10 Novels With The Most Captivating Opening Lines Weve Read

10 Novels With The Most Captivating Opening Lines Weve Read Have you ever read a book that had your undivided attention right from the opening lines? It doesnt happen often, but when it does, a kind of magic happens that makes the book impossible to forget. Here are ten of our favorite opening lines that captivate from the start.The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark TwainThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark TwainYou dont know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that aint no matter. That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain, and he told the truth, mainly. There was things which he stretched, but mainly he told the truth. That is nothing. I never seen anybody but lied one time or another, without it was Aunt Polly, or the widow, or maybe Mary.The Adventures of Huckleberry FinnFear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. ThompsonFear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. ThompsonWe were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold. I remember saying something like I feel a bit lightheaded; maybe you should drive. . . . And suddenly there was a terrible roar all around us and the sky was full of what looked like huge bats, all swooping and screeching and diving around the car, which was going about a hundred miles an hour with the top down to Las Vegas.Fear and Loathing in Las VegasAn Untamed State by Roxane GayAn Untamed State by Roxane GayOnce upon a time, in a far-off land, I was kidnapped by a gang of fearless yet terrified young men with so much impossible hope beating inside their bodies it burned their very skin and strengthened their will right through their bones.An Untamed StateWild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl StrayedWild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl StrayedThe trees were tall, but I was taller, standing above them on a steep mountain slope in northern California. Moments before, Id removed my hiking boots and the left one had fallen into those trees, first catap ulting into the air when my enormous backpack toppled onto it, then skittering across the gravelly trail and flying over the edge. It bounced off of a rocky outcropping several feet beneath me before disappearing into the forest canopy below, impossible to retrieve. I let out a stunned gasp, though Id been in the wilderness thirty-eight days and by then Id come to know that anything could happen and that everything would. But that doesnt mean I wasnt shocked when it did.My boot was gone. Actually gone.Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific CrestLolita by Vladimir NabokovLolita by Vladimir NabokovLolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta.LolitaFahrenheit 451 by Ray BradburyFahrenheit 451 by Ray BradburyIt was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed. With the brass nozzle in his fist s, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world, the blood pounded in his head, and his hands were the hands of some amazing conductor playing all the symphonies of blazing and burning to bring down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history.Fahrenheit 451Fight Club by Chuck PalahniukFight Club by Chuck PalahniukTyler gets me a job as a waiter, after that Tylers pushing a gun in my mouth and saying, the first step to eternal life is you have to die. For a long time though, Tyler and I were best friends. People are always asking, did I know about Tyler Durden.The barrel of the gun pressed against the back of my throat, Tyler says, We really wont die.With my tongue I can feel the silencer holes we drilled into the barrel of the gun. Most of the noise a gunshot makes is expanding gases, and theres the tiny sonic boom a bullet makes because it travels so fast. To make a silencer, you just drill holes in the barrel of the gun, a lot of holes. This lets the gas esca pe and slows the bullet to below the speed of sound.You drill the holes wrong and the gun will blow off your hand. This isnt really death, Tyler says. Well be legend. We wont grow old.I tongue the barrel into my cheek and say, Tyler, youre thinking of vampires.Fight ClubThe Metamorphosis by Franz KafkaThe Metamorphosis by Franz KafkaAs Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. He was lying on his hard, as it were armor-plated, back and when he lifted his head a little he could see his dome-like brown belly divided into stiff arched segments on top of which the bed quilt could hardly keep in position and was about to slide off completely. His numerous legs, which were pitifully thin compared to the rest of his bulk, waved helplessly before his eyes.The MetamorphosisParadise by Toni MorrisonParadise by Toni MorrisonThey shoot the white girl first, but the rest they can take their time. No need to hurry out here. T hey are 17 miles from a town which has 90 miles between it and any other. Hiding places will be plentiful in the convent, but there is time, and the day has just begun. They are nine. Over twice the number of the women, they are obliged to stampede or kill, and they have the paraphernalia for either requirementrope, a palm leaf cross, handcuffs, mace, and sunglasses, along with clean, handsome guns.ParadiseBlood Meridian by Cormac McCarthyBlood Meridian by Cormac McCarthySee the child. He is pale and thin, he wears a thin and ragged linen shirt. He stokes the scullery fire. Outside lie dark turned fields with rags of snow and darker woods beyond that harbor yet a few last wolves. His folk are known for hewers of wood and drawers of water but in truth his father has been a schoolmaster. He lies in drink, he quotes from poets whose names are now lost. The boy crouches by the fire and watches him.Night of your birth. Thirty-three. The Leonids they were called. God how the stars did fal l. I looked for blackness, holes in the heavens. The Dipper stove.Blood Meridian

How and Where to Sell Your Clothes for Cash Complete Guide

How and Where to Sell Your Clothes for Cash Complete Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you looking for ways to make some extra money? One of your best assets for fast cash could be sitting in your closet. Rather than letting your old clothes collect dust, try selling them online or at a local secondhand store. This comprehensive guide has all of the places to sell clothes for cash online or in person. First, consider these general principles of selling your clothing and accessories secondhand. Selling Your Clothes: What You Need to Know There are two main options for selling your clothes: online or at a secondhand store. If you sell your clothes online, you can use a general e-commerce site, like eBay, or go through a clothing marketplace, like thredUP. Either way, you'll be able to reach buyers all across the globe. If you prefer to make the sale in person, then you can do so at numerous secondhand clothing stores across the country. How does pricing work when you post your used clothes for sale? When you sell online, you can often set your own price. Usually, pre-worn clothes are set somewhere between one-third and one-half of the original retail price. You probably won’t be able to sell your $300 leather jacket for its original price, but rather should aim for somewhere between $100 and $150. Most second hand stores sell your clothing for one-third of the original retail price. Then, they give you one-third of that. As you can tell, you can potentially make more cash for clothes when you sell online. However, you'll also likely be investing more of your time. You can set your own prices, but you have to input more labor. When choosing how to sell your clothes, you should think about your return on investment in terms of both profits and time. However you choose to sell your clothes, you should present them in the best light. Your clothes should be freshly laundered and wrinkle-free. Ideally, they’re stylish and in good condition. If you’re selling online, then you may be responsible for presenting your items with high-quality photographs and realistic descriptions. If you’re selling clothes to a brick-and-mortar second hand shop, then the vendor will sort through your items and decide which ones to accept. Read on for the best ways to sell your clothes online and in person, along with some tips for successfully selling your old clothes for cash. Let's take a closer look at the best places to sell your clothes for cash! Best Places to Sell Clothes Online Selling your clothes online is a great way to reach an unlimited number of buyers across many locations. You can interact directly with shoppers by setting up an eBay account, posting on Craigslist, or advertising on your own social media channels. Alternatively, you can use a third party marketplace that specializes in certain kinds of clothes and helps you with payments, shipping, and advertising. Read on for the top websites to get cash for clothes online, whether you’re selling directly to shoppers or using a third party to sell women’s, children’s, men’s, or designer clothing. For Selling Clothes Directly If you use any of the following websites to sell used clothes for cash, then you’ll be responsible for posting images, setting a price, choosing a buyer, and shipping your goods. While the process may take some time at first to set up, it will get faster and easier with practice. There are some fees to watch out for, but you’ll be keeping most, if not all, of the profits. Here are the top sites to sell your clothes directly to shoppers, no strings attached. eBay If you want to reach a wide audience to sell old clothes, eBay is the way to go. To become an eBay seller, you first have to set up an account. Anyone who buys from you will give feedback. As long as you accurately describe your items and ship them on time, you should get a high rating. With a high rating, shoppers will see you as a reliable seller. Once you have your account, you’ll upload images of your clothing and write descriptions. Make sure to provide accurate descriptions of each item, with the brand name, color, and size, so that it will come up in a keyword search. You can let users bid on your item or set a â€Å"Buy It Now† price. You also choose shipping options, which the buyer selects and pays for. The transactions are conducted via PayPal. Once someone buys your item, you should ship it on time to ensure a good review. Pros: Set your own price Can build up a good reputation as a seller Sell anything you want Cons: Process can be time consuming Responsible for all aspects of transaction and shipping Unclear how popular eBay is for clothes shopping If you're willing to handle the transactions yourself, then eBay is a good option for selling your clothing. VarageSale VarageSale started in 2012 and now has millions of users across the USA and globe. Like Craigslist, it connects people within a community and allows them to sell and buy any type of clothing they want. You create an account, upload photos of your items, and set a price. When you approve a buyer, then you’ll set a meeting location to exchange the item. Because you’ll sell old clothes to people in your community, you typically won’t have to ship anything. You'll meet up and get money for clothes. Pros: Safe, increasingly popular platform Free to use Unlimited listings Easy to use interface Cons: Buyers limited by location and to users of VarageSale Craigslist You can sell just about anything you want on Craigslist. Like VarageSale, your audience will mainly be limited to people in your community who can pick up the items in person. You set the price, decide how you want the buyer to contact you, and choose a meeting location. Unless you set up an alternative payment system, the buyer will likely give you cash. Pros: Easy to use Keep 100% of profits Cons: Site not specific to clothes shopping Limited by geographic location When you sell through VarageSale or Craigslist, you set a meeting spot, like your house or a public place, to finish the transaction. Fam Fam is a members-only app where you can sell your clothes via your phone or another mobile device. You’ll upload pictures and descriptions and categorize your items by brand and size. Buyers shop by community, which might be a clothing brand or size. You need a Paypal account to use Fam. When someone buys an item, you’re responsible for shipping it and sending the buyer the tracking number. Pros: App gives you constant updates about buying and selling Specific to buying and selling clothing Cons: Only on mobile device Mostly limited to high-quality, fashionable contemporary or vintage items Your Own Social Media - Facebook, Instagram, etc. Finally, you could test out your entrepreneurial skills by advertising clothing on your own social media channels. You could invite friends to your Facebook page or Instagram feed, where you post photos of clothes. It’s not technically against the rules to let people bid in the comments. Since these sites are not geared toward e-commerce, you’ll have to figure out your own payment system, whether through Paypal or something else. You’ll also have to do all of your own advertising. Pros: No fees Can establish your own online clothing store Cons: Limited audience Success depends on your own social media and marketing skills Now let’s take a look at online marketplaces that specifically buy and sell secondhand clothing. Apps like Fam allow you to sell clothes right from your phone! For Selling Through an Online Secondhand Clothing Store These online vendors look at your clothes - either photos or the clothes themselves - and decide which ones meet their standards. Then, they’ll post and advertise whatever pieces they accept. Some stores, like thredUP, pay you based on what items they accept. Others, like Tradesy, are consignment stores that pay you a percentage of the profits once an item sells. All the stores take a commission fee of anywhere from 6% to 40%. Let’s look at the top vendors for women’s clothing, designer labels, and menswear. For Women’s Clothing The following two online marketplaces will advertise your clothes and help you through the shipping process. They prefer brand name clothes from stores like Zara, American Eagle, or J. Crew, or designer labels, like Burberry and Gucci. Both Tradesy and thredUP sell women’s clothing, while thredUP also accepts children’s clothing. Tradesy Tradesy is a consignment store that pays you when an item sells. It accepts all kinds of clothing, accessories, designer goods, and even wedding and bridesmaid dresses. To sell your clothes with Tradesy, you create an account and upload high-quality images of your items. Tradesy chooses which items to accept, and then it enhances your images to make them look professional. You can set your own prices. When an item sells, Tradesy will send you a pre-paid, pre-addressed shipping kit. The company deducts a 9% commission for any sales. In the case the buyer decides to return an item, you’ll typically get to keep your earnings, unless you misrepresented the item to begin with. Pros: Easy to use Set your own price Helps with shipping Cons: 9% commission fee Items could be rejected If you're using Tradesy, you'll make money once your item sells. thredUP thredUP is a good option if you have children’s clothes to sell, as well as any women’s clothing. Unlike some other online stores, you actually ship your clothes to thredUP as a first step, rather than just uploading images. To sell with thredUP, you first order one of its signature â€Å"clean-out bags.† You fill the bag with your clothes, and then send it to thredUP. The company will then evaluate your items and decide which ones to accept. It takes about three weeks for thredUP to process a clean-out bag. You’ll get paid based on what thredUP accepts and the selling price it assigns to each of your items. Any unaccepted clothes are donated to charity, or you can pay $9.99 to have the unaccepted items returned to you. Before sending your clean-out bag, make sure to check thredUP’s list of accepted clothing brands. Pros: Get paid based on what thredUP accepts, rather than what sells Can sell women’s and children’s clothes Cons: Must pay extra if you want unaccepted items returned to you Don’t know how much you’ll make for several weeks For Designer Labels and Vintage Finds Do you have any designer items or exceptional vintage finds that you’re looking to sell? These online shops connect buyers and sellers look to exchange high-end clothing and accessories. These high-end marketplaces are looking for designer labels. Poshmark As its name implies, Poshmark is looking for high-end brands and designer labels. They accept women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing. When you sell with Poshmark, you set your prices, plus you leave wiggle room for negotiation. Poshmark suggests you discount your item by at least 30% to 40% of the original retail price. For any sale under $15, Poshmark takes a flat commission of $2.95, and you keep the rest. For pricier sales, Poshmark takes 20%, and you keep 80%. You can spend your money at Poshmark or withdraw it as cash within three days of the delivery of your item. Poshmark helps you with shipping by sending a pre-paid, pre-addressed USPS shipping label when an item sells. You’re responsible for shipping any sold clothing within two days of purchase. If the package is over five pounds, then you’ll have to pay a little more for shipping. Pros: Accepts women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing Helps you with shipping Reputable site with safe transactions Cons: Limited to high-end labels Relatively large commission of 20% Poshmark helps you send your clothes to buyers with prepaid, pre-addressed shipping labels. Snobswap Snobswap is an online marketplace that also has several boutiques in New York, LA, Miami, Washington, DC, and other cities. It sells designer goods and helps you set prices based on the item’s brand, category, and condition. You can list your items for free, but Snobswap must approve each listing, a process that takes up to 72 hours. You’re responsible for the description, pictures, pricing, and shipping, which you should do within one to three days of purchase. Snobswap will deliver your earnings into a bank account or Paypal account. The company takes a 15% commission fee. Pros: Unlimited listings You have control over description and selling price Cons: Limited to certain designer brands Not a lot of reviews currently, so perhaps not a lot of users The RealReal The RealReal is another site for pre-worn designer items, both women’s and men’s. If you have 10 items or less, then you request a pre-paid Fedex shipping label and send off your clothes. The RealReal will evaluate, photograph, and price your items over the next 10 to 15 days. Any unaccepted items are returned to you. If you have more than 10 items, then you may qualify for the company’s White Glove Service. The RealReal will send a Luxury Manager to your home to pick up the clothing free of charge. You’ll get 60% of sales under $9,999 and 70% of sales totaling $10,000 or more. Sellers get paid on the 15th of every month for items that were sold during the previous month. Pros: Can submit items for free White Glove Service for qualifying sellers Accepts both women’s and men’s clothing Cons: Limited to designer labels High commission fee of 30-40% If you're selling more than 10 designer items, then you'll qualify for The RealReal's fancy White Glove Service. For Men’s Clothing As you read above, some online used clothing stores, like VarageSale and Poshmark, accept men’s clothing. Most of the other sites, though, cater exclusively to women. This next site is one of the rare stops online for pre-worn men’s clothes. Grailed Grailed is a community marketplace for men’s clothing. You’re responsible for listing your items and providing descriptions and images. You can communicate with buyers and decide whether or not to accept their offers. To hedge your bets, you can accept several offers. Whoever pays first gets the item. Grailed has three clothing categories: Grailed, Hype, and Basics. The Grailed marketplace is, according to the site, â€Å"reserved from high quality, coveted items...typically from well-known designers and in wearable condition.† Items in the Hype section should be new releases or streetwear. The Basics section contains â€Å"well-known mass market brands† and vintage clothes. Grailed takes a relatively low commission fee of only 6%, and it discounts this fee for popular sellers. You'll make money on an item once it sells. You’ll use Paypal and be responsible for shipping and providing tracking information to buyers. Pros: One of the few sites that only sells men’s clothing Accepts a range of clothes and brands Low commission fee Cons: No help with shipping Audience limited to Grail shoppers Grailed is one of the rare online marketplaces that caters exclusively to men's pre-worn clothing. Tips for Selling Clothes Online To be successful selling clothes online, you should become close friends with your camera. Unless the site photographs your clothes for you, you’ll be responsible for uploading pictures and writing descriptions. You want to present your items in the best light, literally. You should try to take your picture in natural light from several angles - perhaps five per item. Make sure the background is simple, plain, and clean. Try to give as realistic a representation of each item as possible, in terms of both the images and descriptions, which should discuss the item’s brand, size, and condition. Besides presenting your items well, you may also have to navigate your way around a PayPal account. You’ll simply need to set up an account and link your credit card or bank account information. PayPal charges 2.9% + 30 cents for transactions made with a debit card or credit card. If you’d prefer to bring your clothes to a store in person rather than sell them online, then you’ll likely find several options in your area. Read on for the best used clothing stores throughout the country. To successfully sell your clothes online, you have to be comfortable using the website and, for most stores, uploading high-quality images and descriptions. Best Brick-and-Mortar Stores for Selling Your Clothes There are several franchised used clothing stores with locations throughout the country. You might also have an independent store in your area, something you can locate with a quick Google search. The following five stores have numerous branches throughout the U.S. Read on for the best places to sell clothes for cash. Buffalo Exchange Buffalo Exchange sells men and women’s clothing in Arizona, California, Colorado, DC, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. Some stores are more crowded than others, but all accept walk-ins and will evaluate your clothing on the spot. You’ll get cash for clothes they accept based on the selling price of the item. Most stores price items at around 30% of the original retail price. Then, they’ll usually give you 30% back in cash. If you choose store credit over cash, then you may get a higher percentage of the selling price, like 50%. According to its website, Buffalo Exchange is â€Å"always buying the best of all seasons, including current trends, denim, designer, everyday basics, leather, vintage, and one-of-a-kind items.† Your clothes should be freshly laundered, ironed, and in good condition. If you don’t have a store nearby, you can also use Buffalo Exchange’s â€Å"sell by mail† program. To use this program, you would send about 20 to 40 pieces of clothing in a prepaid shipping bag. Buffalo Exchange will process your items in four to six weeks. Pros: Popular store Many locations Accepts walk-ins Cons: May make less money than you would selling online Swedish-born Kerstin and Spencer Block founded Buffalo Exchange in 1974. The successful store got its name because the founders "thought the word 'buffalo' sounded very American." Clothes Mentor Clothes Mentor is another popular secondhand store with 138 stores across 29 states, plus 50 more stores opening soon. Their process and pricing are similar to those of Buffalo Exchange. They accept walk-ins, pay cash on the spot, and pay about one-third of the selling price, which is set at about one-third of the original retail price. The whole evaluation process takes just 20 to 30 minutes. Pros: Many locations Accepts walk-ins Get cash on the spot Cons: May make less money than you would selling online Uptown Cheapskate Uptown Cheapskate is another option for selling your clothes if you live close to one of its 40 locations in 17 states. You walk in with your clothes and get cash back on the spot. If you like, Uptown Cheapskate will donate any leftover items to charity. They accept women’s clothing from sizes 0 to 18 or XS to 2XL. They also accept men’s clothing from XS to 2XL. Pros: No appointment required No required brands Cons: Not as many locations as some other stores Plato’s Closet Plato’s Closet is geared toward gently used children’s and young adult clothing and accessories. They accept brands like Aeropostale, American Eagle, Billabong, Lululemon, and Steve Madden at over 450 locations across the U.S. and Canada. Plato’s Closet doesn’t require appointments, so you can walk in with your or your kids’ clothes and get cash back on the spot. The store doesn’t have a set fee or cash back policy, instead stating that they determine pricing based on style, condition, and brand. Pros: Specifically geared toward children’s and young adult clothing Many locations Cons: Reviews suggest that the store is picky and doesn’t give much cash back Plato himself held the first clothing swap, where philosophers and scholars tried on each other's togas while discussing the meaning of life. 2nd Time Around 2nd Time Around is a consignment store with locations in Connecticut, Illinois, Florida, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, DC. You’ll need to make an appointment with your local store to present your items. For the items it accepts, 2nd Time Around prices clothing at 30% to 40% of the original retail value and high-end handbags at 50% to 65% of retail price. As for new items with tags, it will price them at 50% of retail price. For any items that sell, you’ll receive 50% to 70% of the final selling price. If you like, 2nd Time Around will donate any unaccepted items to the Joyful Heart Association. Pros: Get higher percentage of selling price than some other stores Accessible if you live on the east coast Cons: No walk-ins Limited brands High commission fee Local Secondhand Clothing Stores Finally, you might have an independent secondhand clothing store in your area that buys used clothing. Boston, for instance, has The Garment District, and NYC has Beacon’s Closet. If you want to go local, check out the website or call to see what clothes they accept and whether they take walk-ins or require an appointment. If you decide to sell your clothes in person at a used clothing store, what steps should you take? Look locally to find even more options for secondhand clothing stores. Tips for Selling Clothes to Secondhand Clothing Stores Secondhand clothing stores tend to be selective about what they accept. To be successful, you should wash and iron all your clothes to present them in the neatest condition possible. You might also call the store beforehand to get a sense of what it’s looking for in terms of season and style. Often, the best time to sell clothes is in the few months preceding their season. For instance, stores are more likely to buy summer clothing between February and June. Much later, and they’ll be more interested in fall and winter clothing. Finally, you could ask the company about the best time to come in to avoid a long wait. If no other sellers are in front of you, then you might be able to get in and out of the store within 20 minutes with cash for clothes in hand. Beside these numerous options for selling your clothes in person or online, there’s one more traditional way worth mentioning - holding a yard sale yourself. Sell Clothes the Old-Fashioned Way A final way to sell your clothes is to hold a yard sale. You could put up signs on the street or advertise to friends and family through social media. You probably can’t set as high prices at a yard sale as you would online, but you may get some buyers if you live in an area with lots of people traffic. What about those clothes that don’t sell, but you still want to get rid of? Is there any financial benefit to be had for items that are no longer in style? If none of these other options appeal to you, you could always try having a yard sale to sell your clothes. Donate Your Leftover Clothing For any clothes that don’t sell, you can donate them to a charity, like Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Not only will you be helping people in need, but your donations will be tax deductible. Indirectly, you’ll still be getting some cash back for your old clothes. Now that you know where to sell your old clothes (so many options!), how do you start? How can you sort through your wardrobe and effectively clear out the outfits that you no longer wear? How to Sort Through Your Clothes Effectively Do you ever feel like your drawers of full of clothes yet you have nothing to wear? Do you wish you could minimize but aren’t sure how to start? If you’re suffering from having too much stuff, you’re not alone. Consider the following statistics: One of out every 10 Americans rents offsite storage for their possessions (New York Magazine). The home organization industry has more than doubled in size since the 2000s (Uppercase). The average American woman owns over 30 outfits (Forbes). Most of us could benefit from cutting through the clutter, but minimizing is easier said than done. While it’s easy to think you might like an outfit again someday, it’s more likely that you won’t circle back to it. One of the best ways to sort through your clothing is to take everything out of your drawers and closets. Consider each item individually, deciding whether it makes you happy. Would you enjoy wearing this item today (weather permitting)? If you find yourself hemming and hawing, then you’re probably better off without it. Put back the pieces that you know you love and want to wear, and sell or donate the rest. Not only will you make some cash back, but you’ll feel the benefits of a more organized and decluttered life. Clean out your cluttered closet and make some cash by selling your old clothes to a secondhand store. Selling Clothes for Cash: Final Thoughts Whether you’re looking to clean out your closet, make some fast cash, start an online boutique for all of your amazing vintage finds, or all of the above, you can easily sell your old clothes for cash. According to Racked, reselling clothing has exploded into a $16 billion industry, and is continuing to grow at a rate of 6% each year. Online marketplaces and retailers connect you with a wide array of buyers across the country and world. Used clothing stores, like Buffalo Exchange and Plato’s Closet, also let you walk in and sell your clothes for cash in one quick stop. Since there are so many options, you have to think about which selling technique makes most sense for you. Selling online usually means you can make more money, but you'll also have to invest more of your time into the transaction. Selling at a local store may mean less profit, but it could be more efficient overall. Whichever method you choose, you'll want to find a balance among your time, energy, and money you make back on clothing you no longer wear. By selling your clothes, you can make money, clear out your closet, and reduce waste as part of the recycled clothing movement. Win-win-win.

Marketing Environment of the Financial Services Industry Essay

Marketing Environment of the Financial Services Industry - Essay Example Modification of this law recognizes the comparative development of the DIFC and strengthens its autonomy from onshore legislators. These legislative alterations with regard to DIFC examine what can be anticipated in terms of future regulations inside UAE financial services segment. This will significantly aid in encouraging business in the area. The significant bodies of the DFIC are maintained which have distinct pecuniary units with independent budget lines. The new amendment also clarifies the governance and executive structures of the three significant bodies. The new duties are to instigate, standardize and develop an independent payment structure in connection with the UAE fundamental Bank to advance massive wholesale disbursement, including multi-nation, and currency clearance deals. It clears the capability to clear and mend payments and to implement a structure accordingly (Campbell, p. 1). Current havoc in financial markets with regard to the sub-prime financial catastrophe calls for the integration of chattel liquidity into contemporary risk management components. The definitive target is to execute advanced financial modelling elements and sound regulations for the monetary, service industry in the UAE. The Amended Law indicates further advancement of the DIFC and Dubai as a retreat of tranquillity, order and superb governance. The DIFC society and stakeholders promote this amendment since it aims at enhancing the legislative obligation to subsidize DIFC’s contribution to global financial services sector as might be necessary to sustain effectiveness, transparency and veracity. 2 Global Financial Services Industry Leverages on enhanced De-risking Strategies The comprehensive international outlook aims at changing the financial services sector. Rapid recovery has been recorded in varied sections such as banking and coverage from the present economic meltdown. This is expected to guide the international monetary services in the short or medium terms. Transaction safety, operational effectiveness, regulatory conformity, business stability planning, re-engineering, client service and business peril management will probably advance market development in the approaching years. The financial services segment is significant consumer of varied business services and items. It is an economic authority that drives other enterprises undertakings, setting principles as it provides the monies required to advance these enterprises. It is the spotlight of other sections of the market. It is a sector significantly susceptible to market alterations. The initiation of niche players enhances the sector, although, there have been declines in the number of financial affiliations. The emergence of non-financial institutions into this sector is significantly altering the sector. Escalating competition and flooded markets has forced massive actors in the global banking sector to explore upcoming markets. These changes in the financial segment wi ll significantly increase profits, improve clients’ confidence and advance the entire business progress (GIA, p.1). Consolidation has been extremely significant in the financial services segment in present years. These structural alterations in the sector have produced the liberal strategic turbulence that has challenged senior administration

Mythological strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mythological strategy - Essay Example Stories of lovers, who are not able to consummate their love in this world because of hindrances like economic or racial differences, die and become flowers or other things finally finding the freedom to express their love to each other helps explain the hope one can have in the afterlife despite the difficulties experienced in this world. The reality that is difficult to understand and accept in such a tragic event which is observed in real life brings a reader to feelings of hopelessness especially when he is experiencing similar situations. However, the consummation of a love in another world gives hope and lets a person understand the meaning of such circumstances. In mythological strategies, archetypes offer help to the readers in understanding further what is commonly observed in real situations. If a story has a hero who conquers all difficulties and villains, one is also present in real life. As villains are common in stories, life is not lacking of them. Characters and event s one could always relate to in trying to figure out life, are parts and parcels of archetypal analysis which are commonly used in mythological strategies.

Stereotyping Essay Example for Free

Stereotyping Essay Many would agree that stereotyping can be seen as an individual’s preconception about another individual depending on race, color, gender, or religion. Once an individual has built a stereotypical opinion he or she would view the communication and actions individuals of a different race, color, gender, or religion with prejudice. Racial stereotyping is an extremely detrimental facet of stereotyping. It actually paves the way for outright racism, which can cause communication barriers on multiple levels. For example, a stereotypical individual feels that some people are more intelligent that others due to their race, or the color of their skin. Racial stereotyping can lead to the suppression of the minority population in an area by the dominant culture, and this hinders societal development. The practice of racial stereotyping through the use of the media has been used throughout history by some members of society to attain various goals. The most effective way to get peoples reaction about an issue is through the media. Racial stereotyping is perpetuated highly through the film and television media, so it is important for people to mind what they watch, and how sincere the materials are being represented. In addition, a lot of movies are racially stereotypical. For example, in the movies members of gangs are most times, big black guys. This can be misinterpreted as showing that black people are usually gang members, which is not necessarily true. Furthermore, when a particular group is stereotyped, they will begin to internalize the inherent negative image, and might actually mimic some behaviors that have been portrayed in the negative imagery. The fact that they are already being criticized, can lead people to actually portray the action in reality. As mentioned above, the media can affect the way people react to certain matters, so when people are stereotyped negatively, they could change themselves in response to what is shown in the media. Ronald Takaki observed that â€Å"the pressure that the majority puts on a minority being stereotyped is high because their upward mobility will not reach equality† (Takaki, Ronald 1990 p. 101). This can cause people who are being stereotyped to feel isolated and can lead to a barrier being created between communities. In addition, a common reaction to stereotyping and criticism is that people become extremely defensive. This is a natural reaction, which most people tend to do when they feel trapped or scared. Racial stereotyping occurs between different races because many people are scared of being seen as different. For example, when a black or Hispanic family moves to a place like Canada, some people around might be initially reluctant to interact with them due to their racial difference. Hence, a communication barrier might be built between them. Stereotypical people are afraid of the idea of being different, and this is why they try to criticize others. They might also try to persecute the minority in the community, so that they would feel unwanted and eventually leave their country. As Anna Lisa Raya indicates her experience of having to define her self as what others thought in the article â€Å"it’s hard enough being me†. Overall, the idea of racial stereotyping will always be in our lives. However as time goes by we become more humanism because people are learning to not judge others by their race, gender, or religion. Therefore, we shouldn’t be afraid of being different and we should allow more cultural diversity into our lives, as stereotyping can lead to the suppression of minority populations by the dominant culture.

Gender Differences and Gender Stereotypes from a Psychological Perspect

Gender Differences and Gender Stereotypes from a Psychological Perspective Gender Differences and Gender Stereotypes Gender differences and gender stereotypes are fascinating in that one must sift through the theories, assumptions and inevitable confusion to distinguish the reality from the assumption. Men and women are obviously different, especially inherently, but how? And why? And which differences are more individualized than generalized? Even more interesting is to observe how the differences between men and women have evolved, especially over the past 30 years- since the sexual revolution. A generous amount of research has been done since then, and this research is continually updated as men and women evolve themselves. Our understanding of the innate gender differences as opposed to the acquired one is still growing, yet it still seems tainted by such misunderstanding. There is a lot of research regarding stereotypical views of men and women, and psychological testing has helped integrate and differentiate the documented "real" behavior. Even through the sexual revolution, there still exists gender-role stereotypes, although the stereotyping has decreased in recent years. Surprisingly, stereotypes are adhered to by people of every status, educated or not. Americans generally believe that men are aggressive, independent, unemotional, dominant, active, and overly self-confident. On the other hand, women are thought of to be gentle, religious, neat and dependent. Americans in general seem to believe that males and females have distinguishing opposing characteristics. Aggressiveness is one behavior which is consistently noted in psychological gender differences. The majority of people seem to believe th... ..."100% masculine" or "100% feminine." There is no argument about men and women being physically different, yet there has been much debate involving the intangible differences between the two differences. Over the centuries, stereotyping of men’s and women’s intangible aspects has evolved. This stereotyping has influenced our society so much. The studies which are done refuting the fact that stereotyping of a gender is not always valid turns out to be invalid, since the studies themselves have been influenced by stereotyping. It is hard to argue whether the stereotypes traits of each gender are true or not. However, it is important for us to overlook the stereotyping of the two genders and focus on each individual and respect their individuality, whether they demonstrate more masculinity, femininity, or either, which may or may not fit their gender stereotyping. Gender Differences and Gender Stereotypes from a Psychological Perspect Gender Differences and Gender Stereotypes from a Psychological Perspective Gender Differences and Gender Stereotypes Gender differences and gender stereotypes are fascinating in that one must sift through the theories, assumptions and inevitable confusion to distinguish the reality from the assumption. Men and women are obviously different, especially inherently, but how? And why? And which differences are more individualized than generalized? Even more interesting is to observe how the differences between men and women have evolved, especially over the past 30 years- since the sexual revolution. A generous amount of research has been done since then, and this research is continually updated as men and women evolve themselves. Our understanding of the innate gender differences as opposed to the acquired one is still growing, yet it still seems tainted by such misunderstanding. There is a lot of research regarding stereotypical views of men and women, and psychological testing has helped integrate and differentiate the documented "real" behavior. Even through the sexual revolution, there still exists gender-role stereotypes, although the stereotyping has decreased in recent years. Surprisingly, stereotypes are adhered to by people of every status, educated or not. Americans generally believe that men are aggressive, independent, unemotional, dominant, active, and overly self-confident. On the other hand, women are thought of to be gentle, religious, neat and dependent. Americans in general seem to believe that males and females have distinguishing opposing characteristics. Aggressiveness is one behavior which is consistently noted in psychological gender differences. The majority of people seem to believe th... ..."100% masculine" or "100% feminine." There is no argument about men and women being physically different, yet there has been much debate involving the intangible differences between the two differences. Over the centuries, stereotyping of men’s and women’s intangible aspects has evolved. This stereotyping has influenced our society so much. The studies which are done refuting the fact that stereotyping of a gender is not always valid turns out to be invalid, since the studies themselves have been influenced by stereotyping. It is hard to argue whether the stereotypes traits of each gender are true or not. However, it is important for us to overlook the stereotyping of the two genders and focus on each individual and respect their individuality, whether they demonstrate more masculinity, femininity, or either, which may or may not fit their gender stereotyping.

Human Resources Management in the Asia Pacific Essay

Nowadays China becomes one of the hottest market places all over the world. From the viewpoint of the investors, China seems to be the most potential market with the huge market and attractive economic situation. The apparent result is the increase in number of foreign investments put into China. Gentran Machinery (GM) is one of the foreign investors of China. It has a joint venture (JV) in Hangzhou. Although GM has been quite successful in its operations showing an average annual growth of 12 percent in sales volume, net profits and its stock value during the past 20 years, it is noted that the joint venture in China is struggling along and is already way behind schedule. In order to address the possible problems in the JV and find solutions, some issues are to be discussed. Global assignment of managers has been a traditional method of operating international companies. The importance of transferring knowledge, upskilling remote or local managers and instilling best practice throughout a multinational organization has long been recognized as a source of competitive advantage for those firms able to expand successfully. The failure of rate of global assignments, and indeed international expansion, has throughout history been nothing less than fantastic. Although it is obvious that the expatriate managers don’t know the local labour markets and local education system, have the communication, culture, and language problems, they are familiar with the corporate culture, have advanced management skills, and also have stronger informal linkages with decision makers in the parent company. Many companies send their home country employees to foreign subsidiaries (Hutchings 2002). In the GM case, it is indicated that there isn’t a modern management system in the JV and the JV managers are at only the Chinese traditional stage of management development and they haven’t effective and efficiency management knowledge and skills. As a result, it is impossible to reduce the number of expatriate managers. Contrarily, the number of expatriate managers should be increased, because they can input the modern concepts and skills of management, help to build an effective and efficiency management system, and train the Chinese managers so that they are competent for their positions in JV. However, the selection of expatriate managers is important. According to  Hutchings (2002, p. 32), ‘Maximising the performance of expatriate managers can be defined as sending an employee to a host country operation capable of achieving the best results for the expatriate, the organisation and the host country in terms of adaptability and political, business, culture and social sensitivity. To achieving such adaptability and sensitivity, the company should pay significant attention to careful selection of expatriate for the host culture in which they will be employed, and provide on-going support (Hutchings 2002). There are a number of factors which an organisation needs to be taken into consideration to predict expatriate success. These factors include technical competence on the job; personality traits; environment variables; and family situations (Hutchings 2002). The expatriates should exhibit tolerance toward differences in race, creed, culture, customs and values. They should also have high motivations. Another criterion is that of behaviour, being defined as non-judgemental, showing tolerance for ambiguity and displays of respect (Hutchings 2002). Moreover, the expatriate’s spouse and family should be analysed. These include: the spouse’s inability to adjust; the employee’s inability to adjust; the employee’s personal or emotional immaturity; and other family problems (Hutchings 2002). Obviously, Richard Hamel (the controller of JV), who is not the type of manager necessary to facilitate the success and changes needed in the JV because he is not aggressive, innovative, and creative, should certainly be replaced. However, because of the lacks of Chinese managers and the situations discussed above, Hamel should be replaced by another suitable expatriate manager. After successfully selecting the suitable expatriate manager, on-going support is important for them. In the GM case, it is noted that although the physical accommodations are acceptable, the expatriate managers suffer from extreme emotional pressure particularly in the form of loneliness. These managers have only one emotional outlet – work. They cannot speak Chinese and have no alternative forms of entertainment that involve interactions with people. Their lifestyle can best be described as one of ‘prison inmate’. This situation indicates that the expatriate managers have not been supported well. The parent company should solve this problem. Firstly, effective training programmes can help the expatriates adjust to living and  working conditions in the new host country. Appropriate intercultural training and support can help expatriates cope with a workforce and management colleagues with drastically different cultural inclinations and reduce the stress of being alone in a foreign land. Such training should provide a clear picture of the challenges they are about to face, both in their professional and private life. The training should include general country information on the Chinese culture and tradition in written, verbal or audio / visual form as a helpful orientation for the beginning of living and working in the host country; cross-cultural seminars where the trainees can apply and deepen their knowledge of the Chinese culture and mentality; Chinese language courses to introduce expatriates and their accompanying partners some basic language skills; field trip to obtain the first impression of the country, working and living conditions; meetings with experienced expatriates who can give practical tips or useful suggestions directly related to the job or private life in China. Secondly, medical and psychological assistance and counselling should be provided. Thirdly, the on-going support to spouse and the family is important. The importance of providing information housing, health, and schooling has been acknowledged (Hutchings 2002). Fourthly, a local contact person with western culture exposure can help expatriates with their first orientation in the new living and working environment. Finally, the good relationship between the expatriate and local employees can also help to improve the living condition. After successfully selecting and supporting the expatriate managers, another important issue for JV is change the traditional management system in JV and how to train the Chinese managers. Traditionally, for a long time the promotion system in Chinese state-owned enterprises has been based on seniority of workers and staff rather than on performance. For example, a cadre can be promoted to senior ranks but cannot be demoted regardless of his capability or performance. This has resulted in a phenomenon where there are too many high-ranking officials with too few rank-and-file staff, and there is over-staffing with too few staff actually performing work (Chen 1989). Thus, a new incentive system based on performance should be established for the Chinese managers and works. The ‘performance-related pay’ is the key component of the total rewards program – and offers  employees the opportunity to share in the success of the company which is a direct result of the collective performance of each of its employees. When excellent performance is acknowledged and rewarded, people are more motivated and work smarter (Bartol, et al, 1998). Moreover, employees want to work in an environment that is productive, respectful, provides a feeling of inclusiveness, and offers friendly setting (Ramlall, 2004). The good relationships between managers and employees, as well as between employees provide the belongingness and love in the company. In addition, employees prefer to function in environments that provide a challenge, offer new learning opportunities, significantly contributes to the organization’s success, offers opportunities for advancement and personal development based on success and demonstrated interest in a particular area (Ramlall, 2004). The employee’s self-actualization need is fulfilled by open-door policies and â€Å"let’s try† approaches. Competition should be encouraged. These approaches will largely motivate the employees. The managers of JV should also share as much as information with employees, encourage autonomy and participation. Furthermore, to keep equity, the reward system should be managed by expatriate managers until the Chinese manager change their traditional attitude. Finally, the award system can be managed by all level of managers; each level of managers should responsible for their subordinations. The performance based reward system should base on the responsibility system. It is obvious that the distribution of responsibility including management responsibility and employees’ responsibility in JV is not adequate. Company should specify all position, prescribes job descriptions, procedures, routines, and rules. However, the description of procedures and routines is not detail. There are only some suggestions and references. Company’s ‘let’s try’ and ‘accepts failure’ approaches encourage employees to try any ways to accomplish their job. Employees are largely motivated to look for the most suitable way to finish their works. The suggestions and references of the work procedures and routines protect the employees from excessive autonomy so that they would not fell lonely and without support (Bolman, &a Deal, 2003). The authorization system should be established. In this system, each level of managers has their corresponding authority and responsibility which  is clearly identified. The training of Chinese managers is also important. There are external training and internal training. In case of internal training, it should be decided what to teach and how to maximise the learning effect of the participants. The teaching programmes and materials should contain knowledge and skills necessary for effective management performance. Appropriate teaching methods (for example, practical or theoretical learning or the combination of the two methods) in order to achieve the training goals should be chosen. Moreover, the trainees should be able to make use of the technical know-how or management skills after the training: this can be reached through a job empowerment, a transfer to a corresponding workplace or a promotion. In these training, the Chinese managers should also learn the modern concepts of the management. The external training can include the MBA program, exchanging manager to international branch of company, etc. The main purpose of the training is to change the tradition management attitude and to learn modern management skills. In the GM case, the communication of directives, ideas, concepts, and action items, from the American management to the Chinese management and vice versa is a major problem within the JV. Misunderstanding and ineffectiveness of communication are caused usually by faults of both sides: one side expressing its intention vaguely and the other side not listening very attentively. As the case studies show, expatriates may feel unsatisfied with refusal of responsibilities by local employees, while Chinese managers complain about the lack of trust of their foreign bosses. The problem is accentuated by language difficulties. The language issue is the most significant individual obstacle facing the partners in the JV. Although there are currently three translators on the payroll, only one is really a capable translator. The language barrier can be overcome by replacing the unsuitable translators, increasing the number of translators. Also, the Chinese employees can be required to learn English. On the other hand, in the expatriate managers training which is introduced above, the Chinese language course is included to teach the basic language skills to the expatriates. In addition, the culture barrier is another important problem in JV. According to Hofstede (cited in Pan, & Zhang 2004, p. 83), culture is a kind of ‘collective programming of the mind, which distinguishes the members of one category of people from another’. It is obvious that the Chinese culture is different from the West Culture. Because it has been widely accepted that cultural difference greatly affects human thinking and behaviour, the significant differences between USA and China seem to affect some aspects of their management practice (Pan, & Zhang 2004). To overcome this barrier, one of possible solutions is to encourage a cultural adaptation or learning process which may increase the congruence between culturally different partners and ultimately improve the effectiveness of international business relationship (Lin 2004). According to Gudykunst and Kim (cited in Lin 2004, p. 36), adaptation is a ‘process wherein parts of a system move in a direction that i ncreases the congruence or fit’. In the cultural different environment, cultural adaptation occurs when individuals acquire an increasing level of fitness or compatibility in the new cultural environment. Cultural adaptation is expressed in different forms and at different levels. There are three levels of cultural adaptation including understanding, adjusting, and learning (Lin 2004). Cultural adaptation could involve many essentials including language (verbal and non-verbal), economics, religion, politics, social institutions, values, attitudes, manners, customs, material items, aesthetics and education. In juxtaposition, smooth transition and successful integration of managers going abroad on business would require the individual’s cultural orientations to be determined. From an international business standpoint it is crucial for the long-term success of a company to establish and manage good relationships across cultures (Lin 2004). Another ways to overcome the communication barrier is relationship. The expatriate managers need to build good relationship with their Chine colleagues. Relationship, the term ‘Guan xi’ is used in China, are very important in getting on in Chinese society. In China, four culture factors are grouped into relationship (or Guanxi): group orientation (the need to live in his/her community, all his/her identity was related to his/her  group); Renqing (if you do me a favour, it means I owe you something. I will pay back someday, as well as you are also expecting me to payback the favour one day.); Ganqing (friendship which implies an expectations and obligation of getting /granting favourable responses from/to ones friends); and Face (the concept of saving face or losing face indicating a person’s social status. Having face means that one has good connection within the community, which makes everything done smoothly. But losing face means one get trouble or feels embarrassed in certain circumstance. (Luk et al. 1996) In China, Guanxi is crucial for employees to gain a sense of being together and a sense of communicating with on anther. Researchers also indicate that the job satisfaction and job involvement may well be related to the quality of one’s Guanxi network (Hong, & Engestrom 2004). As a result, in Chinese JV, Guanxi is unavoidable. Actually, the Guanxi has positive and negative potential consequences (Hong, & Engestrom 2004). On the one hand, even if technocratic qualifications have become more necessary, but at the same time Guanxi is another major factor in determining who should be promoted. Workers and staff who have special ‘Guan xi’ with the superiors in power, either through family connections or forming special clues, normally get promoted over others lacking the relationship (Nyaw 1995). On the other hand, Guanxi can enhance the trust between the managers and employees or within the group of employees. Chinese workers regard good Guanxi with them as one of the most important qualifications of being a good leader (Hong, & Engestrom 2004). This is not conflict with the modern management approaches. In the American-lead JV, the expatriate managers can enhance the trust with Chinese employees through developing the Guanxi with them so that the resistance of changes can be reduced and the performance can be more effective and efficiency. However, the weakness of Guanxi should be avoided by establish a completed set of rules and regulars. According to Bolman and Deal (2003), there are several methods to coordinate individuals and units through a variety of horizontal and vertical linkages. The vertical linkages including authority, rules and policies, and planning and control system enable higher levels coordinate and control the work of subordinates. Firstly, the authority is the most basic and ubiquitous way of integration. Secondly, it is noted that the rules, policies, standards, and  standard procedure limit discretion and help ensure predictability and uniformity (Bolman, & Deal. 2003). The company should allow all employees to discuss the rules and standards and encourages them to make suggestions. Through discussion, the rules and standards become clearer for employees and prevent the lack of creativity. The clear and suitable rules and standards are the base for successful planning and control. There are two major approaches to control and planning including performance control and action planning (Mintzber g, as cited in Bolman, & Deal, 2003). The ‘performance-related pay’ bases on the performance control. Because the rules and standards are clear and suitable, the target are measurable, the performance control measures and motivates. The forms of vertical coordination are typically more formalized. But it is not always effective. Lateral techniques such as formal and informal meetings, task forces, coordinating roles, and network are more flexible and may be used to fill the void (Bolman, & Deal, 2003). Formal meetings are undertaken regularly. Moreover, the task forces or project teams can be always assembled in JV to coordinate development of new products or services. The organizational intranet should also be developed in the JV. The network enhances the decentralization and democracy in the company because the bias of organizational intranet toward decentralization, teaming, and cross-functional, and cross geographical work makes it well attuned to complexity and change (Steward, as cited in Bolman, & Deal, 2003). But the networks are difficult to control. It becomes a challenge for managers. As a conclusion, there are many aspects that affect the way international business is conducted. Differences in social, culture, economic, legal and political conditions can greatly affect the way globalised businesses are managed. Doing business abroad presents enormous challenges simply because countries and societies are so incredibly different. There is a need to appreciate not only that these differences exist, but also to appreciate how these differences impact doing business abroad. Doing business abroad requires flexibility to conform to the value systems and norms of that country. Adaptation can embrace all aspects of an international business’s operations in a foreign country, from the way deals are negotiated, to the appropriate incentive pay systems, to the organization structure, product  names, and relations between management and labour. What works in one country most likely will not work in another. It is also noted that clearly maximising the cultural adaptability skills of expatriates and the avoidance of expatriate failure in host country subsidiaries is of major concern to organisations. Maximising the cross-culture performance of expatriate managers in JV must be an integral element of the strategic human resource management planning of organisations in the 21st century as the pace of globalisation necessitates that an increasing number of organisations must think globally and ensure that their expatriates are prepared and supported to do the same. (Hutchings 2002)

Inventory Management Essay

Inventory is the quantity or total amount of goods and materials in a store or factory for some immediate or some future use. The reasons for holding more than adequate stocks of inventory would be 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   to keep business operations running and to meet current orders 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   to meet unforeseen demand and to effectively meet customer orders 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   to take care of the lead time , ie , the time gap between ordering the stores and   receiving them and place orders accordingly 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   to use as a hedge against price increases and inflation and control losses 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   to even out erratic demand requirements. Inventory control or inventory management is an attempt to maintain an adequate supply of goods while minimizing inventory costs resulting from obtaining and holding inventory with the purpose of providing information to â€Å"efficiently manage the flow of materials, effectively utilize people and equipment, coordinate internal activities and communicate with the customers.†Ã‚   .   Some of the terminologies related to inventory management are EOQ-Economic Order Quantity   – or how much to order SAFETY STOCKS- how much inventory to hold on hand REORDER LEVEL – the minimum levels of stocks at which new order for stocks is to be placed. Visual control –enables the manager to examine the inventory visually and determine if more inventory is required. Tickler control -enables the manager to physically count a small portion of the inventory each day so as to cover the entire range of inventory regularly over several days. Click sheet control is a method whereby the manager records the item as it is used on a sheet of paper. This information is used while determining the reorder levels.   Stub control (used by retailers) enables the manager to retain a portion of the price ticket when the item is sold. The manager can then use the stub to record the item. Point-of-sale terminals relay information on each item used or sold. The manager receives information printouts at regular intervals for review and action. Off-line point-of-sale terminals relay information directly to the supplier’s computer who uses the information to ship additional items automatically to the buyer/inventory manager. The final method for inventory control is done by an outside agency. A manufacturer’s representative visits the large retailer on a scheduled basis, takes the stock count and writes the reorder. Unwanted merchandise is removed from stock and returned to the manufacturer through a predetermined, authorized procedure.

James Bond History Essays

James Bond History Essays James Bond History Essay James Bond History Essay defeated only by two John Wayne films: The Longest Day and How the West Was Won (filmsite. org, 2010). By the time it had been viewed by moviegoers around the world, it had earned $59,000,000 (Chapman, 2000). The following year, due to the unexpected success of the first film, EON Films released the second Bond film, From Russia with Love. It, too, would finish out the year at #3. The movies that beat it were Cleopatra, starring Elizabeth Taylor and It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, starring a who’s-who of Hollywood stars (filmsite. org, 2010). In 1964, EON Films released Goldfinger. Sadly, Ian Fleming would die of heart failure during production. He died just at the beginning of the phenomenon known as â€Å"Bondmania†. To release the Bond films on American soil, EON Films teamed up with United Artists. Unlike the first two films, United Artist decided to release Goldfinger as its major Christmas release. When it opened on the 22nd of December of 1964, it had its premieres at prestigious theaters like Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood (Winder, 2006). One reporter wrote, â€Å"lines of eager ticket buyers formed for blocks on opening day and afterward, this enthusiastic reception being duplicated all over the country† (Chapman, 2000). â€Å"The success of Goldfinger was such that in New York one showing followed another day and night, and the management imposed an interval only to sweep away from the auditorium the remains of popcorn which had reached a depth of several inches,† wrote another (Chapman, 2000). Goldfinger was the film that that established James Bond in America. American studios took notice. Spy-Fi fever had hit the U. S. and American filmmakers tried to capitalize on the popularity of the secret agent. Donald Hamilton had written a series of novels chronicling the adventures of another secret agent named Matt Helm. In Hamilton’s books, Matt Helm was a remorseless, no nonsense U. S. government operative. In the Seventies, ABC would produce a short-lived television series simply titled Matt Helm with Tony Franciosa playing Helm as a run-of-the-mill private investigator. But at the height of â€Å"Bondmania† in the mid-sixties, Columbia Pictures had something else in mind. They produced four Matt Helm comedies, beginning in 1966 with The Silencers. The movies were made to spoof the spy craze and starred Dean Martin as a perpetually intoxicated American secret agent. They turned out to be a major hit and a fifth was planned but was never made (Biederman, 2004). As recently as 2008, Steven Spielberg has been rumored to be working on a new Matt Helm movie. An even more obvious parody of the James Bond character was Derek Flint. Twentieth Century Fox released Our Man Flint, also in 1966. It starred James Coburn as Derek Flint, an agent for the super-secret spy organization known as Z. O. W. I. E (Zonal Organization for World Intelligence and Espionage). The movie contains several references to the James Bond character including the Walther PPK (Bond’s preferred handgun) which is rejected by Flint and a fight scene with Agent 0008 (Bond was 007). The film was successful enough to spawn a sequel the following year titled In Like Flint (Biederman, 2004). Television studios were not blind to the success the spy-fi genre was experiencing on the silver screen. In 1965, NBC ran a secret agent series called I Spy. It starred Robert Culp and Bill Cosby as secret agents working for the Pentagon. The series ran for three seasons. It was most recently made into a movie in 2002 starring Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson in the lead roles (Biederman, 2004). NBC followed I Spy with Get Smart. Created by comedy legend Mel Brooks and writer Buck Henry, it follows the adventures of Maxwell Smart, a bumbling secret agent who works for a secret government agency known as CONTROL (not an acronym). According to Buck Henry, the show was created to â€Å"capitalize on the two biggest things in entertainment today: James Bond and Inspector Clouseau,† Mel Brooks is quoted as saying, â€Å"It’s an insane combination of James bond and Mel Brooks’ comedy† (latimes. com, 2008). It was most recently made into a film in 2008 starring Steve Carell and Dwayne â€Å"The Rock† Johnson. NBC would soon conclude its affair with the spy-fi genre with The Man From U. N. C. L. E, a television series starring Robert Vaughn and David McCallum. The two starred as agents for U. N. C. L. E. (United Network Command for Law and Enforcement). Due to lackluster viewership, it was cancelled in the middle of its third season (Biederman, 2004). While other American spy projects seemed to be meeting their ends, James Bond was going strong as EON Films continued to produce movie after movie starring Agent 007. All in all, EON Films has produced 22 movies starring James Bond. In addition, 1967 brought the world a James Bond spoof titled Casino Royale with David Niven portraying Sir James Bond. Ironically, Niven was Ian Fleming’s first choice to play Bond (Chapman, 2000). EON Films, however, chose Sean Connery. An odd twist of fate and legal technicality found Connery portraying James Bond for the last time in Never Say Never Again. This movie is not considered an official James Bond film as it was not produced by EON Films. Released in 1983, it was the only time two Bond films were in theaters simultaneously as Roger Moore was starring as James Bond in EON Films’ production of Octopussy (Winder, 2006). Roger Moore is the third man to portray 007 in an EON Films production. After Sean Connery’s five film run, George Lazenby was given the role in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 1969. Connery returned to the role in 1973’s Diamonds Are Forever. From 1973 to 1985, Roger Moore continued as James Bond until the role was given to Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights. After two films starring Dalton, the role was given to Pierce Brosnan in 1995’s Goldeneye which was later made into a highly successful first-person-shooter video game on the Nintendo 64 gaming platform. In 2006, EON Films, partnered with MGM, took Bond in an entirely new direction. It was decided that audiences wanted a less campy and more no-nonsense James Bond. Daniel Craig took up the role and for the first time, James Bond was James â€Å"blonde†! Controversy ensued, but if box office receipts are any indication, the audience didn’t mind as his became the highest grossing Bond film to date. In 2006, he starred in Casino Royale, which, unlike the earlier film of the same name, was actually based on Fleming’s first Bond novel. At the time, it made the James Bond Franchise the highest grossing film series of all time, even eclipsing the popular Star Wars films (guardian. o. uk). The record stood unchallenged until another mysterious character out of Great Britain surpassed it. As of 2007, the Harry Potter series has taken the lead with $4. 5 Billion compared to Bond’s $4. 4 billion (guardian. co. uk). The good news is that Bond has a chance to regain the title as Daniel Craig is currently slated to star in the as of yet unnamed 23rd installment of the James Bond franchise. Granted, there are two more Harry Potter films yet to be released, but, that will be all since the books are finished. There is no end, however, in sight for the James Bond franchise. The influence James Bond has had on popular culture is certainly not limited to the books and films. One staple of all Bond films is the music. None of which is more important than the â€Å"James Bond Theme†, written by Monty Norman. The â€Å"dum-de-dum-dum† of the famous tune which is heard in all of the Bond films has been the inspiration for many other spy-fi projects. Even toddlers are familiar with the sound as evidenced by the opening sequence for the Disney Channel’s popular pre-school kids’ show Special Agent Oso. The opening credits are accompanied by songs sung by well-known singers including Tina Turner, Sheryl Crow and Tom Jones. Paul and Linda McCartney had their Bond song performed with their band Wings, â€Å"Live and Let Die†, nominated for an Academy Award as did Bill Conti and Michael Leeson’s song â€Å"For Your Eyes Only† performed by Sheena Easton. She actually appeared in the title sequence singing the song. The only singer to actually appear as a character in the film is Madonna in Die Another Day. Duran Duran’s song, â€Å"A View to a Kill† from the film of the same name made it to number one on the U. S. pop charts in 1985 (Chapman, 2000). James Bond has appeared in video games, comic books, and even as an action figure. Countless books, essays and articles have been written about him and songs have been sung in his honor. He’s starred in movies and on television. Ian Fleming’s secret agent has managed to infiltrate just about every aspect of the media in hundreds of languages in countries around the world. With no end in sight, is it any wonder that the American Film Institute has his most famous quotation recorded as the 22nd greatest in cinema history (afi. com 2010)? And with another Bond film on the horizon, we can no doubt be sure that some time in the near future, we will once again be reintroduced to the man known as Agent 007 and will hear the immortal introduction of, â€Å"My name is Bond, James Bond. † Bibliography All Time U. S. A. Top Box Office Leaders by Decade and Year (2010). Retrieved April 11, 2010, from filmsite. org/boxoffice2. html. Amis, Kingsley (1966). The James Bond Dossier. London, Jonathan Cape. Bennett, T. and Woollacott, J. (1987). Bond and Beyond: The Political Career of a Popular Hero. London. Benson, Raymond (1984). The James Bond Bedside Companion. New York, Dodd, Mead and Company. Biederman, Danny (2004). The Incredible World of Spy-Fi. Chronicle Books, Llc. Chancellor, Henry (2005). James Bond: The Man and His World. London, John Murray. Chapman, James (2000). Licence to Thrill: A Cultural History of the James Bond Films. New York, Columbia University Press. â€Å"Frankly, My Dear, I Don’t Give a Damn† Tops AFI’s List of 100 Greatest Movie Quotes of All Time (2010). Retrieved April 11, 2010 from afi. com/tvevents/100years/quotes. aspx. Harry Potter Becomes Highest Grossing Film Franchise (2007). Retrieved April 11, 2010, from guardian. co. uk/film/2007/sep/11/jkjoannekathleenrowling. Lycett, Andrew (1995). Ian Fleming: The Man Behind James Bond. London: Turner Pub. QA with Mel Brooks. Los Angeles Times. May 19, 2008. Retrieved May 1, 2010 from latimes. com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-brooks20-2008may20,0,4126646. story. Sandbrook, Dominic (2005). Never Had It So Good. London, Little Brown. Winder, Simon (2006). The Man Who Saved Britain: A Personal Journey Into the Disturbing World of James Bond. New York, Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Comma Before But

Comma Before But Comma Before But Comma Before But By Maeve Maddox This reader’s question illustrates the uncertainty felt by many writers about when to use a comma before the conjunction but: In the following sentence, the secondary clause isn’t truly independent; it lacks a subject, yet it conveys an almost-complete thought: â€Å"I left Susan a message last week but haven’t heard back from her yet.† My question is whether a comma precedes but even though a subject doesn’t follow but. Put another way, is the secondary clause’s implied subject, I ¸ sufficient to require a comma before the coordinating conjunction? There is no â€Å"implied† subject in the sentence â€Å"I left Susan a message last week but haven’t heard back from her yet.† The sentence’s stated subject is I. It’s the subject of both verbs, the one before and the one after the but. The answer, therefore, is that no comma is needed before the but. The rule for but is the same as that for the other six coordinating conjunctions: and, for, or, nor, so, and yet. If the conjunction precedes an independent (main) clause, use a comma: â€Å"Jack tried a new diet, but he still gained weight.† If the but is not followed by an independent clause, no comma is needed: â€Å"Jack tried a new diet but still gained weight.† If a writer finds himself hesitating over a sentence like the one in the example, the easiest way to settle the comma question is to supply another subject for the second verb: â€Å"I left Susan a message last week, but I haven’t heard back from her yet.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Dialogue Dos and Don'tsItalicizing Foreign WordsWhat the Heck are "Peeps"?

English Composition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

English Composition - Essay Example I just don’t see how eliminating one particular part of your food supply, like carbs or protein, can be considered healthy. All it took was a little investigation to figure out those were bad ideas. But I hate jogging! That’s actually work. You run and run and run and get all sweaty and everyone sees you out there being sweaty and gross with your fat bouncing all over the place, which, by the way, is not comfortable at all. After circulating through my friends and their many suggestions, I didn’t find a single one that appealed to me. And then, the quiet guy in the corner looked up from his book and said, â€Å"Do you want to lose weight or tone muscle?† â€Å"Then you need to eat sensibly and get some exercise every day, at least 30 minutes,† he said. â€Å"It doesn’t matter what you do, just do something to get your heart rate going faster for 30 minutes a day. And it doesn’t matter what you eat, as long as you eat reasonable proportions of healthy or low-fat food.† Before I knew it, I was working out with a bunch of people who were much more out of shape than I am in a relatively easy program called Big Loser. The first week was really hard, the second week was not so hard and the third week, I added another show to my daily routine just to challenge myself. What made this so nice is that I could do it right in my own room, where no one had to see me looking all nasty and at the same time, every part of me was working out and getting in shape. I couldn’t see the changes every week, but I could feel them and that was