Jim Bryce.† â€Å"And to us – Well, to you and Bonnie,†Matt said to Meredith. â€Å"She sicced Caroline on you.† Scarcely knowing what they were doing, they were talking faster and faster. â€Å"We have to go there right now,†said Meredith. â€Å"Shinichi and Misao may be the ones bringing on the Last Midnight, but it's Inari who gives the orders. And who knows? She may dole out the punishments as well. We don't know how big her star bal is.† â€Å"Or where,†said the old woman. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers,†Matt said hastily, â€Å"you'd better stay here with the kids. Ava, here, is reliable, and where's Jacob Lagherty?† â€Å"Here,†said a boy who looked older than fifteen. He was as tal as Matt was, but gangly. â€Å"Okay. Ava, Jake, you're in charge under Mrs. Flowers. We'l leave Saber with you too.†The dog was a big hit among the kids, on his best behavior, even when the younger ones chewed his tail. â€Å"You two just listen to Mrs. Flowers, and – â€Å" â€Å"Matt, dear, I won't be here. But the animals wil surely help to protect them.† Matt stared at her. Meredith knew what he was thinking. Was Mrs. Flowers, so reliable up until now, going somewhere to hide alone? Was she abandoning them? â€Å"And I'l need one of you to drive me to the Saitou house – quickly! – but the other can stay and protect the children as well.† Meredith was both relieved and worried, and clearly Matt was too. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers, this is going to be a battle. You could get hurt or be taken hostage so easily – â€Å" â€Å"Dear Matt, this is my battle. My family has lived in Fel ‘s Church for generations, al the way back to the pioneering times. I believe this is the battle for which I was born. Certainly the last of my old age.† Meredith stared. In the dim light of the basement, Mrs. Flowers seemed suddenly different somehow. Her voice was changing. Even her smal body seemed to be changing, steadying, standing tal . â€Å"But how wil you fight?†Matt asked, sounding dazed. â€Å"With this. That nice young man, Sage, left it for me with a note apologizing for using Misao's star bal . I used to be quite good with these when I was young.†From her capacious purse, Mrs. Flowers pul ed out something pale and long and thin as it unwound and Mrs. Flowers whirled it and snapped it with a loud crack at the empty half of the basement. It hit a Ping-Pong bal , curled around it, and brought it back to Mrs. Flowers's open hand. A bul whip. Made of some silvery material. Undoubtedly magical. Even Matt looked scared of it. â€Å"Why don't Ava and Jake teach the children to play Ping-Pong while we're gone – and we real y must go, my dears. There's not a minute to waste. A terrible tragedy is coming, Ma ma says.† Meredith had been watching – feeling as dazed as Matt looked. But now she said, â€Å"I have a weapon too.†She picked up the stave and said, â€Å"I'm fighting, Matt. Ava, the children are yours to care for.† â€Å"And mine,†Jacob said, and immediately proved his usefulness by adding, â€Å"Isn't that an axe hanging back there near the furnace?† Matt ran and snatched it up. Meredith could see from his expression what he was thinking: Yes! One heavy axe, a tiny bit rusty, but Stillplenty sharp enough. Now if the kitsune sent plants or wood against them, he was armed. Mrs. Flowers was already going up the basement stairs. Meredith and Matt exchanged one quick glance and then they were running to catch up with her. â€Å"You drive your mom's SUV. I'l sit in back. I'm Stilla little bit†¦Well, dizzy, I guess.†Meredith didn't like to admit to a personal weakness, but better that than crashing the vehicle. Matt nodded and was good enough not to comment on why she felt so dizzy. She Stillcouldn't believe her own stupidity. Mrs. Flowers said only one thing. â€Å"Matt, dear, break traffic laws.†

Topic Essay # 93

While I was growing up in Colombia my idea of fun was going outside to the park either with my cousins or friends to play until it got dark and my mom would call me to go back inside the house. Growing up in Colombia is something very different than a kid growing up here in the United States. My afternoons during the week would always have around the same schedule as I would be back home by one in the afternoon, at two thirty I would had already eaten lunch, and by six all my homework would be done meaning that I would be free to go out and play.If I did not have my homework done my mom would not allow me to go out for the day. The complex in which I lived had a few houses owned by my uncles or aunts, so growing up around family was something I always did. I have a few cousins around the same age range so all I had to do was walk down the street knock on their door and ask them to come out and play.For us having fun had a very broad meaning because it could be something like playing hide and seek, making up games as we went, getting dirty in the park, riding our bikes around the complex or to the other end it was sitting down and talking about our life, with the girls we would do each other’s hair while the boys just kicked the ball around, just going into someone’s house and watch a movie, or just lay there in the grass with the summer breeze warming up our skin as we looked to the sky and made shapes out of the clouds. My idea of fun was something I could do every day, at any time and never gets tired of it.Having fun it was a moment in which I could forget about everything and just enjoy my time with those whom were around. Fun did not always meant doing big things or be in expensive places as at the moment my family did not have the resources to do that but within that I learn that it was the little things that would make up a really nice big picture that actually mattered. With the fact that a few places in my complex were owned by members of my family, something I would always look forward to when I was a kid was the fact that wherever I went there would always be food.Every single kid always likes to eat, it doesn’t matter where you get your food as long as you get it you will be happy. Well I loved being able to eat around those whom I love the most and not always having to eat at my house. All my uncles and aunts know how to cook. With my cousins we would try to switch houses as much as possible so we could have different types of meals made by those whom we love. The memory of being able to go outside and play all day until it was dark out and then know that when I was done I could go and eat something delicious is something from my childhood that I would never change.I could have fun for a few hours and then look forward to be in the table eating and chatting around those who mean the world to me. I know that if I had grown up here in the United States, this memory from when I was a kid would not be the sam e as when I moved here everything changed, and being here already for over eight years I can see the difference in how things really go. I am happy that I had my own idea of having fun, and looking forward to something in Colombia and that is truly a blessing for me.

An analysis of the consumers consumption motives of luxury fashion Dissertation

An analysis of the consumers consumption motives of luxury fashion branding in China - Dissertation Example But, there is an exogenous variable known as economic recession which has decreased the demand of luxury goods across different nations of the globe and majority of the countries of the world are still struggling with sluggish economic growth. Now the fact is that during the time of economic prosperity, people may indulge themselves in luxury purchase but during the time of economic uncertainties, people view luxury purchasing in the ground of utilitarian principles. Hence, the timing was right to conduct research on luxury item purchase decision of Chinese customers. Important fact is that China is an emerging country which is showing constant GDP growth rate for last couple of years hence the research findings will help future luxury marketers to design brand strategy to lure Chinese customers. ... The researcher used convenience sampling in order to select respondents while validity of the research result was also being checked in context to evidences of secondary data. The researcher has stressed on qualitative analysis of data without using any statistical techniques in order to maintain integrity of the data. Majority of the respondents pointed out that they purchase luxury fashion brands for increasing social status among peer group while others pointed out that they believe luxury products offer unmatched quality to them. However, the researcher has not analyzed the data with combination of inferential and descriptive statistics which have significantly blurred the data interpretation in this paper and this is the major limitations in this research. Future researchers should stress on this limitations and analyze the research variables with the help of more comprehensive statistical techniques. Table of Contents Chapter I: INTRODUCTION 7 1.1 Background 7 1.2 Research Prob lem 9 1.3 Rationale of the Study 9 1.4 Research Aim and Objectives 10 1.5 Research Questions 10 1.6 Outline of the Study 11 Chapter II: LITERATURE REVIEW 11 2.1 Present Economic Scenario of China 11 2.2 Consumer Behaviour towards Luxury Fashion Products in China 12 2.3 Hofstede’s 5-D Model Using the Culture of China 14 2.4 Purchasing Power of Chinese 16 2.5 The Concept of Luxury 17 2.6 Luxury Fashion Brands 18 2.7 Dimensions of Luxury Fashion Brands 19 2.8 Asian Luxury Fashion Brand Market 20 2.9 Luxury Fashion Brand Market in China 21 2.10 Consumption Pattern in China 22 2.11 Role of Gender in Chinese Consumption Pattern 22 2.12 Role of Income in Chinese

Movement as a narrative device, screen Hope (1948) Essay

Movement as a narrative device, screen Hope (1948) - Essay Example Movement is used as a narrative by Hitchcock in Rope as he reveals conversations between the characters. The major aspects that Hitchcock utilizes his technique is during conversations "in which a pair of educated young men in Chicago in the 1920s committed a random murder for the thrill of it and to demonstrate their superiority to society." (Go Upstate.com) Brandon, the character we are concerned with, is one of the two killers and through his use, f movement during the film Hitchcock uses movement to show Brandon's smug and sinister side to the audience. Hitchcock's adherence to shoot the entire picture in eight 10-minute takes is significant especially in the scenes featuring Brandon. In the scene where Brandon unexpectedly quiets the sobbing Philip with a slap. "It is about the only time in the film's eighty minutes that action takes precedence over motion" (Up State.com) Up until this scene Brandon's movements worked more effectively on the audience then even the dialogue. In scenes featuring Brandon there are lengthy and nonstop movement. These movements by Brandon show him q going in and out of rooms without a cut.

Criminology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Criminology - Essay Example The labeling theory was developed from the interactionist perspective of criminology. Interactionists believe that a person does not become a criminal on their own. Interactionist theories "assume that everyone has the potential to violate the law and that criminality is not an innate human characteristic," according to Schamlleger (2005, p. 245). While social constraints are the primary cause of crime, this alone does not cause someone to act unlawful. Instead these deviant behaviors must be learned and reinforced, which is why the process of socialization is an important factor in determining if someone is going to become a criminal. This means that interactions with society, peer groups, family, the education system, and other social groups play a prominent role, as these interactions provide the individual with morals, values, and a slate of norms in which to adhere to. In addition, this theory believes that a person's position in society will influence their involvement in crime , with those in higher positions in society less likely to partake in criminal behaviors. The labeling theory helped criminologist differentiate between primary and secondary deviance. An offender's initial act of deviance is considered primary deviance. However, continuing these acts is considered secondary deviance, especially if these acts occur as a result of being around other deviant individuals (Schmalleger, 2005). For example, while someone may initially rob a gas station as their primary deviance, secondary deviance may come from being sentenced to jail, meeting fellow criminals, and engaging in additional deviant behavior with them that would not occur if the individual was not associated with them. However, the individual does not have to have direct interaction with other deviant individuals for it to be considered secondary deviance. The action of simply being labeled a criminal can result in secondary deviations (Schmalleger, 2005). Noting and studying labeling in regards to secondary deviance is important, because the negative labels put on an individual e ventually become internalized. The individual labels himself as deviant, and therefore performs deviant behaviors to fit these labels (Schmalleger, 2005). In the 1960s and 70s, criminologists began to question the labeling and interactionist theory. It was during this time that there were a lot of social problems that were causing criminologists to question their loyalty and support to these and other earlier proposed theories. Some of these social problems included the civil rights movement, which gave blacks and whites equal rights, and the war in Vietnam, which was hugely unpopular. Criminologists began to question how they could support theories and interpret laws that discriminated against people and reinforced or caused human suffering. It was at this time that things in the world of criminology began to shift, as a new perspective, Marxist criminology, began to develop. This criminology theory strongly questioned the labeling theory and other theories before it. It was founded upon the writings concerning capitalism by Karl Marx. He was an individual who believed that capitalist societies were divided into two social classes, a small, rich, elite and a large, poor, working class. The elite class served as the ruling class and exploited the poor class

Healthcare Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Healthcare Management - Case Study Example Healthcare management as a practice provides many challenges to most players in the industry, understanding how to have properly manage the healthcare system for sustainability is crucial. Shortell and Kaluzny (2000) propose different options for the future that can assist in healthcare management; they talk about the four different scenarios that can be used. The scenarios include healthcare as a normal business, healthcare when government is pressured or hard times, healthcare as an economic development issue, and health care as a shared vision. The healthcare industry has been among the fastest growing industries in the recent times but on the other side it has been among the slowest industries in adapting the new technologies and techniques, which places the sector in a challenging position (Porter & Lee, 2013). When looking at the different scenarios, we have to consider the effect on the different efforts to contain the costs, the access to healthcare, the role of management, a nd the efforts to change the organization’s culture. In the paper, we are examining how the four different scenarios outlined by Shortell and Kaluzny on the different aspects of healthcare. The underlying principle in this scenario is that we have to view healthcare like any other business in our daily lives and not any specific business in particular. Here, we have to consider the fact that a business has to generate revenue, it has to be profitable for it to operate and continue in business. The understanding that the primary goal of any health care facility or the health care sector at large is to treat people still holds, but the goals and strategies should be aimed at maximizing revenues for the business.

Co-workers spending too much time on personal devices or social Research Paper

Co-workers spending too much time on personal devices or social networks, leading to distractions in the office - Research Paper Example This paper includes a discussion on some of the ways these devices and social networking websites lead to distractions in offices. The paper also includes a discussion on the ways the use of these devices and social networks can be limited in offices. Introduction In today's faced paced world, the use of technology has become a need for every individual from any field of life. Students, businesspersons, and employees all make use of different types of technologies to carry out their personal and professional activities. However, sometimes use of these technologies at places where they should not be used leads to problems. For example, use of mobile phones and other personal devices at work lead to distractions in offices when people use these devices for personal matters instead of focusing on work and assigned job responsibilities. It has become a critical need for managers and employers to develop and implement such policies at workplaces, which should be able to bring down the use of personal devices at offices. Let us discuss some of the ways personal devices and social networks used by colleagues lead to distractions in offices. Impact of Personal Devices The impact of the use of personal devices, such as, mobile phones, laptops, and disc players in offices is never positive on the efficiency level of employees. The reason is that the use of such devices at workplaces deviate the attention and focus of colleagues away from their job responsibilities, which not only results in decreasing their efficiency level but also shifts down the company’s level of productivity. Companies are at risk of losing millions of dollars each year through decreased level of employee productivity caused by digital distractions (Anderson 1). Some colleagues make personal calls while sitting in their offices because of which they cannot perform their required official tasks within time. For example, if a customer representative officer starts making a long personal call wh ile sitting in office, he/she will not be in the position to focus properly towards the incoming official calls in that time. The result in such cases is late delivery of work to managers or customers. Similarly, some colleagues use laptops in offices for purposes other than the official ones. The result is again delayed completion of assigned tasks. Moreover, some colleagues like to hear songs at workplace using headphones. This also results in distracting their attention away from work. The use of personal devices at work can also lead to severe accidents at the workplace. A number of cases have occurred in the last few years where a minor distraction from official task because of cell phone or other personal devices have resulted in severe workplace accidents. For example, an incident occurred in California in 2007 where an employee responsible for operating the sugarcane-chopping machine in a mill cut his left hand because he put his hand within the choppers unintentionally bein g busy in a personal call while operating the machine. This is just a single case out of many where little distractions have caused major injuries to employees. Such cases speak strongly in favor of putting a complete ban on the use of personal devices at the workplace. Impact of Social Networks The impact of using social networking websites, such as, Facebook or Twitter in offices is also not positive on the efficiency and attention of

Cross cultural language differences Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cross cultural language differences - Assignment Example It is the aim of this essay to assess the types of curricular and related activities that can be used to increase awareness of cross-cultural language differences among teachers and among children. In the American schooling system, the percentage of white teachers is by a large degree greater than that of teachers from ethnic minorities. In most cases, this leads to less interaction among teachers from diverse ethnic backgrounds. However, in urban schools, the interaction between these teachers becomes increasingly common, attributable to the multiculturalism of urban areas. Sometimes, the teachers may not know how to treat their colleagues who are from different cultural groups and who speak different languages. As a way of bridging the cultural differences, teachers should use some aspects of the curriculum to familiarize themselves with different cultures. For example, teachers can hold discussions amongst themselves and review how different their histories are, while also acknowl edging the similarities in their cultures. Teachers with ability to speak multiple languages should also act as bridges and translate information for their colleagues. Teachers may also engage in other activities such as giving each other cultural souvenirs to facilitate cultural awareness and interaction. Once teachers are able to exist harmoniously with each other despite their cultural and language differences, it then becomes easier to teach learners who speak different languages and who have different cultural origins. The curriculum should be one of the tools used to promote cultural and lingual differences among learners. A good curriculum is one which emphasizes on the benefits of cultural diversity and teaches learners to embrace their cultural and language differences. For example, the curriculum should ensure that learners are taught different histories, languages and cultures. This type of education teaches learners to respect each other’s culture and shun racism and discrimination. According to Hill the classroom should be treated like a public place, where slurry comments should not be entertained lest such comments end up hurting an individual’s pride and identity (201). As Hill states, it is the responsibility of a censurer to ensure that speakers do not make racist or culturally offensive statements all in the name of â€Å"light talk† (203). In the school setting, this role of censorship should be taken up by the teacher. By treating all cultures with respect, the teacher acts as a role model for students to do the same. In designing the curriculum, experts should be very careful in choosing the most appropriate language of instruction, bearing in mind the diverse cultures represented by learners. The language of instruction according to Fought plays a key role in the educational development of a child (185). Although the instructional or standard language in most schools is English, the teacher should enhance learner und erstanding by asking students to give the equivalents in their native language or mother tongue, of words used in the instructional language. However, the use of coded language and slang should be discouraged from the school setting. The use of slang African-American slang sometimes brings about conflicts. The same goes for coded language where for example, American children know that whenever an English word contains the Spanish â€Å"

The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company Essay Example for Free

The Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company Essay Company’s briefly introduction Once one of the biggest baggers of groceries in the US, The Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company (AP) has been reduced to a shrinking portfolio of regional grocery chains. It now runs about 300 supermarkets in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and three other eastern states. In addition to its mainstay 80-store AP chain, the company operates five banners: Pathmark, Waldbaums, Superfresh, Food Emporium, and Food Basics. AP acquired its longtime rival in the Northeast, Pathmark Stores, for about . 4 billion, but the purchase failed to reverse APs lagging fortunes. Indeed, AP in 2012 emerged from 15 months bankruptcy after a financial restructuring and closing 75 stores. More from Wikipedia: The Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company, better known as AP, is a supermarket and liquor store chain in the United States. Its supermarkets, which are under six different banners, are found in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. APs liquor stores, known as Best Cellars, are found in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Virginia.[2] APs corporate headquarters are in Montvale, New Jersey.[3] Supermarket News ranked AP #19 in the 2010 Top 75 Food Retailers and Wholesalers based on 2009 fiscal year estimated sales of $9.1 billion.[4] Based on 2009 revenue, AP was the 34th largest retailer in the US.[5] From 1915 through 1975, it was the largest food retailer in the nation (until 1965, the largest US retailer of any kind).[6] AP is considered an American icon.[7] The Wall Street Journal, in an editorial on December 10, 2010, said that AP was as well known as McDonalds or Google is today and that AP was Wal-Mart before Wal-Mart.[8] What is now AP began in 18 59; it established a small chain of retail tea and coffee stores in New York City and a national mail order business. It grew to 70 stores by 1878. In the late 19th century, AP, still a tea and coffee company, became the countrys first grocery chain. At the turn of the century, it operated almost 200 stores. The company grew dramatically after introducing the economy store concept in 1912, growing to 1,600 stores in 1915. After World War I, the company opened stores offering meat and produce. In 1930 the company, now the worlds largest retailer, reached $1  billion in sales with 16,000 stores.[9] In 1936, AP adopted the self-serve supermarket concept and opened 4,000 larger stores by 1950.[10] APs decline began in the 1950s when it failed to keep pace with chains which opened larger, modern supermarkets with features demanded by customers. By the 1970s, AP stores were out of date; its efforts to combat high operating costs resulted in poor customer service. In 1975, the company hired outside management, closing older stores and building modern ones. When these efforts failed to turn the company ar ound, the heirs of the original owners, and foundations that owned a majority of the stock, sold to the German Tengelmann Group. AP then launched a store-closing program financed by the surplus assets of its pension plan.[11] Starting in 1982, AP acquired several chains; these stores operated through their names rather than AP. While AP regained profitability in the 1980s, in 2002 it operated at a record loss because of new competition, especially Wal-Mart. AP closed more stores, which included the sale of its large Canadian division. In 2007, AP purchased Pathmark, one of its toughest competitors; AP again became the largest supermarket chain in the New York City area. Highly leveraged after this acquisition, the company experienced financial difficulties because of the recession and filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2010. In late 2011, AP implemented a restructuring plan to emerge from bankruptcy.[12][13] On March 13, 2012, it was announced that AP had emerged from bankruptcy and was now a private company. History: More than 150 years ago, The Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company, Inc. (AP) began operations as The Great American Tea Company. Its first store – on Vesey Street in New York City – sold tea, coffee and spices at value prices. Soon after, stores sprung up all around the New York metropolitan area, and salesmen took their wares to the road in horse-drawn carriages bound for New England, the Midwest and the South. In 1869, the Company was renamed The Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company, commemorating the first transcontinental railroad. In 1936, AP became the first national supermarket chain in the United States, one of many innovative concepts that radically changed the way consumers shopped. Its  vast advertising and promotional activities reached so many consumers that AP became an American icon. Below are select milestones from the Companys rich history: 1859-1899 Becoming a Grocery Pioneer * 1859 The Great American Tea Company is founded as a mail order business by tea and spice merchants George Huntington Hartford and George Gilman. The same year, the first store-warehouse operation opens in New York City at 31 Vesey Street. * 1869 The Company is renamed the Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company, or AP. * 1880 AP begins marketing its own brand of baking powder, its first private label product. It also pioneers the use of refrigerated railroad cars to transport fruit, and becomes the first to bring fresh seafood to the Midwest. * 1881 AP becomes the first grocery chain to operate 100 stores and expands to 5,000 delivery routes. * 1880s With the publics taste for coffee growing rapidly, AP establishes its own brand, Eight O Clock Breakfast Coffee, packaged in a red bag. George Huntington Hartford names the product after the time of the day that he believed the most coffee was consumed. * 1887 Sales hit $1 million. * 1890s AP introduces premium â€Å"checks† to be redeemed for cups, saucers and other goods, marking the first original customer-loyalty program with premiums and savings coupons. 1900-1959 Becoming an Innovator and American Icon * 1912 John Hartford convinces his father and brother to launch the first no frills† grocery format in America with the opening of the AP Economy Store in Jersey City, N.J. The cash and carry store, with plain furnishings and fixtures, offered no credit, no deliveries and no premiums just quality groceries at very low prices. * 1920 The AP Economy Store concept flourishes and catalyzes an extraordinary period of growth, resulting in 4,638 stores, from about 350 stores in 10 years prior. * 1924 The AP Radio Hour launches as Americas first national radio program. Soaring in popularity through the 1930s, it featured popular artists such as Kate Smith, Harry Horlick and the AP Gypsies. * 1929 AP more than triples its store count to 15,418 stores and increases  sales five-fold to reach the $1 billion mark. * 1930s AP expands to California, Washington and Canada. * 1933 AP participates in the Worlds Fair in Chicago. Housed in a 2,000-seat amphitheater, the AP Carnival draws thousands of visitors with the AP Marionette Revue, Harry Horlick and other entertainment. * 1936 AP opens the nations first supermarket, a 28,125-square-foot store in Braddock, Pa., that enables customers to select their own groceries without the assistance of a clerk. * 1937 AP launches Womans Day magazine through a wholly-owned subsidiary, The Stores Publishing Company. The magazine features articles on food preparation, home decoration, needlework and childcare, selling for two cents a copy exclusively in AP stores. * 1941 Eight O Clock coffee becomes the best-selling brand of coffee in the world. * 1958 Sales grow to $5 billion and 4,252 stores. AP tops the industry, with volume exceeding that of its closest competitor by more than $1 billion. * 1959 AP celebrates its 100th anniversary. 1960-1999 Becoming a Supermarket Family * 1963 With its new Plaid Stamps redemption program, AP brings back the premium concept. With every purchase, shoppers receive plaid-colored stamps, which can be later redeemed for popular household items, such as snack trays and Lazy Susans. * 1971 AP opens its first Warehouse Economy Outlet (WEO). This low-price warehouse concept, featuring displays of fast-selling grocery items in the original cases, is rolled out to 1,500 stores. * 1979 The Hartford Foundation and family members sell the majority of AP shares to The Tengelmann Group of West Germany in the face of declining sales and profitability, as competitors follow consumers to the suburbs. * 1980 James Wood is elected Chairman, President CEO. Under his leadership, the company closes operations in several markets, including hundreds of older stores and the majority of its manufacturing operations. * 1981 Beginning a new growth via acquisition strategy, the Company purchases 17 Stop Shop supermarkets in New Jersey. * 1982 The Company launches the Superfresh banner in the Philadelphia area, emphasizing product freshness and strong customer service. * 1986 AP acquires the Bronx, N.Y.-based Shopwell Inc., which includes 26 upscale stores named The Food Emporium. It expands further in New York with  the acquisition of Waldbaums, Inc. that fall. * 1994 AP in the U.S. launches a new private label program, introducing four new brands across all of its banners: Americas Choice, Master Choice, Health Pride and Savings Plus. 2000-Present Innovating and Restructuring for the Future * 2000 The Food Emporium opens its unique Bridge Market store, located at 59th Street and First Avenue beneath New York Citys landmark Queensborough Bridge. * 2001 AP opens its first U.S. Food Basics store in Passaic, N.J. * 2003 To reduce debt and lower operating costs, AP exits Northern New England, sells Kohls stores in Wisconsin (which it acquired in 1983), closes all remaining Kohls operations, and sells the Eight OClock Coffee division. * 2005 The Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company, Inc. sells AP Canada to METRO INC., a supermarket and pharmaceutical operator in the Provinces of Quebec and Ontario Canada. * 2009 The Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company celebrates its 150th Anniversary as the oldest grocery retailer in the United States. * 2010 The Board elects Sam Martin as President CEO. Under his leadership, the Company embarks on a turnaround plan and files for Chapter 11 to enable it to restructure its operations and financial obligations. * 2011 AP launches Woodson James, a new line of premium-quality Angus beef featuring steakhouse-quality meat at affordable supermarket prices, exclusive to all AP, Pathmark, Superfresh, Waldbaums and The Food Emporium stores. * 2012 AP exits Chapter 11 as a private company with 320 stores. SWOT ANALYSIS The Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company (AP or the company) is engaged in the retail food business. The company offers a strong portfolio of private label brands. Green Way, a new private label launched in 2009, features over 200 healthy, organic and eco-friendly products. In the current economic environment, consumers are tending to choose private label brands due to their quality and competitive pricing. Given the growing demand for private label products, the companys portfolio of private brands offers a competitive advantage. However, the sluggish US economy could depress purchasing power of consumers affecting the sales of the company. Strengths  Weaknesses Robust private label portfolio Declining market share Operational and financial issues led to bankruptcy filing Multiple store formats Coupons portfolio Opportunities Threats Economic downturn in US affects consumer spending Online retail channel offers opportunities for revenue growth Increasing demand for organic products Intense competition Rising labor wages in the US likely to increase the operating cost Remodeling of stores will lead to incremental sales Strengths Robust private label portfolio AP offers a strong portfolio of private label brands including Americas Choice, Hartford Reserve, Live Better Wellness, Americas Choice Gold, Smart Price and Via Roma. APs Americas Choice brand presently stands among the best selling private brands in the industry. In addition, in 2009, the company launched Green Way, a new private label line featuring over 200 healthy, organic and eco-friendly products. The company launched The Food Emporium Trading Company private label brand of international specialty items, in November 2010. In the face of macroeconomic pressures, consumers are increasingly opting for private label products. According to industry watchers, private label sales have increased in the US in the recent years. In the current economic environment, value-oriented consumers are choosing private label brands due to their competitive pricing. Also, strong push from retailers and improvements in both quality and selection has been influencing the shopping trends. This trend is expected to continue even after the economy recovers as consumers consider the quality of private label brands to be as high as name brand products. In addition to providing savings to consumers, private labels provide higher operating margins than national brands to AP thereby improving profitability. Increased  penetration of these private labels will improve the margins of the company. Additionally, they offer a competitive advantage and will enable the company to develop a niche customer base. Multiple store formats AP operates multiple store formats. The companys store formats vary from full-service supermarkets featuring fresh produce, seafood, meat, deli, groceries, floral, and pharmacies, to upscale gourmet stores (The Food Emporium), to limited variety stores featuring everyday low prices (Food Basics). Through its broad base of supermarkets, AP has expanded and diversified within the retail food business. The company operates stores with merchandise, pricing and identities tailored to appeal to different customer segments, including buyers seeking gourmet and ethnic foods, a wide variety of premium quality private label goods and health and beauty aids along with the range of traditional grocery products. The wide variety of products offered to meet the needs of a diverse customer base will drive footfall and also provide immense opportunities for cross selling. This in turn will contribute to higher revenues by increasing the average ticket. Coupons portfolio Consumers drastically cut back on spending during the recession as unemployment rose and lending slowed. They are looking at generating more value for the money spent. AP, keeping this in view, launched a comprehensive coupon portfolio of innovations in 2009, to provide shoppers with more savings and convenience. The company partnered with Zavers, a pioneer in digital couponing, to launch the first paperless, clipless and completely digital coupon service available by a supermarket chain in the Metropolitan New York area. This service allows club card members at AP, Pathmark, Waldbaums and SuperFresh to go online and save the coupons directly onto their club card. The savings are automatically deducted off the customers shopping order once the club card is scanned at the checkout. Subsequently, AP introduced the Rewards Online Mall, allowing club card members to earn rewards by making purchases at over 1,000 online retailers including eBay.com, Best Buy, Home Depot, Macys, Barnes and Noble, Travelocity, Staples, 1-800-FLOWERS and many more. For every purchase made, customers can receive an average of 3% back. Once the total reaches $10, customers will receive a Rewards Certificate in the mail to be used towards their next in-store purchase at any AP, Waldbaums, SuperFresh, The Food Emporium or Pathmark store. To complement its couponing  programs portfolio, AP also premiered an innovative new online coupon gallery available via its banner websites. This service which helps customers save more money while shopping for groceries, was made available through AP’s partnership with Coupons.com. Each of the company’s banner websites features a special coupon gallery with hundreds of dollars of savings on all departments. Besides offering savings this service is convenient and saves time. Such additional benefits offered by the company will help attract customer visits. Weaknesses Declining market share AP has been losing its market share to the bigger discount retailers and wholesale clubs including Wal-Mart, Costco, Target, and BJs. These companies have expanded into the grocery business and yielded to the economic downturn by lowering prices, thereby attracting the value-driven consumers. The big-ticket consumers, on the other hand, preferred higher-end retailers such as Whole Foods and Trader Joes. AP by sticking to its consistent pricing, lost its customers to these companies in the difficult retail climate, while the other grocery retail chains lowered prices considerably, endorsed value proposition, and attracted sales. The company recorded a decline in revenues of 8.3% and 7.4% in FY2011 and FY2010 respectively. The sales declined primarily due to a decrease in comparable stores sales and store closures, partially offset by sales from new stores. The overall decline in sales was primarily caused by a decrease in customer count. The loss of market share to competitors has aff ected the company financial results significantly. Operational and financial issues led to bankruptcy filing AP, in December 2010 filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code with the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York to facilitate its financial and operational restructuring. The company experienced severe financial and operational issues which led to this move. At the end of the third quarter of FY2011, the company had cash reserves of $92.4 million compared with $281.8 million during the same period, the previous year.The company had long-term debt of $816.8 million at the end of the third quarter of FY2011. The current portion of long-term debt increased to $171.5 million at the end of the third quarter of FY2011 compared with $191,000 at the end of the third  quarter of FY2010. The company has also experienced several other issues that contributed to its bankruptcy filing, including large pension funding requirements and union agreements. Approximately 92% of the companys employees are represented by unions and covered by collective bargaining agreements. Furthermore, the company had about 70% of inventory tied to one supplier in an unfavorable contract. The company also had obligations, including the payment of rent on stores that were not subleased or leases terminated. The rent expenses for the mostly empty stores were estimated to be substantial next year. All the above factors put the company at a competitive disadvantage and rendered its business unsustainable in the current scenario. The bankruptcy filing and the subsequent financing will significantly affect the investors confidence in the company. Online retail channel offers opportunities for revenue growth The online retail market in the US is growing at a fast pace and the trend is expected to continue. Online sales contributed to 6% of the retail sales in 2009 and are estimated to contribute 8% of the total retail sales by 2014. Online sales grew by 11% in 2009 compared to a total retail growth of 2.5%. Online sales while offering convenience to customers, also improve a companys margins by cutting down operating costs. AP is well poised to benefit from the expected increase in online sales. Increasing demand for organic products Natural and organic food products segment is one of the fastest growing categories in food retailing. Increasing consumer awareness about health and environmental issues, along with an increasing resistance towards genetically modified (GM) food products and GM farming, has led to a rapid increase in the demand for organic food. According to industry estimates, the organic product sales in the US reached $26.6 billion in 2009, an increase of 5.3% over 2008. Of the total, organic food accounted for $24.8 billion and organic non-foods, the remaining $1.8 billion. In comparison, the total food sales in the US increased by 1.6% in FY2009.The growth trend of organic foods is expected to continue. The company offers over 200 healthy, organic and eco-friendly products under its Green Way brand. The company could leverage its presence to exploit the increasing demand for  organic products. Remodeling of stores will lead to incremental sales AP has been investing in re-modeling its stores to offer a unique shopping experience to its customers. These remodeled stores offer an expanded selection of deli, bakery, floral, meat, seafood and organics departments and many specialty sections. The Pompton Plains AP store, located in Pompton Plains, New Jersey, besides offering traditional food categories, also introduced new departments including the kids and toddler aisle featuring all the products needed by mothers in one area; an enhanced pet selection; expanded mens offerings featuring an extensive array of specialty products for men; and a special section dedicated to gluten-free packaged products. Apart from offering a wide selection of quality groceries, fresh produce, breads, seafood, and meats, APs new Port Jefferson Pathmark store features a full-service pharmacy department which provides numerous benefits to customers including, all major prescription drug plans including Medicare Part D accepted; health screening serv ices; complete diabetic supply center; patient counseling and information service; mail order and online prescription refill; and Live Better! Wellness club. The new Pathmark is designed with a bright, open layout with modern decor and colorful artwork and signage, further enhancing the overall experience for shoppers. AP’s Woodcliff Lake AP store offers expansive departments that feature a wide selection of fresh and gourmet foods. This is complemented by a full-service bakery, Starbucks Cafe, floral department and pharmacy, along with a center store department that presents a complete line of specialty items for men, children and pets. The company also re-opened the New Providence AP store with expansive departments offering a wide selection of fresh and gourmet foods, a full-service bakery and floral department and an expansive center store department with a complete line of specialty items for children and pets. The remodels with additional departments attract more consumers and offer cross selling opportunities, therefore contributing incrementally to the sales increase. These additional services will also help the company differentiate itself from its competitors. Threats Economic downturn in US affects consumer spending The US, the worlds largest economy, shrank 4.1% from the fourth quarter of 2007 to the second quarter of 2009. Household spending fell 1.2% in 2009, twice as much as previously projected and the biggest decline since 1942. The US economy slowed in the second quarter of 2010 as scarcity of jobs eroded consumer spending. GDP in the second quarter of 2010 grew at a 2.4% annual rate less than forecast. Consumer spending, which accounts for about 70% of the economy, rose at a 1.6% pace in the second quarter, compared with a 1.9% rate in the first quarter of 2010. Job gains have been slow to take hold, curbing household purchases. US retail sales rose a meager 0.1% in July 2010 from June 2010, according to industry watchers. In addition, the US economy grew 2.6% in the third quarter of 2010. The World Bank forecasts the US economy to grow at a sluggish rate of 2.8% in 2011. High unemployment rate which is estimated to reach 10%, sluggish wage gains and credit crunch are all expected to keep consumers relatively cautious. The unemployment rate remained significantly high at 9.4% towards the end of 2010. Rising unemployment further reduces the consumer spending as customers feel unsecured. Thus, slowdown in US economy would depress purchasing power of consumers which could result in a decline in sales of the company. Intense competition AP conducts its retail merchandise business under highly competitive conditions. Although AP is a large regional department store chain company, it has numerous competitors at the national and local level that competes with its individual stores, including specialty, off-price, discount, and internet and mail-order retailers. Competition is characterized by many factors including location, reputation, fashion, merchandise assortment, advertising, price, quality, service and credit availability. AP anticipates intense competition to continue with focus on pricing. Some of the companys competitors have substantially larger marketing budgets, which may provide them with a competitive advantage. If AP is unable to maintain its competitive position, it could experience downward pressure on prices, lower demand for products, reduced margins, the inability to take advantage of new business opportunities and the loss of  market share. Rising labor wages in the US likely to increase the operating cost In recent times, tight labor markets, increased overtime and government mandated increases in minimum wages resulted in an increase in labor costs, which could materially impact the companys results of operation. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) has increased the federal minimum wage rate in the US from $6.55 an hour in July 2008 to $7.25 an hour in July 2009. This was further increased to $8.25 an hour in July 2010, revising the labor rates for the fourth year in a row. Many states also have minimum wage laws. If an employee is subject to both state and federal minimum wage laws, the employee is entitled to the higher minimum wage. Increased labor costs could increase the operating costs for the company.

Anime Is Not a Cartoon Essay Example for Free

Anime Is Not a Cartoon Essay The anime is traditionally hand drawn, but now it has become commonplace in computer animation and are televised. In nowadays it becomes popular around the world. And many people are adopting the customs events and traditions like Japanese otaku parties,. Also there is a problem with the time of dubbing and the reproduction of the series, as well as some similarities and differences between the comic and anime. Manga is the word that Japanese from nowadays call comics or cartoon. In the eighteenth century drawings designated Japanese painter Hokusai, mixing images and text, then continued to use this word to other works, more or less fulfilling this requirement. However, the real start of the Manga as it is known today, came in 1947 with Osamu Tezuka, a broken doctor that copied the Disney style, creating a history of robots that became famous quickly, and in less than five years, and had created more than five new series, including the most famous and is known Tatsuwan Atom (Astro Boy), his most famous creation. However for the Japanese â€Å"Animeâ€Å"cartoon it refers to any animation, in the West this word is to refer to the cartoon that originated in Japan. The TV Anime, born in 1962, with the series Manga Calendar, which aired on June 25, 1962, and continuing until July 4, 1964. But the real beginning of the anime, this again by Osamu Tezuka, the animated version of Tetsuwan Atom, which was seen in Japanese homes since 1 January 1963 and ended on December 31, 1966. Tesuka also was Taitei Jungle (Kimba the White Lion), the first color anime. But, event when Anime is like a copy from the Disney`s style, there are some different characteristics between cartoons and Anime. The word anime is understood that this targeted to Japanese cartoons, but not all Japanese cartoons meet the requirements and characteristics of Anime. The first lies in that Anime being Japanese. Second, the Anime must have some ingredients that are action, love, suspense and / or adventure. Third, it must consist of highly innovative designs, qualities and features never before seen. And as a final point space or temporal location of the series should be given in Japanese territory or consider a series relationship between the country and Japan. The above features are highlighted by custom, this saw along most series. The main features of the anime, in ancient times are obviously the same as the Manga, but being cartoons, now includes new features: the action scenes are generally static and show different angles of the same situation, and generally keeping the same background, and try to as much as possible to save animations that its means that there are scenes that are repeated from earlier chapters, etc. But how can we differentiate these characteristics in the Anime? Well, the anime is classified by some of its characteristics. We can classify the Anime in the following basic categories: Kodomo, that is is more for young children. Shojo, that it main actress or actresses are girls or are focusing for girls. Shonen, in which the main actor or actors are guys or are focusing for boys. Seinen and Josei that are focusing for Adults. There are a more specific classify as: Magical Girl, Girls with powers. Mecha, Giant Robot. Mecha ai, romance between robots. Shonen ai, romance between men. Shojo ai, romance between women. Hentai, meaning â€Å"pervert†, sexual content. Soft Hentai, as the word says softer sex. Futanari, hermaphrodites. Loli kon, anime that are girls. Shota Kon, children. Yaoi, Gay men. Yuri, Lesbian women. Ecchi, sexual situations led to a comical way also tells Ero. Gore, Lots of blood and violence. Harem, Beautiful women are after the same man. Chibi, in Japanese means small, this anime stands out in less than 8 years old. People who watch Anime and have an extensive knowledge of this are called Otakus, one of the adopted terms of Japanese culture. The word Otaku is the term used by the Japanese to refer to any kind of hobby of collecting something, but this term has been a feature of Manga fans and anime, for Westerners, with the brief distinction of thought, what Otaku in Japan is an insecure, a refugee in the lonely world, where society is very separate from them, and only understand those who collect the same. In Nicaragua for the Expo Anime events (Meetings in Managua) we can meet a lot of Otakus wearing as their favorite Anime characters, sharing Anime shows, playing video games about Anime and singing the Anime sound tracks. The Anime is made originally in Japanese language and generally anime has a long delay time for coming to America, at least in regard to Latin America. The downside is translation. Usually there is a big difference between the year when the series was first in Japan and the year it was first shown in America is given between 3 or 4 years apart. Translation is delayed, increasingly more and more appear and this series makes the series (translated orally) will take longer, hence the different channels opted anime because some successful series translate into written form (is faster but not as exciting as if it were spoken). For dubbing, dubbing studios and those responding to the dubbing is the most important part of any anime that will be present in any country. In conclusion, the anime and Manga can be considered as an art, which rises to highest level spirit, feelings and thoughts of those who create this art, whose purpose is to entertain all the viewers or those who see the images captured on paper. And though the anime is almost a copy of the Disney style, there ragos that make a wide difference between them. It also has a more specific classifying them to North American cartoons. nd the popularity of anime around the world led to the incorporation of the fans in Japanese culture, although the difficulties in orginal language translation to delay the presentation of our anime in America is a problem, the networks have found a solution subtitling of the popular series. But remember, any Anime is Japanese, But no all Japanese cartoons are Anime.