Eurasian Badger Facts

The Eurasian badger or European badger (Meles meles) is a social, omnivorous mammal that resides in woodlands, pastures, suburbs, and urban parks throughout most of Europe and Asia. In Europe, the badgers are also known by several common names including brock, pate, grey, and bawson. Fast Facts: Eurasian Badger Scientific Name: Meles melesCommon Name(s): Eurasian badger, European badger, Asian badger. In Europe: brock, pate, grey, and bawsonBasic Animal Group: Mammal  Ã‚  Size: 22–35 inches longWeight: Females weigh between 14.5–30 pounds, males are 20–36 poundsLifespan: 6 yearsDiet:  OmnivoreHabitat: Europe and AsiaPopulation: Worldwide unknown; range size variesConservation Status: Least Concern; considered Endangered in Albania Description Eurasian badgers are powerfully built mammals that have a short, fat body and short, sturdy legs well suited for digging. The bottoms of their feet are naked and they have strong claws that are elongated with a sharp end honed for excavation. They have small eyes, small ears, and a long head. Their skulls are heavy and elongated and they have oval braincases. Their fur is grayish and they have black faces with white stripes on the top and sides of their face and neck. Badgers range in body length from about 22–35 inches, with a tail extending another 4.5 to 20 inches. Females weigh between 14.5–30 pounds, while males weigh from 20–36 pounds. DamianKuzdak/Getty Images Species Once thought to be a single species, some researchers split them into subspecies which are similar in appearance and behavior but have different ranges. Common badger (Meles meles meles)Cretan badger (Meles meles arcalus)Trans Caucasian badger (Meles meles canascens)Kizlyar badger (Meles meles heptneri)Iberian badger (Meles meles marianensis)Norwegian badger (Meles meles milleri)Rhodes badger (Meles meles rhodius)Fergana badger (Meles meles severzovi) Habitat European badgers are found throughout the British Isles, Europe, and Scandinavia. Their range extends westward to the Volga River. West of the Volga River, Asian badgers are common. They are most often studied as a group and referred to in the scholarly press simply as Eurasian badgers. Eurasian badgers prefer deciduous woods with clearings or open pastureland with small patches of wood. They are also found in a wide variety of temperate ecosystems, mixed and coniferous woodlands, scrub, suburban areas, and urban parks. Subspecies are found in mountains, plains, and even semi-deserts. Territory ranges vary depending on food availability and so reliable population estimates are not currently available. Diet Eurasian badgers are omnivores. They are opportunistic foragers that consume fruit, nuts, bulbs, tubers, acorns and cereal crops, as well as invertebrates such as earthworms, insects, snails, and slugs. They also eat small mammals such as rats, voles, shrews, moles, mice, and rabbits. When available, they will also feed on small reptiles and amphibians such as frogs, snakes, newts, and lizards. The badgers forage alone even when involved in a social group: Eurasian badgers live in territorial, mixed-sex social colonies each sharing a communal burrow. The animals are nocturnal and spend much of the daylight hours hidden away in their setts. Behavior Eurasian badgers are social animals that live in colonies of six to 20 individuals made up of multiple males, breeding and non-breeding females, and cubs. The groups create and reside in a network of underground tunnels known as a sett or den. Some setts are large enough to house more than a dozen badgers and can have tunnels that are as much as 1,000 feet long with numerous openings to the surface. Badgers excavate their setts in well-drained soils that are easy to dig in. The tunnels are 2–6 feet beneath the surface of the ground and the badgers often construct large chambers where they sleep or care for their young. When digging tunnels, badgers create large mounds outside the entryway. By placing entrances on slopes, the badgers can push the debris down the hill and away from the opening. They do the same when cleaning out their sett, pushing bedding material and other waste out and away from the opening. Groups of badgers are known as colonies and each colony may construct and use several different setts throughout their territory. The setts they use depend on the distribution of food resources within their territory as well as whether or not it is breeding season and young are to be raised in the sett. Setts or sections of setts not used by badgers are sometimes occupied by other animals such as foxes or rabbits. Like bears, badgers experience winter sleep during which time they become less active but their body temperature does not drop as it does in full hibernation. In late summer, badgers begin to gain the weight they will need to power themselves through their winter sleep period. Reproduction Eurasian badgers are polygynous, meaning males mate with multiple females but females only mate with one male. Within social groups, however, only the dominant male and female mate. Dominant females are known to kill cubs from non-dominant females in the social group. Badgers can mate year round, but most commonly in late winter through early spring and late summer through early fall. At times, males expand their territories to cross-breed with extra-group females. Gestation lasts between 9 and 21 months and litters produce 1–6 cubs at a time; females are fertile during pregnancy so multiple paternity births are common. Cubs first emerge from their dens after eight to 10 weeks and are weaned by the age of 2.5 months. They are sexually mature at about a year old, and their lifespans are typically six years, although the oldest known wild badger lived to 14. TonyBaggett/Getty Images Threats European badgers do not have many predators or natural enemies. In some parts of their range, wolves, dogs, and lynxes pose a threat. In some areas, Eurasian badgers live side-by-side other predators such as foxes without conflict. The IUCN Red List comments that since Eurasian badgers occur in many protected areas and there are high densities found in anthropogenic habitats in large parts of its range, the Eurasian badger is highly unlikely to be declining at nearly the rate required to qualify for listing even as Near Threatened. They are targeted for hunting for food or persecuted as a pest, and in some urban and suburban areas, the population has decreased. Although estimates are unreliable, researchers believe the overall population has been increasing throughout their range since the 1980s. During the mid-1990s, the Badgers were classed Lower Risk/least concern (LR/LC) because of elevated occurrence of rabies and tuberculosis, although those diseases have since decreased substantially. Sources Carpenter, Petra J., et al. Mating System of the Eurasian Badger. Molecular Ecology 14.1 (2005): 273-84. Print.,Meles Meles, in a High Density Populationda Silva, Jack, David W. MacDonald, and Peter G. H. Evans. Net Costs of Group Living in a Solitary Forager, the Eurasian Badger (Meles meles). Behavioral Ecology 5.2 (1994): 151-58. Print.Frantz, A. C., et al. Reliable Microsatellite Genotyping of the Eurasian Badger (Meles Meles) Using Faecal DNA. Molecular Ecology 12.6 (2003): 1649-61. Print.Frantz, Alain C., et al. Estimating Population Size by Genotyping Remotely Plucked Hair: The Eurasian Badger. Journal of Applied Ecology 41.5 (2004): 985-95. Print.Kranz, A., A.V. Abramov, J. Herrero, and T. Maran. Meles meles. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.T29673A45203002, 2016.  Wang, A. Eurasian badgers (Meles meles). Animal Diversity, 2011.

Business Plan Cardinal Health - 2179 Words

Strategic Management Case Cardinal Health Inc. by Developed for Study Assignment Purposes for MBA Course at American Military University BUSN 620 Strategic Management Cardinal Health helps pharmacies, hospitals and ambulatory care focus on patient care 1 Disclaimer and Material Purpose Material Purpose: This document and all of the materials contained within are strictly for study assignment purposes to fulfill MBA course BUSN 620 Strategic Management on August 01, 2011-September 25, 2011 requirements. Disclaimer: This strategic management case study plan for Cardinal Health Inc. was developed by the student using course learning resources, outside sources, and other relevant miscellaneous data and facts. The materials†¦show more content†¦By 2006 there were only three major health care distributors, Cardinal, Amerisource, and McKesson, all offering the same products and services (Pearce, 2011). But, Cardinal stood far apart from its competition because a larger percentage of their overall operating income came from non-distribution activities. Their portfolio was diversified into distributing pharmaceuticals, packaging them, providing devices to hospitals that automate dispensing of drugs through their Pyxis subsidiary and providing pharmacy services through Medicine Shoppe (Pearce, 2011). Cardinal Health helps pharmacies, hospitals and ambulatory care sites focus on patient care 6 Key Dates and Timelines Date Acquisition 1971 Robert Walter acquires Monarch Foods in leveraged buyout 1980 Walter acquires drug distributor in Zanesville, Ohio 1983 Company goes public as Cardinal Distribution 1988 Walter sells food group to Roundy’s Inc. 1991 Cardinal’s revenues exceed $1 billion 1994 Cardinal acquires Whitmore Distribution and Medical Strategies; company name change to Cardinal Health 1995 Cardinal acquires Medicine Shoppe International 1996 Cardinal acquires Pysix and PCI Services, Inc. 1997 Cardinal acquires Owen Healthcare Inc. 1998 FTC blocks Cardinal’s purchase of Burgen Brunswig; Cardinal acquires R. P. Scherer 1999 Cardinal acquires Allegiance 2000 Cardinal acquires Bergen Brunswig Medical Corp.; Cardinal established Cardinal.com andShow MoreRelatedCardinal Health Supply Chain Performance Essay1143 Words   |  5 PagesCardinal Health Inc. was founded in 1971, as Cardinal Foods and then changed to Cardinal Distribution in 1979, and sin ce 1994 is has been named Cardinal Health. Cardinal Health has become a leader in the healthcare services sector. The company serves more than 60,000 healthcare sites daily and has over 50,000 customers in North America. One-third of all distributed pharmaceutical, laboratory and medical products in the U.S. and Puerto Rico flow through the Cardinal Health supply chain (CardinalHealthRead MoreCardinal Health, A Leader s Healthcare Industry On Many Fronts Essay1259 Words   |  6 PagesCardinal Health is a leader in healthcare industry on many fronts. 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The Vampire Diaries The Awakening Chapter Fourteen Free Essays

string(85) " voice rose and broke in unimaginable horror-â€Å"but Katherine isn’t in it\." Elena felt her flesh creep at the words. â€Å"You don’t mean that,† she said shakily. She remembered what she had seen on the roof, the blood smeared on Stefan’s lips, and she forced herself not to recoil from him. We will write a custom essay sample on The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening Chapter Fourteen or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"Stefan, I know you. You couldn’t have done that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He ignored her protestations, just went on staring with eyes that burned like the green ice at the bottom of a glacier. He was looking through her, into some incomprehensible distance. â€Å"As I lay in bed that night, I hoped against hope that she would come. Already I was noticing some of the changes in myself. I could see better in the dark; it seemed I could hear better. I felt stronger than ever before, full of some elemental energy. And I was hungry. â€Å"It was a hunger I had never imagined. At dinner I found that ordinary food and drink did nothing to satisfy it. I couldn’t understand that. And then I saw the white neck of one of the serving girls, and I knew why.† He drew a long breath, his eyes dark and tortured. â€Å"That night, I resisted the need, though it took all my will. I was thinking of Katherine, and praying she would come to me. Praying!† He gave a short laugh. â€Å"If a creature like me can pray.† Elena’s fingers were numb within his grasp, but she tried to tighten them, to send him reassurance. â€Å"Go on, Stefan.† He had no trouble speaking now. He seemed almost to have forgotten her presence, as if he were telling this story to himself. â€Å"The next morning the need was stronger. It was as if my own veins were dry and cracked, desperate for moisture. I knew that I couldn’t stand it for long. â€Å"I went to Katherine’s chambers. I meant to ask her, to plead with her-† His voice cracked. He paused and then went on. â€Å"But Damon was there already, waiting outside her rooms. I could see thathe hadn’t resisted the need. The glow of his skin, the spring in his step, told me that. He looked as smug as the cat who’s had the cream. â€Å"But he hadn’t had Katherine. ‘Knock all you like,’ he said to me, ‘but the female dragon inside won’t let you past. I’ve tried already. Shall we overpower her, you and I?’ â€Å"I wouldn’t answer him. The look on his face, that sly, self-satisfied look, repelled me. I pounded on that door to wake†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He faltered, and then gave another humorless laugh. â€Å"I was going to say, ‘to wake the dead.’ But the dead aren’t so hard to wake after all, are they?† After a moment, he went on. â€Å"The maid, Gudren, opened the door. She had a face like a flat white plate, and eyes like black glass. I asked her if I could see her mistress. I expected to be told that Katherine was asleep, but instead Gudren just looked at me, then at Damon over my shoulder. † ‘I would not tellhim ,’ she said at last, ‘but I will tell you. My lady Katerina is not within. She went out early this morning, to walk in the gardens. She said she had much need of thought.’ â€Å"I was surprised. ‘Early this morning?’ I said. † ‘Yes,’ she replied. She looked at both Damon and me without liking. ‘My mistress was very unhappy last night,’ she said meaningfully. ‘All night long, she wept.’ â€Å"When she said that, a strange feeling came over me. It wasn’t just shame and grief that Katherine should be so unhappy. It was fear. I forgot my hunger and weakness. I even forgot my enmity for Damon. I was filled with haste and a great driving urgency. I turned to Damon and told him that we had to find Katherine, and to my surprise he just nodded. â€Å"We began to search the gardens, calling Katherine’s name. I remember just what everything looked like that day. The sun was shining on the high cypress trees and the pines in the garden. Damon and I hurried between them, moving more and more quickly, and calling. We kept calling her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena could feel the tremors in Stefan’s body, communicated to her through his tightly gripping fingers. He was breathing rapidly but shallowly. â€Å"We had almost reached the end of the gardens when I remembered a place that Katherine had loved. It was a little way out onto the grounds, a low wall beside a lemon tree. I started there, shouting for her. But as I got closer, I stopped shouting. I felt†¦ a fear-a terrible premonition. And I knew I mustn’t-mustn’t go-† â€Å"Stefan!† said Elena. He was hurting her, his fingers biting into her own, crushing them. The tremors racing through his body were growing, becoming shudders. â€Å"Stefan, please!† But he gave no sign that he heard her. â€Å"It was like-a nightmare-everything happening so slowly. I couldn’t move-and yet I had to. I had to keep walking. With each step, the fear grew stronger. I could smell it. A smell like burned fat. I mustn’t go there-I don’t want to see it-† His voice had become high and urgent, his breath coming in gasps. His eyes were wide and dilated, like a terrified child’s. Elena gripped his viselike fingers with her other hand, enfolding them completely. â€Å"Stefan, it’s all right. You’re not there. You’re here with me.† â€Å"I don’t want to see it-but I can’t help it. There’s something white. Something white under the tree. Don’t make me look at it!† â€Å"Stefan, Stefan, look at me!† He was beyond hearing. His words came in heaving spasms, as if he could not control them, could not get them out fast enough. â€Å"I can’t go any closer-but I do. I see the tree, the wall. And that white. Behind the tree. White with gold underneath. And then I know, I know, and I’m moving toward it because it’s her dress. Katherine’s white dress. And I get around the tree and I see it on the ground and it’s true. It’s Katherine’s dress,†-his voice rose and broke in unimaginable horror-â€Å"but Katherine isn’t in it. You read "The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening Chapter Fourteen" in category "Essay examples"† Elena felt a chill, as if her body had been plunged into ice water. Her skin rose in goose-flesh, and she tried to speak to him but couldn’t. He was rattling on as if he could keep the terror away if he kept on talking. â€Å"Katherine isn’t there, so maybe it’s all a joke, but her dress is on the ground and it’s full of ashes. Like the ashes in the hearth, just like that, only these smell of burned flesh. They stink. The smell is making me sick and faint. Beside the sleeve of the dress is a piece of parchment. And on a rock, on a rock a little way away is a ring. A ring with a blue stone, Katherine’s ring. Katherine’s ring†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Suddenly, he called out in a terrible voice, â€Å"Katherine, what have youdone ?† Then he fell to his knees, releasing Elena’s fingers at last, to bury his face in his hands. Elena held him as he was gripped by wracking sobs. She held his shoulders, pulling him to her lap. â€Å"Katherine took the ring off,† she whispered. It was not a question. â€Å"She exposed herself to the sun.† His harsh sobs went on and on, as she held him to the full skirts of the blue gown, stroking his quivering shoulders. She murmured nonsense meant to soothe him, pushing away her own horror. And, presently, he quieted and lifted his head. He spoke thickly, but he seemed to have returned to the present, to have come back. â€Å"The parchment was a note, for me and for Damon. It said she had been selfish, wanting to have both of us. It said-she couldn’t bear to be the cause of strife between us. She hoped that once she was gone we would no longer hate each other. She did it to bring us together.† â€Å"Oh, Stefan,† whispered Elena. She felt burning tears fill her own eyes in sympathy. â€Å"Oh, Stefan, I’m so sorry. But don’t you see, after all this time, that what Katherine did was wrong? It was selfish, even, and it washer choice. In a way, it had nothing to do with you, or with Damon.† Stefan shook his head as if to shake off the truth of the words. â€Å"She gave her life†¦ for that. We killed her.† He was sitting up now. But his eyes were still dilated, great disks of black, and he had the look of a small bewildered boy. â€Å"Damon came up behind me. He took the note and read it. And then-I think he went mad. We were both mad. I had picked up Katherine’s ring, and he tried to take it. He shouldn’t have. We struggled. We said terrible things to each other. We each blamed the other for what had happened. I don’t remember how we got back to the house, but suddenly I had my sword. We were fighting. I wanted to destroy that arrogant face forever, to kill him. I remember my father shouting from the house. We fought harder, to finish it before he reached us. â€Å"And we were well matched. But Damon had always been stronger, and that day he seemed faster, too, as if he had changed more than I had. And so while my father was still shouting from the window I felt Damon’s blade get past my guard. Then I felt it enter my heart.† Elena stared, aghast, but he went on without pause. â€Å"I felt the pain of the steel, I felt it stab through me, deep, deep inside. All the way through, a hard thrust. And then the strength poured out of me and I fell. I lay there on the paved ground.† He looked up at Elena and finished simply, â€Å"And that is how†¦ I died.† Elena sat frozen, as if the ice she’d felt in her chest earlier tonight had flooded out and trapped her. â€Å"Damon came and stood over me and bent down. I could hear my father’s cries from far away, and screams from the household, but all I could see was Damon’s face. Those black eyes that were like a moonless night. I wanted to hurt him for what he had done to me. For everything he had done to me, and to Katherine.† Stefan was quiet a moment, and then he said, almost dreamily, â€Å"And so I lifted my sword and I killed him. With the last of my strength, I stabbed my brother through the heart.† The storm had moved on, and through the broken window Elena could hear soft night noises, the chirp of crickets, the wind sifting through trees. In Stefan’s room, it was very still. â€Å"I knew nothing more until I woke up in my tomb,† said Stefan. He leaned back, away from her, and shut his eyes. His face was pinched and weary, but that awful childlike dreaminess was gone. â€Å"Both Damon and I had had just enough of Katherine’s blood to keep us from truly dying. Instead we changed. We woke together in our tomb, dressed in our best clothing, laid on slabs side by side. We were too weak to hurt each other anymore; the blood had been just barely enough. And we were confused. I called to Damon, but he ran outside into the night. â€Å"Fortunately, we had been buried with the rings Katherine had given us. And I found her ring in my pocket.† As if unconsciously, Stefan reached up to stroke the golden circlet. â€Å"I suppose they thought she had given it to me. â€Å"I tried to go home. That was stupid. The servants screamed at the sight of me and ran to fetch a priest. I ran, too. Into the only place where I was safe, into the dark. â€Å"And that is where I’ve stayed ever since. It’s where I belong, Elena. I killed Katherine with my pride and my jealousy, and I killed Damon with my hatred. But I did worse than kill my brother. I damned him. â€Å"If he hadn’t died then, with Katherine’s blood so strong in his veins, he would have had a chance. In time the blood would have grown weaker, and then passed away. He would have become a normal human again. By killing him then, I condemned him to live in the night. I took away his only chance of salvation.† Stefan laughed bitterly. â€Å"Do you know what the name Salvatore means in Italian, Elena? It means salvation, savior. I’m named that, and for St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. And I damned my brother to hell.† â€Å"No,† said Elena. And then, in a stronger voice, she said, â€Å"No, Stefan. He damned himself. He killedyou . But what happened to him after that?† â€Å"For a while he joined one of the Free Companies, ruthless mercenaries whose business was to rob and plunder. He wandered across the country with them, fighting and drinking the blood of his victims. â€Å"I was living beyond the city gates by then, half starved, preying on animals, an animal myself. For a long time, I heard nothing about Damon. Then one day I heard his voice in my mind. â€Å"He was stronger than I, because he was drinking human blood. And killing. Humans have the strongest life essence, and their blood gives power. And when they’re killed, somehow the life essence they give is strongest of all. It’s as if in those last moments of terror and struggle the soul is the most vibrant. Because Damon killed humans, he was able to draw on the Powers more than I was.† â€Å"What†¦ powers?† said Elena. A thought was growing in her mind. â€Å"Strength, as you said, and quickness. A sharpening of all the senses, especially at night. Those are the basics. We can also†¦ feel minds. We can sense their presence, and sometimes the nature of their thoughts. We can cast confusion about weaker minds, either to overwhelm them or to bend them to our will. There are others. With enough human blood we can change our shapes, become animals. And the more you kill, the stronger all the Powers become.† â€Å"Damon’s voice in my mind was very strong. He said he was now the condottieri of his own ‘ company and he was coming back to Florence. He said that if I was there when he arrived he would kill me. I believed him, and I left. I’ve seen him once or twice since then. The threat is always the same, and he’s always more powerful. Damon’s made the most of his nature, and he seems to glory in its darkest side.† â€Å"But it’s my nature, too. The same darkness is inside me. I thought that I could conquer it, but I was wrong. That’s why I came here, to Fell’s Church. I thought if I settled in some small town, far away from the old memories, I might escape the darkness. And instead, tonight, I killed a man.† † No,† said Elena forcefully. â€Å"I don’t believe that, Stefan.† His story had filled her with horror and pity†¦ and fear, too. She admitted that. But her disgust had vanished, and there was one thing she was sure about. Stefan wasn’t a murderer. â€Å"What happened tonight, Stefan? Did you argue with Tanner?† â€Å"I†¦ don’t remember,† he said bleakly. â€Å"I used the Power to persuade him to do what you wanted. Then I left. But later I felt the dizziness and the weakness come over me. Asit has before.† He looked up at her directly. â€Å"The last time it happened was in the cemetery, right by the church, the night Vickie Bennett was attacked.† â€Å"But you didn’t do that. Youcouldn’t have done that†¦ Stefan?† â€Å"I don’t know,† he said harshly. â€Å"What other explanation is there? And I did take blood from the old man under the bridge, that night you girls ran away from the graveyard. I would have sworn I didn’t take enough to harm him, but he almost died. And I was there when both Vickie and Tanner were attacked.† â€Å"But you don’t remember attacking them,† said Elena, relieved. The idea that had been growing in her mind was now almost a certainty. â€Å"What difference does it make? Who else could have done it, if not me?† â€Å"Damon,† said Elena. He flinched, and she saw his shoulders tighten again. â€Å"It’s a nice thought. I hoped at first that there might be some explanation like that. That it might be someone else, someone like my brother. But I’ve searched with my mind and found nothing, no other presence. The simplest explanation is that I’m the killer.† â€Å"No,† said Elena, â€Å"you don’t understand. I don’t just mean that someone like Damon might do the things we’ve seen. I mean Damon is here, in Fell’s Church. I’ve seen him.† Stefan just stared at her. â€Å"It must be him,† Elena said, taking a deep breath. â€Å"I’ve seen him twice now, maybe three times. Stefan, you just told me a long story, and now I’ve got one to tell you.† As quickly and simply as she could, she told him about what had happened in the gym, and at Bonnie’s house. His lips tightened into a white line as she told him how Damon had tried to kiss her. Her cheeks grew hot as she remembered her own response, how she had almost given in to him. But she told Stefan everything. About the crow, too, and all the other strange things that had happened since she had come home from France. â€Å"And, Stefan, I think Damon was at the Haunted House tonight,† she finished. â€Å"Just after you felt dizzy in the front room, someone passed me. He was dressed up like-like Death, in black robes and a hood, and I couldn’t see his face. But something about the way he moved was familiar. It was him, Stefan. Damon was there.† â€Å"But that still wouldn’t explain the other times. Vickie and the old man. Idid take blood from the old man.† Stefan’s face was taut, as if he were almost afraid to hope. â€Å"But you said yourself you didn’t take enough to harm him. Stefan, who knows what happened to that man after you left? Wouldn’t it be the easiest thing in the world for Damon to attack him then? Especially if Damon’s been spying on you all along, maybe in some other form†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Like a crow,† murmured Stefan. â€Å"Like a crow. And as for Vickie†¦ Stefan, you said that you can cast confusion over weaker minds, overpower them. Couldn’t that be what Damon was doing to you? Overpowering your mind as you can overpower a human’s?† â€Å"Yes, and shielding his presence from me.† There was mounting excitement in Stefan’s voice. â€Å"That’s why he hasn’t answered my calls. He wanted-† â€Å"He wanted just what’s happened to happen. He wanted you to doubt yourself, to think you were a killer.But it isn’t true, Stefan . Oh, Stefan, you know that now, and you don’t have to be afraid anymore.† She stood up, feeling joy and relief course through her. Out of this hideous night, something wonderful had come. â€Å"That’s why you’ve been so distant with me, isn’t it?† she said, holding out her hands to him. â€Å"Because you’re afraid of what you might do. But there’s no need for that any longer.† â€Å"Isn’t there ?† He was breathing quickly again, and he eyed her outstretched hands as if they were two snakes. â€Å"You think there’s no reason to be afraid? Damon may have attacked those people, but he doesn’t control my thoughts. And you don’t know what I’ve thought about you.† Elena kept her voice level. â€Å"You don’t want to hurt me,† she said positively. â€Å"No? There have been times, watching you in public, when I could scarcely bear not to touch you. When I was so tempted by your white throat, your little white throat with the faint blue veins beneath the skin†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His eyes were fixed on her neck in a way that reminded her of Damon’s eyes, and she felt her heartbeat step up. â€Å"Times when I thought I would grab you and force you right there in the school.† â€Å"There’s no need to force me,† said Elena. She could feel her pulse everywhere now; in her wrists and the inside of her elbows-and in her throat. â€Å"I’ve made my decision, Stefan,† she said softly, holding his eyes. â€Å"I want to.† He swallowed thickly. â€Å"You don’t know what you’re asking for.† â€Å"I think Ido . You told me how it was with Katherine, Stefan. I want it to be like that with us. I don’t mean I want you to change me. But we can share a little without that happening, can’t we? I know,† she added, even more softly, â€Å"how much you loved Katherine. But she’s gone now, and I’m here. And I love you, Stefan. I want to be with you.† â€Å"You don’t know what you’re talking about!† He was standing rigid, his face furious, his eyes anguished. â€Å"If I once let go, what’s tokeep me from changing you, or killing you? The passion is stronger than you can imagine. Don’t you understand yet what I am, what I can do?† She stood there and looked at him quietly, her chin raised slightly. It seemed to enrage him. â€Å"Haven’t you seen enough yet? Or do I have to show you more? Can’t you picture what I might do to you?† He strode over to the cold fireplace and snatched out a long piece of wood, thicker than both Elena’s wrists together. With one motion, he snapped it in two like a match stick. â€Å"Yourfragile bones,† he said. Across the room was a pillow from the bed; he caught it up and with a slash of his nails left the silk cover in ribbons. â€Å"Yoursoft skin.† Then he moved toward Elena with preternatural quickness; he was there and had hold of her shoulders before she knew what was happening. He scared into her face a moment, then, with a savage hiss that raised the hairs at the nape of her neck, drew his lips back. It was the same snarl she’d seen on the roof, those white teeth bared, the canines grown to unbelievable length and sharpness. They were the fangs of a predator, a hunter. â€Å"Your white neck,† he said in a distorted voice. Elena stood paralyzed another instant, gazing as if compelled into that chilling visage, and then something deep in her unconscious took over. She reached up within the restraining circle of his arms and caught his face between her two hands. His cheeks were cool against her palms. She held him that way, softly, so softly, as if to reprove his hard grip on her bare shoulders. And she saw the confusion slowly come to his face, as he realized she was not doing it to fight him or to shove him away. Elena waited until that confusion reached his eyes, shattering his gaze, becoming almost a look of pleading. She knew that her own face was fearless, soft yet intense, her lips slightly parted. They were both breathing quickly now, together, in rhythm. Elena could feel it when he started to shake, trembling as he had when the memories of Katherine had become too much to bear. Then, very gently and deliberately, she drew that snarling mouth down to her own. He tried to oppose her. But her gentleness was stronger than all his inhuman strength. She shut her eyes and thought only of Stefan, not of the dreadful things she had learned tonight but of Stefan, who had stroked her hair as lightly as if she might break in his hands. She thought of that, and she kissed the predatory mouth that had threatened her a few minutes ago. She felt the change, the transformation in his mouth as he yielded, responding helplessly to her, meeting her soft kisses with equal softness. She felt the shudder go through Stefan’s body as the hard grip on her shoulders softened, too, becoming an embrace. And she knew she’d won. â€Å"You will never hurt me,† she whispered. It was as if they were kissing away all the fear and desolation and loneliness inside them. Elena felt passion surge through her like summer lightning, and she could sense the answering passion in Stefan. But infusing everything else was a gentleness almost frightening in its intensity. There was no need for haste or roughness, Elena thought as Stefan gently guided her to sit down. Gradually, the kisses grew more urgent, and Elena felt the summer lightning flicker all through her body, charging it, making her heart pound and her breath catch. It made her feel strangely soft and dizzy, made her shut her eyes and let her head fall back in abandon. It’s time, Stefan, she thought. And, very gently, she drew his mouth down again, this time to her throat. She felt his lips graze her skin, felt his breath warm and cool at once. Then she felt the sharp sting. But the pain faded almost instantly. It was replaced by a feeling of pleasure that made her tremble. A great rushing sweetness filled her, flowing through her to Stefan. At last she found herself gazing into his face, into a face that at last had no barriers against her, no walls. And the look she saw there made her feel weak. â€Å"Do you trust me?† he whispered. And when she simply nodded, he held her eyes and reached for something beside the bed. It was the dagger. She regarded it without fear, and then fixed her eyes again on his face. He never looked away from her as he unsheathed it and made a small cut at the base of his throat. Elena looked at it wide-eyed, at the blood as bright as holly berries, but when he urged her forward she did not try to resist him. Afterward he just held her a long time, while the crickets outside made their music. Finally, he stirred. â€Å"I wish you could stay here,† he whispered. â€Å"I wish you could stay forever. But you can’t.† â€Å"I know,† she said, equally quiet. Their eyes met again in silent communion. There was so much to say, so many reasons to be together. â€Å"Tomorrow,† she said. Then, leaning against his shoulder, she whispered, â€Å"Whatever happens, Stefan, I’ll be with you. Tell me you believe that.† His voice was hushed, muffled in her hair. â€Å"Oh, Elena, I believe it. Whatever happens, we’ll be together.† How to cite The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening Chapter Fourteen, Essay examples

Impact of CSR and Ethics in business performance †Sample Assignment

Question: Analyse the role of CSR and Ethics in business and its impact on business performance Critically appraise responsible strategies and practices adopted in the development and operation of hospitality organisations Answer: Introduction Business ethics is the moral judgment of the organizational decision about what is right and what is wrong. This is the essence of right work in the organizational environment. Organizations should follow ethical rules in business. Use of business ethics helps organizations to achieve success and to sustain their growth and development in the market. On the other hand, the impact of adhering to a set of business ethics in a company includes a number of significant benefits (Afiya 2005). The ethical business conduction sends a message to the customers that, the company from which they are buying products or services would keep their commitments and it would be considered as a trustworthy and responsible organization. On the other hand, working in a strong ethical business environment, employees also feel safe as they know they would not be subjected to any kind of unethical activities. Corporate social responsibly (CSR) are the business philosophies adopted by an organization, which indicates that, the organization is running their business ethically and responsibly. CSR policies in an organization act as the regulatory mechanism in the organization to monitor ethical standards of the organization and promote the organization to make some social welfare, which is beyond the firms interest and required by business ethical laws (Jaszay and Dunk 2006). It also helps to enhance the responsibility of the organization for its corporate action. This assignment would focus on the analysis of these two interchangeable features of some selected hospitality organizations to evaluate their role as being a responsible organization. Pyramid of CSR CSR strategies were introduced in the year of 1950, but its popularity in the practices was increased many years later. The modern concept of the CSR activities is adopted from Archie Carrolls Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility (Cotterill 2007). This model is helping the business organizations to successfully conduct the CSR activities and to achieve the desired level of success. Carroll developed this pyramid in the year of 1996, but it has become the most popular model of CSR almost 20 years later of the development. This pyramid has four different levels for the different types of CSR applications. The first step is about the economic responsibilities of an organization, where the target is to be profitable. The second step is the legal responsibilities. In this step the organizations have to focus on the legislations applicable in their working (Atakan and Eker 2007). The business organizations or societies must maintain the laws in the area of the legal responsibilities. The third step of the pyramid is the ethical responsibilities. In this area, the business organizations should ensure that they are conducting their business in lawful way. The last and fourth step of the pyramid is about the philanthropic responsibilities. In this step, the organizations have to be a good corporate citizen. Important areas of focus in this step are the social, educational, recreational and cultural development of the common people (Balmer, Fukukawa and Gray 2007) Use of these CSR strategies and to understand the potential impact of the CSR strategies in the business will be understood clearly by focusing on each of the CSR strategies and the examples of some business organizations who are using these. In this purpose, the CSR activities performed by McDonalds, Subway and Nandoswill be analyzed in this report. Economic Responsibilities Within CSR activities, economic responsibilities are important one. It is the first and foremost responsibility of a company to be responsible and it should be concerned with the turning profit. Cotterill (2007) argued that, before being a good corporate citizen, a company should ensure that the business is profitable. In the case of McDonalds, it purchases over 80 million of 100 % Irish beef, which is used in the restaurants in Ireland, however, to be sustainable globally, it also export these foods to its industry across Europe (Doherty 2007). In Europe, the company uses Irish beef in all over Europe. To be economically responsible the company involves CSR activities regarding quality assurance, business ethics and social responsibility (News.mcdonalds.com 2016). McDonalds won Chamber Ireland 2010 CSR award with the suppliers under Flagship Farms program, which is recognized by the farmers supplying to McDonalds. In their environment-related CSR activities, the environment friendly supply chain of McDonalds positively affects on the immediate beneficiaries, making the company economically responsible (Paton 2007). In spite of only being responsible for the companys success, Subway also contribute to the local community in any social events, they provides sponsorships and donations to institutional events, thereby being economically independent and responsible. Subway has been conducted the original fresher/healthier campaign with F.R.E.S.H. steps initiative for rising awareness and educate communities against childhood obesity (Choi and Parsa 2006). These steps enhanced the brand image towards the customers and their overall commitment helped the company to be profitable throughout the financial year. This impacted on the community positively (Subway 2016). In Nandos commitment toward economic sustainability, it has been shown that the company has been compliance with corporate social investments. The companys social and ethics committee has been committed that, they are following all the requirements for the development of ideal franchisee background, they have adequate financial resources (Clark 2006). In Nandos programs for business management, it has been depicted that, franchisees are credit worthy and the company is taking the liability of these independent franchisees. Though the impacts of these activities are fruitful for its economic growth, the company is facing issues regarding sustainable economic growth and development. Nandos CSR commitment included the improvement of South African economic landscape and trust on Relate business model (Kallio 2007). Legal Responsibilities The legal responsibilities in the company refer to ensure that the company is following local and national laws and legislations in their business. It also makes the company legally responsible and help to build trustworthy customers. McDonalds has been facing a number of lawsuits mostly for trademark disputes (Detwiler 2005). However, the company is providing employees rights and following standards of business conduct in international market. In New York lawsuit against McDonalds has been claimed for the obesity related health issues of some childrens for which the company was claimed to be compensate. The company for longer period held the fact that, they were not responsible for the treatment of their employees in more than 14000 restaurants owned by franchisees (Kallio 2007). The legal issues and disputes made a solid impact on the company reputation. McDonalds reports in UK revealed that workers are paying fewer wages and the company has been reported to use genetically modifie d food, which are unethical practices. The impact on the company included loss of workers and decreased brand image (Doherty 2007). In the case of Subway, in the organization all the activities are done by following rules and regulations. Jones, Comfort and Hillier (2006) reported that, Subway Group maintains their complete title and intellectual property rights to their other materials. The company follows strict codes of conducts, breaching these indicates significant compensation. In the case of Nando, the branches are also owned by the franchisees and the company took their liabilities. The company has been committed to the partnership with Relate Inc, which enhanced the legal opportunities for employment creation, skills development. The legal and ethical operations of the company has been positively affected their growth (Kallio 2007). Ethical Responsibilities 1. Ethical Responsibilities As per the viewpoint of Atakan and Eker (2007), ethical responsibility of a company in business is the responsibility or the duty to follow some moral values and correct paths to carry on the business work. Therefore, it can be easily said that all the business has some ethical responsibilities towards the customers and the society as well. The company, McDonald has a clear code of ethics that largely governs the business of the company and the company is fully committed to that and follows proper implementation of the ethical codes. The code of ethics in the company focuses on the part that the restaurant heads are audited periodically by the internal and external mechanism and they are abide by the standards of business conduct. It has been observed that the code of ethics of this company is committed towards resolving any private as well as public conflict that might take place in economy, politics, social, environmental and financial stances in the operating areas of MacDonald (Jones, Comfort and Hillier 2006). It has been found that the vision of Subway is to make the restaurants along with the operations as environmentally and ethically responsible as possible. The company has always tries their best to carry on the business in such a way that leave a positive impact on the society. The core believe of the company is to use good and environmentally helpful business practices, as this tends to increase business profitability, enhance customer dining experience and most importantly help to protect the environment (Kasim 2006). One of the major ethical responsibilities of Nandos is to provide proper training to the employees of the company from the first day of joining the company. The company believes that the trained employees of the company help to serve the customers and this help to company to achieve an important position in the highly competitive market. The company has maintained a proper ethical code that all the employees in the company will respect each other in the organization to maintain a proper and healthy working environment in the company (Lane 2006). Therefore, it has been found that all the above-mentioned companies have been trying their best to maintain some basic ethical responsibilities in their business and the customers in the present day are highly influenced by the ethical responsibilities adopted by the companies (Lantos 2002). Philanthropic Responsibilities Philanthropic CSR is associated with donating funds, goods or services to other organizations or needy people. For an example, a local bank may donate fund to a school for purchasing uniforms or some other materials. The philanthropic responsibilities also include the responsibilities towards the environmental development. These CSR activities help the business organizations to develop a good brand image which helps them to achieve higher success in their business (Kasim 2006). McDonalds uses low energy LED lights, other energy saving electric equipments for saving the electricity. They use waterless urinals for saving the water. Hey have also developed rain water reserve tanks in the area of the water resource management. The cardboard boxes used by this company are recyclable and 85% of the packaging materials of the company are made from renewable resources (Lane 2006). This company invests over 360 million in the area of the agricultural industry of UK. McDonalds donates for eye care hospitals in India. They also encourage people for donating to the eye care organizations. They collect money at their store counters. According to the CSR report of the financial year 2012-2013 McDonalds conducted nutrition education programs for people in collaboration with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. Name of his program was Clinton Global Initiative. They offer fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy products in their happy meal package in more than 95% of thei r stores (Maak 2007). Subway provides fresh food products to the customers with the high level of nutrition facilities. They focus on the safety measures while producing the food products. They also focus in the area of the energy saving, water saving and other environmental development. Subway is working for reducing the waste in the area of the philanthropic responsibilities. They encourage their franchises for contributing to their communities and for promoting the diversity and choosing the eco-friendly options for their business practices. The company is gaining the high level of popularity with their fresh food quality. They do not serve any unhealthy food to their customers (Mathisen 2006). Nandos also serves fresh foods to their customers. Providing better nutrition and freshness in their food products is their major activities in the area of the philanthropic responsibilities. In the year of 2013, the company has donated 34000 Qatar Cancer Society. The program was named as PINK campaign for supporting breast cancer. They are also engaged with the cultural activities with communities (Nandos Qatar 2015). They have sponsored Iftar for the cancer survivors in Qatar. Nandos has donated the amount of QR350000 to Reach Out To Asias campaign named as My Education, My Hope. These activities of the company are helping them for developing a good brand image and conducting more successful business by reaching close to the customers (Merchant 2005). Conclusion In the above assignment, the focus was on the ethical and social business management. The concepts of CSR and business ethics were discussed in brief. These responsibilities are linked to the company objectives and make the organization to behave as a good corporate citizen. Sometimes, the concepts of business ethics and CSRs are used in interchangeable ways. Companies attempt to be social citizens by their CSR activities. In this context, the corporate social responsibility pyramids were discussed. After analyzing this model, CSR activities of three fast food companies were discussed. Three fast food company McDonalds, Subway and Nandos CSR activities were discussed in respect to the four stages of CSR pyramid model. In this context, how these three companies are philanthropically, ethically, economically and legally responsible as a corporate social citizen were discussed. It can be interpreted that, these companies has significant brand image with responsible position in the marke t. However, the analysis found that, some legal and ethical issues were faced by both McDonalds and Subway; however, they undertook legal steps to be responsible. Reference List Afiya, A. 2005. CSR Making business sense. Caterer Hotelkeeper, 195(4392), 5. Atakan, M. G. S. Eker, T. 2007. Corporate identity of a socially responsible university: A case from the Turkish higher education sector. Journal of Business Ethics, 76, 55-68. Balmer, M. T., Fukukawa, K., Gray, E. R. 2007. The nature and management of ethical corporate identity: A commentary on corporate identity, corporate social responsibility and ethics. Journal of Business Ethics, 76, 7-15. Choi, G. Parsa, H.G. 2006. Green practices II: Measuring restaurant managers psychological attributes and their willingness to charge for the green practices, Journal of Foodservice Business Research, 9(4), 41-63. Clark, S. 2006. Corporate social responsibility: A marketing tool for major hotel brands. HSMAI Marketing Review, 23(1), 42-45. Cotterill, H. 2007. Training recruitment. Travel Trade Gazette UK Ireland, 48-48. Detwiler, M. W. 2005. Communal living. Pizza Today, 23(7), 64-65. Doherty, K. 2007. The wearing of the 'green.' Food Logistics, (93), 4-4. Jaszay, C. Dunk, P. 2006. Ethical Decision Making in the Hospitality Industry. Prentice Hall:New Jersey. Jones, P., Comfort, D., Hillier, D. 2006. Reporting and reflecting on corporate social responsibility in the hospitality industry. 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